Dedication through Difficulties

Earlier this month, a terrible accident in the Amazon occurred when a Peruvian fighter jet mistakenly shot down a Cessna jet carrying U.S. missionaries. The passengers on the Cessna plane were Jim and Roni Bowers, their 6-year-old son Cory, and their 7-month-old daughter, Charity. Tragically, Roni and baby Charity were both killed by the gunfire. At the funeral service for his wife and daughter, Jim Bowers said that he and his surviving child, Cory, have found “inexplicable peace” through this horrible ordeal. Amidst tragedy, the Bowers are at peace and still find reason to hope. Death of their loved ones cannot separate the faith they have in God.
Many missionary families must face rigorous obstacles and lack many of the basic necessities of every day life. Missionaries devote their lives to helping those in need and sharing the gospel of Christ. Yet through difficulties, they find joy and meaning in the service for others. Here in America, God has blessed us with so many things to enjoy that we sometimes forget how much others must sacrifice to spread the gospel. We should see missionaries as examples for us, count our blessings everyday, and be missionaries to those neighbors, co-workers, and friends directly around us.
In I John 3:16-18 the Bible says, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
God will not forget the sacrifice and dedication for the good of others. He will bless and reward if not on this earth, in heaven. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end” (Hebrews 6:10,11).
Ly Lan Nguyen