You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet. (Matthew 24:6, WEB)

Tbilisi, Georgia

As the 29th Olympiad got underway in Beijing last week, Russian troops, tanks, and armored personnel poured across the Georgian border and immediately took control over two disputed regions in that country. The day was supposed to mark world unity, but for people living in one area of the globe, it was anything but that — Georgian forces were immediately overwhelmed and hundreds, perhaps thousands of citizens lost their lives.

I read the above verse and wonder to myself, “How can I not be troubled?” A sovereign nation is attacked and innocent civilians are killed, wounded, or left homeless. Clearly, this is troubling news, especially for those who are embroiled in that conflict.

I don’t have to pull up my Greek lexicon to understand what Jesus meant when he used the word troubled. Common sense tells me that there is something else He wants us to know and it is this: no matter how gloomy things look here on earth, our Father above is in full control.

Why is this important?

Because if you are in the midst of the battle or observing what is happening, you can easily be distracted from seeing that God is working things out even in the darkest of moments. Moreover, when these events do take place it doesn’t mean that the end is at hand, rather these are the sort of things that will take place before His return.

Better than worrying about what is going on in the world we should consider doing the following:

Pray – Ask for God to intervene in the situation. Don’t tell God how to end the conflict, rather ask that He have His way with those caught up in it. Pray for those in authority (1 Timothy  2) including Russian and Georgian leaders and others interested in resolving the conflict. The hearts of those who rule are in the hand of God; like a river He can change the course of events in His time.

Take Action — As God leads, your response to this type of conflict may include some sort of personal involvement. You may not be called to lead a team to go to Tbilisi with aid, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help out. Government aid is already pouring in, but organizations like Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision, and others are also at work, seeking financial contributions from people like you.

Persist — No matter how bad this conflict turns out to be or if you’re caught up in your own storm, holding fast to what is good and living your life as a vine intertwined with our Savior will carry you through (John 15:5). We here in the west have yet to be thoroughly tested, but our time will come. Will you shrink in the heat of the battle or will you stand firmly upon the Rock? That Rock is Jesus.

The Summer Olympics are going forward without interruption, but we know that the global unity that some are seeking is only on the surface. Lying just beneath are other conflicts or threats of the same, events which need not shake our hearts but serve to remind us that God is in control and that His return nears.

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More than eight million children were helped by people just like you via Operation Christmas Child. You can pack a shoebox and you can volunteer at a regional processing center this year. Registration is now in progress.

I “borrowed” the name from a brochure I received in the mail yesterday for the title of this article, a colorful tri-fold publication sent to our family from Samaritan’s Purse. I wasn’t surprised about the timing of its arrival although on August 1st, just who is thinking about Christmas?

Well, if you’re part of the Operation Christmas Child team you are!

Processing Center Registration Has Begun!

Starting on August 1st of each year, Samaritan’s Purse puts out the call for volunteers to set aside some of their time to help process the millions of shoe boxes packed for needy children around the world for its Operation Christmas Child (OCC) outreach. These boxes must go through regional processing centers first where volunteers check each one to make sure that the items being sent are appropriate and that every box is secure. Volunteers typically work four hour shifts although other opportunities for assistance lasting as long as one week are also available.

More than 65,000 volunteers participate annually at six processing centers across the US: Boone and Charlotte, NC; Atlanta; Orange County, CA; Minneapolis; and in Denver. Additional processing centers are in place elsewhere in the world; if your country participates in this vital outreach you can check your local OCC office for that information.

Collection Week Is November 17-24 In The US

When the packing is done, shoe boxes are loaded up on aircraft and sent to scores of destinations around the world. It isn’t just at Christmas when these gifts arrive as shoe boxes can be packed and sent in at any time, but an annual collection week makes everything easier, an eight-day period that will take place from November 17-24, 2008 (the week varies according to your country).

As you can imagine, the work of these volunteers is part of a massive effort that is in operation year round. One reason why the call goes out so early is that spots fill up quickly. Samaritan’s Purse reports that people from 28 states participate and, as long as your children are at least 13 years of age, they can volunteer too.

Of course, if helping out in this way isn’t a possibility for you, don’t fret — God can use you in other ways too.

Churches, civic organizations, community groups, and other people who want to put a smile on a child’s face and share the love of the Lord with them are always needed. In fact, if you want to organize your local shoebox packing group, then you can go ahead and do that by ordering materials and getting the word out.

This campaign is very effective with more than 8 million children in over 100 countries impacted every year.

One more suggestion: this time of year many states offer tax free weekends covering the sale of school supplies and related goods. Why not pick up an extra box of crayons, pencils, small notepads, and related material now and include those items with what you pack?

Yes, you can make a difference for a child…one shoebox at a time!

(Source: Samaritan’s Purse)

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