"Aftermath. . ." - Part 2

Friday...

In the midst of the chaos.... In the din of the surrounding darkness. The piercing screams of everyone around. How  could this happen. The one on whom we've pinned our hopes. Jesus Christ . . . The God-man, hanging on the tree, crucified. . . Dying on the cross. How can this happen? 

The darkness envelops me. . . The sinking feeling that comes with knowing that everything that you've hoped for, everything you've counted on. . . Has just failed. They take Him down off the cross and wrap His body, preparing it for burial.  As He is lowered into the tomb, those standing nearby, scream curses and laugh. Laugh! How has the son of God become the laughing stock of the entire world.  How can we pick up the pieces, and recover from the aftermath of His failure? 

Sunday...

The guards stand before their commander, shaken and horrified. No one seems to be able to explain what happened. One second everything was normal. . . The next they woke up in a stunned stupor to find the body they were guarding. . . Was gone. Vanished. Dead people just don't get up and leave. It just doesn't happen! 

Those Christ was closest to have gathered in a room, scared, confused, and unsure of anything. All of a sudden, He appears,   making sense of all their questions. . . Calming all their fears.  Finally, I understand that it is through the aftermath of His death, that He can pick up the aftermath of my life. . . .

"Aftermath. . ."

The Aftermath..."

You stand in the dim twilight, stunned to silence, oblivious to everything around you.  As the fog begins to clear, the gravity of everything begins to set in. Looking around, all that's in sight is the tangled and twisted mess that made up life. The chaos that used to surround you, and be your constant companion, has given way to eire silence.  The incessant movement and busyness has ceased, forcing you face the wreckage, that is your life. . . Or what's left of it. Where did this come from? Why? Everything that I've worked to build. Everything I've come to know. Why?  
. . . Could that be the reason? Has it been all about me? Have I tried to take the reigns of my life and decide my fate? In that moment of silent surrender, that moment of stark realization, I sink to my knees in acknowledgment of His awesome power. It is here that I'm found, in the aftermath of His will. The aftermath of His calling. Amid the wreckage that has become my life, a still small voice simply whispers, "I Am here". In the broken, and in the hurting, I know that you're with me. Through the joy and the triumph, I know you're with me. No matter what the situation, I know your love will light the way.  How can I stay here, subdued by the darkness around me, when His hand is stretched out. . . Reaching to pull me from the ashes. It is now that I finally see that Christ is, what Christ offers. Now I can see that the Aftermath . . . Is only the beginning . . . 

"Welcome Home. . ."

"Home is where the heart is. . ."  Such a great old saying that I haven't heard used much anymore.  What is home? What does that even mean? Have we forgotten what home is, or where it is?  Maybe with all the chaos that our lives are filled with, we have forgotten to remember the singular basic foundation that our lives are built upon.  So home is where the heart is. . . But where is that? Is that back in our hometown? Where our family is? Maybe where our dreams will take us? What about where we are now? Does there have to be one place that you call home based on where your heart is at any given moment?
Change gears for just a second. . .  Christ calls us to excel at whatever we do  (Colossians 3:23 - The favorite verse of Christian educators worldwide - "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men").  He calls us to work with excellence, to reflect Him and who He is.  He doesn't however, always call us to work, or serve Him in the the place that is most comfortable, or the most convenient for us.  Should we then reject His standard, and do what He's called us to do, where He's called us to do it, with a begrudging attitude?  Or should we then, taking up the cause of Christ, and denying ourselves, work wholeheartedly at what He's called us to?  Ya see when that happens, and you put your whole heart into His calling. . .whether its being a senior pastor, or cleaning up after the senior social club. . . the place that God has called you to, becomes your home.  Not your physical home, or even emotional home, but rather you begin to feel at home there.  You begin to feel at home in the call that He has placed on your life . . . in this moment.  It is then, that we truly become the temple of the Holy Spirit, its fullest essence.  A follower of Christ, that not only verbally says he believes, but is actively living their belief out, in total and unreserved surrender - all to the glory of Jesus Christ.  One that has put aside his/her own desires, and simply says, "Yes Lord".  So. . . if home is where the heart is, and you are where God has placed you. . . .Then . . . . "Welcome Home".

"The Time Has Come. . ."

Ladies and Gentlemen.  I have made a stark realization! I have started this blog, and jumped headlong into the world of cyber information broadcasting without setting forth a very important piece of literature! The time has come to publish my Disclaimer! (wow that was a lot of exclamation points)   Hmmm. . . .how to go about this? Well as the name implies, there will definitely be times of . . . rambling aimlessly.  Sometimes the only way I can collect all my thoughts is to write them down, and occasionally this will be where I do that. So forgive me if sometimes I seem rather scatter-brained in my scribblings.  For those of you who actually know me for real, there is absolutely nothing new (except now, no one can interrupt me. . .he he he)
I probably wont use the best grammar, as those in gavel club would be able to easily tell you, nor will I always use the correct punctuation. I use the ellipsis (. . . ) all the time. . .even in the wrong places.  So, all this being said, if you are an avid grammarian that is offended by the slightest error, or possibly someone with with a deathly fear of randomness. . .read at your own risk! (to be said in a slightly creepy, overly dramatic, possibly english-ish accent) Anyway Thanks a lot ya'll.


. . . . oh yeah. . . I say "ya'll" too. . .