The Manifold Wisdom of God

18 Dec The Manifold Wisdom of God

By Phil Waldron, co-founder and CEO

For as many years as Mission UpReach has been in existence, we have quoted Ephesians 3:10 in order to communicate why we are so focused on an integrated strategy of equipping Christians to lead their local churches in carrying out the Great Commission. As I was listening to a recent podcast, I grasped a new dimension of the profound truth that this verse reveals to us. As our Year End Fundraising Campaign is just now beginning to take off, this truth seemed to have significantly more import than what we have traditionally placed on it.

Inevitably, each year, as we approach our Year End Fundraising Campaign, all the challenges and successes that we have faced over these last 15 years come to mind. Each year, we do an inventory of sorts, and as we reflect on these things, we rejoice in the blessings that we have seen God pour out and we once more grieve the losses that we have endured.

This particular podcast speaker that I mentioned above was talking about Joni Eareckson Tada’s experience just after her accident that had left her a quadriplegic. He said that around her in the same hospital ward were other young women her age that were also paralyzed. At that particular moment, she was struggling to make sense of why they were suffering so. Like anyone who suffers greatly and is a believer in God, Job for example, the tendency is to ask oneself and God, what is the meaning of all of this suffering?

One of Joni’s friends suddenly thought about this verse from Ephesians 3:10 and then her mind skipped to Luke 15:10 as well. She shared both of these verses with Joni as she lay there in her bed facing a lifetime of being paralyzed from the shoulders down. Joni’s friend pointed out that there are perhaps billions of angelic and spiritual beings that are seeing everything that we do or that others do to us, in real time. And God’s divine wisdom and mercy has purposed that these celestial beings see His wisdom and power being made manifest through the end result of people, through suffering, being conformed to the image of His son, Jesus (Romans 8:29).

For some reason, these words that I was hearing from the podcast speaker seemed to open my eyes to a new facet of understanding of the deep spiritual truth that these verses give us. Knowing that God is redeeming the suffering of those that fear Him in order to make them into the very image of Jesus, allows us to face any and all adversity and loss without despair. It is this truth that allowed the martyrs over the centuries to face horrible, painful death and torture while singing hymns and praying out loud that God would forgive those that were putting them to death. God’s wisdom in “solving” the problem of evil and all of the devastation that evil has brought on His perfect creation, is being marveled at by these countless spiritual beings. We too should take heart. We too should be amazed and awed by what He is revealing through his powerful transformation of those of us who are blessed to be “living stones” being built up into a spiritual house, which is His church.

We covet your prayers and your support. We feel blessed to serve as the “tip of the spear” of your support for what God is doing here in Western Honduras through the ministries of Mission UpReach. Thank you.

If you haven’t yet made a donation or a pledge to our year end campaign, please do so soon. As in past years, a small group of our donors banded together to form a Challenge Fund to match your dollars up to a maximum of $500,000. This is a fun way to encourage others to give while at the same time practicing good stewardship of your giving dollars.

Please let me know via my email at: [email protected] what you will be able to do this year towards our goal. Blessings. And may God bless you and your family this coming year with health, success in your endeavors and with a deeper relationship with Him.