Jesus on the Streets

Fear...

Have you ever been afraid...I mean really, really afraid? As I began preparing for my upcoming mission trip to Honduras...I experienced this fear that gripped me beyond belief and began consuming my every thought. I couldn't actually explain why I was afraid...I just was. Satan? Perhaps the evil one whispered fear in my ears so that I would be too afraid to obey the words that Jesus spoke when He told the disciples to "go." Whatever the reason....I was truly, truly afraid.

I realized from the very moment that I arrived in Honduras that God was going to be asking me to step way, way out of my personal comfort zone. As nightfall began covering all of Honduras during our first full day there...I found myself standing in the middle of downtown surrounded by street children who seemed to crawl right out of the ground. As I looked around at this hopelessness and despair...there high above us, up on the hill, stood this imposing figure. He was lit up for all to see...it was Jesus. At first, as I looked at Him...looking down on us...I thought how proud He must be of us for coming so far to do His will. (Isn't that just like us to always try to pat ourselves on the back...as if without us, God couldn't perform such amazing feats, right?) But...the more I looked at Him sitting so far away up on that hill...I realized that Jesus...the real Jesus was right there in the streets with the unlovely. He was right there giving a sweet smile and a loving touch. He shared a tortilla sandwhich and a cold drink straight from a baggie with His children. He shared His love in us and through us. As I stood there watching the hopeless....I realized that for that moment...we gave them hope. For that moment...because of a group of adults and teens all the way from Alabama...for just that moment, Jesus made a personal appearance. Was I still afraid? Yes...but the more I trusted my Savior, whose call I answered....the more I realized that I was safe in His arms the entire time. As I stood there that night, I sang the song in my head, "Thou oh Lord, are a shield about me"....and He was!

May God show you that you are safely tucked away in the Shadow of the Almighty and that He hasn't let you out of His sight...not for one moment. So...go on...be the hands and feet of Jesus. Be the Jesus on the streets...and not up on a hill.