This is my “over and out” post from Nigeria. I’m sitting in my room overlooking the city of Abuja. Until eight days ago, it was a place I had never been and knew little about. I had only briefly met our host pastor and knew no one else in Nigeria. Now, as odd as it may seem, it feels a little like home and many of the people like family.
I’ve relearned some things on this trip.
-God really is at work everywhere. Sadly, we tend to think, if only by default, that He’s only up to great stuff where we are. This is a very small view of God…one that doesn’t fit Him. He is “up to great stuff” everywhere. He’s just looking for His people to join Him.
-People really are the same everywhere. Though we may look different, have different experiences and views of the world, and very different economic and educational realities, we are so much the same. This is a good thing when we remember and understand it. Because, in spite of the differences, it allows us to know, understand, relate to, and care about each other. I have felt very much at home with the people of Nigeria because we are so much the same.
-The needs of this world are great. Of course, we can see signs of this where ever we live, but the signs are everywhere present in places like Nigeria. You can’t hide from it for long here. On the journey to each place we visited, we saw the great disparity in people’s economic realities. For example, as we drove over a beautiful, wonderfully engineered bridge in Lagos, there were shacks, built on stilts over swamp land, stacked on top of each other. These were peoples homes. Some people, from birth to death, never know anything but this. Yet, towering over them, on the modern highway, are billboards advertising a world of luxury and opulence. The contrast is startling. But, to those of us in the States, no matter what our economic status, we relate more to the billboard than to these people living in their shadows. However, though the economic disparity is great, we can’t ever forget that both are in desperate need of the spiritual healing, fulness, and hope that only Jesus can provide.
-Though God has people everywhere and has called His people to be light in darkness, many are enjoying the light but not taking it into the darkness. God’s people tend to turn inward. Even in the midst of spiritually and physically impoverished people, those who have experienced the riches of God being poured out tend to enjoy them without sharing them. This needs to change. While it’s easier to see and certainly vital to share with the physically poor, the same is true with the spiritually poor. Don’t ever forget that every person you meet is impoverished in soul unless and until they have discovered the wealth of God’s grace. And, as with helping the poor, the only way they will ever experience the riches of knowing God is if we share it with them. Let’s commit ourselves to sharing what God has given us with both.
A final note: today, we’re heading home. I’m excited about being back. This coming weekend is the kick off for NorthRidge Saline. It’s going to be an unbelievably exciting and important weekend. Please pray for the team as they bring everything together for this weekend; for all the people who have been invited and will be showing up at this new NorthRidge Church venue; and for me. I’m sure I’ll be dealing with a little (or lot of) jet lag.
As well, I will be kicking off our new Fall series “Belief Beyond…the Personal Edition.” In August, I did “Belief Beyond…the Church Edition.” God used it in such a powerful way that I felt compelled to deal with the same concept only in a far more personal way. In this new series, my talks will focus on helping us all to find belief beyond the challenges that we face. Some of the topics will include finding belief beyond…our hurts, failures, fears, resentments, guilt, and skepticism. I believe these talks have the potential to change many lives. So, along with praying for me, please be inviting as many people as you can.
See you soon.
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