I had a lovely week on annual leave last week. Lovely because (a) the weather was good (b) I got to stay in comfy accommodation (c) I enjoyed some physical exertion (d) I achieved some goals. Or, in other words, I stayed home and sorted out some things that needed doing in the garage and garden :). But it was truly lovely - relaxing, undemanding, and with plenty of time to do what needed to be done.
Meanwhile, the world is burning up - with wars (nothing improved in the Middle East yet, nor Ukraine, nor Sudan), and with climate change (albeit the "burning" in the news was Hurricane Milton's devastation). And news for those with eyes to see and ears to hear on the NZ economic front is just terrible: ballooning government debt (despite best attempts to reduce spending) because, not to put too fine a point on it, we are not growing our economy so not growing our tax take. Singularly unhelpful for those of us who stay in NZ: increasing attractiveness of Australia as a place to live/work/make money and, one news item I listened too, the full, attractional effects of Australia's now easier path for Kiwis to secure Australian citizenship making their mark.
Last week, in my relaxed state of mind, with warm spring sunshine, there was no place I would rather have been, other than heaven itself - which is not to diss Australia (I have enjoyed every visit I have made there), just to say, I feel no pressing need to migrate.
Funnily enough, at the end of this week of "domestic bliss" I came across this quote of C.S. Lewis on X/Twitter:
So, from that perspective, maybe the NZ government is doing its job :).
Clearly this is not the way the whole of the world is - not even the whole of NZ. There are many challenges to be overcome to ensure "domestic bliss", a la C.S. Lewis, for all citizens of our planet.
Of course, my domestic bliss, with a garage and garden to potter around in, may not be your domestic bliss, which may require the sea to sail in, mountain tracks to cycle on, theatres to see plays performed, or just a friendly neighbourhood pub where the darts fly well, the beer is fine, and the All Blacks always win on a Saturday night test. So, politicians have more than, say, provision of good housing for all, to aim for, and thus complexity in political life is introduced by our diverse wishes for the good life.
In this mixed bag of a world, the call of God to people is to seek more than domestic bliss, it is to seek eternal bliss in the presence of God. The church or gathered people of God are called to witness to the goodness and grace of God and to the permanence of God's faithful, everlasting love for God's people. For a large section of the world, the Western world, God's call on our lives is demanding because, despite our grumbles about our lives and our governments' deficiencies, we typically live a life of material, physical (good health) bliss, for a long number of years, beyond the wildest dreams of, say, our forebears just over a century ago. Hearts are hardened to the gospel message: why bother with God when the surf is up, there is snow on the slopes and my body feels fine?
Some recent published census stats about NZ religious allegiance (i.e. my willingness to not only attest in a census to generally being religious but to identifying as "Anglican" or "Catholic" or "Baptist") show further rapid decline in specific Christian identification in our nation.
As Christians we must be thankful - and there is much to be thankful for as we live lives of material, physical contentment - but as Christians we also cry out to God, When will revival of love and appreciation for the goodness and grace of God as both Creator and Redeemer come on our nation?
4 comments:
Oh the lightness of being, the goodness of pints! What a delightful post, and quote from Lewis too.
Like Peter, I have enjoyed simple time with my family on leave, sitting on the hot, smooth stones at Patiti Point, doing nothing, while Timaru broods to the south. The readings and sermon this Sunday were a contrast: leaving home and family for the sake of the gospel...Sitting in the caramel pews of Saint Mary's chapel, with a rugged-up greyhound over my shoulder, I thought: but sometimes we need to stay right where we are, not move an inch, make good on our commitments to life and family and 'home'.
In another part of my life, and to pick up Peter's second point, I do feel called to leave. Church going has become an increasingly lonely experience for me - there's just hardly anyone my age or stage in non-evangelical churches. This is also true for my wife, and true for our other good friend (if not quite our age, a bit younger, but our stage at least) who sits with us in liberal churches feeling lonely and unmet.
We like older Christians. It's just that they too closely resemble our parents, and, through no fault of their own, don't speak our language or are wrestling, for the most part, with our faith challenges.
So having shuffled around for a church to hold us, I'm increasingly feeling that one doesn't exist. Our options are to let religion fade into the background, let it express itself unconsciously is how we love our partners and kids, to re-dedicate ourselves to a just and peaceful society, and perhaps mediate or read the bible on the side when we get the chance, or to organize something on our own, away from formal churches - to leave the home of our parents once again.
I know a small group of elderly Anglican women who have been meeting weekly for years to pray for that very revival and are getting more earnest as time goes on. I am also praying weekly with six other women, two of us Anglican and ages from 50’s to 80’s. We regularly pray for revival in Aotearoa New Zealand, with special mention of Maori leaders. I have no doubt that other groups around the country are similarly occupied. Who knows when or how God will answer but it will probably look very different from what we might expect…
Dear Moya,
Have you been using the wrong words? Please pray for a *liberal* revival :)
Might the Lord revive the whole church, in all its spendid diversity!
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