Face the Facts

I read the following the other day in the "Streams in the Desert" devotional by L.B. Cowman. It struck a chord with me and I hope it ministers to you.

"We live by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7)

"As believers, 'we live by faith, not by sight' - God never wants us to live by our feelings. Our inner self may want to live by feelings, and Satan may want us to, but God wants us to face the facts, not feelings. He wants us to face the facts of Christ and His finished and perfect work for us. And once we face these precious facts, and believe them simply because God says they are facts, He will take care of our feelings.

"Yet God never gives us feelings to enable or encourage us to trust Him, and He never gives them to show us that we have already completely trusted Him. God only gives us feelings when He sees that we trust Him apart from our feelings, resting solely on His Word and His faithfulness to His promise. And these feelings that can only come from Him will be given at such a time and to such a degree as His love sees best for each individual circumstance.

"Therefore we must choose between facing our feelings or facing the facts of God. Our feelings may be as uncertain and changing as the sea or shifting sand. God's facts, however, are as certain as the Rock of Ages Himself - 'Jesus Christ...the same yesterday and today and forever' (Heb. 13:8)

"When darkness veils His lovely face

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every strong and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil.'"

See the rainbow? Remember, God keeps His promises! It's a fact!

Just a note...

...about the "Snapshots of Uganda." In case you didn't know, if you click on the photos at left, you will be taken to flickr.com where you can view them in a larger format, as well as see any captions I may have added. Enjoy! :)

"To whom are you loyal?"

Worshipping in a Lingira Island church with drums and voices as the only instruments.

Loyalty is a quality I admire. But, determining at whose feet your loyalty lies is of utmost importance.

As I was reading up on Ugandan culture a few weeks ago, I came across a remarkable story that I knew I wanted to share with all of you. It is the story of the "Ugandan Martyrs."

Before Uganda became a British protectorate in 1894, it was known as the Kingdom of Buganda, which was ruled by kings or "Kabakas." As Anglican and Roman Catholic missionaries from France and England began coming to the kingdom and evangelizing, they found success in converting members of the court of King Mutesa I.

"The Christian religion was received with much excitement by the converts but it came with its own requirements. It denounced all the native religious behavior and practices as heathen and satanic. Therefore joining it meant a commitment to break away from the old life style, make and adopt new alliances, and adjust to new moral and religious standards, adherence and allegiance."1

Although King Mutesa himself never turned to serve the King of Kings, since he would have to forsake his pagan ways, he did not prevent the spread of Christianity among his subjects. But, just a few years after the arrival of the missionaries, the king died in 1884. The kingdom was left to his young son, Mwanga II. As a prince, Mwanga had been enthusiastically supportive of the missionaries, but he did not emulate his father's tolerant ways when he assumed the throne.

King Mwanga became "an intolerant and vicious persecutor of Christians"1 and other foreigners. He believed he was losing a grip on the loyalty of his subjects.

"The converts had diverted their loyalty to some other authority and their allegiance at all costs could no longer be counted on."1

Perhaps most humiliating to the king was that his pages, the least of his servants, rejected his immoral ways. It was simply unthinkable that a page would reject the wishes of a king.

Not even a year after Mwanga assumed the throne, he ordered the execution of the first three Christian martyrs, who dismembered and burned on January 31, 1885. Later that year and in the following year, many others, including a senior advisor to the king, were killed for their newfound faith.

This time of persecution climaxed in May 1886. No longer willing to suffer the divided loyalties of his court members, Mwanga demanded they make a choice - either completely obey his orders or continue with their faith and so choose death. Approximately 33 Ugandans, Catholic and Anglican converts, including 12 boy pages, chose the latter. They collected the bamboo sticks that would be their means of execution and were burned on June 3, 1886, feet first over a slow fire to give them opportunity to recant. It is recorded, however, that instead they sang praises to God as they died. In the following months, other Christians were also burned or speared as they chose the Heavenly Kingdom rather than that of King Mwanga.

The spark from these martyr's faith ignited the spread of Christianity in Uganda. Those who had observed the martyr's deaths sought out instruction in the Christian faith and thus the followers of Jesus multiplied in Uganda. Hundreds of loyal Catholics and Protestants suffered horrible deaths. However, "...conversions outpaced executions as the church went underground." 2

The Ugandan Catholic martyrs were canonized as saints in 1964 and June 3 is observed nationally as "Uganda Martyrs Day." It is estimated that 80% of Uganda's population is Christian, including Catholic, Anglican and Protestant believers. This small east African country has the largest percentage of professing Christians of any country on the continent.

Pastor Moses shares with a small mainland church. (It had three walls and a tarp for a roof.)

I wish I could say persecution in Uganda was limited to the reign of Mwanga, but Muslim dictator Ida Amin murdered some 500,000 of his countrymen, among them 300,000 believers, during his reign of terror from 1971-1979.

I imagine that those loyal Christians of more than 100 years ago had no idea how the spark of their faith would ignite a nation. For me, personally, I am grateful for the sacrifice of these souls for they helped lay the groundwork of what is occurring in Uganda today. There is much Christian activity in this nation. When I was there in 2006-07, I was so blessed as I met and became aware of many missionaries and nationals dedicating themselves to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Uganda.

So, before I wind up this post, may I ask "To whom are you loyal?" You may or may not ever have to face death for your faith, but if you did, what would you answer? May I note that the Ugandan martyrs were killed not just for a verbal profession of faith, but because they lived loyally to Jesus. They would not have necessarily been a threat if they had only been followers in word, but not in deed. Are you living loyally to Jesus today?

1. http://www.buganda.com/martyrs.htm
2. http://www.bethel.edu/~letnie/AfricanChristianity/SSAUganda.html
Other sources: http://black-african-woman.blogspot.com/2008/06/uganda-martyrs-how-chritianity-got-its.html
http://www.christianitytoday.com/bc/columns/bookoftheweek/holyspaceinuganda.html?start=2
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/232360/a_story_of_ugandan_martyrs_its_time_pg3.html?cat=9

Baptism in Lake Victoria.

Like a Penny

There is a cute little song my dad taught Leah and I when we were younger, that I think is a good illustration of love. It goes something like this:

"Love is like a little penny,

Hold it in your hand and you don't have many.

But lend it, spend it, the best that you can,
You'll have so many, they'll roll all over the floor.

"Love is something when you give it away, give it away, give it away.

Love is something when you give it away, you end up having more."

A couple posts back I wrote about love and specifically God's incredible love toward us and how we can show our love back to Him.

But, as I read in I John today, God does not intend for us to hoard the love, but to give it away.

"By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers." - I John 3:16

I believe this "knowing" is experiential - we know God's love because we have experienced its immeasurable fullness in the fact that we have forgiveness, salvation and new life through Jesus' sacrificial death.

"As an example, Jesus shows us that true love is concrete and active, not merely felt or thought, but lived out." - IVP New Testament Commentaries

It may be difficult to wrap our minds around the idea of "laying down our lives." What does this really mean and how do we do it?

"Christ alone laid down His one life for us all; we ought to lay down our lives severally for the lives of the brethren; if not actually, at least virtually, by giving our time, care, labors, prayers, substance: Non nobis, sed omnibus. (Latin for "Not for ourselves alone.") Our life ought not to be dearer to us than God's own Son was to Him. The apostles and martyrs acted on this principle." - Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John also gives further explanation of how to live out love.

"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in Him?" - I John 3:17

Wow - this hits me right in the heart. I know I have seen, yet passed by, so many needs of others in my life. I have put my wants and priorities before them. I have been unwilling to give unselfishly without expecting anything in return. So many times I have been reluctant to get dirty, to give sacrificially, to just plain give. Yet, "love is something when we give it away."

Love is a noun, but it becomes a verb when it becomes active.

"Our superfluities should yield to the necessities; our comforts, and even our necessaries in some measure, should yield to the extreme wants of our brethren. 'Faith gives Christ to me; love flowing from faith gives me to my neighbor.'"

- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

"Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth." - I John 3:18

As I think about going to Uganda I think about love and being able to love as God would want me to. I know my brand of love is often selfish, wrongly motivated, shallow and limited. It can also be superficial. My version of love might make people like me or encourage friendship, but, in the light of eternity, is that kind of love really effective?

Honestly, I don't have the love that is required on the missionfield or even in my daily life here at home. Which is why I need to be emptied of my tainted love, to be filled with God's pure, life-changing love. It is only God's brand of love that can truly touch hearts and change lives for eternity. It is purely motivated, sacrificial and unlimited. When we draw on God's love we never have to fear running out before we reach the next person.

I simply love this verse from the hymn, "The Love of God."

"Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky."

Take your cup, your basin, your bucket and dip it into the ocean of God's boundless love. But, don't keep it to yourself, pour it into the lives of others. Give it away!

The Languages of Uganda

Sharing pictures from home with new friends.

In case any of you are truly curious, here is the answer to the poll (see left sidebar): "What is the official language of Uganda?"

Drumroll, please...

English is the official language of Uganda.

And, here is some more information from Wikipedia: "Around forty different languages are regularly and currently in use in the country. English became the official language of Uganda after independence. Ugandan English has a local flavour." (That is for sure! Although many do speak English, they have such heavy accents, it still can be difficult to understand them, until you develop an "ear" for their English.)

"The most widely locally spoken language in Uganda is Luganda spoken predominantly in the urban concentrations of Kampala, the capital city, and in towns and localities in the Buganda region of Uganda which encompasses Kampala...Swahili, a widely used language throughout eastern and central east Africa, was approved as the country's second official national language in 2005."

So, there you go - now you know a bit more about Uganda. : )

Have I forgetten something (or Someone)?

As I think about preparing for a year in Uganda, I have had such questions as: "Do I pack a year's worth of shampoo?" Or, "How many flashlight bulbs should I bring?" "Do I need a new camera?" "What kind of mosquito repellent would be best?"

There are so many details to think about when planning for a trip - I am sure a lot of you can identify with me in even planning for a weekend away. But, when I think about being gone for a year, in a place where customary conveniences are, well, not so convenient - the whole process can be mind-boggling.

But, I don't want to get so caught up in the details and preparations, that I overlook or lose sight of how God wants me to really prepare - from the inside out, starting with my heart.

I have been thinking quite a bit about love lately. Over the past few weeks, I have had several streams of thought about this topic, and I will try and divert them into one flow - so bear with me.

Lately I've been listening to an audio book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. (I highly recommend it if you have a chance to read it.) When I first saw the book awhile ago, the title intrigued me. I had a sense it was about the "crazy" kind of love we should have for God. And, sure enouugh, Chan does cover this in his book. Basically he says, because we have such an awesome, majestic and holy God, He deserves all of our love and all of our lives - every part of them. He loves us with an incredible love, but we...well, we don't often reciprocate in like manner. Not that we can even love like He does, but we often give Him the "leftovers" of our lives. I know I do.

In fact, I have done it just this week and just today.

If I say I love God, then how am I showing it to Him? Does He know it by the time I spend with Him, or by the way I put Him as a priority in my life? Does He see it by the way I obey Him and extend His love to others? If you love someone, you desire, you strive to please them. Cost nor sacrifice are an issue - they are irrelevant when you truly love someone. So, if we really want to show our love for God, where do we begin? The following verses give us a clue.

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and that your may be full." - John 15:9-11

Abide: "To remain stable or fixed in a state; to continue in a place; sojourn."

I haven't been doing much abiding lately and I know that is where God wants me to be - continuing, sojourning, staying in Him.

So, I am going to take some time now and take my mind off of travel plans, shampoo, etc. and go spend some time with Someone who has been waiting for me. Is He waiting for you, too?

Love...to be continued.

P.S. I encourage you to check out http://www.crazylovebook.com/ for more about Chan's book.

Did You Know?

If you would have asked me several years ago to find Uganda on a map, it may have required some searching. Yes, I knew Uganda is a country in Africa - but the continent of Africa is rather large and has a total of 54 countries.

I have learned some about this East African country in the last couple of years, but am still learning and want to continue learning.

I thought some of you might be interested in perusing some facts as well. So, with the help of Google and Wikipedia, here is a small "buffet" of information.

• I was excited to learn that Uganda is similar in size to Oregon - my home state! It is 91, 136 square miles. (By the way, Oregon is 98,466 square miles.)

• Uganda ranks as the 11th largest country in Africa in terms of population and 38th among the world's countries. In 2007 Uganda's population was estimated at 30,900,000.

• Uganda was once a protectorate of the United Kingdom, so yes, they do drive on the left, drink black tea and call cookies "biscuits" and flashlights "torches." :)

• Uganda is bordered by five other countries - Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• Uganda is on the East Africa Plateau and the elevation averages 3,250 feet above sea level. (Oregon's average elevation is 3,300 feet.)

• Forty-five percent of Lake Victoria is considered to be in Uganda. The lake is also in Kenya and Tanzania.

• Lake Victoria is the largest tropical lake in the world and the earth's third largest lake. Its surface area is 26,600 square miles.

• Lake Victoria is the source of the Nile River - the world's longest river. (I had the opportunity to visit "the Source" - the spot where the lake flows into the river - pretty cool!)

• There are approximately 3000 islands on the lake, including Lingira Island where I stayed.

Okay, so I don't want to overwhelm you with facts in this one post, but to give you a bit of an intro to this fascinating country. I plan to share more about Uganda in coming posts, including some about its history and hardships and the people.

By the way, check out the slideshow to the upper left of photos from my first trip to Uganda. I will be adding more pictures in the future. Enjoy!

Oh, and don't forget to take the poll, too!