“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
We should all be thankful that God looks at the heart of a person and not their outward appearance. If He didn’t view us through the eyes of Jesus, we would be seen for what we truly are; sinful and unclean. This world that we live in too often, almost all of the time, views a person by what they do, how popular they happen to be, what kind of a house they live in, what model of car they drive and the size of their bank account.
That is not what is of interest to God. This child attending the Lutheran school in Ouanaminthe doesn’t have a school uniform; doesn’t matter to God as she is in school. Her left leg has an ailment; not a problem, look what He did with the Apostle Paul. Our culture is intent on ‘quick’ fixes to perceived problems in this world; Trinity HOPE is feeding children for the long term.
She may sing in the Church choir one day or be a teacher at this school or give birth to a child who will be a Pastor in her Church; God is in control of her life and has plans for her future. We continue to feed His sheep and watch Him mold these young lives into mission workers in His fields. Charlotte Elliott wrote the words to the hymn ‘Just as I am, without one plea’ in 1836 and they seem to be a wonderful way to close this message.
“Just as I am, without one plea but that Thy blood was shed for me and that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot, to Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; sight, riches, healing of the mind, yea, all I need, in Thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am; Thy love unknown has broken every barrier down. Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”
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