One hundred sixty-four years ago was a day of disappointment as the awaited second coming did not take place. Laughing fingers were pointed at the faithful. Hearts were wounded by a deeper pain than illness, the sting of failure. Minds were frozen by a more paralyzing force than the coming of winter; an ache of more impending sorrow, confusion and death.
This week has been a week of deaths. Word came twice from home: about a cancer-battling church member, and about the venerable Vermonter who sold us our house. Word came also twice about those whom I didn't know: a gentleman down in Florida who was almost like a family member to some friends of mine, and an Andrews Professor's baptizer and spiritual mentor in Tennessee. Most shocking was the email from my old college, informing me that one of my favorite professors had passed away, only a week after a diagnosis of stomach cancer. So we are still experiencing the death and the confusion that our ancestors wept to expect. Because of the Great Disappointment, we are still continually disappointed in the deaths of those whom we hoped would continue to tingle with life.
On October 23, 1844, the farmer Hiram Edson was enlightened as he walked, praying, across his fields. He was shown that the time of the Second Coming was yet in the future; that there was still work to be done, both on earth and in heaven, before all would be ready; that justification and glorification of all Children of God was taking place in the time of waiting; that there was to be, through the experience of the Great Disappointment, an even stronger faith in love, mercy, justice, and peace; that the best was yet to come. And the best is yet to come...
So it is because of that Great Disappointment that we are still filled with a glorious anticipation. It is because of that Great Disappointment that we, who are alive, are able to share it, who would never have had the chance had our world ended in 1844. It is because of that Great Disappointment, and because of the disappointment of death, and because of the conquering of death through Death, that we can look forward, while living in thankfulness, with all the more gratitude to a time when death will be no more.
1 comment:
This really is a great post. I especially like the last paragraph! We see how society has benefitted from the experiences and lives of individuals, civilizations, etc. Here we see just how that applies to we Adventists. We see up close how the experiences of the Adventist pioneers impacted the hope we have. This is something we should own. We owe much to these individuals who were disappointed and scoffed at. History is very very relevant!
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