Sunday 27 January 2013

Is it wrong to look for instant changes in people?, I have a hunch it might be!


So Caleb is watching the Lord of the Rings films with me, bit by bit. I love him watching with excitement as the story unfolds. (We watch about 20mins 2/3 evening a week). So I've started to listen to the books. The books are different to the films. The films had to be different from the books, because they probably would not make great films if the story was not changed.  The thing is the time span of the books is far longer than the film. Frodo for example is not a young hobbit when he set out to destroy the ring. Gandalf spends decades researching and seeking wisdom about the ring before doing something. The world of middle earth and the world of Tolkin seem to be one which appreciates the wisdom and changes which come with time.
So coming to think of does the Old Testament and God. There are loads of Stories in which people have to wait for change for God's change take time to ferment. The exodus, 40 years, 40 years. Ok as a result of peoples sin, but still God seemed to be happy with a process of change, an acceptable of wisdom which was not a snap acceptance of the will of God, but a slow and thoroughly taken in acceptance of change to the will and character of God.

I wonder if we've done to discipleship what the film makers had to do the Tolkin books! This is certainly the way of the world, working with the Local authority they want to change families in months, rather than years! Is our discipleship now about  making about big fast and dramatic changes! Rather than the working out of what it is to follow Jesus day by day season by season.  Do we expect church plants to working with broken people and in a few years see people ready to leader them?

I believe the reality is that change for those who we are serving is a big deal and it's only change if it's given the chance to ferment and adapt  through the seasons of life.

Don't get me wrong, God, can do as God wishes in an instant, thats why he's God,( and there are plenty of stories in the bible where he does bring real instant change) but it seems to me He loves us into real change, and real change requires us to step by step work out what following Jesus is like. It also give permission for mistakes and failure. After all we are to work out living for God. That sound like process, not instant miracle. The miracle is God stay with us as we step forward, backwards and side to side. Now that is Love and Grace to stay with me on the road to my own mordor.

I'm praying God changes people's lives beyond their understanding, that He gives Hope, freedom, forgiveness, an identity and Himself. Our culture would say do it now god, but I pray I have the faith to stay on my path serving others for the long haul.

The films are good, but the book are far richer and beautiful by the way.

R.

PS, come back in 20 years time when i'd probably learnt to understand this better and so say it better!