“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” – Brennan Manning
It seems with each passing day, another tragedy unfolds on the news. Terrorism is on the rise. Famine, hunger, and disease is rampant. Riots and racism and senseless killing. Floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes take more lives. And is the church sitting on the sidelines or are we in the game?
April 26, 2015 will be a day that is not soon, if ever forgotten. The strongest earthquake in over 80 years claimed the lives of over 2,000 souls in and around the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. As the world watches and grieves, will we remember to pray? As the world rushes to provide aid for a people who have been literally devastated by loss, will we rush along with them?
For what will the church be known? Will it be for our strong opinions and lofty theology? Or will it be for love? Will the church rise up in man’s darkest hour and show an unbelieving world that there is a reason to believe? Will we unashamedly fall to our knees, even in public places, before a Holy God and cry out on behalf of those who have lost their voice in the midst of their grief? Will we uphold the greatest commandment to love God, which is quickly followed by the second, to love others? Will we pray? Will we go?
Over the next days and weeks as we are inundated with images and news stories and blog posts and media coverage, will we, as the church, refuse to embrace fear and rather default to faith? Will we link arms and believe that our God is who He says He is? Will we join forces with the faithful and proclaim that our God can do what He says He can do? Will we rise up and assume our place in this heartache, knowing that we are who God says we are, and we can do what God says we can do?
Will you join me today in praying for Nepal, for every life affected by this disaster, and for Jesus Christ to be made known in the midst of it all? And do you know how He will be known?
Through His people.
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:14-15
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