Even Just One

This is an email that I received today. I wanted to share it because it is a great example of Luke 15:7 "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety–nine just persons who need no repentance." This email comes from Dara.

"Did you hear about the 16 year old girl they pulled out alive yesterday in Haiti? She had been in a bathroom, and managed to stay alive for the last 15 days by drinking water from the bath. I was thinking about how absolutely miraculous that this girl is still alive and in relative good health, beyond the obvious dehydration. Then I started thinking about how the world has been celebrating whenever one more person is found alive- just one person in the midst of hundreds of thousands- and we celebrate with tears in our eyes that even just one more is alive. And then it clicked- that is what heaven is like when just one more person is saved. Its not the number that matters, it is the feeling of utter gratitude and amazement that one more person has been pulled from disaster and death, and brought into the land of the living. It is one more life that has a second chance at living. It is one more miracle of God. That is why even just one person matters. And that is why we should celebrate the one- even just one."

We rejoice more over the one survivor in Haiti than the thousands who are already known to be alive. We sit on the edge of our seat in anticipation when we hear that they may have found another survivor. Our anticipation and excitement quickly turns to tears and rejoicing when we get our first glimpse at a survivor as they are pulled out. It's not wrong, just human. It's not that we don't celebrate the life of those alive, we are just reminded about the frailness of life and rejoice at those who beat the odds. As the miracles continue to happen, let's not forget where they come from. Let us not forget who orchestrates such miracles as these. As miraculous as it is to see this girl still alive after fifteen days, it is even more miraculous to think that we have an opportunity to be in a relationship with the One who created us. Why? Because we are reminded of the frailness of our spiritual life and rejoice for the one who comes to know Jesus just beat all the odds. So together, let's celebrate one-even just  one.

Have you ever "beat the odds" in your life? What made it possible for you to overcome?

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