Monday, December 17, 2007

Mary's melody: a revolutionary hope VI

But there is good news. We can join God’s revolution. Not a revolution of burning torches and raised fists and the angry noise of guns and gripes. A revolution of humility; a revolution of trust, like Mary, that God will raise the lowly, so I don’t need to climb to the top. A revolution that would rather than die than kill. A revolution in which we throw away fear of loss, fear of failure, fear of missing out and falling behind, because we’re too busy fearing God. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

For we who are rich, there is good news. We can join God’s revolution. We don’t need to end up so full of ourselves that we are sent away empty. We can join God’s upside down revolutionary society. However, it will cost us everything: our pride, our dreams, our wealth and security, our very selves. If you think it is possible to be a Christian and not have your life turned upside down, you haven’t understood Mary yet. No more being impressed by money, status, power, education, beauty. No more seeing life as a competition in which we must win so others must lose. No more hoarding wealth to impress our buddies, to live the good life, or just to be on the safe side.

How do we sign up? By fearing God. By admitting that I am a nothing: that however wealthy I think I am, I am bankrupt without God's grace; that however clever you think you are, you are a fool apart from God's wisdom; that however powerful we might be, we can do nothing without God's Spirit. When we recognise our poverty, our humiliation, our hunger for God, then he will have mercy on us.
Fifteen points for the naming the Sydney suburb.
Series: I; II; III; IV; V; VI; VII.

5 comments:

Jonathan said...

What a nice (and appropriate) pic!

Anonymous said...

I'll take a stab at where the pic is - It's not in Glebe is it?

byron smith said...

Jonathan - thanks.

And geoff, you're absolutely correct. I hadn't yet offered any points (and was thinking I probably wouldn't, since I thought it might be too hard), but I'm going to give you fifteen for that effort. Well done!

Anonymous said...

Sweet! my first guess too!

I used to take the kiddies I look after in Redfern down there quite a bit to play in the park.

byron smith said...

It's a nice area - just a ten minute walk away from our place.