Mark's Remarks 12/21

Anyone who lives along a coastline knows the sound and sight of those huge, orange and white Coast Guard rescue helicopters that fly during summer sun and during winter storms. When fog forms and snow flies these helicopters and their rescue teams still go out. There is an early monument to these saviors on the East Coast, carved back in the nineteenth century, which proclaims that those who are dedicated to these sea rescues “have to go out,” but that they do not “have to come back.” Did you know that those words are the unofficial motto of the Coast Guard: “We have to go out. We don’t have to come back.”

Why is not that the motto of every Christian poised for ministry and mission in our world? It should be, for those words are the essence of the true “Christmas spirit.” “We have to go out. We don’t have to come back.”

That is the real Christmas spirit. Not reckless. But selfless. Not focused on making it. Focused on making a difference. The spirit that the gift of Christ imparts is not of shallow sappiness. The spirit that the gift of Christ imparts is of sublime strength.

The Christmas spirit may have been best captured by Hudson Taylor when he described the attitude of Christ this way: First it is impossible, Then it is difficult, Then it is done!
When we began working on Freedom House, it looked like an awesome project that could take years, but it needed to be done. It was difficult, then it was done. And now, the reward. As the mortgage on the building is paid off, for 2009 we’ve begun to reduce the rents for each of the ministries. For example, the rent for our IN AS MUCH food pantry will be reduced by $500/month. That will buy a lot of food.

As we look at our relocation and building program, the funding seems impossible! However, as we go into it, without pause, we’ll soon know it to be done. Things with God are rarely easy. They require faith and sacrifice. Then they are done.