For a long time I was confused when semis had the term “logistics” on their doors. The word sounded so much like “statistics” I figured it had to be something related to mathematics, and I never really thought of truck drivers to be people with a passion for math. Finally I took the time to look it up. Logistics is “the detailed coordination of a complex operation involving many people, facilities, or supplies.” I guess it does have something to do with mathematics!
Logistics, in my little mind, is simply (though not always that simple) the art/science of getting things from where they are to where they are needed.
Our congregation recently printed business cards for all our members to hand out. They provide vital information in a concise format, and have room on the back to add a personal note. This morning I am thinking that we could have put the word logistics on those cards … because that really is the business the church is in.
God’s grace in Christ Jesus (the “commodity”) does no good simply sitting with God. The place where it is needed is in the hearts of mankind. And God has “contracted” (created) the church (the people of God in Christ Jesus) to get his grace from where it is to where it is needed.
Do you need God’s grace? Here it is, delivered to you free (absolutely no shipping charges, ever): “God so loves YOU that he gave his only Son, that as YOU believe in him, YOU will not perish but have eternal life. For God does not send his Son to condemn YOU, but in order that YOU might be saved through him.” (John 3.16-17) So much for the shipping … my prayer is that you are receiving it, because, you see, “to all who do receive him, who believe in his name, he gives the right to become children of God, who are born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”‘ (John 1.12-13)
Regarding those who are receivers, we are further told that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5.17-19). In other words, whenever someone receives God’s grace in Christ, we say to them, “Welcome to the family,” and then, “Welcome to the family business.”
When you think about it, asking someone, “Do you need God’s grace?” (as I asked you a couple paragraphs ago) is really a foolish question. We all need God’s grace – whether we realize it or not. And everyone who receieves this email has God’s grace shipped to them at least once each week (execpt for those weeks when there is a ‘logistical’ problem!)
God has given to you a truckload of his grace from his endless supply. Each day of our lives we encounter countless others who are in need of it. And our task, quite simply, it to get God’s grace in Christ from where it is (with us) to where it is needed (them).
Or, more simply put, “Welcome, my friends, to the shipping department.”