August 3

Contentment

Why the Fly?

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
Philippians 4:6 (KJV)

Before coming to Africa as a missionary, I remember seeing African
children on television with their wide eyes and protruding stomachs.
What disturbed me most were the flies clinging to their faces. God had
a lesson for me about flies, however.

Each morning in Zambia, as I go for my daily walk, I deal with pesky
flies. They crawl all over my face, into my eyes and around my mouth.
No insect repellent will keep them away.

This particular morning was no exception. After 15 minutes of
walking, constantly batting at flies, I called to mind Philippians 4:6
(KJV): “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” So I prayed, but I still
wasn’t thankful. “God!” I cried. “These flies are bothering me! They make
me not want to walk each morning!” I continued to complain.
Gerri, God said to my heart, what makes you any better than the Lozi
[LOH-zee] people? They walk every day with flies bothering them. And furthermore, He continued, you committed to identify with them. Did you mean what you said? I began to think of how Jesus came to earth to become like us,
yet without sin, and He certainly put up with more than a fly.

Why the fly? To remind me of how much God loves me. Now when
I am bothered by this insect, I say to Him with humility, “Thank You,
Jesus, for enduring much more than a pesky fly for me!”

—Gerri, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa

Lord Incarnate, may the Lozi people of Southern Africa soon understand that
You entered earth’s domain in human form in order to suffer and die for their
sins. Thank You, Lord, that by Your grace, You transform daily irritabilities
into blessings of spiritual truth for our missionaries and for us as well. Amen.

Next day