Joel zipped his suitcase shut. This was it. He was finally going to fulfill God’s amazing plan for his life. He lugged the suitcase downstairs just in time to find his mom wiping away tears.
“Aw, Mom, don’t cry. I know it will be different without having me around, but I’ll be fine. God will protect me.”
Jenn dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “Yes, I will miss you, and I’ll be praying for you, but there is no guarantee God will protect you. You are heading out to share the gospel in a very dangerous place.” She held up a hand. “Don’t get me wrong. I am so proud of you for following God’s call this way. All your life I have prayed for you to be a man of God. I want nothing more than for you to follow Him. I’m just trying to come to terms with the fact that this may be the last time I see you this side of heaven.”
Joel crossed the room and hugged his mom, then led her to the sofa, where they both took seats. “Mom, I’m telling you, you don’t have to worry. God takes care of His people. He rescued Daniel from the lion’s den, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace, and He broke Peter out of prison. God won’t let anything bad happen to me. I’m young, strong, and willing to serve Him. I have a lifetime of usefulness to God.”
Jenn shook her head. “Oh, Joel, I’m glad you’re on fire for God, but you still have so much to learn about the way He works. You’ve learned a lot about God, but His purposes are not always evident to us.”
Joel frowned. He’d just finished Bible college and was off to become a missionary. How could Mom suggest such a thing? “Yes, yes, His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than ours. I know all that.”
Jenn grabbed Joel’s hand. “Please, sweetheart. Just listen to me for a moment. I’ve lived a lot longer than you, and I’ve seen a lot of things. Do you think God didn’t have a purpose for your father? Do you think God couldn’t have used him to do great things if he’d been allowed to live past the age of 45?”
Joel swallowed hard. “I never thought about it that way.”
Jenn’s tone was gentle. “I struggled a long time with the idea of God taking my husband away from me at such a young age. I studied through the Bible trying to understand His ways. And You, my dear, need to hear a little about what I learned before you head off into danger thinking you’re invincible.” She leaned back against the sofa. “God rescued Daniel and his three friends to show power to the pagan kings. He had a great purpose in their miraculous rescues. He broke Peter out of jail because he had a specific mission for him to complete. You’re right about that. But Jesus also called John the Baptist the greatest of those born among women, and shortly afterwards, he was put to death in a cruel and seemingly meaningless way. John the Baptist’s mission was to point people to the Messiah, and he completed it. He was faithful and great, and he was allowed to be killed, anyway. His life and death both pointed to Jesus. His death fulfilled Jesus’ words that prophets are often rejected, his death foreshadowed Jesus’s own unjust death, and it showed that the kingdom of God is not about safety here on earth. Faithfulness sometimes means suffering.”
Joel opened his mouth to speak, but Jenn held up a hand to silence him. “I’m not finished yet. In the very same chapter where Peter was rescued, James was killed. I think the contrast was put there on purpose. And a few chapters earlier, Stephen was martyred. Do you think James and Stephen didn’t have more they could do for God?”
Joel shook his head.
Jenn continued. “They could have done more. But Stephen’s death, as the first Christian martyr, deeply impacted Paul, led to the spread of the gospel beyond Jerusalem, and showed what a faithful, courageous witness looked like. James’ death exposed how evil Herod was and strengthened the church’s resolve. James was the first apostle to die, which showed that following Jesus could cost everything. God allowed them to be killed, but He used their deaths to further His kingdom.”
Joel stared at his mom. “Wow, Mom – I didn’t expect a lesson in church history this morning before getting on the plane.”
Jenn blew out a breath. “You know what I’m trying to say, don’t you? God doesn’t measure a life by length. He measures it by obedience and faithfulness. You are being faithful and obedient by traveling to the unreached people to whom you are called. That doesn’t mean you will be safe. You may live for many years, or only for days, if God decides your death can accomplish more for His purposes. So yes, I am shedding tears today. Not just because I will miss you and fear for your safety, but because I am so very proud that my son is following the calling God has for his life. And Joel?”
“Yes, Mom?”
“Your dad would have been so proud of you.”
Romans 14:8
If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
God, You promise You’ll never leave us or forsake us, but You don’t promise us lives of comfort or safety. If we follow Your plan for us, however, we know we’ll have an eternal future with You. Thank You for giving us so much wisdom in Your word. Help us to learn all we can from Your words, Lord. Thank You for calling us to follow where You lead. Please help us trust You more than our own plans. Help us measure our lives not by length, but by how faithfully we walk with You. Please give us the courage to be used by You. Help us be faithful witnesses until the day we see You face to face in heaven. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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