Offering a Heart of Wisdom

The following testimony is part of a report that was sent to the staff of VOMC’s International Ministry department. This compelling read provides a unique perspective of the perseverance and resilience demonstrated by those whom this ministry serves.

“On a gloomy and rainy morning, I walked through the shell of a burned-out building that was once a vibrant church. There, I came upon an amazing sight: children of all ages sitting on the floor learning Bible stories. They huddled together in a tiny room at the back of the dilapidated church – the only room where the roof was still intact. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw children sitting on plastic sheets upon the damp floor. Crowded with 18 children and five teachers, the tiny room was musty and gloomy – with the only window available shut to keep out the rain.

“Two ladies prepared plain tea in a large plastic jug for the children, which is not appealing to a child’s palate, but it was all the church could afford. There were no milk and biscuits for them, but the children hardly seemed to mind or notice the lack of comforts, the damp floor, the musty smell, the confined space, or the storm raging outside. They certainly paid no attention to the menacing figures gathered across the road who watched with hatred. These little ones are unlike me because I was conscious of all the above predicaments.

“The faith and resilience of these children and their teachers inspired me as the Sunday school lesson continued. I watched as 18 pairs of eyes and ears remained riveted on the story of Moses and the burning bush, oblivious to everything else. I stood there amazed and humbled. These children who walk on water – their eyes firmly fixed on the Lord – are all in a picture I carry within my heart. It is a picture of hope for the future of the church; not only in Sri Lanka, but in every nation where there is persecution.”

Over the years, we have collaborated with our in-country ministry partners on various relief and development projects in Sri Lanka where VOMC has provided much-needed assistance to churches damaged or destroyed by acts of violence. The field worker who wrote the above report stumbled upon the mentioned ‘worship scene amid the ruins’ while visiting the site of a destroyed church building to see what needed to be done to help with the rebuild. What he discovered was that even in such devastating conditions, these persecuted members of God’s church would not be hindered in their worship.

“So teach us to number our days,
that we may cultivate and bring to
You a heart of wisdom.”
Psalm 90:12 AMP

In Psalm 90, Moses contemplated the sobering reality of the human condition which is consumed by sin. After all, this Old Testament patriarch witnessed an entire generation of Israelites break covenant with God and rebel against Him. Nearing the end of Moses’ 40 years of wandering, and on the cusp of reaching the Promised Land, he himself also disobeyed God in a moment of frustration and lapse of judgement. Consequently, the Lord held Moses accountable for his actions and, together with an unfaithful generation of Israelites, he was not privileged to enter the Promised Land.

Through this psalm, Moses expresses the hope that his experience will produce wisdom among the people and that, as a result, future generations would be encouraged to wholeheartedly obey the Lord. Sadly, the Israelites’ unfaithfulness and disobedience continued throughout ancient history, which eventually led to further judgement through their forced exile to a foreign land.

Such stories in the Bible remind us that we too are prone to wander. We can become overly dependent on the material things of this world that sustain our comfortable lifestyles. Like the Israelites, we may grumble and forget the wonderful mercies and faithfulness of God. It could get to the point where we become so indifferent that “numbering our days” seems like a morbid exercise. Yet, wisdom dictates that each of us who wishes to cultivate a healthy heart must learn the value of our time on earth and steward it well.

The heart is commonly known as the central place of one’s thoughts and emotions. Interestingly, the Hebrew word for “wisdom” in Psalm 90:12 means “skill” or “learning.” This concept can apply to the various aspects of our everyday lives – whether it pertains to the development of our practical day-to-day tasks, God-given talents, vocational abilities, or spiritual gifts. Offering “a heart of wisdom” to the Lord requires the cultivation of one’s inner being, which takes considerable time and effort. By contemplating our days, we will experience God’s goodness despite the difficulties we encounter in our walk of faith. And, as Romans 8:28 reminds us, no day is lost when we walk with Him: “…we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose”(ESV).

As the brevity of life weighs on our souls, wisdom instructs us how to live following the will of God. Even though none of us knows the exact number of our days, persecuted Christians, like the Sri Lankan Sunday school children, teach us how to respond when our earthly lives are full of uncertainties. One day, we can be at peace with our neighbours; the next, these same neighbours may rise against us. Yet, through the storms of persecution, the Sri Lankan children and their teachers shine like stars in a dark world bent on their destruction.

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent,
children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation,
among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the Word of life, so that
in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labour in vain.”
Philippians 2:14-16 ESV

That, my friends, is what “a heart of wisdom” looks like; an offering the Lord God is pleased to receive.

Grace and peace,

 
Floyd A. Brobbel
Chief Executive Officer
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada Inc.