dear abbey

recently a friend sent me a note asking a basic question:
why aren't the people i love drawing the same conclusions from scripture that i am?

here are the highlights of a rather lengthy reply:

***

it's great to read that you are seeking the face of God in all things. for me, there is great encouragement in reading 3000 year old words (the psalms) that call you to the one who is outside of time and yet approachable to those of us bound by it. to be reminded of the calamity that has befallen so many, but which seems to be informed by the perspective of the psalmist challenges and inspires me to examine my own faith perspective for spots that are a bit spare.

you have also been reading the words of paul and have been drawing personal guidance from these scriptures concerning your own journey through this valley time. it is right to be prayerfully considering what the scriptures are saying to us, for we are the only person over whom we have any say. sadly, this is where it gets a little dodgy for most of us:

i know what God is saying to me through the scriptures... why isn't my friend/partner/colleague/parishioner getting the message that's obviously there?'

if someone you care for is searching the scriptures and not receiving the same message as you are from them, there might be a couple of reasons:

1) he/she's not looking in the same way
2) he/she's not looking for the same things

both of these are, perhaps, answers to your the question in your note regarding the discrepancy between what you're being told and what others appear to be.

the control freak in us (ha ha- i'm confessing to harbouring one myself, not accusing you of such!) wants to run things our way. we go to the scriptures that we know will affirm what we already believe, or at the very least, speak upon that topic. we use concordances and bible helps to try and 'get it', all the while knowing what we are wanting to get: an answer that aligns itself with our will. this approach to drawing truth from scripture is not wrong, but it's not the only way to receive a message from God through his word.

sometimes we treat the scriptures the way people work with statistics- choosing to consider the ones that back up our perspective or position.

another way to approach the matter of what scripture says to us and what it doesn't is to simply continue with your regular devotions, reading the scriptures through the lens of your journey today and taking from them the things that this lens draws to your attention. you may draw some really unexpected comfort and insight from the word in areas that initially seem to have nothing to do with the questions you bring to them. yes, this is a more 'mystical' approach, but is far from the random 'open your bible, close your eyes and point at a passage' approach that people often default to. it simply involves continuing the faithful discipline of reading scripture, seeking biblical truth from the word in context.

try journaling your thoughts as you read. see where they go. stream of consciousness is a gift that God has given us so we can perceive the ideas that he has linked together in his larger themes. see if the passage you are reading reminds you of something else and then use the concordance to try to find that and read it as well. i am often amazed at how God seems to have so much to say in some rather unlikely places. i would give you some recent examples, but this note is already pretty long without anecdotes...

ID, Superego and the UFC glove

when we read in paul's writings about the 'sinful nature' (some translations use the word 'flesh') we mustn't default, like the ascetics did, to the notion that our flesh is somehow bad. God created human beings and pronounced the creation very good. a traditional phrase seems to say it all: we are called God's crowned of creation.

so what about this troublesome 'sinful nature?' referred to in galatians 5.16-18

in the original greek, the word is sarx, a word that carries with is some interesting overtones.

Sarx:
1) the animal nature with cravings which incite to sin
2) denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, therefore prone to sin and opposed to God… the beast within; the heart of a man

the heart is a wild thing- it engages with the world from a place of complete self interest. its M.O. is do or be done to…

sigmund freud, the father of modern psychology, describes the dichotomy of the ID vs SuperEgo at great length. basically, one part of us- the self interested and self serving part- is only motivated by gratification, while the other part of us- the socialized part- is motivated by the upholding of a sense of order, balance and justice in all things.

but what if we're seeing the relationship wrong? what if we're seeing these opposites as adversaries doing battle when really they are really team mates?

perhaps the ID and the Superego aren’t opposed to each other at all- perhaps they complement one another in that the ID (inward, self interested) self is enwrapped in the Superego (outward, socially and spiritually conscious) self.

recently i viewed a rather unlikely christmas special: a pay-per-view UFC event.

the UFC glove is an interesting thing. whereas it affords the wearer with limited digit dexterity need to compete in a UFC match, it would definitely be an encumbrance for one trying to play guitar well or perform dental surgery or type a really insightful blogpost. the UFC glove exists for the purpose of the protection of the competitors, nothing more.

perhaps there is a model here: if the ID is the fist and the Superego is the glove, then it seems to make sense that, like the UFC glove, the Superego with all of its orderly politics, systemic structures, laws and religions cushions the ID from the harshness of the world outside (and from the violence it tends to inflict), while also cushioning the world from harshness of the ID...

unsurrendered to the Spirit (pneuma) of God, they may work together to keep us from being all that we could be in Christ the way a UFC glove might make it difficult to perform fine adjustments when doing a tune-up on the vehicle of someone who can't afford to take it into the shop.

any colour you like

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." (revelation7.9-10)
it's nice to just take an idea and run with it a ways; see where it goes. i was thinking about this big worship gathering revealed by God and described by john when something gelled...

the apostle john, exiled on the island of patmos while his faith brothers are all being systematically murdered for their terrorist ties with the rabbi known as jeshua ben joseph, describes the worship crowd gathered as multicultural, multi-ethnic, multilinguistic and so on. a fairly heterogenous group, all standing there waving palm branches just like when Jesus arrived in jerusalem, only instead of crying 'save us' (hosanna) they are proclaiming to whom salvation belongs.

but it's the white robes bit that really caught me, in light of all that comes before it. i suppose it's fair to say that white is Jesus' team colour, what with all that 'washes white as snow' talk. however, one might lose track of another possible significance of the multitudes clothed in white, defaulting to the simple truth that white shows dirt and can therefore only be seen as white when it is pure... the white stands for purity.

not that there's anything wrong with that.

so many things in our physical realm are not necessarily restricted to being only what they seem: take a simple beam of white light. we all remember the science class project where a beam of white light is directed into a glass prism which separates the colour spectrum of that beam of light and projects these colours on the wall adjacent to it. then there is, of course, the classic pink floyd album cover...

here's the thing, though: when we perceive a colour, we are really perceiving how just that band of the spectrum reflects back off of the coloured object: a green object only looks green because it is treated with something (paint, dye, whatever) that reflects only the green in a beam of white light.

a beam of white light contains all the colours of the spectrum in perfect balance and unity. it reflects off of the surface of something conducive representing this perfect balance and unity.

that the great multitude that no one can count, with representation from every nation, tribe, people and language, is singing salvation songs wearing white, reflecting the perfect brilliance of almighty God who is the only source of true light in the cosmos, suggests more than purity.

it speaks of perfect communion.

long waits

okay, so first off, i've gotta say that this actually happened...
i was there.

this phys-ed intern from another school has been sitting in one of the chairs outside the principal's office for an hour and a half, when he is sent to meet the athletic director who is on the phone in his office just off of the gym. the intern is motioned to take a seat, and no sooner does he than the athletic director hangs up and says 'just wait here' and leaves, not returning for another hour and a half.

finally, the athletic director returns, grinning. he thanks the intern for waiting and says that the intern needn't stay any longer, as it is now lunchtime. the intern is a little frustrated by now and pushes back with 'well, i feel like i'm being given the run around- i've been here all morning and have tried to be patient as i've been shuffled from office to office. there's no way i'm going to leave here after all that without the set of long weights that i was sent here for!'

the athletic director looks him in the eye and says
'yes, those were very long waits, weren't they?'

then he winks.

henri nouwen writes:
Waiting seems a dry desert between where we are and where we want to be. We do not enjoy such a place. We want to move out of it and do something worthwhile.

israel was a people accustomed to long waits…
in egypt for over 400 years
in the sihn desert for 40 years
awaiting fulfilment of the genesis 13 promise for 700 years
awaiting fulfilment of the Messianic promise for 1000 years (from david to Jesus…)

and through all this time of waiting, it was the role of the prophet to be instrumental in keeping the eyes of the people on the promises of God… to remind them of the love and care of God AND of God’s greater purposes and picture.

the picture of God is a big picture
the song of God is a long song
the story of God is an epic story...

an epic story that can be taken in by the eye of God at once from God's vantage point, outside of time and circumstance, but which takes thousands of years to come to realization in our own temporal realm, with each of us only getting a brief, 70-year glimpse of a tiny portion of the larger work that is God's ongoing passion play- this cosmic drama in which we all have a key role.

it's like treebeard the ent tries to explain in lord of the rings:
You must understand, young Hobbit, it takes a long time to say anything in Old Entish. And we never say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say. (JRR Tolkien)

so in isaiah 9.6-7, the prophet reminds a waiting people of that which they already know:
“a child is born” – the Messiah will come as a human being,
“a son is given” – the Messiah will be of divine origin.
“reign on David’s throne” – he will be of David’s line
and that by his coming, light will dawn again in the land of the shadow. (9.2)

so as we move into the season of advent (from the latin word adventus, meaning 'coming') we embrace, yearly, a period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus.

but we need to be reminded of so many things, it seems.

this is why every year we move through the advent calendar, opening a door each day which reveals a new and exciting gift. this is why every sunday in the advent season, we focus upon one of the four big themes of this waiting. this is why we light a new candle each week to signify love, peace, hope or joy before coming together to celebrate the birth of Christ, the embodiment of these things and God's rich redemptive gift to all humankind, on Christmas.

because we need to be reminded of them.

for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. (john 3.16)

when i was very young, my grandmother gave me a little plaque with this verse on it. somehow, just by looking at this plaque i memorized the verse (didn't even need to go to biblegateway.com to post it here...)

and yet it is so easy to forget that the story of Jesus' coming, begins with God's eternal love for us all. called 'the gospel in a nutshell,' john 3.16 doesn't read 'because you were all going to Hell and God felt sorry for you, he sent his son...' Jesus presents the love of God as the reason for all that follows, only mentioning the heroic soul rescue at the conclusion of his 'mission statement.' perhaps this is reason enough to light the love candle first in our season of waiting.

God, in total freedom, has decided to love us… Jesus is the revelation of God’s unending, unconditional love for us human beings. Everything that Jesus has done, said, and undergone is meant to show us that the love we most long for is given to us by God- not because we’ve deserved it, but because God is a God of love. Jesus is God’s most radical attempt to convince us that everything we long for is indeed given us. What God asks of us is to have faith in that love. (Henri Nouwen)

after all, being loved and loving typically makes waiting feel less like a desert and more like an overture.

coffee coupon

by the way... if you want to leave a comment on this 'big talking small fry' blog and aren't part of the whole 'blogosphere' thing, (with your own OpenID, Name URL or Google account) just log your insights as 'anonymous' and then type your name in as part of the comment.
(as per the example on this blogpost)

this way i know who gets a free coffee from northview's 'He-Brews' coffee bar!

tubsong

so according to 2samuel12.20, after having the death of his child confirmed, king david got up and

1. washed (cleansing)
2. put on lotions (anointing)
3. changed clothes (casting off the week's travail)
4. worshiped (declaring/testifying/ enthroning the Divine)
5. had breakfast (getting on with living)

and amidst the cleansing, anointing and changing stages of his personal restoration disciplines, david wrote psalm 51- possibly the first worship song to be sung in the tub…

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.

Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.

In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.

Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

so now what do I do to prepare for these life-changing encounters with God? how am I engaged in cleansing, anointing and casting off the caked-on dirt of a hard week?

surely this is about more than just taking a bath

escape from this mind prison?

last week, vandals left a simple but poignant message on the steps of the church:

Escape from this Mind Prison

i almost put it on the sign out front, not as some kind of a gesture against those who took the care to stencil the letters and then spray paint them, but as an invitation to those carrying a load or burden that continues to box in their perspective, framing it in pain, fallenness, broken faith, betrayal and resultant mistrust, as well as basic lack or loss of hope.

as we shared a few weeks back, the writer of the book of hebrews challenges us (in hebrews 10.25) to be instrumental in opening each others’ minds, inspiring each other to revolution and beautiful action.

(this is explored a bit further in the blogpost 'you say you want a revolution' and can be found by clicking here. )

when I think about the message that was neatly and poetically written on the sidewalk, I am reminded once again that the power of darkness in our world has some struggling with the difference between freedom and slavery: the worship gathering affords us the opportunity to escape from the prison of hopelessness and pain that masquerades as life here, just east of Eden, gaining some perspective in order to more lovingly serve hope to those still pacing back and forth in their cages.

there's a reason that the word sanctuary is used.