FAITH-FILLED DEFIANCE
Genesis 23 tells us that Abraham bought a grave. That was
the only piece of the
Promised Land that he got and he had to pay for it. More than 1,500 years later Jeremiah
bought a piece of land in the face of foreign invasion. What these two men did were
acts of holy and faith-filled defiance. They looked steadily at the physical and political
situations, recognizing them for what they were (harsh realities) and they still
claimed that what God had promised he would fulfill. Abraham’s tomb said he
would inherit the land and Jeremiah’s purchase prior to exile said he would be
restored to it. Holy, trusting defiance—that’s what it was!
Promised Land that he got and he had to pay for it. More than 1,500 years later Jeremiah
bought a piece of land in the face of foreign invasion. What these two men did were
acts of holy and faith-filled defiance. They looked steadily at the physical and political
situations, recognizing them for what they were (harsh realities) and they still
claimed that what God had promised he would fulfill. Abraham’s tomb said he
would inherit the land and Jeremiah’s purchase prior to exile said he would be
restored to it. Holy, trusting defiance—that’s what it was!
I
suppose there are two ways to defy the world. One is to run from it, to refuse
to be
part of it except to the degree that we can’t avoid it. We see that anti-culture approach
in a number of religious communities. It is possible, I suppose, to eat without rejoicing,
associate without nurturing friendship, cooperate but avoid love, and so on. If you don’t
love you won’t feel the loss, if you keep free of commitments you won’t suffer
disappointment and if you keep life at arm’s length then the grave won’t seem so bad.
Aside from the fact that this is anti-life, it’s a denial of the faith based on the Hebrew-Christian
scriptures. To deny the harsh realities of existence is a fool’s game but to deny the joys and
pleasures of life is crass nonsense.
part of it except to the degree that we can’t avoid it. We see that anti-culture approach
in a number of religious communities. It is possible, I suppose, to eat without rejoicing,
associate without nurturing friendship, cooperate but avoid love, and so on. If you don’t
love you won’t feel the loss, if you keep free of commitments you won’t suffer
disappointment and if you keep life at arm’s length then the grave won’t seem so bad.
Aside from the fact that this is anti-life, it’s a denial of the faith based on the Hebrew-Christian
scriptures. To deny the harsh realities of existence is a fool’s game but to deny the joys and
pleasures of life is crass nonsense.
When the Christian embraces all of life—in particular its joys and pleasures—it
doesn’t mean she doesn’t recognize their limits. A sandcastle is a sandcastle and
isn’t meant to stand for centuries—but it’s to be enjoyed just the same. In fact, it is a
sandcastle precisely because we are able to rejoice in sandcastles for the moment. If
it’s wrecked, the children often laugh and build another one. No serious loss has
been sustained and we can experience the pleasure of rebuilding all over again. A
castle of stone and iron wouldn’t work on the beach when a family has a few hours
together away from work and pressures and tough agendas. Much of life’s like that
and is supposed to be like that. To ask too much from what is designed to offer less
is to create disappointment for yourself and, maybe worse, the foolishness might
generate cynicism and sourness with life in general. We can’t expect health to last
forever—not in the present phase of human living anyway.
doesn’t mean she doesn’t recognize their limits. A sandcastle is a sandcastle and
isn’t meant to stand for centuries—but it’s to be enjoyed just the same. In fact, it is a
sandcastle precisely because we are able to rejoice in sandcastles for the moment. If
it’s wrecked, the children often laugh and build another one. No serious loss has
been sustained and we can experience the pleasure of rebuilding all over again. A
castle of stone and iron wouldn’t work on the beach when a family has a few hours
together away from work and pressures and tough agendas. Much of life’s like that
and is supposed to be like that. To ask too much from what is designed to offer less
is to create disappointment for yourself and, maybe worse, the foolishness might
generate cynicism and sourness with life in general. We can’t expect health to last
forever—not in the present phase of human living anyway.
Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com