Lent Day 28 - Tuesday

“For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.” 

(1 Thessalonians 5:2,6)

  As we enter into the last weeks of Lent and with the observance of Holy Week coming up soon, I find myself thinking about what Jesus was doing. We know the activities of that last week before His death, but all we know from the scriptures is that Jesus continued teaching, healing and telling others of God’s Love for them. Knowing what faced Him in a couple weeks did not deter Him from the work He was sent here to do and we’ll see that this mission continued up until His final breath on the cross.

  I feel fairly certain that a crucifixion does not lie in my future, but death certainly does. The manner of such, I do not know. It waits for all of us. Could be today. Could be tomorrow. Could be years from now. All we do know is that we are not promised another hour or a day, but that we will die in God’s time.

  If you are a Christian, have Jesus in your heart, then you’ve got no worries about the whole ‘after death’ thing. You know that you’ll be in a heaven surrounded by not only God, Jesus and all the angelic beings, but all those who have gone before us. Forever. Eternity. Praising God. Singing. If you are not a Christian, then you can also be assured of an eternity of torment and agony. Separation from God. Separation from Love. Darkness. Emptiness.

  If Jesus felt the urgency in His last weeks of earthly life to continue reaching out to as many people as He could go to, why do we not have the same urgency to reach our communities and world about their fate? Why do we not have the same urgency to share what we know with those we come in contact with that don’t know God and His love? Jesus faced death, we only face the possibility of rejection and, perhaps, ridicule. So, we stay quiet and just give some money so that others will go and tell. However, I don’t think the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 gave a select group to commission to go while others stayed home to give money. Jesus told us all “Go, YOU, into all the world…”  into the world, your communities, your homes and neighborhoods, and tell others.

  I am beginning to feel this urgency. Are you? Can we do any less than to tell?  I haven’t said this before, but it certainly is my hope….if anyone who reads these thoughts and ramblings have any questions or concerns, please contact me by return email or Facebook message.  I’m praying for all of you today.

  And for today my friends, this has been the gospel according to Jimmy. Blessed be the Name of the LORD!