God’s Mercy

07 Mar God’s Mercy

Watching our families from the Bordos suffer and tear apart their houses this week was very hard.  Feeling so hopeless and watching each of them struggle with where they are going to live has lead my earthly flesh to cry out and struggle with feelings of injustice with the government. But I cannot even begin to imagine how hard it has been for them to deal with not knowing what their future will look like and the worry about what tomorrow might bring.

Through it all, I have been asking God to show me how to put aside my earthly thoughts and instead focus on how I can serve and glorify Him more through the entire situation.  My heart has sought Him and through prayer I have asked,

“Jesus, allow me to see this through your eyes and feel with your heart.”

The response has been a feeling of service, compassion, and love.  This has brought peace to my heart and I have been humbled to see God provide.  He has provided tools and people with the needed skills.  He has brought people together here in Honduras and far away, working and praying together.  He has built a team of awesome people like Dean, Justin, Elena who are committed to serving and supporting these families wherever that leads them.  And most humbling, He has raised up a group of youth boys who, while not effected by the move, have served and treated those affected just like family.  It has been a beautiful image of the body of Christ coming together as one team united together.

God has responded.  And He has challenged me at the same time.  Should I love the injustice I see?  No.  Should I love those who might cause this injustice?  Of course.  This truth has led me to more prayer, but not just for those from the Bordos.  God has challenged me to pray for those who are in authority, power, or otherwise cause for some of the injustice we see in my country.

This process with God has reminded me of a passage in Luke:

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:32-36

This was huge reminder of how much God loved me even when I was apart from Him and how He still loves me now with all my flaws and mistakes.  He had mercy on me and that mercy is exactly what I need to show to others in return. 

God has used this passage and the entire situation to help me lead the youth boys He has placed in my life.  I have challenged them to love and serve those who many view as “enemies” and it has been incredible to see the impact and example these young men are having on the entire Bordos community.  Seeing them serve others, some of which don’t love them, without expectation has taught me more than I could ever teach them!

I always want to thank everyone of you who have been faithful prayer warriers for our ministry and the Bordos community.  It has been overwhelming to see all the messages, posts, or reminders on social media that we are NOT alone on this journey.  Prayer is the most important tool that God has given us and I know the Bordos community is trusting God just as we are.  Please continue to pray for peace, comfort, and the hope that can only come to them in the person of Jesus!

Blessings, Cris