Dear Community of Saints,
Is it just me, or does the world seem like a better place? Oh yeah, sure, I know. Prominent newscasters are convicted of sex crimes, high government officials are incriminated of inappropriate handling of money, earthquakes destroy ancient religious relics, planes full of people are falling out of the sky (not to mention car wrecks), but something is different in the world I'm living in.
This morning as I was driving to work, there was this surrealistic mist hanging on the ground, and the rays of the early morning sun were highlighted as they shone through the shadows of the trees.
Tonight when I looked up at the sky, it was crystal clear bright, as opposed to overcast and dreary as it had been since Saturday here in Wichita. I imagined I could see the space shuttle Atlantis as they delivered David Wolf to the Russian space station Mir. What used to appear as a vast and endless expanse of stars and planets, matter and anti-matter, now appeared to be finite. It was almost as if I could reach out and touch the canopy above me.
This is the part that's hard to describe, but is appearing as real as the sun piercing through the incredible sunset earlier this evening. There is a slight tear in the veil that separates this existance we call life, and through it is leaking just a fragment of that other very real existance that we call heaven - similar to when Jesus revealed just the slightest shred of the wonders of heaven to Peter, James, and John when he was transfigured on the mountain (Matthew 17). Did Rich's death cause this? Why do we wait for "miraculous signs"? Was Jesus not standing there beckoning at the door last week?
Whatever the answer to these questions, the last few days I haved witnessed the most incredible unity in the Body of Christ, but I can't help but think what would Rich think - not about the massive attention being brought to him (cause we all know he'd really freak out about that), but what would he think about what this is doing to us - ultimately. I'll leave you with a couple more questions, actually it's challenge. What will you do tomorrow? What one person in your life needs your love more than anything? Will they see Christ in you, as we did in Rich?
I will not be online anymore for a couple days. I will be spending the day with those God has graciously given to me, and calls them family. I will be doing a pictorial review of the Wichita memorial, but it may a few days. If you're traveling to Wichita tonight or tomorrow, wear you're seatbelt. God Bless your weekend.
"Be God's."