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Whose Are You?
He is a Caucasian male who is on fire to learn more about our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ
and Our Father, who art in heaven. When we met for Bible study he sat and listened so
quietly as we read:
“God so loved the world that He gave His only
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16
It is so hard for him to understand how God could love the world so much that he would
let His son die on a cross, so that other's sins could be forgiven and that one can have
the assurance of a life everlasting in heaven, if they ask Jesus to forgive them of their
sins and ask Jesus into their heart and soul.
Having Bible Study with him is like watching a little child who has just found their favorite
toy or the cookie jar, as his eyes light up and a big smile appears on his face. It is as if
he cannot get enough and wants to learn more and more and more and doesn’t want to
stop.
I will never forget praying with him, the feeling as we held each others hands and prayed
to God. He loved to say Our Father and to tell “Abba, I Love You, thank you for loving me.”
The sound of his voice as it trembled and tears fell from his eyes as HE said in prayer:
“My Father Who Art In Heaven, I love you and thank you for believing in me of all the
people in the universe. Thank you for giving of your son Jesus so that I and others may
have life forever and ever in your house when you call us home. Father, thank you for
being there when I am feeling lonely and scared. Knowing your presence makes what
ever shall happen to me be less scary for I know that I am not alone in this world
anymore. Father, I wish I would have known you earlier in my life, thank you so much
Father, I love you with all my heart and soul."
I will never forget the last time I saw him as he looked so very pale and had tears in his
eyes as he spoke to me. "Walter, thank you for believing in me and treating me with
love and respect. I always looked forward to our Bible Study and church. Not just for
the learning of God’s word and the love of the Father for all. I looked forward to our time
together, for you always left me with a smile on my face, the love of God in my heart
and either a one liner or a joke that I clung onto until I saw you the next time. You
always treated me like I was a person, not like you had to see me. You are truly a man
of God Walter, I will never forget you". I looked at him and told him that God loves him
and so do I, as my brother in Christ. Then we prayed and I sat feeling totally exhausted
as I watched him walk away. You see, the last time I saw him was just before he was
taken away in handcuffs to serve life in prison.
Open the eyes of my heart Lord. Open the eyes of my heart.
Father may I not see a man in an orange jumpsuit, sandals and wearing an
ID badge. Father may I see you, as I look him in the eyes with not the eye
in my skull but the eyes in my heart.
Matthew 25: 36 .....
“I was naked and you clothed Me. I was sick and you
visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.”
My brothers and sisters in Christ if you met him what would you do? Would you look at
him and wonder: “Whose Are You?” Would you look at him and think I may not agree
with what you have done unto another, but you are my brother for you are a child of God.
Would you realize it takes a sick mind to commit such horrid crimes but even they are
loved by God. Do you remember who hung beside our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on
the cross?
She is a nice lady who I see on a regular basis when I stop at my favorite restaurant Bob
Evans. When she sees me her eyes lite up like lights on a Christmas tree as she comes
over and smiles at me while patting me on the back. My heart goes happy with the love
of God when I see her for she has came so far. One morning a while back I looked at her
and asked how she was doing, for she looked so depressed and as if she was just
getting by. She looked at me and as her lips started to quiver she told me her mom had
died and oh how she missed her best friend. How they used to talk and talk and talk and
enjoyed being together all the time. Then her mom became ill and God called her home
to live in His house until they will be reunited once again.
Another time she shared with my wife and I how she prays to God for comfort and peace
as she lays in her bed at night. She told me that she feels my prayers for her and that
gets her through some tough hours of the day and night.
Then with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes she says thanks for one more
time and disappears into the busy restaurant.
My brothers and sisters in Christ I do not personally know her, any of her family or even
where she lives. What I know is she works hard at Bob Evans busing tables and receiving
no tips for a job well done. What I know is I saw pain in her eyes and body language.
I saw a lady with mental and physical challenges that can make everyday life difficult
without her mom’s death on her mind. What I know is she is my sister in Christ.
Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart.
Father may I see a sister in Christ not as having challenges but as worthy of
not only your love but our love for her. May I look at her not with the eyes in
my skull but with the eyes in my heart.
Ezekial 34: 12 .....
“As a shepherd seeks out the flock on the day he is among his
scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them
from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and
dark day.”
My brothers and sisters in Christ if you met her as she worked cleaning tables would you
look at her and wonder: “Whose Are You?” Would you look at her and think “Oh she
looks like she is hurting...let me reach out to her.” Or would you look at her and say, “Oh
that poor soul...I guess she is doing thebest that she can do.” My prayer is that you would
look at her and realize she is yoursister in Christ.
"Come here girl, come to daddy, good girl. You know daddy loves you so very, very much.
For you are so beautiful to me. such good girl you are, and my life is blessed for your
presence. Good girl. Give daddy a hug and a kiss. I love you so much. You are so
beautiful to me."
Their names are Cookie and Sabrina. They came into our lives as little cute puppies who
missed their mothers and were lonely. Two little baby puppies abandoned from their
mothers and facing death at the Humane Society. Small little lives full of unconditional
love, giving, play, and oh how they loved it when daddy, (I mean when "I"), would cuddle
them in my arms while reading or praying. Me and my shadows as I loved to call them
as they looked at me with those beautiful eyes. My life would be so much emptier
without their undivided love.
If you stop and think about it what is the difference between my two girls who do not know
they are dogs and you? If you stop and think about it there is nothing complicated to the
answer. You see they have four legs and we have two, but they need to be loved just as
much as those with only two legs.
Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart.
May I not look at one who is orphaned as having two legs, four legs, or being of
another race or nationality. Father, may I look at one who is orphaned as mine.
Matthew 25: 35 .....
“for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you
gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in.” My brothers and sisters in Christ
if you met one who is orphaned how would you look at them? Would you look at one who
is orphaned and wonder: Whose Are You? Would you look at one who is orphaned and say
with all your heart and soul,
“Not of my blood, not of my flesh, but you are in my heart.
You are mine for I love you for who you are, a gift from
God above.”
This mornings scriptures in Ezekial speaks of sheep, a shepherd seeking his flock and
ask the question in the Book Of Matthew: “What does the king want? What does God
require of us to do justice, to love with kindness and walk humbly in serving God?
God also gives us a message to seek and be cautious.
Ezekial 34: 16:
“I will seek the lost and bring back what was driven away,
bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will
destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them for judgment.”
God commands us to care for those less fortunate and not seek reward but to serve. Be
cautious though, as you journey out into the world and meet others. When you look at
another who you may see with the eyes in your skull and ask the question: “Whose Are
You”? Remember what God’s word says unto all of His children as they go out to serve
in the world:
Matthew 25: 42- 46:
“for I was hungry and you gave me no food: I was thirsty and you
gave Me no drink. I was a stranger and you did not take Me in,
naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you and
you did not visit Me.’ “And these will go away into everlasting
punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
My Brothers & Sisters in Christ as we prepare to leave God’s house and to serve unto the
world as Crucified Christians may we prepare with the words from God’s word which can
be found in your pew hymnals, page 402. As we prepare to serve with Open Arms, Open
Hearts and Open Doors. May we not look at another and wonder: Whose Are You?
May we look at another and proclaim with all our heart and soul,
“Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart.”
“Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart.”
“Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart.”
“Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart.”
Whose Are You? You are a child of God and I love you from my heart.
Let us pray,
Father we thank you for this day in fellowship as we come into your
house to worship and praise your name. Father as we prepare to
celebrate Thanksgiving this week may we celebrate not only in
Thanksgiving for the gifts you have blessed us with. Father, may
we celebrate in Thanksgiving all of our brothers and sisters in Christ
for when we look them in the eyes we know who they are for we
see you Father looking back at us. For this we pray Father in your
honor and your glory. Amen
11/23/2002 JWM