The perfect world?

Max K is one of the loveliest, most sparkly packages of tech-cool dynamite operating in the local space. She's petite, much smaller than I am, but wow, her energy and ideas make her glow like a Catherine Wheel wherever she is.

Being a seeker of fascinating people and interesting conversation, I managed to pin her down for a one-on-one coffee date. Lucky me :) She's a natural mentor and provocateur of growth, so we ended up having some great conversations about where I wanted to be heading and what I wanted to do with my life. I remember saying to her that one of the things I'm most passionate about is social justice, so I'm currently considering career paths in that field. [She laughed and said, "Yeah, social justice is incredibly sexy, but maybe you could be more effective within other fields."]

Just as we were about to wrap up a longer-than-expected conversation, she suddenly stopped me and asked "What does your perfect world look like?"

Struck by the newness of this profound question, I paused and then mumbled off some stuff about an equal opportunity, democratic, financially sustainable world where people were accepted by one another. Blah blah blah blah. You know, all the cool things you've heard everyone else is fighting for. I was actually just throwing words together at the spot - and Max could tell this.

"No, seriously, what does your perfect world look like? If nothing was broken, if nothing needed fixing, how would people treat each other? The environment? Countries? You need to know what it is you're hoping to bring about so that you have something to fight for."

Sheesh. On my drive home, I tried to figure out why I couldn't find the words to describe the perfect world I could feel I believed in, the perfect world that was lying unexpressed in my heart. Whatever I came up with, however, kept on being taunted by the knowledge that this side of heaven, there would be no perfect world. Due to the fallibility, greed, sinfulness of mankind, nothing will ever be perfect.

And then the words came:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” - Revelations 21:1-4

My perfect world, the one that was haunting the poorly expressed one I shared with Max, looks like the new heaven and the earth God has promised us. God has already perfectly described it for us in His Word. In my perfect world, there will be NO death or mourning or crying or pain. It will be a place where God and man live in perfect harmony, man forever glorifying God like he was created to be; and God being man's God.

Max's last point hit again: "If you know what your perfect world is, then you know what it is you're striving for."

And now I'm sitting with a question of my own: "If my perfect world is primarily one where people know God, not one necessarily marked by social constructs such as democracy, equality, financial security, then why aren't I doing more to further this goal, instead of other 'perfect worlds'?"

The Chronicles of Packing

In precisely one month and one week, I'll be stepping onto a plane that takes me far, far, far away to a muddy wet island. As you can guess, part of my silence in the last few weeks has been due to the crazy business that comes from wrapping up a life of 24 years up. I've been particularly struck by how much time I've spent packing. Or rather, chucking stuff out, because in the spirit of not being here for 3/4 years, I thought it a good time to assess my material possessions in this time of movement.

A few thoughts:

- Packing has been such a joy and such a curse in forcing me to decide what I'm going to take and what I'm going to leave here. It was a curse, I felt, for the first two hours of my first packing (packing of things I wanted to have shipped across before I got there). I was quite emotional (read: grumpy) as I had to decide what clothes to pack, what clothes to leave behind. The intensity of my emotionality was due in part to the idea of a new adventure, but also in part to the attachment I felt to my stuff - a lot of which I'd never really used or worn like I'd intended. After about 2 hours of wrestling, I suddenly realized this most amazing truth: I AM NOT MY CLOTHES or my things or my possessions. I am just a steward of these things, temporarily; and with regard to a lot of things, I have been a very selfish steward. So I ended up dumping 4/5 black bags of clothes to the Sister and her Roommate, and giving away random bits and pieces. What a blessing to be reminded that ultimately I am more than inanimate objects linked to my name, and what great perspective to gain.

- It's been so lovely passing on my things. Quite a few people asked whether I didn't want to hold onto my things till I came back - I suppose I could've, but at the same time I don't know if I'll be coming back straight away; also, I'm tired of my stuff not being used while waiting for me. Like I said in my previous point, I came to realize that in the same way that my things do not define who I am, I am not the definer of my things. It is all God's, and He has graciously allowed me to use things for a while. Now, my purpose with them is done, so it's time for pass them on to others who can use them better.

- At one point, as I looked at the hundreds, indeed thousands, quite possibly, rands worth of stuff I was giving/ packing away in books, clothes, random bits and pieces I thought I needed, I felt quite sick to the stomach. All this stuff that I'd spent hours deciding whether to buy or not, the money I eventually ended up handing over, that dress that was slightly too big that I'd bought anyway 'cause it'd been on sale (that I'd ended up wearing only once or twice)... This whole process has really made me reconsider my purchasing habits. I've become a habitual impulse shopper in the last two years, I've realized, not because I need new clothes, but because I have money so I can spend it. It's been really great having this lesson hit home before I go over and start spending more money as I settle into a new place. I need to be far more firm and practical with the way I spend money.

- It's not easy, I must say, the initial parting from my clothes. I remember, I was taking two bags over to the Sister, and just before she came down, I was scrounging through the bags again just in case I'd missed one of my favourites.. I almost ended up taking a few items back, but I had to give myself a stern talk to leave it alone :) But it was more out of force of habit, than anything really. At this point in time, I've long forgotten most of the clothes I've given away, and I don't miss anything. So just because you don't feel like it initially, it's good to break through to a new habit :) I've decided to do this possession assessment once every year and give away stuff I'm not using!

To end off, I found this most beautifully poetic verse in the Psalms that has been such a joy, encouragement, rebuke, gift from God to encourage me in my understanding of generosity and stewardship:

Whom have I in Heaven but You
And being with You, I desire nothing on earth.
- Psalm 73:25

"Home is home" - just an anecdote

Carin and I were at Panarottis last night (yum yum), where a very friendly waitor served us. The place was quiet, so he was able to spend time chatting every now and then instead of moving off to other tables.

Out of curiosity, I asked him where he came from. The answer: "Zimbabwe". He'd been here for the last three years.

I'm become increasingly curious about people's attachment to their home countries since I'll be heading elsewhere at the end of the year, so I asked: "Do you miss it?"

"Yes," he said, his big smile fading, and a sadness dropping over his eyes. His voice softened. "Yes. I'm just here to make money. As soon as I have enough, I'll go back... Home is home."

His homesickness was so palpable, I couldn't stop thinking about him as I walked out of the restaurant later. "Maybe", I said to Carin, grasping on straws, "we could've given him a bigger tip so he has more money so he can get back home quicker."

Carin's response brought his sadness into perspective for us as Christians: "Just seeing him like that is just such a strong reminder of how we should also be, you know, as Christians: aliens and strangers in this world. Missing home. This isn't it."

"Home is home". And this Earth isn't it. Remember that as you're faced with difficulties and troubles today.

Rob Bell and MSNBC

Yowzer... Burnt, baby, burnt.

Watch Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Church on MSNBC. It's a pity for him that the host is a Christian who evidently knows his scripture better than Rob does.

I get so sad when 'Christians' preach that Christianity doesn't matter. And I'm super-impressed at how the host is so clear and firm about the way that Bell is mishandling God's Word.

Aliens and Strangers

I stayed over at a friend recently who had moved into her new flat two days previously. She had evidently just finished unpacking, because there were cardboard boxes all over her bedroom floor. They looked extremely out of place with the rest of her neat and tidy room, but the sight of them suddenly reminded me that our lives on earth are essentially spent living out of cardboard boxes. No matter what shape or time frame our accommodation might take form in e.g. suburban house for 20 years, penthouse flat for a year, semi-detached for five years, etc., we are aliens and strangers here on earth!

PS 'Aliens and Strangers' comes from 1 Peter 2:11.

GGATHND: Part VI - If heaven is so much better, why stay here?

The other day I was feeling terribly disheartened by the state of the world, and I just wanted to be with God in heaven instead of living in this awful, sinful world.

At this point, I was reminded that Apostle Paul faced the same dilemma. He writes: "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain... I desire to be with Christ, which is better by far" (Phil 1:21, 23). However, he selflessly concludes: "But it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again, joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me" (Phil 1:24-26).

Some of you might read that and be encouraged. On the other hand, some of you might share my own very mature feelings: "I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE ELSE!!! I WANT TO GO HOME RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Yeah. Selfless, aren't I.

But when you're in a self-pitying mood, you tend not to think about anyone else...

That's why I was so encouraged when I read yet another awesome anecdote from God's Grace and the Homosexual Next Day. [I promise this is the last time I shall steal excerpts from it!!].

One woman was given the opportunity to share the gospel with her friend with AIDS, who came to know and love Jesus just before his death. One day, as she was visiting him, he remarked:

I appreciate God's love and mercy so much. And soon I'll get to see Jesus face-to-face. There's nothing greater than that. But you get to stay here and see what it means to overcome and learn how to walk by faith. I'll never get to experience that (p. 253).

WOWWEEE!! How true and exciting :) So let us hunger for heaven, but let us not forget that while we are here, we are undergoing the amazing experience of walking by faith :)

*All extracts from Chambers, Alan. God's Grace and the Homosexual Next Door. USA: Harvest House Publishers, 2006.

To Infinity and Beyond!!!

In the epic movieGladiator, just before he enters the battle with his courageous soldiers, the powerful and heroic Roman general Maximus ends his inspiring speech by reminding them of one thing: "Brothers, what we do in life echoes in eternity!"

What a great reminder to us Christians as well!! So let's don the "armour of light" (Romans 13:12) and CHAAAAAAAARGGGGGEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Going home

A good friend of mine helps out at Sunday School occasionally, and she recently related the following anecdote to me:

She'd asked the children in her class what the highlight of their week had been. When it was the turn of one of the young boys, he said without hesitation: "My highlight was that my granddad got to go to the place where he wanted to be the most."

His grandfather had passed away unexpectedly earlier that week.

Many members of the church family were left heartbroken and grieving, yet he had grasped the amazing truth that though the ones left behind were mourning, his granddad was home now.

This world and the next… #1

So there we were one Sunday, singing one of my favourite songs. Yet when we reached this line: "before the throne of god above/ I have a strong, a perfect, plea", I was suddenly gutted. Not because of the offpitch tones around me, but because I was suddenly hit by the thought that some of my loved ones might never ever be able to sing this, that they might never ever know Jesus, and that they might never end up in heaven with me. I was gutted. There’s no other word for it.

Yet knowing that I was able to enjoy a relationship with Jesus didn’t really comfort me much. Usually when I get reminded of how this world is sinful, sucky and mad/crazy/bad, I am comforted by the reminder that we as God’s children look forward to eternity with Him. However, this time around, I was really struggling to understand how I could be comforted in this when there are so many people out there who don't know Him? It seemed like such an incredibly selfish hope!! I was so frustrated that at a stage I was even thinking that if I couldn’t share in this amazing future with everyone, that I wasn’t sure I wanted it at all myself.

However, I realized that would be the wrong attitude to take in light of God’s mercy and gracious sacrifice. It IS a selfish hope only if we persist in keeping this good news to ourselves. It should instead motivate us to tell others about Jesus so that they too may know the good news. For God is infinitely merciful, and promises us that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be heard…