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I’ve just finished reading the book “FlashForward” by Robert Sawyer. It was a good read, and the book has inspired a television show by the same name. I will say that you can enjoy both the book, AND the television show without having too much of the plot revealed. The book is told from the perspective of people for what happened. The television show is from the perspectives of the people trying to figure out what happened. There are other major differences too, but I will let yo discover them.

In both the show and the movie, every person on the planet passes out for a little over 2 minutes. During those minutes, they experience visions of what their life will be like in the future. In the show, it’s almost a year into the future. In the book, it’s over 20 years. A lot of imagination goes into both the book and the show as far as what things may be like…how they become that way, etc.

A large portion of thought/discussion in both the show and book is: Free will. Specifically, is the future everyone saw something that is fixed….or is it something that can be changed?

Another portion of both stories, and a reason I enjoy both and think they’re great catalyst for good thought/discussion/prayer is this: How does seeing a potential future change how we live in the present?

For many of the characters, seeing a potential future does HUGE things to who they are, and how they exist in the present. I think this is a great illustration and encouragement for Christians today.

1. Just KNOWLEDGE of a potential future (i.e. the coming fullness of God’s Kingdom) offers radical transformation and freedom for how we live today. Our perspective, our hope, our goals, etc…can all be changed simply be realizing even a small part of what God has in store.

2. God goes beyond that, and actually has poured our His Spirit. Life-giving, redeeming, transforming, loving, calling forth, etc etc etc…an ACTIVE FORCE.

May we as the Church continue to speak knowledge of God’s more than potential future into the lives and creation around us. May we depend on God’s Spirit to be poured out to begin and continue that future even now…

Chapter 8 of The Holiness Manifesto is “Transformed by Grace: The Beauty of Personal Holiness” by Cheryl Bridges Johns. Johns is a professor of Christian Formation at the Church of God Theological Seminary.

She talks broadly about John Wesley’s approach to a transforming (sanctifying) grace, as well as the types of grace we experience/receive. She then goes on to list and briefly discuss each of the “Instituted” means of grace (those we see in the life of Christ), and the “Prudential” means of grace (fulfilling social and relational aspects of the gospel).

I think she does a great job in each of the means. She discusses prayer in a way that makes you hungry to spend some time in genuine prayer before/with God. She talks about fasting in a way that makes you hungry to experience hunger. She reminds us that Scriptures can be very moving and literary, rather than simply studied. She takes us through Wesley’s appreciation for the Lord’s Supper, and Christian community – including the high emphasis he placed on small groups.

She closes with some more comments on the prudential means of grace, such as charity and mercy. She takes a close look at what occurs when we experience a “crisis” moment in our life, and how it can lead to growth in grace. The way she presents it really challenges the norms of how we handle crisis today. Especially we masculine types.

We’re encouraged to be tough. To be solid. But if we follow Wesley, and many other Christian theologians (including Paul himself – Romans 5:3-5)….to not allow ourselves to fully experience crisis, is to short change a potentially very transforming experience of God. To pretend too quickly that “we’re okay”, or to swallow our emotions so we can live as if we’re “beyond that already”, could be missing an incredible opportunity for our very soul.

May we continue to seek such means of receiving transformational grace….both the ones we look forward to…and the experiences we may not have chosen….God offers to redeem/use both areas…

Today marks the beginning of the Christian New Year (Lectionary Year “C”). No countdown, no ball dropping, no kissing at midnight. Just a simple realization of the Advent season beginning. The quiet lighting of a candle. We’ve spent the previous week saying “Thanks” for the previous year, and here we are beginning the journey together again.

I’d admit…even though I’ve used the “Book of Common Prayer” for personal devotions here and there since college….I’ve not paid much attention to the actual “New Year” for the Church beginning on the first Sunday of Advent.

I like it.

We begin our year in a season of preparing/waiting/anticipating the arrival of Christ. Of course, we are celebrating the original arrival. But we are also collectively living towards the anticipation….”is this the year?” that Christ will return to complete what He has begun? We live from/toward what Christ will bring to completion.

This also marks an important year in the Anderson home. Being parents, and thinking about wanting to have “traditions” in our home that allow what God has done/is doing/will do to be more than just something we talk/sing about..but something we live. This is our first year of doing an “Advent Wreath” at home (where they were always done, traditionally). Looking forward to all that this year of serving Christ as a family offers…both to us…and the Kingdom. 🙂