Today is the day that many have waited for and many have dreaded at the same time.  I am not sure when you will read this but sometime today the world will say “Goodbye” to Michael Jackson in an extravaganza probably unequaled in the past, present and perhaps the future.  My post will not stand in judgment of MJ, although I have a strong dislike for the cult he was said to be a part of.  I prefer to stake my flag on another hill- a hill he often sang about- but in all likelihood knew little about…the hill of love…but not just any love.

I was reading recently about an incident in the life of D.L.Moody in which he was visiting churches in England when he met a young and eager preacher named Henry Moorhouse.  Being polite, Moody invited the young man to preach at his church in Chicago if he should ever get there.  A month after he arrived home he received a telegram from Moorhouse saying he had just arrived in New York and would be in Chicago on Sunday.  Moody was dumbfounded and embarrassed and to make matters worse would be gone that Sunday.  But a promise was a promise so he told his church leaders to “allow Moorhouse to preach one time.  If the people enjoy him, put him on again.”

A week later Moody returned from his trip and asked his wife how the young man had fared.  “He was wonderful, ” she replied.  “He’s even better than you are. {Ed note: how’s that for spousal honesty?} He told sinners that God loves them!”  Moody complained, “But that’s wrong.  God does not love sinners!”  Moody’s wife answered, “Then you better go tell him yourself because he’s convinced that God does.”   Moody was taken aback and said, “You mean, he’s still here?”  “Yes, and he’s preached every night since you left.”

Moody went to the meeting that evening and heard Moorhouse preach on The Unconditional Love of God. It was his sixth consecutive night in Moody’s pulpit, and all six sermons were based upon the same text: “For God so loved the world…”  Moody was spellbound.  For the first time he had been confronted with the enormity of God’s grace and the openness of His love.  Moody’s life and ministry were never again the same.

The same story Henry Moorhouse delivered from the pulpit in Chicago is the same story/message we are to deliver from our “stage.”   Be it a pulpit, a ladder, a cubicle, a computer, or any other means of pronouncement, we are to deliver the message of the unconditional love of God.  I know there will be pastors and religious leaders all across this land who will be bringing judgment and denouncement upon MJ today and the rest of this week (maybe even longer).  Me?  I prefer not to talk about the JW’s (unless asked) our even about Michael’s eternal state.  I prefer to talk about the “Greatest of these” (the unconditional love of God) rather than the “king.”

What say you?