2023-06-23 A Meditation on Undisciplined

“35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”” (Mk 4:35–41 ESV)

The scariest times a church faces are when what to one person are the bedrock, the non-negotiables, become to another the source of the problem. They become to another something to negotiate, to undo, to reverse. So, plumbing the depths, watchfully, we may have taken certain things as granted and today wish to say thanks: the patient wrestling with what comes to all of us so easily, so out of nowhere, so persistently even though long absent: temptation, concupiscence, a little confusion as to what Grace spells out activity-wise. Unashamed, we are progressive and liberal to stare down “Law”, yet to be those who are picky and particular: no lust, please. As for this “Christian” I shall be a traditionalist. As for this agent of “Grace” I shall put front and center the need for repentance, as my Gospel: not any “liberated” actions. My favorite thing—our favorite thing—is the warmth of being recalled, remembered back into the frame of things, called forth, inducted.

So out of a veritable miasma of temptation, we say “No” quite boldly and at the very least do not let that contrary attitude rule our outlay and our purpose in this life. That is, we are startled and then grateful to God for the long seasons of wonkish innocence and child-like play, prayer together with our fellows and gals minus heavyset concupiscence; a faith that curtains are drawn and stagecraft is underway, salvifically minus that false though near notion of Heaven as something physical. That is, Heaven as we understand it is with us today because of a heightened dialog, a passionate exchange, an indulgence of the charisms and glad-tiding-bearing personae.

“Talk us through the storm,” we say! Jesus talked His disciples through many-a storm. And if there is a special “dispensation” (for those who know what dispensationalism is) wherein “oh yeah” we regress to a pre-civilized state, where we find ourselves “in the flesh”, we do not lose heart only make certain that our confession includes all ways we are blinded and dazed, frazzled, consternated, by a Heaven so in-your-face as to be occasion to bring it all before God in confession. That is, we are titillated and excited by Grace spent in our name. Grace that heals. Grace that delights. Grace that energizes. Grace that soothes. All this is the proper role of the fighter, the cage-fighter and soldier, who knows the tempest and knows the cherished innocence of our friend “the Christian”. Not all at all times are rightly penitential, but all have a Today inviting their membership, regardless of “last night” or “an hour ago”. This is no torment nor false promise, but “All are welcome” and some are blindingly gifted with genuine Message and Communicado regarding what the Spirit is getting up to in this our era.