There is a rainbow of mercy around you.
It's calling me closer, closer.
The blood of your son has made a way
A way to come closer, closer.

For you delight in showing me mercy
And you desire for me to draw near.
Now you have caused me to come and approach you.
And I am blessed among men.

Now there is one thing thing I will desire.
And there is one thing I will seek.
That I may behold you in all of your glory.
To gaze on the beauty of the King.
-Matt Gilman

As I am writing this and listening to this song, I find it really, really hard to fight the tears- tears of joy. This past week I was sincerely with the opportunity to offer a "cup of cold water" (reference to Matthew 10:42) to the people of Honduras on a medical mission trip with Predisan. I felt the Spirit's calling several months ago, but I did not even begin to catch on to what to God was going to do. Our team (composed of 27 people) was able to help a lot.  We built 12 latrines, planted trees, saw about 340 patients in the medical clinics, dispensed about 1,000+ prescriptions, and did a number of other things. If this would have been all that God was going to do with us and with me, then that would have been great.

However, there was more. God provided me "gallons of cold water". I was blessed in so many ways... good food (i.e., black beans, rice, corn tortillas, eggs, and of course plantains), great drivers, good company- with new friendships and blessings upon current friendships, good memories, tremendous amounts of laughter. In addition, it was on the mountain side of Honduras where I felt that my experience/knowledge meet with my with spiritual gifts (i.e., wisdom, discernment, etc.). In the Kingdom of God, I keep realizing that it is such a joy and blessing to be used by God.

Perhaps the most significant thing that I learned relates back to this song that I heard in the last few hours of the trip. The thing that I been thinking about today is mercy. Jesus quotes the Prophet Hosea when he says that "I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices". Our team may have been doing a lot of sacrifice this past week; I definitely sacrificed as well. But, it is Jesus' mercy that chokes me up. I am a filthy, sinful wretch, but I am loved by the King of Kings. And he provides this mercy so that I will seek Him and hunger for Him. I am truly "blessed among men".

Leave a Reply