Our bus slowly came to a stop as it rolled down
the dirt road leading to the school. I sensed something overwhelming was about to happen as I saw
the tidal wave of kids running full force down the road towards the front of the
bus. This was my second mission trip ever, yet my first time to
Africa. After months of fundraising and planning, the moment I
anticipated was finally here. Only, I could not have prepared for
it.
Prior to leaving Atlanta, I'd sat in
meetings with the team of folks I was going on this mission trip with and we
discussed our hopes, plans and anticipations of the mission while praying God's will be done. A
few of the folks had been on this same trip the prior year, and when they spoke of
their experiences, they were literally brought to tears. They shared how they could
not put into words how the presence of God was so "thick" and overwhelming there.
Well, I was anxious to share that experience.
The bus stopped, the doors opened and we began
to unload. With over a hundred kids surrounding us, we got off the bus one by one
only to be completely drenched in love. I was last to get off the bus and
step down into the place where my life would be forever changed. As soon
as my feet hit the ground, two beautiful little girls wrapped their arms around
me so tightly saying "jambo" (hello) and smiling the most magnificent and
enthusiastic smiles I'd ever seen, while dozens of more children grabbed hold
to my hands, my arms and my waist. That's when the tidal wave flooded my
soul and out of nowhere, an unexpected surge of emotion rose up in me so strongly that it
poured out of my eyes and down my cheeks. I could hardly stand and was
unable to speak, barely able to tread the love that was consuming me. I
was not strong enough to hold it together and had actually entertained the
thought of embarrassment, but I heard the Lord say "This is what my love feels
like - total acceptance." So
I surrendered as the tidal wave of love rushed over the top of my head so high
that I almost drowned in it. I was completely submerged.
Who was I to be worthy of this kind of
love? Who was I to be received with such a celebratory welcome? If
only they'd known of my past mistakes, would they still welcome me like
this? Would they still celebrate my coming? Then I remembered in
Luke 15:10 where Jesus tells the parable of the lost coin being celebrated once
it is found. Then He goes on to
say "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of
the angels of God over one sinner who repents." This is what that
rejoicing must be like.
Even when we don't feel worthy, the angels rejoice
when we turn to God. The angels rejoice when they see us coming.
They run to us, wrap their arms around us and say "welcome!". Just
as we step into the ocean’s shore and the wave pulls us in just before it rushes
over us, we can also take a step in the direction of the Lord and be consumed by His tidal
wave of love!
Love Always!
Shy
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