"Lighting the Fire"
Jotting – Week 42

GO!

Go Quickly

When we knew my sister and her husband were expecting their first child in late September some years ago, we waited–and waited to hear. Nothing. More waiting. Two days after our third child’s first birthday on October 3, he received a late birthday card from his godfather, my brother Joel. “Isn’t it something,” Joel wrote, “that Cynthia had her baby on Teddy’s first birthday.” That was it! No name, no size, not even what gender. I had to make a phone call (in days when they were more rare than written announcements) to find out we had a new niece.

We wait for news–good or bad. We rush for the phone, the computer, the mailbox to see what news someone might have for us. A child explodes with the news that he’s lost his first tooth–or that she made the soccer team. A teen dances after the phone call that has brought an invitation to the prom. A spouse weeps with joy in knowing a husband or wife is on the way home from military service overseas.

Many people today don’t know they are waiting for good news. Their thoughts are anxious, their lives in despair. The well they feel themselves in seems dark and deep with no way out and no light at the top. They’ve made wrong choices and don’t know how to make them right. They can’t begin to see how anything can be turned around after making such a mess of their lives. Darkness of mind and soul close in on them.

Too many of these people are kept in bondage by the wiles of Satan, led to believe that as long as they are sincere, they can believe anything: “all roads, after all lead to heaven.” The jowls of Satan are strong and ungiving, and those who are being devoured by his insatiable appetite don’t know the way of escape. Satan’s cohorts try to cover up everything and anything that mentions God–unless His name is used blasphemously; they beguile others with immorality–saying that God’s not watching, not interested, uncaring, too busy to be concerned about how we live, non-existent; they entice with drugs, with drink, with status, with the wealth of the world, with “freedom of choice,” with “tolerance for all life-styles” without revealing the horrors, the spirit-crushing consequences of such choices.

How many people in your world, at your school, your work, in stores where you shop, in homes where you visit, or even at church where you worship or meet to study Scripture hide empty hearts behind empty smiles; who are so lost in a fog of despair that they don’t respond to your greeting; who are so burdened by the cares of the world or the sin in which they are entangled that they hide themselves from others and try to draw as little attention to themselves as possible?

“Then [Jesus] said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest’” (Matthew 9:37-38).

“‘Do you not say, “There are still four months and then comes the harvest”? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!’” (John 4:35) Do you hear the longing, the pleading in Jesus’ voice?

Is there one close to you who has seemed troubled or distant lately? Has a personality withdrawn or changed? Has life become bleak or difficult for someone you know? Perhaps the Lord is asking you to make a difference, to hurry with Good News, to assure someone of God’s love and tenderness, His forgiveness and lavish love.

“‘Go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.’ So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word” (Matthew 28:7-8).

Even the angels couldn’t wait to spread the glorious news that Jesus had risen from the dead. They wanted those who were anguishing over Jesus’ death to be relieved of their sorrow, to have great joy and begin rejoicing.

“[God] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). God doesn’t want one of His chosen children to miss out on heaven. But some won’t know they are chosen unless we tell them–and tell them quickly. God also doesn’t want His children to miss out on the abundant life here on earth: Jesus said, “‘I came that they may have life and have it abundantly’” (John 10:10).

God’s love is so great and so encompassing, that it will hold everyone in His embrace: “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches” (Luke 13:18-19).

“Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown” (Revelation 3:11). We want Jesus to come quickly. If we want to hasten that day, then let us go out and go quickly so the whole world will hear, for Jesus said, “‘And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come’” (Matthew 24:14).

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20) Go! Go with the Good News! Go quickly!

Pray: Lord Jesus, You came to earth to suffer a most ignominious death on the cross so that we might be saved from an eternity in hell. Lord, You still see the fields white with harvest. You still long for the souls suffering needlessly under a weight of sin and darkness. Use us, Lord, use us quickly to go and tell about You, to bring to others the glorious, life-giving news of Your love. Open our eyes, Lord, to see those who need words of comfort, words of forgiveness, words of hope. Open our hearts with Your love. Open our mouths to proclaim the joyous news of Your salvation. With Your Spirit, let us go quickly. In Your most holy name we pray. Amen.