August 26

Contentment

The Outcome of a Pothole

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

The remote villages in our region are accessed by sand and gravel roads.
On one trip, my translator, J., and I came upon an enormous pothole.
As we tried to bypass the edge, the truck slid into the hole, came out
airborne into the opposing lane and finally landed on the side of the
road, where I regained control.

Thinking of all the things that could have possibly gone wrong,
Philippians 4:13 came to mind. I kept on driving, saying this verse and
praying. Shortly, we encountered road graders smoothing the remaining
road to our destination!

Traveling home, I told J. that if I saw a farmhouse, I would stop and
talk to the occupants. No sooner had I said this than a path appeared to
a house where an elderly man and his wife were sitting under a tree. J.
and I shared the gospel with them.

After a long silence from the man, I quoted Revelation 3:20, to
which the man replied, “I get up in the morning and pray for rain, for
my cattle and for my family, but nothing happens. I don’t understand
why I pray. For a long time, I and the people that believe in the holy
fire [ancestor worship] have been separated from Christians because of
our belief, but now must be the time for me to believe in Jesus because
today God came looking for me.” They both accepted Christ.
If the road had not given us problems, two people might not have
responded to the gospel. Praise Him!

—Marving, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa

Lord, help me to praise You about circumstances rather than complain. Help me
not to miss opportunities to share You with others. I also pray for the people
of Namibia, that You will bring messengers of the gospel to reach them in this
vast desert. Amen.

Next day