15 So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.
17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,
18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'
While that is certainly a specific call and response by Paul, these words can be inspiring to us as we "rise and stand" on our "feet." Romans chapter 10 refers to the feet that would spread the gospel, and feet prepared for service are part of the armor of God. Jesus commissioned us to go into all the world. So, there's an element of standing and...going. Our faith is an active one, not a sit-down faith, but a faith that carries us and the light within us into the darkness.
In Acts chapter 1, shortly before His ascension into Heaven following His resurrection, Jesus gave a word of encouragement to His disciples; we can find these words in that chapter:
6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7 And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
We have entered a sweet season at Faith Radio in which we will be participating, within the course of about a month, four different missions conferences. This gives us a chance to present to church congregations how God is working through the ministry of Faith Radio, and congregation members learn how the work of spreading the gospel is continuing not only on the local level, but also around the world.
I came across an article at the Baptist Press website the other day that spotlighted a desire that God gave to an Arkansas couple to minister to foreign missionaries who come back to the United States for furlough, which can involve being off the mission field for a period of time, for any number of reasons, including to have a time of rest and renewal.
The article notes:
Hiding Place Hollow was born out of a vision that God had given to Mike and Susan Phillips to help provide quality homes for missionaries who were home on furlough. The couple felt God was leading them to build 10 homes and that He would provide everything they needed, completely debt free.
By August of 2022, three of the homes had been completed with two more homes being framed and roughed in. In the 16 months since, five houses have now been completed. Peace Home opened in March of 2023, and Hope Home opened last November. Currently, three of the homes are occupied by missionaries, one by the caretakers of the grounds, and the fifth home is set to be occupied in just a few short weeks.
The groundbreaking has occurred for the sixth building, which will also include common space for the guests.
The Phillips, according to the article, "...have heard multiple stories from missionaries who are worn out, burned out or stressed out, who come home with a need to recoup and recover only to face additional obstacles. Housing is not only limited but space is often inadequate. Many find themselves constantly on the move from one place to another during their time in the States."Before the missionaries arrive, a picture of the family is placed in the home. The pantry is filled with supplies and gift baskets are provided with gift cards and other useful items. The missionaries are asked in advance to provide a list of things they want personally. A fresh bouquet of flowers is placed in each home as well.
Susan tells the story of one missionary mom who had trouble sleeping while on the field for over three years. It took some time, but after a few months in the new home, the mom was finally able to relax and sleep through the night for the first time in years. The family stayed for six months and have rebooked for three years from now when they return on furlough.
One notable component is the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors. Through a partnership, improvements to a creek running through the Hiding Place Hollow property were made. There's a 12x12 foot treehouse, and other outdoor opportunities in the works.
Currently, the existing homes are reserved through 2024, with some into next year.
This reminds us of the importance of recognizing the humanity of those who serve in the missions field. They are more than just pictures on a website or speakers at a conference. These are people who have surrendered to God's call, certainly, and they have families, financial pressures, decisions that weigh upon them, and of course, the incredible responsibility of ministering to people and building relationships for the sake of the gospel. So, they should not be taken for granted.
We can also think about our need for rest and relaxation. God wants to call us to Himself, and if we are so busy that we wear ourselves out, even in doing what you could characterize as God's work, such as volunteering in a church or ministry, or exercising family responsibility, such as doing one-on-one ministry to an ill family member. We have to be good stewards of the time God has given us, and we can be intent on making sure we are at our best. So, we can make sure we are allowing the Lord to tend to our souls.
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