Friday October 4, 2013 brings the end of a rough week for me personally. A period of deep personal upheaval and shifting has caused me to seek to distract myself by focusing my attention on other well neglected areas of my research and studies. My reading for this period is a book entitled “Ethiopia Unveiled” by Stuart Munro-Hay along side a Kuperard publishing of “The Torah”. Pondering archeological issues and spiritual issues alike, I am inspired to resume planning for a return trip to Ethiopia to complete the objectives I did not meet on the January or trip. On the next trip, the monastery at Debra Damo, the alter at Tana Kirkos and the Temple of the Moon at Yeha are the 3 points I want to focus on. The three points I have chosen could not be anymore challenging places to visit in the course of a month long trip. Even though I have since been back to Africa 3 times which included a 3 week stint in Addis in May, I was not able to visit these places.

But as I day dream about the return to the land that has captivated my attention for so many years I am bought back to the strong reality of the shape of “christianity” in my immediate surroundings. It seems that everywhere I turn I face people who are struggling and cannot weather the challenges the world seems to throw at them, at times myself included. We come to unexpected and incredibly difficult trials and barriers in our lives and we seem to capitulate, succumbing to pain, loneliness and sheer desperation to have something that resembles “normalcy” by the worlds standards. I hear stories of abject loneliness among people of faith. Loneliness that drives people to seek refuge in places that would normally be off limits in times of strength and oneness with the creator. These areas of refuge can sometimes become places of no-return as the comfort outside of the God fellowship and the “Ecclesia” become more welcoming and easier than what we are offered in our fellowship circles. This my friends makes for some very deep problems and circumstances that a lot of folks are not recovering or returning from. As I have spent a lot of time traveling and living in foreign lands I have faced some of the same challenges in addition to others that have made life challenging, complex and at times deeply difficult. I have been on the brink of just saying “the hell with it” and taking the easy way out, but God always in his infinite wisdom and sovereignty helps me to learn valuable lessons and to have my faith strengthened and enhanced in the process.

While I was on a long term assignment in South Africa I discovered the Scripture Direct Greek Translation by Dr. Johannes Louw, formerly of the University of Pretoria, South Africa. The use of this accurate and literal translation of the greek new testament has marked a turning point in my grasp and understanding of the nature of the calling and responsibility of the converted christian. Armed with this study aid I began to review the simple admonitions of the Apostles Paul and Peter as well as the words of the Messiah in regards to the nature and uniqueness of those who have been called into fellowship and training in this stage of the plan of salvation. The rendering of the greek in the book of Ephesians seems to bring it home in a simple yet deeply impactful way: “God is to be praised (who is) also (the) father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the One having blessed us with every spiritual blessing with regard to the supernatural world in Christ because He chose us in Him before (the) creation of (the) world, that we be morally pure and blameless in His judgement in love, having decided beforehand on us for adoption through Jesus Christ for Him according to the desire of His will” – Ephesians 1:3 – 5.

On the the simplest level I take comfort but am also deeply humbled by the fact that the process and purpose of my life was decided on at a point in time before I was even born. Understanding that God has called me to a deep level of responsibility, to live “morally pure and blameless” as the book of Ephesians states it makes me stay grounded in the face of the many challenges that frequent solo travel and spiritually isolated living brings. I may find myself in vast “christian” communities abroad, but sadly we don’t yet have great a great deal of things in common theologically or spiritually.

Buffeted by personal trials and issues and being far from home or even here in Brooklyn I take solace in the words of our forefathers as they continually reiterate the deep meaning of the Christian calling and the uniqueness of those truly in the body of Christ. In the Epistle of Peter the apostle Peter writes to the called: “To the chosen foreigners of (the) diaspora of Pontus of Galatia of Cappadocia of Asia and of Bithynia according to (the) foreknowledge of God (the) Father by (the) CONSECRATION of (the) Spirit for OBEDIENCE and (for the) sprinkling of (the) blood of Jesus Christ, grace to you and may peace increase, blessed be the God and Father of our lord Jesus Christ the One according to His great mercy having caused us to be born again to (a) living hope through (the) resurrection of Jesus Christ from (the) dead to (a) possession imperishable and undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for you WHO ARE WATCHED OVER BY (THE) POWER OF GOD THROUGH FAITH prepared for salvation to be revealed at (the) final time” 1 Peter 1:1-5. Faith being the key is not a new and novel concept or truth, but the very unique nature of the called and the correlation between the humility, lifestyle and faith and the protection of the called one is something that brings me to a place of deep humility and peace. This understanding kept me focused even in the darkest of times in Africa and even now brings me back to myself as I face deep personal trials here in the states.

As I wonder whats next on the horizon, I approach life with a new and different hope, knowing how to approach life and its challenges and trials and weather the storms of faith. I also take humble confidence and assurance as to where I stand with God the Father and Yeshua the Messiah as I strive to worship them in spirit and truth.