New Construction at Calvary -- A Mystery, A Diary

Out at Calvary right now, we are building the world’s largest watch tower. It will be erected on the south lawn. It will be over 34 stories tall (about 450 feet high), 75 feet wide, and 45 feet deep. We are going to be building it by hand. We’d love to have you come and join us. You may be wondering why we are building this watch tower, so I’ll tell you. The Lord is leading us to build a watch tower and to man it 24 hours a day until His return. It’s going to be so nice. We’ve been given instructions to make it out of teak! There won’t be an escalator or elevator. We’ll just have to climb the steps all the way up and all the way down. There won’t be any electronics allowed either. There will be a minimal of 8 people on watch every hour of everyday.

Now, what if we really did that? Built it by hand. Built a watch tower to watch for God’s return. Wonder what our neighbors would say? The media would have a hay-day, wouldn’t they? You think we would be laughed at. Would you be one of the ones scratching your head, asking questions and then chuckling? I would. Nothing like this had ever been built for this purpose – definitely thinking outside the box. You may even says, “God didn’t tell me that” or “That’s not Scriptural – building a watch tower.” Just for the record, Calvary isn’t building a watch tower, but see how it connects.

So, God speaks to Noah because Noah is an upright man of God and walks with God. The world around him hears nothing…just their wicked thoughts. God tells Noah to build something that has never been built before for something that has never happened before.

For 100 years, people watched Noah and his family build the ark. I wonder if at some point they just started ignoring Noah or making comments like, “Don’t mind Noah. He’s crazy but harmless. He’s a zealot.”

Then there comes a time when something breaks from the norm. Day in and day out for 100 years, they have seen Noah taking lumber to add to his “ark” and putting pitch on it to seal it. But now it looks like it’s finished…at least from the outside. The ark is blocking your view of the mountains. You have to walk or ride all the way around it to get to your friend’s home.

Dear Diary,

It’s just an eye sore is what it is. No one is going to want to buy that thing. And today as I’m fixing supper, a pair of unattended elephants walked by the tent. I didn’t get much sleep last night, so I rubbed my eyes, grabbed my baby, and before I could step outside I saw a pair of Mammoths walk by my tent. What in the world is going on? I run out of my tent to see animals walking unattended in pairs, and they are going to the ark! I’m stupefied. Animals I have never seen before are calmly walking to the ark and not striking at anyone. Well now I’ve seen everything! I couldn’t wait to tell my husband.. I start pointing at the animals and telling my baby what they are. Then there are groups of seven…you know, like the sheep, lambs, etc.

Tonight night at supper, I tell my husband about how the animals entered the ark so orderly and peacefully. I can’t imagine what is going on in that ark. I was talking to the neighbor, and she said that Noah’s wife said that it’s going to start raining any day now. Whatever that is. Isn’t that odd, honey? I’m not sure he believed me.

Dear Diary,

Well, he believes me now. He heard about the animals in the town. I asked my husband if he had heard anything about the animals when he was in town today, but he wasn’t much help. He had heard everything I had heard. Still no rain – hahaha.

Dear Diary,

Noah’s family is coming and going, loading up that silly boat. What a waste of time. Think about all homeless children and widows they could be helping with that stuff. Better yet, I wonder if I can sneak on board and get some for myself. Still no rain – lol.

Dear Diary,

It’s the beginning of day 7 since the animals were put on that silly ark. Not sure what is happening now, but the sky is getting really dark and heavy. Don’t know what that’s about. I’ll have to ask my husband tonight…surely he sees this. I hear something…

There are no other entries in her diary because what she heard was the pitter patter of big, fat, raindrops. She runs out of her tent with her baby on her hip, and the rain is now coming down in buckets. She covers her brow to look at the ark, and the door is now shut. The clouds are getting darker and heavier. As she starts to run to see more clearly, the ground beneath her starts to rumble. The earth splits open as water erupts from the crevices with such magnificent force that loved ones are separated, people are killed instantly, and the water rises at such a rapid rate the men can’t get home from the town square in time to see their families for one last time. Other people are running for the hills trying to get to the highest points possible. Others are clutching on for dear life anything that floats by. As they are clinging on, the body of a loved one floats by. Those who endured the atrocities of Katrina may be able to empathize, but if they survived Katrina, then they outlasted these.

Overcome with water, the woman and her baby drown.

People are drowning around us every day. There is a world dying without the love of Christ. So what if they think you are crazy for asking them about their relationship with Jesus. So what if the reject what you are saying – they aren’t rejecting you. Drowning is a horrible way to die. It’s at the top of my list. The frantic. The panic. You know what’s coming. Death. Who do you love? We are to love our neighbors as ourselves, so then shouldn’t we love them enough to witness to them?