April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
T.S. Eliot begins his famous poem, "The Waste Land," with this ironic definition. April is a time when the renewal of the physical world is heralded by spring flowers and green buds on trees. But it is also a time of spiritual rebirth, when Jesus died for us and rose up to be with God. That is exactly what makes April so cruel to modern people who want to live without any reminders of renewal or rebirth; "we are comfortable enough as we are."
A time of darkness, questioning. Heart troubled and saddened. Shootings by a Korean native at Virginia Tech; 33 dead including the killer. Pangs at heart. Hard to take in, chew, and swallow. What is the point of all that happened? Pointless, meaningless? What was all that about? Self-deception? All made up, day-dreaming? Why should it be so hard for some people to take off chains of their sins? born into a ring of sin and burdened by consequences of their fathers' sins? Black sheep, no one to lean on, the stigma of loneliness.
In between my rambling thoughts, it hits me that all these might look totally different from God's perspective. We mourn over apparently meaningless deaths, cut-off lives, betrayals, cruelties from the perspective of this world. All these painful things remind us that we are not home yet.
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
T.S. Eliot begins his famous poem, "The Waste Land," with this ironic definition. April is a time when the renewal of the physical world is heralded by spring flowers and green buds on trees. But it is also a time of spiritual rebirth, when Jesus died for us and rose up to be with God. That is exactly what makes April so cruel to modern people who want to live without any reminders of renewal or rebirth; "we are comfortable enough as we are."
A time of darkness, questioning. Heart troubled and saddened. Shootings by a Korean native at Virginia Tech; 33 dead including the killer. Pangs at heart. Hard to take in, chew, and swallow. What is the point of all that happened? Pointless, meaningless? What was all that about? Self-deception? All made up, day-dreaming? Why should it be so hard for some people to take off chains of their sins? born into a ring of sin and burdened by consequences of their fathers' sins? Black sheep, no one to lean on, the stigma of loneliness.
In between my rambling thoughts, it hits me that all these might look totally different from God's perspective. We mourn over apparently meaningless deaths, cut-off lives, betrayals, cruelties from the perspective of this world. All these painful things remind us that we are not home yet.
The house of God in us and among us, however, is fractured by our sins. It is falling down on us by our failures.
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When God Calls You
"But as I raved and grew more fierce and wild
At every word,
Methoughts I heard one calling "Child!"
And I replied "My Lord." (George Herbert, "The Collar")
And a rolling thunder. Tires squeaking, and boom! A little boy ran into my car. Thanks to God, he was OK. The police and an ambulance came. The boy was darting to cross the street with his grandpa following him while his grandma was in the car. It happened right after a stop sign, so I was not speeding much. It could have been worse, much worse. But it was close. Only a breath, a step away from a catastrophe. The boy's grandparents, shaky themselves, were nice people and comforted me by giving me a hug. I think they are Christians.
When it happened, surprisingly, it calmed my spirit although my body was shaking. Maybe, it is a wake-up call from God. God's sign that His kingdom is supported by our love and kindness to each other, that Light has been with us all the time even when we are in darkness. Do not numb your mind with dark thoughts. "Look, I'm creating a new thing. Can't you perceive it?"
Waiting in patience, we often forget that God is with us. We think we are carrying our crosses, our burdens on our own when it is Christ that carries them for us. Be humble, and put your hope in God. Listen! God is calling you.
"Child!"
"Yes, my Lord."
-----------------
When God Calls You
"But as I raved and grew more fierce and wild
At every word,
Methoughts I heard one calling "Child!"
And I replied "My Lord." (George Herbert, "The Collar")
And a rolling thunder. Tires squeaking, and boom! A little boy ran into my car. Thanks to God, he was OK. The police and an ambulance came. The boy was darting to cross the street with his grandpa following him while his grandma was in the car. It happened right after a stop sign, so I was not speeding much. It could have been worse, much worse. But it was close. Only a breath, a step away from a catastrophe. The boy's grandparents, shaky themselves, were nice people and comforted me by giving me a hug. I think they are Christians.
When it happened, surprisingly, it calmed my spirit although my body was shaking. Maybe, it is a wake-up call from God. God's sign that His kingdom is supported by our love and kindness to each other, that Light has been with us all the time even when we are in darkness. Do not numb your mind with dark thoughts. "Look, I'm creating a new thing. Can't you perceive it?"
Waiting in patience, we often forget that God is with us. We think we are carrying our crosses, our burdens on our own when it is Christ that carries them for us. Be humble, and put your hope in God. Listen! God is calling you.
"Child!"
"Yes, my Lord."
1 comment:
Seenwha,
You have a compelling way of writing, and your words have spoken to my heart this afternoon. It is easy to forget that God is with us, but I am thankful for his reminders.
Praise the Lord that nothing serious happened. Keep sharing your thoughts.
Mel
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