Ultimately against the powers II

A while back I blogged about the powers. My thinking received some affirmation this week in a conference I attended looking at the relationship between geography, society and what is going on spiritually in an area. Among questions considered was the relationship (if any) between how an area is laid out and how people's lives play out, all the while trying to think in spiritual terms rather than pure human cause/effect.

A great aspect of the conference was that it was held in an interesting multi-cultural urban area, with all kinds of 'stuff' going on around it, rather than some detached nice conference venue somewhere. This made our discussions feel all the more acute.

Planning decisions, how people are housed, provision of amenities all factor into the equation. Yet we must not look in pure human terms, but seek God for insight into the 'behind the scenes' goings on. There is a curious interaction between human interactions and our decisions and the spiritual realm in all aspects of life.

It is not all gloom and doom, nor need we think there is a demon lurking within every building. We have Good News to share, and hope in God who redeems. Structural problems need not remain bad forever - confronted by the power of God even the most difficult of situations can experience grace and renewal.

We are not left without alternatives - Christ is risen!

Worth Resolving

What is Paul's life worth to him? Does he care about it. From Acts 20:24 it would seem not alot. Here is the New Century translation:

I don't care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me - to tell people the Good News about God's grace.

It seems to me that Paul has resolved the same as his Lord, to do the will of the Father (see John 4:34). From that he derives his worth, nothing else.

Note that does not prescribe exactly how it should be played out. Paul could presumably have even a secular job, or any one of a range of possible earthly titles or labels, but within that still go about the Father's business of telling the Good News. Such jobs or positions would not give him his worth - that would come from his ability to pursue God's purposes.

So it should be for us. Does the organisation or 'system' you are in right now expect or presume certain things for you? What is the expectation of your friends? Does that seem to predicate you reaching or obtaining a certain status?

If so, consider thinking again. Your worth is not ultimately to be found there, but in God's purposes that may lie within it, or in some cases, may not.

Triangles

Funny how people say things come in threes. I'm in 2 Timothy, enjoying Paul's encouragement of the guy until I get to verse 8. Paul wants Timothy to join him in suffering.

Hmm, the encouragement is starting to run a bit thin.

Ah, but its okay, it is to be done in the power of God...

But its a bit unclear. Is the power of God to help us once we are suffering, or is it actually leading to the suffering? You see the whole thing is connected in v9 with our salvation, and that salvation is 'by His purpose and grace', not just an accident.

The salvation and the purpose seem tightly connected, but so does the suffering.

So it seems that there is some kind of salvation/purpose/suffering triangle going on here - the three come together.

Want to take mission seriously? Better get to grips with all three aspects.

One by One

Martin Batstone makes a plea for church leaders to look, listen and discern the practical needs of people in their local communities, seeking to serve the lost, damaged and vulnerable as valid work in the Kingdom manifesto of Lk 4:16-21.

A key point made by Martin is that whilst we should certain long for conversion and discipleship, we should serve without expecting or demanding it. As a minister in a charity himself, he prefers to concentrate on individuals one by one rather than trying to play a numbers game.

I think he makes a good point. He is not arguing for a purely social gospel or liberal approach. Surely it is just part of the principle 'seek first the Kingdom, and the rest will be added'?

The problem out there is the sea (ocean) of need - where would one start. How do we balance resources. Thats where discernment is needed as ever, making it most certainly a spiritual exercise rather than a merely practical one or a task of human endeavor.