YOU LET THEM
By Rick Mathes
John 20:13 And they •said to her, ” Woman, why are you weeping?” She •said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
Why are you crying? Have they taken your Lord away? It’s worth analyzing and taking a close look at it because this is a very serious matter. Life without Jesus is literally a living hell even if you go into denial or drink and drug your mind into neutral: truth races on. Let’s face it, they have taken your Lord away.
Is it a selfish sorrow when you pour your heart and soul into someone who lets you down big-time, or a church you have helped build folds? If you crash too, they have taken your Lord away.
It just might be flat-out rebellion to what is right that has made you take the wide road that is headed in the wrong direction. This usually happens when your old habits and old way haunt you until they overcome you. You allowed them to do this.
How about being in the midst of a crowded mega-church where you feel painfully alone in the midst of them and hopeless in a packed out sanctuary: they are just plastic people playing church. I call this nonsense Kentucky Fried Christianity! They have taken our Lord away in most churches and left Satan, with a mask on, in the pulpit. Flee from those flames and destruction.
A dead church and your emptiness grieve the Holy Spirit to no end. It always is preceded by the prayers you feel that God is not answering nor is even listening. You are right, He isn’t.
The biggest villain of emptiness or a lack of the Lord’s presence is that you are not serving Him. When you are in Him and He is in you, you must do something. It is true that you are saved by grace alone apart from works but when you enjoy His grace you do His works. St. Francis of Assisi once said, “All I want to do is go about the work of our Father and not know it.” When you are humbled they can’t take your Lord away.
The old nature of doubting will raise its ugly head and if you leave them they will stir up your past sins and make you totally miserable. The problem is you, not them! Listen carefully to what I am about to say and memorize it:
“The sin you have you want more than Jesus because if you didn’t want the sin more than you do want the sin, you won’t have it.”
It’s all a matter of driving them off with, “It is written.” To do that you need to get into the Word more than them. It’s only when you know the truth that you will uncover the lie. The truth will prevail and they will never take your Lord away again, I promise!
PRESS ON!
Rick Mathes 