A Wooden Roller Coaster And A Missed Ride

Do you ever have moments in life where the world suddenly slows down and you catch a glimpse, however small, of something that makes you pause to wonder? It’s like that moment when you’re about to get on a big roller coaster, when you suddenly see the rust on the poles holding the structure up, and the clack! clack! clack! becomes a louder sound in your head as you consider anew the stability of the machine you’re about to entrust your safety to.

I went to the fair last summer and enjoyed a day keeping up with friends amidst the pungent smells of deep fried foods, sugary sweet refreshments, bumping pushing crowds, and colorful blinking lights that accompany it. After eating more greasy food than we should have, as that’s just what you do at a fair, we wandered through the booths looking at what people had to sell. As we were purchasing something from one particular lady, she happened to mention as she was running our card that a previous customer had tried to put a hex on her.

That was my moment, my pause that made me stop and wonder. What if I stepped out and told her what I knew of the One who could protect her from those attacks? What if I told her about the blood that was shed to keep any thing of that nature at bay? The incident obviously bothered her, because she called a friend who was supposed to be able to recognize the presence of those things, the friend had confirmed it and gave her advice that I wouldn't recommend to get rid of it.

She had a steady stream of customers to help and the friends my husband and I had come with had already wandered away to wait for us, so we walked on to join them. But something inside my spirit was stirred and disappointed that I didn’t go back to talk to her. People so desperately need Jesus, they need the truth to set them free in their lives. Not just the Jesus that the people outside the fair held signs about and handed out tracts disguised like million dollar bills to explain. They need the Jesus who breaks the chains of the captives and meets them in the often-overwhelming realities of their lives. I am not at all meaning to speak negatively about the people handing out tracts; I hope others were blessed by it. But unless the tract has a way of letting them see a glimpse of the tangible closeness of the King and His ability to breath new life into their circumstances, it’s just going to be another nice story.

I got on the wooden rollercoaster despite my head’s reprimanding warnings. I jumped aboard the ride and had a blast as it swerved around the rickety track. But I missed the all aboard call to the ride that could have ended in a saved life. Assessing the risks, I stepped back. I told myself I was inadequate, but forgot that it wasn’t my competency that mattered. Somehow I could put my trust in a ride enough to raise my arms in the air, letting go because I believed that the safety bar would keep me in place, but not that the God who gave everything for me would give me the words to speak.

Sharing the love and power of Jesus Christ with people like the lady at the fair? That’s where the core of evangelism should be. The gospel is so much more than just a good story. It’s an encounter where desperation meets divinity and God’s radical love begins the process of changing individuals from glory to glory.

I pray that the lady we saw will soon have an encounter in the Father’s embrace, and I thank God for the continuance of His grace. 

What Does Hope Look Like?

I wonder if the wise men that came to see Jesus were slightly disappointed that the hope of the world looked so small, so very much like the baby that Jesus was?

Looking through stories in the bible, hope often takes a strangely unhopeful appearance. For the Israelites fleeing Egypt if looked like a nervous man with a big stick. For Noah and his family it was a boat in the middle of a desert that had never known rain. For Daniel it was kneeling in prayer as hungry lions threatened to lung. For David it was five rocks and a sling against a man an entire army cowered from.

Hope is God meeting people in the midst of impossible situations and partnering with them right where they are. It doesn't matter what one has or doesn't have, God is without limits. He would have helped David defeat Goliath with a pocket knife if that were the weapon on hand. It is very easy for me to look around and realize how ill equipped I am for the challenges that come in life. But all too often, I forget to also take into account the fact that the storehouses of heaven are open and available through Christ. I've been pondering this verse lately: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt 10:7) Hold up your hand and look at it. That's how close heaven is! Not at the stars, or even at the tops of the trees, it's "at hand," ready and waiting to be accessed by those that God has commissioned to establish His kingdom on earth. In case you're wondering, that includes any one who has accepted Christ, not just the pastors or famous evangelists.

God doesn't need the help of people to save the world and accomplish His will. He chooses to partner with His kids in a such a way that they become not only the avenue He works through, but also a vital part in bringing God's glory and hope to earth.

Colossians 1:27 says, "Christ in you, the hope of glory."I've often read that verse and cynically thought, "Well there's not much hope in that!" But that mindset only looks at one half of the equation. Through my acceptance of Christ, I have been infused with the same power that conquered the grave and shattered the plans of the enemy. Slowly, I am learning to change my perspective from telling God what I have, to asking Him what He has. I want people to see His glory in me, that hope might rise up in them, even if it looks like all I'm equipped with is a stick, boat, or sling.