“There is nothing new except what has been forgotten.” Marie Antoinette
So here is a new message: God has a plan for us and God loves us. No, I mean God loves us. We have forgotten much.
Ecclesiastes tells us:
A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.
…
What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun.
But beware! What we fear most is change. “Security is mortal’s chiefest enemy”, Macbeth. We would rather have our present insecurities than fly to ones we know not of, Hamlet echoes.
The day will come when everything changes for us. A good reminder is when we leave the graveyard and one of us remains behind. Now what was I saying about God’s love for us?
“But for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.” (Malachi 4:2)
Here is something to reflect on, something we may have forgotten. Or perhaps it’s new. Jordan Peterson, a Psychology Professor at the University of Toronto, was speaking on Post Modernism and investigating literary and religious themes.
Peterson defined sin by looking at its Greek origins – meaning “to miss the mark”. As an archer aims his arrow, we try to aim our lives in a moral direction. We may miss the mark.
We are familiar with the Adam and Eve story and our loss of Paradise that left us in a life that includes suffering and pain, and eventual death. That is our current state. Look around and see that it is true.
We may dodge this reality by pursuing self gratification and expedient pleasure to counteract the pain of Adam’s curse. This seems to be working. Many are doing it. But are we thinking ahead?
God loves us! In a new way we might understand Christ’s mission and his sacrifice. Great sacrifices will improve the future, Peterson says. We use drama and art to represent our struggle and illustrate our story, Peterson says.
The bible gives us very artistic explanations of how this works. A tree growing beside a stream will never lack for water. That is us if we daily listen to God’s word, Psalm 1:3 tells us.
In another passage Jesus speaks to someone he loves who has been following the Commandments: "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Mark 10:21)
What about storing up all we need in this world and then having a life of ease?“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:20-21)
So how do we prepare for that day when everything will change for us? That day when we will be left behind as they all file out?
Plant your roots by that stream. Seek the God who never tires of loving us, the God of mercy, not justice (Matthew 9:13).
Seek the New Jerusalem where the mountains will drip with sweet wine, the hills will flow with milk, and the streambeds run with water (Joel 4:17-18).
