“Take your body and put it somewhere different.” Chris Hall says this is one of the ways we’re transformed. As I write to you now, my body finds itself in Uganda. (The internet, at least in the city, is surprisingly good.)

Medical Teams International asked Renovaré to introduce The Reservoir devotional to their Ugandan staff. They help provide heathcare here for over a million refugees. 

The goal of the devotional is to help people abide in Jesus and serve from the overflow rather than from an empty tank. But I confess, as staff here told me about malaria patients dying in their arms because of a blood supply shortage, my first thought was There’s no time for staff devotions, people are dying!

Another thought barged in: Do you think something written by people living in the comfort of North America can really speak to those serving the deepest needs of Africa? 

Then truer thoughts quietly presented themselves: While our exterior lives may be worlds apart, our interior needs are the same. We are all God’s image-bearers. We all have soul-chasms only God can fill. We all need to know our worth and belovedness. And we all need the friendship and formation of the Holy Spirit. 

And as for no time… I think of Jesus who with three years to rescue the universe withdrew often to be with the Father. He withdrew even in the midst of desperate human need — because even the Son of Man had to be replenished by God. 

So I hold onto the truth that if these staff members take time with God it will be multiplied back to them for the challenging work they do. As it will be for each of us. 

Many blessings,