Some of you may find disrespect (to put it mildly) in the mere notion of this headline. But please understand that this is not the case. And please, hear me out.

I am not a regular Church attendee. I am not a traditional believer. And I am certainly not what many would classify as religious. But I am a man who believes that most of us share a deep and spiritual connection, whether we recognize it or not. I believe in our ability to lift each other up, and in our innate pursuit of truth.

I respect all of those who pursue the answers by which they might be fulfilled, and in turn serve others…regardless the avenue of that pursuit. You might even say that my respect is, devout.

I have a dear friend, whom I have grow to love and respect…who happens to be a Pastor. And once in a while, I attend his service. I attend to connect with him, his family and those around him. I attend to hear his perspective. But most of all, I attend because it never fails to ‘fill me up’.

There is always a moment during the service that sends me deep into thought and reflection. It is a process that I find deeply satisfying. It is a process that feels like it brings me closer to some shared truth, and this is a ‘quick’ passage about one of those moments.

Yesterday’s service began with a moment of silence for, and in explanation of, some tragic events that transpired in the Church and greater community over the past 10 days or so. Specifically, the deaths of several people…many of which were quite young. And while any death can be hard to process, the death of someone relatively young can be all the more difficult.

(I will do the words of the Pastor quite an injustice to try and recant exactly what happened next, so please excuse my attempts to explain in summary.)

What followed was a Pastoral lesson, which was woven into the difficult questions of ‘why’ and ‘how’.  Why does death visit those who seem to have so much life in front of them?   How does a loving God allow this to happen?

These are deep and difficult questions, and I must tell you…I was beyond intrigued. I was engaged and thinking, and searching for an ‘ah-ha moment’.

Did it happen? YES.  But it took a while. Let me explain (and finish this up, I know you’ve all got things to do.)

The lesson started with a ‘tie-in’ from last week’s service (which I did not attend), expounding upon the notion of “being called out, in order to enter in.”  There were some students and young adults in attendance who seemed to fit that earthly description. That perhaps the difficulties they’ve been enduring had called them to enter this place of healing.

It (the sermon) then went on to reference the book of Mark, and focus on the Christian truth that Jesus will return. This is actually the focus that I had expected, but not the ‘ah-ha’ that I was looking for.

I was still considering the notion of “being called out, in order to enter in.” And that’s when it hit me.

In my limited (admittedly) spiritual experience, I have most often witnessed a reference to what’s ‘next’, as an answer to the anguish and confusion of what’s ‘now’.  I have seen these emotional questions of death and despair met only with the notion that we need not worry ‘now’, and simply focus on what’s ‘next’.

But it hasn’t been enough.

I was still considering the notion of “being called out, in order to enter in.”

Perhaps tying this premise in with what’s ‘next’, might provide more insight, more comfort, and in fact more truth about ‘now’?

Perhaps God does not “allow” for death and suffering.  Perhaps these tragedies aren’t really tragedies, at least to God.  Perhaps a death that leads us to ask ‘why’ and ‘how’, is really the process by which God is calling us all out, so that He may enter in.

I am not a traditional believer, as many may (and have) point(ed) out.  So please understand that my formal use of the Christian grammatical reverence is only meant to be respectful.   I speak of Him and of God, not because I necessarily feel qualified to do so, but because I believe that we all have a ‘now’ and a ‘next’, and that we’re all searching for reconciliation between the two.

I believe there is a grand balance to all things, and I think (and think, and think, and think) that it is completely plausible that the anguish and anxiety we feel about death are merely constructs of human TIME, and that when perceived from a Godly perspective, might in fact be opportunities. To allow that which brings us closer to the truth of compassion and service of our fellow man, to Enter.

My headline was to present something for God to consider, but I’d like to re-phrase. I’m not qualified to make that remark, and I certainly would never intentionally disrespect those who are.

I was trying to explain that for some of us, simply focusing on what’s to come…isn’t enough.  For whatever reason, our minds require more.  A better bridge, so to speak, between what is Now and what is Next.

Perhaps this article (which has now officially become a novel) would be better served with a title like this:

Dear Mr. Pastor, here is something for you to consider…

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