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Friday, February 18, 2005
There's a line in "The Lion King 1 and 1/2" where Rafiki says something very thought provoking, and Timon nods and Pumbaa and says, "Check out the monkey gettin' all existential on us."
Well, today, in a very Rafiki-like manner, I think I'm gonna get a little existential on 'us.'
Have you ever just been strolling through life felt like there should be MORE?
I dunno.
More than just getting up every day and getting ready for work or school?
Or when you get to work or school, that there should be MORE to each class?
Or maybe that your friendships should be MORE authentic and transparent?
Or that your conversations should have MORE depth?
Or that your extracurricular activities should involve MORE passion?
Or that your relationship with your parents should involve MORE?
MORE to your passion?
MORE to your excitement level?
MORE than just the day-in, day-out, nose to the grindstone, pick yourself up by your own bootstraps, it's not what you know but who you know, workin' for The Man every night and day, kind of life?
I feel that way sometimes.
In fact, plenty of authors have written about it. One even said that the biggest crime against mankind is not that we live so wickedly, but rather than we live so inanely (look it up, don't just read it and move on if you don't know what it means, silly).
And it's a common feeling. When we're in bed at night, alone with our selves and our thoughts and we have the covers pulled up to our chins and we're sitting there knowing that we shouldn't...
...settle...
for an anemic, insipid (look them both up, don't just read them and move on if you don't know what they mean, silly)...
...life.
But we do.
And that's why I love Paul's prayer for us in Ephesians 3: 14ff, "For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according the the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through the Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being grounded in love..."
(I'll pick up with the rest of the verses tomorrow)
Paul knew that we get all existential on ourselves.
And he prayed to our Father. And since we all have the same father, we are to live in a "family." Part of our MORE is being part of a family. It's more than a community...it's being a part of a tribe that loves each other, cares for each other and, even with all it's disfunction and weirdness and all that, looks out of the well being of each member. It's supposed to be deep, and life affecting and challenging. Even when it hurts.
And then he prayes that we would be strengthened with power (Greek: dunamis--read yesterday's entry) through the Spirit in the inner man. This means that deep down in our bones, we are to experience the Holy Spirit and His leading of us. I wonder what would happen if the Christian community had this prayer answered on a wide-scale. I wonder what would happen to my life if I had this prayer answered on a personal scale. I imagine it would look a lot like Galatians 5: 22 (look it up if you don't know it off hand, don't just read it and move on, silly). And that experience wouldn't leave you wanting more I don't think.
Finally, the result would be LOVE. For God and for others...and that's the key to the deeper, more meaningful life.
So, for today, how is your experience with your "family?" Are you being honest and transparent in your relationships? How is your experience with the Holy Spirit? What does that 'look' like? How can you improve that? Finally, how is your 'love' life? Do you truly love people--saved and unsaved--and want what's best for them with a sacrificial love which often surpasses understanding?
I know it's gettin' all existential on us...
...but a few comments to sort through it might help us all as we're on our journey.
Happy weekend, ever' body!
Brent 4:43 AM
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