Still sobering

Tuesday was our worldwide day of prayer. It was a good time to reflect on the tumultous preceeding week. The Virginia Tech tragedy. Deaths of 3 Christians in Turkey who were involved in ministry there. The arrest of 44 Christian workers in Indonesia. These are people with names, faces, wives, children, mothers, fathers.

Towards the end of our time together, Al Denson led us in the Matt Redman song…

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I’m found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

A staff friend in front of us had a hard time. They lost a baby a few months ago. But she stood there praising God singing, “Blessed be your name.” Redman’s song goes on…

Every blessing You pour out
I’ll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun’s shining down on me
When the world’s ‘all as it should be’
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I’ll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Then today, I read the following on John Piper’s Desiring God site. Wow.

Karen Watson was a Southern Baptist missionary to Iraq killed by unknown assailants March 15, 2004. Karen left behind in an envelope that said “Open in case of death.”

Dear Pastor Phil and Pastor Roger,

You should only be opening this in the event of death.

When God calls there are no regrets. I tried to share my heart with you as much as possible, my heart for the nations. I wasn’t called to a place; I was called to Him. To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, His glory my reward, His glory my reward . . .

The missionary heart:

* Cares more than some think is wise
* Risks more that some think is safe
* Dreams more than some think is practical
* Expects more than some think is possible.

I was called not to comfort or to success but to obedience. . . .

There is no Joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving Him. I love you two and my church family.

In His care,
Salaam, Karen

I can’t get the phrase “I wasn’t called to a place; I was called to Him” out of my mind. It resonates in my soul.

We can rest “in His care”. We can sign our lives, as Karen did, with “Salaam”. Peace. God’s supernatural peace.