My last year in Glasgow…

I remember just over a year ago, I had a bunch of people ask me, ‘Mark, why are you so serious?’, ‘Are you happy?’, ‘Life’s all about fun!’, etc. At first, I was struck at how these questions came pretty much at the same time from various people. Then I began to wonder, do they have a point?

I’m aware that I come across pretty serious some times. I’m aware that my passion for the truth can some times come across like you’ve just insulted my family, and I’m verbally beating you to death. But I’ve come to a conclusion, which is by no means supposed to come across as me bigging myself up, or whatever… but what I honestly believe and ‘feel’.

Since last year I lived in a city where every time I took out the rubbish, I smashed a glass bottle that the kids who skipped school used as a bong to smoke cannabis from; there was regular drunkards walking up and down the streets at various times of the day; women would stop me outside the local shop to ask me to buy lighter fluid for them to inhale; I’d walk into a pub and literally feel the agression in the air; I’d encounter guys who’d “taken too many pills, and just wanted to talk for a few minutes” because they were scared; I’d see guys clearly taking advantage of drunk girls; and have to step over the pools of vomit in the morning. All in all, it was hopelessness, everywhere.

Just a few months ago, I met a homeless heroin addict, who ended up sharing his story with me. His mother committed suicide. His dad drank himself to death shortly afterwards. One of his brothers overdosed on heroin and died, the other brother overdosed on methadone and died. And his sister was a heroin addict, going out with a heroin addict.

Within the last two days… I’ve talked to a Christian whose faith is on the rocks because a few years ago his mother died of cancer, and his father got super ill. I’ve talked to a girl, on the street, who randomly told me she is on anti-depressants, and on top of that, smoking hash and taking cocaine. Why? Because within the last year her ‘boyfriend’ got her pregnant and she had an abortion.

Here’s what kills me. I am so overwhelmed by the sheer hopelessness in Glasgow, the utter wreckage that you’re average person on the street’s life is in, and the utter lack of the presence of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I literally sat in my room tonight, praying… “What’s the plan here, God?”.

I’m sick of the fact that I’ve spent more time watching dvd’s this past week, when apparently right now I can’t even leave my flat without being presented an opportunity to share the gospel with the lost. I’m furious with the idea, that we ‘Christians’ can sit comfortably in our pews, talking about serving Jesus, when all it takes is a half hour walk in the west end to tell a broken hearted girl who’s had an abortion, that Jesus, not only took the punishment for our sin, but cleansed us from our sin, and the shame, bitterness, hurt, brokenheartedness and guilt that accompanies our sin. That he died to redeem us from our sin. That his death was victory over sin. That he who knew no sin, became sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God.

Go for a walk. Courageously share the gospel. Glasgow needs it.

 

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