June 26, 2023 - Let Jesus

     Yesterday a good friend of ours and his wife blessed us by coming to worship.  After church we went out for lunch and spent a couple of hours together.
     Dave and I go back to college days.  We were in each other’s weddings and we have stayed close friends.
     Like I did, he left our previous denomination, which is now imploding.  We were just 25 years ahead of lots of other folks.
     Dave has gotten involved in some ministries in Africa, visiting many of those ministries.  Daybreak supports Pastor Moses in Malawi through Dave’s international ministry.
     Dave has become a mentor to several young pastors in Africa.  He told me about one of them yesterday.
     This young pastor emailed Dave, asking him advice on a serious circumstance in his church.  He did not ask Dave for any funds.
     Recently in his church a young Muslim college student committed her life to Jesus.  As you would expect, her family ostracized her and forced her out of their house.
     This young pastor asked Dave, “What am I to do to help her?”
     She has three more semesters to finish for her nursing degree.   Some of the final words her dad said to her were, “Let Jesus pay for your tuition.”
     I must admit that when Dave shared this part of the story I literally laughed out loud.  I said to Dave, “Then let’s let Jesus pay for her tuition!”
     Her expenses for tuition and housing are only $1300 a semester.  One of the three semesters has already been covered.
     Like this young pastor to Dave and Dave to me, I am not asking you to help.  I am simply sharing the story and the rest is up to the Holy Spirit.
      What a great witness to a Muslim dad that Jesus actually has the resources to meet the needs of his daughter, not to mention the witness to a brand-new child of God and a young pastor.
      Let Jesus.  I believe we will.
     There might just be some other circumstances in which we would do well to “Let Jesus.”  I will ask for discernment from the Spirit to see those today.