Devotionals - One Week Until Departure

Strategic Journey

Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Psalms 139:7-10

As Jason’s 2nd grade Sunday School teacher, he would smile with a big grin and wave to me from the pew as I served the elements during the Lord’s Supper.  I smiled back and watched as his parents gently placed his hands back in his lap as they participated in communion.  I noticed that Jason didn’t take anything.  As I continued to serve the other members, I silently prayed that I would get to share Christ with him before he left my Sunday School class that year. 

A couple of months later, Pastor Hall announced that he was leading a trip to Russia that summer.  Jason announced to me the next Sunday that his whole family was going.  He was very excited and reminded me several times that he wanted to sit next to me the whole way over to Russia!  His family decided that they were going to work with me at the Orphanage.

After months of preparation, we arrived in St. Petersburg on July 4th.  The workers on the Orphanage Team had made plans to hold a form of a Vacation Bible School at the orphanage camp outside of St. Petersburg for the 23 kids attached to this orphanage.  Jason and his sister quickly made friends with all these kids and participated in the activities.  Many of these kids heard Bible stories for the first time.  Of course Jason, had heard all these stories before except not in the presence of a Russian translator.

One afternoon I gathered all the kids on the outdoor steps of the cabin to share the message of Christ.  I asked, through the translator, if anyone had not prayed that prayer before.  Three hands slipped up – among these the hand of Jason.  After I presented the Gospel I lead the children in a prayer of salvation.  Later that afternoon as our bus headed back to St. Petersburg I asked Jason if he had prayed that prayer.  He said yes!  I told him how proud I was of him and glad that he had accepted Christ.

It’s amazing that with all the Sunday School, Bible stories, and church activities, it only took the asking of a simple question on the steps of an orphanage over 8,000 miles from home to prepare a heart for salvation.  I don’t believe Jason was trying to flee from the presence of His Spirit, but when he settled on the far side of the sea he was guided by the hand of Christ who held him fast and lead him to salvation. 

Are YOU ready to look into the eyes of an orphan or hurting child and share the love of Jesus Christ and His message of salvation?

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