What did you think of 2020?
I was looking at our last newsletter which went out in January 2020. After describing how he had visited quite a few African countries for NetACT in 2019, one of the lines was “Fraser’s hoping not to travel so much in 2020” – a hope that certainly came true but not in the way he expected. At times in 2020 we weren’t allowed to visit our church in Wellington, never mind cross international borders. Throughout most of my life, but especially since going overseas for God, the phrase that Christians are “foreigners and strangers on earth” (Hebrews 11:13 NIV) has resonated. When you’re a foreigner and a wanderer wherever you happen to be living (whether that’s your passport country or far away), when you’re never quite marching to the same drumbeat as everyone else, you learn what’s important, what or who can be relied upon in any circumstances, the things that will last. It’s people that matter; relationships, love. The wealthy may have gone through lockdown in more comfort but their money couldn’t take away the fear of the disease or the pain of being separated from loved ones.
I have learned from experience that wherever I am, “nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39).
In 2020 the structures that many people relied on were taken away. A structure has to be built on solid foundations if it is to survive. Once every child was familiar with Jesus’ story of the man who built his house upon a rock. This man took the time to dig good foundations and to make sure his building would be able to withstand whatever was thrown at it. Another man was impatient. He wanted to do things his way and get his house built fast and easily. He didn’t see the need for foundations, advice nor a solid base, but built his house on sandy ground. For a while it looked good but as soon as the storms came his house totally collapsed (Matthew 7:24-27).
When I was an undergraduate reading
English and Classics, I came across a quote which I now have to paraphrase but
it said something like, the surety of your anchor determines how far you can
roam (I think it was from Leslie Stephen, father of Virginia Woolf). When your
anchor is firmly attached to the rock, the stronghold which is Jesus Christ,
then you can roam much further and with more confidence that he will hold you,
then those who feel that the least stress will disconnect and set them adrift.
You don’t have to cling to possessions or rituals, fashions or traditions to
make you feel safe. You don’t have to worry (though you do share the pain of
those who suffer) if the norms of your society are taken away. You don't have to fear death because you are attached to the only one who has experienced and conquered it.
I pray for everyone in whichever country and for whatever reason who feels that their world has collapsed and doesn’t know how life will ever get back to “normal”. I went through covid19 (it took months to recover) so I do not underestimate the impact of the virus but some things are more important than physical health. We are created to be in relationships – with God and each other. One of the most pernicious effects of the reaction to this virus is the way that relationships have been severed. No one should have to die alone when there are friends and family members longing to be there and give comfort. No one should be isolated from human contact through fear. Yes, we need to take precautions - wash hands, sanitise, wear a mask, keep a 1.5 metres apart etc (or whatever the rules are in your country) – but life is more than trying to avoid death by covid19. An inescapable fact of life is that we are all going to die. The most important question is not of what or when that will be, but what will happen afterwards.
One of the many amazing things about
Jesus is that he doesn’t force himself upon us (unlike, I’m sorry to say, many of
his followers). If you choose to live your life without him, in this world you’ll
never “have life to the full” and in the world after death your choice will be
respected and you’ll continue to exist without him. The trouble is that this
will be an existence you will long to have come to an end but it never shall. An
existence without God (Jesus) after death will be an existence without love,
light, happiness, friendship: all the things we enjoy on earth are reflections
of God. Before death he graciously shares them with everyone. After death our
choice to follow Jesus or not will be ratified. There will be no parties in
hell. Only darkness, desolation and selfishness, each individual wanting to
impose his way. Think of the most selfishly run business, the most corrupt and
oppressive country, the greediest and most hateful person you know being in
charge of your life and wanting to make everyone as miserable and full of pain as
he is: that is life after death without God. All the parties going on will be in God's house.
I’ve got a bit carried away from my initial thoughts but let’s end this post with hope.
It’s not the unintelligent and gullible who follow Jesus (I have a degree from Oxford University; Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament letters, was highly educated and extremely intelligent; Peter who wrote other parts of the New Testament was a simple fisherman - God sees through our backgrounds into our hearts). What is needed is an open mind. How open is yours to all ideas except the consideration of what the Bible actually says? Isn’t it a bit odd if everything, all other religions and philosophies are worthy of respectful consideration except what Jesus says in the Bible? Ask yourself why that’s the case. Are you scared you might have to change if you read the Bible for yourself and realise that what it says is true?
Jesus gives us all a chance to build our lives on solid foundations. He doesn’t promise that when we choose him all our problems will disappear and life will be easy. In fact he says the opposite, that his followers should not be surprised by suffering (John 15:20) but he does promise to be with us through everything (Matthew 28:20) and that includes covid19, death, life and lockdown. Jesus offers us life untramelled (John 10:10) and for free (though it doesn't come cheap). Sometimes it's a bit of a rollercoaster but once you accept Jesus' invitation to ride with him you don't regret it; in this world or the next.
