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April 17, 2015

“Rebuilding Broken Lives”

I want to tell you two quick stories.    The first was told in the movie, Chariots of Fire, when runner Eric Liddell tried to make a break for the lead in one of the most important races he’d ever run.  When he attempted to pull away from the pack, he lost his balance and crashed to the infield grass.  The camera zoomed in as Eric lifted his head to watch the other athletes pull away from him.  He was on the infield grass for just a few seconds but, still, everyone was wondering, “Will he get up?  Will he finish the race?”  Liddell did get up and he began to run as hard as he could to catch the now distant runners.  The result?  He won the race going away!   The other story took place just a few years ago when two world-class female athletes were competing in the Los Angeles Olympics.  The watching world was fascinated by their rivalry and had tuned in to watch their race.  Shoulder to shoulder the two ran together through the first 1000 meters waiting for the perfect time to make their break for the lead.  Then, in an instant, one of them fell headlong onto the infield grass just as Liddell had done 60 years earlier.   Just like the movie, the camera zoomed in on a face etched with pain, rage, and defeat as the pack of runners pulled away.  This time things were different; this time the runner on the infield grass didn’t get up.   Two runners facing the same disaster – one got up to run on; the other didn’t!  They serve as visual symbols of what can happen in the “race of life” when men and women crash to the ground broken by the circumstances of life.   Please join me in praying for the ones among us Sunday who have crashed, burned and lost their hope for ever being whole again.  Pray for those who’ll be in our building this Sunday morning who, like those runners, are sprawled out on the infield grass wondering what to do next.  Their crash may be the result of a series of bad choices, an abusive relationship, a struggle with addictions, or wrongful sexual practices.  What caused their crash isn’t nearly as important as to what they’re going to do in response to it.  It’s to that end we should set ourselves to praying!   To better prepare your heart for our time together on Sunday, spend some time reading Luke 15:11-24.  What a comfort it is to know we have a Heavenly Father who is both willing and able to rebuild broken lives.   Believing God for BIG things!     pastor jamie