The Glory of Me

I found this post on The White Horse Inn website and thought it was so clever. It is a very pointed criticism of modern Christianity and its emphasis on M-E. Instead of the belief that it's not about you, we are told it is entirely about you, 100% raw individualism. Jesus is your best friend and has a picture of you on his iPhone. While that is certainly true, Jesus does love you, the fact of the matter is is that He is more than that. He is not a therapy coach or Dr. Phil, He came here to set the entire universe right. He came here to bring the cosmos into balance, which also includes you. He came here to bring wholeness to all of the world, both in terms of animate and inanimate object. That is what the resurrection is about, it is about bringing new life.

So to reiterate, it is not about you or me. He wants to bring you into a sweeping narrative of redemption that includes setting humanity right. I am thankful for the reminder that it is not about me, but about being made whole within God's unfolding story.

Life with Emotion

I was watching the movie Equilibrium the other night and was struck by the beauty of life. This beauty I pass by on a daily basis, neglecting the majesty and mundane things of life. I do not stop and look at the remarkable mountains that border the county. I do not take advantage of gazing into the deep, blue sea, staring out into the horizon. How often do I walk through the majestic groves of trees or contemplate the absolute beauty of a small flower? Not nearly often enough.

What would it be like without emotion? What would it be like to live without laughter, anger, love, hatred or shame? It would be hell. To have no feeling as Barber’s Adagio for Strings is playing? To not have feelings towards a Monet painting or a Michelangelo sculpture? To have no emotion would be an awful way to live. If I should have another day, it would best be spent in constant amazement of little things, like the chirping of the birds and the brilliance of the sun.

I am fortunate to be greeted almost every morning by a hummingbird. She flaps her wings and hovers by a bush, and all I can do is smile. Smile that God blessed me with little objects and acts. Small beautiful gifts that remind me that one day things will be made right. One day things will be rectified.