You Can Never Go Home Again - A Walk Among the Tombstones - Purity 885

To see today's photo, go to mt4christ.org or follow me, M.t. Clark, on Facebook or Twitter. Good morning. Today's photo of a lamppost-illuminated pathway leading to the Osrigo River, reflecting the multicolored lights of the city, all underneath the relatively white and pure light of the full moon, comes to us from yours truly as I decided to go, go for a walk into the night to to revisit some old familiar haunts in my alma mater city. Well, it's Thursday, and as different as today is from most Thursdays, I wanted to be consistent in my efforts to encourage others to stay on or to get on the path of Christian discipleship by sharing another photo of yet another pathway as a visual represent— representation of my sentiment that life is a journey to be walked out, and it is best done in the presence of God. Specifically through a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ as one's Lord and Savior. Yeah, after last night's walk through Oswego's Riverwalk and other, uh, and some, uh, some of the familiar haunts of Oswego's West Side, I am feeling somewhat nostalgic and disturbed about what I saw and what I felt as I walked through the shadows of Oswego's streets and my contemplation of my college days in the distant past. A lot has changed since my college days and my last— and since my last visit to Oswego. I am no longer the person I used to be when I lived in Oswego. And no, I won't just say went to college in Oswego because that would cheapen the truth of my experience. From 1990 to 1994, Although somewhat sheltered and provided for by the generosity of my family who paid for my quote-unquote studies, I had the opportunity to really explore who I was and who I wanted to be for the first time without the shadow of my family, of being just one of those Clark boys impacting how others or how I myself saw me. I got to be me for the first time in my life, and it was in those years that the small dream of being a, a writer that really began after reading Stephen King when I was 13 started to blossom and shape who I thought I was. I saw myself as born of the same stock as Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, Henry Miller, Jack Kerouac, and even William Shakespeare. I fell in love with literature and the idea of being a writer. But as bold as I was to fill my portfolio with wild experiences of running into the night, I didn't really have a direction and certainly didn't have the disciplines to write on a consistent basis. Even though I now write 6 days a week— what?— I failed at the most basic level that writers write, right? For all my confidence and courage to question authority, to anarchic— defy it and to push the boundaries of my experiences, I was sheepish in actually pursuing writing. It was an unknown and unfamiliar path I was in love with, and I was afraid to follow it because I didn't know where it was going to— going to go, and I felt inadequate in light of the writers' talents that I admired. Also, I had really tied myself up in knots in terms of addiction. While I prided myself as being able to handle my liquor and to do the drugs and not to let the drugs do me, the not-so-pleasant consequences to wild living and the resultant dependency revealed that I wasn't as free as I thought. But that would only take Divine intercession and 25 years to figure out. On last night's tour of Oswego, I started with a sense of excitement and exhilaration as the crisp blowing winds coming off the Oswego River reminded me of my youthful exuberance for the night. I gloried in those first steps of how wonderful the river looked and how good God was to safely bring me here to experience the beauty of the moment, and I thank God for the experience. But then I walked on down to the familiar haunts on Water Street, and that were no longer familiar, and discovered not only disappointment and a sense of grief over things that had changed, but also felt shame and regret and deep sympathy for younger me who was oh so ignorant, oh so lost. Old City Hall was a favorite drinking establishment establishment of mine on Water Street back in the day, but while the building is still there, it doesn't appear to be a bar or anything else today. Across the street, the Ferris Wheel, another less preferred bar, is still in business. But as, uh, but as I chose Wednesday as the day of my return, downtown Oswego was a veritable ghost town, which I was actually glad for. I didn't think, I don't think the party scene is, in terms of alcohol, is anywhere near what it was in the 1990s in Oswego. But I was glad that I didn't have to navigate around groups of college students out on the streets seeking for thrills. And the solitary, dark coldness really brought home the fact that those days in my past in Oswego are over, and that person of who I was back then has died. That's a good thing. I am alive in Christ and a whole lot smarter than I used to be. As sad as seeing how things had changed, how businesses and buildings themselves were just gone, I was glad that there was no nostalgic pull to return to the days of old. But with that said, my wanderings did bring me to visit a few sites that I fondly remembered. I passed what I believe were a couple of sorority houses back in the 1990s, that, that, um, and, and a house where my friends had lived on West 3rd Street. But again, these buildings weren't sorority houses anymore, and my friends had moved out nearly 30 years ago. 30 years. Yikes. Although I didn't quite know where I was going last night, I did have a plan. I have— I always loved Oswego's old-style movie theater on West 2nd Street, and as a pretense to get me out of my motel room away, away out near the shopping centers on the east side, I decided to see a movie. I ended up nodding off to Pray for the Devil, which is not exactly high praise, because I figured I might give, give a couple of jump scares and I, I could consider it as more research for spiritual warfare. But before the movie, I had this pull to get to the house. I was a member of a fraternity, and that command to get to the house was something we would yell at our pledges and was always answered by me eventually while a student and as an alumni. The house was where to go. Was the place to go. Brothers were there, parties, fun times, and women were there. Get to the house. So I followed the call. But the thing is that while my fraternity still exists, the house at 30 West 5th Street was burned down by an arsonist back during the winter break of 1992. Although there was initially talk of rebuilding the fir— The fraternity eventually sold the land and bought a new, much smaller, rather comparatively dismal new house. So as I walked through the shadows of the night in the recollection of the past, I was a man without a home, but still called to go. No one had done anything with the property at 30 West 5th Street. Uh, someone put up a doorway trellis where our pathway once led up to the stairs of what was a mammoth house. So I took a photo of it, like some— someone taking a photo of a loved one's tombstone. If you'd like to see all the sites from last night's wanderings, I'm sharing a link to my Facebook post that presents them. The last photo in the collection is of the trellis, and it's a little creepy. So while the walk through the tombstones of my past in the city of Oswego was a little sad and and the movie barely succeeded in keeping me awake, I walk away from it all with a sense of gratitude and gladness. I loved my times in Oswego, even though, uh, they were severely worldly and broken in light of what I have come to know about the Lord and the meaning of life. But that was my life. I'm glad I searched for who I was back then. I'm glad I was bold and courageous in establishing me. In truth, although I have regrets about the bad things that happened and the fact that my fear feelings of inadequacy and addictions kept me from following my dream of being a writer. I can't say that I didn't give it a try. I tried to live according to the world, to what the world told me would lead to my happiness. But when you're following a lie, it doesn't matter how earnest you are or aren't in pursuing it. A life can never— a lie can never lead to truth. And it shouldn't be surprising that doesn't, uh, it doesn't bring peace either. But God is good, and he was gracious to show me the only thing that mattered in life is knowing him and living according to his ways. All the parties, friends, and excitement of youth are good for a season, but time marches on And that progression really reveals that we were living in an illusion. To quote John Cougar Mellencamp's "Jack and Diane," "Changes come around real soon, make us women and men." So we can't stay there in the good old days that were really a lie, a fleeting moment of our lives that were based on bad information. However, we don't have to be sad about moving on into the hard truths about growing older and having to provide for ourselves. That is, of course, if we really pursue the truth. If we— that is, of course, we don't have to be sad about it if we really pursue the truth and seek the mystery of God. The good news is, unlike last night's journey through the night, when we seek the Lord, things don't get darker. Things get brighter, as God will reveal just how good he is and how good our lives can be. When we stay in his presence and follow where he leads. So keep walking and talking with God. If you aren't doing that, get on that pathway that leads to life and life more abundantly. You don't have to deny your past, but you can get past it by coming to understand the depths of what we didn't know and how much better God's way is for us. Today's Bible verse comes to us from the New Living Translation Bible Promise Book for Men. This morning's meditation verse is Galatians 6:7, and it says, don't be misled, you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Today's verse urges us not to be misled into thinking we can somehow avoid God's justice and teaches us that we, we will indeed reap what we sow. Okay, the verse says harvest what you plant. Actually, I would encourage everyone to check out the New King James Version of this verse and to use the New King James Version as a found— your foundational reference if you study the New Living Translation. Galatians 6:7 in the New King James says, don't— do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. So as you can see, the NLT says the same things basically, but it is different. Study all the versions of the Bible if you like, but be assured that you— if you consult more than one version and study the whole counsel of God, you won't go astray. As for going astray, that reminds me of my college days where, among other worldly philosophies, I believed that rules were made to be broken. But I always had the hopes that my cleverness would keep my violations hidden, or at least keep me safe from persecution. Of prosecution and suffering, but it didn't. I was arrested and charged once, detained and questioned and let go on a few occasions. I also suffered the negative physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual consequences for my rebellious and wild living. As much as I may have got away with things in some areas, I didn't fully realize that there was no getting away from what I planted. In some way or fashion, I and everyone Every one of us will reap what we sow. Cause and effect relationships show us this in the natural, but we should really be concerned with the unseen, our futures, and where we will stand when God calls us to give an account for— to give account of our lives. No matter how much you get away with— oh wait. Yeah, no matter how much you get away with in life, no matter how skilled you are at keeping negative consequences at bay in this life, the jig is up when you die. As the Word tells us, that it is appointed for men to die once and then to be judged. Sorry, those who believe in reincarnation, one life only. Sorry, atheist, there is a God and he will judge you whether you believe in him or not. And sorry, If you don't make Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life, there will be hell to pay. You won't avoid God's justice, and you will ultimately reap what you sow. So trust in Jesus, rejoice over your salvation, but be sure to take today's verse to heart and all of its implications by also repenting of our old rule-breaking ways and following, uh, the Lord's plan for your life. Your sanctification. As always, I invite all to go to mtforchrist.org, where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. Today we continue sharing from Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Discipleship, also known as The Cost of Discipleship. And today we begin, uh, his exposition on what was called the hiddenness of the devout life. In his— in one published version, but today from the works of Bonhoeffer, it's called The Hiddenness of Practicing Piety. The text is basically the same, but like I said, I prefer the, you know, The Hiddenness of the Devout Life rather than The Hiddenness of Practicing Piety. I don't like the word piety. I don't know, it just reminds me of religion. And, you know, sort of being false. But I guess in actuality the word doesn't actually mean that, but that's the impression I get. Anyway, the text is all good. The ex— the biblical exposition, uh, by Bonhoeffer is good. So if you'd like to see that, go to m.tforchrist.org and you'll see it at the end of today's blog post. As always, we invite people to check out our discipleship teachings on the blog and well, on the podcast and the YouTube channel anyway, um, for Victory Over the Darkness, The Bondage Breaker, and Freedom in Christ. We want to walk in freedom, we have to know who we are in Christ. You know, as much as we establish who me is and our youth, and, you know, from our culture and our families and everything, you know, and our jobs, what that tells us about who we are God has something to say about who we are too, who we are in Christ. And that just— that knowledge of that identity just happens to be the one that leads to peace, love, joy, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, patience, and self-control. Yeah, they're all fruits of the Spirit because that's our spiritual identity and, you know, ultimately the most important thing about us, who we are in Christ. So we encourage you to check out those teachings that'll teach you who you are in Christ and and, you know, encourage you to discover the freedom you have when you live according to the word and the way God would show you to go. Um, as always, we also revere the, the Bible, uh, the Bible that presents the truth of God's word. Um, the reason I'm running a little late this morning is because I took a, uh, an extended walk through the scriptures this morning. Um, so We, we, we, we try to walk the walk and talk the talk as much as possible. And, uh, so even though I'm on the road on a road trip, I got up early to pray and to do my Bible study and to journal, and thus this podcast. So we encourage people to practice the disciplines of being a disciple, because when you live it, that's when you experience the fruit of the Spirit. So today is a big question mark. I will be in Buffalo, I believe, today to stay at the hostel that I made reservations at. But between now and then is 3 hours of driving and all of upstate New York to consider. So I will probably drive along the coast of Lake Ontario and maybe go to— well, I think that's going to be the course. I'm going to drive along the coast of Lake Ontario and, uh, maybe end up in Niagara Falls and then go to Buffalo. So if I go missing, that's the best guess of where I was supposed to go, but God will know where I am. Um, and now you have a small idea, even though I don't know exactly where I will go or where I'll stop. But if I stop, I'll try to take some photos to share and keep for the blog and maybe share on Facebook. Um, so let's pray. Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing us here to us. We go safely. Thank you for putting us on this mission, uh, to, you know, to, to go and volunteer for the person who gave the message that showed me the truth of who God was, and to, uh, you know, do a small, small act of worship and service to show I appreciate it that he said it and that I finally got it and it led me to life. So while others might not understand this, Lord, we know, and I know I don't earn anything special from it. Um, you know, I, I'm glad I'm on this trip, and, uh, we thank you for, you know, being with me and guiding me as I go. Lord, we pray for the people listening today or reading the blog, uh, that they'd be blessed. Um, Lord, we pray for you to come alongside them and guide them in the way they should go and put them on missions that might take them places they wouldn't really think of going, um, and to do things and to change things to make them more conformed to the image of Christ. Lord, we thank you, we praise you. We love you, and as always, we pray that you open our eyes to the things you want us to see and guide us in the way we should go. And, uh, Lord, we thank you so much for all of it. We pray all of this in the name of Jesus. Amen.