"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase"
1 Corinthians 3:6
A Message From the Horne of Africa
"Love Where You Live"
03/29/2009
As I stepped off the plane, a phrase from an old pop-song of yesteryear played in my heart--it was "the Green, Green Grass of Home." As dawn broke the following morning, "jet-lag" was still a constant companion. The 30-hour journey from America to Africa was tiring and arduous, but thankfully uneventful. It had accomplished one thing--the bio-rhythms of my time-clock were in disarray. Looking out the window, I could not help but savor the neatly manicured lawn of my back yard. In the early morning sunrays, the water glistened and threw a miniature rainbow-like spectrum to enhance the idyllic scene. Suddenly nine hadeda birds of ibis ilk landed gracefully in the thick, damp grass. They began to forage for food. Their sharp beaks were repeatedly thrust into the ground and manipulated with wedge-like precision. They strutted around the enclosure like "Lords of the Manor." Fascinated, I watched not minding at all that sleep had escaped me. The copious rains of the previous weeks had certainly revived nature. The cannas were up to my chin. The morning glories greeted the fresh new day with smiling faces. The rosy-red poinsettias gazed down on the profusion of flowers like royalty on a throne. Wow, God is so good. I thought of Louis Armstrong's nostalgic tune--"What a wonderful world!" No wonder the Psalmist said, "The heavens declare the glory of God and the earth showeth forth his handiwork," Psalm 19:1. When God creates such an awesome scene, it is easy to "love where you live."
After lecturing at the Bible College some time later, I was returning to the house for lunch. A slogan on a truck at the red light in front of me caught my eye. I don't exactly know what product they were promoting, but the slogan declared, "Love Where You Live." It was either furniture or some form of internal decor--I'm not sure which, but my mind began to search for meanings for that maxim. It appears that what they were trying to say was that if you used their product in your environment, you would just "love where you live." Oh, yes, people often use external, physical, environmental factors to promote their happiness. But unfortunately it is mostly short-lived. Time takes its toll on things and the fascination of stuff dissipates. But if one selects a daily positive, glowing attitude of delight, it is hard to loose the magic. Happiness is, and always will be, a choice. "I will lift up my eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth," Psalms 121:1. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31.
"'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus," should not just be the lyrics of a song, but it should be engraved on our hearts. If you have a Savior to love you, it is ever so easy to "Love Where You Live." It is comforting and fulfilling to carry songs in your heart, isn't it? There's always music in the air when you do that. Then no matter where you might be or whatever your circumstances, you will have no difficulty to "love where you live."
Finally, it is people who make living lovely. Our children, Lisa and Des Steyn with daughters, Lauren and Christy, all from Texas, have joined us here in this distant land for just a few days. We thank God for these precious moments and marvelous memories. Could you imagine what life would be like if all the significant and loving people in your life and mine, were suddenly whisked away? Suddenly, life would be bleak. Both in Benoni and at Riverside, God has given us some of the best people in the universe. They make it easy to love where you live. When you "love where you live" you have a little foretaste of heaven on earth.
Love you all,
Al--"the Horne of Africa."