Head in the Clouds?

I think often of those that have come and gone since the beginning of time. They had their beliefs and all wondered what, if anything exists beyond the grave. Generation after generation we populate the earth and generation after generation death swallows us up.

And so it's our turn to fill these vacated seats as living, breathing beings; nearly all of which fearfully anticipate the fate we all face. Is it from dust to dust or is it dust to dust to spirit? As Christ followers we believe in the spiritual and anticipate, that like Christ, we too will be resurrected to dwell with the Creator God; a hope that gives us peace as we believe loving characteristics are what defines Him.  But one of the most difficult fears for people to process is the certainty of our expiration and therefore the fearful anticipation of whether or not all things become final and complete in that moment; a fear that often paralyzes its host.

I don't know about you, but when I think back to those that have come and gone, I actually feel a sense of encouragement. You see, we all want to feel a part of something; a community of sorts.  It's a common human trait to purge loneliness and seek communion and commonality with others. Ultimately, this is likely the reason death draws such great fear because it's a moment we must journey alone and we're scared that we may end up alone; separate from those we may leave behind.  So here's my point: YOU'RE NOT ALONE. We've had multiple generations come and go before us, all taking this same journey and walking the same path. Look around, we're all in the same boat! We're all working to preserve life and extend our expiration date. We all wonder the same things. While some of us have hope that we will continue to live beyond the grave in relation with a loving Creator, some believe they're laid to rest in an eternal sleep. My faith pushes me to believe the spiritual, but even if we fall into an "eternal sleep," I'd personally be content with that. We can't control the unknown and it becomes a futile and paralyzing process when we try.  

So why do I write about this? As Christians, we have a selfish tendency to invest ourselves in the eternal because it gives us an intoxicating sense of peace and comfort, temporarily defending against the reality that our lives are short. Herein lies the problem.  This comfort keeps us focusing on the "peaceful eternal" (as though we were already there) and hinders us from vigorously pursuing the mission of the "here and now."  This comfort is completely contrary to the message of the gospel. The fruits of our eternal investment (i.e. salvation) are what should be lived out here and now.  Doing so achieves our hope for living eternal life beyond the grave but MORE IMPORTANTLY empowers us to leave a living legacy that lasts far beyond our death. How? Through our daily, Christ-like actions. Why? Because true salvation is the life changing process that draws us away from the ego-centric self and towards the outward expression of love for our fellow-man. Especially towards those that are still enslaved by sin with no direction on how to break free from it's bondage. 

The sooner you come to grips with the fact that this life is a mist, the sooner you will pick up your cross and do the will of God TODAY.  Don't get to the end of your life and realize it never truly began.

So spend life as though today's actions are all that will live beyond the grave but continue to hope for eternal life through the salvation of Christ.

Depressing thought or simply reality smacking us in the face?

Wasting Away in Jesus-ritaville



There are too many already vacationing on heaven’s shore;
All the while many near you are unintentionally knocking on death’s door.

The taste of your “forever” is so sweet you become drunk with comfort;
Refusing to get on your feet because doing so might actually take effort.

Back off me, I said I’m pretty sure I believe;
Continuing to defend until you once more achieve your cozy reprieve.

Parts of the Bible make sense and I really appreciate the morals;
Never realizing its purpose isn’t to create nifty catch-phrases like “never rest on your laurels.”

You may have even wrongfully thought that phrase was straight outta’ the Good Book,
But you wouldn’t know either way because you never took the time to look.

Out of this ignorance the competing philosophies of "knowing them by their fruits" and "salvation by works" have become intertwined;
Causing some to think the tree of the philanthropic atheist
bares juicy peaches and plums combined.

The line between righteousness and sin is made out to be so hazy and skewed,
You wouldn't dare take a stand on either for fear of appearing rude.

So you continue to play church, munching on spiritual tea and crumpets;
Just hangin’ out while you wait for Christ and his angels to blow their trumpets

For too many it's the end you long to see;
Meanwhile you miss out on everything you were created to be:

Leading a horse to water and watching it drink;
Watching truth and light expand as sin and darkness shrink.

Witnessing lives align more closely to the original intentions of the Creator;
The opportunity to live the adventurous life of an instigator...

Instigator of truth, hope, mercy, change and fulfillment in life;
But too many pass up that “front-line” role because they don’t want the strife.

So you say you were called to be a “behind the scenes kinda guy;”
Try explaining that to Peter who hung upside-down on a cross to die.

Pretty sure he didn’t want to go out that way,
But he LIVED his principles ‘til the end; unwilling to sway

Instead, donations to the local shelter become the extent of your outstretched hands;
As if you could build a ladder to heaven from unused soup cans.

So what is it you are asking me to do?

Choose a side and stop going through life so comfortably in the middle,
So others might know where you stand without it being such a riddle.

Until then, I’ll respect the atheist far more than you,
At least they come to battle armed with a well thought-out point-of-view.

And please be smarter than what you hear on TV:
"You too can taste this heavenly goodness for a small fee

Donate $300 to the number flashing across your set,
And get ready to see God do amazing things when I buy this private jet!"

Yea, this is more than your typical case of “buyer-beware;”
Those money hungry people are no better than the pigs in your local county fair.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand,
It’s time to get off the beach and out of the sand.

Start living a front-liner kind of life;
And newsflash: “It doesn’t have to cut everyone like a knife”

Just keep the message simple as was the intention,
The supernatural simplicity of the gospel still goes beyond comprehension.

Focus less and less on the endless religious rhetoric,
And more and more on the principles that made Jesus historic.

This is where the teaching must end,
and where your journey must begin.

You’ll have to seek and find it on your own;
asking that the living wisdom of the Holy Spirit be made known.

You must be willing to leave the comfort of your Christian bubble,
In fact, blast that motha’ and leave it in the rubble.

PS: Don’t let your fear of death be the weak engine that keeps your faith in-line;
It’ll keep you frozen until that final day when you’re out of time.

The reality is that one day you will be washed and buried,
And in those final moments don’t regret turning down the workload you could have carried.

Do you want to continue wasting away in Jesus-ritaville, or start living a fulfilled life here and now?