Ministry.....

According to the dictionary, MINISTRY is "A person or thing through which something is accomplished". 

Let us pray..... Dear Lord, we ask You to use us as your ministers here on earth.  We pray for your continual guidance in our ministry as we encounter Your people and do Your work.  We pray for the Holy Spirit to send us in the right direction so that everything we set out to accomplish will be achieved by us, through You. 

Today started with devotions around the big tree.  Dennis talked about Mission (nope, we had not discussed my first night's blog and his devotion..... things just happen like that when God is at work).  There are many definitions for what Missions are.  One deals with spreading religion, one speaks of setting at liberty, those who are repressed, another talks about changing the world.....

Christians are called to missions, or ministry, each and every day.  We are called to interact, to share our faith, to help those in need, to cloth the cold, to feed the hungry and to provide shelter from the storms. We're called into missions to work alongside other Christians in global partnership.  God wants many things from us, and He loves us no matter how much we have to give... but He does expect us to give.  He expects us to love him and to love each other and to share our love with those in need.  If we truely love the Lord, sharing comes so easily.

I believe ministry is truely why this particular group of people have been called to this specific mission field, here in Costa Rica.  Each and every person here has a gift, and each gift is required to accomplish our ministry goal.   

Last night, all around us, there were so many groups, gathered in ministry.  There was a group of young ladies practicing for the dance team, the worship band was practicing, and there was a men's group meeting as well.  All of those ministries are important to the work, and the kingdom of God.

Speaking of work......our day was very eventful.

 

We worked very hard today. We've done some sanding, some puttying....... 

... and we even gutted the old kitchen (well, okay, Barry, Dennis, Damian and Jason did that). We have had a wonderfully busy and productive day.

We did work all day, but we also took a break or two to enjoy some pretty awesome food....

As for the spiritual work..... well, we have to listen to God to tell us what He wants from us.  I can tell you this.... so far I have seen a multitude of answered prayers.  Remember last night when we asked for George's stomach bug to go away and allow him to wake this morning ready to get back to work.... well, he was at morning devotions ready to go.  We have been in prayer for Carlos M. who was with us last year and whose 18 month old baby has been in the hospital for the last 3 months....  well, he is here today.  His son is back home and can receive care in this town rather than in San Jose, which is 4 hours away.  We think we're called to missions so we can give to others... but maybe, just maybe, we're called to missions because God knows we need be ministered to.  I think maybe that is why I am here, and it has nothing at all to do with faith.   Sometimes in your spiritual life, you just need a 'jump start' or a good 'kick in the rear'.  I have already seen and been blessed by so much and I praise God for doing so much for me.

I leave you with this scripture.... Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord say, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said "Here am I, Send me!!"

Thank you Lord for sending us... thank you Lord for sending me.  Amen.