Hell

I’ve heard people joke that they think heaven would be boring—filled with people always praying and singing hymns—similar to an eternal church service. In contrast, they imagine that hell would be more entertaining—full of people who know how to let their hair down and have fun.

In his book, The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis describes heaven as a place for spiritually mature souls who want to be with God. He doesn’t really describe hell, but the reader is left with the assumption that it would be a place for those who would be more comfortable in darkness—away from the pure light of God.

I can see how some people would be very uncomfortable around decency, honor, and virtue. If you’ve always lived in a messy home, you might feel out of place in a clean, pristine environment. An outdoor animal might prefer rolling in dirt and mud rather than resting indoors on a clean bed. If I were invited to dine with the President, I would need some etiquette training. If I showed up in my normal attire and used my current table manners, I would be uncomfortable, even if it didn’t bother anyone else.

A clean life prepares us for heaven. Honesty, integrity, generosity, faithfulness, self-control, temperance, chastity, kindness—these disciplines train us to feel at home in the presence of God. On the other hand, a sinful nature makes us prefer the presence of like-minded people who would rather live in darkness.  

The Disease of Self

The Bible story of the adulterous woman, who was almost stoned, is a familiar one. (John 8) It’s about forgiveness and having a nonjudgmental attitude towards others—because we are all flawed and make bad choices at some time or another. However, when I read this passage recently, something else struck me.

Jesus does not condemn this woman, but He instructs her to “sin no more.” (John 8:11 NLT)

I have never committed adultery in the literal sense. Yet I have adulterated my life—debased it, made it impure by adding inferior elements to it. I have compromised myself in various ways. I have polluted and contaminated my surroundings with the choices I have made, things I have said, and things I have left undone.

God knows we are imperfect, but His goal is to mold us into His perfect likeness. His instruction to 'sin no more' means we are to—‘compromise no more, pollute no more, contaminate no more, adulterate no more.’

Of course, it is beyond our power to live a pure life. As the lyrics of one of my favorite songs says:

This disease of self runs through my blood
It's a cancer fatal to my soul
Every attempt on my behalf has failed
to bring this sickness under control. (In the Light, DC Talk)

This disease of self leads us into all sorts of compromising situations. Our conscience tells us that this shameful behavior needs to be kept in the dark. We are hesitant to come into the light for fear of being exposed. Yet Jesus asks us to do just that:

“I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.” (John 8:12 MSG)

Life Maintenance

Our house was newly-constructed when we bought it 12 years ago. The yard was mostly seeded for grass, and it took a few years before we had anything resembling a lawn. My husband and I carved out a few spaces in the yard for flower beds. We tilled up the soil, planted shrubs and a few flowering plants, edged the spaces with paving stones, mulched, and then stood back and enjoyed our handiwork. These flower beds are aesthetically pleasing and have added some variety and definition to our yard. However, they require much more maintenance than the lawn. Keeping them weeded and tidy requires much more effort than mowing grass.

When we start a new job, or a new business, most of us carefully consider the initial investment of time and energy. We might put everything else on hold, and pour ourselves into this new project. But if this project continues to demand all our time, disrupting everything else in our life, then we have to reevaluate this venture. Is it worth the long-term maintenance?

A few years ago, my husband and I considered building our ‘dream house.’ We drew up the plans, got a rough estimate, and figured out how to pay for it. The initial cost of money and effort would be substantial, but that wasn’t what made us pause; it was the long-term maintenance of this ‘dream’, as well as all the other previous commitments that we would have to renege on.

When starting any new commitments—whether it be a new relationship, career move, educational pursuit, big purchase, or digging a new flower bed—consider the long-term maintenance of every endeavor along with the initial cost, time, and effort that need to be invested in it.

Secondhand Enlightenment

(Part of John study)

“You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent me is in charge. He draws people to me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do my work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End. This is what the prophets meant when they wrote, ‘And then they will all be personally taught by God.’ Anyone who has spent any time at all listening to the Father, really listening and therefore learning, comes to me to be taught personally—to see it with his own eyes, hear it with his own ears, from me, since I have it firsthand from the Father.” (John 6:43-46 MSG)

So many images swirl through my head when I read the above verses:

-Jesus putting us together like furniture that needs to be assembled—even when parts are missing or defective, it’s no big deal, because HE is a Master Carpenter.

-Jesus teaching me personally—as I listen and learn firsthand.

-Harriet Tubman, who escaped from slavery, and then kept going back and showing others the way to freedom.

-Kierkegaard, who tried to share his wisdom—tried to explain the mystery that is beyond human rational thought.

I know that these seem like random disconnected thoughts, but I listen and learn. I am still being put together, assembled, and completed by Jesus. Although I try to show others what I have learned thus far, Jesus reminds me that others far greater than I have attempted to draw their family and friends closer to God. Secondhand faith does not lead to intimacy with God. At the most, it may create followers of a particular religion.

Only God can draw people to Himself. Once we spend time with the Father, really listening and therefore learning, we experience firsthand, this unexplainable mystery. This is the only pathway to enlightenment. Only then can we be put together—made complete.

Eternity Seems Far Away

Many of us think of eternal life like we think of retirement. For the young, it seems so far away and thus not worth bothering about. For the middle-aged, it’s something to plan for, to save up for, and to look forward to. And for the retired, it’s a time they hope to enjoy in peace. We equate eternal life with a never-ending after-life—something to be enjoyed after all the hard work of this present earthly life. But, what if it’s not like that at all?

Most people go to a work place during the day and come home in the evening. Both home and office exist at the same time. Some people choose to come home during the day—to eat lunch, to pick up something they need, or to recuperate when they are sick. Most of us come home at the end of the day to replenish, recharge, and restore ourselves before the next day’s work. Some of us are lucky enough to be able to work from home.

Jesus said: “This is what my Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who he is and what he does and then aligns with him will enter real life, eternal life. My part is to put them on their feet alive and whole at the completion of time.” (John 6:39-40 MSG)

 

Jesus uses the present tense to describe eternal life. It is concurrent, parallel, and more real than we imagine. Why would we equate eternal—which is defined as ‘always existing’—with the future? Eternal life or perpetual life might not be as tangible or visible as our temporal life, but it is here and now. It is the spiritual realm that coexists with our corporeal life. It is the home base to which we return—the place that replenishes and restores us. The place that we long for--the place where we truly belong.

Perpetual Contentment

(Previously published as part of John Study)

Here is my interpretation of the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. (John 4:7-30 MSG)

An imperfect woman comes to the communal well to take care of her needs.

Jesus shows up at the well and asks her: “Can you attend to me?”

Woman asks: “Why me?”

Jesus: “Well, if you asked me for help, I’d take care of your needs and then some.”

Woman: “Yeah right! You don’t even have what it takes to take care of yourself right now; and my neediness runs deep.”

Jesus: “Trying to meet your needs your way will always lead to dissatisfaction; whereas, my way brings perpetual contentment.”

Woman: “Ok, fine…let’s try it your way then…”

Jesus: “First, bring me the person who takes care of you now.”

Woman: “I don’t have anyone taking care of me right now.”

Jesus: “Aha! You’re right. Over the years, you’ve committed to many people and poured yourself into different pursuits that you thought would bring you happiness, but none of those methods worked.”

Woman: “If you’re such a know-it-all, then how come your followers are so confused? Why don’t you tell me which church is best?”

Jesus: “What?!—gosh you are dense! It doesn’t matter where you go to church. It’s who you are and the way you live that counts. Engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. Be authentic.” (Romans 4:23 MSG)

Woman: “I guess we won’t know the whole truth till God reveals Himself.”

Jesus: “I am He, You don’t have to wait any longer or look any further.” (Romans 4:26 MSG)

I am similar to this woman. I try to satisfy my neediness by my own efforts. Jesus asks me to attend to Him. I debate, negotiate, and ask pointless, distracting questions. Jesus reveals Himself as the only solution to my deepest needs. He is the source of perpetual contentment.

Substitutions

I’m a bit of a health nut…until the first bite of junk food. My favorite place to indulge myself is McDonald’s or similar fast-food chains. It’s all or nothing for me; semi-healthy, subtly-flavored, fancily-presented, slow-food has no appeal to me. I can go all day eating healthily, but at the end of each day, I crave something salty and crunchy or sweet and crunchy. I’ve tried to kick this bad habit several times, but so far, I haven’t succeeded.

I’ve tried substitutions. For example, I might be craving some potato chips, but instead I eat air-popped popcorn. Substitutions rarely hit the spot. Instead, it just leaves me feeling dissatisfied and restless. Last night, as I was going through my junk-food withdrawal symptoms, I was reminded of the following quotes:

“Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” (St. Augustine)

“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.” (Blaise Pascal)

(Yes…craving potato chipsàAugustineàPascalàGod—this is how my mind works.)

I wonder what all I’m trying to substitute to satisfy my yearning for God…