Walking in Memphis

This week I am in Memphis on a mission trip with five students from the University of Georgia (three seniors, one junior and one recent graduate). We arrived in the city late Saturday afternoon. After an evening of settling in and a Sunday of worship, orientation and prayer-driving areas we will work in, we are ready this Monday morning to start work. Late last night the students decided we needed to trek across the river to Waffle House. So at 11pm we piled into the van to drive to Arkansas - only 8 miles away. Someone qued a playlist and cranked the volume. Soon “Walking in Memphis” was blaring through the speakers with everyone singing along. 

Memphis means “enduring and beautiful” in ancient Greek. As we drove through the city yesterday - and again in the wee hours of this morning - I must admit I didn’t see much beauty except when we traveled the more wealthy parts of the city. As the leader of this journey I was thinking about issues of safety and, honesty, just wanted to pass quickly through the rougher parts of town. 

This week our devotionals and evening conversations emerge from Paul’s love-letter to the Philippians. Paul longed to return to this small community and the church he started there. He confessed that he thanked God for them every time he thought about that community. Paul traveled his world seeing it as he thought God did. He didn’t avoid the bad parts of town, but sought to tell everyone he encountered about the Love and grace of God found in Christ. He had learned to see with God’s eyes, learned to see every place and every person as a Memphis, enduring and beautiful. 

In my personal devotion this morning I was reminded that often my initial thoughts are not the best ones. While safety is important on such trips, as the leader of this endeavor perhaps I need to be focused more on those to whom we have come to minister - whether the homeless man shuffling by asking for a cup of coffee in the early dawn light or the refugee kids we will be working with at their apartment complex Thursday afternoon. My prayer for this week (and most days) is "Lord, give us your eyes, your hands, your feet":

“Lord, help us examine ourselves and see if we are willing to give all for you. Search our hearts and convict us where there is still fear, self-preoccupation, and lack of trust. Amen. 

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you; may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm; may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you; may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.” (From Common Prayer, by Claiborne, Wilson-Hargrove, and Okoro)