It is Just as Jesus Said

Dear Crosswalkers,

We are saddened, of course, by the earthquake disaster in Haiti.  As followers of Jesus, we share his compassion for those who have lost loved ones in this tragedy.  Many are injured, and there has been much property damage.  Crosswalk Church is a part of a Region which has a connection to Haiti through the “One Great Hour of Sharing” benevolence fund.  If you wish to contribute to those hurting in Haiti, you can write a check to Crosswalk Church or give online and earmark your gift:  HAITI.  Rest assured that 100% of your gift will be given to meet the glaring needs in Haiti in the name of Jesus.  Other good organizations are World Vision and Compassion International, each of which has a presence already in Haiti and is accepting donations through their websites to help in the crisis.

A terrible event such as this is always troubling for some.  They wonder, “How can God allow such things to happen?”  Of course, there is a great mystery surrounding the presence and power and purpose of evil in the world.  There is much we can say in response to this question, but ultimately, the most important thing we can to is to respond with the compassion of Jesus.  People are generally won to faith in Jesus by demonstrations of his love, not by answers that satisfy our curiosity.  However, remembering that we live in a world of darkness; a world that crucified our Savior, it always comforts me that Jesus saw through the years and predicted a time of earthquakes and trouble and disasters prior to his Second Coming.  I read the headlines and think, “Yes, it is just as Jesus said it would be.”  And now he wants us to respond as he would.

Here are some updates for you:
·         Please keep our Children’s Pastor, Peggy Graves in your prayers.  She has a blood clot (which is not life threatening) and such a severe problem with her hip that it will in all likelihood need replacement.  I visited with Peggy today in the hospital and she sends her love.  Many thanks to James English and our dedicated Children’s Ministry staff who have stepped up to be a rich blessing to our kids during Peggy’s absence!
·         This Saturday will be another awesome Men’s Breakfast, with our Leader Erik Aldana speaking on the subject, “You will feel better if you throw up.”  It will make you sick if you miss this message!  Frankly, I can’t wait!

We praise God for the great kickoff last Sunday to our series, “Core Values for a Life That Really Matters.”  Core Value #1 is INTIMACY WITH GOD, and as a reminder, here are three ways to pray that will draw us closer to God:  PRAY “Let Me Know Your Ways”, “Let Me Experience You in My Life”, and “Show Me Your Glorious Presence”  This Sunday we’ll look at Core Value #2.  You won’t want to miss it.

In her book Traveling Mercies, Anne Lamott shares a story about one of her pastors:  When she was about seven, her best friend got lost one day. The little girl ran up and down the streets of the big town where they lived, but she couldn’t find a single landmark, and became very frightened. Finally a policeman stopped to help her. He put her in the passenger seat of his car, and they drove around until she finally saw something she recognized, her church. She pointed it out to the policeman, and then she told him firmly, “You could let me out now. This is my church, and I can always find my way home from here.”

Then Annie Lamott writes:  “And that is why I have stayed so close to [my church family]—because no matter how bad I am feeling, how lost or lonely or frightened, when I see the faces of the people at my church, and hear their tawny voices, I can always find my way home.”

What does God desire for his church?  To be a community where we can always find our way home!  Of course, our real home is in heaven.  In the meantime, the church is God’s family, a community of people where I can discover God’s purpose for my life, and where I can always be reminded of where true home really is.  Tragedies will come and go, but our home is eternal for us!

Love in Jesus,
Pastor John