2023-06-08 A Meditation on Emergent Witness

“20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”” (Mk 9:20–29 ESV)

There is a bit of a game: to put forth a strong showing, we point to another. We reckon concretely with every avenue forward that feels on impermanent or shaky ground. Like flares into the night we address ourselves in the good Name of Another. We point to a Jesus or God, to a Spirit, to Man or Woman outside of ourselves. We thereby heal and strengthen infirm joints, sad self-doubts, areas vulnerable and trodden upon. We are stronger in that venture forward. We are equipped, reconnoitering in some Emergent Phenomenon, Group-Mind, Corporate Responsibility, Family Vision, Sum-Greater-Than-Its-Parts.

The therapeutic couch is therefore no concession if we drop in upon it, but a strong place, strong for the coaching, strong for release unto the world of the one coached and built up, whose self-doubts are neatly and kindly healed, who no longer speaks in halting tongue but knows safe haven for self-expression; and in this self-awareness can bend the attack of the doubter and the scoffer: whose stand is permanence; whose presence is fight; whose will is Together with that One On High. This will is Discovered and Gift, Hidden Reality, Stark Composure, Plain Determination, Certain Game, Absolute Purpose.

To bless our areas of need, our areas bombed over, the result of an enemy’s dry runs, the daily onslaught; we hasten and keep pace by attributing the work of Another. We are in that blanket zero investment zone of a Grace wrestler, letting blow after blow find no purchase because of our zero reliance on the Law. Each blow glances off in one direction or another, finding no give, no reaction, no totem, no idolized self-righteousness.

The result is to live on, despite curses levied our way. Despite being a bit too clever, a bit too sharp and stark, to live on. We have a life beyond this one. We have a personal Calm and Presence, a ministry of our own void discovered, into which void gravitates all pain and sense of hurtful judgment. We have died and our life is hid with God. We are no longer needy, no longer addicted, no longer impermanent, but today are a vast canvas for corporate artistry. And we have divine protection, because in an earthly instant our utility is spent, our time is up, our judgment is nigh. Yet we soldier on, because God makes us in some nice sense inoffensive. He makes us fighters none the less hid from reproach and capable of that peace loving name of “Christian”. Our reputation, a little too meek for some, nonetheless precedes us. Our compassion for the crowd distinguishes us, the importance of a shared laugh or unintrusive concern. We are not onerous or looming as a ghost, but loom as a reminder of how all of us shall emerge from future judgment: blessed, encouraged, calm, service-minded, willing, and able.