My Christmas Eve Thought for 122417: To Escape From These Things

"Be watching at all times, therefore, and praying that you will be worthy to escape from these things which are going to occur, and to stand before The Son of Man.”

-- Luke 21:36

Luke must be speaking of cowards without conscience when he talked about being worthy to escape, to run away, and then, in some way, not be thought less of when you stand before anyone, much less the Son of Man.

Personally, I feel that, for the truly righteous and worthy, there is no "escape from these things which are going to occur" as long as you have knowledge and faith that whatever is coming will, in fact, occur; you will never be able to escape your knowledge or your faith in the inevitable. If you were to "escape" you would always live under the weight of the knowledge and guilt of your own weakness, the chains of your own cowardice, in the face of evil. And, if it is God's wrath you somehow hope to escape, why would you fear punishment, deserved or not, from a loving God? Then there's just the thought that you could actually escape an omnipotent being who always knows where you are and what you're going to do before you do it. 

Even for those without conscience, there will always be karma which will re-level the playing field and leave you to ask why something horrible happened to you, or why you were being punished.  For the clueless among us, I would definitely look to karma for answers to things we think happen to us for no reason.  

As for me, I prefer to pray that I am worthy to stand beside The Son of Man in times of trial and tribulation, and for the strength to endure and, in doing so, to grow. What will happen will happen, and there is no escape. "Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins."  Before we consider running away, perhaps we might be better served considering who shows more of what the Lord needs, he who dons the armor of God and flees or he who dons the armor and fearlessly, with all humility, stands ground in the face of adversity. “There is no greater love than this: that a person would lay down his life for the sake of his friends.”

I hear the "faithful" around me as they continually try to make a deal with God; they constantly try to bargain or buy their way into salvation through some form of sacrifice.  A good deed does not a good person make; a good deed is self-defining.  If you truly want to be good, to be "faithful," then be.  Since I started this post quoting Luke, I might as well swing over to Star Wars and quote Master Yoda as well:  "Do.  Or do not.  There is no try."  StarWars.com tells us of Yoda's line in the movie, "the line has become a modern slogan — a reminder to commit oneself to something completely, win or lose."

If you are putting dirt and rocks into a pile to create a mountain and someone asks what you're doing, you don't respond by saying you're trying to create a mountain - you state that you're creating a mountain.  How big that mountain will be is completely dependent on you.  A pile to some might be a hill to others, and a hill to some is a mountain to others.  How tall the mountain becomes relies entirely on the commitment invested by the creator; regardless of its size, there is going to be a mountain.  In this respect there can be no win or lose.  The same holds true if you're digging a hole; you don't say you're trying to dig a hole if you're already putting spade to dirt.  We must learn to walk the walk.  Stop saying you will try and start saying you will do.  As we do, we will surely stumble and fall.  When we fall, we have not failed.  Get back up and do again, and keep on doing until you get it right.  In this way there is no trying, there is only continual doing.  Will you be perfect?  No, but you will be.  To be or not to be, isn't this the real lesson God wants us to learn?    

We must, in fact, always give God what God needs and not constantly be considering what it is we think God wants.  What God needs is so much easier and immediate to provide, as it requires little, if any, consideration.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

Matthew 22:36-37

This Christmas, and for the new year, we can all make time during our busy schedule to simply relax and take a walk out in the world with God, to talk with God, and to listen.  It usually pays for the caretaker to speak with the "Owner" every now and again, if just to show appreciation for a glorious day in His paradise and another opportunity which the Owner has given us to excel in His gift of life.

Why would anyone want to escape from these things?

"And he walks with me and he talks with me

And he tells me I am his own

And the joy we share as we tarry there

None other has ever known."

-- Merle Haggard, "In the Garden"

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.