This post may be a bit all over the place as I’m processing some feelings and wanted to do that in a written format. I apologize in advance for that.
Caryn and I are leading worship this weekend, something we’ve done over the last 30 years at least 1,000 times. I’m looking at the sermon topic of living sacrifice and my mind lands on “Is He Worthy?” specifically Chris Tomlin’s live version, when I am inexplicably overcome with emotion. That’s not too abnormal for me except that I am currently sitting in a hotel lobby surrounded by lostness when the opening line of the song, “Do you feel the world is broken? We do.” brings me to tears. And I’m not talking a single tear that runs down my cheek. Full blown, hard-to-breathe, searching for a kleenex, trying to not look like a psycho in the hotel lobby weeping. Everything shifted to slow motion as the Spirit began to point out all the people I can see: people grabbing breakfast, people checking in and out, 100’s of taxis driving through the airport drop off, people scurrying with luggage and children in tow…when it just becomes too much. All of them lost. All of them hopeless. None of them knowing it. How can I fix that? What can I do? JRR Tolkein’s words, as penned for King Theoden, ring in my ears. “So much death. What can men do…?” So much lostness. So much darkness. What can I do? Even typing this requires me to pause and catch my breath and dry my tears. I wish it were so that I could somehow make every person alive in this moment understand the great price that’s been paid for their redemption. I wish I could rewrite God’s Word to simply apply the great and costly sacrifice to everyone wihtouth them needing to do anything. I wish I could exchange my own salvation for theirs. Truth be told, though, many have had the advantage of understanding all of it and still choosing to reject the free gift of redemption.
But back to the question of what can I do. I can’t make it known to the whole world at one time. I can’t rewrite God’s perfect and holy Word. I can’t exchange my salvation for theirs. I’ve realized that this moment in the hotel lobby must have been what Paul was thinking through as he penned Romans 9-10. God is working to, and has through so many ways, reveal Himself to everyone. And He chooses to use us, to use me, to use you, to proclaim His Good News of redemption to those who have not yet heard. Carry the message to everyone who has not yet believed, because they can only believe by hearing and can only hear from those who are sent. Save as many as I can and teach those who are saved to join in the rescue mission. Be the beautiful feet. Don’t get lost in the brokenness. Don’t be paralyzed in what seems to be an insurmountable task. Reach one. Then reach the next. Then the next. But don’t become numb to the lostness, either. Don’t shield yourself from the urgency created by seeing the effects of humanity’s separation from God. He is their only hope, and we are His only plan.
I’m not sure where to land this plane, so I’ll simply wrap up by saying, while still drying the tears, that I can either watch on as the world drowns or I can swim out to the drowning person and bring them to shore, one at a time, until I my own dying breath. Maybe I’m supposed to exit this hotel lobby with a renewed resolve to be the feet that bring Good News.
