Friday, March 6, 2009

Friday March 6, 2009

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12.

Our daughter in New Zealand asked us our opinion of The Shack, a bestselling and widely accepted novel recounting one man’s spiritual journey following the violent death of his child. But the Christian response has been mixed. Many Christians who have read it enjoyed it, but some “authorities” on the Christian faith continue to condemn it. Its besetting sin appears to be the symbolic nature of the novel. For instance: God the Father is portrayed as a big African Mama. Not particularly theological, but exhibits part of the nature of God that the author experienced.

The allegorical approach to Christianity has a long and honoured history. Tolkien’s Rings novels and the Narnia series by C. S. Lewis, are generally accepted as symbolic representations of the Christian message, although greatly extended through imagination. However, Christian response has not been consistent. Dan Brown has been roundly castigated for imaginatively falsifying Christian Scripture and history in his Da Vinci Code novel. However, there has been no whisper of complaint against the Left Behind series of books by Tim La Haye that uses generous speculation on biblical prophecies for his novels.

Both can be classed in the same genre as The Shack; each novel expresses one man’s opinion either for or against the faith, but each carries the same danger of mixing biblical fact and speculative fantasy which the average person cannot separate. Either allegorical writing carries sufficient imagination that it cannot be theologically sound and must be burned, or should be recognized as symbolizing in imaginative and readable ways parts or all of the faith Christians believe. For example, the creatures in Tolkiens’ novels clearly reflect the subject of today’s text!

But the dispute over these writings misses the bigger picture. The truth is guarded by freedom of expression, not repression of it. The truth by its very nature must ultimately prevail. Attempts to preserve it by censorship reflect unease about the truth we believe. It may even eventually harbour error that cannot be sustained. The Shack and other examples of the genre are ways in which readers may engage with the faith to explore it further or not as their inclination may be. But without them the work of the Holy Spirit could be limited and entry into spiritual things would be impoverished.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Thursday March 5, 2009

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth . . . so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10–11.

Achievement: what we all desire unless the reverses of life have despaired us of all hope. Without hope, despair leads to inaction. Hope, like love and faith, is necessary to give life meaning and direction. The text above provides hope to those who trust its message: that God will give meaning to life whatever setbacks are experienced. During our time here in England, someone suggested that the English are “dogged.” It is perhaps the heritage of faith that has given the English the reputation of obstinacy—particularly the ability to cope when their backs are against the wall.

Over the last two days we have been able to complete some of the final nostalgic trips that we planned. While our family was here, we would like to have travelled to the town of Upminster, east of London, where my sister and I grew up, but it was too far and we had insufficient time. However, on Tuesday, Ann joined my sister Heather and me as we were able to visit the home of our childhood, the school we attended and other of the places we recalled from our childhood. We even stopped for a cream tea in the same department store that our mother and grandmother would take us after school.

Of particular interest was the house that my sister and I grew up in. Built in 1934, our parents had bought it new and lived in it until our move to Eastbourne in 1950. Now, it sports a poorly planned addition built by the current owners. They were very gracious and invited us in to look the place over. But the interior exhibited all the signs of the fading hope they expressed; every room was littered, stacked and cramped with belongings, decorations were in poor condition and peeling from the walls.

In an attempt to start clean up, they erected a large shed in the back garden to store some of this stuff, but poor health of the wife and a failing husband’s business were clearly taking their toll and undermining whatever motivation they had left. In fact, the impression left was a problem getting worse, not better. Ann in her usual and resourceful way made suggestions to encourage them to persevere.

I left with the sense that a fading struggle to cope had mastered them and thankfulness that we had a hope that transcends the failing abilities of life; that God’s plan for our lives is still a reachable goal, and that His word and work in us will achieve the purpose for which he called us.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Monday March 2, 2009

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.

I must admit, the above seems a tall order for me, and knowing me, for even God himself to deliver! However, although I might strive to achieve that and fail, I am so glad my final acceptance by God is purely through the sacrifice of Jesus to pay my debt. Not only is keeping out of mischief a major concern, it is a purely negative goal; what is of greater concern is the constructive use of any time so sanctified. Our striving is to help fulfil the prayer that “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Thus it is that Ann and I look back on our time at Winchelsea, and the hard work that it was at times, with satisfaction. As we relax for a week before returning to Canada there is that sense of pleasure as the tiredness drains away. It is like the experience of stiff and aching muscles at the end of a day of physical labour—a strange mixture of pain and pleasure at fulfilment. So the idea of remaining blameless is one of accomplishment not just avoidance. And the idea the that although the coming of Jesus Christ will herald the completion of God’s work on earth, the sense of meaning for this life is having had a part working towards that completion.

I guess a meaningful part of life is what has been accomplished in those that we have conceived and fostered and whose future is still to be played out. Looking back over our earlier life here in England causes us to realize the extent that the story of our lives—both the good and bad—has had and is still having on others. Because there is a sense that blamelessness is partly a positive outcome for those who follow us, it gives meaning to the mundane of daily life.