If you are human, especially a human who works or parents other small humans, you probably have ingrained within the framework of your day, a longing for the time in the near future when you can rest. The kids are sleeping and you have just put up the last dish - you turn out the kitchen light, lock the doors, walk over to the bed, sit on the edge of it, and let out a long, vocal breath as you remove your shoes.
Future times of rest are not alien to human experience. They are part of our image-of-God-ness. Life can feel like a high repetition set in the gym; and as your muscles begin to burn, you tough through "two more" because you know the resistance will be soon removed. That's the rest we are all after - the life of no resistance.
In that life, our desires perfectly align with the desires of others. No one asks us to do what we don't want to do. There is no conflict. No mental or emotional strain that comes from being at odds with another individual. Our lives are "in harmony". They are peaceful.
We long for a life of no worldly resistance, when we will no longer worry about money, sickness, natural disasters, national security, or snakes sneaking in the house. There will be no need to constantly ensure our children are safe - safe from predators, speeding cars, poisonous bugs, maverick illnesses, and/or bullies at recess. The external world will be for us and not against us. And we will be in harmony with that world. We will be at peace with it.
The longing in every human heart for this peaceful life is by design. It is not a fairy tale or arbitrary convention of men. It is godly in every sense, good in every part, and possible for every person.
The fact that our world is not like this now, is indicative of the fact that something is wrong. The big deep breath of relief at the end of the day comes when things are not chaotic, conflicting or crazy. Those small times are shadows of the way things are supposed to be. They direct us to the Substance in whom all things are right and nothing is wrong. The big deep breath is just a small piece of the biblical concept of hope. It is a glimpse of rest which is only found in Christ - the Prince of Peace.
It is important for our life and the lives of those around us that we understand hope properly. Our obedience is at stake, and our love for others as well. There are at least two errors people make in their quest for ultimate peace.
1) We believe ultimate peace will come in this life through earthly means. We live with the expectation that people will be sinless and not invade our quest for peace. We believe that if we just reach a certain corporate position, make a certain amount of money, and have a certain type of phone, car or spouse, everything will finally be fine.
But ultimate peace will not come in this life and it will most certainly not come through earthly means. This is why we become frustrated with our children when they won't go to sleep. This is why we argue with our spouse when she doesn't meet our selfish expectations. It's why we hoard our money in an over desire for occupational retirement.
2) We also commonly disbelieve that ultimate peace could ever happen. And so we give up. Hopeless singles who have no view of heaven often fall into sexual immorality. Fathers who don't believe in glory run from their responsibilities at home. The executive or athlete that didn't make the cut are suddenly confronted with the reasonableness of pointing a revolver at themselves. The 18 year old who thought life outside of their parents home would provide ultimate freedom, finds himself consuming any substance (or person) he can find in an effort to deal with the reality of his conflicted conscience.
We will do anything (moral or not) to make this life different (tattoos, irresponsible vacations, substance abuse, or whatever), because we have lost all hope for heaven. Live it up today, for tomorrow we die.
But if Christ is risen, if he is real, then we have a good reason to enjoy those small times of rest without over-desiring them. When our expectations are interrupted at night by a sick child, we can let go and shift our ultimate hope heavenward. When our spouse is less-than-perfect, we can patiently love with our hope fixed in glory - when they will be all that we knew they could be (and more).
And until that glorious day comes, we can "now" find shade in the shadows of rest, knowing that the Substance is soon to come and bring us home. It will happen Christian. And when he comes on the clouds, you can take that eternally long, restful breath. Life will forever be peaceful.
No comments:
Post a Comment