Paid in full

Approximately two weeks ago, as per my last blog, I was waiting on finances to pay for my food and board. It was a large sum of money that I had no way of acquiring except that God provided it for me. When I began my journey as a missionary in June 2013 God said don't ask for money, I will provide for you. So I waited. Some days my heart was at peace - usually when I remembered His goodness, other days I was in turmoil, feeling heavy under the burden of debt. But I realised soon after I wrote that last post that this wasn't solely about me trusting God but also about unity in the body of Christ. 

There was something greater being accomplished than I had realised. And when I had addressed the subject of unity that had been burning in my heart with the person with whom God had highlighted to me, I found a kinship and the same burning heart. It took a bit of courage to talk about what Holy Spirit was showing me and that boldness created an opportunity for the other person to also share. During our conversation, I felt a sweet relief come over me. I had been living under a tension that I just couldn't seem to shift and now it had just lifted off of me. The real issue was not the lack of finances. God had allowed the lack of finances to create a situation where we noticed one another to the extent that compassion flowed. 

We are not called to only acknowledge those who also believe in Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit as brothers and sisters. We are called to consider all who believe as members of one body, so that when one part of the body is hurting, the rest of the body pays attention. As we notice ourselves, God is calling us to notice each other. It doesn't take much to notice our own pain or our own problems because these things are our natural reality. But what is important to me is not necessarily important to you. 

So how do we notice what others are going through? Why would we even want to? Only you can answer these questions for yourselves. For me, the whole reason for being is my God. I want to get closer and closer to Him, I want to live like Jesus lived when He was on earth, this is the standard for my life. One of the things I love about His demonstrations of love is that it flowed from compassion, whether it was teaching, healing or eating with people. God identifies with our sufferings, He notices us, in detail.

Matthew 15:32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

Jesus prayed, John 17:20-23

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

We are called to be one, with God, with each other. That oneness is not opposed to an individual's uniqueness instead welcomes each unique individual, yet unites us. When we allow the love of God to flood our heart, mind, strength and soul as in the first commandment, something changes and we start to see like Him, to think with the sound mind of Christ, we feel as He does. Compassion is not something we have to pray for or desire, it comes in with the love of God. Compassion for the toe or the leg when you are the eye. Compassion for the heart when you are the lungs. Why? Because when one part hurts, the whole body is affected. We come alongside each other because we notice the other, we are driven by compassion to see the other edified, encouraged and to do all we can to remind them they are loved. Truly loved. 

This was what the lack of finances was all about. Once I had that pivotal conversation and we agreed to pray about things together, the next thing I knew, finances became available! A huge chunk of what I owed arrived. Such joy! I laughed with my friend at the timing, realising and celebrating the greater purpose of God and how very wise He is in how He brings about good for ALL of us. I'm so grateful for the provision, most importantly of unity, which is how I get financed to go, one listens and obeys, the other receives and goes. 

A couple of days later I checked my bank account and what was about 40 pence turned into 17 pounds. No one had deposited any money in my own account, the balanced just increased. I owed 20 dollars more and was able to pay it all. Glory to Father God for the great things He has done and is doing to bring us into the fullness of His answer to Jesus' prayer.