Following God in life

 The hard part of following God in our daily lives is that we can easily be confounded and attracted away to things that look to be more pleasant or at least seem to be more invigorating. We have a certain amount of freedom in our lives and we utilise that freedom for ourselves rather than for the other (Gal. 5:13). In doing so we make for ourselves what we believe is a comfortable and affordable life but is it? In the Galatians letter Paul has pointed out a number of things that undermine the normality of life, as lived then, and indeed undermines the normality of life as we live it now. Our culture is one that favours the instantaneous availability of anything we want if we can purchase or secure it for our own self indulgence. Yet, God calls us in love to become part of a community that shows love to the world not for the benefit of ourselves but for the benefit those who are less than ourselves through poverty, lack of shelter, lack of peace, lack of love, etc.

We all would like what is best for ourselves. Just look at those wishing to become disciples of Christ in Luke's gospel (9:57-62). Each person has a selfish need to complete or undertake first, before they are willing to follow Christ. In each case Christ responds with what appears to be a hardship for the enquirer to first understand and give up before they take up the discipleship. First it is comfort, second it is familial obligations in society and the third is one's attachment to that same family. If we think of the fluidity of society around us it is like seeking an anchor to prevent us from growing and finding Christ ahead of us leading us along forgotten paths and new views in the journey of life. What we believe is a vital part of our lives in the fluidity of the world around us becomes an anchor in the call Christ gives to us to become disciples. We are asked not to look back but forward into the new things that God's call brings to us rather than the creaturely comforts of the past.  Yes, it is often good to have a place of stability but this need not be a singular place, as it often is, as we cling to our historical roots.

Spencer's painting from the series of Christ in the Wilderness held by the WA Art gallery

Elijah knew that his time was at an end but he did not lay his head down and stop but went out to meet the Lord. Elisha followed not allowing himself to be rooted in the various communities that they walked through (2 Kings 2:6-14). In doing so he discovered a new path and new understanding of God's presence. The roots that we put down are the roots that God feeds through into our lives even more so in this day of continual upheaval and change. Change comes in every age it is only faster in our present because of our technological understanding that outstrips our own lives. Yet, if change is becoming faster and we wish to have roots then we must form them in such a manner that enables us to keep our faith firm in an ever changing world. This should not mean rooting and being unable to move but rather rooting in a movable feast to allow us to grow and minister to those who are travelling the road with us. This means that our roots should be embedded in communities that are open to changing circumstances that welcome Christ's presence and leading into a new and wonder filled future.

Christ's call asks us not to be weighted down by the baggage of our own making. In the Lukan story all of the things that the would be disciples are challenged with are of their own or society's making. We all like the comfort that we create in our lives but Christ's call is into discomfort away from the things that prevent us from changing. Familial obligations and our ties to existing members are often the strongest that we have, yet, in repurposing those ties in a manner that loves the other allows us to move into the unknown that God calls us to. This is difficult especially for close kit families and yet when those that are called away go they take the values of that love with them without abandoning the love. It creates something new rather than stagnating and being held back. How extraordinarily difficult is it to leave family and friends to find new opportunities elsewhere? Yet when people do so they do not lose family but gain a greater community as fresh roots are put down that encourages growth. The same occurs but more so when we move with God's calling into a new future where new roots and growth can take place. We must abandon ourselves to God's call even if it brings the disruption of comfort and tradition.