“As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” Psalm 55:16-17
This is photo taken by my camera holds one my most memorable moments while living in Haiti. No smiling faces, bright clean school uniforms, no kettle full of beans and rice; just a well-read French Bible resting upon a rustic wooden pew in a small Lutheran Church in the Plateau Central in northeast Haiti. No pipe organ, hymnal racks, stained glass or tile floor; but this God’s House. Two simple red cloth book marks for the Old and New Testament and a zipper that ceased to work but left as a reminder of how long this Bibla has been used. The Pastor has used this Bibla for Baptisms, Confirmations, Weddings, Funerals and Sunday morning services for several generations. The only music in the Church is the congregation singing acapella hymns that they have memorized over time. The only book in this Church is the Holy Bible; God’s Word. There is no parking lot; people walk for miles to get here. And the above verses from Psalms are true for the people who worship in Haiti and where I worshipped on Sunday; “As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” At the close of the service yesterday the Elder of the Day looked at his announcements and said “there really isn’t anything exciting going on here this week.” May each of us call to God for direction and stand up and leave the boat of comfort we are sitting in and get out and walk on the water with the Jesus, and make some excitement in the Kingdom. I am closing today with the words from the hymn ‘When Morning Gilds the Skies’ that were written by Joseph Barnby in 1828
“When morning gilds the skies, my heart awaking cries: may Jesus Christ be praised! When evening shadows fall, this rings my curfew call: may Jesus Christ be praised! When mirth for music longs, this is my song of songs: may Jesus Christ be praised! God’s holy house of prayer has none that can compare with "May Jesus Christ be praised!" To Him, my highest and best, I sing when love possessed: may Jesus Christ be praised! Whatever my hands begin, this blessing shall break in: may Jesus Christ be praised! No lovelier antiphon in all high heaven is known than "may Jesus Christ be praised!" There to the eternal Word the eternal psalm is heard: oh, may Jesus Christ be praised! Let all of humankind in this their concord find: may Jesus Christ be praised! Let all the earth around ring joyous with the sound: may Jesus Christ be praised! Sing, sun and stars of space, sing, all who see his face, sing, "Jesus Christ be praised!" God’s whole creation over, today and evermore shall Jesus Christ be praised!”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay