God gave us this verse for our DTS these past weeks, and it speaks for itself. His perfect, undying, unending, untiring love casts out all our fears, every single one, no matter how big or how small. From aftershocks to figuring out what to do with our lives to not having a roof over your head, this love is pure enough and strong enough to defeat our fears.
So I have to correct my last post: from last Thursday to Friday, we experienced EIGHT earthquakes over 5.0 and over 200 aftershocks. One out of every eight Chileans is without a safe, secure place to live. Did I mention that? If not, here it is again. But there is hope for this nation, the ruin and destruction will not overcome the salvation and the praise to the living God.
One sad example of the affects of this was seen in a YWAM family that works here every summer, whose home fell down in the first 8.8 quake. They had just recieved a new loan to keep paying off their house, but have 18 years left to pay it off. Without a good insurance system here, the family is left to pay off, for the next 18 years, something that they can't see, they can't touch, and has absolutely no use or value to them; an invisible house that lies in ruins on the floor. Our base is helping them rebuild in these next few days, but the reality of their payments for a house that doesnt exist won't be erased so easily. Thank God we can come alongside them and rebuild with them, God's provision and hope for this family will replace the destruction.
Isaiah 60:18 was the theme verse for the entire school, and I have to admit when they announced it and put it up on the wall in January, I did not see the relevance. But the Monday after the earthquakes when we were mourning the loss of lives and homes here in Chile and praying together, I looked up and saw it written on the wall and thanked God for His authority, wisdom and sovereignty. When you read it you will see why:
"No longer will violence be heard in your land,
nor ruin or destruction within your borders,
but you will call your walls Salvation
and your gates Praise."
nor ruin or destruction within your borders,
but you will call your walls Salvation
and your gates Praise."
God's plan is a plan of hope for this nation, which overnight went from being one of the leading, most respected, most economically sound nations in South America, to a pitied nation crumbling in ruins. His plan is a plan of hope and life.
As I get ready to come home in a couple of days, I've been thinking about how faithful God has been every minute of this time. How truly immense and great He is. How BIG he is. And how His perfect love really does have the power to cast out our ALL fears. So bring on the aftershocks, my God is bigger!
No comments:
Post a Comment