I Know a Guy

How many of us have dabbled in DIY? Everything starts out fine until we realize just how far over our heads we have gotten with the project. After weeks of trying to figure it out on our own, we give up… We walk away from it feeling down and depressed. Until the day we hear from a friend those magic words: “You know what, I know a guy.” Eventually this guy comes to do what you couldn’t and probably better than you could have on your own. It’s possible you have a story like that. History has many stories like this.

During the civil war, a soldier had lost both his brother and his dad to death on the same day. So the soldier wanted to visit the president and plead his case to go home and care for his remaining family.  He was given a pass to do so.  When he got to the White House the guard on duty said to him, “You can’t see the president, young man! Don’t you know there’s a war going on? The president is a very busy man! Now go away, son! Get back out there on the battle lines where you belong!”

Feeling crestfallen and upset, the soldier left. He ended up sitting on a park bench not far from the White House when a little boy came up to him. The boy asked the soldier, “Soldier, you look unhappy. What’s wrong?” The soldier looked at this little boy and explained his situation and the hurt he felt. He told this boy that he lost his father and brother because they were killed in the war. He explained that his mother and sister had no one to help them with the farm. The little boy listened and said, “I can help you, soldier.” He took the soldier by the hand and led him back to the front gate of the White House. The guard didn’t seem to notice because they weren’t stopped. They walked straight to the front door of the White House and right inside. Once inside, they walked past many high-ranking officials and no one said a word to the pair. The soldier couldn’t understand why nobody tried to stop them.

When they reached the Oval Office, the little boy didn’t even knock on the door. He just walked right in and led the soldier in with him. There behind the desk was Abraham Lincoln and his Secretary of State, looking over battle plans that were laid out on his desk. The president looked up at the two before him and said, “Good afternoon, Todd. Can you introduce me to your friend?”  Todd Lincoln, the president’s son, said, “Daddy, this soldier needs to talk to you.” The soldier was able to explain his case before Mr. Lincoln, and right then and there he received the exemption that he desired.

We may feel at the end of the line. But there is hope. We know a guy. Paul says it this way, But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:13-14).
 
We were once far away. Rejected. Turned away. But Jesus took us by the hand and walked us to his father’s office. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit (Ephesians 2:17-18). We have access to the Father today through his Son by the Holy Spirit. We can have hope because it’s living in the person of Jesus Christ. We know a guy today! The power of sin is overcome. It is finished, it is done. Hallelujah for the cross (Chris McClarney, Hallelujah for the Cross)!

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