So where did it go wrong?

I came in my office hoping to get off the phone with Hank, which I did…45 minutes later.  Wanted to send some emails out and read a little, but it didn’t happen because I was distracted by the mess in my office.  I cleaned up the other day and it’s messy again.  Dang.  When did this happen?

Today I asked myself:  where did it go wrong?  Not that anything had happened or that I expected things to go wrong…but when did it?  I believe that is what the disciples asked themselves.  When did things get this bad?  Why did they have to take Him?  Where did everyone go? Wasn’t everyone just singing and shouting at His grand entrance, now they are shouting for his executing? Where did this thing go wrong?

Sometimes life happens.  Sometimes we watch for the mistakes of others and fail to see the mistakes we are making.  At times, we may focus too much on the future and not enough on the now.  Children grow up fast, ambitions fall at the sight of opposition, healthy bodies grow old in time, and financial struggles seem to cripple even the best of plans.  Life just happens.

I believe from a historical and Biblical perspective that the disciples were waiting on Jesus to do the impossible. Not like you and I are thinking, but in the way of cultural perspectives and Jewish religion.  They were there when He feed the thousands, they were there when Jesus raised the dead man, and they also saw His glory as He spoke with the words of Life.  He walked on water and calmed the storm, but I believe they asked themselves, “When did this go wrong?”  as their leader was taking away to be tried.  Jesus was tried as a criminal and faced death on a cross.

Some days have passed, and the disciples have all gone to what they know best…fishing.  For some, this was their previous occupation, for others maybe a getaway with friends after a horrible week, but they all have one thing in common:  the feeling of abandonment.

I do believe there are times when we ask ourselves when did this happen or better yet, how did this happen on our watch?  We feel the abandonment of normalness or the feeling that everything is going to be ok. If you have ever lost a loved one, you know this very clear, things happen so fast.  We can never be there right when things happen…we are not fast enough, we forget too easy, and we are human.   We tend to lean on our power of understanding, which is pretty limited.  We blink and things change.

My dad died when I was 13 and I often wonder if things would have been different if I would have been there when he took his life.  If I had cherished the good times with my Dad maybe I would think of good things whenever I think about him.  Things happen in our lives that we wish we knew were going to happen.  Parents think back to when their child hugged them, and now that same child is slamming the door in their face.  Those “I love you’s” have turned into “I hate you’s.”  When did this happen?  A wife who loves her husband has just found out that the feelings are not mutual.  His love for her has moved south.  Where did it go wrong?  When did income become as scarce as endangered animals?  The bottom fell out before I could grab it…ugh.

This blog is for anyone who has asked themselves “where did it go wrong?”  We often ask ourselves that question.  The disciples did too.  But even though the fragrance of despair lingered through the air, hope was on the horizon.  Jesus showed up and said, “Follow Me.” The rising sun is now above the tops of the mountain, and the orange and yellow are creeping between the trees. Hope has come.  We only need to follow now…where He is taking us might lead to more questions but at least we have company.

Know today that my Jesus loves you.  Like crazy He does.