The City (An Allegory)

In the distance she glistens like a diamond, bright and gleaming.  With absolutely no imperfection visible, she's pure and wonderful. She's decorated with brilliance and abundance, unlike any other city Earth has ever seen.  From her streets, to her walls, to her gates, she fashioned in splendor like an ancient city yet her appearance is new and untarnished. No city in ancient Egypt, even in its most glorious days, could ever compare to her. Neither could the cities of ancient Athens, or ancient Rome, or the more modern cities like New York, or Paris or Venice. 

The City is dazzling to look upon and vibrantly alive, bustling with activity. Lighted day and night, the city never sleeps.  It seems as though the light from her illuminates the whole world around. Even viewing from this great distance, darkness is shattered because of her brightness.

Here outside the city, in the light gleaming from her, dark, evil things are readily seen; flaunted immorality, murder, slander, idolatry and black magic, are here.  Signs tell me that none of these things can enter the city limits, and I question whether I would be allowed to enter… But, as though it is calling to me, I hear voices saying come!  I must enter this City!  I must behold its beauties for myself!  I must see the King who sit’s upon its throne!  What manner of King must He be to rule in such beauty and in such power! 

The City still seems so distant to me though.  As I travel toward it, I seemingly gain no ground in my journey. Always just out of my reach, I gaze upon it but seem to never approach it. Nothing I can do seems to make a difference.  I cannot get there in my power, though I try intently.

Then suddenly, I see an inhabitant of the city.  His clothing is bright white and unblemished, completely unlike my garments that are dull, and stained and torn.  He’s moving through this Outerworld, among the thorns and the tares, and though they pull at him, his clothes remain unsullied.

He’s calling out, but I cannot yet make out what he’s saying.  As he nears me, I hear his Words.  His must be one of those voices I have been hearing.  His language is strange to, not foul as I am accustomed to hearing, yet I can understand it.  He is searching for someone.  He is calling out to someone with an invitation to a feast with the King inside The City. 

Oh what an honor someone is about to receive, to enter The City, and to feast with its King! What I would give to be invited, but I have nothing to wear and I am dirty, and unknown by all of its inhabitants.

With some apprehension, I decide to move toward him, to see if I might find who he is looking for.  Perhaps I can point him in the correct direction.  He sees me and comes closer.  At this point, I feel sick to my stomach with fear.  Why did I let him see me?  What if he means me harm?  But as he approaches I see compassion in his eyes and my fear subsides. Looking directly into my eyes he says to me, “We have been looking everywhere for you!  You have been invited to the feast inside The City.  Will you come?  Will you leave the dark things behind and come to The City with me?”

It’s impossible that they could be looking for me! How could they even know I exist?  How could they consider letting me in, in this condition?  Just look at me!  The signs have made it clear to me, I will not be allowed in.  Besides, I have tried to approach The City and cannot find my way there.

At once, I am certain that he has mistaken me for someone else, but I can’t bear to say it.  If I tell him that I am not who he thinks I am, he will doubtlessly pass me by!  I cannot seem to speak, so I keep my mouth shut. Perhaps I will at least get a glimpse of the inside of The City before they realize I am not one who is worthy.

About then, the seeker pulls a new garment from his bag and says, “We will get you cleaned up and we’ll get you to The City in time for the feast.”

As he takes me toward The City I notice that I am being washed clean in the light of the majesty shining in the midst of The City! The closer I get to it, the cleaner I become.  My dirty tattered clothes are now falling away… no wait, they have fallen away!  That new robe that was presented to me is now upon me.  I look different.  I feel different. I understand the language much more clearly than before.  The City is now close and its light is blinding!

We are at the gates now, and I look like a dignitary.  Dressed in his robe, I look every bit as marvelous as the seeker who found me.  My clothes are new.  My face is washed.  My hands are clean. I remember that I am unworthy to go in, but the gatekeeper cannot see it!  As we are about to enter the gates, the seeker says, “This is a son of the King!  He was lost in the Outerworld. We have found him and he has left all behind, and has come to the feast of the King!” 

Multitudes of people dressed like me, along with beings of light flying back and forth in The City, burst in to celebration!  The City echoes with shouts, “We have found Him, the one who was lost has been found!” I am being welcomed like a celebrity! Just as I am about to tell them that they are mistaken, that I am not who they believe me to be, The King calls to me… by name.

I turn in shock, horrified at what He will do when He sees me.  How does He know my name?  He extends both arms to welcome me!! “My son!”, He says as he holds me close! Certainly I do not deserve this! I have no merit!  Who am I?  I’m not from The City.  I’ve tried to attain entrance and couldn’t even get close! But somehow the King knows me, He calls me His son, and He welcomes me in! 

Then He points to the seeker, “Your older brother,” The King says, “was willing to leave all this splendor, to go into the Outerworld, to give his own life up, and become like you to find you and bring you here.  You were born in an evil place, but you are home now! The City is your home, come enjoy it!”

Forevermore I will be thankful! I still can’t understand how I, who was lost, became found, or how I who was unworthy became an heir. How can it be that I who was dirty, am now made clean?  How is it that I who was of the darkness, has become a child of light?  Or how can I, who was lost in the Outerworld, now be a resident of The City?  Thanks be to the King who had someone search for me!  Thanks be to the Seeker, who gave His life up to find me! 

Yet, there are others lost in the Outworld, other sons and other daughters.  Someone has to go after them! Will you go with me and the seeker, to search for them and bring them into The City?

When God Breaks Our Heart

We don’t often think of God as a heartbreaker. He is love.  In His presence is fullness of joy. He binds up the broken hearted! So how could God, or why would He, break my heart?  Is it even possible that God would ‘cause’ me to experience sorrow?  Sure it is! The bible even says in 2 Corinthians 7:10 “Godly sorrow worketh repentance.” 

Certainly God’s heart breaks for lost humanity. Genesis 6:6 tells us that it repented God, or grieved Him, that He created men. (It wasn’t that He made a mistake, but that we brought sorrow into His life.)  Jesus looked out over the city of Jerusalem and mourned saying, “Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”

So, here is a point I want to make: If God’s heart breaks for lost humanity, why doesn’t ours?  We have been redeemed from eternal damnation! Why then are we so unconcerned with those who are still on the way to Hell?

I have often asked God to allow me to feel what He feels. I have found on occasion, that I cannot handle it.  I don’t know if you have ever experienced it, or not, but I am experiencing it to a certain degree even now as I write this, and I have experienced it several times before.  I honestly believe that God will sometimes allow us to experience what breaks His heart to galvanize us to His purpose.

Some of you will remember, I recently stood before the congregation unable to speak through the anguish I was experiencing on behalf of abandoned children in Brazil. We need our hearts broken! Not just for Brazil, or for Uganda, or Pakistan or Israel or even... America, but our hearts should be groaning within us because of the pain in God’s heart for His lost world.

We sing a song in worship sometimes that says, “(Lord) break my heart for what breaks yours.” Do we really want it though?  Because, it’s far easier to just be satisfied with what God has done for us, and just let the rest of the world go to hell.

Oh, God shake us! Wake your church to the cry of your heart! If our hearts need to break so that we might feel Your grief for the lost, then let us experience heartbreak! Let Godly sorrow bring us to repentance for our lack of concern for those around us!  For Lord, if we will partake of Your glory, should we not also partake in Your suffering?  Save this region Lord, and use us to do it!