Mohala Maui (Petals Unfold on Maui)Sample
Mohala Maui 1 (Luke 1:78-79)
My mother has been gone now for a very long time.
But one of my favorite memories with her was every New Year's morning. On the night of December 31, we would pull the sweaters and jackets from deep out of the closet and later head out in the dark for the summit of Haleakala.
There, in the frigid air, we would shiver in the blackness, waiting for the first edge of orange to reveal. But before it would come, the stars were always jaw-drop incredible. I have never seen stars like that anywhere else in the world. Maui helped me see God like never before; how big He is, and how good He is. Maui is a very special place.
After sunrise, we would make our way down the zig-zagging highway for coffee and mango bread at a park in Kula. And on a picnic table, we read from the Bible to start the new year. Even just writing about this makes me feel deep down happy, actually better than happy, a blend of peace and joy.
Maybe you have been short on peace and joy lately. Maybe you have experienced loss or trauma or something really dark. Maybe things seem like ash sifting through your fingers. But I hope that through readings this week, things will begin to shift in your heart, your mind, and your life. The best place to start is looking into the Bible, the words of God.
"Because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
Luke 1:78-79 NIV
So, what do you notice in this passage? It seems there are two big contrasts here, aren’t there? One is the “darkness” and “shadow of death”. The other is “tender mercy,” “rising sun,” and “path of peace.” Sure, everyone will face the black things in life at some point, but there is no escape in this broken world. But in God, there is so much more. Something shines from heaven. Maui may be the ash of Lahaina, but it is also the sunrise of Haleakala. We need to be sure not to keep looking down and back but also to look up and eastward; something is coming in the darkness, and an orange glow will soon emerge.
Upcountry Maui is my old home. I was an island boy with a Chevy pickup, a poi dog in the back, and the three-prong Hawaiian sling, always sharp and ready for the next dive. Now I live in Tokyo. I am a second-generation missionary to this country and left Maui many years back. And yet Maui still flows through my veins because that is where I first encountered God, for real. I will share more of that later.
But in closing today, I want to share that I have seen darkness. Years ago, Japan was hit by one of history’s biggest quakes, the islands moved 8 feet on the planet, and a tsunami took hundreds of miles of coastline and invaded miles inland. It was like a warzone…then the Fukushima nuclear reactor went into meltdown. As well prepared for the disaster as Japan was, nearly 20,000 were lost.
A team scrambled into action, and I spearheaded the survivor care for the united Christian efforts. In the months following, I held the hands of hundreds of survivors who had lost everything. I will never be the same.
But for sure, it was the mercy of God that took me through it. In some ways, I was able to reach out to many others. And so many of them struggled valiantly to survive. That is my prayer in this next week together. As we focus on the theme of New Beginnings, I hope that you will find solace but also that you will begin life on a new level. My prayer is for you to experience His mercy, His sunshine, and His peace like never before.
Aloha oe. Thank you for existing.
Dr. Andy
Scripture
About this Plan
Mohala—petals unfolding. Bloom where God plants you? But sometimes, the place we are planted seems like a scorched paradise. Of course, better than survive, is thrive. In Jesus, that is altogether possible. Actually, in Him, anything is possible. Mohala Maui is a week of new beginnings with Dr. Andy Meeko, former Maui boy, and currently global innovator based in Tokyo.
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