All Will Be Well For We Are Alive

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Acts 2:1-4

“In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:14-21

We've been living in the last days for some time. Since the ascension of Jesus we've been living in the last days, one might say. But we are alive, aren't we? Yes, we are living the last days and we'll be living in the last days until the return of Christ but we are alive. Aren't we? The Spirit that has been promised to us has come upon us and we are alive. Our dried bones have been breathed new life and we are alive. Our bones have come together, our Lord has dressed us in new skin, the Lord has said, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain; that they may live.” We are alive.

If I were to take a moment and speak honestly, I would tell you that fear is ruling these last days. If I were to take a moment and speak honestly, I would tell you that people are feeding off our fear. If I were to take a moment and speak honestly, I would tell you based on the yellow boards on the highways, the angst opinionated with their radio shows, their television news hours, their pulpits are feeding off the fear of the last days. If I were to take a moment and speak honestly, I would tell you that they are wrong. If I were to take a moment and speak honestly, I would tell you there is nothing to fear. If I were to take a moment and speak honestly, I would tell you to have great hope. If I were to take a moment and speak honestly, I would tell you that the pain you feel will get better. If I were to take a moment and speak honestly, I would tell you that you will be okay. If I were to take a moment and speak honestly, I would tell you to have great hope for a day is coming when a power will be given to you when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. But that's if I were speaking honestly to you.

Yes, Jesus will return one day, though it does not appear to be today. Yes, we are living in the last days and yes these are fearful and trying times. But we are not facing extinction. We are not going to be eliminated or wiped out. We do not need to hide under our desks nor do we need to plan a revolution or secede from the union. Yes, the days ahead are going to have their struggles. Yes, it is hard to see where we are going. But we are alive. In us lives the breath of God. In of us lives the key to ushering in a new kingdom. Inside of us resides the power that was promised so long ago. In us resides the faith to believe all will be well. We are alive.

Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.”

I wish I could prophesy to you. I wish I could prophesy to you that Glen Beck is wrong. I wish I could prophesy to you that the hate that fills our airways and infiltrates our government, our homes, and our churches are the results of our fear of these last days. I wish I could prophesy to you that we will be raised. I wish I could prophesy to you that the gas prices will drop. I wish I could prophesy that if we stopped spending our money on things that do not matter the economy would get better. I wish I could prophesy that if we stopped glorifying the greedy and glorified those who live sacrificially we would see an end to a welfare system. I wish I could prophesy that if we actually tried to love our enemy as we've been commanded that we would no longer need armies. I wish I could prophesy that if churches built their foundation on the confession of Christ and not the letters of Paul we would find our churches filling to the brim and we would be united.

“And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live!”

One day I will prophesy to you about all the things to come. One day I will prophesy that the TV preachers and mega-church folk do not have all the answers. One day I will prophesy that the end is near and we all need to repent. One day I will prophesy to you that if we open our doors and not build electric fences we will not lose Jesus' love. One day I will prophesy to you that a little more grace, a little more mercy, and a little more love will show our Christ is alive more than our hate and fear. One day I will prophesy that a little more diversity will brighten up our sanctuaries. One day I will prophesy that the love Christ is to be extended to all no matter their race, creed, politics, or sexual orientation. One day I will prophesy to you of the seat waiting for us at a wedding and a banquet. One day I will prophesy to you and say, “These bones will live.” One day I will prophesy to you that when Jesus said, “On this rock I will build my church and not even the gates of hell will devour it,” he was speaking the truth. One day I will prophesy that there is nothing we can do to stop this story. One day I will prophesy that this story will not ever fade away. One day I will prophesy to you to let go of your fear. One day I will prophesy to you. One day. One day. I'm just not sure when that day will be.

We are living in the last days. One day the Spirit will come upon us and I can say honestly say that day has come, Christ has kept his promise. Yes, we are alive. Yes, the spirit is upon us. Yes, we've been brought up from our graves and resurrected with new lungs breathing out the new life of the Spirit. Yes, we are alive. The Lord God has spoken and acted. Promises have been fulfilled and in a way we are filled with new wine for the old wineskin has been done away with. We are alive. All will be well.

My dear, dear friends, all will be well for we are alive. With great hope these last days will be the greatest of days this world has ever known for in us breaths the living Christ and they will know this because we are alive. Yes, all will be well for we are alive.

“In fearful day, in raging night,

With strong hearts full, our souls ignite,

When all seems lost in the War of Light,

Look to the stars—For hope burns bright!”