I am the door of the sheep …
I have come that they may have life,
And that they may have it more abundantly.
John 10:7-10
I have come that they may have life,
And that they may have it more abundantly.
John 10:7-10
Friday, January 1, 2010
The Path of Life
You will show me the path of life;
In your presence is the fullness of joy;
At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11
In your presence is the fullness of joy;
At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11
Of Seeds
Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies,
it remains alone; but if it dies it produces much grain.
John 12:24
unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies,
it remains alone; but if it dies it produces much grain.
John 12:24
Of Fruit
… the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Gal 5:22
Walking With God
This is the book of the genealogy of Adam … all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died … all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died … all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him … all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died … This is the geneology of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. (Gen 5 – Gen 6:9).
A close reading of the above passage makes it very clear that God has a special definition for what he considers life or living. For the average human, on the most basic level, life means living and breathing. A little beyond that, many might define life according to hedonistic standards – how much carnal pleasure we can extract from our existence before we are no more. If such individuals were placed in Adam’s genealogy, then the Bible would simply state that we “lived … and died,” the implication being that God is not particularly impressed by this all-too-common label in Adam’s family album.
The people who exist on an entirely different plane, though, are those who are described as ones who “walked with God” – like Enoch and Noah. The fact that God made special mention of them and described their earthly existence in entirely different terms, says a whole lot about where they stood in God’s eyes. The description of Noah as a righteous man indicates where God places emphasis when he defines the quality of human life.
Jesus promised abundant life – peace, joy, encouragement, strength, and all good things that come from God. He does not necessarily promise a life of perpetual ease, but he does promise joy in sorrow, the grace to overcome sin and temptation, sweet peace as a companion through life’s dark and lonesome valleys, faith to carry us through the impossible, the wisdom of high spiritual intellect and insight to decode life, worship that waters our souls, a song that dances in our heart in the midnight hours of life, the truth of God’s Word as a road map through life, the delight of knowing God and hearing His voice, and the promise that God’s presence would always be with those who love Him. It does not come free, though. We pay for these benefits with consistent obedience over long trajectories of time. Jesus paid the ultimate price for all mankind with his death.
The extent to which we obey is the extent to which divine delights come to us – like rainbows chasing a shower. Yes, because obedience sometimes means showers of tears. It sometimes means giving up our preferences in favour of God’s preferences, for He truly knows best. Sometimes, in these moments, it can feel as if we are dying inside, but our choice to obey God not only benefits us, but also ultimately honours God. This is why God says: precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of His saints (Psalm 116:15). Our willingness to please God is highly prized on the other side of life.
Jesus used the simple analogy of the seed to express this profound truth. The seed only brings forth more fruit after it ‘dies’ and is planted in the ground. It means being buried in Christ and his suffering and then coming forth with new life, more fruit, more of God’s character living in us. Jesus himself, it is said, learnt obedience by what he suffered; not that the life of a believer is about perpetual pain; on the contrary …
As the wise Solomon once said, "the end of a thing is better than its beginning" (Ecclesiastes 7:8). The ‘funeral’ of the seed seems like a sad affair, but the inevitable sprouting of leaves and the plumping of fruit is a time of rejoicing and festivity. Christmas celebrations apply this principle in reverse. We celebrate the start of the matter (Jesus’ birth) as we carol and sing about the wise men, the angels and the manger. However, Jesus came to earth to face the cross, and that was where ultimate triumph awaited Him and all mankind. Gruesome death on the cross was His rite of passage (which, notably, may not necessarily be yours or mine) - God’s process and pathway to resurrection glory. His death was the culmination of a life of joyful obedience to God, of daily ‘picking up his cross’ and putting God first. He chose to make the ultimate sacrifice and this led to rich reward, and a crown of gloriously joy-bedazzled life in God’s presence forever.
Life and death go hand in hand. Death speaks of obedience, sacrifice and delayed gratification. Joy speaks of desires and promises fulfilled, dreams coming true, and the reward for courageous faith, trusting God and sustained obedience throughout life. This is very different from how most people define joy. Most people live for pleasure – immediate enjoyment and now satisfaction. This however, simply promotes brittle values and creates character weakened by moral cracks. Joy, on the other hand, is a by-product of complex internal processes divinely-designed to build endurance, develop patience, and to ennoble the human spirit.
When I look back on my life, abundant life for me has meant so many things – God housing me when I had no money for accommodation, God sending someone to help when my tyre went flat (and I had no spare or cell phone!), God’s presence comforting me during dark days, God pouring laughter into my heart, good soul food dished up from the Word, exciting job opportunities, memorable travel adventures, the joy of knowing at least part of His plan for my life by being offered a peep-hole into my future, sweet moments of worship that unlock spiritual dimensions of life, and the list would extend into eternity. When Jesus speaks of abundant life it is something good and substantial. I pay the price for the life I have in Christ everyday … sometimes smiling, sometimes in tears … but always in joy.
Just think of the time Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding feast, bearing in mind that in the Word of God wine is a metaphor for joy. The master of the feast, not knowing what had transpired, called the bridegroom and commented in shock: "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” (John 2:10) Note that this clearly testifies of God’s integrity. He does not short-change or swindle in any way. More importantly, though, the implication is that the wine which comes from God is far superior to man-made wine. Joy as mere mortals define it tends to be a watered down version of the true joy that springs from God – rich sunny-gold delight that is glorious beyond belief.
Friendship with God promises joy indescribable. It is wine that leaves you grounded yet soaring in hope, mellowed yet dancing in celebration, sobered yet intoxicated with God’s goodness. Divine vintage is the sweetest bouquet – a timeless classic! Abundant life is the giddy delight of walking with God.
A close reading of the above passage makes it very clear that God has a special definition for what he considers life or living. For the average human, on the most basic level, life means living and breathing. A little beyond that, many might define life according to hedonistic standards – how much carnal pleasure we can extract from our existence before we are no more. If such individuals were placed in Adam’s genealogy, then the Bible would simply state that we “lived … and died,” the implication being that God is not particularly impressed by this all-too-common label in Adam’s family album.
The people who exist on an entirely different plane, though, are those who are described as ones who “walked with God” – like Enoch and Noah. The fact that God made special mention of them and described their earthly existence in entirely different terms, says a whole lot about where they stood in God’s eyes. The description of Noah as a righteous man indicates where God places emphasis when he defines the quality of human life.
Jesus promised abundant life – peace, joy, encouragement, strength, and all good things that come from God. He does not necessarily promise a life of perpetual ease, but he does promise joy in sorrow, the grace to overcome sin and temptation, sweet peace as a companion through life’s dark and lonesome valleys, faith to carry us through the impossible, the wisdom of high spiritual intellect and insight to decode life, worship that waters our souls, a song that dances in our heart in the midnight hours of life, the truth of God’s Word as a road map through life, the delight of knowing God and hearing His voice, and the promise that God’s presence would always be with those who love Him. It does not come free, though. We pay for these benefits with consistent obedience over long trajectories of time. Jesus paid the ultimate price for all mankind with his death.
The extent to which we obey is the extent to which divine delights come to us – like rainbows chasing a shower. Yes, because obedience sometimes means showers of tears. It sometimes means giving up our preferences in favour of God’s preferences, for He truly knows best. Sometimes, in these moments, it can feel as if we are dying inside, but our choice to obey God not only benefits us, but also ultimately honours God. This is why God says: precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of His saints (Psalm 116:15). Our willingness to please God is highly prized on the other side of life.
Jesus used the simple analogy of the seed to express this profound truth. The seed only brings forth more fruit after it ‘dies’ and is planted in the ground. It means being buried in Christ and his suffering and then coming forth with new life, more fruit, more of God’s character living in us. Jesus himself, it is said, learnt obedience by what he suffered; not that the life of a believer is about perpetual pain; on the contrary …
As the wise Solomon once said, "the end of a thing is better than its beginning" (Ecclesiastes 7:8). The ‘funeral’ of the seed seems like a sad affair, but the inevitable sprouting of leaves and the plumping of fruit is a time of rejoicing and festivity. Christmas celebrations apply this principle in reverse. We celebrate the start of the matter (Jesus’ birth) as we carol and sing about the wise men, the angels and the manger. However, Jesus came to earth to face the cross, and that was where ultimate triumph awaited Him and all mankind. Gruesome death on the cross was His rite of passage (which, notably, may not necessarily be yours or mine) - God’s process and pathway to resurrection glory. His death was the culmination of a life of joyful obedience to God, of daily ‘picking up his cross’ and putting God first. He chose to make the ultimate sacrifice and this led to rich reward, and a crown of gloriously joy-bedazzled life in God’s presence forever.
Life and death go hand in hand. Death speaks of obedience, sacrifice and delayed gratification. Joy speaks of desires and promises fulfilled, dreams coming true, and the reward for courageous faith, trusting God and sustained obedience throughout life. This is very different from how most people define joy. Most people live for pleasure – immediate enjoyment and now satisfaction. This however, simply promotes brittle values and creates character weakened by moral cracks. Joy, on the other hand, is a by-product of complex internal processes divinely-designed to build endurance, develop patience, and to ennoble the human spirit.
When I look back on my life, abundant life for me has meant so many things – God housing me when I had no money for accommodation, God sending someone to help when my tyre went flat (and I had no spare or cell phone!), God’s presence comforting me during dark days, God pouring laughter into my heart, good soul food dished up from the Word, exciting job opportunities, memorable travel adventures, the joy of knowing at least part of His plan for my life by being offered a peep-hole into my future, sweet moments of worship that unlock spiritual dimensions of life, and the list would extend into eternity. When Jesus speaks of abundant life it is something good and substantial. I pay the price for the life I have in Christ everyday … sometimes smiling, sometimes in tears … but always in joy.
Just think of the time Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding feast, bearing in mind that in the Word of God wine is a metaphor for joy. The master of the feast, not knowing what had transpired, called the bridegroom and commented in shock: "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” (John 2:10) Note that this clearly testifies of God’s integrity. He does not short-change or swindle in any way. More importantly, though, the implication is that the wine which comes from God is far superior to man-made wine. Joy as mere mortals define it tends to be a watered down version of the true joy that springs from God – rich sunny-gold delight that is glorious beyond belief.
Friendship with God promises joy indescribable. It is wine that leaves you grounded yet soaring in hope, mellowed yet dancing in celebration, sobered yet intoxicated with God’s goodness. Divine vintage is the sweetest bouquet – a timeless classic! Abundant life is the giddy delight of walking with God.
The Bee and His Honey
Life can be bitter-sweet. As we walk through the valley of the shadow, pain and sorrow may be constant companions, yet they make God’s comfort and goodness towards us that much sweeter and kinder. By the same token, the sorrow of losing loved ones may yet find solace in a confident trust that they were welcomed into a better place; there is the joyous hope that we may yet meet again. Life and death are twin sides of the same coin, like the horizon dividing night and the dawning light of day; like both the sweetness and sting which define the nature of a bee.
An account which illustrates this with profound abstraction is one of the accounts of Samson – the man of mighty deeds. One day, it is written, he came upon a lion and ripped it to pieces with his bare hands. Some time later he found its carcass housing a bee-hive dripping with honey and surrounded by a swarm of bees. He dipped in and ate of it, and later wrote a riddle: out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet (Judges 14:14).
The death of the lion – a mighty beast – made known the sting of death and the sweetness of resurrection life which comes after it. Sometimes death is not literal death. It can be that pivotal moment or sequence of circumstances when our strength is broken and we are undeniably confronted with the fragile and fleeting nature of our mortality. The sting of death is in our bitter confrontations and struggles with the limitations of our humanity which is ultimately mirrored in that final enemy, death. To quote Paul: the sting of death is sin (1 Corinthians 15:56). So, apart from physical death, sin or missing God’s mark can cause us grief. At the end of time, though, we will be singing a different tune from the ones composed by life’s trials. Then we will proclaim: O Death, where is your sting? (1 Cor 15:55)
God, who is kind and good, allows place for both the bitter and the sweet – the elements, which together, if rightly handled, add strength, substance and godly content to our character. In our weakness, we will find strength in God’s comfort. In our perplexity, will find solace in His fore-knowledge of all things. In our search for answers, we will find wisdom in God’s perspective even if He does not satisfy us with all the details we may be looking for. In our sudden realization that the other side of life is much nearer than we may have first thought, we will discover personal profundity and maybe even discover God Himself. It is these most fundamental issues of life and death which God, in his perfect kindness and mercy, may allow into our lives to draw us closer to Him.
The sting is in our sense of loss, sorrow, perplexity, helplessness, distress. The honey is in God’s pot of things good and true – courage, joy, wisdom, trusting, hope, endurance, patience, provision, strength, comfort, humility, worship – all the things which we can eat of when we dip into God and truly walk with Him as a friend. The honey, too, is the sweetness of God’s encouragement and counsel, and of knowing that nothing – neither life nor death nor principality nor power – can separate us from the love of the One who loves us with such sweet kindness, such perfect faithfulness and such a strong, mighty and boundless love (Romans 8:38).
For those who may be weeping now, know that God not only numbers the hairs on your head, but also the crystals in your tears; and His compassion will catch them and colour them with hope – hope that tomorrow will be brighter, that sweet surprises wrapped in rainbow promises are on the way, that God Himself will take you beyond your sorrow to a place of hope and joy if you take the hand He offers. Tears today will flow as rivers of joy tomorrow, cascading from the mountain-tops of His promise to do you good all the days of your life – the sweet honeycomb promise laid up for those who rest in His kindness and compassion, who eat good and golden things from His hands.
An account which illustrates this with profound abstraction is one of the accounts of Samson – the man of mighty deeds. One day, it is written, he came upon a lion and ripped it to pieces with his bare hands. Some time later he found its carcass housing a bee-hive dripping with honey and surrounded by a swarm of bees. He dipped in and ate of it, and later wrote a riddle: out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet (Judges 14:14).
The death of the lion – a mighty beast – made known the sting of death and the sweetness of resurrection life which comes after it. Sometimes death is not literal death. It can be that pivotal moment or sequence of circumstances when our strength is broken and we are undeniably confronted with the fragile and fleeting nature of our mortality. The sting of death is in our bitter confrontations and struggles with the limitations of our humanity which is ultimately mirrored in that final enemy, death. To quote Paul: the sting of death is sin (1 Corinthians 15:56). So, apart from physical death, sin or missing God’s mark can cause us grief. At the end of time, though, we will be singing a different tune from the ones composed by life’s trials. Then we will proclaim: O Death, where is your sting? (1 Cor 15:55)
God, who is kind and good, allows place for both the bitter and the sweet – the elements, which together, if rightly handled, add strength, substance and godly content to our character. In our weakness, we will find strength in God’s comfort. In our perplexity, will find solace in His fore-knowledge of all things. In our search for answers, we will find wisdom in God’s perspective even if He does not satisfy us with all the details we may be looking for. In our sudden realization that the other side of life is much nearer than we may have first thought, we will discover personal profundity and maybe even discover God Himself. It is these most fundamental issues of life and death which God, in his perfect kindness and mercy, may allow into our lives to draw us closer to Him.
The sting is in our sense of loss, sorrow, perplexity, helplessness, distress. The honey is in God’s pot of things good and true – courage, joy, wisdom, trusting, hope, endurance, patience, provision, strength, comfort, humility, worship – all the things which we can eat of when we dip into God and truly walk with Him as a friend. The honey, too, is the sweetness of God’s encouragement and counsel, and of knowing that nothing – neither life nor death nor principality nor power – can separate us from the love of the One who loves us with such sweet kindness, such perfect faithfulness and such a strong, mighty and boundless love (Romans 8:38).
For those who may be weeping now, know that God not only numbers the hairs on your head, but also the crystals in your tears; and His compassion will catch them and colour them with hope – hope that tomorrow will be brighter, that sweet surprises wrapped in rainbow promises are on the way, that God Himself will take you beyond your sorrow to a place of hope and joy if you take the hand He offers. Tears today will flow as rivers of joy tomorrow, cascading from the mountain-tops of His promise to do you good all the days of your life – the sweet honeycomb promise laid up for those who rest in His kindness and compassion, who eat good and golden things from His hands.
The Shade of the Willow
The Shade of the Willow
The willow’s weeping,
Sweeping in green sorrow.
Joy I will reap
For my sadness, on the morrow.
The willow showers.
Bowers stream flowing shade.
Comfort whispers now
‘Til time heals my tearing ache.
©NnekaEdwards2006
The willow’s weeping,
Sweeping in green sorrow.
Joy I will reap
For my sadness, on the morrow.
The willow showers.
Bowers stream flowing shade.
Comfort whispers now
‘Til time heals my tearing ache.
©NnekaEdwards2006
The Fruit Basket
The Fruit Basket
Ah makin’ market today
Wid basket in hand
Ah well on meh way
Hummin’ a song full o’ sunshine
Singin’ a tune from meh heart
Ah need to buy fruits before all sell out
So ah makin’ a dawn-early start
Ah walk a mile tru de mornin’
Ah walk wid basket to fill
If sun shinin’ nice or steady rain pourin’
Ah makin’ market still
Ah ha’ money in meh wallet
An’ ah write dong what ah need
Ah chook dem in meh pocket
Dong meh dress, whe maco cyah peep
Ah makin’ market today
Wid basket in hand
Ah well on meh way
All ah tong buyin’ an’ sellin’
It ha’ plenty produce fuh so
Ah could hear all kinda vendor callin’ out
But ah head straight fuh de One ah know!
Ah sure to get de sweetest pickin’s
Nottin’ wid bobo or bruise
Ah surely lookin’ fuh one sweet lickin’
If is dat kinda fruit ah choose
What a pound fuh yuh breadfruit?
How yuh sellin’ yuh plum?
Yuh have any ripe fig or mango?
Yuh could sell meh some?
Ah need love an’ joy in meh basket
Peace, kindness, self-control,
Guava season cyah bring macafourchette
Dis fruit always bearin’, yuh know
Ah go pay wid a Yes-Lord shillin’
Ah go buy wid how-high pence
Ah go dip in meh wallet joyful an’ willin’
To fill meh basket wid righteous sense
Ah make one sweet market today
Wid basket in hand
Ah now on meh way
To share goodness wid all meh neighbours
An' meh sistren, bredren an’ dem
Meh basket eh fill to feed just me
Dis bounty does bear for all men!
Put dat on yuh scale fuh meh!
©NnekaEdwards2009
Ah makin’ market today
Wid basket in hand
Ah well on meh way
Hummin’ a song full o’ sunshine
Singin’ a tune from meh heart
Ah need to buy fruits before all sell out
So ah makin’ a dawn-early start
Ah walk a mile tru de mornin’
Ah walk wid basket to fill
If sun shinin’ nice or steady rain pourin’
Ah makin’ market still
Ah ha’ money in meh wallet
An’ ah write dong what ah need
Ah chook dem in meh pocket
Dong meh dress, whe maco cyah peep
Ah makin’ market today
Wid basket in hand
Ah well on meh way
All ah tong buyin’ an’ sellin’
It ha’ plenty produce fuh so
Ah could hear all kinda vendor callin’ out
But ah head straight fuh de One ah know!
Ah sure to get de sweetest pickin’s
Nottin’ wid bobo or bruise
Ah surely lookin’ fuh one sweet lickin’
If is dat kinda fruit ah choose
What a pound fuh yuh breadfruit?
How yuh sellin’ yuh plum?
Yuh have any ripe fig or mango?
Yuh could sell meh some?
Ah need love an’ joy in meh basket
Peace, kindness, self-control,
Guava season cyah bring macafourchette
Dis fruit always bearin’, yuh know
Ah go pay wid a Yes-Lord shillin’
Ah go buy wid how-high pence
Ah go dip in meh wallet joyful an’ willin’
To fill meh basket wid righteous sense
Ah make one sweet market today
Wid basket in hand
Ah now on meh way
To share goodness wid all meh neighbours
An' meh sistren, bredren an’ dem
Meh basket eh fill to feed just me
Dis bounty does bear for all men!
Put dat on yuh scale fuh meh!
©NnekaEdwards2009
Cherry Blossoms in Winter
Paper cherry blossoms, cardboard trees flowering into colour, and a green origami crane beautifully crafted by gnarled hands – a picture of hope in the winter of life. These are some of the images which remain with me from my visit to Saikoh-En Nursing Home. A small group of foreigners living in Japan volunteered care and kindness to the elderly residents of this home one afternoon in late March. It was an experience which deeply impressed me.
The morning was spent learning about the facility and various products for elderly care. However, the most special time was saved for last – an afternoon craft session with the residents. Then we were able to meet and make new friends. As I helped, or photographed these lovely seniors patiently making paper sakura (Japanese for “cherry blossoms”) or colouring cartoon characters, I could not help but reflect on Shakespeare’s observations about the aging process. This is part of what he said in the play "As You Like It":
The sixth age shifts... his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble,
Pipes and whistles in his sound.
Last scene of all,
Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything
Our new friends had a time-tempered, calm intelligence about them, yet were like little children in many ways. The simplest of recreation gave them the greatest of pleasure. Doing the most basic tasks also called for close supervision and assistance. Some eagerly asked us to write our names and nationalities for them on their craft paper, like eager school kids. One elderly lady offered a lovely origami crane to a fellow ALT in a gesture of kindness and offer of friendship.
There was such childlike innocence and contentment. The dark side of this pristine experience came in the shape of dementia – that dimension of mere oblivion. There were many residents who had already entered such an advanced stage of mental deterioration that they could not respond intelligibly to our kindness. In fact they seemed to be only capable of reflexive hostility and anger. Gracious gestures were received with vacant grunts of ill temper. Of course, we understood that they were not aware of what they were doing, but it was still deeply unsettling; truly sad.
Such experiences cause one to pause and consider – How did the fortunate ones escape the savagery of senility? How can one beat the odds? What is the value of old age? Why are we often so uncomfortable about greying and getting old? What should we do today to prepare for tomorrow?
I’m sure there is a complexity of factors behind senility and dementia. The mental aspect of what I observed really intrigued me. I couldn’t help but ponder the psychological implications of a sedentary approach to life; not simply from purely physical point of view, but also from the perspective of journeying – especially journeying in God.
If we wander through life with a mindless acceptance of every value that buddies up to us, I am convinced we could end up old and doddering. I can’t help but think that introspection, inquiry and active learning help guard against mental corrosion; especially when we develop a personal culture of musing upon God’s Word. I remain convinced that deep thought in our ‘youth’ can preserve us from dullness of mind in our closing years.
I believe that old age was designed to be an accolade of accumulated experience and good sense. Grey hair is the proverbial crown of wisdom. This is how it was meant to be, since those nearing their latter years are meant to leave an inheritance of sound advice and right thinking to those who follow after. Every succeeding generation is supposed to journey farther faster thanks to the heritage of older generations.
Those of us still in the spring of life need not dread the passing of the seasons. Now is the time to build our stores, for winter will come. In the bare wintry landscape ahead, we can still be flowering trees, offering hope, life and precious advice. The silver head is a treasure of experience, as lovely as cherry blossoms sparkling with snowy crystals. The crown of age is the garland of a life well-lived.
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