Number 98:  March 26, 2007

I have been to the other side of the globe, to India, and returned with a cold and a severe case of jet lag [I started writing this at 3:00 am]; but also with a deeper appreciation of how to trust God, His love, the Scriptures, the hope and the family of God world-wide. To actually experience tremendous growth in these fields speaks highly of the worth of the journey.  

In the 1953 black and white movie Martin Luther, when Luther travels to Rome over the Alps, there is a line that is often quoted when one takes a trip of great magnitude, “just the journey itself is worth 10,000 indulgences.” Despite the luxury of British Airways Denver to London, London to Delhi and back again with 5 and 6 hours of Heathrow Airport thrown in [at least one can get Cuban cigars there], when it comes to travel today, this journey deserved many thousands of indulgences also.

The second leg of our [Joseph, Julie, Katie, and me] journey was delayed because 5 other saints [Tom, Lorian, Jessica, Wayne, Barb] coming from San Francisco were also delayed. They were going to join us on our Indian excursion, so somehow this plane was stalled long enough to get them on it. This was the first of many blessings from God. 

We landed just before 5:00 am Delhi time and were greeted by many wonderful Indian saints [including the famous Bhupender and Ashish who will visit America this summer]. They welcomed us whole-heartedly to their nation and gladly loaded our luggage and drove us to Sangat Bains’ home where we stayed while in Delhi. Sangat has been to Colorado many times in recent years, and an invitation to visit his home and the believers in India had come from one of these visits. Little did I know it actually would happen.

Sangat Bains is of mixed Indian and Japanese blood. To help those of you who have never met him, he looks a lot like Jackie Chan. He came to America to go to college in Oregon in the late 70’s. While living there, he was introduced to the Bible as the Word of God and realized a calling to the country of India to teach and show the One True God, the God of the Scriptures; a God Who is so all-powerful, so all-loving, that they need to forsake any others gods [India is overrun with false gods] and learn to worship this God, the God who sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for all of mankind, not just for one nation.

            John 3:16:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.        

God sent His Son for all of mankind. Jesus died so that anyone anywhere could receive everlasting life. He died so we could have direct access to this caring loving God, Who is our heavenly Father. Anyone who believes becomes a part of God’s family with Christ as the head. It would be quite an adventure to meet and fellowship with our Indian brethren.