Where The Streets Have No Name

I woke up feeling like I had been run over by a logging truck this morning, so I decided to stay home from work and class. Ended up sleeping until...11:30!! I honestly cannot remember sleeping that late since the day after hell week was over with my fraternity in college.

For those of you who may be curious, the toast went great this weekend. I got to share what God has done in my life with three of my old running buddies from high school. On the way home, I could not help but to feel overwhelmed at what God had done in and around my life since I left my home town in 2000. I experienced the grace of God in a deep and powerful way on that drive. Why me? Why would God choose me as opposed to my other friends? I was no better. I had done nothing but lead people away from Christ with my hypocritic behavior in high school and the early part of college.

I now look back on my life in reflection and am humbled. The infinite ocean of peace and joy I now experience with a clean conscience in the righteousness of Christ is unmatched by any mud puddle this world can offer me. I just looked into these men's eyes and I saw and felt the pain and guilt of their slavery. One of them, who is divorced with a kid at age 24, once told me that the only reason he is still alive is his son. I looked at him in the eyes and told him that if he waited until he was clean, he would never come at all. I am NO better, and neither is anyone. We are all FILTHY RAGS who have gone astray. Some will live and die in slavery. Some will die clothed in Christ alone, justified by a faith that was given them by the just and the justifier, God Almighty (Romans 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Ephesians 2:8-9).

Today, I sat on my couch and watched my room mate's U2: Live from Dublin's Slain Castle DVD. Hundreds of thousands of fans formed an ocean of energy as U2 began to sing their mega hit, "Where The Streets Have No Name". I am so thankful for the common grace that God gave this band to produce such beautiful sound. As the song was sung, I couldn't help but to imagine what it must have been like to be in the middle of that crowd as Bono did his thing. Then I began to ponder what the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ could be like...And, along with that, what heaven will be like.

Attempt to imagine the following:

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
-Revelation 7:9-10

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;
--Revelation 19:6-8

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
--Colossians 1:13-14

I just do not believe that U2 can hang with that. This is the Kingdom we proclaim. Should not we live with a greater sense of urgency? Not only should we be motivated by the reality of hell, but we should also be motivated by the reality of redemption in the face of the Christ. The Kingdom of heaven is a proclamation, not an invitation. Why? It is the TRUTH!

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
--Colossians 1:28-29