A Life in Exile

You never know when God is going to surprise you. I had a beautiful surprise today–in fact, it gave me such joy, I shed tears while at my desk at work.

Today, through a simple forty-five second voice message, a dear sister refreshed my soul.

She knew of Raouf’s love for the Libyan people. She knew he had labored there during the Qaddafi years, planting seeds, encouraging the few who knew Jesus…until they wouldn’t let him back in.

He wasn’t the only one who longed to see Libyans come to the Lord. We had dear brothers and sisters, Egyptian, American, European, who gave up the comforts of their own lands to live in that very restrictive and oppressive country. Some even lost their lives in the process.

The country only grew worse after Qaddafi’s ouster, and I continued in prayer what Raouf and others did in person — lifting the dear Libyan people before the Throne of Grace and asking God to move.

Well, today Proverbs 25:25 became real:

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.

My friend had heard first-hand from several believers that God is at work. He is moving in Libya, and there is truly good news to be shared. She just wanted me to know that she remembered the work Raouf had done there and wanted me to be encouraged.

I sent back my greetings to the believers she met, and she shared with them that they were not forgotten in prayer.

When you see the news, hear the bad, see the destruction and chaos, what do you do? I encourage you to pray — no matter the country, no matter the government, no matter the obvious difficulties for witness — pray. Pray that God will move in the midst of the storms to bring people to himself, to give them hope in Jesus, to lead a believer their way to share the life-changing Good News.

No situation is too desperate for God to move. I’m thankful for that reminder today. I’m thankful for my sister in Jesus who thought to encourage me with what she heard.

May we each do the same for others as we work together to see the harvest come in for His Kingdom.

Be encouraged.

Grace and Peace