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Bread & Water
May 4, 2004
Dearest Friends & Family:
Greetings to you in Christ!
By my record it’s been almost 6 months since my last update to you. For those regularly praying for me, I cannot thank you enough. You may be assured that this man desperately needs it.
Much has passed since I last wrote to you all; I’m sure many of you feel it’s a blur when you look back at the last six months of your own lives. In this time I’ve learned a whole lot from our good God, and I think it is best encapsulated in His own words spoken through the prophet Isaiah (55:1,2):
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.”
BETTER THAN WONDER, BETTER THAN SPARKLETTS
I first came across this passage about a month ago when I was throwing one of my famous pity parties over how overwhelmed & frustrated I felt with several projects I was working on. A good brother encouraged me, prayed for me, and recommended that I look up & memorize some Scripture related to my struggles.
Why do I so often spend my time, effort, and emotional energy on silly things that will not satisfy? Why do I think that I’ll be happy only when I land the “perfect” job, or feel appreciated by my family, or win the respect of my colleagues, or get married, or accomplish everything on my “to-do” list, or even find the right mission board? Why am I so hurt when I feel rejection or failure? Why do I often think the deepest joy is to be found in those things, in helping young folks go to college, in running smooth church programs, or even in saving people’s lives?
You see, Jesus was graciously calling me back to Him. He says in John 6:35 “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” He knows the desires of my heart, and He also knows that He alone can satisfy them. There is nothing greater than to be known and loved by my Creator, who lived and died (& resurrected!) so that I can walk with Him and among His people!
To be sure, I’ve found that life in Christ indeed involves service to others, love for family, and diligence at work, but these are to be done in His strength, according to His perfect plan, and for His glory. In themselves they will never satisfy me to my core. And while there’s still pain in rejection, failure, and human tragedy, all things are put into proper perspective when I remember Jesus’ complete love for and acceptance of me, as well as His perfect control over all circumstances.
I want to live on the Bread of Life and on the Living Water! When I remember this, I find that my life indeed is most joyful and fruitful, even despite difficult circumstances. I want to live life to its fullest!
SO GET GOING?
In case you might not have known, I’m on track to complete residency this June. Praise the Lord!!! May I share with you a tentative timeline for the following 2 years of my life? Here it goes...
- 08/2004: American Board of Internal Medicine certification examination
- 10/2004: American Board of Pediatrics certification examination
- by 12/2004: finalize decision about 2ndary mission board
- by 12/2005: complete necessary repayment of medical school loans
- by 06/2006: head on overseas
I hear an unspoken question out there: “What? Sid, you’ve been writing these prayer letters to us for years now. You’re finally completing residency; what are you doing hanging around the United States? What’s up with the delay? Aren’t you the one who told us that people called overseas should go as soon as possible? Get going!”
Well, thanks for the encouragement. I too have felt the hankering to get overseas as soon as possible. The bottom line is that I discovered soon after graduation from medical school that years before I had foolishly overlooked the fine print of an educational loan, which keeps me in the U.S. until it’s paid back.
Though I used to get upset over my misstep, I have tried to make the most of it. In these years I still have been dutifully preparing for overseas service by communicating with different mission boards, serving in my local church (Evangelical Formosan Church of the Inland Empire – Riverside, California), and conserving my money. I take these projected 1-2 post-residency years as extra time to spend with family, learn some Arabic, gain some theological training, and also serve our church’s mission focus.
PLEASE PRAY FOR ME!
So, needless to say, I need your continued prayer. Please pray for...
- faithfulness in time left with family & friends. There have been awesome opportunities for sharing Christ’s love never open before. Pray for boldness, wisdom, and trust in our good God to work on all of our hearts.
- faithfulness in time left with my church, both locally & denominationally, from whom I have thankfully received much support. Last fall I was officially taken under EFC’s mission arm, the Global Life Enrichment Center (GLEC). Locally, I have been involved in leading regular community outreach events, including a recent 30-hour fast during which we learned about & participated in addressing spiritual & material poverty locally & worldwide. Pray for continued growth in this area.
- faithfulness at work as I finish residency & start working as an attending physician nearby. Pray that I would study diligently for my board exams, work well with hospital/clinic staff, and be sensitive to opportunities for the Gospel.
- faithfulness with money. Even though my income will substantially increase after I complete residency, it is still all God’s money. Pray that I would be His faithful steward, particularly with regard to loan repayment. I have also talked to a special mission agency (Project MedSend) about receiving their loan repayment assistance in the future.
- faithfulness in finding the right secondary mission board. (The process has taken much longer than initially expected!) I may be much closer to finding that board, especially as I was able to meet several board representatives face-to-face at the big Urbana missions conference last December. I continue to sense a calling to northern Africa or the Middle East.
- my rib. While playing in an intramural soccer league I recently injured (& re-injured!) my right chest in such a way that I really felt that I might have broken a rib. One of you suggested that I get it removed quickly so that God would make a wife for me! (Over the years many of you have gently suggested that I look for a wife, and I think that was the funniest version yet! Don’t get it? See Genesis 2:18-23). Just pray for that... and stop snickering!
- above all, faithfulness in finding my joy in the Lord, my Living Water (Jeremiah 2:13; John 4:10) and Bread of Life (John 6:35).
Indeed, it is in Jesus that we have life!
Please let me know how I may be in prayer for you as well; I’d love to hear from you. I’ve moved in with my sister & brother-in-law’s family in order to save money, so if you don’t mind the baby squeals, come on by & visit!
By God’s Grace Alone,
Sid/Steve
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