July 17: How Long?

Back in the 19th-century, a missionary to China named Hudson Taylor said he was talking to a Buddhist leader, one who’d become a follower of Christ. The former Buddhist asked Taylor how long the gospel had been known in England.

“For hundreds of years,” Taylor said.

The new convert began to cry. He said, “For hundreds of years! My father sought the truth for more than 20 years, and he died without finding it. Why didn’t you come sooner?”

And that question burned in Hudson Taylor’s soul as he thought about the millions of Chinese who’d never heard of Jesus Christ; "Why didn't you come sooner?"
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Yesterday’s post was about “getting into the game” by telling God’s story and demonstrating His love. How do we do that? Here are some ideas:

· We can get our head into the game – By spending time studying the teachings of Jesus and through prayer we can begin to think like Jesus. The Apostle Paul talked about “having the mind of Christ.” We begin to see people the way Jesus did. Not just their exterior behavior, which much of the time is a defense mechanism to cover inadequacies, but looking beyond that to see the real person and see their needs.

· We can get our heart into the game – Jesus was mobbed by people who were hungry, broken and hopeless. When He looked at them it was not with judgment or condemnation. He was grieved; they were like sheep without a shepherd. He had compassion on them. And so He healed the sick, crippled and blind; He cast out demons, He told them the good news of the Kingdom of God. We need to see our broken world through Jesus’ eyes, and feel compassion for those not yet reconciled to God.

· Get your body into the game – We need to see the needs and feel the pain, but also be moved to action. There was a popular song back in the day with the refrain, “put me in coach, I’m ready to play”. That would actually make a pretty good prayer. “God, I don’t know when, where, or how, but I will go. Use me to make a positive difference in people’s lives, for your glory.” It’s time to stand up and say that we will be the last generation to have to answer the question, ‘Why didn’t you come sooner?’”

I imagine the question ringing through heaven, “How long?”
How long will people who take the name of Jesus be content to sit on the bench in church on Sunday morning and never get in the game during the week? How long will the needs that surround them each day go unseen, and cries for help unheard or ignored?
How long?

It’s time to get into the game by telling God’s story and showing His love.

~ Father, help me to see and care about the needs of those around me. Move me to action and help me to represent you well. Amen.