Fellow Travelers,
We are now within the final month before we travel to Z’Orange, in fact, one month from now we will be atop the mountain among our first day of clinic. Our final preparations for Z’Orange come a midst our anticipation of the birth of Jesus at Christmas. Here are some reflections from my reading of John the Baptizer’s proclamation of the One to come in Matthew 3:1-12.
I preached on verse 11 a couple weeks ago in Tarboro, NC. John the Baptizer says, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” The gift of the Spirit that Jesus’ anoints us with is a gift of empowerment. When you read the stories of the early disciples in the Book of Acts you see what empowered people can do - preach, heal, do signs and wonders, and create awe.
In preparation for Z’Orange I hope you will receive the empowerment that Jesus wants to give you. Our work is simply service without it. Granted our Haitian neighbors will be grateful to receive our good work; yet, it is God who welcomes our Christ work.
The following prayer is from St. Teresa of Avila, a 16th century Spaniard. As you pray, remember we will be anointed to be the hands and feet of the One born at Christmas...
Christ has
No body now on earth but yours;
No hands but yours;
No feet but yours;
Yours are the eyes
Through which is to look out
Christ’s compassion to the world;
Yours are the feet
With which he is to go about
Doing good;
Yours are the hands
With which he is to bless now.
