Holidays

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Larry Lilly's Letter Thursday December 22, 2005

The church in which my two friends met that evening was scandalized by the events of the evening. The man went to another place of worship and was led to a deep, commitment to Christ and served him faithful until the Chariot swept down to carry him to glory. He never saw the girl again, but prayed for her each day. Moreover his wife and he prayed for her and started a ministry to such girls and they were used of God to rescue many of them. His children rise up and call him blessed to this day. A couple of his children are pastors and missionaries.

The girl, why would I call her name, served a few terms on the Dark Continent and while home on furlough, met and married a widowed pastor. She has now served for many years as his faithful wife and always has a heart for and outreach to those whom we used to call, 'fallen women.' She knows that Christ can rescue these perishing souls.

I am thankful to have had a small part in the life of these folks, on both sides of the story.

A fellow pastor asked one time, after I had shared some of the story, "Dr. Lilly, why do things like this come your way, and I never even see people like them, let alone reach them?" As kindly as I could, I told my brother; "As long you have a 'holier than thou' attitude about any group of people, you disqualify yourself from reaching them. When you see them as Christ sees them, as hurting, misinformed people doing stupid and evil things, for whom Christ died, then you can reach them and God will bring them across your path. They already have enough people condemning them, they need Jesus who will help them as He did the woman taken in adultery in John 8."

Back in the 15th Century an unknown author wrote a grand Christmas carol the first stanza loudly proclaiming:

"God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy."

Tragically the church at large has departed from reaching out, even down if you will, to those for whom Christ came to save from Satan's power. We much prefer a nice deacon from someone else's church who may use too much cream in his coffee (Any cream in good coffee is very sinful) or perhaps a lady who fails to have matching purse and shoes. Certainly Jesus could use us to straighten this kind of sinner out.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2005 Use with credit.

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