Here is the promise of the Word: God goes with you, God protects you. More than that, God awaits you on the far side of the world.

This is the constant message of the word of God. The theme song of the Bible could be "On the road Again." The Bible teaches us this surprising thing: good things happen on the road, away from home, even on the far side of the world. Moses fled Egypt and met God on a mountain in Sinai. David ran from Saul into the wilderness and there composed much of his music. Israel was conquered and deported into exile; they sang this lament, "How can I sing the songs of Zion in a strange land?" But the prophet Ezekiel had a vision of God on the road, of the Spirit of God leaving the temple in Jerusalem, traveling east over the brook Kidron, over the Mount of Olives, over the vast dessert, to the very place on the far side of the world where the children of Israel were displaced.

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Remember the experience of Saul of Tarsus? He was on his way from Jerusalem to Damascus when the Lord appeared to him. He then spent most of his life on the road working with other who were either transplanted or itinerant people. The very success of the Christian movement depended upon the movement of people away from home. The last book of the Bible is Revelation: it was written by John the apostle, a long way from home, exiled on the island of Patmos. The Bible is clear about this one thing: good things happen on the road away from home, even on the far side of the world.

The best story of all is Jacob: he swindled his brother Esau and had to leave home. He fled north, not knowing where he was going. At night time he found a rock and went to sleep and had a dream of angels climbing up and down the ladder of heaven. In the morning, he named the place Bethel, which means "House of God" saying, "Surely God is in this place and I did not know it."

God will meet you when you travel in his name to the far side of the world. My sister discovered this afresh last summer. Years ago, she was a student here at Georgetown and sat in the old red seats. She was part of a team of eight who went to Afghanistan: two from Africa, one from Asia and five from the United States. They ran a medical clinic in the war torn and tortured land of the Taliban. For more than three weeks, they lived in Kabul. Each day they traveled over very rough terrain to two villages. There they ministered to the physical needs of the people.

The highlight came on the last day, she said, when they were to distribute blankets, flour, and oil. At the beginning of the day, they gathered in a circle of prayer. In the circle were the 20 Muslim elders of the city. Around them were perhaps 400 people, villagers who had come for the ministry of these Christian lay missionaries. One doctor prayed in English, and as he prayed, it was translated into Arabic. My sister said it was an anointed prayer, expressing the deepest desires of the Christian crew and spoken in a spirit and with a power that was unusual. He gave thanks to God that the village had been spared, and also that (the Americans) had been allowed to come to help. He asked a blessing upon the people, that God would prosper them, and keep them safe. He concluded his prayer in the name of Jesus.

Then a surprising thing happened: the chief elder of the village said, "Can I offer a prayer?" Of course, the Americans said. They listened as his prayer to Allah was translated into English. (I am sure that God did not need a translator.) The elder also gave thanks for life and safety, for sparing their village from the terror of the Taliban. He thanked God for the visit of the Americans. He asked a blessing upon them, and also for the prospering of their village.

"It was the most awesome, inspirational moment of our entire trip," my sister said to me, tears welling up in her eyes. "Who would have expected such an encounter?" Yes, who would have expected such a thing, at this impromptu, open air prayer meeting on the far side of the world? It was a dramatic and powerful way of bearing witness to the goodness and glory of God and at the same time receiving and extending the gift of hospitality. It was the opening of people to one another, people separated by geography, language, culture, and religion; it was the opening of people to the presence and power of the awesome and everlasting God.

This is the word of God for you today: Go from your family and your friends, from your home and habitat; go to the far side of the world. Go to study, to travel, to serve, to pray, to learn all you can. You can not be what you are meant to be until you travel to the far side of the world. God is there waiting for you. Go in the name of Jesus, go in the spirit of Jesus, go with the word of Jesus, go on the mission of Jesus. Take your Bible; take your passport; take the promises of God; and let God bless the world through you.

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Dwight A. Moody is Dean of the Chapel at Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY.