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How did we end up so far from here?
Exile is the condition of one's heart in relationship to God...who is here. I'd like to suggest that we have been dragged off into exile. We refuse to live "here" where God has come to find us. We are carried off by our sad strategies for happiness, our childish ploys for success and approval. We end up living life far away from where God is.
The church is the embassy/presence of the Kingdom of Christ. Can we recognize our homeland present in the ambassador's compound? Can we scurry to get on the turf where we are safely home...even though we may be far away from home?
Wow, my metaphor is getting too complex. To what extent are you regularly "away from home"? What choice of your life has "carried you off"? How can you get back to "here"?
3 comments:
Yes, it is so. And not really dragged off as much as we go willingly with the stranger who offers all kinds of good things.
And we don't know it. We don't recognize it. Seemingly helpless, deaf & blind.
Father, please give examples so we can "see", so we can "hear". The more complex the metaphor, the more they twist me around & my imagination goes galloping with the imagery instead of what Truth is being conveyed.
I agree, it’s not being dragged off. It’s more of a lure into the way of this world and in going willingly, we consent. To make a decision in and/or for Jesus Christ, (Truth) requires an awareness of His presence and the amount of duplicity we find acceptable - being responsible for our own relationship with God.
And yes we are blind, however, I think the extent of how far we justify our blindness is to the depth we’ve buried Truth. That’s an important thing to think about.
All in all, I feel blessed to have come to know that my “home” is in my heart of hearts. If I stay mindful of that, I never really leave home – my backyard is everywhere and anywhere I go. Doesn’t matter where I am physically living, as long as I’m doing my best to live in Truth. I think perhaps that’s what He meant when He said, “I will always be with you.”
Jesus had no place, no home here to lay his head. His home was with the Father. There’s all kinds of human suffering and anxiety in a life of Truth but, there is no REAL worry. Only the worry we perceive to be there. HE said, lay your burdens on me, I will give you rest. I think He meant it. Gotta cross the scary ocean of monsters with Jesus in your boat to come to trusting more completely in this resting in Him. (see; THE WAY OF THE DISCIPLE). I like that, it gives me hope.
I am watching my young adult son fall in love. In the process, he is beginning to see the world differently. For instance, he sent me a text message the other day while he was out of town in a big city (he has always disliked big cities) at a professional national conference (which he has never attended the likes of before). His text described his witness of a blind man who, while crossing a busy street, ran into difficulty with some unexpected barriers. A nearby woman, clearly a stranger to him, reached out and touched his arm, and guided him to safety. After the incident the two parted, each going their separate ways. In his text message, my son expressed how inspired he was by the act of such kindness and said “It is the nicest thing I’ve ever seen a stranger do for another.” When he returned home and we talked further he was animated by the entire experience of the trip – the big city, the people in the city, the conference, etc. He is seeing the world differently – and wants to embrace it.
I wonder if we end up so “far away from home” when do not allow ourselves to experience and express love in our lives. Is my son seeing the world through rose-colored glasses? Oh, I think he is. But I think there is something to learn for our practical, everyday lives from those who are “carried off” by new-found love. In watching him I am reminded about the proper priority of things that love is inviting him to adopt, and I can adopt by making the choice to do so. The beauty of our church is the mission it has, where loving as a way of life is the culture. As Tom Sawyer expressed so well last week, love calls us to action – and participation in the life of the church is a sure way of living up to that call.
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