Shock

“SHOCK ABSORBERS

Veterans scream in their dreams, reliving nightmares so that we can sleep peacefully”
― Kamil Ali, Profound Vers-A-Tales    

     Hollywood uses the "shock" treatment in movies to sell them.  Preacher's use it to sell their message.  We like to shock our friends with good news.  I use this method on others sometimes, but I don't like it when it is used on me.  I hate surprises.  Too many ugly shocks can do that to you.  Happy shocks are okay, but ugly shocks can even ruin happy shocks. 
     I went to a Good Friday church service last night at the church I went to in the beginning of this whole "Okay Jesus, get my attention or I quit" movement I started 5 years ago.  In fact it was the Good Friday service at this church 5 years ago that I was first shook up by Jesus and our relationship finally started.  Now I was there again with my daughter at her first Good Friday service.  It was a normal service.  They gave each of the pastors a few verses of those moments on the cross.  I guess if you only have a verse or two you can shock the congregation with your little part and the whole thing can be a shock after shock of what really happened to Jesus on that cross.  Shocks wear off.  It was good, but not shockingly good until the end.  They brought us to that moment, that final moment when Jesus says Father, I give up my spirit to You and the lights went out.  There was a drum roll on the kettle drums.  The sound of thunder in the back of the auditorium.  The drumming got louder.  The Holy Spirit was there.  I pray He did to everyone there whatever He was doing in me.  I was there.  I was at the cross when the earth trembled.  I could feel it.  The shock treatment worked.
     If you look back over your life there are shock moments.  Often they begin with words, words like, I am leaving, grandma is dead, your best friend has been in a bad car accident or you are pregnant.  They can be something seen with the eyes like an accident, violence, or death.  It can happen to you.  You could be in an accident, a fist belonging to someone you trust could land on your face, you open your back door to see a stranger standing there, or your spouse kissing a stranger.  The thing these all have in common is that they are life changing.  Even if it's observed and not about you the shock can haunt your dreams and affect the way you live.
     My best friend was in a car accident when I was around 20 years old.  She was on life support for 3 days before they unplugged her and she died, but I will never forget those days, that moment when I heard.  I can somewhat imagine what the disciples went through.  Not John, because I didn't go to be by her side.  I was more like Peter, I stayed away.  It's kind of funny to think about that because the Lord told me once, that I was like Peter.  The shock of what Jesus went through and now the shock of His death.  I remember my friends family telling me it was probably better that I did not see her, because she did not look like herself.  She was unrecognizable.  It was better I remember her as she was when she was alive, walking around and being herself.  
     Peter, John and the others did not know what would happen in three days.  I knew they were going to unplug my friend, but would she live or die?  As the devil dulls our senses, we wait ... 

“There are persons who, when they cease to shock us, cease to interest us.”
― F.H. Bradley