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Why is it Taking So Long, Lord? 25FEB

Time is a funny thing – we say that all the time… Today is Christmas in February – the 25th – doesn’t feel like Christmas was only 2 months ago or as much as 2 months ago… to me it feels like a lifetime ago…. but then I noticed the Christmas blankets still on the couch, the Christmas gifts that I’m still moving around.. the wreath still on my door… the most beautiful Xmas card that I will keep on my microwave all year…

Time is as crazy to figure out as much as it was before we had synchronized time devices… Time in our heads does not match our lifestyles – we’re lucky if we can figure out if we are coming or going or even what happened yesterday…

Was time on the minds of the apostles with sundials as wristwatches? Was time on Jesus’s mind?  In our modern definition of time we could say that time was NOT on Jesus’s human side. We know He only had some 3 years to teach on earth, that’s less than a college education takes today.  We know He wept coming into Jerusalem as the people shouted Hosanna! Things in the prophesies probably told Him more would have been finished by then… He wept for the lost sheep – He wept asking mercy and forgiveness for God’s lost sheep… He thought more would have been finished by then…  He still does weep for us today. Does that mean He stops to weep? I doubt that. I think that He weeps “on the go”… He also wipe His tears and continues to spread Love, every step of the way, every tear of the WAY.

Jesus finished the best part of our story – securing our eternal life – so why does the news travel seemingly slow, especially with our fast time schedules?

Why do we waste time arguing when we should be out teaching, loving, working and showing the peace that knowledge of Christ can and does indeed give us… why are we seeing times of strife? In comparison, our modern strife may seem so peaceful compared to olden times but it’s all relative…

Is Jesus still weeping? Yes. but is His weeping stopping Him? No.  Jesus is on His way to catch up with all of us, God’s children… Surely if we remember that Jesus said to the disciples: “I MUST leave so that the Holy Spirit can come!”, then we know that He is even more active in the world the Word travels faster by Spirit than by foot…

Jesus knew this going into Jerusalem – the events for Him were set like clockwork –  Even though we don’t know the end time for when Jesus will return again (not even Jesus knows) we know it’s on the agenda… we have time now, entering Lent to take account of our time to prepare our hearts… walking now by earthly steps toward our Easter…

God revealed to Jesus the steps He was to take to the cross – it was FILLED with teaching and works….  So, has God revealed a path for us? Yes. We have a walk to take. Jesus’s path was so busy that there’s not enough books or time to record it all according to John… our paths should also be filled with doing His work…

If you look at God’s timing for your life – would you thank the Lord for your next minutes and memories before they even happened? Would you thank Him for the future just as much as looking back at the good ole days?

Perhaps in God’s timing we are to remember to not stop – to plow forward – to work hard to overcome the strife… If one was on one’s deathbed, would one take time to mend old wounds and strife? Possibly? Probably… what about one’s future, would it be better to prevent new wounds by practicing peace? Possibly? Probably? Definitely!

JESUS said always be prepared for the day that this earthly world will end – Jesus said always be working in the world to share the good news – ALWAYS… that means practicing peace today.

Jesus, in my opinion, is probably urging the Lord – ‘one more day Lord,  please more days to let the Spirit work, one more chance for spreading the Good news to Your children’… if I were Jesus,  that’s what I would humanly say to the Lord… I would ask to stretch time…

And yet I would also long to see the end of time where all nations end, all knees bow, and see wholeness for the Lord.

We know the end of the story, and, like Jesus urges, we need to go out there and find all the pieces of the peace…

Now as God sent Jesus to share love, Jesus sends us…

Jesus would likely tell us: You know the plan, now get out there and make it come true…

Lent, Jerusalem, Heaven awaits – TIME IS SHORT – keep busy on your journey with Jesus. Wipe the tears and Love every step of the way.

Amen

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Text from Paul to the Philippians: 2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.