Urgency and Emergency
As a preacher, I am well acquainted with death. Whether it's car accidents, illnesses, age, or any other cause, I deal with it, near daily. Sometimes I worry if I am growing callous to death. I can be compassionate toward the families and loved ones who suffer losses; I counsel and am there for people as best I can be, but I feel like sometimes something is shut off inside of me. When family members have died, and I've had to officiate, a part of me has had to steel myself; I have had to deal with drama and wills, and fighting, and every other thing...just to make sure the funeral was arranged and the lost were honored. Today, as I sat scraping ice off of my windshield, I prayed about this mindset, and came to a single conclusion: I can do nothing for those who have gone on. They have met the Lord, one way or other. My urgency is for the living, and make sure they meet Jesus on this side of life.
Too many of us are so invested in this life we forget that we are made for something else. This current design was perfect, but our rebellion ruined it; and so what awaits us is better than we could ask or imagine. This world, and everything and everyone in it is passing away: I will weep with those who weep and mourn with those who mourn, but there is a crisis that always exists whether wars, famine, disaster and disease are present or not: we are all destined for eternity, and how we face it is determined by whether or not we are inmate with Jesus Christ or not. We can fight of trivial things that may add a few more days, weeks, months or years to our personal calendars, but if we do not know Jesus Christ, we're just running out the clock in moderate comfort and desperate fear. The world is in crisis; it has been since we gave up ownership of it to the enemy of our soul. There is only one cure, and if we, who say we follow Jesus have no urgency about spreading the Good News of the Gospel, then we do not really know Him at all.
Philippians 2:1-17 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
