Loss and Gain

 

Thursday, May 26, 2022

So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”  He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.  As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them.  “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven?  Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”  Acts 1:6-11

Just when the disciples were beginning to sense some kind of peace about having lost their leader, their Lord, Jesus, and then getting him back, he disappears again.  The pain and horror of the cross isn’t repeated, thankfully.  But, once again, they are left to wonder what to do next. 

As they stood, staring “bug-eyed” into the heavens, straining for one more look at their loved master, mentor, and Messiah, angels suddenly stood next to them.  And the angels brought words of comfort and assurance.  They said:  What you’ve seen here, the same way you’ve watched him go…that’s the same way he’ll be coming back.  Stop your staring; it’s not over!

The promise of a “better day coming” is comforting, yet it can strain our faith in difficult times.  And sometimes the test of faith itself is almost unbearable.  This week’s tragic, unspeakable event in Uvalde, Texas, where at least 19 children and two adults were murdered by gunfire at their school, is one of those times. 

I live nearly 1,400 miles from Robb Elementary School, and have never met anyone who lives in that small town.  Yet, the sense of loss I feel is overwhelming.  And the sense of shame is palpable (for me), that this happens so often in our country, where we unashamedly proclaim dedication to liberty and civilized treatement for all people. 

“Mass shootings” are commonly defined by four or more victims at one location, or closely related locations.[1]  May 24^th is the 144^th day of the year, and this country has seen 212 episodes of those “four or more victims” this year.  That’s an average of one rampage every 16 ½ hours…or at least one heart stopped every 4 hours and 8 minutes.  You can keep the statistical records, but how can you possibly measure the loss in terms of pain, both physical for the victims, and the emotional suffering for the surviving families that will never fully end?

May 24^th in Methodist circles, celebrates the day when founder, John Wesley recorded in his diary how his heart was strangely warmed, the sudden, wonderful awareness of God’s love, and transforming power to bring eternal life.  Yet, on the record in Uvalde, Texas, May 24^th will bear the names of 21 beating hearts senselessly made cold and still.

For You Today

As the disciples were told by the angels to anticipate the next advent of their Lord, we must continue to have our hearts beat for the families who can barely breathe today…to do what we can to help them gain a sense of hope in their terrible losses.  I can think of no better way to offer that hope than voices raised to end the violence of guns, or any other weapons.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road with Jesus; have a blessed day!  

[1] Images:  Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©  

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[1] What is a Mass Shooting; What Can be Done?  Richard Berk, University of Pennsylvania, Dept of Criminology

But Someday

 

Ascension Thursday, May 21, 2020

Acts 1:6-11

So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”  He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.  As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them.  “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven?  Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

“But someday” is a reminder of being 5 years old and hearing my Father or Mother’s answer to my question whether I could do this or that; they said we’ll see.  And, with that began the waiting game, often accompanied by the whining of why, when, and it’s not fair!  Russell was never a “silent sufferer”.  However, I always absolved myself of being a brat by quoting Scripture loud enough so my parents could hear:

How long will you delay?  Psalm 90:13b

My use of Scripture was more a display of preschooler’s selfishness than piety.  But it probably isn’t any more unthinkable than the disciples’ asking Jesus, Who was fresh from the grave, if the Romans and the ruling Jewish elders who crucified him were now going to get what was coming to them.  The not-so-thinly-veiled agenda behind their question was more like, are we finally going to sit on thrones with you?  Further underneath were hidden hopes and dreams…how big are those thrones…are they gold-plated…silver…and are there jewels…how many crowns do you suppose we’ll have…and servants…and, and, and…

The white-robed men who suddenly stood among the disciples answered the question of how long, but it was inconclusive to human ears…someday; we’ll see.

And, just what does it mean for us?  We, of the instant gratification generation, would be even less satisfied than the first-century disciples.  But, Scripture and history both reveal that the disciples went to work figuring out what it meant to them, and what God wanted them to do about it.  They started mulling-over what Jesus had said to them the previous 3½ years…about the Kingdom of God.  And, about loving, serving, giving, worshipping, and being busy in God’s vineyard.  It was in that season of mulling they began to understand what living the surrendered life was all about.  Scripture’s account (along with the general sweeps of history the past two thousand years) affirm that the disciples got it; how long is the question of impatience, not faith.  Believers walk by faith.

Still, the angels didn’t equivocate; their statement to the gathered disciples who had just witnessed Jesus lifted up to the sky and out of their sight, ascending to His Father in Heaven, was that, in the same way they’d just seen, He would be back.

If Scripture’s track-record on prediction and fulfillment bears any credibility, there IS a “someday” coming, and our business, as followers of Jesus, isn’t to question when that day might be, or how long before we get to sit on thrones with Him; our question is what’s the next task for these hands, O Lord?

For You Today

In earthly kingdoms there are no shortages of pretenders to the thrones, nor wannabe’s in the fame department.  In the kingdom of God there is (on this planet, and in this day), a huge vineyard to harvest, and a woeful supply of workers.

Let’s Pray

Father, forgive us for hunting promotions when our focus ought to be on  the lost sheep you care about.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road today.  Have a blessed day!

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Title Image:  Hans Rosenhagen (1908). Public Domain (via Widimedia Commons) 

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©

For another post on Courage see Serving God in a Hostile World