Going Global

  

Dan and I love world maps. We love to stare at them, to study them, and to re-learn geography we've forgotten from high school. We also love traveling and have had the privilege of going quite a few places on our own as well as together. We love the beautiful landscapes of far off countries. We love learning about other cultures and experiencing life somewhere other than where we were born and what we're used to. We love meeting people from other places who speak other languages and look different from us. I think we love all these things so much because we get a glimpse into the amazing creativity of God in his incredible creation. It's a little taste of heaven in a way. One day, before the throne of God, knees from all nations will bow and tongues of all different languages will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Those who had treasured Christ here on Earth, though now separated by vast oceans will someday worship the Creator together for all eternity! I get so excited about this picture. It was amazing to experience this in part especially in India, while visiting the Christian churches there and worshiping with them even when we didn't understand the language they used to praise God at the time. Yet, we were one in Christ. They are our family! Even if we never get a chance to go to India again, one day we will again see many of those we met on the other side of the world in heaven.

We recently purchased the gigantic map above. When we look at this map, it reminds us not only of entire countries, but of specific people we met while visiting their countries. It reminds us to pray for specific people the Lord brought to us, whether in the seat next to us on an airplane or shopkeepers in the streets, or people we met in the homes we stayed in. There were many we shared the Gospel with who we wonder if we will worship with someday. We hope and pray so.

We have developed a little system of pins to show places we have each been (mine are blue and Dan's are red) and where we have both been (white). Having this map up on our wall is a reminder of us to pray for not only various countries around the world but also the specific people we met years ago, even for just a few moments. It is also a reminder to us of our brothers and sisters in Christ all around the world, many of whom are being persecuted for their faith at this moment, and who are far bolder in sharing their love for Jesus than we are.

"Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation ..." Revelation 5:9

"Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." Revelation 15:4