The Way Up is Down

These past few weeks have been interesting as Mercy Ships (the ministry that I have spent half of my life serving with) has received national attention.  CBS' 60 Minutes did a story on Mercy Ships a couple weeks ago, and millions of people were able to see first-hand this amazing ministry.  It's been a bit surreal to hear of the tens of thousands of people who have visited our website for the first time, and the hundreds of people who have downloaded applications to serve with us.  Mercy Ships has been around for 35 years, and some are just hearing of us for the first time.

Along with that, former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura are hosting an event in April to tell even more people about this ministry.  This private dinner will be hosted in Dallas with over 100 invited guests.  Those attending will hear the Bushes passion for Africa and Mercy Ships vision to "Advance hope and healing for Africa." While not an evening focused on raising funds, it will serve as an opportunity to announce our intention to more than double our capability to serve with the completion of the second ship.  Wade and I are thrilled to have been asked to participate in this event.

In reflection of these recent events, I have thought about God's timing, and how it is truly Him who decides if and when to exalt or to humble a ministry, a leader, a person, etc... Our job is to be faithful in the small things, and his job is to use what we offer Him for His glory.

I am currently participating in Beth Moore's bible study on the book of Daniel, and this lesson can be clearly seen in the life of King Nebuchadnezzar.  In Daniel's interpretation of King Neb's dream in Daniel 2:37, Daniel says to King Neb, "You, O King, are the king of kings.  The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory."  God used Daniel to let King Neb know that IT WAS GOD who had put him in that place. 

Just a couple chapters later, we see King Neb strutting around the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, and declaring, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" King Neb clearly didn't learn the lesson!  While the words were still on his lips, a voice came from heaven, "This is what is declared for King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.  You will be driven away from people, and will live like the wild animals...Immediately what had been said was fulfilled..." Daniel 4:31-33

Peter says in I Peter 5:5b - 6, "Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand that He may lift you up in due time."

We are truly in awe of the amazing opportunities that the Lord has made available to Mercy Ships recently, but we definitely don't want to make the same mistakes that King Neb made.  We will keep being faithful and doing what God has called us to do, and we will trust Him to use our "offering" as He sees fit!