You Didn't Know Me

Read Isaiah 45:1-7

“You Didn’t Know Me”

 Just this last week I had to take a trip to Memphis to meet with some of my friends serving on the streets. On Thursday night there was a special, memorial ride planned. This is not the first time UBFM has done this. When a close friend’s life is taken due to the conditions of homelessness, we honor that person. This time was a little out of the ordinary. Usually when we do this a handful of the person’s street friends will show up to honor their comrade. But this time a small crowd was gathered.

About twelve UBFM members began the ride from our building downtown and we pedaled to the place where Nick called his home. It’s a small loading dock in the back of the Memphis Library. When we arrived a handful of Nick’s friends walked up. We lit candles and laid flowers in the place where he spent his last days. While we were doing this, a couple showed up with a nicely framed photo of Nick and they placed it on the loading dock with the other commemoratives. Out of the quietness among the group the man spoke out, “We really appreciate y’all doing this. We are Nick’s parents.” As it would seem Lyle, UBFM leader and coordinator, managed to contact Nick’ mother after his passing. Just a couple of months ago while Lyle was visiting with Nick, he asked to use Lyle’s phone to call his mom. Lyle still had the number in his phone and he had informed Nick’s family of the memorial.

During the memorial I offered a prayer and gave a short message. After that everyone present was given the opportunity to say a few words about Nick. When it came to the UBFM members that new him they all had stories about Nick that connected them with God. They told of how his presence and meekness created a spiritual presence. As I witnessed this I noticed a moment of solace from Nick’s parents. As it would seem, Nick did not have a strong relationship with God. But, during the moments that the UBFM members spent with him they felt God. That was very comforting to Nick’s mother and father and also to us all.

We summarized the memorial but singing Amazing Grace together. And, how amazing God’s grace is. What is also amazing is how God used Nick to strengthen people and the Spirit of Christ in people but many of the people that new him would have never had expected it. The common and sometimes cliché saying, “God works in mysterious ways” holds so much truth to me. Sometimes it is humorous to me to see God work in these mysterious ways. God also works through mysterious people, people that we would not expect to see God work through. Is it possible that God could use a person to do God’s work but not know God? Is it possible that God could use a person to make a heavenly kingdom impact on the world but that person not be a believer? I think it is very possible. I think God loves to use very unlikely people to make a difference in the world and in our lives. I think God does this to show us the potential in people. And I think God does this because God loves people beyond the world’s boundaries.

Cyrus was not the likely person to be the savior for Judah. This is such an understatement. Cyrus was a pagan war-mongering conqueror bent on taking control of some of the greatest kingdoms in Palestine. How is it possible that this pagan Persian ruler could be part of God’s will for the sovereignty of God’s purpose? How would God possibly use a person that appears to be evil in the world for the favor of God’s children? How is it possible?

It was a time when the Babylonians had taken control of Judah and the kingdom laid at waste and ruin. Everything was in shambles and the Jews had been exiled in to Babylon. Much of the bible describes the many obstacles of God’s chosen people. This was not just an obstacle; this was a low point that many of these people thought they would never recover from. It was a time that they thought all hope was gone and the idea of a messiah was lost. Their aspirations for the recreation of their home was just a dream. Many of the people that had been exiled into Babylonia were slaves to those that had taken control of their homeland. Some of the Jewish people had given up their faith in God to worship the pagan gods because they lost hope in Yahweh. Of course they thought that these pagan gods would give them good fortune because they brought victory to the enemies. To them, it appeared that their God was against them because they continued to lose so much. Now that these pagan gods destroyed their home and their temple, naturally, they must be more observant than Yahweh. But, they failed to understand that pain and suffering is part of the world and in the end, God will prevail.

They also failed to look for God in the most unexpected places and people. The prophet Isaiah proclaimed that a time was near that God would overcome the oppressors that controlled them. God would rebuild their homeland, God would rebuild the temple, and God would take them back to their home in Judah. And, God would do this with the strong arm of a great king and leader! God would use the most qualified person for the job. This person would have to act in the exact time and use the right strategy because it would not be easy. God would use Cyrus, the king of Persia… What? You mean Cyrus, the guy that’s bent on war and conquest? The guy that worships pagan God’s and has nothing to do with the God of Israel? Yes, that is him and he will defeat the Babylonian armies and when he’s conquered them he will initiate the rebuilding of Judah and the temple. Indeed, Cyrus did as the prophet proclaimed. But, Isaiah does say that he did these things because God anointed him and grasped him by the hand. The prophet says that God called him by name; God gave him an honored title. God used this man for the glory of God’s people but he did not know God.

Cyrus defeated the Babylonians and many other kingdoms. In this he freed many of the people enslaved by the Babylonians, he rebuilt the temple, and he helped them rebuild Judah. He was the first Persian king to rule over Judah and much of Palestine.

So, why would God use such a person to do God’s work? The text tells us that he did not know God but God gave him strength. He worshiped other gods but the creator gave him strength. It is quite interesting to ponder that. It begs me to ask, “Who does God give strength?” Let us keep in mind that God did not give one of the exiled Jews strength to defeat the enemy. He did not strengthen a group to rise up from the ashes to make a great comeback story. No, God chose an enemy to do God’s work. God gave strength to an enemy to defeat another enemy. To the Jews, after Cyrus rose to power, they saw him as an ally and Isaiah called him a shepherd of the Lord.

Who does God give strength to today? It doesn’t have to be some prophet of God, some super Christian that spends their days trying to fight for pious ethics in the world. It is probably not some missionary that has traveled world and claims to have all the answers. Perhaps it is not some evangelical good ole boy with a nice suit and a persuasive discourse. It’s probably not the person that tells everyone they are going to make everything better. It is probably not the person that has specific biases for specific communities. God uses the most unlikely people to change the world. I am not saying that God will use some pagan ruler bent on conquest to change the world. That’s already been done. But, what I’m saying is do not discredit anyone because you don’t think God is with them or working through them. God works through us all. God uses us all even if we do not expect it, even if we do not want it. God can do that. The strength of our Lord is so much greater than anyone can fathom. With that said, I think it is essential to constantly look for God and listen for God in every facet of our lives. Be aware of where God could be and be cautious of who and what you reject. God knows how to change the world and that change might be in the form of someone or something that we do not expect.

No one expected God to use the life of one man to change the course of history. No one knew what would happen hundreds of years after a man would be nailed to a cross. But that person, the poor rabbi that favored the unfavorable, the man that shared his life with the marginalized, the man that gave hope to the hopeless was the person that God strengthened to change everything.

Friends, be aware of people around you and be aware that God could potentially be anywhere in any person. God has the power to change the world and it is quite possible that God may use the most unlikely people. Praise be to God!