Isn't it great to feel comfortable somewhere; to feel secure and relaxed; to be grounded in a place and know your surroundings; to be familiar with the smell, colour, sounds.
I've been at home for a couple of days recently.
I know that on a sunny day I can lie on the bed and read in the afternoon and watch the trees sway in the breeze, see a couple of rosella's fly by and doze off for 20 minutes or more.
It's challenging to feel out of place; to be not at home; to be surrounded by the unfamiliar. You find yourself hyper-alert, forced to make uncomfortable decisions out of necessity.
I just started a new job this week; working with new people; in new places; with new expectations placed upon me.
It must be strange to be at home, but not at home at the same time.
Here's some thoughts from the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:1-10.
"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."
This reminds me of, tunes me into, the discordance that is part of our experience as Christians. Somedays I feel it intensely. Other days, I need to be encouraged not to forget it.
Showing posts with label Now and Not yet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Now and Not yet. Show all posts
Thursday, 25 October 2007
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
Ugly death
I write this post having just been involved in the care of an adolescent that died soon after coming to hospital. The experience is raw.
Having watched the life of a person extinguished before my eyes despite our attempts to save that life, I cry with the Psalmist,
"My heart pounds in my chest.
The terror of death assaults me."*
Having watched a family overwhelmed with grief clinging to the lifeless body of their loved one, I weep;
"...you have crushed us in the jackal’s desert home.
You have covered us with darkness and death."**
With the teacher, I am perplexed;
"I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people."***
With the apostle, I exclaim,
"Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?"
With sober joy, and sympathy for the lost, I trust;
"Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord."****
Like creation, I groan,
"...with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time."*****
And I wait;
"Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ."******
*Psalm 55:4.
**Psalm 44:19.
***Ecclesiates 7:15.
****Romans 7:24-25.
*****Romans 8:21-22.
******1 Corinthians 15:54-57.
Having watched the life of a person extinguished before my eyes despite our attempts to save that life, I cry with the Psalmist,
"My heart pounds in my chest.
The terror of death assaults me."*
Having watched a family overwhelmed with grief clinging to the lifeless body of their loved one, I weep;
"...you have crushed us in the jackal’s desert home.
You have covered us with darkness and death."**
With the teacher, I am perplexed;
"I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people."***
With the apostle, I exclaim,
"Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?"
With sober joy, and sympathy for the lost, I trust;
"Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord."****
Like creation, I groan,
"...with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time."*****
And I wait;
"Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ."******
*Psalm 55:4.
**Psalm 44:19.
***Ecclesiates 7:15.
****Romans 7:24-25.
*****Romans 8:21-22.
******1 Corinthians 15:54-57.
Wednesday, 18 July 2007
Marriage
My younger brother got married a few weeks ago. It was a wonderful day; as perfect as these days can get.
It was a reminder of the great blessings of God bestowed upon us; the blessings of companionship, complementarity and commitment between a man and a woman; the blessings that the two combined (as God's image) impart into the world through wise stewardship of creation, hospitality and concern for neighbour and loving parenthood.
It was also a reminder of the blessing of God bestowed upon fallen humanity in the reconciling work of Jesus. For as a man commits to a woman in love giving sacrificially of himself, so Jesus Christ has committed himself to his people in love by giving his life as a sacrifice for our sin. As a woman responds to a man in love, so we as Jesus people respond to him in love.
We eagerly await the final consummation of Jesus love affair with his people, when the saints from every time and every place are joined with their Lord in perfect union forever.
It was a reminder of the great blessings of God bestowed upon us; the blessings of companionship, complementarity and commitment between a man and a woman; the blessings that the two combined (as God's image) impart into the world through wise stewardship of creation, hospitality and concern for neighbour and loving parenthood.
It was also a reminder of the blessing of God bestowed upon fallen humanity in the reconciling work of Jesus. For as a man commits to a woman in love giving sacrificially of himself, so Jesus Christ has committed himself to his people in love by giving his life as a sacrifice for our sin. As a woman responds to a man in love, so we as Jesus people respond to him in love.
We eagerly await the final consummation of Jesus love affair with his people, when the saints from every time and every place are joined with their Lord in perfect union forever.
Thursday, 17 May 2007
Don't burn the day - II
I think that biblical christianity maintains that this creation is deeply good. Waterfalls, hummingbirds, tasty food, motherhood, companionship, beaches, rainforests, planets, constellations...
It is good because a good God made it, and declared it to be so. It is good because Jesus - the God-Man - dwelt within it and affirmed it in Ressurection.
In that sense Onfray and Dave Matthews are right to join in a pointed criticism of anyone who would not celebrate the goodness around us.
But you can't help but think that this is not the whole picture. Sure when looking at people and the world around us one must exclaim 'Good', but to be sure this must be followed with 'Not Good!'.
Oil spills, malaria, wars, famines, HIV, domestic violence, paedophilia...
Onfray and Dave Matthews fail to see how the powerful effect of this 'Not good' means that the experience of pleasures realised, passions fulfilled, dancing etc. are beyond the reach of so many in this world. I suspect this represents a certain self interest and apathy towards the 'Not good'. Praying for something more from above is an appropriate response for those embroiled in the effects of 'Not good'.
It is the assumption of 'Good' and the apprehension of 'Not good' that drives the desire for renewal. Renewal, not destruction. Biblical Christianity certainly affirms the continuity of this world and the world to come. But, truly apprending 'Not good' (let alone experiencing it!), demands that it be ended, put away, shut up... Thankfully, Biblical Christianity is full of the affirmation that this will happen (is happening!); that the world to come is discontinuous with this world.
To give Dave Matthews some credit, he offers a way forward... Love. He claims the poweful effect of Love can bring change, renewal. It think he's right. I wonder whether he realises that living out Love in a world full of 'Not good' is exactly what Jesus did. It led him to a certain confrontation, however.
Are we prepared to acknowledge and own that.
It is good because a good God made it, and declared it to be so. It is good because Jesus - the God-Man - dwelt within it and affirmed it in Ressurection.
In that sense Onfray and Dave Matthews are right to join in a pointed criticism of anyone who would not celebrate the goodness around us.
But you can't help but think that this is not the whole picture. Sure when looking at people and the world around us one must exclaim 'Good', but to be sure this must be followed with 'Not Good!'.
Oil spills, malaria, wars, famines, HIV, domestic violence, paedophilia...
Onfray and Dave Matthews fail to see how the powerful effect of this 'Not good' means that the experience of pleasures realised, passions fulfilled, dancing etc. are beyond the reach of so many in this world. I suspect this represents a certain self interest and apathy towards the 'Not good'. Praying for something more from above is an appropriate response for those embroiled in the effects of 'Not good'.
It is the assumption of 'Good' and the apprehension of 'Not good' that drives the desire for renewal. Renewal, not destruction. Biblical Christianity certainly affirms the continuity of this world and the world to come. But, truly apprending 'Not good' (let alone experiencing it!), demands that it be ended, put away, shut up... Thankfully, Biblical Christianity is full of the affirmation that this will happen (is happening!); that the world to come is discontinuous with this world.
To give Dave Matthews some credit, he offers a way forward... Love. He claims the poweful effect of Love can bring change, renewal. It think he's right. I wonder whether he realises that living out Love in a world full of 'Not good' is exactly what Jesus did. It led him to a certain confrontation, however.
Are we prepared to acknowledge and own that.
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
Don't burn the day - I
Over at dustandashes Laura T pointed out this quote.
“The invention of an afterlife would not matter so much were it not purchased at such a high price: disregard of the real, hence wilful neglect of the only world there is... Religion tells us to give up this life for another... They are telling us to give up our desire, passions, pleasures- that by doing so, our existence in this world will make more sense, because the real sense of our life here below is the existence we will have once we are dead. What type of comfort in that? ‘Die while you are alive so you can be alive when you are dead?’… But I know there will always be people who will fight for reason, intelligence, happiness, pleasure, relationships, women, music, painting, literature, good wine, gastronomy. They will think reason is better than fiction.”
-Self pronounced Atheist, Michael Onfray [May 12th ‘Good Weekend’]
It reminded me of this song by Dave Matthews.
Pig.
Oh, isn't it strange
How we move our lives for another day?
Like skipping a beat
What if a great wave should wash us all away?
Just thinking out loud
Don't mean to dwell on this dying thing
But look at my blood
It's alive right now,
And deep and sweet within
Pouring through our veins
Intoxicate moving wine to tears
And drinking it deep
Then an evening spent dancing
It's you and me...
This love will open our world
From the dark side we can see a glow of something bright
Oh, there's much more than we see here
Don't burn the day away
Is this not enough?
This blessed sip of life,
Is it not enough?
Staring down at the ground
Oh, then complain and pray for more from above,
You greedy little pig
Stop, just watch your world trickle away
Oh, it's your problem now
It'll all be dead and gone in a few short years
Just love will open our eyes
Just love will put the hope back in our minds
Much more than we could ever know
Oh, so don't burn the day away
Don't burn the day away
Come sister, my brother
Shake up your bones, shake up your feet
I'm saying open up
And let the rain come pouring in
Wash out this tired notion
That the best is yet to come
But while you're dancing on the ground
Don't think of when you're gone
Love, love, love, what more is there?
'Cause we need the light of love in here
Don't beat your head
Dry your eyes
Let the love in there
There's bad times
But that's okay
Just look for love in it
And don't burn the day away...
Look, here are we
On this starry night, staring into space
And I must say
I feel as small as dust lying down here
What point could there be troubling?
Head down wondering what will become of me?
Why concern "WHAT" we cannot see
But no reason to abandon it
The time is short but that's all right
Maybe I'll go in the middle of the night
Take your hands from your eyes, my love
All good things must come to an end some time
But don't burn the day away
Don't burn the day away...
Come sister, my brother
Shake up your bones, shake up your feet
I'm saying open up
And let the rain come flooding in
Wash out this tired notion
That the best is yet to come
But while you're dancing on the ground
Don't think of when you're gone
Love, love, love, what more is there?
'Cause we need the light of love in here
Don't beat your head
Dry your eyes
Let the love in there
There're bad times
But that's okay
Just look for love in it.
Both pieces accuse 'religion' of being irreverant towards what is now, the world around us, both its needs, failures, glories and successes. It is the 'religious' exposition of what the future entails that is thought to undermine our identification with what is now. But is biblical Christianity subject to this charge. Certainly Christians throughout the ages have failed to appropriately revere all that God has made, and have committed great evils against other humans and the environment, but what about Jesus and the bible?
I recommend you check out a few posts (series on heaven) over at nothing new under the sun. Byron is passionate about the fact that Christianity rightfully understood reverances and upholds all the goodness of creation and that new creation is in continuity with what is now.
“The invention of an afterlife would not matter so much were it not purchased at such a high price: disregard of the real, hence wilful neglect of the only world there is... Religion tells us to give up this life for another... They are telling us to give up our desire, passions, pleasures- that by doing so, our existence in this world will make more sense, because the real sense of our life here below is the existence we will have once we are dead. What type of comfort in that? ‘Die while you are alive so you can be alive when you are dead?’… But I know there will always be people who will fight for reason, intelligence, happiness, pleasure, relationships, women, music, painting, literature, good wine, gastronomy. They will think reason is better than fiction.”
-Self pronounced Atheist, Michael Onfray [May 12th ‘Good Weekend’]
It reminded me of this song by Dave Matthews.
Pig.
Oh, isn't it strange
How we move our lives for another day?
Like skipping a beat
What if a great wave should wash us all away?
Just thinking out loud
Don't mean to dwell on this dying thing
But look at my blood
It's alive right now,
And deep and sweet within
Pouring through our veins
Intoxicate moving wine to tears
And drinking it deep
Then an evening spent dancing
It's you and me...
This love will open our world
From the dark side we can see a glow of something bright
Oh, there's much more than we see here
Don't burn the day away
Is this not enough?
This blessed sip of life,
Is it not enough?
Staring down at the ground
Oh, then complain and pray for more from above,
You greedy little pig
Stop, just watch your world trickle away
Oh, it's your problem now
It'll all be dead and gone in a few short years
Just love will open our eyes
Just love will put the hope back in our minds
Much more than we could ever know
Oh, so don't burn the day away
Don't burn the day away
Come sister, my brother
Shake up your bones, shake up your feet
I'm saying open up
And let the rain come pouring in
Wash out this tired notion
That the best is yet to come
But while you're dancing on the ground
Don't think of when you're gone
Love, love, love, what more is there?
'Cause we need the light of love in here
Don't beat your head
Dry your eyes
Let the love in there
There's bad times
But that's okay
Just look for love in it
And don't burn the day away...
Look, here are we
On this starry night, staring into space
And I must say
I feel as small as dust lying down here
What point could there be troubling?
Head down wondering what will become of me?
Why concern "WHAT" we cannot see
But no reason to abandon it
The time is short but that's all right
Maybe I'll go in the middle of the night
Take your hands from your eyes, my love
All good things must come to an end some time
But don't burn the day away
Don't burn the day away...
Come sister, my brother
Shake up your bones, shake up your feet
I'm saying open up
And let the rain come flooding in
Wash out this tired notion
That the best is yet to come
But while you're dancing on the ground
Don't think of when you're gone
Love, love, love, what more is there?
'Cause we need the light of love in here
Don't beat your head
Dry your eyes
Let the love in there
There're bad times
But that's okay
Just look for love in it.
Both pieces accuse 'religion' of being irreverant towards what is now, the world around us, both its needs, failures, glories and successes. It is the 'religious' exposition of what the future entails that is thought to undermine our identification with what is now. But is biblical Christianity subject to this charge. Certainly Christians throughout the ages have failed to appropriately revere all that God has made, and have committed great evils against other humans and the environment, but what about Jesus and the bible?
I recommend you check out a few posts (series on heaven) over at nothing new under the sun. Byron is passionate about the fact that Christianity rightfully understood reverances and upholds all the goodness of creation and that new creation is in continuity with what is now.
Sunday, 29 April 2007
Dinner with friends
It's interesting that in Jesus' ministry he chose as one of his focal activities to eat with people. It caused quite a stir actually, in that the poeple he chose to eat with were the moral outcasts.
More than just eating with 'sinners', Jesus made it quite clear that these meals were an anticipation of the great celebration meal of God's returning to his people.
My wife and I shared dinner recently with some close friends. We are all followers of Jesus, and I must admit that as we gathered together, in a celebration of all God has given to us as friends, fellow disciples and human beings it felt like God's kingdom was indeed upon us.
I can't help though, at times such as these, thinking about all those who went hungry that night... who will go hungry tonight! I also can't help thinking of all those who hear Jesus invitation to come to him and eat of the bread of life, who gorge themselves only on the grains 'under the sun'. I mourn for those who are too busy to rsvp to the wedding banquet. When will we see the kingdom come?
Wednesday, 4 April 2007
birth
In my current work I see a lot of babies born. It strikes me that the process of birth gives us a helpful insight into the being and becoming involved in living as a christian. The having it all and yet knowing it all is yet to be (see 'whispers' - jolly beggar lyrics). A full-term baby in utero has all the faculties of a newborn, all the capacities, but it is yet to have those faculties exercised fully, or those capacities realised. The process of being born is wonderful, exciting, exilarating, but it is also hazardous, painful and risky. It involves embracing a whole new, vastly different and superior existence, but also involves being separated from what was previously so important.
Paul of course points to this reality in romans 8, not in reference to individuals, but the whole creation (The way in which the promised land is realised?).
The genesis 3 narrative also focuses us on childbirth as a place at which the curses of sin are felt most acutely.
Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
Paul of course points to this reality in romans 8, not in reference to individuals, but the whole creation (The way in which the promised land is realised?).
The genesis 3 narrative also focuses us on childbirth as a place at which the curses of sin are felt most acutely.
Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
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