Told You So

My oldest daughter had just landed her dream job with the government when she found out she was pregnant.  By the time her security clearance came through, she was five months along.  I remember a conversation with her about choices after the baby was born.  Would she stay home with him or step back into the career she worked long and hard to acquire?  Her immediate answer was she would take a max of three months off, and in no way give up a career she spent years preparing for. As gently as I could, I told her she was going to feel differently when she saw his sweet little face and how difficult it will be to leave him for that great job every morning. It would take becoming a mother for her to comprehend the love she would feel for another human being aside from her husband. Fast forward to this past April, when my grandson Connor was born.  About two days after we brought them home from the hospital, my daughter sat on the couch nursing him with tears pooling in her eyes.  I asked her what was wrong. "There is no way I can go back to work.  I don't want to miss one moment with him," she said as she stared at her beautiful new son. Music to this grandma's ears. Then she looked at me with her big blue eyes adding, "Go ahead, say it."  I smiled and said, "I told you so." 

It's a challenge for some to believe in something they haven't experienced or seen in person.  Take todays first reading (1 Kings 18:20-39) for example.  Elijah is speaking to the people of Israel trying to make them understand there is only one God and they must stop worshipping false gods such as Baal (the god of rain and storm - this was during a time of drought). So he decides to challenge belief in their "god" to give them a visual.  They had to see it with their own eyes and experience it themselves. Hours go by and nothing happens with the offering believers of Baal put forward in sacrifice. Elijah then steps up to the plate:

At the time for offering sacrifice, the prophet Elijah came forward and said, "LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things by your command. Answer me, LORD! Answer me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to their senses." The LORD's fire came down and consumed the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dust, and it lapped up the water in the trench. Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said, "The LORD is God! The LORD is God!"

I can imagine Elijah thinking, "I told you so." 

In Heaven Speaks To Those Who Do Not Know Jesus, the Lord discusses our options:

“You are hesitant to believe in Me. I know that. I understand everything that has gone before this moment in your life. Remember that I have all universal truth available to Me. In that respect, am I not a valuable person for you to know? Could you admit that I am possibly the most valuable person you could ever know? If you knew of someone on earth who had all truth about everything, who understood the purest facts and possessed the cleanest, most pristine vision of reality imaginable, would you not seek out this person’s company? If you were wise, you would do so. If you were a man who desired truth, you would do so. If you were weary of lies and falseness, you would do so. My friend, if you seek truth, you must come with Me. If you seek acceptance, you must come to Me. If you want to be loved, you must rest in My heart because it is the only place where you will find the perfect security you crave. I am with you. I will never leave you. You could not escape My presence, even if you wanted to. You may as well get to know Me better so that you can decide whether you will reject Me or accept Me. This is the ultimate choice that will be yours. Just as you cannot escape My presence, you cannot escape this choice. It is yours. I want you to consider your options.”

Personally, I choose to follow Him. And choosing to follow Him means more than Mass every Sunday.  It requires living with and in Christ every minute, every second of your time here on earth.  Lay apostles, we are blessed to have proof of His existence in the Bible, one of the oldest history books around. Do we question history books speaking of the Holocaust?  Absolutely not.  Even if we didn't experience it, we know for a fact it occurred. Believe in the Word of God.  I know I don't want Him saying 'I told you so' when I'm finally called home. 

Thank you, Lord, for placing beautiful reminders of Your time on earth with guidelines for living in every Scripture I read.  I am especially grateful to Anne for saying "yes" to You.  Without the Volumes, I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am today. 


God bless,
Bonnie