2024-07-20 A Meditation on a Moving Target

“12 I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:1-10 ESV)

The moving target, the daring high hope, the way unto clear sailing, is Mercy triumphs over Judgment. It is somehow to emote clarity of situ, of situation and of faultlines. We are at fault, but no unfinished business around some eventual holier estate. We are also Aware: good habits endear themselves to us; thank you, so-and-so, for sharing the Motive unto Discipleship.

However, that is not per se a Christian mantra or mission. The Christian has a whole-body and entire-soul Vision of a pinch, a dastardly compromise, a regrettable allure, unto that Whole Picture of so-called purified life. Life together. Life alone. Life in all habits and we, what can we say except that to the unconverted anything we might gesticulate about or mention, does ring alarm bells of Convenient Thinking, of Excuses, of License to Sensuality.

Sensuality of the entire Moral Framework, the good vibes, the hideouts where we nurse at compromised breast, the reassurances unto all that scares us, to have our self-gratifying circular repetitive thoughts licensed to abide near us a bit longer, into the long night and through the long day. We cower, so we hide. We abjure from the Times and Missions, so we make excuses. We daydream, so we live in false pretenses.

Bare-boned spirituality, then, is no sensual Honorarium of the Most High, but is a nursing pillow and repose Sanctioned, Licensed, Regarded most Highly by those assembled. We nurse at a different bosom, and all this by way of introducing the Moving Target of plain not malaise-ridden, not lugubrious or heavily dreamy, but a stark iron-sharpening-iron Modicum called Release. Called sanctioned wide latitude unto the purpose of blessing All that Man, Woman, endeavors upon, as now Forgiven and now Stark, Dry Bones, Desiccated corpse in fact of One whom we know to be absent and Risen. The Joy is in all things coming together, the clear sailing of those newsome Climes that embody Man’s, Woman’s plain Ability unto Joy, Ability unto Healthsome friendships, Ability unto matter-of-fact Shriven nursing at a plain needful not indulgent breast.

Are you This Day Aware: that to leave off a few things for so-called tomorrow, is to miss each and every one’s priestly calling, that no License is Spoken but rather a Joy is Spoken, a Reality is Wished Into Existence, called something Better than those ill-imaginings that can ask for greater space to affect us. We are unaffected, noting of all that titillates, of all that tempts, and for this fact we are the better off: because life is more sinful than merely imagery of a fallen nature or sensuality of an uncontrolled plethora, but is sinful in the prides and boasts, in the resentments and lack of generosity, in the retreat and withdrawal in all name of “Avoiding the Situation that Tempts”. We are called to live in healthsome community, no longer jealous because in fact all live lives of paucity and composure. Yet what ideas do foment: these we can repent of, while also knowing that in a better tomorrow nothing is forbidden if it is sanctified by the end of temptation and end of fallen Man’s, Woman’s, lusts.