I am about to use one of the most ridiculous examples to prove a very simple point. I was at my Bachelor party, which was more like a weekend with my closest friends goofing off at a lodge in central Texas. There is something about being out in nature with all of your closest friends that brings out the so-called man in you. I actually laughed as I wrote that. So anyway I went down for breakfast since all my other friends were asleep I figured this would be a good time to catch up on some reading and enjoy the hill country for a bit before the day started. So as I was sitting in the dining hall I was enjoying my coffee and a granola bar looking out at the lake feeling one with nature and at that point it hit me the uncontrollable urge to you know take a number dos. If your thinking this is too much information it is probably because it is. So I started speed walking to the bathroom like those old ladies you see walking at the mall arms flailing, mind focused, determined, every muscle in my body clinched. So I get there (I am excited) and do my business thinking of life changing thoughts as all men do when that’s happening. Then it came time for the clean up not the most fun part of the experience, everyone who has done this, which is everyone, knows what I am talking about especially men. Women if you do not know by now this is a scared moment for a man it is our time, it is our way to get away from the rest of the world and enjoy deep thoughts and relaxation and the older you get it is of the only times that still qualifies as me times. So as I was reaching for the toilet paper I realized it was jammed, in the holder, the kind that holds two or three rolls, I hate these holders they are my enemy because the paper keeps breaking. So I am pulling and it keeps breaking, at this point I am losing my cool and just start ripping and tearing the paper clawing at it and when I am done it looks like paper mache, like wolves got a hold of it no piece was bigger than a quarter. So to the point, in my furry, my rage, I did not happen to notice to my left sitting on the stale were two fresh packages of toilet paper. I laughed, in frustration though and immediately thought as I was washing my hands, that most of the time we do not even realize the thing that could help us is right next to us. Our saving grace is right there and we are to blind to see it, truth is that sometimes we would rather be in our rage. I told you it was going to be ridiculous for a simple point, but how many times do you think God is on the ledge wanting to be your saving grace. He wants to help you in your life through your struggles through your pains. I can not explain why bad things happen to good people, I can just lean on the comfort that God is there to help me pull out of it and the thing of it is, even when we want to be mad and rage pours out of us He is still there waiting isn’t it crazy that God does not come when we call that he is always there waiting on us to realize Him, wanting us to lean on Him. I am about to get married and it is a beautiful romantic feeling when you find someone that you would do anything for. Finding my fiancée Jenn has help me to rediscover my love in Jesus knowing that unconditional love, even when you fight or your mad at God He is still waiting for you to get through, cheering for you in your small victories in life. Remember small victories may not be as small as you think, small battles win the war and God is there to help you make it through yours. The word Emmanuel means, “ God With Us,” that’s so powerful. When Jesus came to this earth He ended the separation between God and man. The covenant broken in the garden was made a new. Jesus came taught us what we needed to know he equipped us with His Word and Holy Spirit:
John 1:1-5
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2He was in the beginning with God.
3All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
4In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
5The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
This is amazing because it shows the deity of Christ. But I think what is truly amazing is Christ laying his life down for everyone in the world showing us true compassionate love unconditional love that once you discover in Him still reigns true in your life to this day.
So, when you pray, when you seek God, when all is lost do not pray for Him to come down, do not put a separation between you and your maker because you’re making more work and trouble for yourself. He is always on the ledge waiting for you to notice Him. He is there with you even until the end of the age sound familiar (Matthew 28:20) these are His promises and His words do not return void. His spirit is manifested inside of you and He did not create you with a longing in your soul, a void in your heart to leave you high and dry. Nothing can separate you from His love other than yourself a true tragedy, I think that is the only way to put it.
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Have you ever been in that moment? The one where you don’t know if you are awake or asleep, where your stuck in some kind of limbo in between the world you know and the one that exist in your head? Well, last night I found myself in just a place. This is a peculiar place to find yourself because you are not fully here, but your not fully there either, it’s like superman when he’s running to save the day but he hasn’t made the full transformation from Clark Kent to Superman. So back to it, I found myself there the other night in that limbo and I was sitting down having an interview on a very well known show with a very well known man. The show Larry King Live and the man well I think you have probably figured that out by now. The topic of discussion was “Why Do Christians Judge The Rest of The World,” at least that’s what I am assuming it was about because of the statement that came out of my mouth next, a statement that brought me back out of limbo into the world that we all know. I do not recall the question but I remember watching myself (as if I were a camera man in this scenario and also the interviewee) sit back in my chair legs crossed, hands clutched like a child saying a night time prayer and brow furrowed, and I said this, “ Most Christians in the church today look for any reason to pick apart or (crucify) another Christian especially ones in leadership, but then we find ourselves in no better place than the Pharisees that did it to Jesus 2000 years ago. Not only as Christians but also as humans we love to tear apart our own kind either from war in far off countries or children at the lunch table in an elementary school, its human nature, it’s sad. When did it become our place to judge people and stop loving them? When did God appoint us humans to judge the rest of the world based upon class, race, religion and sexual orientation? What in us thinks that it is ok to stop loving one another as Christ loved the church?” I awoke in a vertigo state with Larry King’s laugh still echoing through my brain as I was stumbling for a pen and paper to write this down. I guess the answer to my question was that God did not appoint us to pass judgment at all; we elected ourselves into this position. We are self elevated; we have reached higher than are means. A haunting thought came over me the one that sends a chill down through your bones. What does God, Creator of everything think of what we have become? I am sure He is not surprised but surely heart broken that we have become such a selfish race. It is easy to blame God from all our hardships and shortcomings but even looking back through the Bible we see that God’s wrath never comes upon us because he is bored or any such thing, it comes because of the consequence of our own actions(2 Chronicles 36:16, Genesis 6:17, Exodus 32:1-10, Numbers 20:12). That may be the scariest revelation of all.
