Enjoy!

So the Olympic closing ceremony gave us somehting that one of the commentators described as "like being inside a giant disco" - hardly a profound observation but a fair one.  After the stunning, meaningful, spiritual, political opening ceremony, the closing event, which is, when all is said and done, really the competitors 'after party', had an impossible ask.  I'm glad I watched it, though I found some of the singing pretty cringe-worthy... However, there were a few moments that moved deeper.

I wonder who, other than me who has a chiming clock, noticed that the flame died on the stroke of midnight?  The reshaping of the cauldron into a 'burning bush' and the gentle extinquishing of the light was a profound and beautiful moment.

I loved the Welsh male voice choir singing the Olympic hymn, and all due respect to the LSO who played stalwartly throughout, drowned out as they were by what (to me) was often a cacophony.

The technical aspects were amazing - lighting, camera work, sound, direction, and of course still the volunteers smiled and fulfilled thier roles.

Perhaps for me the most striking element was the montage of photos to the backdrop of John Lennon's "Imagine".  The deep, bitter-sweet irony of imagining a world at one at the end of an event that blatantly celebrates nationalism.  The Lennon Utopian dream of a world with no religion at an event where people of so many religions had competed respectfully - and of course the Saudi women who competed at great personal cost because of their religious devotion.  Imagine a world where everything in the garden is roses... a Utopian dream.  Whilst that is not how I understand the Olympics, or even the Commonwealth Games, which come a tad closer imo, and whilst I my utopia would be different from Lennon's, there is something quite significant about celebrating the sporting achievement of so many of the worlds nations, of people of all races and faiths enjoying themselves together. 

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one,

Perhaps one day you'll join us, and the world will live as one. 

Perhaps? 

Is this not the hope of of the new creation, the new heaven and earth, the telos of history?

Imagine...

Yesterday I undertook a housework marathon - it was long overdue and, much as I dislike housework, I was pleased with my gleaming oven and abnormally tidy surfaces.  It was a beautiful sunny day, but I was happy to spend it indoors, doing the things I had planned to do.

When I mentioned this to someone they said, 'do you really think you'll get to the end of your life and think 'I wish I cleaned my oven more often?'"

The answer of course, is 'no,' but then I don't spend much time oven cleaning anyway (too embarrassing to admit exactly how long it's been since I cleaned an oven; let's just say it coincides with the last time I moved house...).

This conversation reminded me of a conversation a very long time ago with my then next-door neighbour.  They had arranged to meet up with a friend who had cancelled on the grounds that they were - cleaning their oven.   I was shocked and dismayed then, and somewhere I my mind oven-cleaning became the ultimate example of a terrible excuse not see someone.  Probably my former neighbour has long forgotten this incident...

As I pondered all this, I deduced that I would have abandoned my oven cleaning had someone wanted or needed my time, and would certainly not have employed it as an activity to avoid something/someone.  I cannoy imagine I will ever say 'I wish I'd spent more time cleaning my oven," but I don't ever want to be in the situation of saying "if only I had cleaned my oven..."  and I will never, ever, ever use oven cleaning as an excuse to avoid someone!

This via Baptist e-news sweep is interesting.  It sounds to me as if the father, the local church and the judge have been incredibly sensible, sensitive and pastoral in their responses.  However, it did make me wonder what might have been the response had it been a Baptist(ic) church where there is no equivalent to Confirmation, and Baptism is a rite expressing a personal profession of faith.  How does our understanding of Baptism inform our response?  What might you have done had it been a ten year-old in your church...?

Today's PAYG, for the feast of St Lawrence the Deacon, centred on 2 Corinthians 9:6 - 15 in the rather pithy ESV:

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, theywill glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others,while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.  Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

The point is this... no room for arguing then!  You only get out what you put in.  Not exactly rocket science but a useful reminder.  Listeners were invited to consider those areas of their lives in which they sow sparingly - give little time or little effort - and those in which they invest heavily.  This is more than a prompt to increase financial giving, more than an appeal for funds, it is a challenge to look inward and be honest about our priorities and our commitment.  It's not unlike the Galatians epithet 'as you sow, so shall you reap' except that where we are not thinking righteousness vs sin, but instead the 'how much'  and 'how sincere' is our generosity, which ought to arise from the immeasurable generosity of God.

It made me think - to be honest about the things to which I pay lip-service, and those to which I am whole-heartedly committed - whether that be things overtly spiritual, relationships, activities, causes and so on.

The point is this... how much, how often, how good... and why?  Hmmm.