First Responders in the house of God
One thing which stood out the most through my trip to New York City was the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum. The Memorial is a tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993. The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks are inscribed into bronze panels edging the Memorial pools. //Source: 911 Memorial & Museum
As I walked around one of the pools, something caught my eye and they were these two words: First Responders. My initial thought was that these are the emergency personnels such as the policemen, firefighters and paramedics who first arrived at the scene. A quick search on Google validated my assumption as the Merriam-Webster dictionary provided the following definition: “a person (such as a police officer or an EMT) who is among those responsible for going immediately to the scene of an accident or emergency to provide assistance”.
Many of the first responders of the September 11 attacks were unsung heroes who sacrificed their lives in their search and rescue of those trapped and injured. One such story out of many was that of Peter J. Ganci Jr., the highest ranking officer in the New York Fire Department (NYFD). Being the chief, he led by example by being on the ground with his men and coordinating the rescue efforts.
“The chief would never ask anyone to do something he didn’t do himself. It didn’t surprise me that he was right at the front lines. You would never see Pete five miles away, in some command center.’’
Howard Safir, who was his direct superior as fire commissioner from 1994 to 1996 in a interview with the New York Times. //Source: New York Times
Ganci narrowly escaped the collapse of the South Tower but went back to direct the rescue efforts of the North Tower. The command post have decided to clear the area because it was apparent the North Tower would fall. However, Ganci himself did not evacuate, saying, “I’m not leaving my men”, and remained at that location.
He died in the midst of action when the North Tower eventually collapsed.
As I stood there and contemplated on those two words, it dawned upon me that they are so relevant to us as Christians.
Many of us aren’t in a profession which requires us to be a first responder in an emergency, but as Christians, we are called to be first responders as well.
When the church needs us the most, do we show up and turn up?
Do we give our best when we are serving in the house God?
Do we carry the church in our hearts and in our prayers?
To many of us, we belong to a church but can we also say that my church belongs to us?
If we belong to a church, we are simply a church attendee and member. However, if the church belongs to us, we are sons and daughters who take ownership and responsibility of the house of God.
Jesus first showed us what it meant to take ownership of the house of God. He was in Jerusalem nearing the Jewish Passover celebration and when he visited the temple, he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money (John 2:14 NLT). Jesus then drove them out and made a statement:
John 2:16 (NLT)
“Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”
Jesus specifically used the words ‘my Father’s house’. He didn’t just said ‘temple’ or ‘a place of worship’. This verse speaks of how Jesus felt at the moment:
Psalm 69:9 (NLT)
Passion for your house has consumed me…
The words Jesus used reflected of his love, passion for the house of God. Jesus took ownership of his Father’s house as his own.
Therefore, this is the theme of Heart of God Church’s Building Fund this year:
Heart of God Church belongs to me.
So, what does this mean for us?
When the church calls for a prayer meeting, we are the first to respond.
When there is a ministry which needs more manpower, we are the first to respond.
When our zone needs us to take care of new friends, we are the first respond.
When our Connect Group needs help to run a CG meeting, we are the first to respond.
If HOGC belongs to us, when the church experienced a breakthrough, we will celebrate. When the church is going through a low period, we will mourn and be concerned. If HOGC belongs to us, whether be it good or bad times, we will stand with the church. How we feel is affected by how the church is doing.
It doesn’t necessarily require an emergency or crisis to cause us to respond first. All it takes is a love and passion for the house of God and our lives aligned with the ebb and flow of the house of God.
Find out more about the amazing church I call home: Heart of God Church.
