Here follows some recent observations.
Sometimes the world we live in seems like a very dark place, and I'm not just referring to the endless days of grey cloud and rain we seem to have had in Britain this summer.
Over the last few months there seems to have been one catastrophe after another, both personally and in the wider sense. Now, I'm essentially an optimist, albeit with a slight streak of cynicism thrown in for good measure - well, you have to laugh don't you?! However, even the most upbeat person would be forgiven for wondering what on earth is going on.
I willingly admit that I don't have all the answers. I have a lot of questions (nothing unusual there for anyone who knows me!).
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To put you in the picture...firstly, on a personal level, I have been dealing with the realisation that my father's terminal kidney cancer (kidney removed, cancer not) is not only getting progressively worse - but he could have weeks or months... and the impact this has had both on him and the family as a whole. I appreciate we've all got to die, and it's normal for our parents to go first, but it makes you question everything. It wakes you up in the night wondering where you're own life is going. There is also the sadness of seeing friends going through hard times. Life has played some blinders recently.
On a universal level, there seems to have been (and continues to be) a string of high impact events - MPs' expenses scandals, hackgate, high profile people (namely footballers with more money and ego than sense) committing adultery, the London riots, famine, hurricanes, vicious wars and intolerable numbers harmed – mentally, physically and spiritually. Yes, it's always gone on, but there seems to have been a plethora of incidences in recent times.
What does this show us about human nature at its worst? We have seen greed for money, power and sex, disrespect, corruption, deception, lawlessness, violence, amorality and disregard for human life, to name but a few. From a Christian point of view this seriously points to all that is mentioned in the Bible about the end times, both inside and outside the church:
"BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God. For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them]."
2 Timothy 3:1-5, Amplified Bible (AMP)In Psalm 77:8 David asks:
"Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?"It all 'looks' like bad news...
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| It's all too apparent these days |
From what's going on, you'd be forgiven for thinking that maybe God has given up on his creation and taken a sabbatical. But he hasn't. And that, my friends, is the GOOD NEWS!
"The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent." 2 Peter 3:9 New Living Translation (NLT)From these ashes of destruction rises a phoenix of hope: human nature can be seen at its best through adversity; through community, caring, charity, grace, forgiveness etc. Our human nature at it's best is a dimmed reflection of God's image, in which each one of us is made, whether we acknowledge that or not. The Bible promises that all things work (or 'intermingle') for good. Even in such tragedies as we've been witnessing, good can – and does – have final victory.
Slightly off topic for a moment... this weekend I went to the hairdressers (a once a year-ish event). I was told my hair was 'thirsty' (being curly and naturally dryer and in need of some TLC).
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| The appearance of water in a dry land |
Thirst. This is one of my overriding perceptions towards all this stuff that's going on. The world is thirsty for goodness, and especially for love. In fact it seems the world in general is so parched all that can be seen is a shimmering mirage - a seeming oasis, but nothing like the real thing. Only God offers the real thing, through faith in his son, Jesus.
God repeatedly calls out to his people to return to him and enjoy life and relationship!
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| Come and drink! There's enough for everyone! |
"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost." Isaiah 55:1 (NIV)Jesus said,
"But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14
When I see the horrific images on the news or read up via some social media, I feel a mixture of horror, disappointment, sometimes anger, but mainly compassion. My heart breaks for those in trouble, whether through their own doing or not. It can seem so overwhelming, especially when the 'powers that be' seem to re-act rather than act out of wisdom. The wonders of modern living have brought the dual evils of independence and the rise of ego. This is a boiling pot that's starting to brim over as we rely less and less on God and others, and more on our selves and the technology to hand (I'm not saying technology is a bad thing, just that it has its negative side too).
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| Err...no, it's not. |
I've heard quoted that if every person thought of others before themselves, the world would be a *very* different place! How amazing would that be?!
Jesus reminds us of our priorities:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35-35, New International Version (NIV)Are you willing to die for somebody, even your enemy? That's what Jesus did! How different a place the world would be if we all carried that attitude!
However bleak things seem, there is always hope. There is always our Father in heaven who loves us more than we will ever know.
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| This is what God is saying to you now. |
Related blog posts of interest by others:
Reflections on Rioting/The Grapevine
Disobedience vs Disorder/Nick's Sanctuary
Funny that I've also been musing a couple of days ago on the selfishness that has been driving the modern world of late.
ReplyDeleteThe latter half of your post reminded me of the parable of a man who saw a vision of Heaven and Hell as two places identical to one another, where everyone had impossibly long chopsticks. Those in Hell ere miserable and hungry because they could not feed themselves.... however in Heaven, everyone was happy because although their circumstances were identical... they selflessly chose to feed one another.
I think that speaks volumes about the attitude of the heart and how it should be.
Hey Nick - thanks for reading and responding. I love the 'chopsticks' analogy - it's spot on.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem that there is more of a culture of selfishness and dissatisfaction at large in society. What's the antithesis? I believe it's to do with being thankful for what we have (however little or much that might be), being willing to give it away, and caring for others i.e. being outward-looking. Okay, so no one is perfect - but it's about heart attitude, as you pointed out.
The question "What can I do for others?" has somehow been twisted into "What's in it for me?" even if it means an infringement of another's rights. Suddenly people think it's okay to do what they want, almost as if it's something they 'deserve', regardless of the consequences. It's no longer about wanting to 'be' a better person (inside), but wanting to 'look' the better person (outside).
It's important for Christians to keep showing the love, and keep sowing the seeds. The ultimate question is "What will being God the glory?"
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matt 5:14-16)
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI have a quick question about your blog, would you mind emailing me when you get a chance?
Thanks,
Cameron
cameronvsj(at)gmail.com