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I love NT Wright, and especially his New Testament for Everyone series. Over the last couple of years, I’ve been reading his commentary on the book of Mark, and I really like how he emphasizes Jesus serving others from the very beginning of his ministry. In the book, Wright usually starts by summarizing a particular section of scripture, before giving his own translation of the original Greek text, and then sharing some deeper thoughts.
There’s a moment in Mark where, just after meeting the rich young ruler, Jesus addresses his disciples. He starts talking about people who leave their home, their family, and their possessions for the sake of God’s Kingdom — and He promises those listening, “You will be rewarded for what you have done.” (I’m paraphrasing Mark 10:29-30.) One thing I appreciate Wright highlighting is that this promise is for today: not just in the age to come, but in the present age.
Someone actually prophesied that specific scripture over me, and I’ve thought about it a lot since, especially during my time serving overseas as a missionary in Cambodia and Pakistan. When I was in Asia, I had the privilege to teach English through SEAPC Cambodia’s Water Drop curriculum (based on My Precious Book, a bilingual Bible storybook). As I was living by faith, I always assumed that personal blessing from the Gospel of Mark meant that God would give me an actual, brick-and-mortar house one day.
Coming Home
Sometime last year, I told God as much: “Lord, I’m still living in ministry housing; am I ever going to have a place of my own?” And He was like, “I’ve already given you homes.” It took me a while to work out what He meant, but after returning from a short-term teaching trip to Pakistan last year, I realized God was right… as He always is!
Before I landed in Pakistan for that trip, I stopped by Cambodia, where I had served on the Water Drop project for two and a half years. I visited my church family there, and you know what they said to me? “Welcome home.”
The matriarch of that community — who, the first time I hugged her, felt like a wooden board, it was so awkward — called me over in affectionate Khmer: “Kaun-srei!” (“Kaun-srei” means “daughter” in English.) She considers me one of her kids. The whole time I was there, everyone kept repeating, “You’re family.” I might have been the only foreigner, and I didn’t look like them, but that didn’t matter.
More Than We Can Ask or Imagine
Sometime after I got back from that trip, I travelled up to Ellwood City, PA, which is about an hour north of Pittsburgh. There’s a site the Salvation Army uses throughout the year as a retreat center called Camp Allegheny. From the ages of 15 to 19, I spent my summers working there; it changed my life.
I learned so much about servant ministry, and especially about what it meant for Jesus to wash his disciples’ feet. I never literally washed feet, but I did have to handpick lice out of kids’ hair so they could stay at camp. I tried to do that in a way that gave the kids as much dignity and respect as possible, so they could make beautiful memories and have the chance to know Jesus. It was an unforgettable experience.
Anyway, a friend of mine, who is a Salvation Army officer, posted about a free overnight “Word and Worship” event at the camp. I thought, “Dude, I’ll go…” but I had no idea why. It just felt like the Lord wanted me to go. When I got there, it turned out that one of the women helping prep the food and coffee knew me. Not only did she know me, but she and her husband were responsible for sending me to the Salvation Army Seminary years ago — talk about paths crossing (they had only recently been posted to this camp).
The instant she saw me, she said, “Welcome home.” And her words hit home. I had never really thought about it, but that camp was a place I would consider home. It might not have my name on it, but I always knew I was welcome there, and the Lord had brought me there for that time and place. I wrote her a thank-you email afterwards, and she replied, saying what an honor it was to welcome me to one of my homes, even though she had no idea the Lord had been speaking to me about that.
Making Sense of God’s Promises
God may not bless in exactly the way we expect (at least if my experience is to be believed), but He is always faithful to His promise. Every time I head out with Jesus for His Kingdom, I learn that afresh. Nothing ever looks like the “black and white” I want it to. Usually, I discover that His view is much wider, and way more colorful than I could ever have imagined — but He always gets it right.
I’m not the only one with this experience. In places like Pakistan, I’ve seen people really suffer; some even live in homes without roofs. And yet I’ve seen God give those people immense joy. That doesn’t make their circumstances any less difficult or challenging, but it doesn’t diminish God’s goodness either. He blesses them in other ways. Seeing that firsthand has helped me learn that lesson in my own life: if I go somewhere determined to see God move in a particular way, I’m probably going to miss what He’s actually doing.
But how about you? Do you know what God is doing? Are you willing to step out and find out? I dare you to see just how faithful He will be.
"Truly I tell you," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields – along with persecutions – and in the age to come eternal life."
