Run to the Land of Beginning Again

Let’s run from all the madness in the world.

• War
• Loss
• Loneliness
• Fear
• Suffering
• Death

“I wish there were some wonderful place called the land of beginning again where all of my heartaches and all of my woes could be dropped like a dirty old coat at the door and never be put on again.” Author Unknown

So, why not run to the Land of Beginning Again.

You can enter right where you are, even in the middle of suffering.

Encounter unthinkable solutions

Folks are. . .

• tired of corruption
• tired of abuse
• tired of suffering
• tired of war

Reminds me of a couple of Indians walking out of the movie, Custer’s Last Stand.

One of the Indians stopped under the marquee and said, “Isn’t it good every now and then to see a movie with a happy ending?”

So, how do you find peace when you . . .

• can barely live in the present
• can’t do anything about the past

I’m praying with everyone else for a happy ending to worldwide maladies.

I think it’s good to pray for miracles.

Sometimes they are instantaneous and other times, as C.S. Lewis said, they are progressive.

365 “fear nots” are found in one form or another in the Bible.

One for every day of the year.

Maybe God said “don’t be afraid” because he knows we’re afraid often.

I don’t think anyone disagrees that we need God as much as ever.

God knows we need solutions beyond natural laws if we ever hope to be free of evil.

Encounter unthinkable power

Growing up in San Antonio, I marveled at folks who stuck a plastic Jesus on the dashboard of their car.

A box-sized god.

It reminds me of the world today.

Many folks want to manage and control their god as much as their chaos.

• God should be a lap dog so that he comes only when called.
• God should be defined by higher education.
• God should be extracted by meditation.
• God should fit only my needs.

Three writers of the New Testament tried these approaches in one form or another.

But then, this happened . . .

“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.  Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus,…a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”  Matthew 17 selected verses

In a flash, Peter, James and John lit up like chipmunks in a lion’s shadow.

Light like Alpha Centauri flashed through Jesus’ face.

Jesus on fire.

Brightness flared through his body.

• Dazzling
• Blazing
• Shocking

“For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.”  2 Peter 1: 16-18

Encounter unthinkable salvation

The Land of Beginning Again is a human soul made new by the power of God, a new creation formed at the moment of faith in Christ.

How?

• Give your life, your deepest trust,
• to Christ as Lord forevermore;
• begin again in the land supreme,
• your heart made new by the Spirit of God.

“‘I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.  Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”  John 12 selected verses

I start each day working at my desk in front of this plaque.

With God, all things are possible to anyone who is born again.

Has this happened to you?