One Day

There is a beautiful hymn called One Day.

The writer of the hymn takes us on a truly outstanding journey through the life and times of Jesus Christ from His incarnation through to the day all believers look forward to when He returns for His people, His Kingdom and His world.

The middle of the song and the middle of the narrative sees our King of eternity die on the cross.

It continues to baffle. How can the critical saving moment of humanity by the King of all creation see Him brutally murdered in agonising pain for hours before he finally gave up the ghost? How can He just – die?

Buried, as far as His opponents were concerned they had won. The problem was erased.  He was dead.  That was all that mattered.

When I consider some of the people who I serve, their situation can similarly be considered well and truly dead and buried.

She’s 52 years old.  Her last job was four years ago, and every time she has even seen a job she can go for, she knows exactly why she’s turned down. She knows why she hasn’t had an interview for the last two years despite updating her CV and keeping on top of what the industry trends.  She doesn’t know why she persists. She’s giving up hope.

The children have grown up and left the home.  Her husband is too busy and tired to listen to her concerns. He comes home, eats his dinner, expects her to just put up, then shut up.  Sometimes it appears things might warm up and he might be sympathetic, it only takes her to take the attention off him for one moment and he erupts again.

She wants to tell her friends, but they are still overawed at the fact that at least she still has a husband, what would be the problem?

The world appears to be closing in on her from every angle. She is suffocating.  There is no room to find anywhere to breathe. It will just take another day of this before …

People are dying every day.  They are not dying from absolute poverty, though they are poor in ways their bank balances can never reflect.  They are not dying from hunger, though they starve for the real food that allows them to live.

Indeed to all intents and purposes they are as good as dead. Dead and buried in the routine that offers little but the mere postponement of the physical realisation of that which has been happening on the inside for days.

The enemies of the lives of the people are content that they remain dead and buried.  The children of the Light who live in the Light know about what happens when things appear dead.  They know that one day He who conquered death can bring life to the dying.

Maybe that one day could be today.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden