April Needs the Gospel

My family and I were on our way to Sea World this morning when I realized that I needed to stop for gas.  I pulled into the gas station and drove up to the pump.  Out of the corner of my eye to the right, I thought I saw a woman sitting in the passenger seat of a truck crying uncontrollably.  As I looked over, what I saw began to break my heart.  The woman was weeping and cowering like a dog that had just been beaten.  There was a man at her window obviously trying to make up for whatever had just gone down.  I've seen that lying look on the face of all kind of abusers.  You know the one.  "It's not that bad."  "I'm sorry, but you shouldn't have talked like that."  "Baby, please forgive me."  "Stop crying, you're making a fool out of yourself."

I felt the adrenaline start to rush inside of me and the Holy Spirit saying, "what are you going to do?"  So that I didn't do anything stupid, I got out of the van and began to pump gas and pray, watching as the man left the woman in the truck to go inside.  She was still crying, looking in the mirror, trying to compose herself.  Now I could see the bruises on her cheek.  My wife later told me that she could see the bruises on her arms.  Unfortunately, I didn't witness anything or I would have called the police.  I finished pumping the gas, put my keys back in the van, and walked over to the truck where the woman was crying.  I asked her if she was ok and what her name was.  She said her name was April and that they had been arguing, but nothing violent had happened.  She was obviously lying out of fear.  I told her that she needed help and how she could could contact me for help.  She told me she lived in Altamonte Springs.  Seeing that she wasn't going to do anything right then and not wanting to get her in more trouble, I prayed with her and we left.

As we drove away, I cried.  This is the very reason that we can not play "churchianity" anymore.  April needs the GOSPEL!!!  She doesn't need our programs, our Bible studies, our potlucks, our giveaways, or our churchy talk.  She needs to know the truth that she is an image bearer of God, suffering under her own sin and the sin of those around her.  She needs to know that the God who made her came to this earth to save her from sin.  She needs to know that she has a perfect Father, Friend, Savior, Brother, Husband, and Counselor and His name is Jesus.  She needs to know that Jesus died for her sin and was raised from the dead so that she might move from a life of death to an eternal life.

Without communities being transformed by the gospel, we will miss the April's of this world.  They will pass through our Sunday morning feel good events and leave never seeing the hope lived out among the people of God.  We have to stop going to church and start being the church.  The church sent to continue the work of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.  We have to bring healing to our communities, our cities, and the world.

Because there are people out there who need the gospel.
Because that man needs the gospel.
Because April needs the gospel.