Get to Work!

“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? Acts 1:11a

One of our children allows things to become messier than the others do, and when the mess reaches an overwhelming level doesn’t know where or how to begin cleaning it up...so just does something else instead. The mess gets messier, mom’s blood pressure rises, chaos takes over, and the entire house implodes! 

Just kidding! We’ve not yet reached the level of implosion, because mom or dad step in before that happens. “Child, why are you shredding paper/stacking Dixie cups/creating a terrarium out of an old fish tank (all true stories) instead of cleaning your room? Step one is to pick up all the trash. Here’s a garbage bag; now get to work!”

Twice Jesus’ followers found themselves in a befuddled state, frozen in the face of something overwhelming--both troubling and miraculous! At Easter they mourned the loss of their leader and friend, and when they approached Jesus’ tomb they were asked, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5) After Jesus departed Earth for heaven they were asked, “Why do you stand here looking into the sky?” 

Each time they were given instructions on how to take action: GO! Don’t keep standing here looking for Jesus in a tomb or the sky. He’s not here, and he’ll come back to you the same way in which he left. In the meantime, go! Get to work telling everyone the Good News!

As Christians, it’s easy to get so caught up in the details of how/when/where we should be sharing the Good News that we never actually share it. As churches, it’s easy to become more focused on how to tend to our members instead of how we can serve our surrounding communities. Chatham Community Church has a decidedly outward focus, and it’s a big reason why our family chose to make CCC our church home. 

How do you respond when faced with an overwhelming task? Do you immediately get to work, or are you frozen in the face of the insurmountable? Take some time to consider which camp you fall into, then make it a matter of prayer. If you attack tasks head on, pray that God would help you focus your energies in the right places. If you’re paralyzed by the overwhelming, pray that God would give you courage and energy to take the first action step!

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