By Not Known
Leonard
Sweet related this story from the Gulf War (1990-91) of three
British
soldiers
stumbling in the desert. Separated from their troops in the
fighting, they
were
lost, hungry, and searching for help when they bumped into a
four-star US
general.
Excitedly
they blurted out, "Do you know where we are?"
The
general stiffened. Upset at their lack of protocol and rituals of
respect, he
looked
down at them and demanded, "Do you know who I am?"
One
of the British soldiers elbowed his buddy and mumbled, "Now
we’re in deep
trouble.
We don’t know where we are, and he doesn’t know who he is."
Many
today do not know where they are and do not know who Jesus is. >Yet,
what
is
the church doing to help them? Many Christians today are more
concerned with
their
reputations, prestige and statuses; they want to be kings in their
own
kingdoms
rather than pointing the way for the lost and the weary.
The
Israelites in Samuel’s time were facing the same problem. They were
more
concerned
with keeping up with the Tans and Lees. They’d rather go against
God’s
own warning than to "lose face." Jesus says it clearly,
"Seek my kingdom
and
righteousness … and all these things shall be added to you."
Yet, most of us
are
more concerned with seeking our own kingdoms and prefer to add
things bv
our
own efforts.
Jesus
tells his disciples to open their eyes and see the harvest that is
ready for
the
picking. Many either could not bother to see or have seen but do not
feel the
same
sense of urgency of our Lord.
Dr.
Joanna Seibert wrote a letter to a church magazine about her
experience
during
a hospital visit:
Today,
I visited an eight-year-old dying of cancer. Her body was disfigured
by
her
disease and treatment. She was in almost constant pain. As I entered
her
room,
I was overcome almost immediately by her suffering – so unjust,
unfair,
and
unreasonable. Even more overpowering was the presence of her
grandmother
lying in bed beside her with her huge body embracing this
precious,
inhuman suffering.
I
stood in awe, for I was on holy ground…. The suffering of the
innocent child is
horrifying
beyond words. I will never forget the great gentle arms and body of
this
grandmother. She never spoke while I was there. She was holding and
participating
in suffering that she could not relieve, and somehow her silent
presence
was relieving it. No words could express the magnitude of her love.
As
Christ’s church, we need to stay in touch. We need to feel and love
the way
Jesus
would. We need to be the beacon of light that shows the way in
darkness
We
need to help those around us to know who they are and to go to where
they
belong.
Let’s seek God the King and His kingdom together and not our own
kingdoms
on our own.