TITLE: No Need to Worry January 19, 2019 By Marlene Custer 01/19/19 |
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Streets were clogged with traffic, and horns blared. The aroma of unfamiliar foods filled the air along the sidewalk where we were walking. The stifling heat slowed our steps as we struggled to breathe and keep up with those that knew where they were going. My husband and I were in a foreign country and we needed phones. Just ahead we saw a large building with billboards that promised all kinds of phones. With great anticipation we entered the store. However, we were not expecting so many floors with countless vendors, all selling phones. We did not know where to start. Culture shock, jet lag, and a wave of homesickness washed over me. I gripped my husband’s arm and said, “I need to get out of here!” He readily agreed.
Our first attempt at shopping in Bangkok had gone awry. The following day we met a new friend who could speak English. With his advice we were able to return to the phone mall and get just what we needed.
A few years later while filling an interim position in the South Pacific, we had another experience in shopping abroad. We had spent a restless night when Cyclone Pam ravaged several islands of Vanuatu. We were still without electricity, but the main grocery store on the island had their’s restored. They had just announced that they were going to be open to the public the next day. I could hardly wait to shop again. However, the mostly bare shelves shocked me. I wavered between thankfulness for canned goods and despair because there were no eggs, no fresh meat, and almost no produce.
In both these circumstances my first impulse was to be anxious, but God proved to be faithful to his promise. “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19). When we could not speak or read the script of a new language, God provided the right person to assist us. When food was scarce, we did not go hungry. Canned foods met our need until fresh food could be flown in to the island. “To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Philippians 4:20) NIV
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