I rarely look at Facebook, but I keep getting messages through email that indicate I have numerous friend requests on it. So, I opened it up over the weekend and was astonished. I had hundreds if not thousands of requests to be friends. Unfortunately, I reached the 5000-friend limit and cannot accommodate them unless someone unfriends me, but I noticed that a number are “following” me, (whatever that entails).
The majority of these folks are located all around the world. Many are from the Middle East including countries like Pakistan, Lebanon, Syria, and even Afghanistan, but also Africa, Communist China, and many other countries, some of which I don’t have a clue where they are such as Sierra Leone. How the Lord led them to me is a mystery because I have don’t advertise nor solicit having friends on Facebook. I’m not adept at using it and struggle with understanding how to navigate it. My WFTD crew that sends it out for me daily, post it to Facebook and perhaps that is the answer.
I mention the Lord leading them to me because the messages I receive from them are primarily from pastors and followers of Christ and they praise God for everything. I would assume that it is dangerous business to even read Words for the Day in many of those countries. And I admire them for their courage. One had his own version of a Kenyan WFTD with one of its posts shown below:
William Kisha, who is from Kenya sent it to me. His message that accompanied it was as follows: Shalom man of God, “true living one’s purpose” makes life fulfilling. The only challenge comes with resource scarcity. I was deeply humbled by this and the many other comments and messages I read. As I perused them, it became obvious that resource scarcity was a common theme. Here in the USA it is a struggle to try and get friends to even read the Bible, though they are as numerous in this country as refrigerators, (practically every home has one). Additionally, Bible study materials are readily available, as are churches, most of which are televised or live streamed as well as numerous ministries for just about every addiction, prisons, pregnant unmarried girls, and so on.
My Bible study partner and I just completed reading the Bible and we are now in Chapter 3 of Genesis going full steam through the adventure again. I’ve read it cover to cover countless times and it never fails to reveal more with each journey. I applaud missionaries all over the world who work so hard to help those such as Mr. Kisha to reach people in faraway places and the donors who make it all possible. We must remember these are family members (brothers and sisters) of ours and sons and daughters of our Father God. Some of the folks writing to me do so at great risk to their lives, but are fearless because it is the next step in the natural order of things as we prepare for our true home in heaven. True believers do not fear death in the same manner as non-believers.
I got an email from a dear friend over the weekend who recently lost one of his grandchildren to a freak accident on a four-wheeler. He referred to his grandson’s passing as “transitioning”. He is entirely right, Christians don’t die, they transition to their final home. It is so sad for us to hear that such a wonderful young man was taken so early in this life, however, he is with Jesus as I write these words and will never have to go through losing a son, daughter or grandson or granddaughter. The world needs to hear of that hope. You might consider contributing to a mission or missionary if you can.
Rev, 21:4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”