I joined the 13-day “Israel & Jordan Study Trip” in late May 2023. Prior to the trip, we were asked to write out our goal for the trip and this was my prayer: to be empowered and recharged by God.
We visited more than 40 places throughout the trip and it was a very rewarding experience both intellectually and spiritually. But to my surprise, the place that touched my heart the most was a very simple cave in the Church of Annunciation.
This church was built on the site that was said to be Mary’s home, with a cave in the basement representing the spot where Mary heard the announcement from Gabriel (Luke 1.26-38).
There was a long queue to visit that cave, and when I finally got there, I realised how small and modest the cave was, but at the same time, this Bible passage started to linger in my mind:
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High…” (Luke 1.30-32)
I was looking at the cave and imagining how Mary would have felt – a teenager who had just pledged to marry Joseph and had no clue how things would turn out. It would have been an unimaginable, surprising news for anyone to digest.
Yet this was Mary’s response at the end:
“I am the Lord’s servant … May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1.38, NIV)
A simple yet powerful response. It really prompted me to think, how would I have responded if God called me to do something that’s unimaginable?
Another place that really struck me during the Israel trip was the Sea of Galilee. We took a boat trip, and we even worshiped and took communion on the boat. Thankfully there was no storm that day, but we were being reminded of Matthew 14, when Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water, but quickly sank. In Matthew 14.31, Jesus actually said to him “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
When we face challenging circumstances, it is quite normal to have doubts and hesitation. I am the kind of person who needs everything to be well planned, coming up with 10 possible scenarios, and for each scenario, 10 contingency plans, and only then will I be confident enough to make a move.
Yet when it comes to our faith in God, it usually doesn’t work that way. Sometimes God calls us to do something or go somewhere, but does not tell us the exact details or mechanics. As we take one step forward, then God may show us the next step.
When we face challenging circumstances, it is quite normal to have doubts and hesitation. I am the kind of person who needs everything to be well planned… Yet when it comes to our faith in God, it usually doesn’t work that way.
I recalled how I accepted Christ 9 years ago, and how I decided to leave my previous job and enter into ministry 2 years ago. To be honest, it wasn’t too hard for me to say “yes” in both instances, because I more or less knew what the possible consequences were and what my contingency plans could be; but what if God is asking me to do even more, go even deeper, and follow Him even more faithfully? What if God is telling me to put my trust in Him, and not in my 100 contingency plans?
What if God is asking me to do even more, go even deeper, and follow Him even more faithfully? What if God is telling me to put my trust in Him, and not in my 100 contingency plans?
I was surprised and touched that my prayer before the trip was somehow answered in this very special way: I was asking to be empowered and recharged, but God didn’t “recharge” me like how people get recharged by a vacation; instead I have a feeling that God wants to challenge me to go further and deeper, even when things seem unimaginable, as in the case of Mary or of Peter. He has reassured me that He is sovereign in all circumstances and all that He needs is a simple and faithful response:
“I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”