“Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love.” (Ps. 62:11)
Expanded Passage: Psalm 62:9-12
One of my missionary assignments in Zimbabwe, Africa, was to plant new churches. 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 6,000 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.”
Remember that God is a God of love and power.
Jim “Umf” Lo is a professor at Indiana Wesleyan University, cross-cultural leader, intercessor, and author of several books published by Wesleyan Publishing House.
© 2024 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
