From Friday Focus written by Rev. Mikie Roberts On October 31, 1981 at 12 MIDNIGHT the sovereign rule of a small island in the heart of the Caribbean Sea was transferred fully from the British government to own citizens. And with the movement of the clock from October 31 to November 1, we witnessed the birth of an independent Antigua and Barbuda. Today marks 32 years since that memorable occasion. As I reflect on that most memorable night I’m thankful to know that I was alive then to witness for myself history in the making. I remember well all of the excitement building up to that day. What I couldn’t figure out then was why the tens of thousands of Antiguans and Barbudans stayed up pass MIDNIGHT on October 31? If independence was on November 1, why not just celebrate in the morning on that day? But then I finally realized that the CHANGE of our status into an independent nation did not take place at sunrise on the morning of November 1. Rather the CHANGE took place at MIDNIGHT on October 31. So under the darkness of the MIDNIGHT sky, one flag was lowered and another raised; one anthem was replaced by another; one nation died and another was born. So much CHANGED that MIDNIGHT. With this in mind I invite us today to reflect on our FF, THE MIDNIGHT CHANGE! I want to suggest that we see THE MIDNIGHT CHANGE as a permanent condition that cannot be reversed. There are some CHANGES in life that can be fixed or undo. If you don’t like your job, you can always choose to CHANGE it to one you love. College students CHANGE from one major to another. People CHANGE and redesign their homes making it into what they like. Life is filled with lots of CHANGES. But THE MIDNIGHT CHANGE is lasting. The fantasy character in the story of Cinderella shows us this kind of CHANGE. When Cinderella was transformed by her fairy godmother into a beautiful princess so that she could attend the ball, she was warned that all of the magical powers which had caused her transformation would come to an end at MIDNIGHT. And at MIDNIGHT the magic faded and in order to avoid having her real identity revealed she ran because the CHANGES that were taking place could not be stopped. Although Cinderella MIDNIGHT CHANGE abruptly ended a wonderful time with the prince, later just one piece of evidence CHANGED her life for good. Apart from the make-believe world of Cinderella, there are real people whose lives have had THE MIDNIGHT CHANGE that brought about permanent and everlasting CHANGES to their lives. Nicodemus encountered a MIDNIGHT CHANGE when he came to Jesus by NIGHT to understand salvation (John 3). Zaccheus experienced a MIDNIGHT CHANGE that day he climbed up a tree to see Jesus for himself and ended up having him as his guest (Luke 19). Five virgins had a MIDNIGHT CHANGE that left them on the outside when the bridegroom came to begin the feast and they then realized that they had no oil (Matt. 25). Today as we observe All Saints Day we recall those who have gone on ahead of us to be with the Lord. One day too, like them, each of us will undergo a permanent MIDNIGHT CHANGE “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Cor. 15:54) But where we spend eternity after that final MIDNIGHT CHANGE depends on us having, while we still can, another MIDNIGHT CHANGE in our lives. Might you then allow the Holy Spirit even now to usher in THE MIDNIGHT CHANGE in your life today! When you do, rest assured, it will be a brand new day.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Nov 2013 13:17:40 +0000
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