A different take on the focus of life (06/07/08)

To the editor:

I write this letter in response to one from Susan Baker printed in this paper on May 29. While I agree with Ms. Baker that we need to "keep our eye...on Jesus" rather than our situation in life, I disagree with her interpretation of what that means.

Like Ms. Baker, I am a committed Christian, raised in the church, having accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord at a young age, and recently having discerned a call to ministry, both in hospital chaplaincy and with young people on college campuses. In both my work and personal life, keeping my eye on Jesus is crucial, and I believe it should be for every Christian.

But what, exactly, does that mean? Ms. Baker seems to suggest, among other things, that it means looking to the book of Revelation to interpret signs of the last days. She writes, "To determine which seals are open and which seals are yet to be opened should be more of a concern to us than the gas prices." I agree, Ms. Baker, there are more important things than the cost of gas, and we may well be living in the last days.

Certainly there are "wars and rumors of wars" all around us. (Mt. 24:6) But how can we know for sure? "About that day and hour no one knows...but only the Father." (Mt. 24:36) So many people over the centuries have come to different interpretations of Revelation, how can we know for sure which seals might have been opened, which trumpets might have blown, which bowls of wrath might have been poured out? God's ways are not our ways, nor are God's thoughts our thoughts. (Is. 55:8) Understanding the end times is simply beyond our comprehension.

Keeping our eye on Jesus, then, does not mean trying to interpret Revelation any more than it means worrying over gas prices (I am in hearty agreement with you there, Ms. Baker!) What, then does it mean? What would God have us do if we think the end may be near? The same thing God would have us do any other time. "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel," (Mar. 16:15) that is, the good news that Jesus is the Christ, the One who saves us from our sin and pain and all that causes us hurt and keeps us from God.

This good news is not something we just proclaim with our mouths, but something we act out, as Jesus did, by caring for our neighbors, especially (again as Jesus did), the outcasts of our society: those who are lonely and poor and sick, those who scandalize "respectable" people. "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these...you did it to me." (Mt. 25:40) Nor does this gospel give us license to cast judgment, whether it be against those who are "BUSY," or those who are homosexual or transgendered, or those in "countries who worship other gods." God alone looks at and judges the heart, (I Sam. 16:7) and in fact we are warned against it. (Mt. 7:1)

This, then, is what it means to keep our eye on Jesus: to keep our eye on the needs of this broken world, to "proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor," as Jesus did. (Lk. 4:18b) And we are called to do this whether the world ends tomorrow, or next week, or a thousand years from now.

Sincerely,

Laura (Wolverton) Strietelmeier

Toledo, Ohio

Thanks

To the editor:

Special thanks for all the thoughts and prayers for Todd Gillespie, was in a head-on accident on his way to work in Indianapolis May 23.

He had emergency heart surgery and later had surgery on his left leg. He has made a miraculous recovery from his accident and has returned to his h ome at 8302 Tequista Circle in Indianapolis where he is continuing therapy.

Thanks for all the prayers, thoughts and cards for Todd.

God bless you all.

Don and Deanna Gillespie

and family

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