I am very grateful that Torrence was asked to preach, and furthermore that he obliged.
What I heard from that "deep" question ("Do you want to get well?") is the underlying question "Are you willing to commit yourself to doing what it takes to get well?" I can unequivocally, without hesitation, say "Yes, I want to get well"; if I have my long-term well-being in mind, then no matter what the short-term cost is, I should not respond in any other way. But the commitment... the daily grind of choosing, again and again, to do healthy things, to "go and sin no more".
But how does one "sin no more"? It is an impossible task. We will stop sinning when our fleshly shells no longer host the eternal spirit within. Right? Or am I getting that all wrong? Sure, we may sin less and less (I think that is the goal). So, I want to ask "Is such-n-such an action/commitment/goal good enough?" That is also an impossible question. Good enough for what? It's not like you can say "well, if you have 6 quiet times a week and pray 12 times a week, you will be living well, but anything less will be living poorly".
What am I looking for? Surely, no formulaic response. In the words of Bono "I haven't found what I am looking for". I do not know if it is an American thing, or a Champaign thing, or perhaps a human thing, but we are very reward-driven. We want tangible acknowledgement for doing a specified amount of work. We want measurables. I get the impression that this approach is all wrong in a spiritual sense. A flower does not sprout its stalk above the fertile soil and spreads it petals merely for the rewards of being able to bask in the warm glow of the sun. Rather, that is how it grows, how it photosynthesizes the nutrients that flow from the soil below. Is our mindset, our outlook, supposed to be simplified like that?
I know I am guilty of making it much more complex. I am guilty of wanting achievement rewards, wanting to know what level Christian I am. I want to know what goal I must commit to so I can check off the box that says "I am well". Guess its going to be a long time coming. Is there a "n/a" box? =)
Printer-friendly version
Send to friend
Comments
Amen! =) I am very
Amen! =)
I am very grateful that Torrence was asked to preach, and furthermore that he obliged.
What I heard from that "deep" question ("Do you want to get well?") is the underlying question "Are you willing to commit yourself to doing what it takes to get well?" I can unequivocally, without hesitation, say "Yes, I want to get well"; if I have my long-term well-being in mind, then no matter what the short-term cost is, I should not respond in any other way. But the commitment... the daily grind of choosing, again and again, to do healthy things, to "go and sin no more".
But how does one "sin no more"? It is an impossible task. We will stop sinning when our fleshly shells no longer host the eternal spirit within. Right? Or am I getting that all wrong? Sure, we may sin less and less (I think that is the goal). So, I want to ask "Is such-n-such an action/commitment/goal good enough?" That is also an impossible question. Good enough for what? It's not like you can say "well, if you have 6 quiet times a week and pray 12 times a week, you will be living well, but anything less will be living poorly".
What am I looking for? Surely, no formulaic response. In the words of Bono "I haven't found what I am looking for". I do not know if it is an American thing, or a Champaign thing, or perhaps a human thing, but we are very reward-driven. We want tangible acknowledgement for doing a specified amount of work. We want measurables. I get the impression that this approach is all wrong in a spiritual sense. A flower does not sprout its stalk above the fertile soil and spreads it petals merely for the rewards of being able to bask in the warm glow of the sun. Rather, that is how it grows, how it photosynthesizes the nutrients that flow from the soil below. Is our mindset, our outlook, supposed to be simplified like that?
I know I am guilty of making it much more complex. I am guilty of wanting achievement rewards, wanting to know what level Christian I am. I want to know what goal I must commit to so I can check off the box that says "I am well". Guess its going to be a long time coming. Is there a "n/a" box? =)
Post new comment