At this time I am in the city of Fortin, which is on the road from Puebla to Veracruz. The hotel is surrounded by mountains, including Pico de Orizaba, the highest mountain in Mexico. In this beautiful setting I have been learning so much about God's grace and about myself. I have also had the opportunity to meet many of the missionaries that serve in Mexico. Each one has been an encouragement to me as they have shared their triumphs and struggles.
The main theme of this conference concerns biblical relationships. Yesterday we split into our teams and examined and discussed passages from I Samuel concerning the friendship between David and Jonathan. In I Samuel 18:4, Jonathan, the son of King Saul, gives his royal robe, armor, and sword to David, a shepherd. Jonathan gave up much by this action. First, he gave up his right to the throne. Second, he risked his father's disfavor. As we read further in I Samuel, we see the depths of the friendship between David and Jonathan. They protected each other. Jonathan "stuck out his neck" several times to protect David. Jonathan even appealed to his father Saul to spare David's life. David and Jonathan constantly spoke well of each other. We need friendships like this in our lives. Are we willing to "stick out our necks" to protect those we love? Do we speak well of our friends or do we take our friends for granted?
These last few days have been a blessing and I'm excited about what the next 24 hours will bring. May God bless you in all you do. I hope to use this blog on a more regular basis , so "keep tuned."
In Christ,
Dave
