This morning, after what seemed to feel like a short eternity of travel, we packed up, left BIMS and headed east to the border. We’re thankful for naps and smooth travels and border crossings. Into Eswatini!
And we dove right in…Swazi style. 10 minutes into Eswatini (no joke, we had been in country literally 10 minutes) our fearless Jimmy got a ticket. We’re 60 rand poorer but our hearts are certainly more full of laughter. After being met with big hugs and much joy at the guesthouse, we jumped into adventures – including picking up Mage Matza on our way to Mafacula which included stopping at a random homestead for directions, and a particularly precarious “shortcut” road. As Eleanor noted, “this is Swazi style stuff right here.”
The Waymaker calls us to embrace the places where we cannot see, of fear, and of failure. It is in this place where we get to witness the faithfulness of God. We may not get a front row seat to the plan, but we sure do get a front row see to evidence of God’s hand when we watch and wait for it. We get to watch the birth of the new thing in the gap – in the wilderness of fear and frustration, faith makes a way.
That shortcut lead to a homestead that definitely didn’t look right; sure enough, in what seems like nothing short of a small miracle, Mage Matza walked right out. Somehow that “shortcut” worked.
It is in the gap between fear and frustration where God is His most faithful. Tonight, be reminded that we cannot always see God’s endgame. As believers, we do not always get a front row seat to the plan. We get frustrated when we feel like our prayers are going unanswered, when it seems that our fear could swallow us up, when the road is dark and empty and lonely and all hope looks lost.
Look up, child.
“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19)
Tonight faithfulness for us was a shortcut that ended up in the right place (not likely in Eswatini, honestly.) Faithfulness looked like the rich hugs of old friends brought together once again from different sides of the ocean. Tonight, faithfulness looked like the roar of prayers in Swazi revival, the fiery passion and spirit of these Spirit-filled warriors.
If you are in the gap, look up child, our God works in the gap. A new things comes forth. The Waymaker is here.
