In 2018, vacationers and residents of Hawaii received a terrifying message. You may remember. The message read “Ballistic Missile Threat Inbound To Hawaii. Seek Immediate Shelter. This is not a drill”. Everyone on the island received it. Thirty-eight terrifying minutes passed until a false alarm message was released by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. After this incident, Bob Goff, a favorite author, and speaker of mine wanted to get in contact with the guy who accidentally sent this message. Bob found his contact information and sent him a letter offering this guy a job. Bob figured that this is one of those types of mistakes where you get fired the next day for making it. Bob said, “if he says yes (to the job offer) I will hire that guy on the spot. I won’t want him to think he is a loser just because he blew it and God does not want you to think that you are either”.

This summer the youth group will be completing our teaching series titled Faith in an Anxious World by Fuller Youth Institute. This teaching series has set us on a journey reflecting upon New Testament stories where Jesus enters into anxious situations with his disciples. This Sunday, we will look at two pretty hopeless situations from the book of Luke. Through our reading and reflection, we will discover that when we are going through a difficult time, we are Jesus’ top priority. In the bible stories we will read, we will discover that Jesus notices those that others don’t. When this guy sent out this terrifying message about a ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii, Bob stopped and noticed this guy. Bob noticed this guy, not just for the horrible mistake he made but wanted him to know that he is cared for and loved.

Dear God,
You love us despite our mistakes and setbacks. Your grace is enough. Give us courage and thoughtful insight into when those around us may need extra encouragement and support from us. Amen.