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February 16, 2008

“Responding To God's Call” Rev. Cerna Castro Rand Genesis 12:1-4a

        God’s intention for Abraham’s future is recorded in the first verse of Genesis chapter twelve; “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” This was clearly stated when Abram and Sarai started their journey toward an unknown goal of the future. They were first known as Abram and Sarai and later were named Abraham and Sarah. God commanded Abraham to abandon his homeland, his immediate family, his father’s house, friends, and move to a place that God would show him. Abraham and Sarah were not young when God told them to move to a new land. I wonder what Sarah was thinking when Abraham told her to pack their things. It must have been difficult for Abraham and Sarah to go to an unknown place and break their traditional ties with their own family, their heritage, culture, and native land. I believe that Abraham’s experience was extremely hard because his journey took place right after the big flood during Noah’s time. Things then were not settled yet and there was famine in the land. Abraham was not sure if he would see the land that God has promised.

        Verse 4 describes Abraham’s faith in God as absolute and pure: “So Abram went, as the Lord had told him.” God told him to go, so Abraham went. But it is not that simple; in the rest of Abraham’s story, he was both faithful and faithless. But the good thing about Abraham’s faith was that, he knew that it was God who called him to go. God said to Abraham, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing” (verse 2). Abraham believed and obeyed God’s command. When he started the journey, his nomadic life provided him with no indication of the future glory and reputation. But his willingness to continue with the journey shows the essence of faith. He trusted God. Throughout the journey Abraham accepted that God would keep his promises, even when the substantial evidence was not visible in Canaan. I’m sure Abraham doubted during his journey, but in spite of his doubtful faith he had a positive attitude and outlook toward God. He did not let his doubts get in the way and nothing could stop him from obeying the Lord. Yes, he might have doubted God, but he continued to show in his actions that his confidence in his Creator was stronger than his doubts.

        I joined the mission team to Chile last month. There were 16 people in the group and 8 of those were from the Chicago Temple. John and Janice Cogswell led the trip and they did an excellent job. The mission project was to construct 20 pews for the Second Methodist Church in Iquique, in the northern part of Chile. Majority members of the team left the United States on January 1st from O’Hare to Miami and had a continuing flight from Miami to Santiago, Chile. In my case I was flying business class on a mileage that was given to me by my husband from O’Hare to Miami, Miami to Buenos Aires and then to Santiago. The original plan was that our team would meet in Santiago then everybody would fly on the same flight to Iquique, which was our final destination. My flight to Santiago was delayed due to a more than five-hour laid-over in Buenos Aires. While the group that I originally started traveling with from O’Hare arrived in Santiago on time and they were able to get on the next flight to Iquique. Since I did not get to Santiago on time, I missed the flight that I was supposed to get on with the group. When I got to Santiago I was disappointed to find out that I missed the flight with the rest of the team. Then the next flight to Iquique was cancelled. I had to wait in Santiago for almost three-hours for the next flight. Finally I arrived alone in Iquique and it was past nine o’clock in the evening. I picked up my luggage and I saw no one to pick me up. I looked for a pay phone to call the missionary working with our group. I found a pay phone but I did not have the right coins to make a call. I went to the security guard asking him where I could change my money into coins. I did not know how to say it in Spanish so I spoke with him in English. He looked at me blank in his face and said, “No entiendo.” I understood what he said and I responded, “Yo hablo poquito espanol.” He directed me to another guard. I showed the other guard my money and I said, “Telefono por favor.” He smiled and took me to the rental car office. When we got to the rental car office, a man approached me and I said right away, “Senor, yo hablo poquito espanol.” He responded, “I also speak very little English.” I was relieved to hear someone speak in English. I told him that I needed to call someone in Iquique but I did have coins. I told him I was going to Juan Wesley First Methodist Church in Iquique. Then I introduced myself that I am a pastor from the First United Methodist Church of the Chicago Temple in Chicago traveling with a group as volunteers in mission to work for the Second Methodist Church in Iquique. I explained to him that I missed my flight in Santiago and ended up missing the bus going to Iquique. Right away he told me that a group of Americans already left for Iquique few hours ago with the Methodist bus. I showed him the name and the phone number of the United Methodist missionary assigned in Iquique, and right away he dialed the number on his own cell phone. When the phone started ringing he handed it to me but there was no answer. Fortunately I had another contact, the missionary’s secretary (Susana). I gave the man Susana’s number and he dialed it for me and when it was ringing he handed it to me. I got Susana on the phone and I said, “I am Reverend Cerna Castro Rand a member of the Volunteers in Mission 2008 and my flight was delayed and I missed the flight with the group. I need a ride to take me to the church.” Susana told me to give the phone back to the man from the rental car. They talked and then the man gave the phone back to me and Susana told me that he would take me to the church for $20. I asked her if it was safe to do that and she said, “Yes.” I returned the cell phone to the man and I said, “Thank you. $20 is not a problem. I’ll pay for it.”

        Then he started carrying my luggage toward the car and two other men joined him from their office I believed. I admit I was not totally comfortable of getting a ride from total strangers and not to mention they were men. Even though I was assured that it was okay, I started doubting when I did not see cars on the road after few miles of leaving the airport except us. It was dark and I began to worry a little bit. I started to feel a little scared especially when all I saw was an ocean on the left side of the road and a desert on the other side. I said a little prayer, “God you have called me to be here in this new land with a purpose. I ask you to protect me and bless these men I am traveling with. I entrust everything in your hands and help me to feel that I am safe. Amen.” After praying I started to see some city lights, more cars, and a road sign indicting that we were 20 kilometers away to Iquique. Instantly my fear was changed into joy that we were not far from the church. We arrived to the church safe and sound. I was happy and grateful that the driver and his companions took me to the church safely. The driver and I exchanged business cards. I was thankful for their kindness and paid him $36. They were grateful for those little extra bucks I added to the deal. The rest of the team and I were glad that I made it just fine.

        In spite of the mishap missing my flight the overall trip to Chile was a great experience. Our team was able to construct fourteen beautiful and well-built pews. John Cogswell was a very gifted engineer. The wood we used was of extremely good local quality. I never worked with wood before in my life. Now I have a much better appreciation for carpenters. Whenever I go to a church now I look at the pews and inspect how they are constructed. I am thankful for the wonderful opportunity of going to Chile. I was invited to preach at the Second Methodist Church during their worship service and it was translated into Spanish. I had an amazing experience of traveling and working with our church members and others on the team. I enjoyed working with the local people, the fellowship, food, and hospitality of the Chileans and most of all I had a great time talking to people with my broken Spanish. I was not afraid to try my limited Spanish vocabulary that I learned through Azucena Munoz Tressler. One of the many blessings of going to Chile was learning a little bit of the Chilean faith and culture. They were deeply committed people in serving the Lord. They were very generous, loving and kind. During morning devotion I was touched listening to their testimonies about how their lives were changed through the Volunteers in Mission through John and Janice Cogswell and many others who continue to come in their church from the United States. Hearing all those marvelous testimonies from the Chileans and being there personally was worth the trip. I was blessed to be there. Since I came back from the trip I have been responding to emails from the people I met in Chile.

        Traveling to a new land is full of unknowns. They come in many ways and surprises. Some are challenging and interesting but most of the time at the end it is full of blessings. Usually our journeys always end with a happy ending because God never forsakes his trusting people. Sometimes all you have to do is to obey and trust God. I knew I was following the call of God to go to a foreign land to share his love and put my faith into actions. It was not perfect, but at the end it turned out to be a successful trip. Ever since I started my faith journey with the Lord, I learned how to put my trust in God more fully. There were times that my faith was a doubtful faith. But most of the time I experienced the fulfillment of God’s promises.

        God intends humanity to live in trusting relationship with him. Abraham showed his trust in God’s promises by picking up his possessions and his people by journeying out to the unknown. Abraham had not seen what the land of Canaan looked like; whether Canaan could sustain a good life. Yet once God called Abraham to go, he moved to the strange foreign land that God would show him. A brand new, uncertain world awaited him. When God commanded Abraham to go he was expecting him to obey, take some risk and trust. When Abraham left his homeland he could no longer look for his safety from his old life, but instead he looked for his stability in God. God in returned promised Abraham that he and his descendants would be blessed (verse 2). God’s promise of blessing was not only for him, but it will extend from him to “all the families of the earth” (verse 3). God appeared to Abraham at his camp to confirm that this was the land that was meant for him and his descendants. Abraham responded by building an altar in thanksgiving to God and as a monument to God’s great promised made on that place (verse 7). The promise of land for Abraham and to his descendants was fulfilled. God’s covenant with Abraham was that he would not leave him alone, and God’s covenant of love and ever presence was a promise forever. Abraham accepted God’s promised of a covenant by stepping out in faith and trusting God’s love and purposes.

        Today we are challenged to obey God’s call and take God’s promises that he will walk with us in the journey. God would empower us to build a community that God has planned where love shines through. We are called to bring Christ into the world. God continues to sends us out to transform the world. All corners of the Earth are blessed, if we allow ourselves to not hold back, and to be vehicles of God’s grace and love. In the process, it is ourselves who get blessed. Sometimes, God calls us to the unknowns of our life’s journey. To what extent and in what ways do you follow in Abraham’s footsteps relying upon God to lead you into an unknown future of your life’s journey? To what extent do your doubts get in the way of trusting God completely? Why do we find ourselves hesitating when we feel the right action or push? To what extent can you say, yes my doubts are here, but I will continue to show in my actions that my confidence in God is greater than my doubts?

        When we respond to God’s command there is no guarantee that everything will go smoothly. Following God does not mean that you won’t run into trouble. But God promised us that he would be with us in our journey. In largest scheme we are all under the umbrella of protection even if we die. God is with us no matter what our situation in life. God is calling you to be a blessing to others. We are blessed to be blessings in a world that desperately needs it. Amen.

Rev. Cerna Castro Rand
FUMC Chicago Temple
February 16, 2008