One of the reasons we started this blog was to show how North Dakota District LCMS and Minnesota North had so many connections and were working together to build Project 24 centers in Africa. They partnered together in the Mary Okeyo scholarship fund trips which were hugely successful and, according to Shauen Trump the director of operations in East Africa, and integral part of the work in Africa and should be continued.
Because of situations within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya, outside influences and difficulties, the Project 24 impetus had slowed down, and many people actually reported the Project 24 was dead. It has been a very difficult time for the last couple of years, and this type of work will always have it’s detractors, but I’m happy to say that much progress has been made in the last few months due to the efforts of Pastor Trump, and John Kissinger both of whom I will tell you about more in the days and weeks ahead.
In the meantime I remember a Chapel sermon for the new missionaries by Dr. Edward Grimmenstein on Isaiah 49.
“God does not do things lightly”
God likes Words — He called creation into existence through Words. God loves water, because He destroys our flesh with it, while delivering us as newborn babes in Christ through it. He is very pleased with bread and wine because He cradles His flesh within His promise so we may taste and see how good the Lord truly is. But what God loves most, what He cares for most — is you.
God loves people. He loves you; made in His image, in His likeness, reborn in the likeness of Christ. Because through you, He still speaks His Word of salvation into this world. Through the mouths of preachers people believe, through the conversations of a wife over coffee with a neighbor tears of comfort can freely pour, through a simple child’s witness some of the greatest saints have believed.
And this brings us to some very special guests with us this morning. Welcome to our Summer Missionary class of 2015; our missionaries, spouses, and children. We are very pleased to have you join us here for the next two weeks during orientation.
It has been awhile now since you first started this process hasn’t it? But now the long deliberations are over. Your church has called you, God has called you, and you accepted that call. It is time to be like Abraham, and to follow where God has called you — not knowing everything, but knowing your God would never steer you wrongly. You go to minister and love a people you do not even know yet, all the while leaving people you already know and love — but don’t worry, God knows all and knows whom you are to love.
Big changes, lots of changes. But remember, your God is the One true God who does make big changes, who does do things greatly, and is the One who risks everything to go after that One lost sheep. That is your God. That is who He is. And so He has called you into a life that mirrors the very nature of God Himself — He does big things.
This morning God spoke through the prophet Isaiah to you. And He said to you, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel, I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Your God does not do things lightly. He doesn’t take the easy way out. He is a God who takes the long road, He is a God who stays the course no matter what, He is the God who is willing to go through for Himself a suffering and a death, so that there could be a resurrection.
God doesn’t take the easy way out. Whether He is cradling you and your life, or desiring to draw the whole world under His wing – God doesn’t do things lightly. God is not satisfied with staying in one corner of the world – that would be too light a thing. God refuses to close His mouth and speak to only one race of people – that would be too light a thing. Your God just doesn’t do things lightly. He never has and He never will. It is not in His nature. The whole world is His and all that is in it, and He desperately wants that world and her people to come back under His protective wing.”
What a great sermon and how apropos for our new missionaries one of whom is Julie McManus who is heading for Kenya August 3.
Such good news. Glad to hear work is still being done.
God does hear and answer prayers. Doors are opening and we pray for the Word to become real to those Julie will be in contact with. We pray for her safety, for wisdom, patience and peace. God Speed.