Today marks a historic day in the life of the United States. Regardless of one's political leanings (right, left, or indifferent), today is a day when we celebrate what is good and right about America. I hope that those Christians who prayed lock, stock and barrel for George W. Bush because "Paul tells us to pray for our leaders as they are elected by God to serve in government" will continue to pray for Barack Obama even when his politics might be difficult for them to swallow. I also pray that, although Obama's election signifies an important step towards the ideal that all men and women are created equally, that others do not fall prey to a pseudo--messianic love affair with Barack. He is not the messiah.
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Hope has become a big word in today's rhetoric. Obama used it. So did other politicians during the election. Here's a brief reflection on the substance of hope (God's future) from a decidedly Christian view point. At least one decidedly Christian viewpoint.
The end of time, as I understand it, is the full completion of becoming the humans God crated us to be. To paraphrase C.S. Lewis, I am, in this precise moment, only a sliver of my true self. All of my past selves, present selves, and future selves are part of a much larger whole. In the fullness of time I shall “known and be known.” I shall at last be the full Josh as you will be who God, long ago, set in motion you to be.
Because I’m a Christian (investing my beliefs and convictions in the teachings of Torah, the Prophets, Jesus of Nazareth, and the Jesus Movement) I am enrolled in a story moving towards:
1. Physical resurrection of all people.
2. Judgment of good and evil.
3. A complete healing of land and creation.
4. The full presence of God.
5. A mysterious new chapter called forever.
Thus, my understanding of the church’s role in the in-between time (today and God's final hour) is not so much about a narrow moralism (of the liberal bent which tends to focus solely on certain social issues or the fundamentalist bent focused on private piety). The church’s primary character is one of hope. Not hope in a New President (be it Reagan or Obama), a New Philosophy, a New Movement . . . but hope that a new day is dawning.
When tyrant will walk with victim
When Lions will lie down with lambs
When tanks will be turned into tractors
When enemies will become friends
When the crooked will be made straight
This all leads us to two important questions. First, what’s worth hoping for (what is the substance of genuine Christian hope)? Second, Are our hopes big enough? Or, put another way, do we Christians settle for crumbs when a feast has been prepared?
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
---
Hope has become a big word in today's rhetoric. Obama used it. So did other politicians during the election. Here's a brief reflection on the substance of hope (God's future) from a decidedly Christian view point. At least one decidedly Christian viewpoint.
The end of time, as I understand it, is the full completion of becoming the humans God crated us to be. To paraphrase C.S. Lewis, I am, in this precise moment, only a sliver of my true self. All of my past selves, present selves, and future selves are part of a much larger whole. In the fullness of time I shall “known and be known.” I shall at last be the full Josh as you will be who God, long ago, set in motion you to be.
Because I’m a Christian (investing my beliefs and convictions in the teachings of Torah, the Prophets, Jesus of Nazareth, and the Jesus Movement) I am enrolled in a story moving towards:
1. Physical resurrection of all people.
2. Judgment of good and evil.
3. A complete healing of land and creation.
4. The full presence of God.
5. A mysterious new chapter called forever.
Thus, my understanding of the church’s role in the in-between time (today and God's final hour) is not so much about a narrow moralism (of the liberal bent which tends to focus solely on certain social issues or the fundamentalist bent focused on private piety). The church’s primary character is one of hope. Not hope in a New President (be it Reagan or Obama), a New Philosophy, a New Movement . . . but hope that a new day is dawning.
When tyrant will walk with victim
When Lions will lie down with lambs
When tanks will be turned into tractors
When enemies will become friends
When the crooked will be made straight
This all leads us to two important questions. First, what’s worth hoping for (what is the substance of genuine Christian hope)? Second, Are our hopes big enough? Or, put another way, do we Christians settle for crumbs when a feast has been prepared?
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
6 comments:
This was poetic Josh. Really great post! Sounds like a well written sermon.
Jonathan,
Can't wait to have you up here in Detroit. I am checking your blog now to see if it's up an runnin'
Thanks for the note.
JG
Josh,
First of all, great post to get the wheels turning; second, can you give me an example of settling for crumbs when we could be feasting? And I ask that because I ask the question, are we even able to “feast” now since we can only presently see in a poor reflection in a mirror?
Phil,
I think mixing metaphors (which I sometimes do) was a poor choice on my part.
Let me give you an example.
We settle for crumbs could mean that Christians are content to vote for one party based on a particular issue . . . when the real opportunity to bear witness to God's love for the world might be deeper.
I'm pro-life all the way. Because I'm pro-life I'm not just content with trying to put an end to abortions. I'm also interested in adopting children so that mother's have more incentive to give birth to these precious ones.
Does that make sense?
Josh,
Yes that makes since. And pertaining to your quote (perhaps this is what you were initially saying) I would also say that we as followers of Christ need to be expecting more than what the world offers. By that I mean, many times the world offers success /failure numbers and statistics, however as Christians, I believe we are sometimes called to stare those statistics face to face and ask the question the visitor asked Abraham: "Is there anything to hard for the Lord?" So in that way, because we are God's children, we shouldn’t always settle for "crumbs."
Does that make sense?
By the way, your blogs (especially lately) have been very "mind stimulating;" Perhaps it's because the amount of reading your doing has affected the way you have been articulating. Regardless, keep up the good work... take the compliments with humility... and don't forget to rest!
I've gone a more "mind stimulating" route lately because, well, this is what I normally think about, write about . . . but I stay away from on the blog.
This week, maybe it's the water in Hotlanta, I thought I pick these conversations back up and see where people are at on the relationship of Christ and Culture. Man, that would make a great book title. Ha.
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