Dear friends,
While on the island of Catanduanes, I spoke at a memorial for a friend of ours. She used to come to our house as a teenager and visit with our family. She was someone that was easy to love. She died suddenly of a liver illness at the age of 35.
As the years quickly pass, I am reminded that in a comparatively short time I too will walk through that unfamiliar door of eternity. Many of the things that are so important to me now will become of no value then. Recently, God has been challenging me to value the things that He values more than the things of our temporal world.
What does God value? It really is quite obvious when we stop and look at the Bible. In Genesis, He says he created us in His image, in His likeness. We are created different from the animals and the rest of His creation. He valued us so much that He sent His son to die for us. We are told in John 13:34, the two greatest commandments are to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as He loved us. A multitude of scriptures point to the fact that He values people more than anything else.
We are instructed in Matthew 28:19, to go into all the world and make disciples. Yet surveys tell us that most Christians seldom share their faith with others. Perhaps one reason we do not share is we don’t value people like He does.
The other day, I walked onto the beach in front of the school I saw a man standing looking out over the water. Normally I would have said “Hi” and walked on by. But the thought struck me, “The Lord values him and I should too.” I stopped and asked him questions of his life. He was a former business executive who became disillusioned with riches and was now seeking to find “peace in himself.” I had the privilege of sharing some eternal values.
We have been blessed this year with different guests. My sister and her husband Bob visited us from Anchorage. Rene has been here before but this was Bob’s first time in Asia. Our friend Jack Benson is traveling and ministering with Pastor Homer in Palawan this month. Currently Trudi McCarthy, a nurse from Ireland is with us. Trudi’s zeal for the Lord has been obvious, as she has shared some of her nursing skills with the Bible school students.
In closing, we thank you for valuing us enough to send us to the nations. We want you to know we genuinely value you.
Nels and Lorrie