Monday, April 17, 2017

Monday Morning Memo: Are You Serious?

I feel like I would really be amiss if I don’t take this opportunity to congratulate April on the birth of her son.  What an accomplishment.  Any female, who has endured a 15-month pregnancy and then delivered a 6-foot, 150-pound baby, is surely due some admiration.  I thought my pregnancies and deliveries were difficult, but they didn’t hold a candle to April’s.

If you are someone who clicks into the Internet at all…I’m sure you realize I am talking about April the giraffe from Upstate New York who finally gave birth on April 15th.  She became an Internet sensation almost two months ago when they began a live feed of her in her pen expecting that her delivery would be soon.  Instead, people have been watching a giraffe walk around her enclosure, day after day, week after week, with nothing happening that was newsworthy.  At its peak, April drew nearly five million viewers a day.  It has been reported that there were viewers who were glued to their computer screen for hours because they were afraid they would miss the birth if they turned away.  Several weeks ago, I took a few minutes to read some of the comments that were expressed under the live video and one woman said, “Oh, I’m sitting here in tears…hoping she will give birth today.”

Please forgive me, but all I can say is “Are you serious??  Are there really people on this earth that have nothing better to do in their day than spend hours watching a giraffe pace back and forth?”  Now, before I get nasty e-mails from some of you, I want you to know that I am an animal lover.  I’ve had several different kinds of pets in my life and I have taken very good care of all of them.  Granted, I have never owned a giraffe and maybe they are far superior to other kinds of animals, but I just can’t fathom that there has been this much hype over the birth of April’s fourth calf.

I just have to wonder what our world would be like if all of us were this excited about the second coming of Jesus.  What if there were five million of us who were “glued” to our Bibles…soaking in every word…and waiting in expectation for His arrival?  What if all of us woke up every morning in anticipation of what He might do through us in the next 24 hours.  What if our goal each day would be to make sure we told one more person about our Jesus, knowing that today could be the day that He returns. 

We have just come through Holy Week, when I hope that each of us, in between all of the Easter egg hunts and family gatherings, took at least a few minutes to reflect on the sacrifice that was given for us.  Jesus gave His all…allowing himself to be nailed to a cross for your sins and for mine.  Then, three days later, He rose from the dead so that you and I have the opportunity to serve a living Savior and spend eternity with Him.     

Dear friends, if a giraffe walking in a pen can get us excited…how much more should these events with our Jesus touch us to our core and make a difference in how we live today.  Just as I had to say, “Are you serious?” about people’s infatuation over the giraffe…I have to ask, “Are you serious?” about living for the risen King?   Let’s make sure that our eyes are glued on Him as we anxiously await His arrival!

 “You also must be ready all the time,
for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

Matthew 24:44

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