Me of Little Faith

It was South Africa, and the morning sun squeezed through the cracks of the door letting me know the day had begun. Waking up 8000 miles from home was invigorating after countless hours in the air. The smell of fresh baked bread gathered our team of nineteen together for a lovely little breakfast to mark the beginning of our three month journey in Southern Africa. We were staying in a missionary community called Alabanza for a few days to readjust and learn more about the culture; we would leave for Swaziland as our final destination. Breakfast winded down and our team joined other missionaries from the community in their weekly church gathering.

 

Without pews, a pulpit, or stain glass, we surrendered the service to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and began to worship. We pressed into the Lord, asking him to speak to us and show us more about himself. Nearly a half hour into the service, Claud, a full time missionary from The States who lived at Alabanza, began to speak with a peculiar urgency in his voice. I remember him explaining to the group that Alabanza was in danger of running out of water due to the influx of people in the community. He asked the congregation to migrate to the field where the well was dug to pray for provision; each person was to bring a rock to build an altar.

 

Placing my tiny pebble in the mound of large stones, I looked up to the blue sky and wondered just what exactly Claud expected to happen. I quietly made my way to the circle that had formed around the altar. Intense prayer broke out for the provision of water and it was at that point I was faced with a crossroads of believing that our Father could provide or catering to the impossibilities of the situation. I admit, I didn’t believe.

 

Feeling rather hopeless, I watched as Claud and many others fell on their face and pleaded for the Lord to provide. I was confused; did they really expect this blue sky to produce water? I mean sure, God did some pretty incredible things in the Bible, but this was now, not then! About the time I wanted to walk away, the sun disappeared under a fierce thunder cloud. It rolled in with power and love. One drop; two drops; and soon enough a flood of rain! The living God heard their cries and graciously provided enough rain to replenish the well. I was left unable to do anything other than repent for my unbelief and rejoice in the love and power of our God!

 

Through this I learned that the Lord hears our cries and can act just as powerfully today as ever. Whatever seems impossible to us is possible for the Lord if only we have faith in him!

 

       

“… I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20