I have been in Munich,
Germany the past four days. This
is a beautiful city that I have thoroughly enjoyed; but it is also a dark place
spiritually. Our contact here is Robert and Bethany from Young Life Munich. They have been informing me about ministry
here in Munich. Robert and Bethany
have started Young Life college here. On Monday we went on a prayer walk around one of the universities here. Robert told me that the two
universities here in Munich are very prestigious and that people from all over
the world and definitely all over Germany come to study at the universities
here.
As I walked around the
university, I sensed several things. The students are serious about studying. University is not about partying or getting away from home,
but about gaining knowledge. As I
stood by the entrance to one of the buildings I saw students hurrying to and
from class and having discussions with each 
other. Everything is about what can be measured by our five senses,
but unfortunately there is so much more in our world. These students are so wrapped up in gaining knowledge from
books they are missing a true knowledge and wisdom that comes from God. There is no room for God in this
city. You are silly and weak to
look to God or have a relationship with Jesus.
Students in school are taught
about religion but it is more of a myth or past tradition that we do not really
need now. I understand this type
of thinking because it was how I thought most of my life. I was taught to rely on myself and what
I could earn and learn on my own. There are generations of people being raised in a very secular
manner. It has been going on here
in Germany for a while and I have watched the United States head closer and
closer to a post Christian way of life.
It breaks my heart to see the
emptiness that this causes. Education, materialism, success, etc are not enough for us. It is why there is always the next best
thing, because we are not fulfilled by all of that. We need more, but we are too arrogant to recognize the need
for a Savior; too arrogant to recognize that we are sinners who 
need help. It is not about being a good person
because compared to Jesus we will never be a good person. We all lie, steal, cheat, hate, and
slander. No one can deny
this. We are imperfect, but God
cared enough to let his Son die for our imperfections. We just have to let go of the
belief that we are the center of the world and we know all. I hate that there will be so many who miss it, so many who will be left out of Heaven because they were too late in recognizing the truth.
Sorry if this is a bit
harsh. I had just finished reading
a parable in the Bible about the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). Five of them were wise and went to wait
for their bridegroom with a lamp and oil and five were foolish and did not
bring oil. When the bridegroom was
coming and the five wise virgins had the oil to light their lamps, the five
foolish asked them to share their oil. The five wise said no and for the five foolish to go buy some. While they were away the bridegroom
invited the five wise virgins to the wedding banquet and shut the down. The five foolish virgins came too late and
were left outside. Right now I am
in a culture that is like the five foolish virgins. They have no concern for salvation, repentance, faith,
grace, and holiness. However a
time will come when Jesus will return and knowledge, conviction, the value of
soul, and the need of a Savior will burst into the minds of men, but they will
be too late. This saddens me so
much that there are people who are missing it. I have lived a life without Christ and one with and I would
never go back to without. Nothing completes
us or fulfills us like a relationship with Jesus.
Robert and Bethany are here
in Munich to help those see now the need for a relationship with Jesus. They
are beginning to stir up a spirituality among university students that has been
missing. Please pray for them as
they love and pour out their lives to the university students here. Pray that there will be an openness
here that will begin to challenge the student’s beliefs.
