Quotable

I quoted John Paton at the family camp I was preaching at this weekend.  Let's just say this quote means a little more to me now.  He was explaining what was happening in his mind as he was surrounded by a group of man-eating tribesmen. "My heart rose up to the Lord Jesus.  I saw him watching at the scene.  My peace came back to me like a wave from God.  I realized that I was immortal till my Master's work with me was done.  The assurance came to me, as if a voice out of Heaven had spoken, that not a musket would be fired to wound us, not a club prevail to strike us, not a spear leave the hand in which it was held vibrating to be thrown, not an arrow leave the bow, or a killing stone the fingers, without the permission of Jesus Christ, whose is all power in Heaven and on Earth, He rules all nature, animate and inanimate, and restrains even the savage of the South Seas."I can't say all those thoughts were exactly running through my mind sitting under the table at the restaurant with Caitlyn.  I actually wasn't thinking much.  But I am thinking those thoughts now.  We are here in South Africa for a reason.  And that reason doesn't have to do with safety.  We didn't move here because we thought it was safer than the United States.  We moved here because we wanted to glorify God through showing mercy to those who were in need.  And you know, after spending the weekend at a family camp which was attended by many children who have AIDS I have come away refreshed and excited about finding ways to do just that.The girls are doing great, by the way.  It is almost like it didn't happen.   We have tried to encourage them to pray for the men who were stealing and robbing because if they continue in their sins unrepentant they are really the ones who should be frightened.  One of the neat things, I think actually, is that situations like this give us the opportunity to really apply truths that we have talked about in devotions for a long time.  Plus, you kind of get to see what is in your children's hearts.  You think they are understanding certain concepts, and then praise God, it becomes clear they really are.   My sister went back to the restaurant this afternoon to pay for our order because in all the commotion we weren't able to last night.  The police shut the restaurant down as a crime scene and ordered us all out.  Anyway, they told her that we were one of the only ones in the restaurant who actually hadn't anything stolen.  Kind of neat.  Though I have to tell you, I would have gladly given them any material possession they wanted.  I would have liked to keep my clothes certainly, but besides that, any thing I had on me, was fair game.