Esther Smith, Beugen, Netherlands

I'm being honest, the prospect of being abandoned on a desert island doesn't sound entirely horrible right now. In the throes of studying at missionary training college, being a wife and a first-time mum to a baby who thinks sleep is for the weak, the idea of being far away by the sea seems almost luxurious! Choosing which verses I would carry with me, however, has proven to be much more challenging than anticipated. Perhaps I'm bending the rules a little by choosing two short passages rather than individual verses...but I would be lost without them both so they must come with me! 

Which verses would you take to the island?

In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight. Ephesians 1:4-8

Ephesians 1 (especially these verses) is important to me because it tells me who I am in Christ and where I find my identity. In a society that seems obsessed with image, identity and ‘finding yourself’, it's so important to ground myself in what God says who I am and where my worth is found. As a new mum, it’s easy to think that I’ve lost part of my identity. So much of my time is spent looking after this little person, there are days when I don't ‘achieve’ anything else - it can lead to frustration and feeling I'm not doing anything ‘worthwhile’ because I don't do the things I used to do anymore. So much of my own identity seems to have been swallowed up in motherhood. This passage helps me refocus on who I really am but, more than that, it highlights my sin: seeking worth in what I perceive as achievement and productivity (or in anything other than Christ and his finished work on the cross). God has redeemed me by his blood, I am his child. He has brought me into this season of motherhood. Living out the gospel at home in the menial tasks of mothering is what God has prepared for me to do right now. Any dissatisfaction and ingratitude I feel comes from a part of my heart that wants approval from others and to do things that are meaningful by the world’s standards. I need to come back to verses like these repeatedly and ask myself: "Where is your identity?"

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:25-34

This is another passage I return to again and again. In the interest of full disclosure, I listened online to John Piper preach this passage, how I apply it to my life mainly comes from that sermon.  As someone given to semi-frequent bouts of anxiety, I love that our Saviour has so much to say about it. As I read through this section I repeat eight truths to myself:

1.    Life is about more than our physical needs like food and clothing.

2.    God's creatures rely on him to provide without anxious hoarding! God can be counted on, he is God today and he will be tomorrow.

3.    Anxiety achieves nothing, it just makes you miserable!

4.    God adorns the lilies, which live a few years, will he not also delight in providing for me?

5.    The world is anxious about these things, believers are different, we should find our contentment in other things.

6.    God knows what I need.

7.    Seek first the Kingdom, everything else is secondary.

8.    God has appointed to each day pleasure and trouble, don’t bring tomorrow's troubles into today, God will still be God tomorrow.

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

One of my missionary heroes is WEC missionary Helen Roseveare, she went to glory in 2016. She served in the Congo as a missionary doctor during the rebellion in the sixties. She was taken prisoner by rebel forces, endured beatings and was raped. After a short time at home in the UK, she returned to Congo to establish a new medical school and hospital. Even after she had effectively retired as a missionary, she continued to minister through speaking and writing books, documenting the faithfulness of God to her.

I heard Helen speak at a meeting once but I would love the opportunity to really sit down and talk to her about missionary life: the challenges and blessings of cross cultural ministry, any tips she might have for a missionary-in-training, but mostly I would love to hear how she was able to keep praising God even after enduring such hardship.

Which song would you like to take to the island?

If I could only take one song with me, it would be How Great Thou Art. Surrounded by the natural beauty I imagine this desert island would have, I could sing with gusto:

O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

And when I think of God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And lead me home, what joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow with humble adoration
And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art