A Cup of Cold Water

Pray for me as I go to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with a team of twelve March 20-29 to help my brother Roger rebuild a church that collapsed in the earthquake, distribute food, and minister to the people. Roger and Margaret have been serving as missionaries in Haiti for twenty-five years. Unless I have the time to do these devotionals from Haiti, this may be my last devotional until the first of April.

As I prayed and meditated on my trip to Haiti ,the Lord brought Matthew 10:42 to mind. “Whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward." As a missionary I have often been reminded that the greatest thing we can often do is to spend time with the people whom God has called us to serve. I have sat in many an African hut or home and had a meal or shared a cup of tea. I have put my watch away and dedicated my time to the people that I am with, not as a missionary, or a pastor, or teacher, but as a friend. I believe this is the love language of every culture--food and fellowship.

Jesus preached to the multitudes, healed the sick, cast out demons, and taught his disciples. In the great commission, Jesus calls us to do all of these things. These are all vital areas of ministry that He calls all believers to participate in and which we should not neglect. But Jesus in the midst of His daily ministry took time to eat at Lazarus’s home, Peter’s home, and the homes of tax collectors and sinners.

In Luke 19 Jesus invites himself to Zacchaeus’ home and is accused of being a guest of sinners. At the end of the meal Zacchaeus the tax collector, stands up and makes this announcement. "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." Jesus’ response is “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

Jesus invited himself to Zacchaeus’ home. When is the last time you invited a sinner into your home, or you have invited yourself into a sinner’s home or to a resturant? Jesus said, “The Son of Man has come to seek---that which was lost.” We can not always wait for the lost to come to us, but we must sometimes seek out the lost and enter their space and their world with Christ’s love. I went with the boss of a job I had to the bar or pub every Friday night after work. After weeks of hanging out with him in the bar, he gave his life to the Lord, his whole family was saved, and they became active soul winners in a local church.

As I go to Haiti to build a church, distribute food, and minister, my greatest desire is to bring a cup of cold water to a thirsty Haitian. Jesus told the immoral Samaritan woman.” Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” She responded "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." John 14:13-15

We are surrounded by people like the Samaritan woman who may have different religious beliefs or lifestyle, but are thirsty for someone with a word of encouragement who cares enough to take time to be with them. Whom can you refresh with a cup of cold water?

Andy Clark
www.andyclarksdevotionals.blogspot.com