2023-11-25 A Meditation on Playgrounds of Thought
“5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” 7 Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” 8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” 10 And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” 13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:5–14 ESV)
Playgrounds of the mind, it is a receptive heart and soul that comprehends, that understands balances of power and exchange, understands submission and mandates, orders given, overall arrangements; these things do not come equally to all men and all women. Rather, it is a Christian Spirit who, meaning no harm to their unconverted brother or sister, signs up, honoring the fraternity, the sorority, the fellowship. Who plays in that focal point called Wonder, called God-things in the hands of Man, called giddy delight or stoic laughter. We laugh because we have found that easy burden and that quiet yoke.
Yet to the unreceptive mind, all things beg for paltry degradation. All things beg for flatlined end to the mystery and to the wonder. Instead of a reverent step back or a posture of worship or of submission, is a naked power grab, a fussy belittling, an empty platitude called “Degrade”. Degrade anything worthy in this converted friend or that called partner. Degrade anything holy in this consecrated pointman or that circumscribed pointwoman. Who is endeared unto things Holy. Who is circumscribed and circumcised after a leading role of Man, Woman. Who went the way of worship and prayer. Who went the way of Godliness meets humanity. Who went the way of God-in-Man, God-at-work, God-under-foot. We tread lightly, because we are those called to comprehend, to illuminate, to elucidate, the arrangement, the submission, the Encounter.
On the range before us, therefore, the fields trodden and for today’s march, the sight in a weeping scope or rather in a bold parry, riflery and counterpoint the day’s service, to be counterpoint to the sense of entitlement, the empty platitude that says, “If so-and-so is thus gifted, well I should be thus gifted in parallel”. That says, “show me the Father, and I will rest content; it’s just this… this… this jokester or humbled oxen of a woman or man I cannot brook!”
Enough. On the shooting range is likewise the stupidity—for such denials are stupid—of a cocksure enemy who prances about in exactly the format and formation that will prove to be her or his undoing. Who hasn’t the patience or humility to perform any false-flag or draw or such Intelligent designs. They are too proud to fly under false colors. They are too dismissive of us, their enemy, to be patient and ask after learning. Or, humbled, they do submit to some false-flag learning, and realize it is a Christ-experience after all. We have great confidence in anyone who has met a genuine believer, that just maybe they may hold out a place in their heart for the other side.