Say Anything

Isaiah 40:9 -- "Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, lift up your voice mightily...say to the cities of Judah, 'Here is your God!'"

Every step forward was sharp, jagged pain and even his very breathing burned like a flame, but his life depended on taking the next step - and then the next - and then the next.

Separated from Lewis and Clark, John Coulter had become badly wounded in an escape from some blood-thirsty Blackfeet Tribe members defending their territory and hunting rights. In a real-life "most dangerous game" Coulter had been stripped naked and told to run for his life. Miraculously, he managed to elude the Tribal Hunters and barely made it to Manuel's Fort where the telling of his tale would forever put him in the Anals of American History.

It wasn't just suspense and adventure of which John spoke, however, and it was actually the colorful description of the setting within which his exploits unfolded that caught the attention of artist Thomas Moran. The combination of story-teller and landscape artist would go on to change our Country's legacy forever. Within the visions of these two men - was the budding and growing endeavor to preserve part of our national natural beauty by written law. The inspiration kindled by Coulter and Moran lead to the very first National Park in the entire world. Once a federal law was in place for the preservation of some of America's most beautiful places - the rest of the world would follow suit. Nationally protected parks are now available in almost every country on the globe.

And just think - none of it would have happened if one man had decided to keep his mouth shut.

[for more information on the history of our great National Parks and the works of Thomas "Yellowstone" Moran, go to www.thomas-moran.org, npca.org, and pbs.org]

You and I have been charged with spreading The Good News. It doesn't get any plainer than in the book of Isaiah where we are told to go up on the highest mountain and lift our voices mightily! We might not see the fruits of our labor immediately and often we aren't exactly thanked for our efforts - but the consequences that may come if we don't go and tell could be absolutely devastating. 

Think on this; It's largely due to conservation and preservation efforts that the North American Beaver is still alive. The same can be said for the Sperm Whale, the Florida Panther, and the Kakapo of New Zealand. The trickle down effect of a world without National Parks would be staggering!

So would be the trickle down effect of a world without Jesus. We are already able to see what happens to a nation when God is largely removed from the training and teaching of our children or when we collectively remove Christ from Christmas. What would happen if God were not here at all? I don't think it's ever been MORE important for us to call attention to our Lord, God, and Savior!

So say it! Say ANYTHING about God! Call attention to His vast works and amazing grace. You never know how very far your words may be carried.