Late Sunday Evening…

“Late Sunday evening when the disciples were together behind locked doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you,’ he said, and then he showed them his hands and his side.  So when the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy. Jesus repeated, ‘Peace be with you…'”    John 20:19-20

Christ had been crucified like a common criminal.  He died and with Him died the courage of His followers.  His body buried in a cave.  Similarly, 10 of the remaining 11 disciples caved themselves behind locked doors.  They buried themselves, hiding in fear of what Jewish leaders would do  to them next.  Terror was palpable.

For three years Jesus walked with them, led them, taught them, inspired them.  His Presence had been their courage, their protection, their peace.  Now all of that was gone, vaporized with Christ’s last breath at Calvary.  Despite Mary’s proclamation earlier that day, “I have seen the Lord!”, there was no celebration among these men.  Only shaking in their sandals.  For all Jesus taught them and revealed to them… parables, sermons, signs, wonders, miracles, fulfillment of Old Testament Scriptures…it came down to this.  A backroom gathering of fearful, forgetful followers.

John 20:19 says, “Jesus came and stood among them…” I wonder, in their desperation for solutions, did they notice Him at first? Or were they too busy fretting over their circumstances? Were they reliving in heated conversation Christ’s arrest leading to his death?  Did they argue over who was to blame?  “John, you should have stayed awake with Him in the garden.”  “Peter, you ought not have lost your temper with the soldier.”

How long did Jesus stand in their midst before He cleared His throat and spoke?  “Peace be with you.”  Was it a shout? A whisper?   Perhaps a simple observation that peace found its way into the room the moment His Presence entered.

Peace.  The first thing Jesus spoke to His disciples was the very thing they needed most.  Fear that gripped them melted away as they beheld Christ’s hands and side.  The frightened group witnessed the Presence of Jesus and the Bible says, “…they were filled with JOY.”

How many instances in my life have I behaved like the disciples in hiding? Locked up with my emotions and fears.   Fretting over my personal
circumstances.  Playing my situation over and over in my head.   Feeling apprehensive and uncertain about my future. Wondering, “Where is God now?”

As if He knew the message bore repeating to distracted hearts like Peter’s, and
John’s…and mine…Jesus said a second time, “Peace be with you.”

Today as waves of my circumstances crash against shorelines of my existence I hear His voice.  “Peace.”  My deepest need is met in the presence of my resurrected Lord as He stands between me and the unknown.   It is this Peace of His Presence which leads me to JOY.

Father’s Day Tribute to Soldiers

My sons wrote this poem several years ago.  Someone reminded me of it yesterday and asked for a copy so I just decided to post it here.

For My Soldier Daddy
by Matthew & Zechariah Allor

 
 My Daddy couldn’t be here
 cause he’s too far away.
I know he would have liked to come,
 to share this special day.
 
His country said they needed him
 and he prepared to go—
“When freedom’s on the line, ” he said,
 “you don’t tell freedom No.”
 
He lives out in the desert
 and sleeps out in the sand;
His helmet is his pillow,
 his rifle’s in his hand.
 
Some nights he doesn’t sleep at all
 he lays there in the dark,
 listening to the bombs explode
 watching gunfire sparks.
 
He walks the streets of Baghdad
 not knowing what he’ll find
He knows that it is dangerous
 but says he doesn’t mind.
 
He fights with those who need his help
 to try to take a stand
 against the cruel terrorists
 and bullies in their land.
 
 Some people called my Dad a pawn
 in President Bush’s game
They scream that war is hateful—
Well, they should be ashamed.
 
Those people with their protest signs
 I don’t think understand
Daddy went of his free will.
 He’s just that kind of man.
 
He fights to give us liberties
 and not just me & you—
He fights for those he’s never met
 cause that’s what soldiers do.
 
I’m proud of my Daddy
 and all that he’s gone through.
I wish that he could be here
 But he’s got a job to do.
 
So on this Father’s Day
 I hope you’ll say a prayer
 for men like my Daddy
 who fight because they care.
 
I hope that you’ll remember
 his honor & bravery
 are gifts that he is sharing
 so others might live free.

God Showed Up May 21, 2011

You’d have to be living under a polar ice cap to miss the news.  Predictions of the Rapture and tales of Doomsday dominated headlines all around the world yesterday and for weeks preceding. 

I don’t personally know a single individual who believed the hype about the end of the world though I enjoyed some friendly banter with Christian friends as we teased one another about being left behind… “Will you take care of my dog when I’m gone?”… “Will you sing at my memorial service?”… “Honey, you can finally have the remote control all you want after Saturday night.”  Another friend texted me that he was at the Pearly Gates saving me a place in line cos he knows I’m 3 minutes late for everything.  Nice. 

It doesn’t come as any surprise to me that “the Rapture” didn’t happen yesterday.  Any first year convert to Christianity can quote Scripture from Mark 13:32:

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

I doubt very seriously God is going to reveal to an 89 year old Californian the “day or hour” before He tells Jesus.  Any legitimate follower of Christ would have a difficult time defending such a nonsensical prediction. The Rapture didn’t happen.  End of story.  You’d think we’d all just go back to life as normal today.

Yet this morning we awoke to even more hype. Indignant Christian leaders took to public microphones demanding an apology from Family Radio founder, Harold Camping for his “gross abuse of his followers trust”…not to mention their funds in the millions.  Concerned that one man’s wayward teaching somehow besmirched all of Christianity, they decried his errant eschatological prediction and insisted he repent immediately.

 Non-Christians flood cyber space with tweets and comments posted to on-line articles, gifting us predictable vitriol about how foolish & ignorant ALL Christians are.  Mocking abounds from self-proclaimed atheists in a “see, I told you so” smugness that there is no God. They revel in ridicule and extol their superior enlightenment taunting no one in particular and any believer in general, as if Deity failing to show up yesterday lends credence to their non-belief.   

But did God really fail to show up yesterday?  I don’t think so.  The Divine Creator showed up on May 21, 2011 just as He does every day. 

God showed up in the Colorado morning sky as infant sunlight stretched and yawned across a pink & blue celestial nursery illuminating snow atop Pikes Peak.  He showed up as stars cavorted and played across the galaxy.  He showed up in a silent hospital room as a family gathered to say their last goodbyes to a dying loved one. He showed up as a young woman gave birth for the first time and gently placed a joyful kiss on her newborns’ forehead. 

God showed up in an emotional outdoor service as a flag draped a soldier’s coffin. He showed up as a small group of devastated wives banded together to support one another & pray for combat veteran spouses ravaged with PTSD.  He showed up in forgiveness offered to someone undeserving of mercy.  He showed up as family and friends witnessed sacred vows spoken between a man & woman pledging their love & lives to one another in holy matrimony.   He showed up in a nursing home when someone took the time to encourage and hug an elderly man who hadn’t spoken in weeks. 

God showed up as committed activists rescued young girls from human trafficing in Mexico and sexual slavery in Asia.  He showed up in songs of praise shared in a secret worship service behind closed doors in Afghanistan.  He showed up as volunteers rocked babies in a Russian orphanage.  He showed up as tent-makers shared the Gospel of Christ with a Muslim in Turkey.

God showed up in gifts of outreach at food kitchens and homeless shelters. He showed up in a million acts of compassion, in simple, unselfish kindnesses demonstrated toward the poor and in countless words of encouragement for the brokenhearted. 

On May 21, 2011 God Showed Up.  The question is, “Did we see Him?” Or were we too busy watching the sky for something less miraculous?