Greater Things
Chris and I left the morning after the Watoto concert (Friday, November 6)--before the choir did actually--for St. Louis. The actual reason for our visit was to attend the LCMS Servant Event Leadership Conference, but since LCMS was paying, we arrived a few days early and stayed a few days late. This gave us the chance to see my family and friends and do some sightseeing around my hometown (more on that later), but also to squeeze in some PR for the mission. Our first opportunity came on Sunday, when Chris and I were featured as a "Ministry Minute" at my home church, St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Des Peres, MO: we got to address the congregation during the 3-4 minutes it took to collect the offering. The meat of the message, which I wrote and delivered, revolved around the song, "God of This City." I only quoted the chorus due to time, but here are the full lyrics:
You're God of this city, you're the King of these people, you're the Lord of this nation, you are...
You're the Light in this darkness, you're the Hope to the hopeless, you're the Peace to the restless, you are...
For there is none like our God, there is none like You, God!
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city!
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done here.
You're the Lord of creation, The creator of all things you're the King above all kings, you are...
You're the Strength in the weakness, You are love to the broken, You're the Joy in the sadness, you are...
For there is none like our God, there is none like you, God!
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city!
Where glory shines from hearts alive with praise for You and love for You in this city.
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city!
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done here.
For there is none like our God, there is none like you, God!
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city!
Where glory shines from hearts alive with praise for You and love for You in this city.
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city!
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done here.
It came on the radio in Chris's truck one day and for some reason, I wanted to replace "this city" with "Juarez." If you think about it, it REALLY fits. So after reading off a whole list of several projects I have been a part of since I got here in January--and reminding everyone that Chris could give them a list at least that long of his own--I related the chorus of the song ("Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city! Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done here.") to John 14:12: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."
Here was my list:
--painting the exterior of San Lucas's new sanctuary, as well as Panchis, the congregational president's, house
--building 2 homes in one week near Pastor Hernandez's San Francisco mission site
--building a new Sunday School room at Cristo Rey
--building YLM's first ever 2nd story house for Santisima Trinidad's construction manager, Nelson
--building a house in Anapra for the daughter of a family that a St. Paul's group built for a few years back--she's now married with 2 kids of her own
--running the first ever VBS at the Community Center in the Sparks Colonia
--interpreting for 2 eyeglass clinics, one of which took place in Chihuahua City, and one medical clinic
--renovating the trailer of a family in Sparks that Chris and I have since "adopted"
Think about all those great things YLM has done, even just in the relatively short time that I have been a part of the organization, and then think about our capacity to do even GREATER things. I know for a fact that there ARE greater things to be done in Juarez. I am continually asked by people from my church, servant event leaders, etc. about the situation there, and my reponse is this. Yes, people are being shot every day. Yes, everything that's happened in the past year is beginning to wear people down. Yes, it is a city that is consumed by evil. But I see 2 million people who need the light of Christ in their lives NOW more than ever. God is calling us to not back down, but to do just the opposite...shine brighter than we ever have. While it is wrong to test God, we also have to trust that, as workers in His harvest field, He is going to protect us. After all, He's the "God of This City" (and the God of everything else!). God hasn't left Juarez; He has been there for every second of the devastation, and, as we continue to pray for peace and resolution, we know He always will be there, doing greater things that we can only imagine through the servants He has placed here on the border, aka US.
I really only said the first sentence of that during our talk at church, but I guess that's the thought that was really behind it since that's what I wrote!. As I keep having to explain my opinions on the safety of Juarez, I have just become more and more convicted of the fact that I want to be over there as much as possible. So that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Then of course I closed by encouraging everyone to talk to Chris and I about supporting our ministry :)
Until next time, blessings!
You're God of this city, you're the King of these people, you're the Lord of this nation, you are...
You're the Light in this darkness, you're the Hope to the hopeless, you're the Peace to the restless, you are...
For there is none like our God, there is none like You, God!
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city!
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done here.
You're the Lord of creation, The creator of all things you're the King above all kings, you are...
You're the Strength in the weakness, You are love to the broken, You're the Joy in the sadness, you are...
For there is none like our God, there is none like you, God!
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city!
Where glory shines from hearts alive with praise for You and love for You in this city.
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city!
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done here.
For there is none like our God, there is none like you, God!
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city!
Where glory shines from hearts alive with praise for You and love for You in this city.
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city!
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done here.
It came on the radio in Chris's truck one day and for some reason, I wanted to replace "this city" with "Juarez." If you think about it, it REALLY fits. So after reading off a whole list of several projects I have been a part of since I got here in January--and reminding everyone that Chris could give them a list at least that long of his own--I related the chorus of the song ("Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city! Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done here.") to John 14:12: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."
Here was my list:
--painting the exterior of San Lucas's new sanctuary, as well as Panchis, the congregational president's, house
--building 2 homes in one week near Pastor Hernandez's San Francisco mission site
--building a new Sunday School room at Cristo Rey
--building YLM's first ever 2nd story house for Santisima Trinidad's construction manager, Nelson
--building a house in Anapra for the daughter of a family that a St. Paul's group built for a few years back--she's now married with 2 kids of her own
--running the first ever VBS at the Community Center in the Sparks Colonia
--interpreting for 2 eyeglass clinics, one of which took place in Chihuahua City, and one medical clinic
--renovating the trailer of a family in Sparks that Chris and I have since "adopted"
Think about all those great things YLM has done, even just in the relatively short time that I have been a part of the organization, and then think about our capacity to do even GREATER things. I know for a fact that there ARE greater things to be done in Juarez. I am continually asked by people from my church, servant event leaders, etc. about the situation there, and my reponse is this. Yes, people are being shot every day. Yes, everything that's happened in the past year is beginning to wear people down. Yes, it is a city that is consumed by evil. But I see 2 million people who need the light of Christ in their lives NOW more than ever. God is calling us to not back down, but to do just the opposite...shine brighter than we ever have. While it is wrong to test God, we also have to trust that, as workers in His harvest field, He is going to protect us. After all, He's the "God of This City" (and the God of everything else!). God hasn't left Juarez; He has been there for every second of the devastation, and, as we continue to pray for peace and resolution, we know He always will be there, doing greater things that we can only imagine through the servants He has placed here on the border, aka US.
I really only said the first sentence of that during our talk at church, but I guess that's the thought that was really behind it since that's what I wrote!. As I keep having to explain my opinions on the safety of Juarez, I have just become more and more convicted of the fact that I want to be over there as much as possible. So that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Then of course I closed by encouraging everyone to talk to Chris and I about supporting our ministry :)
Until next time, blessings!
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