We had some house guests this past weekend. Friends from a small town that came through St. Louis for a homeschoolling Christmas event for their son. They stayed with us and we were so happy to have them. I added ear plugs to the guest room "stash" in case the city noise kept them up. It didn't, thank goodness. The night they stayed, there was a incident of domestic violence one block from our home, right outside on the street around midnight. It was horrific and sad and slightly embarrassing but reality.
Living here for 6 months now, I've seen so much joy and life and goodness that dwells here in our neighborhood. Driving home to find kids playing with water hoses in the street in the summer, teenagers always shooting hoops in the park across from our house in the autumn, and children getting off the school bus and chasing each other with snow balls while they wait for their mothers. Neighbors walking over to visit with each other, checking out each other's Christmas decorations, lending hands. Our neighbor Marlin asking if we need help raking leaves (they always take such good care of their property, I feel bad when we slack off) Our other neighbor Dorothy, walking over to take a look at the redbuds we planted, letting us have some of her miracle grow to help. The interracial couple that lives behind us waving and cooing to Cora as we walk out our back door. And yet in the midst of the kindness, the goodness, the life, evil breaks in, and a women is beat up on our street corner. Violence is present and it reminds me of where I am.
In a sermon a few weeks ago, our pastor mentioned a comment one theologian (I forget who, Luther I believe) who when asked what he would do if he knew The Lord was coming back tomorrow, what he would do. He replied "plant a tree". Point being, let's help bring bits of heaven to earth NOW. I was encouraged by this. it reminds me that the restoration of all things, yes is coming! But that we, by his MERCY, are apart of his work now, today. Sometimes when I get overwhelmed with the sadness in our neighborhood, the unloved and vacant homes, the overgrown lots, the stray cat across the street, I dream about what this place will look like when He comes back. I can't wait for that day. I see glimmers of it here and there and it makes me smile. His kingdom IS coming.
When I look back on my life, I want to know that we were loving the poor and the estranged, seeking the outcast, following Jesus and not the American dream. It's hard cause the world markets that dream to us everywhere we go. And Jesus, he's like a treasure in a dull shell, such subtleties so easy to miss. And yet, he is our only hope of happiness, of life.
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former thin have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
He is coming. Next week, he was born into this crazy world, to live in it, to love it, to die for it, to save it, to restore it back to how it's suppose to be. Hallelujah! When that day comes, what JOY shall fill our hearts.
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