Standing on the beach, or safe on the mountain top?

On December 26, 2004 a Tsunami of 9.3 magnitude rocked the countries of Thailand and Indonesia. These countries had cities and people that were left changed forever because of it. How easy it is to not be changed by such an event when you live so far away from it. How easy it is to forget it happened. How easy it is to be in America, safe and unharmed, and not want to do anything to help out.

At the Chik Fil A opening the other day we were having a conversation with a lady whose son worked in Thailand when the Tsunami hit. Neither her or her son are christians, so she didn't intend for the story to have a spiritual parallel. But, it was one of those stories where you could see a beautiful illustration coming to life. She said her son had been sent with his family to Thailand to be a medical doctor. He had just finished training two weeks before the Tsunami hit. In this training they covered what happens when a Tsunami is getting ready to hit. Her son was going about his normal business on December 26, when someone stopped by his house and said,"Come look at the water. It is all dried up. The water from the ocean is gone." He knew immediately (because of his training) that a Tsunami was about to hit. So he grabbed his son and headed to higher ground immediately. Because of his training he knew exactly what to do and he was saved because of it. However, there were countless people who were just walking along the beach, excited that the water was gone so they could pick up a bunch of amazing sea shells. They didn't know that they should run. They had no clue that they were in grave danger. What was about to kill them, they saw as something exciting. Those people died on the beach where they were picking up sea shells. If only someone had educated those people on what it is like when a Tsunami hits. If only the government had taken necessary precautions, those people might still be here today.

I know that's a depressing thought. But, our lives parallel this in so many ways. Because we know the Gospel and we know Christ, we are on higher ground, safe from the destruction of the waves that will come crashing back in (we are safe from hell and eternal separation from Christ). Unlike us Christians, there are so many people on the beach of life oblivious to their own destruction. They are side tracked by the hundreds of beautiful sea shells they are picking up, unaware that a huge wave is about to come back in and take their life. If someone would just come along and tell them what they need to know, their life could be saved!

It might be a cheesy example to you. But, the point is that there are so many people out there waiting to hear about Jesus Christ and no one is educating them. No one is telling them what they need to know! If someone would go! If someone would take the Gospel to them they could be saved from destruction!!!

God has called us to go! Too bad Americans (myself included far too many times) are way more worried about being cool than ever being a witness for Christ.

Verse 1:
He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

Pre-Chorus:
And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

Chorus 1:
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.

Verse 2:
We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

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Chorus 2:
He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.

Verse 3:
Well, I thought about You the day Stephen died,
And You met me between my breaking.
I know that I still love You, God, despite the agony.
...They want to tell me You're cruel,
But if Stephen could sing, he'd say it's not true, cause...

Chorus 3:
Cause He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us.
Whoa! how He loves us.
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.