“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.” Luke 1:76-80
While driving home from Our Redeemer on Sunday the light at the intersection turned red and a white Southern Baptist seventeen passenger van pulled up alongside me and stopped. The windows were open and the van appeared to be empty but there was a voice of a woman with a Southern accent loudly proclaiming the Gospel message either on the radio or a cd to that corner in Bloomington at 11:30 am on Sunday. It sounded like it was an angry message, loud, vindictive and accusatory and perhaps that is why the van was empty. It reminded me of why our Savior came into this world with His message of hope for the lost, love for the hurting and salvation for those living in darkness. That is the message from our Savior that these orphan children hear from their Feeding Program Director in Leogane as all they had heard before meeting him was a very angry message from the vodou priest that spoke of bondage to the devil at a time when their lives desperately needed Jesus. I close today with the words from the hymn ‘Christ, Whose Glory fills the skies’ that were written by Charles Wesley in 1770.
“Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Thou, the true, the only Light, Sun of Righteousness, arise, triumph o'er the shades of night. Dayspring from on high, be near; daystar, in my heart appear. Dark and cheerless is the morn unaccompanied by Thee; joyless is the day's return till Thy mercy's beams I see, till they inward light impart, glad my eyes, and warm my heart. Visit, then, this soul of mine, pierce the gloom of sin and grief; fill me, Radiancy Divine, scatter all my unbelief. More and more Thyself display, shining to the perfect day.”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.