Tag Archives: Learning

Paradox of Wisdom

“I’d choose wisdom!” 

We were young teenagers and, as teens frequently do, we were asking each other what we would ask for if we could have three wishes granted.  (My memory is that we had recently seen the Disney version of Aladin – and we were captivated by Robin Williams’ portrayal of the Genie.)  My friends all said they’d wish for billions of dollars, or the like.  When I stated my wish would be for wisdom they looked at me like I had ten heads.

I had recently become a Christian and I had taken seriously my spiritual mentor’s encouragement to read a Psalm, a Proverb and a New Testament passage every day.  In doing so, I had become fascinated with the benefits of having, and pursuing, wisdom.  My immediate thought when my friend asked this question about the wishes was, if I get wisdom first, I’d then know the best way to use the second two wishes.

This is often the way of life.  If we have wisdom, we are better positioned to make good choices.  Unfortunately, even ‘wise’ people can make poor decisions.  But, generally, wisdom brings understanding, an ability to see through the conundrum at the surface in order to address the matters at the heart of a situation.

Wisdom is different from knowledge.  I smile when I hear the ‘modern proverb’ that says,

“By knowledge we understand that a tomato is a fruit,

By wisdom we know not to slice a tomato into our breakfast cereal.”

Wisdom rarely fits into a particular mould.  Even though one may have wisdom, determining a course of action requires that the wise person understands the context.  Wisdom may require action in a given situation at one time, but at another time, in what appears to be the very same situation, wisdom may require a different action.  This often-forgotten principle is clearly stated in Proverbs 26:4-5.

“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.

Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.”

I have spoken to many who appear troubled by this seeming contradiction within Scripture.  How can the Word of God so blatantly disagree with itself?  But, these two verses are not a contradiction. Rather, they are an instruction to look beyond the issues at the surface, to get within the context of the one who is speaking in order to understand the ‘folly’ that is being espoused.  The challenge for the wise person, is to attempt to identify, without judgement or accusation, the motives and intentions of the one speaking before deciding if wisdom compels one to enter the discussion.  Clearly, it is possible that a decision to enter the conversation could reveal substance as folly-filled as the first speaker.  In another context, with different understanding, assessment and clarity, it may be essential to enter the conversation.

In today’s world we will have multiple opportunities to learn how to apply this principle.  We are faced with a myriad of opinions, perspectives and points of view that are not always helpful or beneficial.  Some are complete folly.  Some are spoken by people who genuinely desire and intend to do good but have become confused.   Regardless of who speaks or what is said, before we dive into the conversation, it will be beneficial for us to consider the principles within Proverbs 26:4-5. 

In doing so, we will do well to remember that this principle is built on the assumption that in all circumstances we’re seeking to display the heart of God and learning to speak with grace, truth, gentleness and respect (1 Pt 3:15) and avoiding the temptation to speak curses over someone made in God’s image (Jms 3:9).  For not only is it kindness that leads people to change (Rom 2:4), but it is through the Church that God will display his multi-faceted wisdom (Eph 3:10).

Headlines, Questions & Identity

The news headlines in recent times have reminded us of the many complex, traumatic and horrendous circumstances facing the international community.  At the same time, news headlines here in Ireland repeatedly reveal similarly complex, traumatic and tragic circumstances facing us in our own towns and cities.

Ireland has not experienced a military invasion like Ukraine.  We are not directly experiencing a major conflict with national, regional and geopolitical ramifications like what is occurring in Gaza and Israel.  Nor has our country deteriorated into civil war as is happening in Sudan. 

But we are experiencing increasing instances of individual and group behaviour that a number of years ago would have been unimaginable.  A young woman murdered while taking a daytime walk along a small town’s civic amenity.  Small children lining up outside their Dublin school attacked by a man wielding a knife.  People who may have been born in another country, many who have become Irish citizens, viciously attacked on our streets. The street violence, burning publicly owned vehicles, vandalising property and looting retail shops which took place on 23rd November are further examples of how societal norms are under threat by those who seem to operate with a completely different worldview.

As a development and relief organisation, much of Tearfund Ireland’s work takes place in Ethiopia.  Two years ago a major internal conflict in the northern part of Ethiopia cost thousands of lives, displaced hundreds of thousands of people and added further strain on the efforts to build resilience and reduce poverty in the region.  Although that conflict has largely ceased, there are regions around the country in which ethnic tensions continue to boil over into disorder and violence.  I recently spoke to an Ethiopian friend who, living in his hometown, commented that he doesn’t always feel safe in his own city. 

The Tearfund Ireland office is located in a part of Dublin’s North Inner City which has been in the Irish headlines the last few months.  Although none of our staff have had negative experiences, we are extremely aware of the risks and concerns frequently faced by people living and working in this area.  Especially when a significant percentage of our team do not look or sound Irish born – because we’re not.  But we have made our home here and desire to contribute to the overall good of Irish society.

This is one reason I am perplexed by what seems to be a common reaction whenever a tragic wrong is perpetrated against another person.  Why does it seem that our first response is to attempt to blame someone in a position of authority?  Why is our loudest public outcry to question why the Gardaí weren’t able to stop the crime from happening?  At what point do we, as an Irish society, accept the fact that we need to begin having some difficult conversations? 

Tearfund Ireland is a Christian organisation and, because of our faith perspective, we hold a conviction that the problems facing societies around the world are not unsurmountable.  We believe all these problems are the result of an internal brokenness – a broken relationship between us and God, which affects all our relationships.  But we also believe these broken relationships can be restored. 

We work with people who are living in extreme poverty, suffering near-famine conditions, internally displaced and in conflict with their ethnically diverse neighbour.  We have seen countless people in these circumstances experience a holistic transformation, where relationships are restored, resilience is built and they interdependently face the challenges of life with increased hope and esteem. 

The similarities between our Irish headlines and that of our international neighbours reminds us that we truly are a global world.  The brokenness, frailties and criminality of humanity are experienced by all.  But these harmful outcomes of human brokenness do not have to be the final word of our collective story.  

I believe God created all people in His image. Creation implies design.  Design implies intent.  Intention implies purpose.  Therefore, since we have been created with a purpose, we have an opportunity, or responsibility, to co-create the society in which we live.

Let us search for creative solutions to the problems we face.  Let us maturely and wisely interrogate the basis of the distorted, broken thinking which plagues our societies.  Let us embrace our divine purpose and co-create a better future for ourselves and for the generations who come after us.   

We are better than what we’re seeing in the headlines.

We can do better.  We can become a better society.

Sean Copeland, 27 November 2023

Lessons From a Cedar Tree

“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon” (Psalm 92:12).

Trees are an amazing part of God’s creation.  I love to photograph trees – especially the ones that are old.  Recently I was in Lebanon visiting and attending meetings with Tearfund Ireland’s local partner.  At the end of a busy week our partners wanted to show us a place that is special to Lebanon.  The country has a long history of producing cedar trees and there are several protected cedar tree reserves.  The cedars of Lebanon are the trees which Solomon used for the construction of the temple in Jerusalem (see 1 Kings 5).

In the high mountainous regions, the cedar trees grow in conditions that can sometimes be harsh.  The winters in the mountains will often be covered with snow, but for several months of the year there is little rain and high temperatures, creating a dry, arid climate.  It is the dry, harsh conditions which create the environment for the tree to produce such a strong wood.  The dry soil forces the tree to send its roots deep into the soil to garner as much of the earth’s nutrients as possible.   Our guide told us, “Nature forces the tree to withstand the harsh climate which creates a resilience.”  

It did not take long for my imagination to explore the analogies with my own life.  How many times have I realised that the times of challenge, difficulty and hardship were the scenarios that produced in me the lessons, learnings and opportunities for growth? 

I recall a time I faced a particularly difficult set of circumstances.  It was painful, confusing and I had not yet comprehended the ‘lessons’ God may have wanted me to learn in that season.  During that time, in conversation with an experienced leader, I relayed how I felt I was at the bottom of my myself and the pain of my confusion felt overwhelming.  Before she said anything a look came over her face that I can only describe as compassion with a mixture of sternness.  “Sometimes you have to dig deeper before you can climb out of the hole.”  For me, at that time, in that circumstance, those words rang true.  That was not an easy sentence to hear; but it gave me a perspective that I needed. 

Walking along the path in the cedar reserves of Lebanon I reflected on how many times I, like the cedar tree, have found the only option is to dig deeper to search for the life sustaining nutrients in the midst of a harsh and difficult environment.

Unlike many other trees, the cedar can live for literally thousands of years.  The reserve we visited boasts several trees that have been dated to be at least 2,500 years old – a few are thought to be closer to 3,000 years old!   The fact that a single tree can survive for that length of time is staggering.

Our guide told us that when a cedar tree reaches about 500 years old, it stops growing taller.  Around this age, the top branches of the tree begin to bend downward and fan outward, creating a canopy protecting the trunk and allows the lower branches to thicken and grow.  That outward expansion, rather than upward reaching, is a mark of the cedar’s continued health and growth.  When the tree ceases to grow taller, the roots continue growing more deeply into the ground, providing durability as well as access to nutrients.

This reveals a fascinating characteristic of the cedar tree.  It has approximately 500 years of upward growth and then, potentially, another 2,000 years of outward and downward growth.

Again, the analogies flow. 

Once a person reaches a certain age, there are perspectives within society which cause us to limit, or question, our effectiveness, or relevance.  In addition, our culture is full of people who are confused about their own sense of meaning and purpose in life, often resorting to striving upward in our careers.  But the cedar tree provides an illustration of individual maturity.  Upon reaching a certain age, our role is not to rest or stop growing, which can cause us to wither.  But, like the cedar tree, continuing maturity requires a change to our growth trajectory.  As the tree redirects its growth, creating opportunities for increasing its own resilience, we too, become more mature as we redirect our goal from an ‘upward’ focus toward an outward focus, creating a canopy for others. 

Reflecting on my past relationships, I have been most impacted by people who have achieved a milestone in their career and are equally focused on their outward growth and their ability to create a canopy for others.  People who have worked hard to reach a stretch goal, as impressive as that achievement may be, are not always the people who are able to provide guidance, insight or wisdom to those who follow. 

I learned a long time ago that I can only give away something that I already have.  Whether that be wisdom, experience, skills, time or resources – if I don’t have it, I can’t offer it to anyone else.  Like the cedar tree, there comes a point where my striving for the heights of success must be redirected to create a canopy for outward influence.  At the same time, I must dig deep so I remain firmly rooted where I can access the necessary nutrients to sustain myself.  In this way, I will build my resilience and flourish through the challenges and have something to offer those who come around me.  Hopefully, for many years to come!

Sean Copeland, September 2023

Giving Thanks

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.  (1 Thess 5.16-18)

“You expect me to do what?!”  My friend seemed incredulous.  She was deeply upset.  We were discussing her distress and she was seeking my guidance.  My suggestion confused her and, I gathered from her demeanour, angered her.

“How could you expect me to praise God for this?”

She had been expressing the lingering pain from a relationship breakdown and I was attempting to help her break the cycle of bitterness that was evident in her language – although she was unaware of this evidence.  My suggestion was that she simply begin thanking God for his goodness every time she experienced a painful memory.

This is a practice I have been attempting to form into a habit in my own life.

Many years ago, I wise friend guided me through the reasons for being intentional in giving thanks to God in all circumstances.  I had experienced a deep hurt which had impacted every area of my life.  The pain and confusion would regularly return and, it felt, I would never really ‘get over’ it.  One of the significant healing moments was when a friend asked me, “Is God only worthy of your thanks when things are going well?”  

His question made me realise that when I focused on my own hurt, I did not relate with God very well. In fact, I usually forgot he was with me.  When I felt the pain of the memories, I became self-absorbed.  I would often repeat the conversations and each replay provided further reasons to feel justified in my hurt which increased my anger, which led, I’m sorry to admit, to a growing bitterness.  My friend’s question forced me to realise that not only was I behaving very selfishly, but I was also ignoring God at a time I needed him the most.

Since that realisation, I have attempted to practice the three instructions Paul gives the Thessalonian Church:  Rejoice, Pray and Give Thanks.  These three practices, taken as a group, are a wonderful way, I have found, to break through the walls of bitterness and dismantle the infrastructure of self-reliance.   

Rejoice always.  I have much to celebrate.  Even if life throughs me a curve ball or I come up against an unforeseen obstacle, there is great freedom in remembering that all things will work out for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28).  And, the act of rejoicing, even in difficult times, is quite different from optimism.  While optimism may be broader trait, or tendency of personality, rejoicing is a decision, an intentional act.

Pray without ceasing.  I will not pretend to have grasped this but the writings of Desert Fathers, and contemporary mystics have created in me a thirst for a life of prayer.  Daily habits of scriptural meditation, scripture memory and trigger prayers are helping form within me an ongoing awareness of God and interaction with Holy Spirit.  The more I am able to consciously work toward this unconscious consistency, the less I find myself able to indulge in the harmful negativities of life.

Give thanks in all circumstances.  To grasp the import of Paul’s instruction more fully, it is essential that we move beyond merely having an attitude of thankfulness.  Having an ‘attitude of gratitude’ may be helpful baseline, but I believe we must learn the discipline of actually giving thanks – of verbally expressing thanks – in all circumstances.  

This is where I felt the challenge from my friend all those years ago.  It is easy to thank God for a situation that has worked out well, a particular blessing, or a joyful experience.  But it is not so easy to give thanks to God in a difficult situation.  Even though I would say he is always good, when I’m in a difficult situation it can be hard to stop and remind myself to give him thanks.  But doing so, gives him honour, helps me keep my eyes off my circumstances and helps me realise that the entirety of my life is bigger than what I feel in this singular moment.

The fact that we are in a singular moment in time leads to possibly the most important principle to the act of thanking God in all circumstances.  Regardless of how long it may feel, the time we spend in a struggle, a painful experience or a loss is a relatively short period of life.  I am learning how beautiful it is to give God my thanks and praise when I’m in the middle of difficulties.  My intentional choice to verbally thank God for his goodness while I’m hurting, confused or struggling is a gift I will never be able to give God once these emotions pass.  Once the moment passes, I will be able to thank God that he was there while I was in the challenge.  But when I’m in the challenge, struggling to find a way through the fog of confusion or wrestling with gut-wrenching disappointment, my ‘sacrifice’ of thanks expresses my thanks for his goodness with a genuine authenticity and humility that I’ll never be able to recreate.  I want to become a man who can honour God with the glory he is due, regardless of how I may feel in challenging circumstances of life.

 “I’m doing much better.  I feel a new freedom and my relationship with the Lord is more real.”  It had been several months since I’d seen her, and she looked like a different woman.   “I’ve been trying to give thanks in all circumstances, and it is changing my perspective.”   

She, too, is learning the blessing of rejoicing always, praying consistently and giving thanks in all circumstances.      

Sean Copeland, September 2023

Risking Love

The noisy cafeteria went instantly silent.  I could feel my heart pounding inside my chest as I locked eyes with the ringleader of the three bullies who, two seconds ago, had been laughing.  I was enraged.  I was also frightened as I my mind raced through multiple scenarios of what could happen next – most of those scenarios involved me getting hurt.

But I had taken my stand and I knew I could not back down.  I could feel the attention of every eye in the cafeteria as I stood between the three offenders and the nearby table where their victim sat. 

Tears streamed down her teenage face and her hair was littered with pieces of the lunch the offending boys had been throwing at her while they laughed.  I had seen it happen.  She cried as she yelled at them to stop.  They laughed some more.  Lots of people watched them throwing food at her.  No one did anything.  They were big, muscular and had a particular reputation.  She was a girl with special needs, recently mainstreamed into our inner-city school.  This was wrong.  I didn’t think of what I was going to do before I got out of my chair, I simply knew I had to do something to stop them.

I don’t remember the exact words I said to the ringleader, but he stared unblinkingly back at me.  Offender number three stood to square up to me. Offender number two looked for direction from offender number one, who silently, slowly shook his head. Number three quickly sat down with a tirade of words he probably didn’t understand.

It was over.  Indistinct chatter refilled the cafeteria and a few of my friends took the crying girl to help her clean up. 

The lessons I learned that day were foundational to my formation.  Sometimes doing the right thing involves taking a risk. I often think of this episode when I’m confronted with decisions of right and wrong, standing up against injustice or protecting the vulnerable even if there is a threat to my personal safety. 

When I read the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) I frequently think back on my cafeteria experience. 

Jesus used a story about a man who was attacked, beaten, robbed and left injured on a roadside to illustrate how he expects us to behave toward our neighbour.  In the story, Jesus included individuals who would have been expected to help but did not stop to help the injured man.

Familiarity with the story can, if we’re not careful, bring us to swift judgment about the two representatives of religion who demonstrated a lack of care for the injured man.  Likely the men feared for their own safety.  Perhaps they considered this a trap, the injuries were fake, and the actor’s co-conspirators were ready to pounce on them.  Or, possibly, they were on their way home from religious duties and wanted to see their family.  If they touched an unclean person, they would then need to isolate themselves according to laws of purification and this would delay them being able to see their family.  Regardless of the reasonable-ness of their motives for inaction, Jesus highlights their choices as falling short of his values and expectations. 

I’ve often heard this story used to explain a model, or standard, of how love is exemplified.  This is understandable because the conversation began with a reference to the commandments about loving God and loving our neighbour (Lk 10:27).  But at the end of the parable, Jesus did not ask the enquirer, “Which of the three showed love to the injured man?”.   Rather, his question was, “Which of the three proved to be a neighbour?” (Lk 10:36). 

At its simplest, the parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates the expectation that being a good neighbour is challenging, inconvenient, even risky.  This raises an uncomfortable question for me…. if this story illustrates neighbourly behaviour, then what does real love look like?!

Reflecting on my cafeteria confrontation, at no point in those moments did I consider the philosophical, theological or sociological nuances between being a good neighbour or demonstrating loving behaviour.  I simply knew I needed to do something to protect the vulnerable girl and stop the bullying and injustice. 

In the journey of life since that day I’ve had numerous opportunities to make similar decisions.  I frequently pray that the record of my actions will outweigh that of my inaction. Through it all my desire is that my love for the Lord will become so encompassing that it permeates my interactions with others to the point there is no distinction between love for my neighbour and general neighbourly behaviour. 

Sean Copeland, June 2023

Wisdom of the Righteous

I was busily getting things out of the car so we could get down to the beach.  It was a gloriously warm afternoon.  We were on holidays in Spain and had been in the car all day.  We were all ready for the water.   As I was pulling bags from the car one of the kids gasped while another said, “I can’t believe he just did that!”.  I turned around to see what was causing the commotion and saw a very old-looking man walking away from a car.  My wife said, “He’s just taken the keys out of that car”.

I hadn’t seen what happened but the rest of my family did.  The owner of the car had left the windows were open.  The man was walking away from the car in a hurried manner.  He was old and used a walking stick – so even though it was clear he was trying to walk quickly he wasn’t making speedy progress.   My wife repeated what she’d seen and, with an authority that only wives can muster, resolved that something must be done.  Her brave conclusion was that I had to stop him and get the keys back.

It was all a bit surreal.  This was a small car park beside a beach.  It was in the middle of the afternoon.  I hadn’t seen the man take anything.  I just wanted to go swimming.

With my wife’s increasing determination, and my children watching to see how I would handle the situation, I knew I had to do something.  I searched my memories to see if I could remember confronting a thief who was caught in the act.  I wasn’t sure what I would say to him.  I know enough Spanish to get by on a family holiday.  Uno momento…. La quinta por favour…. Gracias….  But I hadn’t learned anything like: “Excuse me sir, but did you just take something from that car?”   It simply never occurred to me that I’d need to use such a sentence on my holiday.

Still unsure of what I would say, I made my way toward the man.  I intercepted his haltingly rapid exit and, pointing at the car, asked him (in English) if he had taken something from the car.   Muttering something in Spanish he looked from me, to the car and back to me.   I hesitated because I didn’t know what he was saying, but he just stood there looking at me.  It was clear to me he didn’t speak English but I pressed on.  Once again I pointed at the car and then to him and then back to the car while asking him if he took something from the car.  Whatever was going through his mind he seemed to know what I was saying because he took a set of keys from his pocket and handed them to me.  He continued mumbling untranslated Spanish as he turned away and resumed his hasty retreat.

My wife & I found the car’s owner and explained what had happened as we returned the keys.  On the walk to the beach we reminded our kids of how it didn’t matter that we didn’t speak the same the language because the man knew he had done something wrong.  I told them that knowledge of right and wrong is not restricted to English or Spanish – it is understood within the language of the heart.

As we spoke to them I was reminded of a recent time of prayer.  I’d been reading Luke 1.17 which speaks of the “disobedient being drawn to the wisdom of the righteous”.  I had asked God to teach me about a wisdom that would cause the disobedient to seek out the righteous.  What level of wisdom would it take for those who are disobedient to be drawn to, attracted to the righteous?  As is typical for me, I presumed I would need to tap into some higher level of wisdom or some yet unexplored level of divine creativity that would cause the disobedient to experience an “Ah-Ha” moment.

But this experience with the Spanish man and the car keys was not some mystical feat of divine engineering.  It was a simple matter of right and wrong.  God used it to teach my children.  He used it to teach me.  I hope the old man has learned a lesson too!  The bonus for me is that this was not only an answer to my prayer – but it is an illustration of how God intends for His people to display His wisdom (Eph 3.10) in such a way that those who don’t yet know him would be drawn to him (Lk 1.17).

 

 

Experience & Becoming

In my job I do a lot of driving.  I may be visiting customers or trying to gain new ones, but I will often drive to locations I’ve never been.  In recent years I’ve become a fan of Google Maps.  Not only does it give good directions (apart from mispronouncing Irish names & locations!) but the ability to switch to street view is real benefit. Being able to ‘see’ the geography around the customer’s location makes the last few minutes of a journey much easier.  Seeing a photograph of the entrance to the building before I arrive helps me know what to look for which saves time and potential hassle.

But, no matter how beneficial a photograph may be, I would be foolish to presume I know all there is to know about the geography around the location.  For starters, the photo may be several years old and the environs may have changed.  Even if it hadn’t changed, there are any number of things which could make my experience different from the perceptions I made from a photograph.

Just because I ‘see’ something doesn’t mean I understand all there is to understand about it.  Even if I know the destination from photos, maps or descriptions of others, I won’t actually ‘know’ it until I’ve experienced it for myself.

This principle is applicable to so much of life and it is especially true of our relationship with God.  Just because someone shows us a picture, or tells us a story, about God does not mean we have a full, complete, understanding of who God is.

One of the biggest challenges for Christians today is the access we have to content about God.  It is possible that we could be the most biblically educated generation in history.  That may be an overstatement but the prevalence of teachings, books, devotionals, variety of translations, on-line videos and smart phone apps means we can be exposed to as much biblical material as we desire.

Yet, I still wonder, how much do we truly know of God from our own, personal experience of Him?  How deep have we gone with him in the privacy of our own prayer closet?   How intimately do we know Holy Spirit’s voice?  How responsive are we to follow, simply because we recognise it is Him speaking?

I don’t want to be someone whose history with God is based on the stories told by someone else.  I don’t want my experience of Him to be reliant on a ‘photograph’ of a destination taking by someone else.  Nor do I want the extent of my experience in Him to be curtailed by the limits of others.  I have never been one to settle for the status-quo and I refuse to accept mediocrity in my journey with Jesus.

I will pursue His Word and the life-giving promises He’s given.  I will seek to believe, to learn and to understand all He has spoken so I can live worthy of the calling I’ve received.  I will seek the presence of His Kingdom that I might know the whole measure of His fullness within me.  I will pursue the growth of my faith through the declaration and demonstration of His love, power and wisdom.  Where my faith is lacking or my understanding falls short I will fall on the grace and mercy of the One Whom I believe.

I extend an invitation to all who share similar desires.  Let’s explore the possibilities of faith together.  Let’s ask Holy Spirit to stir up a hunger and passion for more of Him.  Let’s commit to encourage and support one another in this journey toward transformation. And let us know the One we believe so we can become all He desires us to be.

 

 

Exploring IN Christ

When I was about 8 years old my family moved house.  Along with a bigger garden the house had a full basement.  I remember the day I discovered the ‘secret room’ in the basement.  Looking back now, I don’t remember how long we’d been in the house before I discovered the secret room, but it must have been a number of months.  I remember the surprise at realising this room had always been there, I just hadn’t seen it.  There were two mains areas of the basement.  In one my parents had installed the washing machine & dryer so it was called the ‘utility room’.  Off this room was a door that led to the ‘furnace room’ where the air conditioning and water heater were kept.  This room was off-limits to us kids.

But one day, I explored.  To my surprise, on the other side of the furnace was another door.  I knew I shouldn’t be there but I couldn’t resist.  I opened the door to see a labyrinth of my grandfather’s word-working tools.  It almost a Narnia-type entrance into another world.  This is where my granddad would disappear for hours at a time.  This is the place those shelves were made, doors were repaired and picture frames were crafted.  I loved the smell of the timber, the feel of the natural materials and the concept that this is where an idea could be fashioned into reality.  This became a new hide-away for me.  My granddad knew I was exploring his ‘workshop’ but he never let on that he knew.

The discovery of this room has similarities with our current discussion of the presence and purpose of Holy Spirit.  I’ve always known He’s in me, with me and guiding me.  But, the wording of many Scriptures is leading me more deeply into rooms of the house that are yet undiscovered.

“In Christ all the fullness of God lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ” (Col 2.9f)

 “All things are yours… and you are of Christ and Christ is of God.” (1 Cor 3.22)

“When he has put everything under his feet…then the Son himself will be made subject to him [God] who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.” (1 Cor 15.28)

“…that you may be filled to the whole measure of the fullness of God.”  (Eph 3.19)

 

These statements from Paul are reminders of Jesus’ declaration in his prayer before he was crucified:

“… just as you are in me and I am in you; may they also be in us… I have given them the glory you gave me that they may be one as we are one…” (Jn 17.21-24)

There is much to discover in these verses.  Let us not be constrained by false boundaries that restrict us exploring the depth and meaning of what it means to be ‘IN Christ’ or what it means for Christ to be IN us.   Let us not fall into the temptation of resting in what is theologically familiar.  Rather, let us embrace the desire to explore the fullness of God’s promises.  Let’s unite our hearts in faith and spur one another on to pursue the depths of what it means to live IN the fullness of God.

 

Foreshadows IN Christ

The Old Testament story of God’s people wandering around the wilderness provides many lessons for us today.  There are many aspects to our relationship with God that have a foreshadow in the Old Testament.  Scholars use the term foreshadow to describe an event or situation that finds its fulfilment in the life and ministry of Jesus.  One such significant foreshadow is the fact that God dwelt among the people – He dwelt with them.

In God’s earliest interactions with Abraham, Isaac & Jacob He revealed Himself TO them.  Each time He spoke to them, He revealed a little more of His nature and character.  But, it was always at a distance.  Even His conversations with Abraham were at intervals of several years.

When Moses first encountered God, he had to ask, “Who are you?”.   Through the confrontations with Pharaoh Moses learned to trust God.  So much trust was gained that when God gave Moses the job of leading the people out of Egypt, Moses said, “Not unless you go with us.”

God honoured that request.  Not only did He go with the people, he gave instructions for a special tent which would be a dedicated space for God to dwell among the people.  It became known as the Tent of Meeting.

Our familiarity with the story could result in our overlooking the significance of God dwelling with the people – but, that would be to our detriment.  God chose to, somehow, locate Himself among the people.  In so doing He was there to guide their movements, give instruction, provide for their needs and initiate relationship.  God dwelt WITH the people.  This was a foreshadow of what God intended to reveal through the person of Jesus.

Jesus was God in the flesh (Jn 1.14).  He came to perfectly and completely reveal the Father’s nature, character and desires (Hb 1.3).  Jesus lived with the people, he grew up in a family, he was one of them – yet He was without sin (Hb 4.15).  In Jesus, God revealed Himself WITH the people.

So, with the Patriarchs, God revealed Himself TO people. But through Jesus, He revealed Himself WITH people.

The implications of the foreshadowing go even deeper.  God did not intend to only reveal Himself WITH people – His intention was to reveal Himself IN people.  His intention was that the Tent of Meeting would be a representation of His interaction within the spirit of each of His children.  His intention was to always be available to guide our movements, to instruct us in life’s decisions, to provide for our every need and to maintain intimate relationship.

From the release of His presence on the day of Pentecost, Holy Spirit has been available to enter the spirit of every believer and reveal Himself IN us.  This presence of Holy Spirit is the deposit which guarantees our inheritance; the seed which brings to life all things spoken by the Father and provision for our access to the fullness of God.

God is revealing Himself IN the believer.

 

Basic Principles of the World

The Greek word for Believer comes from the same word which means ‘faith’ or ‘trust’ and is translated largely based on its context.  The term ‘believer’ is only used a handful of times in the New Testament, but its use to describe a follower of Jesus has become quite common.

I like this word.  Believer.  It carries the definition of who we are as Christians.  We believe therefore we are believers.  Belief, trust and faith are the fundamental building blocks of our DNA.  This is why I find it so important to revisit belief.

Sometimes, we can lose the confidence of our belief.  Sometimes, our hearts become crowded with the day-to-day which can lead to a dilution of our relationship with Holy Spirit.  And, unfortunately, we can sometimes allow our thinking to be influenced by those who are not believers – even though we may not be aware of this happening.  As a result, we can become lulled into thought patterns and systems of belief that are not Christian.

Paul reminds us of the importance of protecting our hearts.  “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy that depends on human tradition and the basic principles of the world, rather than on Christ” (Col 2.8).

I am reminded of an old tree which has become hollowed. 

On the outside it is tall with a lot of limbs, branches and budding leaves.  It gives the impression of a sturdy tree with internal substance and strength.  But, a large gap is at its base and one can see straight through the tree.    Hollow and deceptive.  The deception is in the assumption the tree is strong, substantial and robust.  The reality is the inside is hollow – weak, of little substance and fragile.   Just like many of the philosophies that shape the culture in which we live.

For example, there is a world-view that demands open-mindedness – yet insists on silencing those who differ.  There is a pervading push toward inclusivity – but it labels those who disagree as having a phobia or being hateful.  There is an increasingly common world-view that says there is no such thing as ‘wrong’ – just don’t do wrong to me.

These, and many other philosophies, are based on purely human ways of thinking.  While there may be an appearance of wisdom or even an element of truth within the initial premise, the conclusions are inconsistent and the implications are unsustainable.  Most of these philosophies are based on human ways of thinking or on the basic principles of this world.  As such, the popular views of culture fall far short of the principles of heaven.  Yet, the believer can be influenced by the current trends of thought.

However, as we’ve been reading in Colossians, the Believer is in Christ.  We have been rescued from the dominion of darkness (Col 1.13) where we were once alienated but have now been reconciled (Col 1.21-22).  Jesus is the supreme authority and he is ‘in’ every Believer (Col 1.27).  As such, we have access to fullness of God in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority (Col 2.10).  Through this relationship with Jesus we have died to the basic principles of this world (Col 2.20) and they no longer have mastery over us.