There Was A Day

There was a day when - if people were hurting, or scared, or downcast, they could go to a place where there was a tent set up. It was an elaborate tent, surrounded by curtains of rich color and meticulous workmanship. They could look upon the tent, see the priests coming and going, see the sacrificial smoke rise and the fire fall, and know that God lived there.

There was a day after that - if people were hurting, or scared, or downcast, they could go to a building made of hand-chiseled stone. It was adorned with marble and gold and it far out-classed any other dwelling known to mankind. Still, they could see the sacrificial smoke rising and the fire falling from heaven and they could know that despite all else, God had not abandoned them. He still lived there.

There was a day after that when people did hurt, and were scared and downcast. They were oppressed. Some were possessed. Some were dying of diseases and others were just being killed by occupying armies. And Jesus walked among them. And people could see His sacrifice... and people could tell that the fire of Heaven came down upon His life and they could know that despite all else, God was 'with them'.

There was a day soon after that... that God left. And people were scared and downcast, and they did not know what was going to happen.

Then God came back - on Pentecost. And EVERYONE who was waiting for Him, received Him in power and boldness and there was renewed faith and triumph.

And here we are today. People are scared and downcast, and God wants everyone to know that because His children walk the earth, that He is with them. He wants everyone we come into contact with to know just how GREAT Jesus is.... not because we are preaching incessantly, but because we are loving people as He loves them. The question is this: does the world realize that God loves them? If not, is it His fault?