Believe the Gospel

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:28-32)

Just last weekend I was invited to a banquet to celebrate God’s goodness to the students who took part in the Medical Strategic Network’s (MSN’s) month-long intensive training course. These 34 students had come from around the world to learn how to live as Jesus’ followers in their vocations as health professionals, with a special emphasis on sharing the Gospel with patients.

MSN so profoundly & positively influenced my life & practice of medicine during my own training, that for the past few years I gladly accepted the honor of having their students shadow me in my clinic. To God’s glory, many students & staff expressed their appreciation for what they learned from me, but in past years I wasn’t able to attend to their celebration banquets. Not only was this year to be my first chance to attend the banquet, but I was also asked to be among a few staff who would give concluding remarks -- a special charge to the departing students.

It didn't take long for me to think of what to share. My own soul has been so dry of late, it was a message I knew I myself needed to hear -- I was probably the one who needed to hear it the most. I wanted this message to penetrate my own heart, & I also hoped it would be something that would encourage the students to see life with simple, Biblical perspective.

As I followed three spiritual giants up to the podium, I of so little faith gave the following charge [edited for clarity]:

Over the past weeks you have learned much about the Gospel: how to live it, & how to share it. My charge to you this evening is something that I'm sure undergirds & intertwines with so much of all that you've learned these weeks that it seems obvious, but it's still worth emphasizing lest it gets lost in all the shuffle: BELIEVE the Gospel!

As you head away from Redlands in the next days you will face many temptations that will oppose everything that you've learned here:

- You will have residents & other superiors who will tell you to "HURRY UP," to "leave out that religious stuff."

- Someone in your family will question your decisions to serve the underserved here & around the world.

- There will even be the very rare patient who will totally misunderstand your intentions as you extend spiritual care.

In these moments & always, BELIEVE THE GOSPEL! At every moment, PREACH it to yourself! TRUST in the fact that in Christ, God has given you all things (Romans 8:32)!

When Satan & his demons put idols before you to worship,

When the world tries to squeeze you into its mold, & tells you you're not good enough,

When your own flesh cries out for you to puff up with pride or even wallow in self-pity,

BELIEVE...THE...GOSPEL!

-----------------------------

The words still ring inside my head. Believe the Gospel? Is the Gospel really for frequent-failers like me? Hallelujah! It is EXACTLY for sinners like me. Thank You, Jesus...

[For whoever might be reading this, I'd still appreciate your prayers, primarily that I would abide by the charge I shared, that I would be diligent in surrender, that I would indeed BELIEVE the Good News of Jesus. Thanks.]

"I will hope in Him"

"But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul,
'therefore I will hope in him.'" (Lamentations 3:21-24)It had been nearly three years since I last wore scrubs. Three weeks ago, I was wearing them again at four-something in the morning as I drove away from home to head in for duty. I knew it was going to be dark again by the time I got home that night -- it was going to be a very long day.

But I was excited that dark & early morning; I'd been looking forward to that day with a special sense of hope & excitement. I was going to Mexico for a medical mission trip!

In one sense, I wasn't doing anything new. From my first cross-cultural mission experience nearly 14 years ago onward, God had blessed me with many mission trips to Mexico -- too many to count. Several of those trips included medical ministry, & I'd certainly been involved in various mission efforts in farther, more difficult-to-reach, & more difficult-to-adapt-to places. This day-trip to a bordertown in Mexico wasn't supposed to be a big deal at all.

But it WAS a big deal to me: it was the first time I'd even considered cross-cultural missions in a long time. Since I'd screwed up in life with such colossal consequences, in some ways I felt that missions was now out of my league, something I couldn't even think about doing anymore.

God wouldn't let go of me though, & He was slowly reminding me of the vastness of His love, that it was more than enough to cover my sin. For the past two years I marvelled at how God still chose to use me in my practice to share His goodness with my patients despite my own sin & brokenness before Him. Growing within me was a confidence in Jesus' love for me, that He would always want to use me to share Him with others. Then I found out about a special opportunity through my work for this trip to Mexico. As I applied, I was candid with the leadership about my current situation, & I also shared with them my desire to re-learn firsthand God's care for all peoples. I was glad to know that they still welcomed me to join them.

The whole trip was a very, very big blessing to me. The blessing wasn't anything flashy or glamorous (none of the ills I treated were life-threatening, I saw fewer patients than I'd expected, & there was even a makeshift laboratory available to us in the tent across from ours), but rather that God would deign to use little old me -- a man of shamefully little faith -- to serve His kingdom among my poor brothers & sisters of Tijuana. Claudia (the Nicaraguan-American nurse/translator assigned to me) & I were able to bless many of our patients as we shared God's truth & prayed with them.

Another special blessing was to work quietly alongside people who were on their first mission trip, to see their excitement at God's unfolding the new horizon of cross-cultural service before them. Their joy & enthusiasm for Jesus were blessedly infectious! Yet another bonus blessing was the chance to eat authentic Mexican tacos (including tripe tacos -- yum, yum)!

I wish I could write that my life of late has been one of steady growth & faith, but there remain a lot of ups & downs. Sometimes I lament at where I'm "supposed to be" had I not been so foolish & rebellious: at this point I would have been completing language school in preparation for a mission hospital post in Niger. I had thought that the next time I'd be in scrubs would be in Africa (I originally limited myself to out-patient clinic work in order to have predictable time to prepare to go overseas). I'm saddened to think how far I'd gone "off" course.

But I find that it is exactly at these times of disappointment & despondency, that I myself am in need of the Gospel most. The Gospel reminds me of God's sovereign, loving rule over even all my mistakes. It reminds me that Jesus' sacrifice was more than sufficient to pay for my sin, & promises to change me from within. And, it reminds me that I am indeed where I'm supposed to be... humbly accepting His lavish love as He guides me through life one day at a time.

God willing, I'd like to take more of these short mission trips. I look forward to the day when Jadon will be able to join me, the day when he & his daddy would be able to serve God side by side not only locally but also in a foreign land. But whether Jadon & I will ever be able to serve together overseas or not, my deepest prayer for him is that he will know this all-redeeming God who is worthy of all our worship.

"Oh sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth!
Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary." (Psalm 96:1-6)