The German word MITLAEUFER comes to my mind lately quite a bit.

But before I carry on writing let me say that the German language is my mother tongue. I don’t want you to say when you have finished reading this, “The guy does not know what he is talking about.” I was born in Germany and resided almost 27 years in that country before  I left for Thailand, to work there as a missionary.

Remember the word Mitlaeufer is on my mind. And today when coming back from the Saturday market in Kaitaia I grabbed my big Collins German Dictionary and looked up the word Mitlaeufer. According to the dictionary the meaning for the British is Fellow Traveller and for the Americans the meaning is just Traveler.

I think one of the most difficult jobs is translation work.

Let me tell you now what I think the ‘real’ meaning of the word Mitlaeufer is. When a real German hears the word Mitlaeufer all those people come to mind who are not really with it. That are those people who do not really know what it is all about. They are running with the real ones  – but they are just not real!

I hope you know what I am on about.

Let me explain:

You find the Mitlaufer in the churches. They are going to church. They are singing the church hymns. They are listening to the word. They are praying.  They are getting into church offices. They are preaching from the pulpits. This list can be continued. They are religious!

But the LORD has done nothing in their hearts. They are still dead. They are still in darkness. THEY ARE NOT BORN AGAIN!

I like that German word Mitlaeufer and don’t tell me I don’t know what I am talking about.

PRAY FOR THE MITLAEUFER!