Finding God In The Ordinary
Finding God in the ordinary! This is the theme we will be exploring through Sanctuary First this month. Please pray for the work of Sanctuary First. We've lost our funding and had to make a member of staff redundant, however we're looking for ways in which we can keep the programme running. In order to solve our immediate problem we will be doing some re-runs of themes. However we're looking at this as an opportunity to be even more creative. Those of you who regularly use the material of Sanctuary First will be hearing from us in the next few days. We hope to be able to explain how we are going to tackle this change of circumstance.
Anyway, back to our theme for the month. I like this theme. Its not the first time I've written about it, nor do I expect it to be the last. When it comes to thinking about spiritual things too often we miss the point because we're trying to find the esoteric, or the hidden meaning. Too often we're looking for an extra ordinary sign or miracle from God to help us believe. The thing is, it seldom happens that way. God is discovered in the ordinary everyday things of life. Jesus used the every day household diet of bread and wine to describe his presence. He took the ordinary and turned it into an extra-ordinary symbol of his presence.
The important thing to understand about God in the ordinary is that it often involves struggle and a great deal of soul searching and no doubt even a crisis of faith. It is as we live our lives through difficult situations, be it unemployment or a moral dilemma that we come to recognise where God is to be found.
I think we need to understand that having faith brings with it many unsolved questions. Reading Philip Yancey's book "Reaching for the Invisible God" I was impressed with his chapter entitled " Mystery of the Ordinary" In this chapter he quotes the 18th American Century Quaker Trueblood, " If a man wishes to avoid the disturbing affects of paradoxes, the best advice is for him to leave the Christian faith alone." In other words if your not up for living with holy tension don't begin to follow Jesus. He continually asks us to do the impossible. To love our enemies, to turn the other check. He tells us we have to follow him, then he says, but you didn't choose me, I chose you. Yes sometimes its confusing, and there is an intellectual struggling with faith as much as there is a moral struggle. Yet we find ourselves drawn into the life and love of Jesus of Nazareth and in the words of Luther we end up saying ' Here I stand I can do no other" If if i'm frustrated, even if its difficult, even if I don't seem to fit into my church at the moment. The dye is cast. I guess its summed up for me in the words of a Bob Dylan song " I'm Pressing On" Its as we press on through the ordinary we discover there is no ordinary, what was our ordinary, was also our pathway into the Kingdom. have a listen to Regina MCrary's version of this song. Its absolutely inspiring. When she tells her story , it puts this song into context.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se4YBi07cWw&feature=related[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwaUJadCVsU[/youtube]
I came across this quote by Reinhold Neibuhr, " nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime: therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing which is true or beautiful or good, makes complete sense in any immediate context of history: therefore we must be saved by grace. Nothing we do however virtuous can be accomplished alone: therefore we must be saved by love." Now there is an interesting idea! Is it not out of the bounty of God's grace that we are saved. So lets just keep pressing on with faith, hope and love in our hearts living through the ordinary times.
Posted By: italker On: 13 Jan 2012 At: 9:29pm
Hello Louise,
How right you are. I took this pic, one day a year or two ago after the Mother and Toddlers’ Group. Its amazing how children can get us to see the fun and enjoyment in doing ordinary tasks. Its also important to learn from those who wish they could do the things they wince did and can’t. I was speaking to a lady this week who would dearly love to be out doing her shopping but alas she can’t because of ill health.