Redeemed

Murder. Pain. Loss.

The past can be a weight. The magnitude of the tragedy overwhelming. Every time your eyes close, you see their faces. Sons taken too soon. The anger rises anew. Lost jobs are insignificant compared to the lost loved ones. Lost freedom. But you go on.

I met him on a trip. He was hired to do construction. We were building a church. We were also building THE church.

North and South Americans stacked concrete blocks, threw cement, painted walls, and tiled a roof. Shoulder to shoulder, they joyfully toiled from sunrise to sunset until everyone was exhausted. Christians and non-Christians alike, simply working with and loving each other.

Each day on the long walk home, he would pick up scrap wood. Someday his house would have real walls. A roof. Someday.

But God... God is a rescuer. He is a redeemer.

"...the Lord has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners" Isaiah 61:1

Late in the week a decision was made. A decision for Christ. And life became new. Restored. Redeemed.

Embraced by both the savior and His church, something special was found. Forgiveness. Community. Reconciliation. Hope. Life.

His house now has a roof. And walls. His precious family is safer than they have been in years. Because of a church? Because of THE church? Because of the redeemer! Jesus reached out through the obedient workers. The light of Jesus was shining through them all week. It drew him. It gave him a new hope and a new community. And the trajectory of six precious lives changed forever. For eternity.

Show me (state) agape

Agape love. The highest of the types of love talked about in the Bible. Selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional.

Right now there's a young lady writing an essay for English class. The topic is Redeeming Love. Her theme is agape love. She's sitting right across from me, struggling to find the words.

As I sit here typing this post, she's asking an occasional question. I help out when I can, but mostly I sit here and write. I'm typing here in order to give her room to find her own words. Sometimes I can't help but write. But when it comes to love, we've all got to find our own voice. Our own words. So I give her space.

So what does a 17 year old Missouri girl know about agape love?

As she types, does she realize how surrounded she is by what she's writing about? Teachers at school and at church. Friends. Us. Her. God.

She's telling me stories. It's just snippets from a book, but it's so clear. The purest love is the most powerful force in the universe. It changes lives. It changes eternities. It has changed me.

We're just beginning this journey. There are a million different paths this adventure could take us down.

Yes, love is powerful. But there is always risk associated with love. There is a vulnerability required. It'll break your heart. Every. Single. Time. This is going to break my heart. I already know. But it's still worth it. It's worth living for and it's worth every sacrifice.

Every. Single. Time.

Broken reflections

I casually prodded the almost runny scrambled eggs with an old twisted fork, staring into the yellow goo for answers that just wouldn't come. The man sitting across from me told stories of his fractured life. Things aren't good.

He said this. She said that. There were actions that led to accusations that led to arguments that led to war. It is too familiar of a tale. It could be my story. It could be yours. This time, though, it's his. Words that were unthinkable just a few years ago are now the most common. Words like "hate" and "divorce."

As I gazed over my soggy, room-temperature hash browns into those eyes that were so desperately seeking answers, I was surprised by what I saw. Myself. My road has had different twists and turns, but has been a story filled with brokenness followed by redemption.

So I give my friend the answer. It may not be the answer he wants. It is the answer that has never failed me, though. Jesus. Only Jesus.

"I know you want the relationships that meant so much to you to be restored. I understand that you want to be seen as a man an not a monster. The only path out is Jesus. Only Jesus.

Focus on Him. Yield your life to Him. Learn to delight in His word and His presence again, just like in the old days. Remember how when Jesus was all you needed, life made sense? You were blessed beyond expectation. Everything on this world that means anything to you is a byproduct of that close relationship with Jesus. Have you ever been more fully a man than when you were close to him? Did those that knew you best ever call you a monster when your relationship with Christ was at its strongest?

I can't guarantee a happy ending. But if Jesus is the true desire of your heart, you will never be let down.

I know this not because it's the Christian thing to say. I say it because when I look into your soul, I see a reflection of myself. I see my own brokenness and I know we aren't that different. And I know that I need Jesus every second of every day. Life means nothing without Him. Yes, He is our savior, but He is also our sustainer. I tell you to lean on Him because I tell myself that every day."

I don't know how this story ends. I have a prayer. I have a hope. Because of Jesus, my friend does too.

No one is ever beyond redemption. No one is ever beyond hope. No one is ever beyond the reach of Jesus.