Momentum (Christ – centred, Spirit – empowered, Mission – focused)
Dave Hearn, President of the C&MA Canada
The rain was pouring down as I drove toward town with my eldest daughter, Jessica. Her nose was running relentlessly and there was not a tissue anywhere to be found in my car. She was deeply frustrated and asked, “Does God care enough to provide a Kleenex® box?”
I was challenged by her request and was aware of the desperation behind it. I could have simply pulled into the nearest convenience store but I decided that it was a great opportunity for the both of us to grow in our faith. I paused, cleared my throat, and prayed, “God we need some help, can you provide a box of Kleenex?” I had no sooner said amen when Jessica yelled out, “Stop the car, there’s my Kleenex box!”
Sure enough about 100 meters in front of our car was a box of tissue right in the middle of the road. I immediately stopped, got out of the car and grabbed the box of tissue. I handed the box to Jessica and we both sat quietly for a moment. We knew God was merciful and good but a box of Kleenex in the middle of the road – this was amazing! What was even more shocking was that the box was completely dry. Jessica pulled a tissue from the box and blew her nose and said a quiet, thank you. We both agreed that this was “Holy Tissue” and that God had done a miracle.
Jessica was a young girl when that happened, but even today, she talks about the time when God showed up and did the unexpected. When she goes through times of doubt or discouragement, we will often say, “Remember the Kleenex box!” It has become a marker moment, a pivotal place of God’s undeniable goodness and mercy.
The cross is the marker moment in human history. It was the place where the sinless Son of God became sin for us so that we could be forgiven and set free. It was a pivotal moment in time where God did the unexpected, the undeserved, and the unequaled. He heard the cry of desperate humanity and recognized that without divine intervention, they would never be free. The Apostle Paul writes, “But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” (Romans 5:8)
Over the past few months, I have bumped into some challenging situations that have caused me to feel disappointed, discouraged, and even doubtful. It is so easy when times are tough and heaven seems silent, to believe Satan’s lie, that God is not really good. When my expectations are not met and my hopes are not realized I begin to sink into places of confusion and frustration. At those moments, I could sure use another tissue box in the middle of the road!
I was driving home earlier as I was pondering this thought. It was raining and I was feeling a wave of disappointment and felt the Spirit of God say, “David, God has revealed His goodness to you. When Jesus died on the cross, He forever declared His unrelenting love and unstoppable mercy! He alone can be trusted with your deepest pain and your most vulnerable emotions. Kleenex boxes in the middle of the road are amazing moments of God’s intervention and power, but it is the Cross that stands through eternity as the place where God declared His goodness.”
The Spirit of God quietly whispered to me, “Remember the cross!” Maybe He is whispering that to you today.
Global Advance Fund Update
The Global Advance Fund (GAF) covers the costs of sending and supporting international workers (IWs) overseas—salaries, benefits, and the costs associated with ministry in various countries. Some is also designated to training IWs.
Through the GAF, IWs take the Gospel to least-reached people groups, people who may never have heard the name Jesus.
Year to date (as of April 6, 2018)
Total 2018 Faith Goal YTD Income Excess/Shortfall
Faith Goal $15,366,000
2018 Year to date $3,760,368*
($11,605,632)
Please find the original version in C&MA website