No One Left Behind
In the early morning hours on Black Friday, a bus carrying 16 passengers departed from Elmhurst CRC, bound for three maximum-security prisons in Mississippi and Louisiana.
No doubt, the “holidays” are the time of year when discouragement and loneliness have their strongest pull behind bars, but we were on a mission to share the good news that,
“No one is left behind.”
While "No one left behind" is not an official U.S. Army motto, it is a widely adopted principle and ethos across all branches of the U.S. military that emphasizes never forsaking a fallen comrade or fellow service member, whatever the circumstance. Never leave behind a brother or sister who is wounded. Never leave behind a brother or sister who has fallen into the hands of an enemy. And never leave behind even the body of a fallen comrade.
Through sharing the music of Behold the Lamb of God, our musicians proclaimed the message that Jesus, the “brave little boy who’s our Savior,” has moved heaven and earth to find us, rescue us, and never forsake us. Jesus would never leave any of us behind. That Gospel message is in sharp contrast to the lived experience of most prisoners who have been incarcerated for years, decades, or longer. Most men in prison are slowly forgotten by friends, neighbors, and even family. In some cases, only their mother (if she is still living) remembers and visits them.
Rev. Jason Turner also shared with the men from his recent experience as an Army Chaplain in the Middle East, how serving together - far from the comfort of home and family - could knit a group of soldiers into a “band of brothers.” What a message! And what is true on a human, military level rings even more truly on a spiritual level. “No one left behind” means that even our simple presence from Chicago can be a small sign that Jesus remembers them, cares for them, and will never forget them, even while in prison.
This December, I would love for each of us in the suburbs to receive the same message, “Jesus has come for us, too!” God doesn’t intend to leave any of his children behind or outside the warmth of his light and love. There are quite a few special events around ECRC this December through which we try to communicate the Good News. Nobody should go to all of these events - a heavy dose of quiet, reflective time also befits the season - but I highly recommend you say “Yes” to at least one of the invitations that ECRC is offering, and perhaps share it with a friend. Maybe it’s to an outdoor live nativity or a Little Lambs program. Maybe it’s to The Broken Halos performance of Behold the Lamb of God in downtown Elmhurst on Thursday the 18th. Maybe it’s to a midnight communion service on Christmas Eve. Choose the right moment for you and yours, and allow yourself to be included in God’s good plan to find us, rescue us, and never forsake us.
It’s the same good news on both sides of the prison wall!
– Pastor Gregg