Two Directions

"I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe Him." Ephesians 1:19...."We have tried to attract people through so many different strategies. What if they saw an army of people with inexpressible joy, peace that surpasses comprehension, and immeasurable greatness of power? How could they not be intrigued?" Francis Chan

The above quote from Francis Chan reminded me of a conversation I had not long ago with a great brother in the Lord. We were talking of many of the current happenings in our culture, the decidedly downward spiral that it is clearly in, and what is the church's place in seeking to minister. His response was very similar to what Chan is speaking to. My friend used the picture of two groups of people walking beside each other, but in opposite directions. One group, the larger, is walking towards a horizon of death and darkness. This is the group without Christ. It's a group marked by their wearing the chains of darkness. They are trapped in that darkness and on an ever more desperate road to destruction. Opposite them, and moving ever further into their horizon of Light and Life is the Church. These ones are marked by the very traits Chan lists above; inexpressible joy, immeasurable peace, everlasting hope, and overflowing life. Both groups see and are aware of the other.

What happens is those who comprise the church, seeing the state of those held in their chains, cry out to them, calling them to leave the trail of death and come and join them in their journey. They invite them to simply turn away from the death march and enter into the walk of life. And the invites are not just words, but words of life, filled with all the joy, hope, power, and wonder of Jesus Christ. My friend believed, as does Chan, that this is to be the role and ministry of the church in these days and all days. To be so filled with the power of His risen life that all the power of darkness cannot extinguish that light or snuff out that life. A Life and Light so mighty that the strongest chains of the darkness are broken in the hearts, minds, and being of those who respond to it. It's a picture of the Church being the Church. Is it a picture of you and I being the Church as well?

This world is made up of people, souls, walking in two directions. Both lead into an eternity. One to an eternity in the Kingdom of God, the other into an eternity of the kingdom of darkness and death. The deep tragedy is that those in the second, larger group, are mostly unaware of where their steps are leading them. In part because in too many ways, the Church has not been living in the power of His Life, and so lacks the vitality to show the wonder of the way we say we walk in. It will always be so when there is more defeat than victory in our ranks, more despair than hope, more fear than love, and more chaos than peace. When this is the case, it can even appear as if both groups are walking in the same direction. God forbid that it should be so.

We all walk in one direction or the other. Which is ours? In the Bible is a series of Psalms called the "Songs of ascent." They were to be sung as the people journeyed to Jerusalem to worship. The closer to "home" they got, the louder they were to sing. So should it be with we who are the Church. We're pilgrims passing through this world, heading to our true home in Him. As we go, we must sing. Sing in voices that attract the hearts of those trudging in the opposite direction. We all have "Lifesongs." Does ours pierce the darkness that is all around us? Have they the power of His Life that breaks every chain?

Blessings,
Pastor O