I have nothing against the man, but I very much doubt that the late John Denver is going to show up on anyone’s list of the greatest theologians of all time. He was one heck of a good songwriter, though,
and he does make at least one bold theological claim that I am aware of: that the State of West Virginia is, in fact, almost heaven.
Pitt fans might disagree, of course, but those of us who have spent significant time in the Mountain State know there’s something special about it. Natural beauty abounds, and generally speaking, most West Virginians are hard-working and friendly. Sounds heavenly enough, right? But let’s not be naïve: there are some parts of the state that just aren’t so beautiful. For a variety of reasons, there are places where poverty abounds, and there seems to be no way out. While it’s true there are no easy answers, perhaps the simplest one is this: we need to make West Virginia more like heaven.
It’s not as difficult as it sounds. Those who dwell in heaven experience the perfect knowledge and love of God. To make West Virginia – or Pennsylvania, or Maryland, or even Ohio – more like heaven, we have to do two things. The first, and most obvious, is to pray, asking God to enlighten the hearts of the people so that they might come to knowledge of Him. The second is to love them as God does.
One look at the crucifix shows what God’s love looks like. It’s certainly not abstract, and it’s certainly sacrificial. This Sunday, just over 150 people from our Appalachia Mission group will descend on the town of Mullens to be of service to our brothers and sisters in need. The plan is to work hard to repair some homes to give people a shot at a safer, healthier life; but mainly to pray with and for them to remind them that they are loved by God.
Pray for us – and them – this week. Pray for our safety in travel, our success at work, but most of all, for our sanctification.