Act Like There is a Crisis...Because There Is
Renewal Prayer Network Executive Director Pastor Jay Richmond
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 ESV
It's been quite beautiful here in the Albany region over the last couple of weeks. Two feet of snow from two different storms, everything white covered by snow. It's the wet kind of snow that sticks to everything. The trees look so beautiful.
However, it's not always fun cleaning up afterwards. Going out and shoveling cleaning off the cars. But I really don't mind, I don't mind snow in March, I know it's going to melt fairly quickly.
On Wednesday after our last storm, I went out early to shovel. I noticed my neighbor across the street was struggling with a line down. It seems his cable line fell down due to the weight of the snow and was hanging low across the street. He was trying to tie it to something on the side of his house to get it off the road so a vehicle wouldn’t hit it.
I asked if he needed some help. He said, "No, I'm okay." But after a few minutes of watching him struggle, I went over anyway and offered my assistance. Using a ladder we were able to attach it to the house high enough.
Of course, he then felt obligated to help me shovel my driveway. I told him, "No." But he was going to help me shovel anyway. We went to another neighbor's house and shoveled their driveway. Then we went back to his house and shoveled his driveway.
This got me thinking, we're so quick to offer assistance when we know someone is in need. I've seen times when congregations would come alongside other congregations to help when there was some sort of a crisis. But what about all the other times when there's doesn't appear to be any crisis? What do we do then? We are willing help. So why wait for a crisis?
What if we as the church, acted as if all the time as a crisis? Where we would always work together. The reality is there is a crisis. All around us, people are walking through this world without a relationship with Jesus. Jesus prayed that the world would believe He was sent, based on our relationship to each other. (John 17)
The reality is we are far better off together than apart. The people of this world are far better off when we are together. When we love each other as Jesus loved us, the lost (those Jesus came to save, Luke 19:10) will know we follow Jesus and will drawn to Him.
Prayer: Lord we thank you for this beautiful world you gave to us. We thank you that you touched us, drew us and gave us the faith to believe in you. Lord now give us the ability to to live is a manner that brings honor to You. May we live in such a way where those who don’t know You yet, may come to know You.