Tonight I received a call from Luciana, a female staff worker for Detroit Community Outreach. She was very excited to share with me that one of the youth I worked with this past summer had been nagging his mother ever since our summer program ended. He wanted his mother to call Luciana; he wanted to join a church. He also wants to be baptized. As Luci was sharing this with me, we both just sat on the line and wept. I hung up the phone and continued to sob with joy and prayed, in awe of God's faithfulness.
Maybe I'm just a little choleric when it comes to mission--I get worked up--but I was thinking many things in the midst of this amazing news. Here's one: isn't a small piece, or the root of this response, our Lord's own response to this young man's decision? "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent" (Luke 15: 7).
Something else I thought of--and have been thinking of having just begun UCO staff work--is a prophetic word:
"Your eyes will weep at what you see, your ears will tingle at what you hear and your hearts will leap for joy at the surprising things I am about to bring to you. For I say to you that I am about to open to you a new age of evangelism among young people, the likes of which you have not seen..."
One might consider this prophecy and think, "Well, what does this really mean? What kinds of 'surprising things' are about to be brought to us? What's one middle school boy going to church and being baptized really mean in the bigger scheme of things? He's from Detroit--isn't there a good chanced he'll fall away anyways? And really, is one person 'multiplication' and worth weeping for?"
Absolutely Yes.
Perhaps the fulfillment of this prophecy rests not only God's work coming down to us and meeting our expectations. Perhaps the fulfillment of this prophecy will observed especially--but not only--by those who are looking for its fulfillment, by those who whole-heartedly believe in what God has promised to them. As Elizabeth says of Mary in the Gospel of Luke: "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." And as it says in Jeremiah: "You will seek me and find me; / When you seek me with all your heart. / I will be found by you, says the Lord" (Jer. 29: 13-4). When we seek Him with ALL our heart, we will find Him. We are called to seek, to take initiative.
Yes, perhaps a part of our part is to receive God's promises with faith, with eyes ready to weep, with ears that expect to tingle. Maybe that is where man's pride and God's faithfulness cross and man's pride finally gives: when he prepares for himself a heart that is at the ready to praise and thank God. Maybe we are called to look for Him to be faithful, for He is faithful, as the Psalmists try to tell us time and again.
Before his death, Jesus repeatedly told his disciples that the Son of Man would have to die but would be raised up on the third day. Was this promise true? Yes. Were they seeking and believing in its fulfillment? No. Thus you have their fear, the blindness of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Thomas's famous doubt, Mary's weeping at the tomb. But praise be to Jesus Christ that he is merciful, that his death and resurrection took place, just as he had promised, even though his followers were not looking for the fulfillment of his promise.
A Prayer: Jesus, help us to receive your promises with faith. Open our eyes and ears to each one's fulfillment. And, like those who have been blind and those who have doubted, have mercy on us and touch us, Lord, until we see you as you are. Help us to believe more and more in the powerful reality of your resurrection. Amen.
