Feb 7, 2010 - Responding to God in Complexity

Our lives are rarely easy – most people are often overwhelmed
Responsibilities, plans, bills, maintaining relationships, keeping out of trouble, work tensions, bad habits, fears of medical problems, hauntings from the past, specters on the horizon.  Like in "Just as I Am" many a conflict, many a doubt, Fightings and fears within, without

This is the way of the world.
               the history of ordinary people – not leaders, not cataclysms
In a People's History of the United States, Howard Zinn (recently died) talks about ordinary history
      Like our history  – not fires, or heroic pastors, but ordinary people coming to church for 330 years. 

      Like fishermen up all night facing failure
      even success can destroy us
               miraculous catch can overwhlem
               glory days of GE

God doesn't make it easier
      ‘take up your cross and follow me”  doesn't please us (simon)
        Annoyance at putting out again
        ‘go away’ when confronted with new paradigm
      catch people – probably harder than catching fish


God makes it mean something bigger
      all the fish you can use.  now what
       in the catch they hear the call

Emmylou Harris and Johnny Willis

I hear a call Now will answer
Forsake my all To serve another
Though darkness falls Stay a believer
I hear a call Now will I answer

I see a light Now will I follow
Fill up this life That grows more hollow
Make joy reside  Where there lives sorrow
I see a light  Now will I follow

fiddler on the roof  (perchik)
now i have everything,
not only everything,
i have a little bit more
besides having everything,
i know what everything's for. 

when we hear God's call, when we get a bigger, more noble vision, there is
•    no complexity that overwhelms us.
•    no health care morass discourages us
•    no visa bill can dishearten us
•    no tiredness can dispirit us


In our own lives...threat of being overwhelmed by God's holiness is very real and serious.  There is a temptation to stay in the shallows, where it is safe, where we can see the bottom but we're called like Peter out to the depths where the big fish of many varieties swim out of sight, where danger lurks but blessings abound.

Our Dutch founders didn’t stay in the shallows.  They set out on a great and challenging adventure that made where we are today.  We are also called to set out into the complex deep.

 We are called to the depths of ourselves, the depths of the world, the depths of others, real lives, real relationships.  Jesus new disciples leave their old lives to catch people--a life much more complicated, unpredictable, confusing, overwhelming than the old life of catching fish.  Not luring them in, hook line and sinker, but casting our nets of the great news, sharing love and forming real relationships, receiving who God sends us, and I promise you, the blessings in your life will threaten to swamp your boat, you will be overwhelmed with meaning. 

Fish or cut bait.







(c) William H. Levering 2009