Living in Hope
4.Walking with God
Even on a holiday we don’t walk without a sense of having a route or at least a destination in mind. We might go ambling along the beach just to relax but always mean to get home again – or on Friday we might have chosen to walk to work from the bus, ferry or train. We always have a goal in mind that keeps us focussed however gently – it’s like a companion that keeps subconsciously reminding us of what we‘re out here for. Of course it’s the same with that symbol of luxury, our car – we have an idea, if not a clear plan, of where we’re heading and want to be.
When the Bible talks about the way we live, it often uses a word that literally means to walk. Hmmm that sounds like a hint that our life is meant to progress towards a goal. How do we work that out?! The answer has always been to walk with God – but what does that mean?!
First, it means in everything you do, put God at the centre, the very first person or thing you consider in making a decision.
Second, familiarise yourself with what God is about; what He says, how He works and says we should work. That means time given to prayer and to reading the supreme revelation of all that God is and is about – the Bible of course.
Third, know that there are many others of us walking with God who may be able to point to the relevant parts of God’s nature and work that should guide you; if even if we don’t we can join our fervent prayers to yours.
Fourth, as a gold standard, if it’s not about love, it’s not about the God we see in Jesus our Lord.
Now, time to put on some walking shoes and venture out into life with the All-Wise.
Monday, 7 July 2008
Living in Hope
2. Distinctive flavouring
A distinctive flavour of winter for me, is the memory of my mother’s vegetable soup – a blend of bacon bones, pearl barley and heaps of root veges and celery – cooking in the pot for several days. The perfect answer to bitter Hamiltonian winters with its biting frosts and ever-present fog. That flavour encouraged, healed and comforted all in one happy bowl.
Pause: what comforting flavours can you recall in your life?
When Jesus called us to be the salt of the earth, He meant us to bring out the God-flavours that fill this present, “between times” reality; to demonstrate the possibilities of human communities in which God is the centre.
How do those flavours taste, what does a community taste like where God is the centre? What ought a woman or man to experience amongst us? First that they matter; surely that’s what it means that God’s Son should give up His life that we might live in unending fellowship with His Father. Everyone matters the same, no matter where they’re from or what they ever did.
Second there is that attitude with which God regards all His creatures; love. Selfless, kind, open-hearted, accepting, unconditional love. It’s what drove Jesus to the Cross, and it’s what defeated the grave; it is also what enables the Holy Spirit to move in and among the people of God to do His work in us.
Finally there is refined taste of holiness; God-alikeness. In our relationships with each other and those who new among us we deal with each other with the utmost integrity. We never lie, we never allow jealousy any place, we forgive every offence (and I do mean EVERY offence.) If this is the taste that characterises being among us we are encouraging a hunger for heaven.
2. Distinctive flavouring
A distinctive flavour of winter for me, is the memory of my mother’s vegetable soup – a blend of bacon bones, pearl barley and heaps of root veges and celery – cooking in the pot for several days. The perfect answer to bitter Hamiltonian winters with its biting frosts and ever-present fog. That flavour encouraged, healed and comforted all in one happy bowl.
Pause: what comforting flavours can you recall in your life?
When Jesus called us to be the salt of the earth, He meant us to bring out the God-flavours that fill this present, “between times” reality; to demonstrate the possibilities of human communities in which God is the centre.
How do those flavours taste, what does a community taste like where God is the centre? What ought a woman or man to experience amongst us? First that they matter; surely that’s what it means that God’s Son should give up His life that we might live in unending fellowship with His Father. Everyone matters the same, no matter where they’re from or what they ever did.
Second there is that attitude with which God regards all His creatures; love. Selfless, kind, open-hearted, accepting, unconditional love. It’s what drove Jesus to the Cross, and it’s what defeated the grave; it is also what enables the Holy Spirit to move in and among the people of God to do His work in us.
Finally there is refined taste of holiness; God-alikeness. In our relationships with each other and those who new among us we deal with each other with the utmost integrity. We never lie, we never allow jealousy any place, we forgive every offence (and I do mean EVERY offence.) If this is the taste that characterises being among us we are encouraging a hunger for heaven.
Living in Hope
In the meantime.1
A big Event is coming! You’re not exactly sure when it will be, but you know who’s behind it, and that it’s going to be unimaginably spectacular. It will make sense of an awful lot that has puzzled you and the rest of humanity. The real heroes will at last be seen for what they are – as will the real villains. BUT – and this is important, what do you do while you’re waiting for it to come on?! Do you keep changing the cool clothes that you’ve set aside for the occasion? Do you lord it over those you suspect have not been invited? Do you run an unending set of self-examination assessments to make sure you’re ready for the Event? Do you run around telling everyone that it’s coming – telling them to get ready too? Do you research and run seminars trying to predict when it will happen?
What you don’t do is to stop living. You keep eating, sleeping, probably going to work, going out to the movies, making love, listening to music, watching TV. But is that it? Is that all that such fevered anticipation leads to? Surely there is something about the nature of the Event that suggests a change in attitude, a generosity of spirit, a renewal of focus on the lives of others (after all your place at the Event is already assured!)
Perhaps you would allow a near permanent smile to develop on your face and in your approach to even the most difficult people because you know a little of the great surprise that we’re all in for and you know that it’s great!
Hope is about the sure expectation of a great and astonishing Event that awaits all those who trust in Jesus as the Christ of God…what we do with that…what we do now…that’s the challenge! …eh?
In the meantime.1
A big Event is coming! You’re not exactly sure when it will be, but you know who’s behind it, and that it’s going to be unimaginably spectacular. It will make sense of an awful lot that has puzzled you and the rest of humanity. The real heroes will at last be seen for what they are – as will the real villains. BUT – and this is important, what do you do while you’re waiting for it to come on?! Do you keep changing the cool clothes that you’ve set aside for the occasion? Do you lord it over those you suspect have not been invited? Do you run an unending set of self-examination assessments to make sure you’re ready for the Event? Do you run around telling everyone that it’s coming – telling them to get ready too? Do you research and run seminars trying to predict when it will happen?
What you don’t do is to stop living. You keep eating, sleeping, probably going to work, going out to the movies, making love, listening to music, watching TV. But is that it? Is that all that such fevered anticipation leads to? Surely there is something about the nature of the Event that suggests a change in attitude, a generosity of spirit, a renewal of focus on the lives of others (after all your place at the Event is already assured!)
Perhaps you would allow a near permanent smile to develop on your face and in your approach to even the most difficult people because you know a little of the great surprise that we’re all in for and you know that it’s great!
Hope is about the sure expectation of a great and astonishing Event that awaits all those who trust in Jesus as the Christ of God…what we do with that…what we do now…that’s the challenge! …eh?
making sense of prayer
Just been reading "God on Mute" by Pete Greig - in snatches; in snatches because the book is so challenging I need time to think about what I'm reading. Pretty much finding myself in agreement with what Pete's saying. Too much grief has come to people who have been told to expect a constant buzz in the Christian life; people afraid to make change or moves in their lives without a "word" from God, or at least with that highly subjective feeling some call peace.
I remember when it was time for me to leave my first appointment as a minister: I had a possibility before me and wasn't sure whether to take it or not, and I wanted some kind of "word" from God that Taranaki was for me. So I went to colleague from another mainstream denomination, and asked what he "heard." He patiently prayer with me and then we stayed silent a while, then he caused me to stop and think carefully as he said, "I think God is saying that if you go He will go with you and if you stay and wait for another invitation He will wait with you too."
I mean, damn! Here was I waiting to be obedient to whatever God offered as the way ahead and He makes me choose. In fact what my colleague told me is true, it's even a good summary of what the Bible tells us about God as the Ever-present and the All-Wise.
Here's what I think God was doing to me; He was making me make a choice that I could look back on as a good reason for presevering, and for pursuing the kind of ministry that is consistent with who I was and who He was making me at that time. Not question about His approval or His empowering, those questions are already answered in both the Bible and in way in which we find ourselves pursuing our call as servants of the Lord's people.
I didn't need God to yell at me, I just needed to listen to the conversation that's been going on since I was 7 and was somewhat amplified when I was 25; and pay attention to God's loving self-revelation both in the written word and the Living Word, Jesus His Son.
Oh, and while I'm on the subject of prayer, I highly recommend Louie Giglio's DVD Prayer: the remix. Louie is a driving force in the Passion movement and a much loved Evangelist.
I remember when it was time for me to leave my first appointment as a minister: I had a possibility before me and wasn't sure whether to take it or not, and I wanted some kind of "word" from God that Taranaki was for me. So I went to colleague from another mainstream denomination, and asked what he "heard." He patiently prayer with me and then we stayed silent a while, then he caused me to stop and think carefully as he said, "I think God is saying that if you go He will go with you and if you stay and wait for another invitation He will wait with you too."
I mean, damn! Here was I waiting to be obedient to whatever God offered as the way ahead and He makes me choose. In fact what my colleague told me is true, it's even a good summary of what the Bible tells us about God as the Ever-present and the All-Wise.
Here's what I think God was doing to me; He was making me make a choice that I could look back on as a good reason for presevering, and for pursuing the kind of ministry that is consistent with who I was and who He was making me at that time. Not question about His approval or His empowering, those questions are already answered in both the Bible and in way in which we find ourselves pursuing our call as servants of the Lord's people.
I didn't need God to yell at me, I just needed to listen to the conversation that's been going on since I was 7 and was somewhat amplified when I was 25; and pay attention to God's loving self-revelation both in the written word and the Living Word, Jesus His Son.
Oh, and while I'm on the subject of prayer, I highly recommend Louie Giglio's DVD Prayer: the remix. Louie is a driving force in the Passion movement and a much loved Evangelist.
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