Five Minure Fridy: Middle

                                             Middle  

Today we live in turbulent times. The media offers us more questions than answers. Social media is full of discord, division, and dysfunction. Sadly; friends, neighbors, casual and close relationships explode into negative conversations and criticism.  As a country we have decided that politicians and scientists are the answer to our problems and responsible for giving us living the lives we desire. 

Jesus lived and walked on this same earth during similar times. Cruel tyrants ruled the lands. Evil and oppressive Pharisees bullied the Hebrew church, using for their own gain the laws God had set in place for them to care and instruct His flocks. The people longed and prayed for a political leader, a king as they believed the old testament had promised them. A super leader who would strike down the Roman Empire and set them free from their bondage. Yearning for a change in governments and earthly king would bring them freedom. 

What they got was Jesus. The son of a carpenter from the measly town of Nazareth, what good could possibly come form Nazareth? Jesus, humble from birth and throughout his life came to give them life, freedom from sin and a pathway to eternal life with the great I AM. Not what they expected or really wanted. 

Jesus rocked the Hebrew world. And they killed Him.

Two thousand plus years later we live in a world of brokenness, confusion, and dependency on government and our philosophers. Expecting them to provide us with health and the lives we want to live. Our way. 

The Old Testament prophecies spoke of the Jesus to come. The New Testament, the story of Jesus here on earth, and the fulfillment of His mission.  

And now we live in the middle. The in between part. Jesus lived. Died. Left us with the Holy Spirit and the New Testament. And we wait. The written word is complete. We are waiting for His return. In a broken scary world. In the middle. Anxious for his return. But wanting His desired plan to be complete. 

We  can be fearful. I am sometimes. But like the Hebrews of the Old Testament we have been told to wait. For His return. The Word says no man knows time. Many seek to figure it out. Looking for signs. What I know is the Holy Spirit lives within me. Jesus walks by my side daily. And the Father in heaven holds my life in His hands.

Here in the middle I stand. I wait. But I live my life in confidence that the middle is not the end. Jesus will return. The old will be made new. And if will be more than we could ask or imagine. Amen.