DEVOTIONAL: "So, why are you going to Africa?"

I originally sent this out to everyone in the team before we left. I would like to remember these thoughts so I posted it here so that it doesn't get lost in my flood of miscellaneous emails.


"So, Patrick, why are you going to Africa?"...It is a question that I have been asked a lot by friends, family, coworkers. It is an expected question and one that seems to be easy to answer. But as I reflect on this tonight, I am wondering if I have really answered the question accurately ... and more importantly, in a God glorifying way..... when I have been asked. My answers to this question have varied on who I am talking to. I tend to give more "spiritual" answers to my church family (..."to share to love of Christ", "to put hands and feet to the gospel", etc) and more "clinical" answers to my coworkers and friends (..."to set up a medical cinic", "to provide medical and dental care to orphans and their caregivers", etc). But it hit me tonight during my family devotions, that I am missing the big, over-arching, God-exalting reason that is foundation for it all.

When I am home in the evenings, (a rarity it seems for a 3-11 shift worker....I am sure that some can relate) I enjoy reading out of a wonderful book by Starr Meade, "Training Hearts and Teaching Minds" for night time devotions with the kids. With the Westminster Shorter Catechism as its background, this book asks one of the catechism questions and then takes a week of walking through the Scriptures to answer it and refect upon its application. Tonight as I opened it up for my kids, (Jeremy 12, Zachary, 8 and Lydia, 3), we landed upon the question "What are the decrees of God?" and the Scripture readings focused on the point that, all of creation is to give glory to God. The last Scripture that we looked at was Psalm 96. And there it was. I had to stop and simply reflect on the words staring up at me.

(Psalms 96:1) Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!
(Psalms 96:2) Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
(Psalms 96:3) Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!
(Psalms 96:4) For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.
(Psalms 96:5) For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
(Psalms 96:6) Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
(Psalms 96:7) Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
(Psalms 96:8) Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!
(Psalms 96:9) Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!
(Psalms 96:10) Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity."
(Psalms 96:11) Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
(Psalms 96:12) let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
(Psalms 96:13) before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

This Psalm I am sure is familiar to a lot of you, especially if you are a missions oriented person as this psalm of praise has as its emphasis, world missions. It makes the bold declaration that one day the message of God's mercy will be known the world over ("among the nations"). That God's marvelous works and the splendor of salvation will be "among all peoples". How will this occur?....Notice the repetition of action verbs in the verses. We are to "sing"...we are to "bless"...we are to "tell"...we are to "declare"... we are to "ascribe"... we are to "worship"...we are to "say". We are to shine the light of God's salvation, marvelous works, splendor, majesty, strength, righteousness, and faithfullness among the nations of the earth. In summary, we are to reflect and reveal the GLORY OF GOD.

(Psalms 96:3) Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!

Does this mean evangelism? Yes. By God's grace I pray that there will be opportunities to walk someone through the richness of the gospel. Let us all pray and equip ourselves for that opportunity. But the compassionate medical care that we will be providing, certainly is evangelism as well and a way to "ascribe to the LORD glory and strength" and "ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name."

In Matthew 5, Jesus commanded that we "let [our] light shine before others, so that they may see [our] good works". Just previous to this he said that we "are the light of the world" and "a city on a hill" - as such we have a light that is not meant to be hidden but put up on a stand to be displayed to all. Now I certainly do not see myself as a light for the world and as glorious as a city displayed upon a hill. And on my own with my own resources...I most certainy am not. I do not have inherent light, but as a sinner saved by grace we have a reflective light- the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ:

(2 Corinthians 4:6) For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We have the knowledge of God's salvation and glory to be shared among the nations. It is a treasure for sure in a jar of clay, but our good deeds ... which specifically, is our compassionate medical care to orphans and their caregivers, will show the world the glory of God and that this "surpassing power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Cor 4:7). This is why Jesus stated in the conclusion of His thought in Matt 5:16 that we are to let our light shine before men, not for our own accolades or praise or feelings of worth or desire to do a mission - "thing", but to let others see our good works and "give glory to your Father who is in heaven". It is all about God ... it is all about good deeds that lead others to ponder, reflect, consider, and bow their knee to a glorious God.

I thank God that He reminded me of this tonight as I was going through devotions with my kids. I am thankful that tomorrow as I go to work and am asked once again, "Patrick, why are you going to Uganda?", that I can give them the accurate, God - exalting reason. I will say, "I am going because God's word states.....

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!" (Psalms 96:3)

For the gospel and the glory of God!