Landed in Ethiopia - Flight Plans and God’s Plans

Flight Plans and God’s Plans

UPDATE: LANDED IN ETHIOPIA 5:30 AM SUNDAY AFRICA TIME (8:30 Saturday PM California time)

For prayer requests, see below blog entries dated 8/15, 8/16, and 8/17

BELOW I WROTE ON THE PLANE

When you’re on 1 plane for about 20 hours straight, you have some time on your hands. I’m wrote this from a plane that took off in LA, flew to Ireland to refuel (where we stay seated), was delayed there a bit, and now the last 8-hour stretch on this same plane to Ethiopia. There will be a few hour layove than a few more hours on another plane to Congo. As I take time to reflect, there’s much to be thankful for:

• I’m thankful to have extra legroom on this last leg in an emergency exit row!
• I’m thankful as I remember the last trans-Atlantic flight I was on was with an inconsolable 20-month-old. He’d been through a lot in his adoption and I got far less sleep as he cried mostly nonstop (and I had him on my lap and lost his bag the last leg, but that’s another story!)
• I’m thankful for that journey that brought a blessing, and I pray coming back I will bring a blessing through God’s Son who adopted us

I’m reminded of Proverbs 16:9: “In his mind a man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” In my mind I had planned to come this way Wednesday AM, but the Lord directed my steps to leave Friday PM due an airline issue. That in turn:

• Allowed me to come as my Visa arrived last Thursday
• Allowed me time to get all the things done, including extra suitcases of gifts picked up Friday, and several important ministry things Wednesday-Friday
• Allowed me to have extra time with my wife and kids and to see my parents who have been traveling and this was my only chance to see them
• Allowed me to spend a couple hours trying to make the gospel clear to 2 Mormons who came on Thursday. Only the Lord knows all why steps are directed, but I’m thankful He does as we trust in Him in all (Prov 3:5-6) 

This gospel conversation Thursday reminded me of the importance of what I’ll be teaching next week, as the crucial issue came down to the solas. The Mormons reject sola scripture as they quoted to us other books. They also try to sound like they believe what we believe till you press them on the word “sola/alone” - is our salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (sola gratia, sola fide, solo Christo)? I’m convinced more than ever of the importance of these 5 solas I’ll be teaching next week, all Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone be the glory).

I wrote this part while our flight plan on the screen showed us going from the UK over Germany and France and near Rome. I’m reminded of the Reformation in Europe 500 years ago that rescued the gospel from the Church of Rome in these 5 solas and how it spread through the English-speaking world to our shores in the centuries after. I’m also reminded that 5 decades ago the English-speaking world spread a false prosperity gospel to the shores of Africa and the need is still great to get back to scripture alone, and the true gospel for God’s glory. Let’s pray together that our sovereign God in His sovereign grace brings reformation and revival to Africa as well as to America more and more.