Matthew under the arm 53
This morning, Columba and got absolutely soaked! So, when the rain finally ceased at about 3 o'clock, we stopped to dry all out kit. The path is now high and we were looking over the dark grey sea, which still had a huge swell. Wonderful sight! 'Go on... take your clothes off!', Columba said. 'But what if someone comes along. What will they think?' 'Do you want to dry your clothes or catch pneumonia?' That reminded me... 'You Columba are known as a holy man!' He laughed. So I stuttered a question. 'If I did catch pneumonia, could you....?' 'Stop right there!', he barked. He was silent for a long time and, after ringing out his sodden vest, then on a muddy patch on the ground, with his stick, he drew a huge fish. Underneath he wrote; 'The Sign of Jonah'. He smiled. That's holiness.....
Matthew 12:38-42….
Insecurity [our common 'dis-ease'] leads to the desire for ‘signs’ – assurances, indications of survival. The seduction and, indeed, addiction to affirmation. Although being affirmative is a fine human quality, no affirmation is finally satisfying. To live for it as such is illusion! Three days in the belly of the whale like Jonah is all the sign Jesus gives. Swallowed, in total darkness... Lost. In parallel to other religious cultures, the ego that hunts constantly for security must ‘die’ in order that the True Self can come to birth that is ‘hid with Christ in God’. But it’s not just dying that is significant, it is HOW we prepare for our dying… so that my dying is a gift to others and it begins now.
I would be attentive to the Spirit’s reconciling and healing of Creation
‘Dying to self’ is, frankly, a tired phrase. ‘Dyings’ in the plural, of which one is my physical death, is better. Because I have not been free enough in heart to die to the hungers of my ego, I add to the damage my environment. ‘It’s my space over against yours.’ So enter into silence that is a 'dying' and wait for a moment. Look over your behaviour recently. In what ways have you wanted to exercise the power of your ego over against others – no matter how subtly? Who do you know personally or in history that has genuinely ‘died’ to the power of the ego for others? What has their life really meant? And your dying….? Is it a contribution to the care and freedom of others and creation?
+Martin
Argyll and The Isles
(I will find it difficult to add a posting for the next few days... But I'll do my best)
Matthew 12:38-42….
Insecurity [our common 'dis-ease'] leads to the desire for ‘signs’ – assurances, indications of survival. The seduction and, indeed, addiction to affirmation. Although being affirmative is a fine human quality, no affirmation is finally satisfying. To live for it as such is illusion! Three days in the belly of the whale like Jonah is all the sign Jesus gives. Swallowed, in total darkness... Lost. In parallel to other religious cultures, the ego that hunts constantly for security must ‘die’ in order that the True Self can come to birth that is ‘hid with Christ in God’. But it’s not just dying that is significant, it is HOW we prepare for our dying… so that my dying is a gift to others and it begins now.
I would be attentive to the Spirit’s reconciling and healing of Creation
‘Dying to self’ is, frankly, a tired phrase. ‘Dyings’ in the plural, of which one is my physical death, is better. Because I have not been free enough in heart to die to the hungers of my ego, I add to the damage my environment. ‘It’s my space over against yours.’ So enter into silence that is a 'dying' and wait for a moment. Look over your behaviour recently. In what ways have you wanted to exercise the power of your ego over against others – no matter how subtly? Who do you know personally or in history that has genuinely ‘died’ to the power of the ego for others? What has their life really meant? And your dying….? Is it a contribution to the care and freedom of others and creation?
+Martin
Argyll and The Isles
(I will find it difficult to add a posting for the next few days... But I'll do my best)
Labels: Dying, The sign of Jonah
posted by Martin at 9:35 am
3 Comments:
The Lord Jesus Christ wanted us to make a positive contribution to His creation. Our ego should be buried in Him; He alone has the power to heal fallen creation.
Mankind, part of that fallen creation, wallowing in his sin filled ego, thinks up a religion. He knows his fallen state, his sin. He looks and sees so many religions, all parallel, all man made. He is confused by these parallel religions none of which meet his need. So, perhaps, he turns to one to ‘become a drop of water in the ocean’.
The leadership of our church, part of that fallen creation, says, ‘there are many ways to Heaven’. The Holy Spirit, sent by Jesus Christ after his ascension, comes to those who humbly trust Jesus to forgive their sins and through Johns writings tells us the words of Jesus. Jesus says (emphatically) I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the father except through me (John 14 v 6). Note well, ‘I’ & ‘the’ emphatically singular. There are many spirits but only God’s Holy Spirit can lead us to be reconciled, healed, forgiven, through Jesus death on the Cross.
I am my ego, if I don't wish to impose it on others then I must live a hermit's life, in isolation. But even that would be imposing my absence...
If a jaded view of life produces a "tired" phrase then ask for the freshness of "dying to self" to be new and alive each day.
Jonah's problem of disobedience was the beginning of a downward spiral towards insecurity,fear and jealousy to name but a few of his problems. And only in submitting to God was he able to be saved but then he still had the "problem" of obedience to deal with. Yes he did what he was asked to do but it was not with a willing heart, so God had to teach him the lesson of submission and obedience the hard way. His ego very definitely got in the way of the job being done efficiently and quickly. And each time we "slip" we have to re learn that same lesson. But! that is not insecurity, it is the "carnal man" trying to usurp that which Christ has planted in us.
So each day "I", "me", "myself" must die so that his Resurrection power might be seen in me.
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