Advent---Blue Ridge, The Second Parallel

[HKHaugan]

The second part of the Blue Ridge parallel was putting people to work during the Great Depression. Having the vision for a highway needed planning, surveying, contractors, skilled artisans and a labor force to do the actual clearing and paving. It’s a massive wilderness to overcome. Facing seasonal changes, gathering the machinery, accommodating the needs for food, clothing and medical supplies presented an enormous challenge.

This is the same challenge the Body of Christ faces as it brings the Kingdom of God to bear in a world separated from God, that separation being the real ‘Great Depression’ which might really be called ‘The Great Separation.’ God has called for His people to be the planners, the surveyors, the contractors, the skilled artisans and the labor force to make a direct road to the hearts of those separated from God. That spiritual separation has caused personal aloneness and interpersonal isolation, hearts frightened, distressed and depressed, spiritually drifting and lost in the forests and valleys of self-centered despair. This is the condition of the world. “Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. "What a huge harvest!" he said to his disciples. "How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands (Mt.9:35-38 The Message)!"

God’s vision appeared when His Son Jesus came to live amongst us as one of us. He knew what spiritual separation had done to His people and that He alone would be able to be the ridge between peaks, the way to connect the peaks back to His Father and to each other. He alone could traverse the forests of fear and uncertainty. He alone could travel through the ‘valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil.’ He alone knew His Father was with Him and that He would by faith suffer death and rise from and above it. He alone knew the Cross would be the bridge, the ridge and ‘the Way’ to bring His people back from the ‘Great Separation.’ His heart was the highest peak.

Having said all that He has called His people to be part of His plan, to take up their cross each day and be part of the ridge plan to reconnect the peaks, the hearts of people to Himself and to each other. There are three parts. The first is to accept Him as Lord. The second is to be discipled in the Word, worship and ministry. The third is to exercise the spiritual gifts for ministry and mission He gives each. This is how we not only experience our own reconnection with God but also become part of the ridge to other hearts. This is our unique function right where we live. We are the planners who follow His plan as it is outlined in the blueprint of His Word. We are the surveyors who go out everyday into the wilderness finding the best terrain to bring His Way into play. We are the labor force to help others through their valleys of depression, their forest of fear and uncertainty by prayer and presence. It is the power of the Holy Spirit who bulldozes the strongholds that separate the peaks from one another. What was once impassable is now part of the beauty of the mountain ridge and the range of which it is a part.

So we are the workers on ‘The Way’ building a highway to our God. “Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires? Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent (Jn.6:28-29 NIV).” He is the highest peak in the range. So it is His words in His Word that give us the plan, the connecting ridges to the heart of God and one another. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you (Jn.15:7).” Now the gifted workers not only know their Lord they know their tasks and the wilderness lies as a vast opportunity just waiting for us. So, in the words of Eph.6:10 on, let’s shod our feet with the Gospel of peace, put on the helmet of salvation, gird ourselves with the Word, the sword of the Spirit, dress in the breastplate of righteousness, our faith, and go hand in hand from ridge to ridge and peak to peak. That’s what it means to take up our cross daily.

Next we’ll talk about that accessible road through the mountains.