There are people all over the hall space.
Some are praying, some are reflecting, some drinking
steaming cups of coffee straight from the percolator. A succession of tracks
from a carefully selected playlist, flow smooth from the PA system. The soft
colours of the stage lights project reds, greens and sodium yellow into every
corner of the room.
The atmosphere is spiritually electrifying.
It’s Good Friday.
People have gathered for a two-hour reflection.
A kind of “just you and God” space.
I am sitting at the multi-media work station at the back of
the hall, and I just feel ready and indeed
spiritually compelled to just write this blog post.
Because I feel astonished.
I feel overwhelmed.
Astonished that Jesus Christ died for us.
So we can live.
Overwhelmed that he would do that so that the world has
eternal consequences.
I am thinking about what the death of Jesus means to me as a
soldier of Jesus?
And surprise surprise a question hits me hard.
How prepared am I to die in order to live?
My imagination antennas kick in.
Imagine if I was prepared to die for the vision God has laid
on my heart.
Imagine if I was prepared to die to everything I consider my
own?
Imagine if I was prepared to die so that others may live?
Imagine if I was prepared to die so that the amazing news
that Jesus is a living reality could reach millions?
It’s Good Friday.
Great Friday.
Astonishing Friday.
My gaze catches an image of Jesus nailed to the cross.
I think I am more astonished than ever.
I’m actually overwhelmed.
And feel ready and able.
Ready and able to die to self.
Ready to die for the vision, the vision is Jesus.
Last week a Dennis a guy who comes to S21 for a coffee and
myself were called out into a street in the City to help a guy who comes to our
soup run every day.
He was so drunk that he couldn’t stand up and was in grave
danger of losing his life.
We picked him up off the floor and sat him upright on the
kerb, thousands were walking past oblivious.
Dennis and I deliberated over the best course of action.
Shall we call an ambulance? Shall I get my own car and take him to hospital?
In the end we just sat with him. I ran back to S21 and got
him a black coffee, not that that would really help, but it’s what we decided
to do.
We eventually managed, with the help of a passer-by to get
him down to S21.
As I sat with him on a step outside our building, he looked
at me and said with barely audible slurred words, “Gary will you help me? I
hate this.”
Right then I felt a sense of hopelessness on my part.
This guy is trapped in the grip of alcoholism and that’s a
seemingly hopeless situation.
I couldn’t see how he would ever overcome it.
But?
It’s Good Friday.
Overcoming is the business of the cross.
Jesus overcame death and sin.
Which means?
In the backflow of that glorious happening, we can overcome
anything.
I prayed right then and there out loud that an overcoming
would happen in this guys life.
Truly nothing is impossible for a God who overcame death and
sin.
Hope flooded into my heart at breakneck speed.
Suddenly it felt like I was sitting at the foot of the cross
with this guy.
And I knew I can die for the vision.
I knew in the power of the Spirit of God I will fight for
the lives of those of whom overcoming is impossibility.
Jesus died a horrendous death full of humiliation and
extreme pain.
It’s astonishing to think that the death we focus on today
ultimately brings life to every situation.
God always wins!
So then guys, what seemingly is an impossibility to overcome
in your life today?
Hey?
A negative spirit?
An illness?
An addiction?
A relationship problem?
A work issue?
An attitude issue?
A financial issue?
What is it?
Sitting in the seat of hopelessness is getting you nowhere?
Is it?
Die to hopelessness.
Grasp a hold of the hope of the cross right now.
Live to die.
For Christ.
Die for the lost.
That is where the life will always be.
