Not made for Goodbyes

Once again I am having to say goodbye to people and in all honesty I don´t like it. It makes me think more so that we are eternal creatures not made for saying goodbye, yet we are in a world where relationships break down and people have to move on. It also makes me realise that as a Christian I want to spend my life cultivating relationships, seeing them mature and pouring love into them with Christ at the center - I wonder how thats possible if I move around so much? Thats the problem with short term, you stay and make relationships only to leave after a short amount of time - which is hard when you are living in a culture that lives and highly values relationships.

I am convicted that mission is about long term investment, whether thats as a teacher in school in England or a builder in Peru or an evangelist or pastor in India. I don´t think the proffesion matters, we are all missionaries and our job is a means of reaching others with the Gospel and building relationships while glorifying Christ. How is it possible to do this if we move from one place to another? Of course there is a time to move, but I wonder that maybe we move because its more about our career prospects than perhaps obeying God. Would it be so bad to stay and invest more time in the people around you?

But one thing is that it makes me look towards eternity with Christ. Because I know that through Jesus Christ everything is united and the body of Christ is together. There is no seperation, relationships are bound by the eternal love of Christ.

Saying all this, I know I have to leave Arequipa and although its a huge adventure, it is still very sad to leave those that I have come to love and have shared my life with. So I am looking forward to eternity where we can share everything and be with Jesus!!!