Hey Friend,
Ever since Sunday, when I received news of the two tandem suicide bombing attacks upon two churches 650 yards apart in Lahore, Pakistan, I could feel my heart in my stomach. For several days I was rocked with feelings and emotions I didn't know I could have.
Why? Many in the world read the news with disdain or perhaps casual indifference. It was another attack by the Taliban or ISIS in a part of the world that was halfway around the globe. It wasn't on US soil or worse yet, in our neighborhood. No, we were safe and busy filling in our brackets for March Madness.
So why did I find myself sobbing? Incapacitated even? Because I know people that lived in the neighborhood within a five minute walk to both of those churches. I know names and faces and smiles and wide-eyed wonder that inhabits bodies that walk those streets. I even know someone that was in one of the churches when the bomb detonated and blew body parts into the air. I saw pictures of the aftermath. To me, this was real...these were real people...God's children.
I challenge you...if I asked you to point to Pakistan or (most recently) Tunisia on the map, could you?
If not...why not?
In the Bible, Matthew 28:16-20 is called "The Great Commission". In it Jesus is talking to his disciples -his closest friends and followers- and tells them in verse 19:
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..."
What exactly is a disciple? Easton's Bible Dictionary says:
A disciple of Christ is one who believes his (Jesus') doctrine, rests on his sacrifice, imbibes his spirit, and imitates his example.
If we call ourselves believers, then we should be disciples...
So how can we make disciples of all nations if we don't know where, and more importantly who, they are? As a writer and blogger, I have certainly been convicted of my lack of knowledge on several occasions. My blog statistics are able to tell me where - what part of the globe - my readers are tuning in from. Thanks to internet and mass media, I have readers all across the globe (this I am continually amazed by). I admit I have Countries and Republics show up under "Audience" that I could not tell you exactly where they are on a map. Shame on me!! Incentive to learn accomplished.
The good news of this is that The Good News is reaching Nations around the globe and reaching them with amazing speed.
I am but one tiny blogger in a sea of thousands of bloggers reaching out to the world through cyberspace. What I would like to tell the world is that we care...that we really do care.
It's almost Easter, so crosses will be appearing everywhere. Stand and gaze at one. Follow the northern most point of the cross, which if followed, would extend to Heaven. Follow the eastern and western points and imagine them extending out to others (like outstretched arms) around the globe...encircling people of all colors and nationalities with their love. Finally, follow the southern most point that descends down to earth and even further to the depths of hell, where ultimately Christ will be victorious over sin, and evil, and death.
What amazing news...that Jesus will triumph over sin and death. He will fly in the very face of evil and defeat it...forever!
Isn't this news worth sharing?
If you think that the Good News of the Bible is worth sharing, would you join me in doing so? Together, let's not let these horrific tragedies go un-met. Let's not turn an indifferent eye to these atrocities.
In honor and memory of those who have died around the globe, let's fly in the face of evil and tell the Nations of the Good News of the Bible.
How?: Let's place Bibles in the hands of the innocent children who live and learn in the epicenter of evil. Darkness may be at their doorstep, but we can put light into their hands.
This Easter season of Hope, will you join me at my "Missions" tab and donate enough to put a Bible or several Bibles in the hands of children who are hungry for words of hope?? I pray that you will...
Lord, help me...help us to be ambassadors of hope to Nations around the globe. Help me to not turn a blind eye toward those who need to read and hear your word. Enable me to take my role as a disciple seriously so that all the world might know. Be with those who, in the aftermath of attacks, need your presence, your healing, and your love.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Be blessed...
