We had gone to a Good Friday service earlier that night at Redeemer Presbyterian. Man, it was powerful. I don't know if you're a fan of liturgy, but it can sure focus one's mind well. I was really confronted with my own sin. It's been a while. And it made talk of the cross so much more penetrating. I had met God.
So after meeting with God, we went to Chipotle. From the moment we left the church, Tim and I began to discuss church and worship and community - good stuff that you don't get to talk about at length often enough. I decided the get tacos instead of a burrito this time. It was alright. We kept talking for at least 30 minutes after we were done eating. I thought of something and got a pen out of my backpack that was right by my leg on the floor. About 10 minutes later, we decided to leave and discovered that my backpack was gone. From then on, lots of emotions flooded through me. I sure am glad that Tim was there, because I could hardly think straight enough to think of anything I should do. We called the police, scoped out the place, talk to the management, sent out text messages for prayer, etc. It was rough. No one saw anything. There were 4 people sitting right by us, and they saw nothing. There were no security cameras by us (I checked the others later and found nothing). So, today it's 5 days later, and I'm pretty sure that my computer has a new memory and is in the hands of someone else. Though there's always hope that it will get back to me with the memory still in tact.
For the most part, I've been a little surprised at how OK I am. It's a big deal and a major inconvenience, but God is faithful. I lost some stuff, yeah, but I've got a job so I'll be able to get replacement stuff again.
Last night in my Life Group, we talked about Jesus when he said, "I am the resurrection and the life." Death was in the air, and I couldn't help seeing that before we can have the life that is truly life that Jesus offers, we have to face death. We have to face our own sin and the consequences. And when we accept Jesus' death on our behalf, we can experience resurrection. And what does that resurrected life look like? It's: exciting, a new lease on life, part of a bigger story, giving love to others as we've been given, running through a field, loving people unconditionally, and so much more.
So I think about this guy who lifted my bag.
I've been reading Genesis lately and before God flooded the earth, Genesis 6:5-6 says:
"Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart." (NASB)
"His heart was filled with pain." (NIV)
"It broke his heart." (NLT)
My sin is a part of that. The man who robbed me (God's creation in His own image) broke God's heart. If God's heart is broken, then so if mine. This man does not know the love of God that I have experienced - the kind of love that voluntarily sacrifices itself for another despite full knowledge of their complete sin. I pray that God would reveal himself to this man, that he would crash into his life. I pray that I would meet him one day... as a brother.
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