Expectations
Originally scheduled for September 4
The surgery was considered routine. His wife had broken her ankle
and was due for surgery to reconstructed which should have taken
about an hour and a half. It was considered a routine surgery, and
she would be going home the same day. That was the expectation.
At about two hours into the surgery, anxiety began to rise in her
husband’s heart. This was running a little bit long. An hour later
she was still in surgery and no one at the reception desk had any
idea why or how long this was going to take. All kinds of horrible
things entered into her husband’s head as to what might have gone
wrong. Finally, after four hours, the surgeon came out to talk to
him.
He explained that he encountered an unforeseen complication.
It is not a common thing. He pointed out the additional work that
had been done to stabilize the ankle. As you can imagine this
conversation was a great relief to the husband. It illustrates for
us though the natural human tendency towards anxiety and worry,
especially when you don’t have a good idea of what’s going on.
Life is like that sometimes. You start out with a bit of uncertainty
about what’s going to happen. If you don’t get the right
information, or get no information at all, uncertainty gives way to
anxiety. If the problem is significant enough and the anxiety high
enough, worry takes over. Now, if this is true for surgery, how much
more true is it the question of hell or heaven? It is, in a sense,
the ultimate personal question. And it’s easy enough to go from
uncertainty to anxiety to worry.
God understands this; after all,
he created human beings. He also knows the answer to your anxiety.
And he has left you a little reminder of that answer: it’s called
communion.
“Do this in remembrance of me,” said Christ what
is it that he wants you to remember?
He wants you to remember the price he paid for your salvation. This
of course implies that you have accepted your salvation from him.
Remember that.
He wants you to remember that he has victory over death, the
firstfruits of the resurrection. He is the one who holds the keys to
heaven and hell and death.
He wants you to remember the judgment to come. God is righteous;
there is a day of reckoning ahead. Forgive, so that you might be
forgiven.
He wants you to remember that there is a new heaven and a new earth
coming. This world is not our home, we are just passing through.
He wants you to remember that you will spend eternity with him. You
will reign with him and enjoy him forever.
Worrying about
heaven and hell can produce a lot of anxiety. That’s why he gave you
such a frequent reminder. When you take the bread, you remember that
his body suffered for you. When you take the cup, you remember that
his blood was shed so that you might be redeemed. Therefore, examine
yourself and partake in a worthy manner.
