Rocking the Foundations

 

I have lived in the same house for over 20 years. Over the years we had noticed that there were cracks and movement occurring in the walls and floors.  It was subtle and happening very slowly over the years. Just recently we looked again and were shocked at how big the cracks and drop in the floor had become without us even noticing. We sought professional advice and were told that if we didn't get this fixed, our house would have some serious problems in the near future and would certainly become very hard to re-sell. The footings had moved. Although we thought they were built on solid rock, over time through the rain, storms and the weathering of life the footings were slowly sinking, and the house was cracking as a result. The extensions we put on a number of years ago didn't help and added to the strain on the footings. 

 It is common with houses over time. It was time to do something about it. We feared the worst. We knew there would be a cost, but with a few new beams and cement, that house could very quickly become strong and secure again. 

 

Last week the builders came and while I was in the kitchen, the work they were doing under me felt like the whole house was going to fall. I literally felt like I was rising, as they propped the floor back up beneath me. It was loud and scary and very intrusive. I went to my upper room to escape the noise and movement, to find a bit of peace.  I know the work needed to happen. I trusted that it was going to fix things. I simply had to wait it out.

At the end of the day, I came back into the kitchen where the original cracks and holes had

been fixed. BUT to my shock and horror, the movement back into place, had caused more cracks than ever before in new places. Doors no longer closed and some I couldn't open. There was even one wall that had busted open and the gyproc had separated from the wooden beams.  I suppose it made sense, that when work is done to move things back into place to fix the cracks that had formed, that this movement would mean a stretching and movement of another kind. The builder assured us that it was just cosmetic and that these cracks could be easily fixed.

 

 I felt like I was right in the middle of a parable, experiencing the reality that at times our footings need readjusting and if we are brave enough to count the cost and choose to come back to the Rock, He will secure our footings again. There will be cracks revealed, there will be scars that are cosmetic, but they can be fixed.

 

I chose many years ago to live my life with my foundations built on God, my rock. He hasn’t moved, but over time, while building more and navigating the strains of life, it has meant slight movement on my behalf. As I constantly come back to my foundations and secure myself into Him, He will prop me up, build me up, fix the cracks, but not without a cost. 

 

This year, 2020, is a year that has rocked me to my very foundations. What I thought was secure and strong, has crumbled. “But unexpected weaknesses, failure, and humiliation force us to go where we never would otherwise. We must stumble and be brought to our knees by reality. “God comes to you disguised as your life”^[1]

 

God’s foundational truth presses in and challenges me to consider what I can choose when the cracks appear. Isaiah 8:13-17(MSG)

“If you’re going to worry, worry about The Holy. 

Fear God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

The Holy can be either a Hiding Place

    or a Boulder blocking your way,

The Rock standing in the willful way

    of both houses of Israel…

Many of them are going to run into that Rock

    and get their bones broken,

Get tangled up in that barbed wire

    and not get free of it.

Gather up the testimony,

    preserve the teaching for my followers,

While I wait for God as long as he remains in hiding,

 while I wait and hope for him.

I stand my ground and hope.”

 

I can choose to be broken by what 2020 has thrown at me or I can choose to wait on the Lord and put my trust in Him. I can see the new scars and cracks as fixable and something I can grow through or I can allow them to keep me in my humiliation and failure and sadness of what will never be again. The movement that occurred is a part of life, a consequence of choices and in this instance was very much of out of my control. The recalibration and fixing have been necessary. I cannot go back and I don't want to. So, what remains when we find ourselves broken is simply a choice. To get tangled up in the barbed wire and broken bones OR to stand my ground and HOPE.  I believe HOPE has been watching over me and has never left me, but I felt times when I have let go of it. Fear, panic, loss and pain can do that. We can see it as a boulder blocking the way or a hiding place. COVID has allowed me to hide at times, but it will not remain a boulder blocking the way. I choose to wait in HIM, stand my ground and HOPE. 

 

Just like the cracks in my house are literally are being restored and smoothed over this week and the floor I walk on is like floating on air because it has been restored, I stand in a living parable and claim it over my life and future. 

 

A song from Amy Grant that I loved many years ago continues to come back to me during this time...

                                      “Now when the house is dark

                                         And you’re all alone inside

                                    You’ve gotta listen to your heart

                                    And put away your foolish pride

                                      Though the storm is breaking

                                      And thunder shakes the walls

                                        Love with a firm foundation

                                           Ain’t never gonna fall”^[2]

                               

 

---

^[1] R.Rohr, “Order, Disorder, reorder: part two: It must happen to us”, quoting Paula D’Arcy, Monday, August 17th, 2020.

^[2]Amy Grant, “House of love”, 2009

His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven

 

  

Every now and then you are lucky enough to get a glimpse of His Kingdom on earth. I know, a few times a year I walk away from a space and feel that. I am sure if feels different for everyone, as I surely don’t have a monopoly on what His Kingdom on earth or in heaven might look like. For me, it feels like a glimpse of something so beautiful, that you think ‘wow’, if this is good, what must heaven feel like?

Last Sunday morning in our faith community gathering, there were no bells, no whistles, no slick presentations or productions. But as an intergenerational faith community gathering there was something that happened in the room because of the people who were in it and the way we gathered, that enriched my soul to its very core. I left feeling like I had just glimpsed “his Kingdom on earth.”

There were stories shared, struggles felt, there was food, fun, worship and prayer. The youngest led us in prayer, the youth shared visions and the old dreamed dreams.

"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams". (Acts 2:17)

I wished I had recorded it, but the feeling of being there will stay with me for a long while. There is something very powerful when a space is created that is safe to simply be yourself. A placed where you feel loved and seen.

I loved seeing the youth leaders empowering the kids to pray for them. I loved seeing many bringing their gifts and serving the body of Christ. I loved seeing the ease with which people felt welcomed and the joy of the conversations being had. I loved to hear those who are not always so confident, taking the time to really consider what they wanted to share. I loved seeing a father, publicly commend and value her daughter. I loved the honesty with which he shared his struggles and joys. I loved listening to one of our eldest share with tears, her deep love for her heavenly father and implore us all to read His word as she led us in communion.

"You’re blessed when you’re ravenously hungry. Then you’re ready for the messianic meal” (Luke 6:20)

I never want to take for granted the richness of faith community and the strength it brings to my daily walk of faith. Sunday was how it should be : one cooks, one sings, one loves and cares for another, one sees one’s pain, one sits alongside, one listens, many share, many pray, many love … all sharing what we have.

“They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42)

In the midst of COVID-19 it has never been so rich. In a community where much pain and loss is happening, His Kingdom is so real.

“You are blessed when you’ve lost it all. God’s Kingdom is there for the finding.” (Luke 6:19)

I walked up to Ruth (our sage) who shared, wanting to simply say thank you. I stepped into a conversation she was having with a young adult. I listened as she spoke to this young woman, telling her that whenever you speak, you are not looking to please anyone but God and the place to really know Him is in the word.

“There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests. Your task is to be true, not popular.” (Luke:26)

I watched this young lady absorb every word and my heart leapt as I watched His Kingdom come again.

I remembered in Luke 6 when people said of Jesus, “Every was trying to touch him … so much energy surging from Him.” I feel that with Ruth, that energy surging from her from the Father. Not only do I want to be like her when I grow up, but I never want to waste a moment when in the presence of such Godly, yet humble servants like Ruth.

Later that young adult shared with me how Ruth’s word confirmed a prophecy spoken over her last year and that she realised in the midst of COVID and family issues pressing in on her she had forgotten God’s words.

And this is only what I saw God doing last Sunday. I am sure He was doing much more.

Scripture was being lived out, as ‘Acts’ had been my reading that week and all our midweek clusters are studying Luke together. Watching His word, his people and his love converge and spread throughout the morning, brought His Kingdom on earth for just a moment.

I thank God for the Community I get to do life with and pray that we never take for granted how rich it is.

I know it is not what people want to hear or learn, when people ask me “what does an Intergenerational Community look like?” They are looking for programs to implement, systems to put into place, worship service outlines they can duplicate. So often we want to complicate it, but once true love and life together gains momentum, you get to sit back and watch it happen, like I did last Sunday, and simply thank God that you had eyes to see and ears to hear His Kingdom come.

A Virus put us in "Time out"...

A Virus put us in “Time out.” What are we going to learn in there?

When my kids were little we had a “time out’ system. If they had done the wrong thing, or things really got out of control l would send them to “time out”. I am pretty sure it is standard practice in most households. It is a time when you must be isolated, on your own and have time to think, re-think and calm down. There was always accountability connected to it, with an expectation that your behaviour would change, and of course be better than when you were first sent to this space. I found it a very powerful tool for all involved, including me, the parent. Sometimes you really need to be able to have some space to stop and think about how you should proceed, so it brings us closer together and not further apart.

To be honest, at any age of life, this is a good practice to live by. It is just when children are young and they don't have the self-control or self-discipline to manage this process, that the ‘supposed’ more mature ones help create this boundary for them. As the parent I had been known to put myself into ‘time out’ and leave the kids to their own devices, which often had some interesting outcomes.

Deuteronomy 6 speaks of how we are to live our lives in abundance and in reverence to God. The famous promise is outlined to “Love God, your God, with your whole heart: Love Him with all that’s in you. Love Him with all you’ve got” (Deut 6:5 MSG).

Then because He knew we would forget it, He gave four keys to get it inside your hearts. He commanded that we: Talk about it wherever you are, sitting at home, walking in the street, talk about it in the morning, when you rise and the in the evening when you fall into bed. Place reminders wherever you can to make sure it happens. (v 6-9)

In this pandemic all we really have is our sitting at home, walking (two by two), our sleeping and waking. It is like the Virus has given us a BIG TIME OUT. I am not saying that we personally have done something wrong to deserve our TIME OUT. But the world has definitely got some serious things going wrong in order for everyone to be sent to their rooms.

And yet I am encouraged that even in this TIME OUT, we can carry on with God’s commands in order to have an abundant and full life. I know it is hard for some people to comprehend this, but to Love God with our whole heart and all we have, is actually one of the only things we can do right now.  Isn't it cool that just when we think, “how are we going to go to ‘Church’ and be the light to the World?” that maybe He is reminding us that the four simple things he asked us to do, we can still do.  And all He is asking us to do is to be obedient to that. 

I wonder if in this time to re-think, calm down and pause that we might miss the greatest chance to change our behaviour.  I wonder if during this TIME OUT, God might be wanting to teach us more about HIM. During this TIME OUT, wouldn't it be great, if we learned that in a world that is out of control, God is never out of control. In a world that is ever changing, God has never changed, and his commandments in Deuteronomy 6 are now more relevant and doable that ever before. 

When my kids did not change their behaviour when they left their rooms, they went straight back in. Even if they didn't like it or agree, they knew they had to make changes for the better if they wanted the chance to get out and do what they wanted to do. I hope we learn from this what God is wanting to teach us. That we bring the ‘best of us’ out of our rooms and live in a way that shows that we do love the Lord our God with our whole heart and with all we have got. And that is all He is asking of us, because I believe He can really use that to make a difference in this broken world.

I HOPE that when we are able to finally come out of our rooms that we don't go back to the old behaviours and what we thought was important. I HOPE that we rise to be better people, a better generation, a stronger world; a world where we value all people, we treat all people equally and we care for the least of these, whenever we get the chance.

Deuteronomy 6:1-5 MSG

“This is the commandment, the rules and regulations, that God, your God, commanded me to teach you to live out in the land you’re about to cross into to possess. This is so that you’ll live in deep reverence before God lifelong, observing all his rules and regulations that I’m commanding you, you and your children and your grandchildren, living good long lives.

Listen obediently, Israel. Do what you’re told so that you’ll have a good life, a life of abundance and bounty, just as God promised, in a land abounding in milk and honey.

God, our God! God the one and only!

Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!”