I suppose those who know me might consider me somewhat of a “runner”. Though I certainly don’t run marathons or even half-marathons all that often, it is safe to say that I typically find myself hitting the asphalt 3-4 times a week. There are several reasons I enjoy running: 1) it is a great way to stay in shape; 2) it is a wonderful time to think, pray or even listen to great sermons by guys such as John Piper, Matt Chandler and others; and 3) I am awarded the opportunity of exploring our city from a much different perspective than that of a car.
Being that I live in the South Side, I like to get out and run (dare I say) to more attractive parts of town. Perhaps my favorite and most regular run is to cross the railroad tracks on 29th street and head north toward the medical corridor, diving west to a favorite Billings spot, Pioneer Park. From there I run many streets in that small, quaint, attractive little community, eventually heading South on N. 31st Street back toward S. 31st where I live. It is really quite notable the difference that exist on this one street as you cross from N. 31stto S. 31st. On one side of the tracks there are attractive, well maintained homes with green grass and beautiful landscaping, while on the other side there is virtually no green grass, dilapidated and chopped up housing and the only landscaping to be seen are the weeds that happen to look like flowers. Herein lies the reason I enjoy running in the “nicer” parts of town – there is a definite sense of order and creativity that resonates with my heart’s longing for the Kingdom of God. And as I run I am reminded that it is for this reason that my family and I live in the South Side. We are longing for another kingdom, the Kingdom yet to come, and in the midst of brokenness, despair, addictions and chaos, we go forth boldly to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, believing that He can and will restore that which is in seemingly disrepair.
Speaking in John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” Jesus is LIGHT. To follow Him means that no longer will we stumble around in darkness, for as we are in Christ, we now have and bear this Light. So as I meander back across the tracks and into the South Side, I am all the more reminded that my family and I are to be Light in our community. As the apostle John says later in 1 John 1:7, we are to “walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light” and if we do this we will have “fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin”.
There are days I question what good, if any, we offer the South Side. In addition to my work with CLDI, I’m a pastor, husband and father of four, not failing to mention that my wife is not only a wife and mother, but a practicing physician as well. Needless to say, we are busy, maybe even too busy. And as I lay my head down at night, thinking of the many neighbors of mine I failed to connect with in one way or another, it isn’t long before I feel we are falling short in our ministry in the South Side. It is often in this time that I am brought back to Jesus’ words in John – we have the Light of Life… as individuals, as a family and as neighbors of the South Side, we embody and reflect the Light of Christ. Should we never do any great programs, or redevelop the South Side in the ways I envision, as we whole heartedly seek after the heart of God to know and love Him, we will be and are the Light of Christ to our neighbors, pointing them to the one who can quench all thirst and forever satisfy their soul with the abundant life found in the path of discipleship unto Christ. To be the Light… to do nothing more than this is the most significant “ministry” we believers can be involved in as we seek to Love God and Love Others.
Press on saints…
Eric
September 2012
