Bethany Truth Photography: September 2011

Everywhere I look in the world I see faces, beautiful faces. Some are wrinkled, some fresh, some pale, some dark, few joyful, many sad, few content, many searching, few healing, many hurting, few free, many bearing burdens.

And yet they are all beautiful in a mysterious way.

They all display the creativity of God. They all proclaim the condition of the heart. They all possess the capacity to exhibit the joy of Christ. Each one is a face of a human created in the likeness of the Most High God.

Why does my heart break when I am surrounded by these beautiful Asian faces?

Why has God brought me to this little island? What can I do? What has "qualified" me to have a mission here?

Nothing!

And that's the beauty of it. I'm beginning to understand what it means to live for the glory of God. I can't do anything for God, but He can work through me. I'm not qualified in the world's eyes, but God says that when I am weak, He is strong. Only He can receive the praise when the day is done and the race is won. All I can do is trust and obey.

That leaves the question, "Why am I here?"

But here I sit, surrounded by thousands of beautiful Asian faces, and I'm looking across the strait at Xiamen, China, where there are millions more.

Beautiful faces.

Faces that are searching. Faces that are hurting.

And I ask, "Why am I here?" I know the Healer. I know the Joy-Giver. I know the One who is everything we need. I know the One who breaks the chains of evil. I know Him! And He is everything they need!

Oh, to see them come to Zion with singing, where they could obtain gladness and joy, and where sorrow and sighing would flee away (Isaiah 51:11); where God would be their shield and their comfort! Oh, Abba Father, is this passion?

Beautiful faces.

As the sun sets over China, I'm reminded of how I asked God earlier this afternoon to give me the words for this essay. He never ceases to amaze me.

Now, El-Roi, strengthen me, help me, and uphold me with your righteous right hand.