Dear Friends,
Physical journeys often become a significant part of our spiritual journeys. At Sarah’s baptism last week, we heard her testimony about the time, last year, when she was carrying out medical work in Malawi which included treating people who had been bitten by rabid dogs. They knew that one 10-year-old boy had been bitten, but they didn’t know where to find him. It was only after Sarah had prayed – almost as a last resort – that he was found and his life was saved. And it was in
answering Sarah’s prayer that God drew her back to himself and she found her way to DGBC last September and into our baptistery last week! Her physical journey to Malawi changed the direction of her spiritual journey and became a significant part of her story.

We find the same sort of thing countless times in the Bible. On the Emmaus Road, the disciples’ encounter with the risen Jesus sent them back where they had come from so that they were ready for what God was about to do next. On the road to Damascus, Saul encountered Jesus and he was shown his true purpose in life as the apostle Paul – making disciples, instead of destroying them! Around the same time, the apostle Peter was travelling from place to place proclaiming the Gospel to Jewish people. When he was staying in a place called Joppa, he had a very timely vision from God that taught him that the Gospel was given for the whole world, not just for Jews. As soon as he emerged from that vision, he received visitors asking him to go and talk to a Roman centurion named Cornelius – someone who, just a short while earlier, he wouldn’t have dreamt of sharing the Gospel with.

On each occasion, God met in a special way with people on a journey to accomplish his purposes in and through their lives.

Summer is often a time of journeying as we travel on holiday and encounter different people, different cultures and different ideas – or simply as we rest from the busyness of daily life. None of these people were actively expecting to encounter God on their journeys. Maybe you don’t expect to either. But at the same time, don’t be surprised if you do! And be ready and willing to respond by making your physical journey part of your spiritual journey, with a story to tell of how God has been at work.

With my love and prayers,
Matthew Scott