Death was Only the Beginning

Shock, confusion, disillusionment, and hopelessness all rose with Jesus' followers to greet the Sabbath morning, over 2000 years ago. The one on whom they had placed their hopes for deliverance was dead. Dead like the many false messiahs who came before him.

Oh, the shame if it! He did not die like his predecessors,  stoned according to the Law. No. His was fate was that of a criminal, hoisted exposed on a Roman cross. Cursed under the Law. 

What next? Maybe after the dust settled to slip back into the synagogue? Go back to fishing? See if the old jobs were still open and simply go back to life as it was. Blot out the whole memory as if it never was.

Ah, but what triumph silently waited to be revealed! Not even Satan knew of his own defeat. Sure, Jesus was in the tomb and his Spirit walked the land of shadows. But only as a traveler, only in transition, only to dismantle the grip of hell, only as LORD of both the living and the dead.

Death won a brief battle but in three short days resurrection would soon win the war, forever. 

Real Power

I have been guilty of praying "Lord, send your power" as if power was something separate and apart from the Holy Spirit himself. We get our concept from the first Pentecost when there was sound, sight, and utterance signifying the coming of the Holy Spirit.

But Jesus promised power WHEN the Spirit comes not the Holy Spirit and something else.

We do much better to seek the Spirit himself in his fullness. Find a place to wait or tarry until he comes. As always, the Word, prayer, and worship are the vehicles to usher in God's presence. As we get deeper,  the Word washes and sanctifies until we are fit vessels for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the power he manifests.

It's no cliche to remember to seek the Giver and not merely the gift. 

Suicide Prevention

The shrill and incessant clamor of politics often leads one to believe there is nothing else of importance on which to focus attention. But while we remain distracted, the world continues with its pain unabated and even neighbors die unnoticed. We are not talking about wars or disease, but about people who arrived at "wits end" and found no solace or saw no recourse but to end their pain  by suicide. 47,000 Amricans died by suicide in 2017, which is 2, 000 more than 2016. And the rate is rising (data from cdc.gov). Think about this:

Do you know an older person singlehandedly taking care of an older spouse or a forever child? They are at risk.

Sexual or domestic abuse victim? They are risk. A veteran? They are also at high risk. Single parents with limited socio-economic support may be equally at risk though not saying anything at all about any part of their situation. 

What can we do as individuals?

First, be a friend - the kind of friend you would want someone to be to you.

2. Ask the hard questions and refuse to accept the scripted, glib, religious answers. Drill down to specific questions. 

3. Offer specific help. "Do you want me to sit while you go get your hair done or while you simply take a walk?" May I cook for you this weekend or offer a specific day. Toss out, "if there is ever anything I can do ..." Its a useless cop out.

4. Just be available and show your interest by random phone calls, care packages, whatever. 

Support is one of the best antidotes to suicide. Can anyone count on you?

Your timely and consistent intervention help someone to enjoy another sunrise.

Suicide hotline: 1-800-273-8255

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