Romans 15:23-33 - The Broken Road

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Wow. I missed worshiping here.

Can't tell me how many times I've sat in a church in Africa worshiping and been strengthened and encouraged,

remembering worshiping here and remembering that you were here doing the same thing across an ocean.

That song may get me through another year of being over there and remembering that.

So I hope the clerical collar doesn't throw you off too much.

In Africa, I actually work for the Episcopal Church of Sudan in South Sudan,

and this is what we would normally wear when we're over there.

And since I've been back and walking through places like Party City,

I've seen that this actually is sold here as a costume.

So I hope it's not too frightening for you, but I figured with heyday, it kind of serves a dual purpose.

And speaking of heyday, I'm really glad to come back for that, to be here for that kind of fellowship,

that kind of candy.

And also because I assume that since most of you are going, I have until 3 o'clock to preach.

So it'll be just like an African service going all day.

There's been a lot to happen in my life in the last year and a half since I've been over there.

There's a lot to come and tell you about.

A lot to tell you about what God has been doing.

I think I've boiled it down to a little less than three hours, so we'll see.

But for those of you who don't know, back in March in 2014,

I boarded a plane and I headed to Africa.

My plans, since signing up to be a missionary with what was at that time World Harvest and is now called Surge,

were to go and to serve as a pastor in the community of Mundri, South Sudan.

Seemed like a simple plan.

Plans change.

In fact, before I even departed for South Sudan, my plans had changed drastically.

Because in December of 2013, the president of South Sudan, Salva Kir,

accused his former vice president, who he had just fired, Rick Makar, of staging a coup.

Now, whether this happened or not, it did send the country into a civil war.

That is still going on.

South Sudan has been at war for 42 of the last 60 years.

It's kind of something they're used to.

It was not something I was used to.

But since the civil war broke out again,

the team that I had signed up to join also decided to go its different ways

and is now scattered in the States and in Kenya and various other places.

So the team that I wanted to join was no longer on the field,

and the field that I wanted to go to was no longer safe to go to,

and my plans seemed to be falling right and left.

So I came up with a new plan, a lot of them.

And I asked, and they allowed me to go ahead and to move to Nairobi, Kenya,

and to spend some time there waiting for the new team to get ready to come

and waiting for South Sudan to get peaceful enough for me to go in.

And so I joined a team in Nairobi.

I started learning about chronological Bible storytelling

and teaching seminars across Kenya.

I started helping out with the interns

and just really getting adjusted to African life.

It was a great, great experience for those few months,

helping me to ease into life there.

And by the end of July,

they had decided that it was peaceful enough,

safe enough,

for me to go ahead and move into South Sudan.

And so I did.

I went to Mundry to wait on my new team.

I spent several weeks by myself on the compound

waiting for them to come.

And by the end of September,

the whole team was then on the ground,

raring to go,

ready to see the work happen there,

to learn the language,

to get involved with the community,

to start preaching,

start teaching,

start working with everybody there.

And we started to see our plans unfold.

And then we started to see our plans fall apart.

By February,

my team leader and his family

had to be medically evacuated.

And a few weeks later,

the three of us that remained as a team

were evacuated for safety.

As we found out that

new government forces were on their way up to town

and we weren't sure just what they would do,

given their past record of

shooting first and asking questions never.

By the grace of God,

we were evacuated within 24 hours

and back to Kenya,

where we had no idea what we were going to do,

and thankfully God did.

We found work for the three of us

as our team leaders decided to stay in Nairobi

and not go back permanently

for the sake of their family and health.

And the three of us found our way

to a third team for me,

the Kajabi team,

working in the mountains of Kenya,

where it's much colder than South Sudan,

and I did not have any jackets.

We worked teaching at a missionary boarding school there.

And there we were also able to start

making yet another plan

to get back to South Sudan.

And this time we did it in a slightly roundabout way

by going to Uganda first

to look for a permanent backup site,

working with the refugees of our tribal group there,

the Moru tribe.

From there we saw that it was going to be able

to easier get into South Sudan

on some quick trips,

and by the end of August,

just a couple months ago,

we took one of those trips in

to take some relief to the community there

that had been so devastated by the fighting.

And then we came back,

and the three of us,

Will and Teresa and I,

returned to the States in mid-September,

a lot earlier than we expected,

and came home to regroup,

to refresh,

and to recruit,

if anybody's interested in serving overseas

in a war-torn area.

You can talk to me afterwards.

Especially doctors and engineers.

I know there's a few of those here.

So we're back in the States.

And yet again,

going back to the drawing board,

trying to find a plan

for returning

when we go back in January

to Uganda

and to South Sudan

to work.

And the violence

since we've been home

has increased

and gotten worse.

And much of Mundry

is no longer there.

And sometimes words

just don't come.

And plans don't seem

to be forming.

My teammate, Will,

was reflecting on this recently.

When we make plans

as a team,

generally I'm the one

that's sitting in the back

quiet

and has to be coaxed

into giving the opinion

right at the end.

And we kind of make Will speak first.

And since we think so much alike,

I tend to just say ditto

and go with whatever Will says.

And as Will has been back

reflecting on the same things

and thinking about having no words

but trying to figure out plans,

he wrote a blog recently.

And since he tends to

speak for me anyway,

I figured I'd let him do it

this morning.

So I want to share with you

just a little bit

about what he said

that led me to my passage

for today.

Will said,

in the midst of the uncertainty

and instability,

God has been clear

since we've been back

in the USA.

We're continuing

to pursue life

and ministry in Mundry.

This is the place

where I want to tell you

our great plan

and that it will be

to guarantee success.

But I don't have one.

I've realized recently

that God is more concerned

with my obedience

than my success.

I'm not saying

he doesn't want me

to be successful.

I'm saying my willingness

to be obedient

in the midst of uncertainty

and lack of understanding

is far more important

than having a guarantee

of success.

Paul seems to be

a great example of this.

I doubt he ever got on a boat

or entered a new city

thinking,

success will be

this ship wrecking

or success will only happen

after I've been arrested.

All Paul did

was continue to say yes

when God asked him

to do something.

He let God define success

by being open

to the guidance of the Spirit

and looking for opportunities

to sacrificially love others.

This is our aim,

to continue to say yes

when God asks us

to do something

so we've said yes.

Ditto.

We'll wrap it up

so perfectly

of what we've been feeling,

what we've been thinking

in this time

of waiting on the Lord,

making plans

but waiting for him

to direct them

and just being willing

to say yes.

And as Will and I

have been looking

at the Scriptures

for guidance

since we've been back

is Paul really has been

a great help to study.

And that's what led me

to the passage

I want to share with you

this morning.

Because like us,

like Paul,

I would bet

that there's a number

of you who have seen

your plans change

over the past years

and over the extent

of your life

and a number of you

who have been rocked

by uncertainty.

So I want to look

at how Scripture

deals with that.

How Paul made his plans

despite knowing

that God was likely

to change them.

How Paul surrounded

those plans in prayer

and how all of this

led him

and can lead us

to peace.

So if you would

turn with me

to Romans chapter 15.

Romans 15 · chapter mention

Starting in verse 23,

let's see what Paul

has to say

about making plans.

In Romans 15,

Paul says,

but now,

since I no longer

have any room

for work in these regions

and since I've longed

for many years

to come to you,

I hope to see you

in passing

as I go to Spain

and to be helped

on my journey there

by you

once I have enjoyed

your company

for a while.

At present,

however,

I'm going to Jerusalem,

bringing aid

to the saints

from Macedonia

and Achaia

have been pleased

to make some contribution

for the poor

among the saints

in Jerusalem.

For they were pleased

to do it

and indeed

they owe it to them.

For if the Gentiles

have come to share

in the spiritual blessings,

they ought also

to be of service

to them

in material blessings.

When therefore

I have completed this

and have delivered

to them

what has been collected,

I will leave

for Spain

by way of you.

I know that

when I come to you,

I will come

in the fullness

of the blessing

of Christ.

And I appeal

to you,

brothers,

by our Lord

Jesus Christ,

by the love

of the Spirit

to strive together

with me

in your prayers

to God

on my behalf,

that I may be

delivered from

the unbelievers

in Judea,

and that my service

for Jerusalem

may be acceptable

to the saints,

so that by God's will

I may come to you

with joy

and be refreshed

in your company.

May the God

of peace

be with you all.

Amen.

It's the word

of the Lord.

There's so much

in this passage

that has meant

so much to me.

In the first half

of it,

more than just

the first half of it,

we see Paul

making his plans.

For a much more

detailed description

of these plans,

feel free to turn

to the book of Acts

and just read

the whole thing.

There you'll find

all that Paul planned

and all that God

changed in his plans,

which was a whole

lot of it.

So here,

he doesn't get

so much into the details.

He gives just

a bit of a rough

outline to the Romans

talking about

what he hopes to do,

what he's done,

what kind of part

they'll play

in those plans,

and then he asks

for prayer.

He doesn't get

into the details

of the ups and downs

of his journeys

across Macedonia,

of Greece,

and Asia Minor.

He only indicates

that he sees

his work there

as being done.

The seeds

have been planted.

Paul was a church planter.

That job was done.

And he left

the church there

in the capable hands

of others

to tend to it

and to help it grow.

And in fact,

we can actually see

some of that growth

of those churches

that he's planted

right here

as Paul speaks

immediately of his plan

to take aid

to the poor in Jerusalem,

to take relief

that has been given

to him by the churches

that he planted.

The fruits

of their spiritual growth

are manifesting

in the fruits

of their labors

being shared

with this universal church.

Coming home

as a missionary,

it would be really easy

to look at this passage

and take it out of context

and preach it

to my benefit

and talk about

financial support

and caring for the needy

and for those

going on these journeys,

to preach a health

and wealth gospel

and tell you

you'll do really well

if you give all your money

away to a starving missionary

and Africans.

But that's not

what he's saying here.

It's not about

just financial support.

That's not why

he tells the church

in Rome

that he's going

to Jerusalem.

He's not doing it

to guilt them

into saying,

oh, look what

the new churches did.

They gave to the poor.

What about you,

Church of Rome?

You've got to have

a lot of money over there.

Why don't you start giving?

He's not guilt-tripping

the church

and telling them

to give more money.

He's not doing it

just to make himself

look good

and say,

when I come see you,

you better be ready

to celebrate me

because I'm the one

out taking care

of these people.

It's not for his own

celebration.

He's telling the church

of Rome

his plans

to take aid

to the poor

because he needs

their help

on a different level.

Because he wants them

to join him

in this trip

spiritually.

He wants them

to come together.

You know,

Paul uses phrase

like they owe it

to them

and if we were

to preach that

in such a demanding way

without looking

at the love behind it

that compels

this duty

and this obligation,

we would make

idols of our works

and set them up

for our own salvation

instead of Christ.

Paul does stress

a moral obligation here

but if we fail

to emphasize

the love

that compels

this act,

we miss everything.

Paul doesn't leave it

at simple obligation.

He points out

what a spiritual joy

it is for them

to come together

with him.

He asks for them

to pray for him

in this,

to come together

in the struggle

and fight in prayer

and he asks for them

to come together

so that when he is

face to face

they may share

in the joy

of this message,

the joy of hearing

your prayers worked,

God's word

is planted

in the hearts

of many.

God's church

is growing

despite the struggles.

He tells the church

so that they

can share

in the joy of it.

One of the reasons

I've come home

to tell you

about the seeds

that have been planted,

to share

and make that joy

complete.

Paul's work

is not going

to be over

with just one trip.

the church

is going

to continue

to grow

and the church

is going

to continue

to struggle

then just

as it is now.

Paul lived

this way,

lived out

his love

because he saw

it as his obligation,

his duty,

his only way

of living.

Bids me come

and die

and find

that I might

truly live,

we sang.

that's what

Paul is living here.

That's what

he has lived

before the churches

in Greece

and Asia Minor

that are giving

because they

followed Paul's example

even as he follows

the example of Christ

just as Paul told

the Corinthian church

to do.

Paul lived

that example

of love

and wants

the church of Rome

to live that example

of love.

He wants to

eventually go to Spain

so that he can live

that example

of love

so that little

by little

more of this world

can know the love

of Christ

who died

that we might live

that love.

He plans

to live this way

everywhere he goes.

He plans

and he plans

and it'd be easy

to focus on

the contents

of those plans

to not look

underneath

to say

okay well Paul

is a church planter

and then also

takes time

to see to the needs

of the poor

and those sound

like really good things

so let's go back

to our church

and what we should do

is we should start

a Pauline program

and that program

is going to be really good

we'll church plant

and we'll take money

to the poor

and that'll be good

everybody will like us.

If we only focused

on the content

if we only focused

on the programs

and didn't dig

deeper and deeper

into the heart

that was behind Paul

didn't dig

into the love

that compelled him

to live

then we miss

everything in these plans.

See Paul has learned

not only to live

a life of love

but to make those plans

founded completely

on faith.

He lives in a bit

of a paradox.

He lives being certain

and uncertain

about everything

at the same time.

Paul has seen

so many of his plans

change.

He knows

these new ones

are bound to plan

to change as well.

He opens his letter

to the Romans

in chapter 1

talking about

these same things

saying that

he hopes by the will

of God

that he will at last

finally be able to come

and see the church

of Rome.

He's got many friends

there but he's never

been able to see it.

But he says

by God's will

at last.

If you look deeper

at it you see

how he is unsure

that he'll even make it.

When you look at

the prayer later

in our passage

you see how unsure

he is

and he's right

to be unsure

of this.

There are people

in Jerusalem

people across the world

where he's been ministering

that want to kill him

that are out

to take his life.

And if it weren't

just people looking out

to kill him

he's got to travel

all over the world

in not terribly

safe conditions.

He's not sure

that he'll make it

to Jerusalem

let alone

all the way back

to Rome again.

But he plans

on it anyway.

He plans on it

because the foundation

of his plan

is the phrase

thy will be done

Lord.

He's unsure

about what will happen

but he's sure

absolutely sure

that whatever happens

he's got to follow

God in it.

And when he does

God will be there.

What a way

to make a plan.

I can't say

that all the plans

that I've made

in the last two years

have been made this way

but I can definitely

tell you

I have seen

God's will

triumph in all of them.

And that has helped

greatly

in knowing that

whatever is about

to happen

as I try to return

to Africa in January

God's will

will triumph still.

It wasn't my plan

to go to Nairobi.

When they first

recruited me

they told me

about Nairobi

and I kind of

pushed it away

not thinking

I would be really

interested in

chronological Bible

storytelling.

And when I got there

I was amazed

by what a great

tool it is

for preaching

the gospel.

And that method

would go on

to help me greatly

as I took those stories

and had my

my tutor

translate some

into Arabic

so that I could

start ministering

in the community

both in South Sudan

and again with refugees

in Uganda.

And if I hadn't

gone to Kenya

and learned that method

I never would have

been prepared

to preach in that way.

More than just that

I met a team

that surrounded me

with community

and helped me

to adjust to Africa

that loved me

and that would

be there

and be familiar

in loving me

when I had to evacuate

a year later.

I didn't think

I'd ever return

to Kenya

and Nairobi

when I left them.

Certainly didn't plan

to evacuate.

I didn't plan

to go into

South Sudan

and live on the compound

for a little over

a month by myself.

I was excited

that Serge

is so

adamant

about having teams

and community

and loving one another

and building one another up.

And then I

went to the community

by myself.

But being there

by myself

that community

surrounded me

with love

and instantly

came to take care

of me.

I'd have the boys

coming up to the compound

every day

or every other day

not simply to eat

my food

but also just

to check on me

not sure that

this new guy

would even be able

to tie his own shoes

if they didn't

come and help.

And I was brought

into the community

instantly

seeing their love

for me

and building

such a deep love

for them

quickly.

And then my new team

came.

Certainly didn't plan

for my team leaders

to have to be evacuated

for medical reasons

or for the rest

of the three of us

to have to evacuate

at all.

But God had plans

even there.

Had the whole team

been on the ground

when we needed

to evacuate

space on the plane

would have been

a little tough

for getting all of us

out at the same time.

But because our team

leaders went first

they were in Nairobi

able to help us

make plans

when we couldn't.

And the three of us

got out.

Not only that

the three of us

would become

the whole team

and those weeks

together

that evacuation

together

was a great

bonding experience.

A foundational

peace

in what's

building up

our team.

When we came

to Kajabi

we definitely

didn't see ourselves

as coming to Africa

to teach missionaries

kids.

We had no idea

what would happen

since we couldn't

go back in the country

but God did.

It wasn't just

that three jobs

opened up

at Rift Valley Academy

it was that three jobs

perfectly opened up

at the last minute

the week before

the term was supposed

to start

we moved up

to teach

because three teachers

had emergencies

a kindergarten teacher

a PE teacher

and an AP English teacher

and Teresa just happens

to be a primary educator

Will is far better shape

and much more patient

with small kids

to teach PE

to elementary students

and I was an AP English

teacher in the states.

How could we deny

that God's hand

was in preparing

for us

even in Kajabi?

More than that

Kajabi was the home

to our area director

and to former teammates

from South Sudan

who would be able

to come and see us

face to face

to help us get through this

and to make plans

for our next steps.

Plans that haven't

exactly worked out

but they were there.

When we went to Uganda

we never expected

to meet a missionary community

that would take us in

provide us a home

provide us a way

into Moondry

that was safer

and faster.

I never planned

to come home

this early

but God knew

that the three of us

would need

to come home

and be refreshed

after this year and a half.

That we would need

the body of Christ

again around us

in a familiar place

to love us

to strengthen us

so that we could go back

and do it again.

So here I am

back in the States

back making plans again

waiting on the Lord

to direct them.

We tend

to want to wait

on the Lord

and think that

that phrase means

that we should be inactive

that we get frustrated

seeing so many

of our plans fail

and we start to think

that

I'll just wait on Him

He'll do all the work

I'll just sit back

and wait.

Being stagnant

is not waiting.

Stagnant waters

breed disease

they breed death.

We need living

moving waters.

We want instead

to learn

as Paul has learned here

to be actively

waiting on the Lord.

Well think about it

this way

and for those of you

who know me

way too well

try not to laugh

too much

at this illustration.

Think about a guy

who's finally got the nerve

up to ask a girl

on a date

and she says yes.

What if he prepared

for that date

the whole week

by sitting on his couch

and being stagnant?

He just says

alright she said yes

good I'll go home

and wait for the day

to come

and he sits on his couch

he dreams of all

the great things

that could happen

on the date

he worries over

every bad thing

that could happen

on the date

but he doesn't

actually get ready

he does nothing

but sit there.

Doesn't even take

a shower

and get dressed up

or ready for the date

or make any plans

just knows

the date's coming

so something

will happen

that day.

I'd imagine

that date

doesn't go very well

and doesn't go very long

especially after

she starts to smell him.

But what if instead

he was active

in his waiting?

What if she said yes

and for that whole week

leading up to it

he used that joy

to actively wake

to make plans?

He started thinking about

well what would her

favorite activity be

or what would her

favorite music be

and he decides to

set up a picnic

in the park

or decides to

find dinner

and a concert

at her favorite music.

There's no thing

he can do

no one thing

that makes that day

come any faster.

There's no one thing

he can do

that will ensure

that all of his plans

actually work.

Sometimes things

just go wrong.

But when he gets

to that day

and when they go out

on that picnic

if it rains

so what?

And if he forgets

the tickets to the concert

and they end up

taking a walk

in the park instead

and talking all night

so what?

She can see

that these plans

were made

that he prepared

himself

out of that puppy dog love

he got ready

because that was

what he was looking

forward to.

It drove him

to wait on that day.

How much more

does God look down

on us with joy

as we're making

these plans

when we say

Lord my plan

is to serve you

now here's how

I'm going to do it

and he stops listening

after the

Lord I'm going to serve you

and kicks in

with his own plans

but what joy

he takes.

It's like the father

whose son

at five

wants to come in

and sees his dad

shaving

and wants to come in

and imitate his father

so the father

and son stand

side by side

in front of the

bathroom mirror

and the son

gets all

lathered up

dad gives him

the little

bladeless razor

and they slowly

mimic each other's moves

and his dad

slowly scrapes

down one side

his son scrapes

knocks off

the shaving cream

and it's not really

doing any good

his son doesn't

need to shave

but he wants

to be like his dad

and doing it

showing him

how to be

like his father

is helping him

to grow up

that way

it's helping

in the long run

whether he can

see it now

or not

what delight

our father

takes in us

as he looks

down at his child

and says

that's my boy

imitate me

follow my example

our plans

don't have

to work out

because his do

and because he

takes great delight

in the love

that drives us

to make those plans

and to serve him

no matter what

happens

it's that kind

of love

that imitating

life

that Paul

wants for himself

and that Paul

wants the church

to act out

here in Rome

and everywhere he goes

to act out

a life of love

to have faith

enough to realize

that we may

plan our course

but the Lord

determines our steps

and that's really good

to that end

Paul doesn't

just make plans

he makes sure

that they're

bathed in prayer

Paul knows

that his path

is difficult

instead of living

in fear

he fights

in faith

look at verse 30

he appeals

to the church

in Rome

to pray for him

he says

strive with me

struggle

wrestle with me

fight with me

in prayer

this prayer

he's living

it's not your standard

southern blessing

of a meal

of good bread

good meat

good God

let's eat

this is

this is a prayer

of a passionate

heart-wrenching

broken man

going down

a broken road

knowing the detours

and the pitfalls

are well worth

the home

with his savior

that lies at the end

so he beseeches

the church

to fight

with them

in prayer

he knows

that his life

is under threat

that there are

those

where he has been

and preached

that want to kill him

for what he has preached

and he prays

that his work

be made acceptable

to the saints there

he's not trying

to please the saints

with acceptable works

he's trying

to see that life

of love

break down the wall

between the Jews

in Jerusalem

and the Gentiles

sending them support

he's trying

to make sure

that pray

that when these Gentiles

who have now learned

the gospel

send their love

to this church

that this church

responds and says

they really are part

of the body of Christ

and that love

in those gifts

breaks down the walls

that are keeping

the church apart

between Jew and Gentile

he wants the church

in Jerusalem

not only to have

their needs taken care of

but to have their hearts

realize

that the body of Christ

is a beautiful thing

strikes me the most

though

is perhaps that

his greatest desire

in this

is that

the church

share in his joy

and be refreshed

by one another

missions is a huge

part of this

but it's not just

missions

it's fellowship

that he wants

to focus on

he focuses on

mutually encouraging

each other

as iron sharpens iron

so one man

builds another up

but it's not just

about preparing

for the fight

it's softening

the blows

in the fight

it's taking care

and binding up

the wounds

after the fight

it's standing together

as one body

Paul plans

he prays

he does all of this

so that joy

may be complete

that joy of the Lord

be his strength

and he does it all

by the

God's will

saying that

would be a scary thought

for all of us

if we didn't know

who God was

the one who loves us

beyond measure

who gave his son

up for us

that by his grace

we might be refreshed

and see peace

that passes

all understanding

and that's what

all of this leads to

a life of peace

at heart

looking at this

and finding that peace

one commentator

stood out to me

this week

as I was studying

that I want to bring

to you

he says

grace brings peace

the latter is both

a state

that of reconciliation

with God

and a condition

the inner conviction

that consequently

all is well

it's the great blessing

which Christ

by his atoning sacrifice

bestowed upon the church

it surpasses

all understanding

it's not the reflection

of an unclouded sky

and tranquil waters

of a picturesque lake

rather it's the cleft

of the rock

in which the Lord

hides his children

when the storm is raging

it's the hiding place

under the wings

to which the hen

gathers her broods

that the little chicks

are safe

while the storm

bursts loose

in all its fury

upon herself

we're reconciled

to God

we're at peace

with him

have you ever been

in a pickup game

of soccer

and your team

is doing so miserably

poor

and you have nothing

added

and the other team

is just trouncing you

and all of a sudden

they decide to

stop and be merciful

and switch one player out

and all of a sudden

you end up

on the winning team

despite having

done nothing

God's reconciling

us to him

after being at war

with him

and broken by sin

is even greater

nothing of our own

and yet he trades places

and puts us

on the winning side

he makes us

at peace with him

and being at peace

with him

gives us a peace

within

it's such a rich word

to Paul

and to the Romans

and to the church

itself

the very greeting

of the Jews

at the day

peace be with you

and it's because of it

that we're able

to come before him

to live for him

I pray for peace

in Moondry

every day

I pray for peace

of my own heart

especially on those days

when I get angry

at the evils

that are being done there

and yet

things are getting worse

Moondry's in ashes

burned to the ground

my friends have fled

so how can I say

that I'm at peace

I can't every day

am I nothing more

than the duck

on water

who looks calm

at top

but is kicking

furiously underneath

or truly

what does it take

to be able to say

whatever my lot

God has taught me

to say

it is well

it is well

with my soul

it's my friends

in Moondry

who have really

taught that to me

because every time

I call them

despite how bad

things are

they tell me

two things

first they say

don't stop praying

for us

and second

they say

God

is greater

and because

they know

who he is

they have a peace

within

despite

never having

peace without

and we can have

that too

if we know

who he is

and stand

together for it

I don't

know what

your story is

for the last

two years

or for your lives

I don't know

what plans

you've had

that have changed

I do know

that you have

a God

who is there

for you

no matter what

I know

that all

those friends

who have been

spread across

the world

and spread

across South Sudan

and scattered

like seeds

are still

in the hands

of the one

who can cause

them to grow

wherever they are

whether they're

in an IDP camp

or a refugee

settlement

God will spread

the gospel

even in this

that he will

cause it to grow

if we are willing

to say yes

to serve

yes to pray

for one another

to build one another

up

and to trust

in him

and be at peace

so let me

reassure you

by joining

my voice

to Paul

because a lot

of these stories

from South Sudan

can be pretty heavy

if you don't

remember

the joy

of the Lord

being the one

controlling them all

I've come home

that we might

be mutually

encouraged

be refreshed

by the fellowship

of this body

and the joy

of his spirit

dwelling in you

and me

crying out

to rejoice

and be glad

knowing that he

is a good God

that he will guide you

in the path

of righteousness

for his name's sake

so may the God

of peace

be with you all

amen

will you pray

with me

Father almighty

what a great gift

it is to know

that you are

a good God

that you are

a father

who cares

about his child

that lets us

come to you

and in your name

ask whatever

in it be given

we ask

that Lord

you bring peace

to Moondry

that you bring

peace to our hearts

that you help us

to remember

that you are

a good God

to live by faith

and to live

your love

that this world

might know you

and not ourselves

that they may know

your son

and he be glorified

we ask in your son's

precious name

amen

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