Jack Heaslip was our guest speaker on Sunday looking at Romans 8. Aisling McCormick has written an excellent reflection on some of the ideas from this sermon. See below.
You can listen above or download the talk here
“For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8, vss. 20-28)
Arriving home from Holy Trinity today, I opened the front door, took one look at my flat and thought, “Ugh, what a mess!” I began to regret inviting 5 friends over to mine for a late lunch! As I started to do a quick clean up before my guests arrived, I began to reflect back to the words spoken only an hour before that Ruth-Anne had read for us beautifully and from which the preacher Rvd Jack (‘Preach it, Bro’) Heaslip had explicated a couple of important ‘nuggets’ for us to chew on! Romans 8.
We all know and have experienced that life is full of difficulties and ambiguities. One can easily become consumed with those big questions, ‘Why is there suffering?’ ‘Why so much discrimination and injustice?’, etc. Many turn to Christians and ask them why does their God ‘allow’ these things happen? What should we say? Jack suggested that the best answer he has found to life’s difficult questions is “I don’t know”. So often we find ourselves needing to find an answer and try to defend God and attempt to tackle that question about why does God let these things happen to us or to others. But the thing is, it’s ok to live in uncertainty and confusion, the messiness; it is a natural part of life. It was encouraging to hear someone who’s been a pastor and leader, and mature in the ministry say that it’s ok, life is messy, things often don’t work out the way you hoped they would. I’ve come to learn that God is right there with me in the messiness. Beauty can be found in brokenness, holiness can be discovered in times of uncertainty and integrity can be built amid ambiguity.
Pretty regularly I have the feeling that I will be happier and more fulfilled in life if I ‘get there’, if I reach that point where things are a little less fuzzy and grey and more clear. It’s not so much about possessions or having stuff, but more about sorting out issues, problems, relationships, etc. and ‘being in a good place’. What is that, really? Jack exclaimed that if one finds themselves at a point where they’ve got everything sorted and are completely certain about everything in life, one is probably a corpse in a mortuary somewhere! Paul wrote to the first-century church in Rome, “But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?” Jesus calls us to live in this uncertainty, it’s in this place, we find we are really living; we learn and find fulfillment!
The BBC News magazine published an article today about a word-wide study done about happiness. The results show that people can make themselves happier through leading a pro-active life; taking risks and just getting stuck in! Professor Ruut Veenhoven, professor of social conditions for human happiness at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam explains the negative correlation discovered among those interviewed between working towards set goals in life and happiness in life!
"Though it is generally assumed that you need goals to lead a happy life, evidence is mixed. The reason seems to be that unhappy people are more aware of their goals, because they seek to change their life for the better."
So, forget about constantly needing to improve yourself, don’t get too caught up in reaching that goal, whether it’s with work, relationships, or trying to keep up with those around you. Let yourself go, be yourself, live life with all the messiness. Embrace the messiness, because “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (vs 37) and nothing can separate us from Gods love. He (and hopefully others) won’t love you any more if you have your life sorted!
And with this in mind, I turned to see books out on the table, wilting flowers in a vase, half-folded laundry, cereal left out and milk spilt on the table and thought – these are signs that I am living in this house! The pristine, immaculately clean house which I think I want would actually be a sign that I am not really living in that house!! Well, that’s my excuse anyway! This is similar in life – we shouldn’t feel we need to present ourselves like we have it all sorted, sometimes we experience real life when things are a bit all over the place!
Aisling McCormick