The Bungee Cord.  6-7-21

The Bungee Cord 6-7-21

Hello,

I was with a pastor friend at a local coffee shop talking about pastor things, and in our random strain of talking he told me of an old Catholic priest from his younger years in ministry. This priest was to my friend, a mentor of sorts. Someone to whom my friend would go to find some wisdom, get his feet on the ground, and settle his soul.

“This priest,” said my friend, “said to me that when this life is over and you are standing at the gates of heaven, God is going to only ask you one question.”

“Oh, I know this,” I thought to myself. “It has got to be, ‘Do you know Jesus?’”

But that wasn’t the question my friend recounted. “The question God will ask you is, “Did you enjoy it? I did all of this for you. I created the heavens and the earth. I filled it with beauty. I gave you a universe full of things to strike your curiosity. I saturated it with love. I even sent my son to die for you to open up pathways for peace, and joy. I did it all for you. Did you enjoy it?”

Who knows what God’s welcome will be like when the final trumpet of this life shall sound and the inaugural trumpet of the life to come play reveille? Personally, I don’t think that there will be a question at all. I think that God will look us straight in the eyes and holding back tears of joy, God will say, “Welcome! You’re in room 405,876,345.”

But the question that Catholic priest proposes sure sheds some truth and light on the days of this life. We can get life all turned upside down, and when that happens life becomes much more of a daily drudgery. Trying to make a name for ourselves. Counting the number of toys we can claim. Slogging our way through pits of quicksand measuring ourselves against others. Getting lost in a stampede of tragedies. Always seeking to squeeze something more out of each of our days.

“I did all of this for you. Did you enjoy it? Did you enjoy each breath, whether only a handful or more than you could ever count, wherein your lungs took in the power of life? Did you enjoy every glimpse, whether only a few or more than you could count, of the brilliant array of color that created an explosion of marvel and delight? Did you enjoy each touch of another’s hand, whether only a few or more than you could count, that carried its grip as far as your heart with a flood of joy? Did you enjoy the hope of the resurrection of Jesus that opened every day to you with grace and peace? I did all of this for you. Did you enjoy it?”

The Bible tells us that you and I are the apple of God’s eye. So treasured in God’s heart are we that he would…no, has….done everything to love us. Like a parent who lavishly goes all out for their child’s birthday…Chucky Cheese, a balloon shaping clown, your favorite cake and ice cream, noise makers and hats, friends invited from all over, music….the works. And when it is over, and when everyone has left, the parent embraces the child and says, “I did it all for you. Did you enjoy it?”

Enjoy it.

Have a great week.

God’s grace and peace, (ggap)

Pastor Jerry Nuernberger