Sun. 3:45 p.m. By David Driver
June 23,2007
Bring Them Home
It was Sunday again and I was taking my time getting up to go to Church.
I had only been going for a few months and I guess I fell into the trap of what if.
What if God does not love me or even exist?
Or maybe it was the trap of wondering how much fun I was missing out in the world.
Whatever the case I found myself becoming less interested in God and more interested in the way I once lived.
I tried hard I really did then I began to try and justify my actions.
You know the I am unknowledgeable in God’s word so a little slip here and there is ok wow was I wrong.
And I had support from the Church.
Yes not only my family but also the others who are faithful members there to help me in any way but I would say I was ok.
And I knew better but the thrill of one more time was really getting to me.
I did go to Church the Sunday before this and remember the Pastor specifically directing the congregation to do something God had told him to share with us.
He told us that God had told him to tell us to be there next Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. and not to be a minute late.
He said he had prayed about this and God was very clear about this.
Well I was hardly paying attention so I have no idea why I remember that part but hey I was getting ready for Church like a good person and I was going to be there.
I mean hey I have walked in at 11 before and no one said anything so what would a few minutes late hurt this time.
Well it was 9:45 and I had 30 minutes to drive so I thought not to bad.
As I got closer to Church I felt strange and even noticed it was quiet and kind of weird in a way.
I arrived at Church and the parking lot was over half full but something was different.
No one was walking around in front of the windows as usual and no one was outside either.
I walked up to the door and realized I did not hear music as usual and knowing praise and worship should be going on that worried me but I did not know why until I opened the door and walked in.
I walked in and heard someone crying and another saying “ If only I would have listened.â€Â
Then what I saw shot fear through me like I had never felt before.
Cloths laying all around and no one there but the few of us who showed up late.
I knew what had taken place but was in denial and yet knowing I had missed what I had been told about.
Yes Jesus had returned and there I was without excuse and no way to justify my missing this.
I finally just walked around and started to recognize whose cloths were lying on the pews and even the floor.
I walked up front and then up to the pulpit where our Pastor had been standing and his cloths were lying on the floor and I saw what he had written in his notebook.
This is what he wrote.
If you are reading this then we are in Heaven.
That was it.
I mean I expected some long letter of how I missed Jesus returning and how things would get worse and then it hit me.
I knew what to do I knew to obey and yes I knew God was ministering to me loving me and blessing me with everything needed to live life as I should.
But I continued to doubt to say maybe this or what if or oh man I messed up.
Then I spotted what I had not wanted to see.
My wife and children's cloths and I could tell they were holding on to each other.
I went over and picked up the cloths and just started crying.
I wanted to die but wanted a second chance yet scared to even move.
I had missed it.
Now no one knows the time or day that Jesus will return but one day He will.
The thing to keep in mind is to always be ready as if today is the day.
This way you will know that you are always prepared when God says to Jesus Son.
Bring them Home.
June 23,2007
Bring Them Home
It was Sunday again and I was taking my time getting up to go to Church.
I had only been going for a few months and I guess I fell into the trap of what if.
What if God does not love me or even exist?
Or maybe it was the trap of wondering how much fun I was missing out in the world.
Whatever the case I found myself becoming less interested in God and more interested in the way I once lived.
I tried hard I really did then I began to try and justify my actions.
You know the I am unknowledgeable in God’s word so a little slip here and there is ok wow was I wrong.
And I had support from the Church.
Yes not only my family but also the others who are faithful members there to help me in any way but I would say I was ok.
And I knew better but the thrill of one more time was really getting to me.
I did go to Church the Sunday before this and remember the Pastor specifically directing the congregation to do something God had told him to share with us.
He told us that God had told him to tell us to be there next Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. and not to be a minute late.
He said he had prayed about this and God was very clear about this.
Well I was hardly paying attention so I have no idea why I remember that part but hey I was getting ready for Church like a good person and I was going to be there.
I mean hey I have walked in at 11 before and no one said anything so what would a few minutes late hurt this time.
Well it was 9:45 and I had 30 minutes to drive so I thought not to bad.
As I got closer to Church I felt strange and even noticed it was quiet and kind of weird in a way.
I arrived at Church and the parking lot was over half full but something was different.
No one was walking around in front of the windows as usual and no one was outside either.
I walked up to the door and realized I did not hear music as usual and knowing praise and worship should be going on that worried me but I did not know why until I opened the door and walked in.
I walked in and heard someone crying and another saying “ If only I would have listened.â€Â
Then what I saw shot fear through me like I had never felt before.
Cloths laying all around and no one there but the few of us who showed up late.
I knew what had taken place but was in denial and yet knowing I had missed what I had been told about.
Yes Jesus had returned and there I was without excuse and no way to justify my missing this.
I finally just walked around and started to recognize whose cloths were lying on the pews and even the floor.
I walked up front and then up to the pulpit where our Pastor had been standing and his cloths were lying on the floor and I saw what he had written in his notebook.
This is what he wrote.
If you are reading this then we are in Heaven.
That was it.
I mean I expected some long letter of how I missed Jesus returning and how things would get worse and then it hit me.
I knew what to do I knew to obey and yes I knew God was ministering to me loving me and blessing me with everything needed to live life as I should.
But I continued to doubt to say maybe this or what if or oh man I messed up.
Then I spotted what I had not wanted to see.
My wife and children's cloths and I could tell they were holding on to each other.
I went over and picked up the cloths and just started crying.
I wanted to die but wanted a second chance yet scared to even move.
I had missed it.
Now no one knows the time or day that Jesus will return but one day He will.
The thing to keep in mind is to always be ready as if today is the day.
This way you will know that you are always prepared when God says to Jesus Son.
Bring them Home.