23

Since last fall (2009) 23 has been on my mind quite often.

It all started in my Personal Evangelism class. One day I was sitting in my chair listening to Dr. Beougher’s lecture when I looked up at the clock and it read [1:23PM] (I used the brackets because it reminds me of the rectangular digital clocks that are in all our class rooms. Also you will notice that the time is in blue. This is because all the clocks’ lights are bright blue). I thought to myself, “hmm, that’s a coincidence last week when I looked up at the clock it was the same exact time [1:23PM].” I didn’t think any thing of it until two days later I was in the same class and the very first time I looked up at the clock it was [1:23PM], again I thought it was such a coincidence. I gave a little smile and thought, “Oh my goodness what are the chances, that is so cool.” I know you’re thinking, “Wow, what a dork”, but come on its a little cool. And if you’re thinking I’m making this up, I actually have pages of notes to prove this. I started drawing the clock on the top of my notes with [1:23PM] on it. Well it started happening all the time, not just in Personal Evangelism. In other classes I would look up at the clock and it would read [12:23PM] or [8:23AM] or [3:23PM], all the time. I would get board at work and check the time, [7:23PM]. 23 was imposing itself on me, impressing itself into my brain.

I finally told Laura about it and she said it was because I was looking for it. To some degree this had become true, but in the beginning it really wasn’t on my mind. I never checked the time hoping it was the 23rd minute of the hour, but time and time again it would be.

I’ve spent plenty of time over the last few months trying to figure out why 23. Why have I been seeing 23 so much? Is God trying to tell me something? Am I going to die on the 23rd? Should I enter the lottery with 23? Well I finally got my answer. Lost.

Jack Shephard is a character on the tv show Lost. He was brought to an island by a character named Jacob. Jacob had a job to do and he was looking for a replacement. Jack is one of the candidates for his job. Jacob had assigned the candidates numbers and Jack’s number is 23. Jacob’s job is to keep evil incarnate on an island and from going into the world. The season finale is going to be on the 23rd on May. It appears that Jack “Shepherd” is going to arise as the “new” Jacob. Also the 23rd Psalm is about the Lord as a Shepherd. Jack Shephard’s number is 23, my name is Jack, I’ve been seeing 23. Am I Jack Shephard and I don’t know it?

When all this first dawned on me, I was bursting inside, but I couldn’t tell my Lost buddies. They wouldn’t understand. That’s why I’m blogging it. I’ve been seeing 23 for months and now I know why, it is the key to the end of Lost. Jack Shephard is going to the new Jacob and keep evil at bay.