TRUST in the Lord and do good. DWELL in the land and ENJOY safe pasture. Psalm 37:3-4
I have this verse pinned on my desk. I felt like it was a word from the Lord when He invited us to live bi-locationally between the UK and USA, giving us a base in Chesterfield, England and Wilmore, Kentucky. It became a promise that whether we were in the UK or the USA, we needed to be fully present and dwell with the Lord in each place, for the months that we were there each year.
In the last year, it seems like that promise has been stretched much further than we would every have imagined. The perfect storm came together in a mix up with our visa, changing immigration rules, and a pandemic! We found ourselves with no travel papers, so we could leave the country but we would not be allowed back in again. We had to cancel all our flights back to the UK for the summer and prepare ourselves to sit tight for as long as it takes to get the paperwork in place that gives us permission to travel. Of course COVID has also messed up all the options for air travel and made it difficult to make plans for anything.
So where does that leave us? As for many people this year, the summer has not turned anything like we imagined. But, the Lord is still Sovereign. His ways are higher than ours, and though we may not understand why things have happened the way they have, we know without doubt that His faithfulness endures for ever. When we choose to trust, He gives us a place to dwell with Him. Whether that is stuck at home, out at work, going to school, connecting online… He invites us to do good with Him. And more than that, He tells us to enjoy each day as we rest in His promises and trust in Him. Some days that is harder than others. Heart strings are stretched and emotions can sometimes feel crushing when we are separate from family and friends, and the things we used to do. But when we choose to trust the Lord: He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20-21
Father God, we love you. Thank you that wherever you have placed us right now, you are with us. Help us to take each day as a gift from you. Teach us to trust you in all things. Show us how to do good with you. Remind us to dwell with you. Encourage us to enjoy the place we are and the people you bring into our lives. Keep us in the safety of your presence now and for ever. Amen.
Sam works from wherever she is, and everywhere in between (!), as an Inspire Missioner and Administrator for the Inspire Movement.
