Author: Wick

When I was younger, my world revolved around me.  When I wasn’t allowed to do something, my focus was on how it impacted me.  When any “event” occurred, my first thought was generally how the chain of happenings will link to me.  I’ll confess, sometimes that still happens.  When I experience bad customer service.  When I’m hungry.  When an important hockey game is on.  But I’m praying, and I’m married….two things that seem to help.

Last week I flew to Atlanta, Georgia to spend some time with other youth workers from our denomination.  On the plane, I attempted to distract myself in conversation with those around me.  Out of the 4 flights (2 there and 2 back), I managed to engage at least 2 worthwhile relational endeavors.  For the other 2 flights, I was left to my own thoughts.

My thoughts ranged from the book I was reading, to the experience of our flight going down after colliding with a flock of geese.  But the interesting thing about the thoughts of our plane crashing?  My mind wasn’t thinking about how my body would respond to a crash.  I wasn’t worried about the lack of oxygen, or the pain and spilled blood.  My first thoughts were of my family back home, and praying they never have to experience that type of loss.

In his first chapter of “Sacred Marriage”, Gary Thomas quotes C.S. Lewis from “The Screwtape Letters”:

(a demon speaking about humans)”…They regard the intention of loyalty to a partnership for mutual help, for the preservation of chastity, and for the transmission of life, as something lower than a storm of emotion.”

The premise of Thomas’ book is “What if God designed marriage to make us Holy more than to make us happy?”  I’d have to say, it’s a great reminder.  Especially in talking recently about renewing how I accept my wife as a gift from God. To accept her as someone God has given me to be my “helper” not just in life, but in my walk with Him.

Marriage moves us toward the “other”, compelling us and challenging us to go outside ourselves.  Teaches us the greater value of letting go of “self”.  To have, and to seek “romance” (and not just “eros”, but all of the emotionally charged, image-rich experiences of “lovey-dovey-ness”) in a marriage isn’t inherently a bad thing, but it becomes more healthy/beautiful as it is pursued for the other, and not for myself.  Which is echoed tremendously in our experiences with God.  To desire a whimsical, emotionally-charged experience of the divine is not an evil hunger…but that desire springs not from a thrill-seeking selfish-ambition.  It springs from a desire to worship and serve the God who has created all, has made covenant to restore and make all things new, and has sent His Spirit to move among us – already beginning that process.

I thank God for my wife, and for all our marriage has done/is doing/will do….for our walk with God, how our children walk with God, and generations to follow…

There are movements beginning all over the world. Movements that are using media, sound bytes, colors, drama, dancing, rock music, rap music, opera, polka, punk, ska, reggae, choir, and even Hymns. They are using food, movies, flashing lights, smoke machines, candles, incense, meditation. There are ministries for smokers, drinkers, hookers, homeless, gamblers, and your average Joes. Sometimes the church will launch a new ministry, and when our attendance increases, we’ll pat ourselves on the back. May we remember, this didn’t start with us…this didn’t even start with St. Patrick, though he did a great job of utilizing it.

Jesus Christ walked the earth until his 30’s. He lived among the people. He got to know them, and understood their language and their culture. He laughed with their joys, and he cried with their pains. So maybe this started with Jesus Christ? That’s where I thought I’d go with this.

But the truth is…this all started with God the creator.

He created something out of dust, and breathed life into it. He loved it, because it came from him. God wanted to show love, and minister to this creation. And so He created a partner for it…woman. They had been given a garden. Full of beauty meant to affect the senses. Sounds of life, living creatures. Visual affects of flowers, amazing animals with colors so gorgeous. Fruits so delicious, sounds so harmonious, sights so beautiful, soft grasses, communion with a living God. Everything about this was designed for mankind to worship God through.

I close with the end of a prayer known as St. Patrick’s “Breastplate” Prayer:

The people of Ireland were what England considered “barbarians”. Up to this date, every missionary effort was not only to Christianize a region, but to civilize as well. To spread not only a Christian mind set, but a culture that was similar to those who were witnessing. But this land…the language was not known. The cultures were not understood. They could not risk sending someone here. But Patrick had lived here among them. He knew their language, he knew their cultures, he knew the people, and he loved them. With these things, he and a small entourage set out to love the people of Ireland.

Through writings that we have from Patrick during his time of ministry in Ireland, we learn things about him. A quote from Thomas Cahill observes that:
“His love for his adopted people shines through his writings, and it is not just a generalized “Christian” benevolence, but a love for individuals as they are….He worries constantly for his people, not just for their spiritual but for their physical welfare…Patrick has become an Irishman.”

It is said that when Patrick spoke to these “pre-Christians”, he spoke with sufficient dynamism to engage the Celtic people who were used to eloquent speakers and splendid storytellers. Patrick’s results suggest that he competed effectively with their indigenous communicators.

The church today has the same call that Patrick felt, when he left “his comfort zone”, and went to a people who needed God’s love. He went among them. Learned their culture, learned their needs, and learned how God loves them.

Reading through this story of Patrick, and even the details of the rest of his life, there are many things for us to learn. But I want to focus on the 3 changes that occurred in Patrick that led to his ministry in Ireland.

First – Patrick got to know God. He didn’t spend hours reading theological journals, he didn’t even have a Bible, and he wasn’t reading Holiness Today. These are all good ways to know about God, and to know God some…but Patrick spent time in the natural revelation of God. He was able to look at the world, the way everything was designed, and see God revealing himself through colors, movement, and life. He spent time listening and watching, and knowing this God.

Second – Patrick came to know the people of Ireland. Through his time in Ireland, Patrick learned their language, their culture. He learned what needs they had as a people, and how they went about fulfilling them. He knew names. He was looked on as an honorable servant, and became trusted among the people he lived with.

Third – Patrick grew to love his captors. These people he lived with. This is something that didn’t begin with his desire to “sell God” to these people, to reap whatever rewards he would receive in Heaven. This came from the desire of Love. As Patrick knew God closer and closer, and as he grew to know the people of Ireland, He developed a God-love for these people. He began to hope and pray for the day they would be saved.

Come back tomorrow for a few final thoughts…