Sorry that I kind of left you hanging on the last post. We are back in Franklin safe and sound. My body landed Wednesday evening about 10:30. We were about an hour and a half late coming out of Chicago (surprise, surprise!). My mind is just now coming out of the fog of jet lag. All that to say, I'm back to posting more regularly.I want to share something that God convicted me of as part of this trip to China. We were waiting the morning of May 12 to board our plane here in Nashville when I received a text message from my wife that there had a been a major earthquake in China. The typical thoughts went through my mind. Will we be able to continue with our trip? Would this hinder anything we had planned to accomplish on this trip? Was there damage in Beijing or Tiyuan? If so, would this inconvenience us in any way?
In other words, my thoughts (I hate to admit) were very self centered.
Upon arriving in Beijing and making it to our hotel of course all was well with the building and the room. The TV in the room could receive on a few channels ... most of which were 'state run' channels along with BBC news, and HBO and Cinemax (each of which showed 70's and 80's movies). Though I could not understand the audio on the state run channels, I could clearly understand the video footage I was watching. Twenty four hours a day for the next 10 days I could see the local footage of the aftermath of the 8.0 earthquake that devasted an area about 900 miles from where we were staying. And though I could not understand the audio language of the Chinese reporters, I could clearly see the pain and devastation in their eyes. Add to this the conversations we were having with the missionaries and our guides and the deep pain of what had was happening as a result of the natural disaster became evident.
Because of the my close physical proximity to this tragedy it was easy to empathize with the Chinese in their pain. It was easy to think about the loss of so many lives, the injuries to so many more, and the loss of homes for even countless more. Then it hit me one evening as I was looking through some teaching notes for the next day's teaching time I was to lead ... it had only been days before the cyclone had hit Myanmar. I had felt bad that this had happened. But had a really felt pain ... like the pain I was feeling for China? Not really.
But why? Was I really that cold hearted? Was I really that unconcerned? I think the reason is that it just seemed so far away. The cyclone hadn't really affected my life personally in any way. I've never been to Myanmar. In fact, I didn't even know Burma had changed its name to Myanmar. It wasn't that I didn't care about the people of Myanmar ... it's just that I didn't "HAVE TO" think about it, so I didn't. After all, gas prices are high, the stock market is dancing all over the place, my 401K is not doing so hot ... I have my own worries.
The problem with that is that about 130,000 in Myanmar had just stepped into eternity ... the majority of which had never heard the news that Jesus Christ was their only hope. Were my problems really all that important that I could just turn my back on this kind of loss of life? Wasn't I called to a mission? THE MISSION! ................................. All of us that claim a relationship with Christ have been called to The Mission ... The Mission to make disciples of all nations. That would include Myanmar, China, India, Thailand, France, Germany, Australia, ... you get the idea.
Where will the next natural disaster occur? Will we be caught sitting with our feet up focused on our interests of sports, success, wealth (if you live in America, you are wealthy!), education, big houses, nice cars, and other temporal things? If you are one that claims a relationship with Christ I want to challenge you (and this includes me as well), let's live for The Mission, give for the Mission, go for The Mission, and if necessary die for The Mission. Let's (again, this includes me) lay it all on the line for the call Christ has placed on our lives. No holds barred. No regrets when we stand before Him. No excuses. Natural disasters will happen.
6 You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these events are the beginning of birth pains.
Matt 24:6-8 (HCSB)
Matt 24:6-8 (HCSB)
This time, let's get there with the gospel BEFORE countless lives go into eternity without knowing of Christ and the hope He brings. We cannot ... we must not ... be passive in this.
