I'm reading through a chronological Bible during my morning devotions and it's interesting to find both parallels between the Scripture reading of the day and events/critical decisions needed during the week. Yet there are also parallels between the narratives introducing the readings and what God is teaching me about the Kingdom as I meet with various churches (such as my role requires) through the weeks. Both, of course, are evidence of the hand of God and a cause for joy. Both are also cause for serious contemplation.
"For now we see through a glass darkly..." We know that God appears to move in such ways in our lives because we understand his presence through them, though we cannot make out His form or even necessarily what He is doing (only His intent is understood). Oddly enough, this exact passage from 1Cor 13 is the passage God gave me to speak on (both last week and this morning). As I realize that my wonder at the matter seems ironically funny.
One of the themes that's becoming obvious is the idea of the Kingdom now. Within the last three weeks I've finished a book I was advised to read TWO YEARS ago, "the Tangible Kingdom" (Hugh Halter), I watched a video I bought LAST MONTH, "The Red Letters" (Tony Campolo) and I met with an individual who is living out the tangible kingdom in the same way Hugh Halter is (this past week). Hmm...
All of these have the same basic message that we've drifted too far from the core message of Jesus, in spite of (arguably because of) our focus on Pauline epistles. Well I've always been interested much more in the Prophets than in Paul's letters, I have to admit that 'the church' as a whole does tend to focus on them more so than other Scripture. In our collective focus on right doctrine and Christian behaviour, have we somehow misguided ourselves from perhaps a more spiritually profitable focus on the Kingdom of God? I cannot answer this question at this time, but certainly contemplation and thought about it cannot fail to result in clarity, and maybe, just maybe - a more profound preparation for Christ's return.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
An apple a day
By now, the 3rd day after, you're probably already getting tired of the news that Steve Jobs is dead. I'm sure that the 'news' will inevitably continue, books will come out before Christmas about him and perhaps even a movie by the end of next year. The vast majority of those media offerings will be to 'help' us mourn, or to 'reflect' on his success to our benefit. The reality unfortunately is that most of it will be to make money for people who had little or nothing to do with Steve for his entire life. It's just rampant opportunism, and we all know that, even if we aren't quite consciously aware that we know that. Internal skepticism of the value of such offerings manifesting itself IS the weariness that sets in so soon.
Yet we can and really should use the solemn occasion to reflect on a life lived with purpose. The very abundance of popular media reflection and subsequent 'deeper' articles on it, allows that we can (if we want) look beyond Steve's accomplishments to the very reason he was able to accomplish so much. If you ask me (and it is, admittedly, still early in the process) that reason is front and center in the recent reprinting of the address Steve gave to the graduates of Stanford University in June of 2005.
Steve said, "When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like; "If you live each day as if it were your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.". It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself; "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool Ive ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."
Well, we've heard many times "carpe diem" or "live like you were dying". Steve goes on to tell the story of his brush with death in 2004, ironically ignorant at the time that he would spend the next 6 years continuing that fight with cancer. Here's two thoughts to consider:
1) In light of what he said about his philosophy of a meaningful life and knowing what we know about the last 6 years of his life, is it any wonder he used that time to create the iPhone, the iTunes store, the iPad and App stores, etc, etc?
2) If Steve could live a life that productive and full based on ONE VERSE of Scripture (Ps 90:12, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.") - and arguably not the most important verse, HOW MUCH MORE can you and I live productive lives if we base them on the whole truth of God's written Word?
Yet we can and really should use the solemn occasion to reflect on a life lived with purpose. The very abundance of popular media reflection and subsequent 'deeper' articles on it, allows that we can (if we want) look beyond Steve's accomplishments to the very reason he was able to accomplish so much. If you ask me (and it is, admittedly, still early in the process) that reason is front and center in the recent reprinting of the address Steve gave to the graduates of Stanford University in June of 2005.
Steve said, "When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like; "If you live each day as if it were your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.". It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself; "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool Ive ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."
Well, we've heard many times "carpe diem" or "live like you were dying". Steve goes on to tell the story of his brush with death in 2004, ironically ignorant at the time that he would spend the next 6 years continuing that fight with cancer. Here's two thoughts to consider:
1) In light of what he said about his philosophy of a meaningful life and knowing what we know about the last 6 years of his life, is it any wonder he used that time to create the iPhone, the iTunes store, the iPad and App stores, etc, etc?
2) If Steve could live a life that productive and full based on ONE VERSE of Scripture (Ps 90:12, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.") - and arguably not the most important verse, HOW MUCH MORE can you and I live productive lives if we base them on the whole truth of God's written Word?
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