December 4, 2005
I blew it ... well, if it was REAL - I would have blown it.
A few weeks ago I told you about my most recent visit to
Toronto ... and that my room was on the top floor of the
hotel overlooking the city (with half a view of the CN
tower and the lake). THAT was the positive ... the
negative, was the danger.
You know, very few of us think of that when we check into
a hotel. Many don't even bother to look at the fire escape
plans, or worry about where they need to get to (in the
event of a fire) ... until they need it.
Well, I needed it. My alarm went off early on the Monday
morning, and just as I was about to step into the shower IT
went off. A loud piercing alarm . so loud I could barely
think. FIRE !!!
I scrambled and grabbed my wallet and phone and headed
for the door, when the phone rang. It was a colleague of
mine two floors below (who is NOT a morning person)~~
asking if the alarm was on my floor too or just his. We
agreed that we better get moving and that we'd meet out
front when we made it to ground level. I ran out of my
room and was greeted by one of my neighbours - who was
picking up his newspaper.
"It's a fire alarm" I told him.
"Yeah - good luck with that" he said, "I'm going to read the paper".
When I said he should probably head for the stairs, he
shook his head and said it was probably a false alarm, and
couldn't spare the time.
He closed his door, and I started off down the stairs. Along
the way I met my friend (from the phone call) and as we
descended he started telling me about a guy on his floor
who was waiting for the elevator ... And how he wasn't
very receptive to the suggestion that he NOT ride that
during a fire alarm.
When we finally made it to ground level, we headed out
front (after passing a number of people who chose to wait
in the lobby) and headed a safe distance from the building.
Then we looked up ... And saw people, looking out off
their balcony. Not just a few ... but several, on EVERY
floor!! Some were having their coffee, some were taking
pictures, some were just laughing and calling US fools for
leaving our nice warm beds to stand in the street.
And some folks down on the street were screaming up at
them to come down ... But no one seemed to move from
their comfortable balconies.
In the end, it was a false alarm. Some one had been making
toast in his room and burnt it - which set the alarm off,
But if it had been real ... it would have been an enormous
tragedy.
All of which got me thinking about how we often
OVERLOOK the various alarms and warning signs and
important messages that come at us.
We hear some of those today ....
In the reading from Isaiah we heard words of hope and
inspiration for the people of Israel (the people of God)
who were living in trying times. They were in exile ...
wandering through the wilderness .... waiting to return to
the promised land.
And they had become impatient (as people are prone to do
when they expect God to act by OUR schedule rather than
his). And the message God gives them through Isaiah is ...
the time is coming - God is at work - trust in that ... and
believe ... and all will be well. In the meantime, fashion
your lives according to what is right (in God's will).
Fast forward a few centuries ... when the people of Israel
are again living in trying times. A foreign army has invaded
their land, they are living under Roman Law, with an
Emperor who just doesn't understand them ... and who is
living a corrupt life, and laughing at them and their laws.
Even their religious leaders are making things difficult, by
imposing more and more rules for them to follow.
And again they are frustrated and getting impatient.
And along comes John the Baptist. Looking a bit rough
around the edges, but who is still able to attract crowds of
people.
And he tells them that the time has come !!!
That the promised one is coming ... and that they need to make
some changes. That THEY need to get their lives in order,
so that they could FULLY welcome the Messiah into their
lives and into their world.
Many listened to him ... but many did not.
But John persevered ... he kept preaching and teaching,
and EVEN took aim at King Herod. Herod had married
his brother's widow - which was NOT acceptable (but no
one dared say it - because they were afraid of the King).
John said it ... publicly condemned the marriage ... and (in
the end) was killed because of it - beheaded.
Now ... the people of God AGAIN find themselves living
in trying times.
There is trouble at ALL levels ...
- in our world
- in our country
- in our community
- not to mention the personal challenges each one of us
face in our lives --- obstacles and trials which are unique to
our own individual situations.
Who are OUR prophets ???
Where do WE look for hope, and encouragement and inspiration??
Well ... the prophets are still there, as is John the Baptist,
(because, if you think about it, ALL times are trying, so
their words are JUST as meaningful for us as they were for
the people of their day and age ).
We also have the words of Jesus (recorded in the gospels
for us to read and study and apply to this particular time,
and our own lives)
And we have each other ... the folks who share this world
with us ... many of whom have faced (and survived) the
same challenges WE now face.
As I told the Study Group on Wednesday, the number of
people I have spoken with this past year who were facing
surgery or health issues, who said they have drawn
inspiration/hope from a particular person who has gone
through a similar procedure ... and that THAT has brought
them peace.
What's then been JUST as encouraging is when OTHERS
speak of how they have been touched by those who have
faced their challenges with such peace and confidence and
grace (often without realizing that they are helping others
along the way)
And that's what we're called to do. We are members of the
family of God ... baptized into the Body of Christ ... and
called to be beacons of hope to our world, and each other.
Sometimes we do that through extraordinary things, but
most often we do it simply by living lives of hope and faith
and peace ... because THAT shines the brightest in a
world of confusion and darkness.
