The Worst Day EVER!!

Let's face it, some of us are on top of the world right now...and some of us feel like the world is on top of us. We all know just how fast that can change too! So...this is something to help keep it all in perspective.

I remember when I was about 10 years old. I had a mutt hound dog named Obi (yes Obi Wan Kenobi..Ka-POW suckas!). He was an AWESOME dog. This dog would go anywhere I went. When we went fishing, I would explore for hours on end through the woods, swamp, creeks, etc. Obi would follow me every single time!

For all his good traits, he had one flaw...one temptation that was irresistable...The Chicken Shack down by the Swanee Swifty in Ashburn. Now...we lived about 10 blcks away, Obi would climb out of our chain link fence and sprint down there to rummage through the trash for some chicken! I can't really blame him, since that chicken was awesome!!

The dog catcher didn't like it though...and Obi got caught a few times. On the third time, my Pop had to go to court...I was scared. Unbeknownst to me though...the judge was on the family payroll!! Heck yeahz!! Mafia style.

We walked in. They called our name. I saw the sign on the judges bench and it read: Guy Reinhardt. My Pop smiled as they read the charges and this how it went:

Judge Reinhardt: "Mr. Reinhardt...What do you say to these charges?"

Pop: "Your honor...I have a plan."

Judge Reinhardt: "Case dismissed!! This man has a plan!"

And we walked out. Basically, my cousin Guy had faith that my Pop would take care of business so it wasn't a big deal.

We really should adopt the Judges plan in our life. Problems arise...put it on trial in our minds..."Case dismissed: The MAN upstairs has a plan!!"

There is a plan in place constantly. Even when we look at an event in our life and simply cannot even IMAGINE anything good coming out of it: Death of a loved one, Medical condition, Drug addiction, Bankruptcy, Prison time, Job loss, etc, etc...

Any of these things could easily make me wonder what in the heck could be the reason for this!?? I lost my Pop back in the day when I was young. I couldn't see ANYTHING good coming out of that!! I mean...burying your Pop in your teens doesn't have many upsides...

But let's take a journey together right quick...Imagine for a minute that you are a christian back in the day of Jesus. You believe and follow Jesus!! You know that He is the Son of God!! How cool would that have been?? Awesome!!

Now...imagine the day comes where they capture Him. Beat Him and put a thorny crown on His head making Him carry a cross to a hill. Don't just read this...Imagine it...Imagine how you'd feel!!! Here's the Savior of the World and they are beating Him and planning on killing Him!!

Imagine the panic inside you as they lead Him up the hill. Not the sorrow that we feel today...You're living back then and literally walking with Christ...Imagine how torn down your world is as they hang Him on the cross...stab Him...

Wait!! Now imagine that gut wrentching feeling in your stomach as he died on the cross!! Here is your Lord...dead. All your faith and following is dead on that cross. Everything you believed...POOF!!

........Okay.

Now put how those christians on that day must have felt up against your worst day...I think it's safe to say that THAT day was the worst day evah imaginable in their minds. How did they feel when they looked at a cross? I mean...it was already a symbol of horrible death...now it was even worse!!

How do we feel about the cross today? What...It's a good thing?? How can that possibly be???

How do we feel about Jesus dying for our sins today? Not sure about you, but that's got to be the BEST thing that has ever happened...far from how they viewed it on the day it happened...

Hmmm...Did God have a plan? Did it work? Sho Nuff Did!!

About my Pop dying...I became a true man through his death. I got to spend a quality time with my father in his last days that most people will never experience. Of course I wish he was here today, but I can absolutely see the great things that came out of him passing away!!

God has a plan for each of us. Case dismissed, The Man has a plan.

** Part of this was gleamed from a Louie Giglio sermon. If you have a chance...give him a listen. I was amazed at his gift!! **

Remember: Love your neighbor as yourself. PERIOD!