Continuum of Life

Armodoxy for Today: Continuum of Life

Life progresses along a continuum, with a defined starting point and an inevitable conclusion. On the day Jesus ascended to Heaven, the Disciples asked him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1)

As people, we are temporal creatures. We define our life years, we define years by months, and months by days. We seek order out of chaos. And the uncertainty of life’s end can be mind boggling and time consuming, if the purpose of life is misunderstood. Here Jesus, under no uncertain terms, directs the Apostles to focus on their mission.

The Apostolic Church has purpose and mission, and which is not to be consumed with end-times. God demonstrates that He has a timetable and only asks that we trust Him.  Three days after the Crucifixion, the Resurrection took place. Forty days later, the Ascension, and just a few days ago, fifty days after Easter, it was the Pentecost. His timing is perfect.

So as we are taught by our Lord, Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  (Matthew 6)

The Church, which is born on Pentecost with the Reception of the Holy Spirit, is the dwelling place of God. With that in mind, I leave you today with words upon which to meditate. They come from great theologian and early saint of the Church St. John Chrysosdom – Hovhaness Voskeberan (John the Golden Mouth), who says, “If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door you will not find him [inside] in the Chalice”.