Coming to Rest

 

 

I was reading the Blog – Paradoxology a while back about the following concepts and it inspired this entry. Thanks Chris for the mental stimulus. The post was about pendulums and anchors, with a list of extreme contrasts. This can be read at desertpastor.com.

These things got me to thinking about the extreme swings of theology he had put in his list. They are the contrasts within Christian thought that tend to produce camps of adversity here are a few right from his list – “We so emphasized holding people’s interest, that we lost our grip on transforming people’s lives. We so emphasized worship as music-based, that we lost our grip on the reality of whole-life worship. We so emphasized the centrality of the sermon, that we lost our grip on the centrality of the Eucharist.”

The dynamic of the thought world and the physical world are similar in principle looking like this: On one apex of a pendulum swing is an extreme claim on the other apex its contrasting idea. Thought about contrasting claims sets the pendulum swing in motion. Pendulums stop swaying at some point because of the influences of gravity and friction doing their God given work. With ideas the influence of the Holy Spirit functions in the place of gravity and friction through conviction.

Anchors hold in place a vessel, usually a boat that would drift without its stabilizing influence. The weight on the end of the rope either hooks into the bottom of the body of water or in depths beyond the rope’s length its weight counteracts the buoyancy bringing the vessel to stable rest at the surface (I think that is how it works).

In both examples above once the motion ends and the weight on the lower end of the tether comes to rest then the line between the top and the bottom can be a plumb line. Plumb lines are used in building to establish a straight plan to work off of. With ideas the plumb line establishes truth; we understand that that’s Yahweh’s Word both written and incarnate.

The physical properties of pendulums and anchors and motion that influence their work I think have parallels in the laws that influence thought. Let us explore.

Actual situations around us motivate people to form ideas of why what they observe happens. These ideas attract people of similar understanding and from these ideas schools of thought develop. Other people thru observation form contradictions as to why said situation happens they then develop their school of thought. As Christians we identify these schools of thought as systems of Doctrine. Furthermore, as we move away from one side the tendency becomes to develop an extreme reactive response because we feel the need to counter the starkness of the rejected claim with a strong contrast. This tendency derives out of our thinking that we must awaken the stupider that has ensnared those bound in the “lie” we have rejected. Therefore the initial response usually becomes stark and a polar opposite. This sets in motion the pendulum initiating the quest for the plumb line of truth that must be found. For true seekers pondering the starkness, rejecting the myopic claims, and striving to satisfy the struggle for peace – rest become the spark that inflames the learning process leading to ones maturity. Understanding the extremes reveals strengths and weaknesses at the edges of these myopic camps (not only with the concepts but in us as well). Considering other views, even the polar opposite works to slow and decrease the immature tendency of being attracted to the excitement of those extremes. This course of action helps mature us producing wisdom, understanding, and the other fruit of the Spirit forming the character of Christ in us. This aspect of our growth in Christ closely parallels the work of gravity. The weight of the issue wrapped in the perceived dissonant claims works to pull down the swing to the center of gravity, the actual truth acts like the physical weight on the end of the rope.

These extreme claims normally are developed as a result of myopic views born out of reactionary responses to a real problem. These views come about and are propagated either through ignorance or stubborn refusal to acknowledge that options to the issue other then their own conclusions have any value. Jesus exhorts “to keep seeking, to keep knocking” by doing this we move away from extreme or distorted claims because as we relentlessly investigate, “the door will be opened”, Matthew 7:7-8. Once opened, truth becomes evident and it sets us free from the myopic distortions, John 8:31-32.

Like the physical swing of a pendulum friction also has influence decreasing velocity and momentum effecting the continued motion between extremes. Proverbs 27:17 states, “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” this sharpening, friction, is discipleship. This life long honing is what Paul writes about in Ephesians 4:7-16. The stability of not being wind tossed is like the closer swing of a pendulum. With each interaction between believers, the tendency to grasp at myopic concepts lessens, because the friction that ‘sharpens’, causes thought and introspection, the result of the influence of mature instruction. Even though growing in Christ never becomes complete maturity can be achieved. Maturity displays stability – “we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine…” Ephesians 4:14.

Eventually a pendulum comes to rest as we do in Christ. When the pendulum action comes to an end the string and weight as stated earlier become a plumb line to form the standard to set square for a structure. As we come to rest in Christ He is plumb line for our lives. Once at rest in Christ we have a standard for examining truth claims. We need to pray with Elisha and Paul that our eyes be opened to this standard and the reality Yahweh desires to show all who seek Him becomes revealed, 2^nd Kings 6:16-17, Ephesians 1:18, Matt.7:8. When we trust and rest we become conscious of the stability concealed in the blending of the extremes. Those extremes often reflect questions from the heart of unbelievers that we can answer out of our being grown up in all aspects in Christ , Ephesians 4:15. We then effectively present His Kingdom because the contrast between His Kingdom and the world will be evident and not empty.

Pastor Art (part one)