Mempersatukan

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. (Ps 16)

 You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Ps 23)

 My heart echoes these reflections of the psalmist.  Although there have been rough times in the past months, my time so far in Bloomington has been incredibly restorative and deeply lovely.  There are a thousand different reasons why, when I'm walking down the sidewalk, the words I am so blessed bubble into my heart.

I was reminded of one of those reasons on Friday when I pulled a letter out of the mailbox, a letter written by an eleven year old boy in Indonesia.  See -- one of the great joys of my life at this point in time is that God has kindly placed me in the midst of so much abundance that I'm able to sponsor two kids through Compassion.  TWO.  That blows my mind.  Somehow, me living here and getting up and going to work and making drinks and washing dishes is able to impact the lives of these two kids, one in Guatemala, one in Indonesia.

Really, I don't even have the words to explain it, just that it is such a beautiful thing that it delights me to think of it.  At the same time, it's deeply humbling.  I can afford to sponsor these kids, to provide the financial resources to contribute to their education and well-being -- not because I'm an awesome provider, but quite simply because I have been given so much.

Paul's words to the Corinthians speak to me as if he'd written them directly to me.

You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.  For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. (2 Cor 9)

 Giving is not about the giver, or even ultimately about the provision for the recipient, but it's about the glorification of God.

Arri wrote to me, in his last letter,

 "saya per caya Tuhan selalu mempersatukan kita."  I believe God always draws us together.

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