Oh Why Don't We Go?

I've been tossing this question around in my heart for nearly a decade and recently it has gotten more poignant. Today I was reading a book titled "Under an Afghan Sky." Subtly foreshadowed by its subtitle,"A Memoir of Captivity", the book details the harrowing account of a Canadian journalist enduring kidnapping and finally being released a few weeks later. 

As I read, wondered, and thought, I entered the world of War. Real, serious, gruesome war. The kind that leaves indelible marks on hearts, bodies, relationships, landscapes, and economies. 

I read about the terror of bombs, the brutality of the Taliban, the irrationality of suicide bombers, and my heart began to melt. To hurt for these people who knew nothing different. To reach for those children who had no other chance or dream. The pain in their eyes, the hopelessness in their hearts.

Somehow I have an awfully hard time reconciling my soft and relatively safe childhood with theirs. And it baffles me how I am teaching beautiful students today who have had their emotional and physical needs well-supplied since infancy, while children in war torn countries would give almost anything for a simple bowl of rice.

Their pain begs us to go. To help and to rescue. But the question always comes, "How?"

Should I become a nurse or doctor and offer my assistance in their clinics? Perhaps. Should I pick up my Bible and head off with a single pair of shoes and one coat. Maybe. 

What really is the answer? What really is the call?

We have been given the mandate to, "Go and preach the Gospel to all nations."

This means that we cannot all go to the same nation. I beg of you. If you feel God calling you to go to another country. GO. Simply go and let Him do the work. Time is sliding quickly. Opportunities are being lost daily. Go and may the Lord be with you. 

If, on the other hand, you are called to stay home then still go. Go to your neighbours. Go to your children. Go to your church family. Go to your closest town. But by all means, GO. 

"FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERYONE THAT BELIEVETH; TO THE JEW FIRST AND ALSO TO THE GREEK. 

Romans 1:16

Play it Safe...

 I thought of going to the man by the road

Then taking his hand and lifting his load

But a voice in my head slyly spoke in my ear, 

"Play it safe."

I saw the poor child who needed a hug,

His hands were so grubby his face all a smudge,

But a tune in my ear sang so softly and low, 

"Play it safe."

I bowed to the woman who stood by her car. 

I figured her help would come from afar. 

But a sweet lilting voice banged a slight melody,

"Play it safe."

At the end of the day, I saw my poor wife.

I took in the counter and the children's last strife.

And I thought to myself surely this is the time, 

"Play it safe."

So I walked to my room, took a nice steaming shower,

Emerging in time for a hot steaming platter,

I shoveled it in thinking only of me.

"Play it safe."

I laid in my bed at the end of that day

And put each event on my memory's replay. 

I brought up the woman and man by the road.

I remembered my wife and her tiring load. 

I thought of the child, grubby but sweet

And in my mind's eye, I sighed with relief. 

"I was safe."

Matthew 25:41-45

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

He Sees...

Rain comes down in raging torrents
Like the tears of God.
Puddling on the ground in rivers
Like His gentle love.

Rushing to the sea in torrents

Like His mighty arm.
Strong to save and rescue all
The small forgotten ones.

Injustice is all noted by 
The tender eye of God.
He holds His dear ones to His heart
And keeps them in His love.

The tears of each small lonely child 
Are cupped within His hands.
He weeps from heaven as He waits
With angels at command.

He sees their pain and watches close
To shelter them from harm.
Just like the sparrows, He knows them,
And keeps them in His arms.

He shepherds them so safely on
And bends to touch their hearts.
He holds them oh so gently close
Although we're far apart. ❤️

God sees the children. Those hurting in abusive relationships, ignored in broken families, terrified in war-torn countries, and starving in poverty-stricken places. 

Sometimes we have a chance to love some of these little souls for awhile. Let us be assured that God's eye is on each of them and we are responsible to love those He brings to us. When they leave us, He keeps them. 💔

One heart at a time. 

My Dream...

I wish that I could change the world

Into a better place. 

I want to rescue all the kids

Who're ruthlessly displaced. 

I want to hold them, stop their cry

Replace it with some love.

If I could only take them in

And build a home of love. 

I guess I'd build a cottage

At a place beside the sea, 

So they could see God's handiwork

And play out on the lea.

Oh, I would need some workmates though

Who'd help me change some diapers, 

And cooks and bakers who would take,

The time for little fingers. 

I'd also bring the homeless in

(Perhaps we'd need expansion.)

I guess I'd need a carpenter

With cash hid in his apron!

And then I'd bring a pianist,

To add some joyful noise.

Of course there'd be a doctor too,

To bandage careless boys. 

If that were done, I'd fetch the teens

Who stand behind Tim Hortons.

I'd bring them home and play some chess,

While listening to their problems. 

I guess we'd need some more adults

To help with adolescents.

It really is a tricky thing,

To navigate those changes. 

Oh yes, I'd bring a preacher too

Who'd get down on their level.

And help them see the God above 

Who loves them from His heaven. 

Perhaps we'd also add a wing

For dear old lonely ladies,

Who pet their cats and sit and stew,

Abandoned by their families.

To that, we'd add a room for plants

So they could have some flowers. 

The children could learn much from them

And cheer their lonesome hours. 

Oh wouldn't it be completely grand

If all these dreams were true?

You see it just might be the dream

Of One who rescued you. 

I think He'd like to bring the boys 

And girls from off the street.

I'm sure He'd care about the lost

Teens living in defeat. 

So shall we go and help Him make

His glorious dream come true?

Perhaps we should begin by prayer

And ask, "What shall I do?"

If we would all go down the street

With eyes and hearts edged wide.

I think we'd find a lot of folks

That we could bring inside. 

You take your mansion, I'll use mine.

And rather than one place,

We'll reach the people all around 

And help them find God's grace. 

I think He'd be quite pleased if we,

Would bring His children home.

He really doesn't like to leave

Them crying all alone. 

You are a child of God the King.

You have His highest favour

I know there's more who'd like to come

And let Him be their Saviour

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:40b

Beautiful Things in Empty Spaces

And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2

As I read this verse this morning, I was struck by the fact that God has always chosen empty, dark places to move into. He specializes in reaching the unreachable. The saddest, the hopeless, the impossible. 

And He adds light:

And God said, "Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. -Genesis 1:3-5

And brings life: 

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. -Genesis 1:11&12

And sets order: And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years: and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule day and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars also. - Genesis 1:14-16

Isn't it absolutely beautiful when God moves in? 

Emptiness

Within us all there is an ache,

An empty wanting more.

A hole so large it drives us hard,
Pursuing something more.

So many souls strike out in search,

To fill the void within.
They dabble deep in pride and self
And steep themselves in sin.

They seek fulfillment in their work,
Or lose their heads in play.
Thinking they can fill the hole
That haunts them day by day.

Yet fear remains and truth obscured,
The gap is still the same.
The bitter sadness in their soul
Grips tightly with its pain.

They cry for hope and search for rest
Yet peace eludes their soul.
The aching void within their heart
Is still a giant hole.

I long to tell them of His love,
To bring them to His face.
For only He can fill the gap
That begs His saving grace.

The hope they seek lies in my soul
For Jesus' grace is there.
The blood He shed on Calvary
Is hope for our despair.

The bitter ache within my heart
Is filled with joy divine.
For He alone has set me free
His precious peace is mine.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
He'll be your Strength and Guide.
Embrace His truth and let Him lead,

True joy and peace you'll find.

For only He can bring new life,
To every troubled soul.
And only Jesus Christ can fill,
Each giant aching hole. 

Written September 1, 2018

Bring Them Jesus 🩷

A couple days ago, as I was spending some time talking with God, a picture came to my mind. I saw a large, hairy beast, with gray leather skin, growing bigger and bigger in front of me. He didn't really look that ugly, but he took up space. A lot of it.

I recognized the representation. Just like the big beast in front of me, that gradually and steadily presented itself, Satan has been taking over North America. The trouble is, he really doesn't look that horrible at first glance; he just takes up space. He twists a bit here, moves a little there, smudges a couple lines and it's really not too bad. After all, small details don't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Until one day, things do look horrible. We look back and realize that Satan has been deceitfully scheming all along to crowd out as much of God as possible.

I believe North America has slowly been hijacked by the Devil himself. He likes nothing better than to twist leaders in parliament, sell souls to the gods of entertainment, money, and fun, and render influential public organizations void of morals. He has stuck his sticky fingers into marriages, families, and churches. Warped, torn, and trapped until suddenly there was not much of God left. The ashes, pain, and absolute brokenness he has left in his wake require a miracle of aid.

We see children, confused when their family and security is broken by divorce, teenagers selling themselves to cheap love and entertainment simply because they don't know any better way, and older people bent on making the top dollar because they've been taught that's what matters. Our world is in disaster because they've left God behind. Let those of us who still have Him, remind them of who He is.

    

    Oh Christian friends. We owe it to them to help. We owe it to them to make a difference. We carry the Light within us. We have so much to share, so much to give, so much to care with. Let us give our lives for this cause. There is no nobler or greater calling than that of rescuing spiritual souls from the brink of destruction. Reach them where they are. Hear their pain, share in their stories, and bring them JESUS! Oh bring them Jesus. He is able to shatter darkness, mend broken hearts, and redeem lost situations. He will miraculously change the impossible, restore the shattered, and bring hope to the hopeless. Oh let us bring them Jesus.🩷