Lessons from the Mission Field: A God Who Lives

So many people throughout the world don't know that there's a God who can't be broken, Who isn't made by human hands; a God who hears & answers prayers.

Lessons from the Mission Field:
A God Who Lives

This week's devotions are written by my friend Becky Dean, missions director at Great Hills Baptist Church.

- Pastor Danny

"The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears that cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths."

(Psalm 135:15-17)

Short-term mission trips are a great experience for many reasons: the joy of serving, doing ministry that helps support missionaries and local churches, getting to share the Gospel, and the fun of seeing a new place and people. But I also always hear from God and learn lessons or new truths that I might not otherwise in my everyday life. This week, I'm looking forward to sharing some things God showed me during our trip to Asia that Pastor Danny recently shared about.

In one country we visited, we went into schools to lead VBS-type activities with elementary and middle-school kids. During one school visit, on a shelf in an out-of-the-way corner, I saw a golden Buddha statue that was broken and in pieces. We learned that the kids in this country perform Buddhist rituals every day, just like how kids in the U.S. say the pledge of allegiance every day.

Then, that night, a few of us attended a huge festival of candles and lights held in historic ruins. They had a market, music, and dancing, with lights everywhere. It was fascinating and beautiful, but we also saw thousands and thousands of small paper boats for sale. They were intricate, like pieces of art, and were very pretty—but they were also extremely sad. People buy them, light a candle in them, and sometimes write prayers or wishes on a piece of paper before setting the little boats loose on the lake, hoping their prayers will be answered

Both of these sights reminded me that so many people, not only in that country, but throughout the world, don't know that there's a God who can't be broken because He isn't made by human hands. He's a God who hears and answers prayers and cares about our lives. We don't just have to wish and hope that something, someone, somewhere, might be listening, or use a candle or pay for a boat to get His attention. Our God is alive and personal and wants us to come to Him, and He will never let us down.

If you know this God, join me in thanking Him for our relationship and praising Him for being all-powerful, for caring, for listening, and for answering our prayers. And may we remember to pray for those who don't know Him and to share with someone who can use the hope offered by a living God who loves us personally.

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him."

(1 John 5:14-15)