The Copeland Ramblings/

Comfort

Last week we received an email update from our friend Peco who recently arrived in Indonesia as a missionary. We found his letter to be very encouraging and a good reminder. We asked Peco if we could share his email on our blog, take a few minutes to read it!

In my last email I mention that I was excited to be here. Well, I certainly am, but there’s more going on than that. My brain is processing a lot and I don’t have the speediest processor in the world. I am mainly very anxious to speak and understand Indonesian. You don’t feel very settled in a place when all you can do is walk around and say “Good morning” or “Thank you” or “I don’t speak Indonesian”. And at the same time your eyes are filled with signs that you can’t read, people you can’t connect with, and other things that you just can’t understand after being here for 2 days. Sure, there’s a certain adventure to it, but it’s different when you actually move here as opposed to just visit. Why would I put myself in this situation? There are so many other things that I could do with my life you know? I could’ve just stayed in the States and then I could have the privilege of a family and a little comfort. Comfort. Comfort? It’s always about comfort. Comfort is rather comfortable I must admit, but is that really a worthy goal in life? Should that be what I go after? Even here in Indonesia, my brain searches for comforting things… relationships, air conditioning, and a knowledge of the Indonesian language are all things that make me more comfortable, therefore they are the things I am prone to pursue. There is absolutely nothing wrong with comfort. In fact, it is a feeling that the Lord has stitched into this life to make it more complete. But on the other hand, if comfort is the focus or goal, life is not being lived properly. It is in the midst of discomfort that character is built. And when uncomfortable, the Lord is either embraced or cursed. Right now I am in position to embrace the Lord in the midst of discomfort or to go my own way and find comfort. Would I rather walk blind and be led by God who I can’t see or walk by myself and have the illusion of sight? Another question: Is God really on my side here and ready to provide or am I just assuming that I am in His will and He cares about what I am doing? After all, He never appeared to me physically and told me what to do. These are some questions that arise out of going the way of “walking by faith”. Many do not bother because it’s an insult to an intelligent mind, or because it’s not worth taking a chance that it’s not real. The funny thing is though, life as God intended cannot be experienced until we take that chance and step out with our seed of belief and let it be watered into something greater. It is indeed about taking “steps of faith” that often feel similar to proceeding over the edge of a cliff into empty air, wondering if something will catch you. The reason I am here is because I take what God says literally. If the Bible is true, the result is that my purpose is to sell everything in order to purchase a pearl of great price and greater value (Matthew 13:45-46). If the Bible is to be taken seriously, then to believe it is to obey it and to live as a representative of Jesus Christ in the world. Indonesia is only one part of the world, but it is in great need of representatives and that’s why I came here. I only share these things because my emails are often more “surfacy” carrying more of an informative tone, as they are just updates. I just want to make sure no one thinks the fact that I am different or weird (although this may be true in some ways) is why I’m living in a country across the world. I am merely part of the body functioning in one necessary capacity of many. When you leave everything comfortable and familiar it hits home that you are banking on a faithful God who you’d better be able to rely on. These thoughts are why I was impressed to write these things.

On this day..

• French Newsletter and Other News - 2009
• Canaan Joshua is 6 weeks old. - 2006
• April 2006 - 2006