Love...

1 Corinthians 13

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Top of the morning to you...

In a previous teaching job I had the opportunity to accompany a group of high school students on a five day camping trip to the Snowy Mountains. It involved carrying everything... tents, food, air mats, sleeping bags and clothing. The weather was hot during the day and below freezing at night. It was absolutely beautiful country and the trek involved both hiking and canoeing. The air was fresh and clean and the night sky was so bright and full of stars it was difficult to pick out even the well known constellations. It was simply an unforgettable experience. Each group had a specialist outdoor ed teacher with them guiding the trek and every morning they would radio in. Many of the staff were from overseas, including some from Canada and New Zealand. Each morning over the radio, a Canadian team leader would start out by saying, "Top of the morning to you!" It stuck in my memory, not merely because it reminded me of my Canadian cousins, but because it was quite 'different' to most Aussie greetings - especially first thing in the morning! It stood out because it started me thinking about what we wish for others and what we wish for ourselves. In a group of competitors for instance, what we wish for them and what we wish for ourselves are usually two very different things. We are taught to win, to be the first, to beat the others. In everyday life, how often do we view others as competitors? How often do we want to be the ones to stand out, to be recognized, to win people's favour and attention? Do we wish for them what we wish for ourselves? This is a difficult thing, especially when people's desires are competing. When it comes to our Christian brothers and sisters, it's good to remember that although our desires may be competing, we ourselves are not. "We're all in this together". The prize is for finishing the race... not for coming first. Paul writes, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves" (Phil.2:3). God is the giver of all good things and we need not be concerned about how we fare when compared to others. For each of us has been given different gifts according to the provision of God's grace. It's good to remember what we've received... Again Paul writes, " So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness" (Col.2:6-7). I need to be reminded of these things often... and even when I may have competing desires with my Christian brothers and sisters, I long to see all of them remain in God's family and be presented perfect in Christ. This is the best thing we could wish for anyone.

Life on the surface...

The year 2008 has begun... and as is often the case with each New Year, resolutions have been made and started. This post represents something of a return to blogland, although I dare not call it a 'comeback'. On the surface, I guess it's an opportunity to interact with the news and views of friends.

As far as life goes, some notable changes occurred in 2007... With the completion of College I returned to teaching, but instead of Physics, I started teaching Studies of Religion. Initially I did this part-time in a private school, but in term 2 another job became available teaching Scripture in the public system. I commenced the new job and underwent something of a sea change. Moving out of the inner West I exchanged the bustle of King Street for a place by the sea. In 2007 I also started at a new Church and as with all change there is typically a period of adjustment. Most often change allows you to reflect on things more critically, to evaluate where you're going and because change is uncomfortable one is forced to ask more probing questions... like, 'Why am I here?' 'Is this where I want to be?' 'What is truly important?'

The answers to these questions in my case were many and varied and I have to admit to struggling particularly with regard to Church. I attend a great Church in that it faithfully preaches the Word week in and week out. The music is of a high standard and those who serve are highly committed. There are generally good opportunities for people to serve, but as with most Churches it tends to be the minority who do this regularly. As with most Churches there is a notable absence of people in the 25-35 y.o. age bracket. There are also lots of sub-groups within the community, many of which remain segregated and unwilling to expand and be inclusive of other members. Few people take the initiative to speak to new-comers and even within the community, few speak to people they don't know. There is a polite acceptance that although recognized as a regular attender, one does not have to speak to people outside of their 'group'. The depth of fellowship is thus largely 'on the surface'. Work and weekends feature prominently in discussion after a service as does the task of working out the best supper venue. This lack of depth is ultimately deeply unsatisfying. As a community, most people seem to have an awareness of the problem, but few seem to be able to transcend the barriers to deeper more fulfilling fellowship. The question arises, 'Is this the place for me?' Although legitimate, I struggle with the self-focussed consumer oriented nature of this question. I'm also aware that even in the 'best' Churches, most of them struggle with these same issues.

It brings to mind Jesus' words, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (John 7:37-38)

Personally, I know how much I long for this - yet, I'm aware of how often I feel dry, thirsty and alone. Even the idyllic community of College seems to have been fractured by time and distance... and neither of these factors are especially great. In the end I guess I can be thankful for a few significant friendships... those who persevere, encourage, challenge and love me as I am. In the meantime the challenge is to wait patiently until all things are made new. It may be a 'New Year' and the beginning of new opportunities... but in the end what I truly long for is the New Creation.

Ecclesiastes 1:9

No new posts! It's a common complaint in blogland... and frankly there has been precious little to say for the past three weeks! Exams have seen to that. Meanwhile I've been considering retiring this self indulgent rant and leaving it to the experts to post the real cutting edge commentary on life, rather than continue to inflict my amateurish endeavours on an audience such as yourselves that deserves far better. At least that's how I feel when I read the blogs of many of my contemporaries. Only one exam to go! Perhaps one ending may give birth to a new beginning and a whole new perspective? Eccl.3:1ff...

Waiting patiently…

It’s been a long time since I've posted anything… so perhaps for at least some of you, you’ve been ‘waiting patiently’?

As I sit and reflect in this brief moment - and there hasn’t been much time for that lately… (the evidence speaks for itself!) I consider all of the things I’m waiting patiently for…

Many things…

And I groan inwardly (and sometimes outwardly) as I wait… patiently?

Yet, I must ask myself honestly… am I really waiting patiently? What does it look like to wait patiently? Am I manifesting the fruits of the Spirit… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?

What in fact am I waiting for?

Mostly I think I’ve been waiting for the fulfilment of my earthly desires… for love and contentment, for peace and reconciliation, for expectations to be fulfilled, for things to become clearer… for people to reply to my emails?

And yet, these things all seem like a chasing after the wind… Mostly, I’ve given up hope that these things will ever change. It’s life on the Titanic… let the music play on!

So where is my hope? Surely it’s not in the things of this world… as much as I’d like to put my hope in them! After all, hope that is seen is no hope at all! What I’m ultimately hoping for, what I’m truly waiting for, is to be with the Lord… and in many ways I can’t wait!

Pray that I’d wait patiently…

I think I’ve exhausted my reflective potential for now. Here’s a beautiful Psalm that sums it up perfectly! Enjoy!


Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;

2 O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.

3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?

4 But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.

5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.

6 My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.

7 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.

8 He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.

Going the distance...

Occasionally I go running in the mornings to keep fit, mostly by myself so I can run at my own pace, but sometimes I go with some other guys at College. A few weeks ago I decided to join a group who run with one of the members of faculty. Most of them are very fit and some even run in half-marathons or the equivalent? Anyhow, this was going to be a ‘short run’ down to Glebe, so I thought, great! I run to Glebe all the time. Well, we started off at a good pace, the air was fresh and there was a sense of excitement and anticipation. As we ran, most of us were chatting to the guy beside us and there was a good vibe. We ran to Glebe, with it’s beautiful snap shots of the harbour and city, taking a slightly different route to the one I would normally take which also meant coming back a slightly different way. By the time we made it back to the top of the hill I was about ready to finish. However, at a particular juncture where I expected we would turn back towards College, we took an unexpected turn away from College. As we continued to run I could feel both my energy levels and my enthusiasm begin to fade. From here on I was running ‘blind’. I couldn’t tell how much further we would go, nor could I tell if I would make it? Sure, I could stop and pull out, but then there was the shame of not finishing. I could keep going, but internally I was beginning to grumble about how far? I was not in control… I was lagging behind… and all I wanted was to be at the finish.
So often I feel like this in my Christian life. Running a race with an unknown course and an unknown distance. Wanting to stop, wanting to be more in control. The good news is that the destination has been revealed, but in the meantime we are left to keep running the race. The question of the Psalmist, "How Long, O Lord?" takes on a slightly different meaning… in the sense of "How much further?" I feel we pay a lot of attention to the start and finish of the race, but not much attention is paid to the endurance run in the middle? How do we keep going, spurring one another along? Sometimes it’s as though we’re running alone…