Today, As Lowly Servants, We Wait For Him

I am a lowly servant of my Master’s house.  I go about my tasks, performing them inadequately and yet my Master has always wrapped His arms around me, even in my most feeble of efforts to serve Him.  He has always held me high, so much so that I am treated as one of His own; His kindred; His flesh and blood.  Even in the midst of His love for me, I have often been unable to understand the depth of such compassion and giving.

For many years now gone by, I have taken to frequently walking the path past His house, checking on Him from the gate.  Maybe it has been to ensure that He is safe or maybe it has been simply because I wish to be near Him.  No matter the reason, I have always been drawn to Him as a meager moth is to eternal glow of a soft flame.

As I have walked past His home, I would pause and bow, looking for a glimpse of Him through a window or maybe to catch Him walking in His garden in the afternoon breeze.

Knowing of my routine and that my love for Him was of great importance to me, a candle was placed beside the entry of His house, always lit and clothed in red, so that I could easily know that my Master was home and that He was safe.

For a low servant such as I in the midst of the turbulent waters of this life, the very sight of this candle lit and upon seeing that my Master was safe in His house, was enough to give me peace and comfort.

And yet this day I have seen my fears realized.  It has been enough to shake me to the inner parts of my soul, for today when I passed by my Master’s house, the flame had been quenched.  I looked for it again, hoping that my eyes had deceived me but the flame was not lit.

Even further did my heart sink as I found the doors to my Master’s home flung open and left for thieves to enter in and plunder His dwelling.  Flinging the gate open, I ran to the entrance, not daring to breach the entry out of respect, but even from this vantage point I could see nothing in the home.  There was no stirring.  There was no life.  There was only emptiness and darkness. 

I searched around the house and in the garden and yet I found nothing until I found that a tree had been cut off at the stump, a dogwood that had provided Him shade, and it appeared to have been dragged off under the cover of darkness.

I find myself searching frantically for answers in my mind.  Where has my Master gone?  Who has taken Him?  What is to become of me, a feeble man, if I cannot find my strength and my rock?  Will they lash the back that has carried me?  Will they stretch out the arms that have embraced me?  Will they bloody the smile that has been my hope and my solice?  Will the One who has removed my stain be stained with His own blood?

What am I to do?  What are we all to do, those who follow the Son of Man, if He is taken from us by those who wish to do Him harm?

I cannot bare the thought of a world that has been emptied of its Creator; devoid of its light.

We must hurry now, my brothers and sisters; hurry to find the One who finds Himself in want of us as much as we are in want of Him.  Light your lanterns and stay vigilant until we find where they have taken Him and until we can return Him safely home.