Urgency and desperation
Driving back from Chicago late one night last week, I was channel surfing the radio to stay alert. I heard a preacher giving a sermon about prayer and the spiritual life. The point he was making was that we need have a sense of desperation in our lives. For the kingdom of God to come, we need to realize the desperate situation the world is in, and act accordingly.
I think I understand and could relate somewhat to his point, but his choice of words I would not at all agree with. Maybe it's just semantics, but there is a deeper issue here I believe. No doubt, Christians need to be about the business of the kingdom of God. For too many, Christianity is fire insurance, or a part of life, or a way to feel good about themselves. Orthodox Christianity, even with a small o, is none of the above.
It is true that our spiritual lives should and must be the focus of our being. We do need to focus on prayer, giving, serving and living lives of love. Christianity is a way of life, not a religion. It is a relationship, but more than just any relationship, it is the encompassing relationship. And yes, this way of life should result in a sense of urgency, but not desperation. There is no reason to be desperate. God's kingdom of peace and love will prevail in the end.
A. W. Tozer wrote a wonderful book called "The Knowledge of the Holy" about the attributes of God. In discussing the self sufficiency of God, he makes an interesting point. Too often Christians think God needs our help; that he is struggling to make ends meet and it is up to us to rescue him by diligently serving Him. Nothing is further from the truth. Yet understanding the truth of the attributes of God should motivate us to participate in the struggle of life. Not because we are desperate, but because of the power availed to us.
A sense of urgency is what we need. It isn't time to build fiefdoms and argue over points of doctrine. To quote a desert father, "a man condemned to die isn't worried about what is happening in the theatre." Thousands, no millions, are dying each year due to poverty, war, oppression, and disease. The suffering on this planet, if we open our eyes to it, is almost incomprehensible. And it is stunning to realize how much of this suffering is caused by man's inhumanity to man.
We are all called to the struggle of the Kingdom of God. We are called to love, to give, to share, to empty (kenosis) our selves to others as Christ did. And we are called to pray. To unite ourselves to the Almighty through words, through contemplation, through bringing his love to us and those around us. In this mystical union, peace comes not only to our souls but to all.
Yes, we need this sense of urgency. But let us not pretend the battle for life is only ours. It will take all our effort, but the final completion of the kingdom of God bringing love to all is inevitable. This thought should empower us, not deter us.
I think I understand and could relate somewhat to his point, but his choice of words I would not at all agree with. Maybe it's just semantics, but there is a deeper issue here I believe. No doubt, Christians need to be about the business of the kingdom of God. For too many, Christianity is fire insurance, or a part of life, or a way to feel good about themselves. Orthodox Christianity, even with a small o, is none of the above.
It is true that our spiritual lives should and must be the focus of our being. We do need to focus on prayer, giving, serving and living lives of love. Christianity is a way of life, not a religion. It is a relationship, but more than just any relationship, it is the encompassing relationship. And yes, this way of life should result in a sense of urgency, but not desperation. There is no reason to be desperate. God's kingdom of peace and love will prevail in the end.
A. W. Tozer wrote a wonderful book called "The Knowledge of the Holy" about the attributes of God. In discussing the self sufficiency of God, he makes an interesting point. Too often Christians think God needs our help; that he is struggling to make ends meet and it is up to us to rescue him by diligently serving Him. Nothing is further from the truth. Yet understanding the truth of the attributes of God should motivate us to participate in the struggle of life. Not because we are desperate, but because of the power availed to us.
A sense of urgency is what we need. It isn't time to build fiefdoms and argue over points of doctrine. To quote a desert father, "a man condemned to die isn't worried about what is happening in the theatre." Thousands, no millions, are dying each year due to poverty, war, oppression, and disease. The suffering on this planet, if we open our eyes to it, is almost incomprehensible. And it is stunning to realize how much of this suffering is caused by man's inhumanity to man.
We are all called to the struggle of the Kingdom of God. We are called to love, to give, to share, to empty (kenosis) our selves to others as Christ did. And we are called to pray. To unite ourselves to the Almighty through words, through contemplation, through bringing his love to us and those around us. In this mystical union, peace comes not only to our souls but to all.
Yes, we need this sense of urgency. But let us not pretend the battle for life is only ours. It will take all our effort, but the final completion of the kingdom of God bringing love to all is inevitable. This thought should empower us, not deter us.
posted by Jeff at
7:32 PM
