“So there I was…” I know, it’s a bit cliché to start out a story that way but I will nonetheless. I was hanging out on a peak in the Swisshelm Mountains, marveling at the rugged grandeur of the landscape surrounding me. It was part of an advanced helicopter training flight for one of the pilots here. This day I was just a passenger being shuttled about in an exercise, hopping between different high-mountain landing sites.
I had the freedom to enjoy every minute I was out there by myself because, though the sound of the rotor blades faded out as the helicopter dipped over the next ridge, I knew it was coming back for me. Had I not been sure of that fact it would have been a rather terrifying experience to say the least, stranded atop an unfamiliar mountain alone and unsupplied.
As my ears strained to catch a hint of that familiar sound my mind jumped to a parallel. I couldn’t help but think of the even greater freedom to be found in Christ by those who believe and come to the Lord in faith. The freedom to truly have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). The freedom of understanding this life is just the beginning. We rest assured that Jesus Christ is coming back for His “bride,” the Church, and on that day all who have placed their faith in Him shall forever be united with the Father in heaven.
Hundreds of thousands of men and women, however, live not in freedom but in bondage to fear. Terror grips their souls as they pass through life spiritually isolated, starving, and parched as they search for truth. These are the unreached and least reached peoples of the world we seek to serve, some of whom have plead for over a decade that a missionary might come and share the “talk of God” in their people’s own heart language so they might understand. One village leader spoke for countless others when he wrote, “Please have pity on our lives, we don’t know what will become of us when death is on us.”
As I sensed the pulse of the rotor blades and caught sight of the helicopter returning I thanked the Lord for allowing me to play a small part in preparing the pilots here for the role they’ll soon be filling in the Philippines as they transition from a primarily fixed- to rotary-wing program to meet the ever changing needs of the work there [more info]. They’ll be able to take teams to remote people groups in areas which have been to this point physically unreachable. What a privilege it is to be part of the Lord’s work in redeeming His creation as He draws to Himself men and women from every tribe and tongue and peopleand nation.
Would you pray today for those who are being reached with God’s truth? Pray with us that many will believe in Him, remain faithful to His teachings, know the truth, and be set free (John 8:31-32).