Lord, we are still in Michigan waiting for my visa. It is Sabbath morning. Please use me today—right where I am—to be a blessing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

So often, it is tempting to say, “I will serve God someday, somewhere and somehow,” and fail to take advantage of the real opportunities to shine for Jesus in the here and now. We should not wait for Surat Thani or some future opportunity to be a blessing. But, as someone famously quipped, I want to “bloom where I am planted.”

That morning in church, someone announced that a group was going to Detroit, almost four hours away, to pass out the book The Great Controversy at a political rally. This is my opportunity, I thought. But what will I eat for lunch and supper? I’m in my church clothes, what if I get cold? Will I have enough water to drink? What if I need to use the bathroom? These and a dozen other objections flooded my mind. I put them aside, and as soon as church was over, I joined my new friends on their mission.

Jesus’ words rebuked my doubting heart. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear . . . Look at the birds . . . [Y]our heavenly Father feeds them . . . Look at the lilies . . . Why do you have so little faith?” (Matthew 6:25–30 NLT).
We stood outside under a threatening sky for four hours and handed out between 4,500 and 5,000 Great Controversy books to those leaving the rally. Rain was forecast, but it did not fall! God abundantly provided for all of our needs. And more than that, He filled our hearts with joy and our mouths with praise.

I invite all whom God is calling to future or foreign missions to respond in faith to God’s provision. However, do not wait to serve, but as the song says, “Brighten the corner where you are.”

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