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That’s what my three-year-old Avery said to my wife one day. Usually this would result in a time-out or at least a temporary ban from her favorite treat, kale chips (how my wife accomplished this feat deserves its own post). But in this circumstance my daughter was absolutely right to respond the way she did.

During the last couple weeks of Lent, Avery was read several children’s books containing versions of the Easter story. All the hope of the resurrection only makes sense if there is first a death and that’s where reading the Easter story to kids gets complicated. How do we explain death? When Kati explained to Avery that Jesus had to die on the cross for our sins and that eventually everybody has to die. Avery didn’t like this and blurted out, “I never want to die! Never! None! Zero!” Avery knows already at three what every human being deep inside knows: death and decay seem unnatural. We should be able to live forever without ageing or loss of any kind…In fact the Bible supports Avery’s theological opinion. Ecclesiastes says that God has put eternity in our hearts. We as human beings weren’t intended to decay but the sin of distancing ourselves from God brought upon the curse of death….We try to make ourselves feel alive…

Yes, Scripture says that God has put eternity in our hearts, which means that we all know that we were never meant to die. When God made Adam and Eve, death was not part of the plan. But humanity rebelled against God’s leadership and said to Him, “We can live life better on our own!” God said in return, “Go right ahead.” Ever since the sin of rebellion entered the human race like a cancer, God has been on a rescue mission to get us back. But we keep trying to make our lives feel important by making money, impressing our peers, trying to be a good person and achieving things so people will say nice things about us. Deep inside we know we were meant for something good and beautiful and great. But often life seems like a constant drive to prove our worth and to do something that will make us feel valued, wanted and unforgettable. We are slaves to self-rejection. We live fearfully in everyday life and ultimately of death. My daughter Avery knows we were never meant to die: Never. None Zero. My wife Kati shared the good news of Easter with Avery: “Jesus was so kind that He took the cross so we could live forever…He’s working on a room for you right now…and we’ll live with Him forever.” How did Avery respond to this good news! “Yeah!!!!” Now that is the kind of response I’d like to hear from my congregation as we celebrate the truth of the resurrection each Sunday. Avery will be getting an extra serving of kale chips for such a great response!

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Joseph Kony. Murder. Kidnapping. Rape. Enslavement. War atrocities. This is one of the worst human beings on the planet. But he continues to avoid capture and face prosecution for the damage he has caused to thousands of lives in Uganda and neighboring nations in Africa.

The Bridge will be showing a film by Invisible Children at Union Church on Sunday night, March 18, at 7pm. It’s free to come and we’re the only downtown church showing the film. Not only will you watch this film, but you’ll get to meet a Ugandan named Gabriel who is a survivor of the conflict and has had family members killed by the LRA. He has seen the horrific effects of Kony’s brutal rule. The goal of the of the night is to help bring attention to this terrible man who, like many other tyrants in the world, has avoided capture.

We will gather the downtown community to help the 45,000 people who live there know that churches care about justice because our God is a God of justice. In this Christian season of Lent, let’s not only fast from coffee, chocolate, carbs and all the other things that we should be giving up anyway. Let’s fast like Isaiah 58:

6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” (NIV)

We hope you will come and watch the film with us, hear from a Ugandan who is asking for our help, and learn about practical steps you can take to help bring Joseph Kony to justice for the atrocities he has committed. The event is free but you’ll have the opportunity to support Invisible Children through donations and buying merchandise that finances their good efforts to continue to get the word out.

If you’re not in L.A., then why don’t you host a screening of the film at your church, school or community event? Or get a group of friends together and watch the video online. Let’s help Invisible Children get the word out and bring a little glimpse of the ultimate justice that God will bring one day. I hope this film helps people understand the great injustices that are occurring throughout the world right now. If you have questions about Invisible Children and this campaign, please check out their FAQ page, the CNN interview and watch this video.

We’ll see you March 18 at 7pm.