Imagine that you live in a town that is full of one-way streets. It's a small town you've lived in for about 8 months and you've learned the way around town. You have standard routes you take on a daily basis, and now rarely think twice about how you get from point A to point B. Then, you wake up one morning, drive into town to find that overnight they have changed all the one-way streetsto the opposite direction. Welcome to Sosua!!
Melissa and I have recently found ourselves relearning our little town. The local law enforcement has decided to make unofficial one-way streets official, change the directions of other one-way streets, and turn streets that had been two-way traffic into one-way streets. I've come to a few intersections that seemed to indicate I couldn't turn left, right, or turn around and go backwards. Add the local tradition where the majority consider traffic laws optional and you can understand the local street scene the past few days.
We've come to find out that the seemingly unwarranted sprucing up of our little town may have been prompted by a visit by the president of the Dominican Republic as part of a campaign stop to inaugurate the refurbishment of a local public school. The visit was subsequently postponed and then eventually canceled. However, the potential visit prompted several last minute work projects and the completion of other projects where progress had been stalled.
I was reminded of the attitude some people have, when they think they will wait to spruce up their own life, or their relationship with God only when it seemed there was no other way to avoid a meeting with him. I was also reminded that our eventual meeting Him will not be canceled or postponed. I'm glad to know that Christ has already done all the sprucing up in my life. He and I do a little street maintenance and road improvement from time to time, but it's the work of Christ that has prepared me for the eventual face to face meeting
God's changed a few one way streets in our life, or actually removed some road blocks. Melissa and I have found ourselves singing at one of the Spanish churches. Those of you that may have had the unfortunate experience of hearing us sing will attest that we are not on our way to a recording contract, but more apt to be on the Best of the Worst American Idol auditions. However, we meet in Bombita with a faithful group of believers on Sunday nights, and they enjoy singing and are not concerned with such trivial things as keys, notes, tunes, tones and other bothersome musical norms. We make a joyful noise! Melissa and I continue to speak occasionally...this past week Melissa shared a message at a local Spanish-speaking congregation with the help of an interpreter (this time). I also shared this past Sunday as part of our English-speaking worship service. While this is not our primary role in ministry, and one we would have gladly avoided in the past, we are both learning to enjoy these opportunities that God provides to help us stretch and grow. We are also praying that God is stretching you. We'd love to hear what He's doing in your life.