Baptism and Giving

On Sunday, August 22, we attended church and heard a sermon about giving.  Pastor Norman did a wonderful job explaining about how believers are supposed to give. The idea 100% of all we have is God’s is something most of us are not comfortable with.  We are stewards of the 100% and as believers we give to God 10% as a starting point not an end point of our giving.  It is a testimony of the relationship our heart is in with God.  It is by grace we have this opportunity to give unselfishly because  our relationship with our Lord.

We also had the joy of hearing testimonies for the baptism of 8 people.  Before you are baptized here you are required to provide your testimony before the church.  A young wView Blogoman who grew up under Hinduism told her story of worshipping many gods in her life but none ever answered her or spoke to her.  When she met Jesus she found the one true God who lives and speaks to her as His own.  She no longer professes to be a Hindu and walked away from her family to worship God.  It was awakening to hear young people tell of how God saved them in situations we never experience in our lives.  Testimony of a young man's safety from armed muggers, a family accident in the bush endured 7 days with no help and a young man imprisoned wrongly with no sign of getting freedom from his jail.  After seeking and praying to Jesus muggers did not harm the man, help arrived for the family with medical provisions and healing from their injuries and God saying to a young man, rest for it will be well for you, and the next day he was free from jail.  God revealed Himself in trials for some and He also appeared quiet emptiness when other gods were silent.  This is God's grace how He reaches His children.  8 people were baptized outside the church at the end of service in a homemade swimming pool with the backdrop of the Botswana horizon.  The spirit of the Lord is alive and well in Botswana.  His people have called on His name and the Glory of the Lord is shining.

That night, Parker and I made friends with a young boy named Paul.  He gets laughed at for being outspoken for his belief.  He confessed openly that he was grateful to be a believer but he was sad that so many children would go to sleep tonight without someone next to them telling them about Jesus.  He prayed Jesus would take care of this matter.  Other children shared how God our creator made a beautiful and wonderful place just for them to live.  Botswana is so beautiful but to some can appear ugly in the same view.  Full of color, character and beauty contrasted with a harsh climate with brutal living conditions that makes it difficult for many people to survive.  This makes it hard to understand why the people love the Botswana God gave them so much.  The children reminded me in scripture God says a fox has a hole, birds have a nest but the Lord had nowhere to lay His head.  The children said they have it easier than Jesus when he walked this earth because they have a home to rest.  This is grace say the children.

What did I learn?  Look around and see grace is all around us.  How do I feel?  I love for my new home and the new perspective God is giving me.