Monday, April 16, 2012

Stand with those who sufffer

I've been reading a book titled, "Bonhoeffer," by Eric Metaxas.  It's a very interesting book.  On page 128 it says, "It is likely that he (Bonhoeffer) began to think of the church as called by God to 'stand with those who suffer.'"  I haven't finished the book yet, but the reason I purchased it was because I heard he stood with the Jews in Nazi Germany.  A people who were regarded as dispensable.

I think in our society today, among others, the homeless are regarded as dispensable.  We see the faces and the despair and the years of being on the streets and ignore them and walk on by.  We don't understand that these are people with stories. 

I want to introduce to you a man I met last week in a park in downtown Colorado Springs.  I'll call him Mike.  He is 52 years old, has 1 brother and 2 sisters, his parents are deceased, he has an ex-wife and 2 sons.  He spent 5 years locked up, 3 of those years in a boys home.  He has a severe problem with alchohol.

When he was a young boy, his mother had to have an operation.  She was given too much anesthesia and went into a coma.  She spent 9 years in a coma before she finally died.   After seeing her twice, Mike told his grandfather he couldn't bear to see his mother like this anymore, and quit seeing her.

He, at some point in his youth, received Jesus as his Savior.  His life is out of control.  He is extremely lonely.  He hasn't seen his sons in over 20 years.  He has lost touch with his family.  He needs to realize the hope that he has in Christ.  He needs our help.  Paul tells us in Ephesians to be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.  Mike needs our prayers.

Pray that Mike will come to an understanding of how much God loves him and is with him.

Pray that Mike will be reunited with his sons.

Pray that hope will be rekindled in Mike's heart so that he will be able to get off the streets.

Pray that Mike will be able to say with the apostle Paul, "Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance."

We could all point our finger at Mike and tell of all the reasons he deserves what has happened to him.  But Jesus doesn't do that to us, does He?  Mike is our brother and needs our prayers.