| Hiya everyone! It's been a long while. Easter has gotten me thinking about so many things. Amidst all the doubts, amidst all the zany consipiracy theories against Christ and being both man and God. I just wanted to shed one thing about Christ. You may stop reading if this is too long, and skip to the bottom for my personal update. <<<Start of story...inspired by Dr. David Jeremiah and Chuck Swindoll>>>
***I encourage you to listen to Chuck online at www.insight.org (only 20-25 minutes per sermon and they go fast)***
Imagine if you will a large vault roughly 20' cubed. Inside the vault is vast wealth that the world has never imagined. There was a scheduled arrival of deposit, but the departure is unannounced because the officials feared that the notification would be an advantage for anyone daring enough to break-in. The vault is composed of a titanium alloy and has a close circuit computer system that is counting down to the preset time that only select undisclosed trustworthy individuals know about. The vault has one entry that requires an encrypted extremely strong password that is rolled algorithmically by another separate device to which only one individual may possess at a single moment in time. Along with that is your usual slew of voice, retinal, and biometric fingerprint verification. Now to make matters worse, there are two highly skilled security agents who have both served countless tours of duty in the special forces. They have excelled to the highest degree both physically and tactically and are experts of warfare (conventional and guerilla tactics). Each soldier is equipped with dragonscale armor, and armed to the teeth with Metal Storm submachine guns and sidearms (Theoretical firing rate of 1500 rounds per second). Added to their array of deadly weaponry is an advanced sensor system that constantly tracks motion, thermal output, and even audio output (aka Boomerang) so that they will know the location of the enemy the moment a single shot is fired, step is taken, or breath is drawn. One would think that you'd probably be more likely to be struck by lightning, attacked by a shark, and dying of some rare blood disease simultaneously than ever have a chance to get by that level of security. Even if that doesn't sound realistic, let's just say that the vault is found empty the next morning. First thing what just happened? Now transport ourselves back to when Christ was crucified, wrapped, and locked away in the tomb. There are no computerized subsystems, and no keycode entry systems. Instead you find a huge honking rock that an individual alone cannot move. Instead of special forces, you have Rome's elite guards. You don't have guns, but the average fisherman, tax collector, or lawyer wouldn't be able to compete hand-to-hand or weapon-to-weapon against these elites. Roman soldiers were the creme de la creme back then most likely armed with a short sword for efficient stabbing, a shield for blocking, and several javelin for close-medium ranged combat as well as adorning the best armor the period could provide. They also possess a combative prowess that would send shivers to the bravest of souls. Experts of manipulation through fear, we get the word decimate from them...it's root dates back to the practice of killing off every 1 captive for every 10...simply to prove the point that resistance wouldn't be met unchallenged. They even salted a city that they loathed so much so that nothing would ever grow on it for many years. For the disciples of Christ, no secret raid was staged...no assault could be possibly carried out. Peter had fled after denying Christ three times...he had to be singled out and called by Christ arisen because he was so shamed that he left the others. The Roman soldiers guarding the tomb lied about how someone could have snuck past them because punishment for being subdued by the enemy would not be death as opposed to simply falling asleep. God's plan was in motion throughout the whole ordeal from the fall of man in the garden to Christ's resurrection. The whole Bible is about that theme. Ever since our fall, God has been working on mankind to restore that precious relationship...and Christ finished it. Rejoice and have a wonderful God-filled Easter. Personal Update:
Easter is approaching, our wedding is approaching, I am an uncle to a wonderfully cute asian-american baby girl named Madeline. I've been working 50+ week for 6 straight weeks now. It's been one heck of a job, but things are going good. I'm a little tired...and what little time I have left after work, I spend with Leah, relaxing, and wedding planning. I feel sad because a realization hit me that I might now be able to see SHY graduate from senior year. I will try my best, but I don't have much time off to take, and wedding planning reality has kicked me in the royal jewels several times already with planning for the photo shoots, deejays, and arranging all the other fine things. These are all good things, but why do they have to be soo hard? I wonder if there's some rich dude laughing his butt off because he coined and marketed the idea of the expenses involved with weddings. I mean I'm not complaining, but I wonder how everyone else in the world does it the way they want it and still keep their finances in the green. Anyway, God has been good to me and has constantly provided for me. I've learned to leave it up to him. I didn't give up anything for lent...I think I've gotten good practice of giving up to Him because He is returning it back ten fold. He is providing when all seems to go haywire with mortgage payments, bills, food, and more bills. I also ended up owing more money to Uncle Sam, but God provided there. Leah has been a blessed encouragement throughout the whole time, and I still raise my hands to the Lord and thank Him for every second I get to spend with the most wonderful and caring woman in the world. She was made after my own heart, and I'm glad that I'm made for her. Thank you Lord for the cross, and most importantly for completing me, my faith, and my redemption by your resurrection. |
