Monday, May 30, 2011

Pragmatic Eschatology


One of the most complicated, convoluted, and therefore uninteresting parts of Theology is Eschatology (the study of the End Times or better phrased "Last Things")

And I will not pretend to decipher the symbols, numbers, and meanings of the apocalyptic writings of Daniel or Revelation.

But just because the details are perplexing does not mean that Eschatology is unimportant or a subject matter we are unaffected by.

The aspects of Eschatology I am most interested in are the actual "Last Things," where everything is going, how the story ends. Because if we look at the broad picture we find some intriguing details. The story arc of the Bible is from Paradise to Paradise. And it is a story of redemption. God made Creation "good", we messed it us, and ever since Genesis chapter 3 God's work has been a work of making "all things new" (Rev 21:5).

Revelation ends with the New Heaven and New Earth (Rev 21:1). Not only that but we see Heaven fully invading Earth (Rev 21:2) which fits with the Eschatology of the Major and Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. God is making all things new. For a wonderful depiction I suggest the description of the "Old Narnia" and "Real Narnia" at the end of the chapter "Further Up and Further In" of The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis.

So we know how things end; God makes all things new and perfect.

Selah

And that makes all the difference. Because God's ultimate vision, how things finally end up, defines everything. What we implicitly believe about the "Last Things" dictates and influences how we live now. Understanding where we are going clarifies where we are now like a compass pointing North.

The temptation can be to live like our objective is to be "saved" enough to go to Heaven when we die, but without the need to engage the world around us while we are here. It has been described as "being too heavenly minded to be any earthly good", and that is a horrible and counter-Christ paradigm. Jesus did not come to draw us out and isolate "Christians" from the world, but He came to be Emmanuel, "God with us" (Mt 1:22-23), and to engage this world. We are called not to be elitists in the world, but "light of the world" (Mt 5:14-16). If we believe that God is redeeming Creation, making all things new, then we have been invited to be a part of that process of renewal (2 Cor 5:17-21). God came back for each of us, but that does not mean we can be content to let His redemption stop with us.

Instead of being "too Heavenly minded to be any earthly good" we have to be Heavenly minded (truly and Eschatologically Heavenly minded) to be any earthly good.

So may you be guided North by God's awesome work of redemption into the "Last Things"
How glorious it will be to finally go home.

Selah

Friday, May 20, 2011

Problems with Humanity



I was talking with my friend Peter last night, our conversation covered a menagerie of topics, and one particular issue that we kept returning to was the various problems with humanity.

And while the pathologies of humanity a great in number and in complexity, I was struck by the simplicity of the answer.

I know the answer to all of our problems.

It's humility.
It's surrendering ourselves to God.
It's being holy as He is holy.

Our problem as fallen people is pride. We want to be what everything is about. But we are creatures. And we hate being creatures. We want to be creator.

We want to be God.

But we are not God

And by humility I mean to acknowledge the truth of reality and who we really are. Not what I want reality to be, not my relative truth, but the absolute truth as defined by the One who is able to define absolute truth.

For me humility means understanding and living according to the fact that I am not God.
For God humility means understanding and living according to the fact that He is God. He really is the Independent One upon whom all of Creation depends for existence.


So the answer to all of our issues is simple.
But it's impossible.

Because apart from God I hate being a creature.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Thomas

One of my favorite Gospel stories has to be the story of Thomas in John 20:24-29. Throughout church history people have given "Doubting Thomas" flack for his doubt. We look down upon him and his weak faith, knowing that our faith is somehow superior. "Silly Thomas, ye of little faith!"

But if I'm honest I doubt my faith at times. I had to deal with some doubts last week even. Maybe my faith isn't so superior to Thomas'?

Maybe it's okay to doubt?

I honestly believe that doubt is an essential part of faith. In my life I have seen that it's important for any true relationship I'm in; that the occasional doubt is a healthy sign. Because a "faith" that I cannot question is a "faith" that I am slave to. It is also a "faith" that I alone sustain.

But if I honestly believe Hebrews 12:2 then not I, but Jesus, is the "author and perfector" of my faith. Or do I believe that I'm in control?

What I love about the story of Thomas' doubts is that Thomas is honest. He's not being immature, he is being real enough to say "this is where I'm at, this is what I'm feeling, and this is my line in the sand."

And how does Jesus respond to Thomas?
Does Jesus cry "Begone! I never knew you!"?

No

Jesus appears a week later to the eleven. And he goes to Thomas and says
"Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." (v 27)

Jesus does not require Thomas to prove himself, say the "right" words, perform correctly.

Jesus meets Thomas where he is at, in his doubt. Jesus does not rebuke him in his doubt, but helps Thomas work through his doubt. Of course Jesus does not want us to be stranded, but He is okay with using doubt as an avenue to a deeper understanding of who He is.

Likewise Jesus does not require us to prove our faith. If we will be honest with ourselves and our doubt, Jesus will meets us where we are. I think God is a lot less interested in proving His existence and a lot more interested in relationship with us than we think.

"I'm like Thomas doubting,
fingers routing the scars
in your wrists and side.
Touching flesh will make my mind believe"
"Dizzy" by Sixpence None the Richer

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Bone Marrow

Six days ago, on May 12th, I went to Berkeley to donate my bone marrow. 900 cc's of it (approx 1 quart/1liter). It quite the emotional experience to say the least.

1st: It was emotional because of why I am in the Nation Bone Marrow Donor Registry. You see I had a cousin named Kelly Grubb who was born about the same time as my sister Cait (1988).

When Kelly was 7 she was diagnosed with childhood leukemia. 5 years after chemo and remission the leukemia returned (which is a really mad sign). When the battle with chemo began to fail the doctors turned to a new procedure called a bone marrow transplant. But it's hard to find a match. And 10% of recipients are killed if the transplanted marrow rejects them as a host. They found a donor for Kelly, some guy from Germany.

And Kelly survived.

But Kelly lost 5 years later at the age of 18.

2nd: It was hard because as with any surgery there are risks. Risks of death from anesthesia, risks for infection, risks of human errors. It sounds stupid to have been scared of such risks, but I have to be honest that I was scared.

Also even if everything goes according to plan (which it did) the surgery is still very painful (I guess your body gets angry when you take its bone marrow). On this side of it I can say that for me the pain is comparable to the pain/stiffness/soreness from falling on your butt on icy ground. It's a pretty intense dull ache that only twinges of pain when you bend/twist at your hip (which is more often than you'd guess). For now I'm just fatigued. But going into the surgery the unknown/anticipation was really hard.

3rd: For some 55 year-old woman, somewhere in the world, I was her best shot at life. Her only shot. I know that I was the only match because I am not an ideal bone marrow donor. I have a mild autoimmune disorder, a family history of autoimmune disorders, and allergies; all of which have been transfered to this woman because from now on my bone marrow with my DNA in her will create her immune system with all my flaws. I honestly hope she doesn't like cats because I'm really allergic to cats and she is now too.

But she is only 55. She could easily live another 30-40 years with my marrow. 30-40 years! That's a long time. There is also the impact this will have on not just this lady but her friends and family. I really have no idea how much this will impact so many people.

4th: There is about a 10% chance that my bone marrow will kill this woman within the next 100 days. If not, then my marrow will save her life. Life and death all in a quart of my marrow.

I did it for Kelly.

I did it because I want to be like the guy from Germany who gave my cousin five more years of life.

I did it more because honestly Jesus bled, and suffered, and died to save my life. My suffering doesn't even compare.

And I could do it because I was not alone going into that operating room. The fact that God is faithful got me through this. The community praying for me also was of great support.

Now to rest, and wait, and pray. I get my first update on the woman after a month. After a year if we both consent I can begin communicating with the woman. Needless to say I'm pretty invested in her recovery.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Shoes and Prayer Meetings


I take my shoes off for prayer meetings, mostly (whenever appropriate). You see for me my shoes symbolize my contact with the world, where earth and I meet. At prayer meetings I also empty my pockets of keys, phone, and wallet. These too are ways that I engage with the world, and so I place them in my shoes by the door.

I lay aside these dirty, earthy things and come before God (who is Holy) without them. This is why I think Jesus washing the feet of the disciples is so cool. Jesus washes the filth and grime from the world off of us, to make us clean.