An Investment For The Future

When I was a kid, I enjoyed the "Where's Waldo?" books and not only searched eagerly for Waldo, but for the other objects on the given list for each page. And while it was a challenge for me to search for those objects, I didn't give up because I knew that with patience and perseverance, I'd find them. These books made me realize how observant I am.

I find it amazing how God has made each person unique. For me, He has made me an observant person. It seems that I notice EVERYTHING and nothing rarely goes unnoticed. If you interview my students, they may say that I have a knack for spotting prohibited cell phone texting in my classroom. Today, while on a homebound plane from Colorado, I saw a man pull his dentures out of his mouth and then quickly stick them in his pocket when he was getting up from his seat, did anyone else see that???!

Unfortunately, I also am witness to scenes that make me sad. While I was awaiting my ride at the airport last week, I noticed this old man with his daughter- in-law and her two young children. Her husband pulled up in the car and the old man was eagerly trying to pack the car with the large suitcases. His son was trying to get the kids into their carseats and said to his dad, "Settle down, Dad. We'll take care of the suitcases in a minute." The old man sheepishly stood there and all of a sudden, I felt so sorry for him. I'm not sure why, but my heart hurt for him.

This kind of stuff happens to me all of the time. I'll witness something as benign as that and I'll be moved to tears for no apparent reason. I think one of the reasons I feel sad is that mankind can be so vulnerable and is lost, without a lifeline to cling to. As I've grown spiritually, studied theology and deepened my relationship with the Lord, I've realized that if you've invested in this life on earth, you will be sorely disappointed. You will be hopeless. You may even become bitter because your expectations haven't been met.

Since it's Good Friday, I was ruminating on the fact that Jesus, who was both God and man, (something I don't fully understand but believe it by faith) understands what it's like to feel sadness, despair, hopelessness, grief, rejection,frustration, pain, etc. And yet, He was without sin. I cannot count the times where I've mocked the idea that Jesus can relate to my pain-I mean, how would He know what it's like to be "so old" and not married? How can He know the suffering I face each day when I drive in traffic? How can He understand the annoyance of handling finances and other responsibilities day in and day out? How can He relate to the physical pain when I experience my frequent headaches? This was what my thoughts du jour looked like at a miserable period in my life-a self-focused phase. Like the claw in the arcade machine that grabs the stuffed animals, (only to quickly drop it) is my understanding of the Cross and its cruelty.

The Gospel message is simple: Believe (put your absolute trust in Him, not yourself) in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. The Cross is NOT simple. The Cross was the cruelest punishment known to mankind and yet, Christ humbled Himself and died the death of a thief or murderer. In every way, Jesus' life here on earth and His death on the Cross means that He is able to sympathize with every plight we experience during our lifetime.

Jesus was "so old" and died a single man, He understands loneliness. He understands what it's like to be without romantic love. Jesus did not drive in traffic, but He understands what it means to commute and the length of time to get from one point to another. Jesus may not have held a steady job or income, but He does understand the implications of money and its hold on people. Jesus understands the daily responsibilities because He not only worked with Joseph each day, He carried out His Father's plan by seeking the lost and healing the lame-and I thought that dealing with 100+ personalities a day was hard. A headache compared to the Cross? Jesus may have had the ultimate migraine from the physical aspect of hanging AND He didn't have modern day medications to assuage the pain.

If I shortsell or foreclose on the Cross-I diminish its value and I treat it like the American Dollar. But, if I treasure Christ's work, His suffering, His sacrifice and His love for me, His blood is purer than gold. His work on the Cross covers my past, the present and all of my future sins-where in the world can you find something that doesn't depreciate or break down over time? The question I must daily ask myself is: What am I investing in? Am I investing in living in the now or am I banking on spending eternity with Christ, my Savior, my God, the Prince of Peace, the Comforter, Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father?

The Cross is not something I should relish only on Good Friday or Easter. Observing the Cross and Christ only during this time of the year will hinder me from knowing Him personally or His love for me. Rather, I need to focus on it daily so that I can pick up my own cross and follow Him. Following Him means that I must zoom in on Him and fade out all distractions that may lead me astray- and this is not easy for an observant girl like myself.

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people-Hebrews 2:17

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin-Hebrews 4:15

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh-Romans 8:3

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God-2 Corinthians 5:21

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—Galatians 3:13

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed-1 Peter 2:24

But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed-Isaiah 53:5