The Priceless Mark

I recently found myself spending a large amount of time over the course of a few days with a few individuals, which left me emotionally depleted. It wasn't so much that I'm an introvert and was unable to have my alone time to re-charge, but rather the content of that time. Don't get me wrong, I like these people and could easily list off their positive characteristics, but the effect of our time together warrants reflection. The conversation that occurred with these said people did two things. It caused exhaustion due to it's superficial and circular nature and caused me to start feeling like I was somehow very, very different than the bulk of my peers and thus somewhat isolated. I was reminded of what is "normal" for people my age, American society as a whole and realized how unaccustomed to it I have become through the distance that has grown as I've buried myself in my school work, keeping up with  my boyfriend, friends and the day to day necessities of life. What I was immersed in over the course of those days was nothing new, but it struck me in a  fresh way. My distance from it all had caused the polarity to become more vibrant and visible.

Then, what inevitably seems to happen to many people happened to me. There was a sense of weariness and a bit of questioning about the path I am on and just how straight and narrow the path must be. It wasn't as if the wider path with lollipops and cotton candy was more attractive compared to the path with fresh lilacs and crisp, clean air. It was the quiet rumblings of questions as they called forth thoughts about intentionality and just how important it was to not waver to the left or right for even a minute. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort to not just live your life and aimlessly wander off the path.

What followed next was the realization that I am very glad I am an abberant person. As I listened and reflected, I realized just how lonely and empty these people were-how they were grasping, searching for the intangible through the tangible and how time after time they failed, left with scars. And then sympathy seeped in. How do you entreat someone to join you on  the hard, but beautiful path when you know their eyes have been blinded, their minds confused and you will only be rebuffed?

Fast forward a few hours and I am sitting in church listening to a sermon in which my pastor makes a very applicable point. Rev. 13 contains the famous passage about the number 666 or mark of the beast, but what follows immediately in Revelation 14 is information about the juxtaposing mark - the mark of God on his people. We were challenged to live as one marked by God on our hand and forehead- by our deeds and thoughts. The path before me is good and I praise God that I am marked with the priceless mark for eternity.

Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.
(Revelation 14:1-5 ESV)

Because the Beatles are fantastic...

Eleanor Rigby is about as serious and direct as the Beatles get with their work. You can hear the hopelessness and questioning, yet there are no answers given. The song ends abruptly with no no conclusion.

                                       All the lonely people... Where do they all come from?