Life is a hell of a journey on the way to heaven…. that starts on earth when we meet Jesus. He is not a religious romantic by a long stretch. He made quite clear that life on earth is trouble-full and that his purpose is to meet us wherever we are and accompany us the rest of the way. I struggled for years to believe this truth and in the midst of the twilight heard hope before I saw and touched it.
I’ve just read a memoir by Brenna Manning… once a Catholic priest and one who lived a life of struggle with alcoholism and discovered ‘amazing grace’. In the foreword a friend of his writes: “I learned the truth of the gospel from Brennan, the same gospel you will find in this book: “That in the end, my sin will never outweigh God’s love. That the Prodigal can never outrun the Father. That I am not measured by the good I do but by the grace I accept. That being lost is a prerequisite to being found. That living a life of faith is not lived in the light, it is discovered in the dark. That not being a saint here on earth will not necessarily keep you from being in that number when the march begins.”
I yearn to share the truth of those words that describe the heart of God – a loving Father…. who never lets us go….
This song was written out of such revelations and places…. as an affirmation for myself as well as a means of encouragement, resolve and focus….. I mean every word and it’s proven to be so… thank God…. very much
On the west coast of British Columbia we have mountains and hills, rivers and lakes, in abundance. They are jaw-dropping spectacular and provide an adventure playground for the locals and tourists from all over the world – especially Europe. Many say they love ‘the great outdoors’ – it’s their church, their spiritual source of refreshing and indeed these wild and majestic places are magnificent. They are intended to be awe-inspiring and to draw our eyes and hearts to one who created them; to have us wonder, “Who made all this? What mind and character could conceive of such beauty?” God reveals Himself through nature to draw us into His personal embrace. In essence He says, “If you think my creation is inspiring and refreshing to your spirit, wait until you meet me – my Son Jesus will introduce us – soon, I pray.”
To ignore the personal encounter with God is not that different to trespassing on a beautiful piece of property, using it for whatever I want, and totally ignoring the owner. In one of the ancient psalms the writer is inspired by the hills and mountains and celebrates the fact that they speak to him of God’s faithfulness. I drive through mountains every day and their solid presence is a great reminder to me of God the Father’s strength and never-changing love for me – one who is not self-created – but was also tenderly formed (and is held) by the same hands that formed the massive ‘outdoors’.
From my CD – Running Free – I lift my eyes…. The images here are from a hilltop in Northern Uganda – it’s a rugged retreat centre set aside to reflect, pray, be refreshed, and be loved into new life up close and personal.
We had a mighty gale blowing across this island a few days ago…. knocked the power out, trees gave up resisting and fell, branches flew, and the waters were whipped into a frenzy of galloping white horses that kicked the ferry schedules out of shape for the rest of the day. Things change when the wind blows…. sometimes brings clouds and rain and other days sunshine and warmth….. When I was very small I used to think that the trees moved and caused the wind…. then I learned the cause was invisible and air moved from high pressure to low pressure and the trees were blown by that invisible flow – the wind. Much like we perhaps tend to think we are the centre of the universe and cause everything around us…… when the invisible is as real as that which we see with our natural eye.
This song started with a mischievous phrase that dropped into my mind like a branch blown in the wind – ‘the wind’s on the water’…… The wind is ofter referred to as ‘God’s Spirit’……
Today – Remembrance Day – is a sobering remembrance of the chronic problem at the core of the human condition. The desire to hammer out on earth a Garden of Eden without the hassle of God; to have peace through sheer human will and effort, to fulfill the dream of democracy by attending to its theory and structure while ignoring the condition of the human heart.
Most wars would be severely curtailed if those who declared them were first in line to fight and lead the charge they are so quick to have other people die for. Look at Gaddaffi in a water-pipe, a coward to the end; or Mugabe, or…. we could probably name hundreds….. Human beings are not to be trusted with too much power. We change, it infiltrates into our head and our heart and we metamorphose into the demons that leach into our souls with the addiction that power releases if unfettered and uncontrolled. We love the concept and possibility of being god-like but lack the character to carry the position with responsibility and selflessness.
Multitudes of men, women, and children have died in this deadly game of ‘who will be God today?’ It is good that we pause and remember the cost, the sacrifice, the loss, the pain, the destruction…. and the brutal reality that not much changes despite it all.
Remembrance Day is incomplete without remembering that God entered into the war zone to take out the main artillery that energizes war…. to overcome the ‘mother of all enemies’ and to set us free to live in peace, democracy, and harmony. The terms are simply to enter into the victory Jesus won through his remarkable resurrection and ask him to end the war within me, release peace into my heart, heal the anger and violence that arises in me, conquer the demons within that overpower me, and liberate my life and soul so that I can live free – now. If I cannot find freedom how can I liberate anyone else for God’s sake!
Imagine the outcry if we distributed chocolates on Remembrance Day and half-naked girls clad in poppies paraded through the streets, and we gave each other gifts after a wild night of partying and very few turned up at the Cenotaph or walked in the real Veteran’s Parade? Imagine if we did to Remembrance Day what we have done to Christmas and Easter? Turn it into a crass commercial opportunity to feed our cravings and self indulgence and gut all the meaning from it so we can stuff the vacuum with feel-good candy and plastic toys? Imagine the outcry, the anger, the sense of betrayal…. and rightly so.
The fact that we prefer to sanctify Remembrance Day above Easter and Christmas is the clearest most eloquent expression we could give articulating who it is exactly we deify, worship, honor, and adore – ourselves.
It is totally appropriate to take the time to celebrate, remember and honor those who have given their lives in wars of our making….. but not at the price of ignoring the One who laid down His Life for the sin and rebellion in our hearts. He won the war of all wars – the big battle we can never win…. Remember, lest we forget….
Walk slowly to His Cross, kneel down and give thanks… Love so amazing….. my chains are gone, I’ve been set free! Give thanks for others who laid down their lives…..
Then stand up…. enlist as a follower of Jesus…. and be the difference you long to see in others….
