CMA Corner April ’24

There’s a great deal of uncertainty or perhaps unrest going on in this old world today, isn’t there? Things that we once knew were wrong are considered right, and things that we know to be right are wrong. What in the blazes is going on??

Before I elaborate on that question, let me give you a little insight into a time when all chaos broke loose, and people were running for their lives. A man named Jesus had just been crucifiedon a cross, his friends didn’t quite understand why, but couldn’t stop it. Oh, they were ready to fight off those that came to get him in the garden that night, but he wouldn’t let them. He even reattached the ear of a soldier that one of his own disciples had cut off with a sword! He told the disciple to put his sword away, that He must go with those that came. Innocent as Jesus was, with absolutely no real criminal offense, He went with them…and then they did what they did, spitting on him, slapping him, beating him until the flesh ripped off his back, and finally nailing him to that cross…and three days later…

After Jesus came out of the grave, which was a big hole that was dug out of a rock, like a small room with a door that led into it. A huge stone covered the doorway so no one could enter or exit. It was even sealed with a mortar type of material. This thing wasn’t moving by man’s hands…and so, it wasn’t. Moved by man that is. To continue…After Jesus came out of the grave and showed himself to Mary and his disciples, He walked around for about a month or a little over it seems. He appeared in several places, to many others, He got ready to go up into Heaven with a few final words, “Go into all the world and make disciples of all people” and “Occupy until I come”. Definition of occupy: verb as in be busy with. Well, the followers got busy! So busy, in fact that the old religious men that stirred up everyone to crucify Jesus, got wind of what was going on and they freaked out!

“ What are we going to do now??This movement got bigger than we could ever imagine !We can’t kill them all! Can we??” Chaos ensued and the disciples, now called Apostles because they were now the leaders of the movement promoted by Jesus and filled with His Spirit, went about doing the work Jesus started. They preached one morning and got 3000 followers! Well, this just won’t do in the religious community! So, they formed a committee and did some investigating and started to raid the homes of the followers that were spreading this Jesus gospel! What once was right became wrong and what was wrong became right and many were arrested, and most were later killed for standing up for what they truly believed. Hmmm…sounds a bit familiar.

Here’s the bottom line of it all…we stand for what we believe, no matter what. We trust that what is truth will prevail over the chaos that the deceiver would have us crazy about and we follow after that truth with every ounce of our being so that in the end, we are victorious! What about you? Is there room in your heart to receive the reality above the chaos? Can you hear Him calling you from out of the dark into His marvelous light?

Man, I hope so. Because that’s what He’s offering you today…Overflowing Hope, which will bring you in to unconditional love.

I do hope youareable to findthis on your path someday soon, tomorrow is never promisedand living one day without Jesus, is like livingalone on a deserted island with no escape.Easter came andwent;it was all about the One that was sent.Not a little Bunny, although that’s really fun.But a Bunny can’t save you,only Jesus, God’s Son.Catch you in the Wind…Mary G.