Sunday

Sunday, March 17, 2019

I rise early enough and climb the stairs to our open air 5th floor breakfast nook. It is a bright day rising over the city. The tables are adorned with inviting yellow tablecloths. I am to order off of a small menu with 5 choices, in both Spanish and English, if one reads far enough. A typical Honduran bfast of scrambled eggs, beans, fried plantains and corn tortillas tops the list. If reads ‘smothered with red and green’. I quickly choose another, saving “Pancakes bathed in butter and syrup” for another time.

Our bus ride to church this morning is short. Sitting by the window, I wonder a bit how such a large vehicle could maneuver through the narrow one car sized roads. It is two way, nonetheless, and we pass with side view mirrors intact. Our driver is skilled and I am told this is his own neighborhood.

The Centro Biblico Internationale(CBI) church service, in Espanol, has begun when we arrive and we are given the place of honor in the front two rows. Dancers flank both sides at the base of the elevated stage as the worship band plays on top.On the left is a dance troupe of predominantly young girls. They wear serious faces with blue sashed dresses over a black under layer and they wave colorful scarves. On the right is a group of 8-15 year olds in plainclothes yet wearing the same faces. Some of the little ones carefully watch the older ones and follow their moves seconds after. It is easy to see their concentration. Both sides respectfully moving in somber expectation until the beat quickens. Suddenly, the dancers come alive with passionate voices and the energy of joy expressed with their whole being. The little ones too seem to have forgotten the need to concentrate so intentionally and catch the wave of worship.

Music is our universal language and we all worship as the family of God despite the barrier. To my own delight, the next song is one that I sing and sign back home. (No Longer Slaves) Having no need to guess or mouth ‘watermelon’, I now join the celebration with this added layer of connection.

“When we praise and sing we open doors of which we are unaware.”-CBI Worship Leader.

We are introduced as a brigade from the US who have come to care for the children with One Child Matters. This church is where we will have clinic on Monday and Tuesday. Kelly greets the congregation with her usual eloquence and tells them our Hope is for the people of this community to know Jesus through acts of service. It is not about what we do it’s about what God will do.

Pastor Joel takes the stage and begins his sermon in Spanish. Eva our country team leader translates for him.

The sermon today is from Genesis 37:3-4, the account of Joseph and His amazing technicolor dreamcoat:

There is a difference between a robe and a cape, the pastor says. A robe is worn by a son and a cape is worn by a beggar. God gave Joseph dreams and Joe’s father chose to bless him because of them by giving him a robe.

Joseph’s brothers were mad and envious of him and made other plans but God made a way to accomplish the dreams despite that.

If God gives you dreams and your reality disagrees, trust God to fight for you. The dream may not come as you expect but rest assured God will come.

You wear the tunic of a child of God. You have taken off your cape as a beggar and put on the tunic of God. As a child of God, the tunic activates the dreams God has given you and the purposes He has for you. Whenever we dream, the enemy will want to take it away but we must hold tight to our tunic. We must believe that God will accomplish all that concerns us today.

Jacob knew what he was doing with his son as does God with you. He has called you to put on His tunic and activate your dreams even when others do not agree.The tunic symbolizes the power inside you given by the Father. The Holy Spirit will give you everything you need to accomplish what God has given you to do.

When Jacob gave the tunic to Joseph his brothers were jealous. So if people are mad at you, don’t worry. It has happened before. Instead, put on the tunic God has given you. He has already activated His power within you and will heal those who disagree and heal you as well.

There are seasons in life. While the Earth is the earth there will be seasons. The seasons change but the Lord does not. You decide. Will you take off the cape of your circumstances and put on the tunic of God?

You are in the place where God has been working always. Are you behaving as a tunic’d child of God even in your difficult circumstances? The enemy will want to catch you. Get you to trade in your tunic for a cape but remember, you are a child of God. You have the ability to prosper despite your circumstances. Prosperity comes from knowing God, not from easy circumstances.

Believe God. He will fight for you and accomplish what He has activated within you.

(Paraphrased Pastor Joel)

Wow! I feel like God was speaking right to me. I spent my pre trip time filled with dread. Should I be going? Am I being selfish? All of my season of first reluctance issues on a repeating loop in my head. As if those who disagreed with my going were clutching at my tunic, insisting I put on the cape of my circumstances instead. This morning service was God holding me tight in my tunic. Reassuring my doubts, strengthening HIs power within me as He repeated His promises. He has called me here for His purpose, to activate the dreams He has given me, to prosper in my relationship with Him. He will fight for me. He asks me only to focus on Him and know that He will take care of the rest.

How marvelous is it that God would use a Pastor, a world away, to speak truth into my life right at the point of my need? His personal touch of grace given to me to prepare me for the clinic week ahead. Truly marvelous, indeed.

“I’m no longer a slave to fear,

I am a child of God!”

~No Longer Slaves~