Missing You

Is it possible to miss someone you have never even met? Well, I'm here to say, "Yes. Yes, it is."

I have noticed something about my prayers lately. They have become more desperate in nature. I suppose it's due to the deteriorating state of the world we live in. I tell God that I can't wait for the return of His Son, Jesus. I also say that I hope it's soon.

Do you remember that 80's ballad by John Waite called Missing You? There's a link to the song below. Here's some of the lyrics.

Every time I think of you

I always catch my breath

And I'm still standing here

And you're miles away

And I'm wondering why you left

Well, you definitely are "miles away" and just why DID you leave anyway?

"My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." - John 14:2-3

Oh yeah, I forgot with all of the stuff on the news. Sorry. More lyrics.

I hear your name in certain circles

And it always makes me smile

I spend my time

Thinking about you

And it's almost driving me wild

I do hear you name, but only in certain circles. Like church or when I am praying with a friend. And I Do spend my time thinking about You. I can't seem to stop. I guess that comes with having Your Holy Spirit living inside of me. I read about you daily. I utter little prayers throughout the day and wonder what heaven is like.

Does that sound like I'm missing You, Lord?

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Whoever "they" are, they are right. It seems that with every passing day I am missing You more and more. Almost to the breaking point. But You won't let that happen. That's how I know that You are coming back soon. Lots of people are missing You right now.

There is an Aramaic word - Maranatha. The word means "the Lord is coming" or "come, O Lord." Perhaps I could just end this story with those words.

I miss You, Jesus. Maranatha. Please?

"All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you." - Psalm 38:9

Missing You - John Waite

The Next Nexus

There is a crossing of paths in life where the good meets the bad, the happy meets the sad. But wherever you are and whatever you do, whatever happens is a nexus between you and God.

I was reminded of this fact as my wife and I drove across the upper peninsula of Michigan yesterday, journeying to a family reunion.

Back home a young friend of mine was in labor, delivering a beautiful baby girl, while down the hall at the same hospital a father was informed that HIS baby in the NICU had died. Happy and sad at the same time, in the same place.

My wife and I just happened to meet up with our daughter and her husband part way through our trip. We had lunch together. It was a happy time. Yet I was reminded of similar trips with MY parents. They are both gone from us. They will not be at the family reunion. A sad time.

Then, sitting at the breakfast table this morning, our niece told us abut an upcoming unplanned job transition. She would be leaving a job she loved and her job family, which she also loved. Truly a sad and uncertain time in her life. What would the future bring? Only God knows.

The nexus between the happy and the sad, known and unknown, is perfectly laid out in the story of Jesus Christ. The happy side is that God cared enough for mankind that He sent his Son to us, to live and then to die - a nexus for sure. But then there was a "second nexus" as Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. A nexus between sad and happy.

No matter what you are going through in life there will be good and bad, happy and sad. But with Christ, there will always be that second nexus. And for that we give God thanks and praise.

I'm not sure what you are going through.

Where Joy and Sorrow Meet

There is a wonderful thing that happens when a family member dies. It's actually the same thing that happens when two people get married. Can you figure out what it is? Think about the similarities. Both events are usually officiated by ministers, they usually take place in churches. Both events often feature meals afterwards. But none of those are what I am going to be writing about today.

My sister and her husband came to visit this past weekend. Well, their visiting was only a byproduct of why they were here. My brother-in-law's father had passed away and they were coming back to Wisconsin for the funeral.

It seems like the only times family gets together in a major way is for weddings or funerals. Other times of the year we are simply too busy, we have something else to do or we simply don't want to invest the time to make a long trip.

Weddings and funerals are different though. We DO make plans, we DO make an effort to attend.

After the funeral and the meal that followed this past weekend my wife and I returned home. My sister, her husband and one of their sons stayed behind to visit with family. That was early afternoon. Later that night I received a phone call from my sister. My brother-in-laws family was having such a good time talking with one another they wanted to spend MORE time doing so! Joy amongst the sorrow.

I have been blessed to be a part of such a loving family. We always enjoy our time together. Weddings are amazing events for family and, if you really think about it, so are funerals. Why is that?

As I watched the people at the funeral the other day I couldn't help but noticed the love present in the room. Conversations, hugs, kisses on cheeks - much the same as at a wedding. What an odd combination. Gathered together in grief . . . and celebration.

There is another place where joy and sorrow meet besides funerals . . .

"There's a place of thirst and hunger where the roots of faith grow deep

And there is rain and rolling thunder when the road is rough and steep

There is hope in desperation there is victory in defeat

At the cross of restoration where joy and sorrow meet."

Where Joy and Sorrow Meet - The Zoe Group