Oh Lord, Help!

Good morning on this new day of the new year. The review of the past year is done and that chapter is closed. The resolutions are printed and published. Great hope is born at the dawning of the new year. Yet, today is that first day when many go back to the same old workplace. The person may wonder, is there nothing more? What happened to the hope of yesterday? That feeling of wishing the holiday would last forever is the longing we have for God's Heaven. The ending of the holidays reminds us most fearfully that our time has not arrived yet for the trip to our eternal home with Jesus. The redeeming quality of the day may be in seeing the people you know and love.

I went back to work after a vacation or holiday listing the things I wanted to accomplish. What do I need to do? What goals can I complete? Questions like that set the people second, or third, or worse. Yet, what did I miss about the place after that season ended? Right, the people. I didn't miss the tasks. The accomplishments and goals I easily substituted with new ones from my wish list. The persons left behind I could in no way replace. A list of accomplishments is very flexible. Persons have names, faces, and a God-given breath of life. The ones left behind are unique creations of God. I cannot replace them; I can only hope to be reunited in Heaven forever and ever.

That feeling of loss we experience at the ending of a season. The little twitter of fear and despair as we begin another time of testing or work, when we would rather play and enjoy the day, reminds us that one day all things will be made new. We don't imagine Heaven without work and accomplishment, we imagine that these things will be made new. Imagine a place where we run joyfully to work and play. A place where there is no striving against each other for accomplishment, and no struggle against the selfish weaknesses to do our best work. Imagine for a moment standing at a workbench with Jesus, and building something wonderful. That time will come.

Bucky
Jesus is coming again!