LIVES MATTER!

Last summer after a shooting in Missouri, the phrase, “Black Lives Matter” became a protest and rallying cry.  Crowds gathered carrying signs and chanting the phrase, voicing their displeasure.  Soon other placards were made with variations touting “All Lives Matter” or “Blue Lives Matter” or whatever cause was being promoted.  There were many posts on social media regarding the protests and statements about American culture including the culture of the serial killing of pre-born babies.  Their LIVES MATTER too!

I am unashamedly PRO-LIFE.  To me ALL LIVES MATTER…yes, even criminal lives and terrorists lives…because they matter to God.  Legally, the government has a right, after a criminal is found guilty, to impose a penalty of death.  The government also has a right to go to war to defend our country and the innocent lives of our allies.  We each have a legal right to defend our families and properties and unfortunately, that has at times involved the loss of life.  The government has also passed laws that allow women to choose to kill their own babies in the womb and there are those states that have even gone as far as to say that a baby born alive from a botched abortion should be left alone to die.  Nurses in Illinois testified that they had witnessed some babies just tossed aside, given no life saving measures or even love as the life slowly drained from their bodies.  AND GOD WEEPS because ALL LIVES MATTER!!!

What about SPIRITUAL LIVES?  Do they matter?  I fear we have aborted too many “spiritual babies” before they have ever had a chance at the abundant life that is promised through Jesus Christ.  Some, we have never even given a chance to breathe in the Holy Spirit and experience its awesome power in their life.  We work so hard to prepare the soil and plant the seed and at times before the seed can even take root, someone comes along with their “Holy Plow” and starts tilling the tender shoots.  LEAVE THEM ALONE; LET THEM GROW!!!

But every now and then, despite our best efforts to discourage and destroy the tender plant, someone falls in love with Jesus Christ and they burst forth into “newness of life.”  Oh, we rejoice that a “new name is written down in Glory,” BUT THEN, they are on their own. If they are hungry, they can come to Wednesday Bible Study.  If they need a little extra love and care, they can just “encourage themselves in the Lord,” after all it was good enough for the Psalmist David.  We hang around just long enough to “cut the cord” that tied them to the world and then bind them with ropes of CHURCH TRADITION, PASTOR PREFERENCES and our list of RULES AND REGS, until the bondage of the world doesn’t look so bad.   LET THEM BREATHE!!!

Since the beginning of the year, God has allowed so many of these precious lives to come into my world.  I have sat at dinner and wept as they wept, listened for 2 hours on a plane as a dear woman poured out her heart, read and answered countless emails of people who wanted to live; they wanted to breathe but something inside had been destroyed.  Many had been born but before they reached the “Abundant Life” stage, the breath of God had been choked out of their spirit.  Through the tears, I felt their hunger, their longing to return; to be reborn, if there was only someone that would open their arms and welcome them into their world; show them that their LIFE MATTERS!!!

The Statue of Liberty stands in New York Harbor welcoming citizens and visitors to the greatest country on earth.  Inscribed on the base of the statue is a poem by Emma Lazarus.  Here is a portion of that poem:

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she with silent lips.

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

America is known as the “Land of Opportunity,” to millions of immigrants and those blessed to be born on her shores.  What about the CHURCH?  Our arms should be opened wide, welcoming those who are oppressed, bound and hopeless.  “Give us your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” should be the cry of the Church.  We have the PRECIOUS SEED to plant, LIVING WATER to quench their thirsting soul and the LIGHT OF SPIRIT to sustain and guide these young lives.  Their LIVES MATTER!!!  LET THEM BE BORN!!! LET THEM BREATHE!!! LET THEM LIVE!!!

Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!”  And let him who thirsts, come.  Whoever desires let him take the water of life freely.

IF YOU ASK THEM, THEY WILL COME; THEN WHAT?

She slipped into the church a little late and sat 3 rows from the back.  She might have gone unnoticed and even slipped out a little early saying nothing to anyone, if it hadn’t been a Wednesday evening and the congregation was dismissed to go to their Life Group classes.  Walking down the aisle, I noticed the bewildered look on her face as most people walked past and down the stairs.  I stopped, introduced myself and said, “Why don’t you come with me.  I will show you the way and sit with you.”  She smiled grateful for a friendly face and together we walked to the Adult Life Group.  

For conversation’s sake, I asked what brought her to our church; had someone invited her; did she know someone that attended the church?  She said softly, “My Jesus-level was real low.”  I replied that I was very happy she had decided to join us this night.  The lesson was about spiritual growth and seemed directed at mature, committed Christians.  I listened to the teacher, all the while praying that something was getting through to her and at least would bring her “Jesus-level” up to a readable measure.  After the teacher finished his lesson, some comments were made and she raised her hand; “Thank you, this really spoke to me tonight,” she said.

After the class, I told her again how happy we were that she had come and invited her back for Sunday worship.  She said, “I want to come back and I will, but tomorrow I am going into Rehab for a few weeks.”  I hugged her, told her to take the time to get better and when she got out of Rehab, we would be here to love her and her children.  I have her name, phone number and address and I intend to follow up and help her raise her “Jesus-level” to the top.

We are encouraged to invite our friends and neighbors to come with us to church.  So we invite, they come and then what?  What do we have to offer; what are we serving up when they come?  Most cities have “Heinz 57” or “Baskin Robbins 31 flavors” when it comes to church variety.  There are architecturally-beautiful buildings, multi-program mega churches, rock-star music complete with flashing lights, pastors preaching in robes, suits  or jeans, rumpled shirts and tennis shoes; but what happens when our “Jesus-level” is low?

I recently read an article about a church in Oklahoma that is offering a Sunday evening service of Beer & Hymns.  Sure, they check your Id and there is a 3-beer limit.  And after all, you are singing hymns that hopefully mention Jesus.  Perhaps after you have consumed your 3 beers you might even be ready to listen to a salvation sermon and pray the “Sinner’s Prayer,” but what about the emptiness in your soul?  What about your Jesus-level?

Jesus asks the woman at the well for a drink of water, how different the story would have been if His next comment had been, “Come on down to the synagogue with me.  We can have a beer together and sing a few songs.”  It wouldn’t have satisfied her thirst or upped her Jesus-level; she needed the Living Water that Jesus offered.  What hope would the young lady at our Bible Study carried with her to Rehab, if we had shook her hand, offered her a beer and sang a few hymns?  She needed some Living Water.

When we invite our friends and the come, they are not looking for programs; they can find that at the local community center.  They are not looking for professional music or flashing lights; they can find a concert to attend every weekend of the year.  They are not looking for a cold drink and friendly faces, where “everyone knows your name,” chances are they know a better bar that serves better beer.  They are not even looking for an eloquent, hip speaker sporting the latest clothing trends and spiky hair.  NO, they are hungry for something that satisfies the longing deep inside.  Life probably hasn’t worked out so well, they want things to change and just maybe you will provide some answers. 

When we invite them and they come, we must offer HOPE!!!  HOPE that there is “something more.”  HOPE that they can be free of sin’s chains.  HOPE that the weight of the load they carry can be lightened.  HOPE that their “Jesus-level” can be filled to overflowing.  When you invite them and they come, then what?