Our great need.

If you have never traveled or been out of the country, I highly recommend it. We are so comfortable in North America. We have everything, or at least we think we do. Our homes are crammed with this, yet we are unsatisfied. My wife and I are currently on a plane heading to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. We are sitting next to a lady who is leading a group of medical students to do humanitarian health work. We are heading down to prepare for a mission trip in the fall. There are at least two other groups on this plane that are also heading down to help others.

I have not been to Dominican Republic before but from the sounds of it they need help. We are coming from a culture in which it's embarrassing to need help, yet we are going to an area that will probably be a blessing to us. As we interact with the people we will find that they have something that we in North America need: a reliance on God for their daily survival. We can learn so much from cultures that are in need. Something I have found in all the humanitarian trips I have been on, when you know you need God, when you are not comfortable, you can still be happy, you can still be rich, you can still be blessed. Why? Because it is very crucial for us to know that we cannot make it on our own. It is important to realize our dependence on God. Travel, and you will find that happiness does not come from stuff but from recognizing your need for God, and being filled by Him.

Pray that God will help you see your need for Him, and other need for your compassion.

Read Luke 10:25-37

Journal: Put yourself in the shoes of the injured man, what does he feel? Put yourself in the place of the Samaritan, why did he help? Who in the parable would God be compared to? Who would you be?