Picking up from yesterday

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In the course of this story, Abraham dies. So does Sarah. So does Isaac, and Jacob, and generation after generation. From Abraham to Paul, the only people who didn’t die were Elijah and … nobody.

The only people who died and came back to life are… Jesus.

The rest of us are guaranteed a physical death.

And between birth and death, there will be illness. There will be business failures and coffee spills. There will be hilarious stories and moments of delight.

And all of them are part of life. And each of them may or may not be punishment or blessing from God for specific actions that we have done.

Abraham’s calling wasn’t because he was so good. It was because God is so good. And Jesus’ death wasn’t because he was so bad. It was because God is so good.

“But not yet,” is the thing that I hear all the time. I knew they would die, but not yet. We were just getting ready for retirement.”

“So then when” is the question I need to ask. “When would be the ideal time for an illness, for a death?”

After we do what?
After what conversations?
After what experiences?
After we’ve learned what from that person?

Given the reality of death, my regular question, sometimes answered, is “What are we doing now, given that we will die?”

What Jesus suggests, though suggests is a mild word, is following him.

Following the one who is part of the massive plan that God told Abraham about and will continue.

We are happier, maybe, if we reduce our expectations, if we live in our experiences.

We will be less combative, more encouraged by God if we waste less time on what doesn’t satisfy and more time on what does.

And that’s the invitation from Jesus.

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More on Thursday. Rich will be here tomorrow.