From the African Church Ilemela in Tanzania (TZ955).
Our journey to Amos’ house consisted of climbing the longest, winding, rocky, hilly, mountain-like trail up to his home. It was like an intense stair climber, elliptical workout.
About halfway up the hill, we paused to
catch our breathtake some pictures of the amazing view.
Once we arrived at the top of the hill, we were welcomed into Amos’ home by his mother Leonia. She was very friendly, gracious and really happy to see us.
She stated that we were the first visitors ever to her home from outside of their community. There were 3 other children at the home and the father worked as a day laborer in the community.
As we were talking and hearing Leonia tell her story about a rough season in their lives we witnessed one of those “Then God Showed Up” moments.
The phrase “Then God Showed Up” seems to always be preceded by some troubles or a bleak situation… “Then God Showed Up.”
I understand the context behind the phrase; however it’s one of those phrases that in my opinion reduces the Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth to a merely situational God.
I like to remember the “3GO’s of God”:
- God’s Omniscience- God knows everything.
- God’s Omnipresence- God is everywhere.
- God’s Omnipotence- God is almighty, all-powerful and can do anything.
Then God Showed Up! Not so much, “God was already there!”
God knows everything, God is everywhere and God can do anything, we have to acknowledge that fact. Some situations it may appear too difficult to acknowledge the “3-GO’s.”
The harsh reality is no situation is too difficult or too great to recognize that God was already there.
Now let’s get back to Amos’ mother Leonia’s story.
She explained how they were having rough times and she decided to start a business with the help of some funding from some ladies in the church.
Her business consisted of selling fish and it was started with the equivalent of maybe $20 in the U.S. She would get fish from the people at the lake and then sell them at market.
Once Leonia’s modest business got up and rolling she trusted a local guy in the community to go and sell her fish; unfortunately one day the guy never returned. At this time in her life, her situation appeared bleak and then something happened… many would say “Then God Showed Up!”
Leonia says it this way, “I lost my business, my income and I knew God was there and would take care of me.” That’s exactly what God did, the next week she found out that Amos had received a Compassion Sponsor. (insert applause, ahh’s, halleluja’s and amens)
The support that Leonia received for Amos via the Compassion Sponsor was just enough to compensate for her lost business.
God continues to bless their family and she now has a little business of selling little buckets of coal in which people use for cooking.
I love Leonia’s spirit and I love the fact that she doesn’t embrace the mentality of “Then God Showed Up!” but rather acknowledges that He was already there.
Read the entire post by Scott Williams.
Visit compassionbloggers.com to experience the highlights of the Tanzania blog trip through the words, pictures and videos of the team.
4 Comments |Add a comment
I agree that God was there all of the time, however, we don’t always see Him. It’s not that He’s not there, it’s that we don’t see Him. So, when we have that “a-ha” moment it feels like God showed up because that is the moment we recognize He, indeed, is and was there.
My husband died of cancer three years ago. He was a Christian but he struggled with a relationship with Jesus for many years because of his earthly father and their relationship. He was near his death and money was tight. We needed it desperately. Well one day an unexpected check for $1000 came in the mail. David said, ” Wow! God showed up! I just I wouldn’t have missed Him all of these years.” So sometimes God does show up even though He’s been there the entire time.
Love this perspective and reminder, Scott. Praying for the team and the people of Tanzania.
This somehow reminds me of the history of one of my sponsor kids from Kenya. When I first started to sponsor him, his single mother made money scavenging in the slum garbage dump – which is dangerous not only due to disease but gangs as well. Sometime very soon afterwards, his young mother died, I’m not sure for what reason. The young boy ended up with his aged grandparents, who thanked God very much that there was a sponsor to help them raise the boy. Three years now into the sponsorship, the boy is doing much better, although only his grandmother is alive to keep looking after him. God is there for him and always was. God didn’t just show up when his mother passed away suddenly.
Hallelujah! It’s hard to look to Jesus even if things don’t work out or seem like they never will, but then again all we have to do is look! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFEjQxUE_hM