I don’t know if it was a bad burger or just a bad bug that had snuck in while my resistance was low from the broken ribs, but from Friday evening through most of Saturday the next battle on my agenda turned out to be a wicked diarrhea! By Saturday evening I was left physically depleted and spiritually discouraged. I knew I was going to miss another Sunday away from the House of Worship and the family of God.
By late Sunday morning, apart from the previous day’s trips to and from the washroom, I had spent well over 36 hours laying on the living room couch. It was a beautiful day out, so I decided to attempt a brief walk.
It was a sad walk that Palm Sunday morning. I knew that at the same moment my brothers and sisters in Christ were engaged in worship to the King of kings, listening to the redeeming Word of God and opening their hearts to the Holy Spirit as He comforted or convicted their souls.
Instead I walked. I passed parents and kids playing ball on their lawn, the family dog romping beside them. I saw others out walking with determination in their steps, goal fixed on getting in that daily exercise. Kids played on backyard decks, other dogs barked and cars whizzed by. The neighborhood was active with folk who, like myself that morning, were not in church worshipping before God, Commerce was active too: drug stores, supermarkets, gas stations and fast food franchises.
Sunday—Palm Sunday, yet so many had “better” things to do than give thought to Christ. After all, Life is short, isn’t it? Family is important. You gotta make a living in this world, right? It all sounds quite logical. Why “waste” half a day going to church? I’m a good man… woman. The church just wants money anyway. I’m not fool enough to give away 10% of my hard-earned income. I got bills to pay, right?
Yes, life is short, but eternity is very, very long. Yes, you gotta make a living in this world, but also in the next. True, you don’t want to “waste” your money, but you’d be wiser still to invest in things eternal. Its good to be a good man… woman, but Heaven is for the holy. Only Christ can make that possible.
“Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become ‘fools’ so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight….” (1 Cor. 3:18, 19)
It’s a spiritual battle indeed in this world. Thank the Lord for the gift of His indwelling Spirit to guide us.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Ps. 111:10)
More tomorrow…
thebrokenrunner 
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