Dear Members,
I would like us to have a heart-to-heart talk. To that end, allow me to share a story that I am sure some of you may have heard before but is worth repeating here. The story is a demonstration of true love, commitment, and the power of hope. It is the story of a boy and his father after an earthquake in Armenia.
December 7, 1988, started as every other day in the northern part of Armenia, until about 11:41 a.m., when things changed. An earthquake struck! It was called the Spitak earthquake. It was a major disaster as the region where the earthquake struck was flattened, killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes and leaving others homeless.
Amid all the chaos, a father left his wife securely at home and rushed to the school where his son was supposed to be, only to discover that the building had been flattened like a pancake.
After the traumatic initial shock, this man remembered the promise he had made to his son, “No matter what, I’ll always be there for you!” Tears began to fill his eyes. As he looked at the pile of debris that once was the school, it looked hopeless, but he kept remembering his commitment to his son.
He began to concentrate on where he walked his son to school each morning. Remembering his son’s classroom would be in the back right corner of the building, he rushed there and started digging through the rubble. As he was digging, other
forlorn parents arrived, clutching their hearts, saying, “My son!” “My daughter!” Other well-meaning parents tried pulling him off what was left of the school, saying:
“It’s too late!”
“They’re dead!”
“You can’t help!”
“Go home!”
“Come on, face reality, there’s nothing you can do!”
“You’re just going to make things worse!”
To each parent, he responded with one line: “Are you going to help me now?” And then he proceeded to dig for his son, stone by stone. The fire chief showed up and tried to pull him off the school’s debris, saying, “Fires are breaking out, explosions are happening everywhere. You’re in danger. We’ll take care of it. Please go home.” To which this loving, caring Armenian father asked, “Are you going to help me now?” The police came and said, “You’re angry, distraught, and it’s over. You’re endangering others. We’ll take care of it. Go home.”
No one helped.
Courageously, he proceeded alone because he needed to know for himself: “Is my boy alive, or is he dead?” He dug for eight hours...12 hours...24, and 36 hours. Then, in the 38th hour, he pulled back a boulder and heard his son’s voice. The man screamed his son’s name, “Armand!” He heard back, “Dad? It’s me, Dad! I told the other kids not to worry. I told them that if you were alive, you’d save me, and when you saved me, they’d be saved.
You promised, ‘No matter what, I’ll always be there for you!’ You did it, Dad!” “There are 14 of us left out of 33, Dad. We’re scared, hungry, thirsty, and thankful you’re here. When the building collapsed, it made a wedge, like a triangle, and it saved us.”
“Come on out, boy!”
“No, Dad! Let the other kids come out first because I know you’ll get me. No matter what, I know you’ll be there for me.”
What is the message of this story?
This story has an important message about hope. Don’t get lost in a debate about whether it is true or just inspiring, that’s beside the point. It does reflect a greater truth of the promise God made to us that he would not leave us, he would be with us always as we seek to fulfill the great commission. As believers, we have this hope and assurance that we can face any crisis, challenge, and situation as God is with us. And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts. (Rom. 5:5a)
How does this translate then in the hope that inspires our leadership within the church? That even when we do not get the responses we desire, that even when the cooperation is limited, that even when the tasks seem overwhelming, we will still press on and remain faithful as we are grounded in the hope that does not disappoint us. Will we see more people believing in the Lord? Yes, we will. Will we see more persons offering themselves for leadership positions in the church? Yes, we will. Will we see more Christians of all ages offering to disciple others? Yes, we will as our hope is not in the circumstances we encounter, but in Christ.
God is counting on all his followers to remain faithful. It is not about whether our neighbour is pulling his or her weight, investing his or her ‘bag of gold’ it is what we each do with ours. I appeal to you therefore not to be closed to what God wants to do in your life, do not be afraid either, but surrender to God, trust God and He will prepare and equip you for the ministry he has called you to fulfill.
Remember as well that others are counting on us, Barbican Baptist Church. Others are counting on you, to be the agent God will use to deliver them from the pit of hell or face eternal life with the Saviour. Can we afford to let them down or to let the Lord down? That should never be an option for us as believers.
Are you ready to play your part in the Great Commission? Let us go!
Amen