When I See the Blood

            Shortly after the Muslim call to prayer I hear the koel bird greeting the dawn and an Indian neighbor sloshing water from a bucket. She is sweeping the cement slab with a crude hand broom. It’s familiar for I have watched her most mornings hold up the hem of her sari with one hand while sweeping with the other. When she is done washing the dirt away, another Indian woman holding a small bowl sprinkles a few drops of liquid at various points on the slab in front of the house. A Hindu practice, this ritual serves to bless the home. Beside the front door, a wicked-looking mask is fastened on the house to scare the evil spirits away.

            I breathe a silent prayer for these women whom Satan has deceived. As I sit on the side of the cot, I reach for my Bible. In Exodus, chapter 12, I find the story of the first Passover. God gives instructions to Moses and Aaron for the children of Israel on how to prepare the sacrificial lamb. They are instructed to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of their houses.

            God says, “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn — both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt . I am the LORD. ¹³ The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt ” (12-13).

            From this point on, the Israelites are to celebrate and remember when the Lord passed over them. This moving account is a visual aid of what God will provide through the Lord Jesus Christ in years to come.

            My heart is burdened for the Indian people as I close my Bible. I want them to know that they do not need to be afraid of evil spirits, if they will only apply the blood of the Lamb to the doorpost of their hearts.

            After a shower and breakfast I play with my granddaughter, two-year-old Rebekah, on the cool tile floor. Her mother, my daughter, and her father live in India, and this is a typical day at their house. We use a cardboard box for a playhouse. On a flap leading inside the “house,” I print J-E-S-U-S in bold letters. We draw a cross and color it red. This is our blessing on Rebekah’s home. In simple terms, I talk about how Jesus came and shed his blood on the cross, and if we receive Him as Savior, He applies His blood on the doorpost of our hearts. Thus, we are safe from all harm.

I hear my daughter call and Rebekah runs to the kitchen to see what her mommy wants. As she leaves, I push to my feet and watch the neighbor women once more. I think of one of my neighbors in the States who does not post an ugly-looking mask at her door or anoint her sidewalk, but instead has a small Buddha anchored in her garden beside the front porch. Although I have shared the message of Christ’s atonement with her, she chooses to embrace many different religions. I think of a business associate who is burdened that her Jewish mother come to know the Messiah. Together, we pray that her mom will one day understand that Jesus shed His blood to cover her sin. And then, I think of a Christian neighbor who just the other day knocked on my door. While we sipped tea, she shared how she had also been reading the Exodus account of the Passover recently. In our few moments together, we shared a special camaraderie that only two sisters in Christ who have experienced His blood covering can. 

Back at my side, Rebekah bumps me out of my thoughts. Nevertheless, on this sunny May morn, the Lord has given me a fresh appreciation for His blood sacrifice. With new determination, I recommit to share Him with whoever He brings along my path today. 

 ("When I See the Blood" (c) 2008 Eileen Rife)

Mission Activities You Can Do as a Family

Send a missionary child a “Birthday in a Box." Include fun things like stickers, hard candy, a small photo album of your family, etc.

Host a mission party. Select a country/theme. For example, we once hosted a Hawaiian luau complete with costumes, foods, games, and decorations. We shared native customs and wrote up interesting questions on slips of paper for attendees to answer. We concluded by praying for the spiritual needs of the Hawaiian people.

Host a missionary family during an annual church missions’ conference. Eating, sleeping, and rubbing shoulders with real live missionaries in your home is one of the best ways to expose your children to missions.

 

Volunteer to tutor an immigrant. My oldest daughter, Rachel, chose to peer tutor a Vietnamese girl for two years while in high school. Our entire family got involved in the process, sharing meals and outings with the Vietnamese family. This experience later led to Rachel teaching English in China for a summer.

 “Adopt” a missionary family. The children can write letters to the kids. Learn about their country by reading books from the library and preparing recipes. Send a package around Christmas time. Pray for a particular need each day of the week.

Post a missionary map on a bulletin board in a prominent area of your home. Help the children write out labels with the names of some missionaries your church supports. Then pin the labels to the map. Occasionally drill the kids to see if they can remember which missionary lives in which country.

Helpful Resources for Families

Becoming a World Changing Family, Fun & Innovative Ways to Spread the Good News, Donna S. Thomas, Baker Books, 2004.

You Can Change the World, Learning to Pray for People Around the World, Jill Johnstone, Zondervan Publishing House, 1999.

Children Around the World series, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987.

A Heart for People

We Skyped with our missionary children and grandchildren Friday night our time (breakfast time for them). We talked about many things, one of them being their new church plant. While eating her pancakes, Rebekah (6) shared that she wanted to help the other children at the new church.

I said, "Wonderful! God's given you a caring heart for people."

A puzzled expression crossed her face. "I'm a Christian," she said. "Why wouldn't I have a heart for people?"

Indeed. Good question, Rebekah. A compelling one.

One that cuts right to the quick. And to the very heart of Christianity.

If we bear Christ's name, should we not also share His love with those around us?

Romans 12:9-21 details what Christian behavior toward others looks like. May I encourage you to read this practical passage? The verses fall on the heels of Paul's discussion about spiritual gifts. This comes as no surprise. The gifts of the Holy Spirit have been entrusted to us so that we can effectively reach out to others. The exercise of our gifts is love in action.

 
Godly devotion, diligence, service, perseverance, joy, prayer, contribution, hospitality, humility, respect, forgiveness, and victory are key components—the very essence of Christian living.

Perhaps it's time we asked ourselves Rebekah's challenging question, "I'm a Christian, why wouldn't I have a heart for people?"

Let's be courageous! Ask the Holy Spirit to peel back the layers of our hearts (through all the rationalizations, defensiveness, woundedness, worldliness, negative thoughts, pride, anger, and fear) and shine His searchlight in the deep places. Then act on what He reveals. We may need to confess specific sin. Sin in our lives blocks our ability to love and reach out to others.

Sin falls into two categories:

1. Sins of commission: When we do what is contrary to God's Word/sins that violate God's Law (which is primarily God's Law of Love). This type of sin can take many forms in thought or deed. We lash out in anger; we take revenge; we succumb to a bad habit or addictive behavior; we lust, lie, or steal from our employer. Sometimes, we're aware of our offense; other times we're clueless. But in every case, our sin eventually affects not only ourselves but others around us.

2. Sins of omission: When we don't do what God's Law of Love asks us to do. Romans 12:9-21 is a good place to start if you wonder what God wants you to do as a Christian.

Every day, we need to confess the sins on the "front of us" (the sins we are aware of) and the sins on the "back of us" (the sins we're not aware of).

When we're honest with ourselves and with God about our sin, He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Then we are in a position of godly strength to fulfill Romans 12:9-21.

We can join Rebekah in saying, "I'm a Christian. Why wouldn't I have a heart for people?"

~~

Eileen Rife, author of Second Chance, speaks to women’s groups, encouraging them to discover who they are in Christ and what part they play in His amazing story. www.eileenrife.com, www.eileen-rife.blogspot.com, www.guardyourmarriage.com.

God's Grace, and the Homosexual Next Door

Since publishing RESTORED HEARTS, Book Two in the Born for India trilogy, which profiles a Christian man’s struggle with homosexuality, I have been on the lookout for additional resources that address the restoration and freedom one can experience in loving relationship with Jesus Christ. God’s Grace and the Homosexual Next Door is just such a resource.

Alan Chambers and the leadership team at Exodus International combine their stories and expertise in this compelling, compassionate book addressing the issue of outreach to the homosexual. Exodus is a Christian organization that serves as an arm of the local church to minister to men, women, and youth who struggle with unwanted homosexuality.

God’s Grace and the Homosexual Next Door opens with a twenty-question quiz to test the reader’s knowledge about homosexuality. Answers are then given throughout the book chapters with the same quiz posted at the back of the book with answers and brief explanations. A helpful Resource List is also included at the end of the book.

As I read through the testimonies, studies, and sound, well-researched material, I noted several key themes:

1) Healing of homosexuality, and any sin for that matter, takes place in the context of community, i.e. a loving body of believers.

2) There is no hierarchy of sin. ALL sin is abominable to God. The ground is level at the foot of the Cross. Therefore, homosexuality is no worse than any other sin.

3) Homosexuality is a relational dysfunction. It results from a person trying to meet a God-given need for love and acceptance in an ungodly way.

4) The opposite of homosexuality is not heterosexuality—it’s holiness.

5) The best evangelism to the homosexual is done through friendship.

Eye-opening chapters include topics such as demystifying homosexuality, developing a Christlike attitude toward homosexuals, the change process, understanding the three degrees of homosexuality, the church’s attitude toward homosexuals, five things not to do when reaching out to the homosexual, and ministry to homosexual young people and to the lesbian. The book closes with 25 questions and answers about gay ministry and five stories from those whose lives have been transformed by Jesus Christ.

The book challenged my thinking, broke my heart, and moved me to become more sensitive to those who battle unwanted homosexuality. Among the many valuable quotes was Mike Haley’s comment: “I have never met a woman or man who left homosexuality who didn’t do it without taking the outstretched hand of someone else. Because we’re broken relationally, we’re restored relationally” (p.199). What a powerful reminder to reach out in faith rather than retreat in fear when considering befriending a homosexual neighbor, coworker, or family member.

I highly recommend God’s Grace and the Homosexual Next Door if you have a heart that longs to minister to this hurting population of people.

AN ENCOUNTER AT PRIDE IN THE PARK

Had I not looked into her eyes, I would have thought she was the most hardened person on the planet. Muscular build. Dark, short-cropped, spiked hair. Multiple earrings. Black jeans, shirt, and vest. Tattoos snaking up her arm.

As I sat on a stone ledge, I pushed through intimidation and struck up a conversation with the teen girl beside me at a recent Pride in the Park festival celebrating homosexuality. My husband Chuck and I had shared a burden to reach out to this population of people with the love of Jesus. So, here we were, each of us capturing a glimpse into the world of the person beside us.

“I’m Eileen. What’s your name?” I said to the tall, dark girl.

She mumbled an answer. Another girl—smaller, with longer hair and splashes of color on her jeans and shirt—pressed close to the other side of her, gazing straight ahead. A live band played and sang on a stage several yards away. Couples lounged on the grass or in lawn chairs. Others strolled the sidewalk bordering the park.

“What brings you here today?” I dangled a toe in the conversation water.

She shrugged, but did not turn away. “I like to mingle.”

She was a teenager; I could understand her desire to be a part of a group.

“Where do you go to high school?” I ventured another question.

She rattled off a name, so I continued my pursuit.

“What year?”

“Senior,” she said, with a subtle spark in her eyes. Her friend remained cool, distant, and wary.

“Oh, that’s wonderful! Congratulations! What are your plans after graduation?”

Her shoulders began to relax. A bridge to this young gal’s heart was under construction. “Probably community college.”

“What are you interested in?” By now I was standing in front of her, feeling comfortable with our verbal exchange.

“Animals.”

“Ah, maybe you’ll be a vet.”

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Yeah, maybe.”

“Do you go to church anywhere?”

“Yeah.” She rattled off the name of a Baptist church in a nearby town and told me how she had been raised in that assembly of people.

Her openness propelled me on. “So, Susan (not her real name), what does your church think about you attending a Gay Pride festival?”

Another shrug. Then she looked me dead in the eye, a penetrating, almost questioning gaze that pierced me to the core. “I don’t think they care,” she stated matter-of-factly.

My heart dropped to my stomach and I felt sick. I was a Christian who attended a Baptist church. Conviction rippled through me. Who sat in the pew next to me that might feel the same way Susan did, but I had missed her or him, wrapped up in my own world, afraid to venture out?

With fresh resolve, I leaned in to Susan. Her brown puppy dog eyes melted my heart. “Well, Susan, I’m here to tell you that I care. I want you to know that Jesus loves you.” I reached to touch her hand just as the girl beside her tugged on her sleeve, breaking the spell of the moment.

Susan pushed away from the wall and started off with her friend. I knew our brief interchange was over, and I was sad. Caught up in conversation beside me, Chuck glanced over his shoulder and gestured me. “This is Mark (not his real name).”

I stepped over to enter into another exchange, wishing I could have spent more time with Susan, yet knowing that a spiritual seed was planted that prayerfully another Christian would water down the road.