You, O God, are strong. (Ps. 62:11)
One of my MISSIONARY assignments in Zimbabwe, Africa, was to plant new churches. In order to start new congregations, my colleague, Bob Cheney, and I decided to do door-to-door visitation. We thought that would be a good way of getting acquainted with the communities in which we thought churches were needed.
During one of these times of visitation, someone asked us, “Why do missionaries from the United States always focus on the love of God while we, in Africa, want to know more about the power of God?”
Bob and I encouraged the questioner to continue. “Three words can best be used to describe much of Africa: drought, famine and war. We are living in sad times. The news tells us that sub-Saharan Africa is rife with poverty, and an estimated six thousand Africans die of AIDS each day while thousands more become infected with it.
“Some of us realize that it will not be the politicians, the economists or foreign aid that will solve the problems that we are facing. A higher force must come to our assistance. I personally have been thinking that I should consider putting my trust in your Christian God if He is powerful enough to practically help us who are citizens of Africa. Nothing else seems to be working. Africa needs a powerful God.”
List three ways that you see God’s power at work today.
Jim “Umf” Lo is the coauthor of Unholiness: Overcoming the Forces That Attack Your Soul.
© 2018 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
