What is it, Papa?
Nothing. We're okay. Go to sleep.
We're going to be okay, aren't we Papa?
Yes. We are.
And nothing bad is going to happen to us.
That's right.
Because we're carrying the fire.
Yes. Because we're carrying the fire.
(from 'The Road ' by Cormac McCarthy, p83)
***
when john the baptiser speaks of the long-awaited messiah, (soon to be revealed as his own cousin Jesus in luke 3.15-17), he speaks of someone operating on a higher plane, affecting exponential change to the world. whereas john baptizes with water, he reminds the people of the scriptures they have already learned, announcing that Jesus, will anoint people’s very hearts with the oil of royalty and then flambé them. like Moses’ bush in the wilderness, they will be set afire to burn brightly in the darkness of a fallen, cannibalistic world, but will not be burned up- instead, offering the warmth, illumination, guidance and hope of God's unforgettable fire in the darkness.
however, sometimes we start to be a bit territorial and protective with this flame that has been entrusted to us. although Jesus reminded all who had ears to hear that they were not to hide their light under a thick shade, in fact this is often the case within today's church.
yet in the words of the prophet recorded in isaiah 49.6, we are challenged with the phrase “It is too small a thing…”
"It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."
it is too small a thing to restrict our focus to our own people, our own programs, our own facility. it is too small a thing to engage only with those who believe as we do, that we would be mutually encouraged. it is too small a thing to protect our traditions in deference to the cries of irrelevance from a world in pain. it is too small a thing to only read christian books by christian writers, only listen to christian songs recorded by christian musicians, only support christian businesses listed in some exclusive christians-only directory. it is too small a thing to, as steve taylor put it in a song over a quarter century ago, "only drink milk from a christian cow."
in the luke 3 account of Jesus' baptism, the whole narrative begins by saying We are challenged to bear this light, to carry this unforgettable fire of God’s love and presence into every situation requiring it. To live with eyes wide open for opportunity to share his hope, that those who are ‘Gentiles’ to us (those who do not know the name of Jesus in a life-changing way), would experience the salvation of a relationship freedom from sin and relationship with Almighty God through Jesus Christ, rather than be somehow swallowed up by the calamity that befalls us all.
as we carry the unforgettable fire of God’s love and presence, let us run fast and sure, that this light would reach into every life and bring warmth, hope comfort and freedom there.
***
You have to carry the fire.
I don’t know how to.
Yes you do.
Is it real? The Fire?
Yes it is.
Where is it? I don’t know where it is.
Yes you do. It’s inside you. It was always there. I can see it.
(from 'The Road ' by Cormac McCarthy, pp 278-9)
1 comment:
"it is too small a thing to restrict our focus to our own people, our own programs, our own facility. it is too small a thing to engage only with those who believe as we do, that we would be mutually encouraged. it is too small a thing to protect our traditions in deference to the cries of irrelevance from a world in pain. it is too small a thing to only read christian books by christian writers, only listen to christian songs recorded by christian musicians, only support christian businesses listed in some exclusive christians-only directory. it is too small a thing to, as steve taylor put it in a song over a quarter century ago, "only drink milk from a christian cow." (jb)
i've often found myself asking many "Whys" when it comes to boxing ourselves in. (me asking whys isn't a surprise to those who know me. the reason i question it is that i struggle to understand why there's that belief that Christian reading material is the best way, Christian music is the only music that should permeate our minds, etc.
i guess my struggles comes because each day i believe even stronger in the fact that the church is this entire world. it's not just a building with four walls where people meet weekly (yes, many of us have a "home-base" on that world, but we need to shine Him every second of every day, not just for a time one day a week). you can also never discount anything that comes before us, because anything and everything is an opportunity to shine His love.
"I won't be made useless, I won't be idle with despair, I will gather myself around my faith, For light does the darkness most fear, My hands are small, I know, But they're not yours, they are my own...In the end only kindness matters...We are God's eyes, God's hands, God's mind, We are God's eyes, God's hands, God's heart." (Jewel)
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