Remember all those family trips as a kid? Back when a quick flight across the country was unheard of. I do. Six of us would pile into the beast of a family sedan and head on out to the latest adventure on the road. Night travel was the best. Younger sister on rear dash. Older siblings sprawled on the rear bench seat. Me on the floor, bent over that floor hump thingy. Mom did her best to drive from the passenger seat. Dad was most likely pretending he was somewhere else. Us kids fighting for ownership of as much personal space as possible. My older sister singing under her giant head phones. My older brother begging her to stop. "Are we there yet?" when not verbally spoken was relaying itself over and over again in every one's mind.
Funny how this is how so many of us have been conditioned to view the Christian life. A trip. A miserable one at that. Even our Sunday morning "worship" songs reflect this ... "This World is not My Home I'm Just a Passin' Through ..." as we endure our way "To Those Mansions Fair, Just Over in the Glory Land" (where, by the way "[you'll] Join the Happy Angel Band!" Sweet. I hope I get percussion!). But is that it? Are we just here working and doing and passing time until the "The Roll is Called up Yonder"? Certainly that can't be right... and it's not. Created in His image we were made as humans and placed here by design. We were made with purpose and remain here on purpose. Although our ultimate hope lies in an unhindered communion with God when 'we get there', our thoughts now should be less consumed with 'when we get there' and more about 'while we are here'. Just my thoughts.
~ krook (the over thinker)
Interesting analogy, and very true of many Christians' view of this life. I can sympathize with the miserable road trips as a child. Mine were less crowded with just my sister and I, but somehow I still ended up on the floor hump thingy. I don't know how that worked!
ReplyDeleteTruthfully, the Christian life can really be described as the pursuit of joy! Not only future joy, but joy in God right now. Our ultimate hope does lie in the future, but I agree completely that this life should be spent in a tireless pursuit of enjoying God. Today was the International Day of Prayer for persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ, and I can't help but think that they cling vigorously to their hope in the future. However, one thing that I heard is that they are not depressed and down trodden, as if this is a miserable trip! The people that you would think are the most ready to get out of the station wagon, the people having their property spoiled, and being imprisoned in concentration camps, and yet the testimony that I heard was that they had joy and excitement in what God was doing in their countries. Amazing!
Our hope is an essential part of who we are in Christ, but we do have so much to be consumed with 'while we are here'.
Read the first couple chapters of Ephesians! Look at what we were saved from! Unconscious and unaware of our sinful condition. And even if we were aware of it, unable to move--like that dream when you are running and running away from something but you can't pick up your legs. We were literally waked out of our sinful slumber and Christ said, "I have come to give you life, that you might have it more abundantly". Abundant life. Joyful life. When did being the hands and feet of Christ became a burden? When did it become an "I can't wait till this ride's over" thing?
ReplyDeleteTruth is, I want to bring honor and glory to Him; and I can't do that by just "hanging in there" till this back-seat-feet on the hump-ride is over with! I will only bring Him glory by getting in there.
~mike (the poet)
Hey...am I allowed to comment on here??? After I finished laughing as I took a trip down memory lane of our many 3-day road trips, I was able to truly appreciate what you said in the second paragraph (and the other comments). We are here to live life to the fullest for the glory of our great God!
ReplyDeletestill have nightmares from older sister's singing.
ReplyDeleteHey...what a horrible thing to say, Jas. I have a beautiful singing voice...if only they had American Idol back in those days!!!
ReplyDelete