I Looked into the Face of God

My last post was from a really different place. I closed it on a hope-filled and positive note but it wasn't easy. It was written at a tough time.

Not always, but occasionally my confidence gets rocked. I have doubts and worry about how I am impacting the soldiers for Christ.

I always think I have to bring Christ to the soldiers. What if it didn't only work that way. What if he was already out there and in some instances all I had to do was remind them of it.

Remember the verses in the Bible where God is describing all the ways that we encounter him here on earth? He describes our encounters with him in terms of the needy. He identifies himself with the hungry, thirsty, lonely, the down-and-out and the prisoner (Matt 25:35-44). Christ says that when we see those in need we are looking into his face. So the obvious question becomes "what is my response to Christ when he is uneducated, homeless, weak, smelly, begging or a criminal? What is my response when he is asking me to help or be compassionate to one of his children who are struggling?

I met with Jesus tonight. It wasn't in a church. I didn't have a bible. We weren't singing or worshiping and I wasn't fasting and praying.

I responded to another call for a visit from the chaplain. It was 9:30 in the evening. I was tired but in the area. I was not real optimistic. I remember wrestling with the idea of just calling it an evening. Maybe I would be fresher in the morning. I pushed on.

The soldier is about 20 years old and really frustrated with life and people and relationships and wondering why it all has to be so confusing.

This soldier incredibly and with great self-awareness closed several possible doors of discussion. He knew what he wanted and was able to articulate it

I was surprised. That is not the norm. He was on a mission, searching for something.

Eventually the conversation turned to spiritual matters. I found out the soldier was raised in the church and stayed there until he left high school.

He also told me he pretty much has not been back since. He has been trying to figure out this faith thing on his own.

What did Jesus mean when he said that we were helping him when we help those in need?

In what way does Jesus identify with these people? Is Jesus in this young man?

That would be very hard to establish…I can't tell you "where" he was. But I know he was there.

I believe that we both knew it.

I looked into the face of God. Tonight he is about 20 years old and he is hungry and thirsty.