Moving Day

Yesterday we helped our youngest son move into his own apartment--the first time for him not to be living under either our roof, a college dormitory, or in a room rented from a friend.  It was a momentous day!  I found this a fitting analogy of what this "Easter" weekend is all about--moving from one abode to another.

It began on Friday when Jesus was crucified for claiming to be the son of God.  In bearing witness to who He was and subjecting Himself to an earthly death because of it, he paid for our sin of "missing the mark".  He stood up and claimed what so many of us refuse to do--that we are of God.  At the source of all our sin (our missing the mark) is the fact that we disassociated ourselves from God and tried to make a go of it alone.

Saturday is all about the move.  For us it's leaving our sense of being the one in control and surrendering it to God.

Sunday is Resurrection Day--the day we wake up to being Alive in Christ.  The terminology used is "born again" because while we were born into earthly existence on the day we celebrate as our birthday, our spirit needs to be reborn into God's kingdom where we stand up and acknowledge who we belong to--really.

This morning I saw a fox run past my bedroom window...can you see it...the reddish blotch just to the right of the tree.  It's interesting to me that the caution tape is in the photo.  It's there because we're having a company coming next week to clear out all the dead trees in our woods and the tape is to show them they're not to clear anything on this side of it.  Luke 13:31-32 says, 

31At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”

32He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 

The caution tape is a good reminder for those who will conclude this church Lenten season of reflection and renewal today and then not revisit it until next year.  They'll forget that Jesus reached his goal--Satan no longer has a hold on them and they are healed!  The warning is that we can too easily forget this so we must be diligent in remembering.  We are not in danger of losing it, but rather in forgetting it and acting then as if it never happened--our new birth....our move from our old life to our new life.  

In addition, the caution tape and the fact that the fox is on this side of the tape is a reminder of how we might try to keep God out of certain parts of our lives.  Instead, let us remember today and always, that we are not alone--that Christ is in us, and all of us belongs to Him.

Most of all, however, the caution tape is a reminder to those who have yet to believe.  Caution means "to take heed."  God gives us plenty of warnings to take precautions against eternal death.  He has provided the way to prevent eternal death, if we will just believe and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Father, thank you for never letting me go even when I could not feel you there.  I believe.  Help my unbelief.  

Link to scripture:  Mark 9:24