The Now Clause

Due to a minor clause in the rules of life, I apparently am cursed by the fates. Odysseus had to sail for ten years before reaching home. Loki was destined to bring about Ragnarök, and I won't even tell you what was in store for poor Oedipus. Me? I am cursed to write a blog all the time. Oh sure, you may have thought that I escaped the fates/norns/tea-leaves (even in my more fanciful times I thought I had outrun it), however here I am once again, furiously trying to keep up with the thoughts spinning through my head. Still, I guess we are all sort of built for things, and to run away from certain parts of ourselves is kind of dangerous. Or, as one guy who was asked to change his ways put it, "To go against conscience is neither right nor safe."

This really puts things in perspective. I know, I know, Judeo-Christians don't believe that life is controlled by the evil outside world and that we just sort of ride out the storm of it all. However, I don't think we would be correct in believing, or rather deceiving ourselves with, the notion that we can control past and future. Humans control precious little and understand precious little. The future is little understood and barely influenced by what we think now. The past can be a bit of a mystery and is completely out of our control. What we are given is the present. What we do with that is a bit embarrassing. We seem to have no use for the present. Career goals, hopes of family life, and the fear of facing death seem to occupy our thoughts about the future. The thoughts of the past are filled with embarrassments and triumphs, the first kiss, the first car, the first job, the tests, the failures, the successes.

But what does "right now" mean to us? You know it is one of our few gifts. I find it odd that when I think about now, I don't even picture now. I picture the point that my life has led to or the starting point of where my life is going. I try and work out strategies for success or resolutions not to fail again. It seems even I can't quite get an handle on "now." Now means nothing to human beings, and yet it is the place we call home.

When God walked the earth, He seemed to be the only one who got the notion of "now." He really got it! And what did he do with his "now"? He gave it back to God the Father. It makes perfect sense when you stop to think about it. I just finished reading the opening passages from John 11. This is the famous part of the Bible where Christ allows his buddy Lazarus to die, and then raises him from the dead. Christ was faced with tremendous temptation. He could've saved Lazarus, he could've walked away from Jerusalem. Christ was the only person to honestly know His future and instead He trusted God. It is puzzling that we don't have as many gifts given to us, and yet we do not do the same thing.

Now, I am going to break things up a little bit here. Assuming there is a Muslim who happens to be reading my blog post. I hope you do, and I hope it helps you out a little bit, though I can't take any credit for it. Muslims believe Christ was a prophet and not the son of God. How much more of a prophet could we ask for than one who submits the only time he occupies to God, namely his present.

We are not really honest with ourselves when we deal with God. We say we have faith, but we really have a lot of plans for our lives and when God doesn't run on our schedule we get a little ticked. When I run late for work; I am much more angry with the slower motorist who keeps me from getting to work on time, than I am with myself for my ten minutes extra of sleep. I think God is like that motorist. We then begin wondering what we might have missed or we begin thinking that God has a plan set-up with detailed time frames and we can't miss the boat. (Speaking of missing the boat, anyone remember Jonah. He made the boat that he wasn't supposed to be on, and God had a plan for him. Jonah still made it to his destination, but he did take a detour. God is with us even when we don't follow the instructions clearly enough. God is with us when we take detours and scenic routes.)

I guess we should just be open to the eternal now. I am currently applying for a bunch of things, and I should just throw things into God's corner. Plans are great and reminiscing is great too, but they are like books: great to read and get stuff from, but in the end the stories are a bit out of our control.

And yes, I am an hypocrite. My biggest problem is my inability to put one foot in front of the other, but sometimes the best people to tell us how problems work are the people who wrestle with them. Former drug addicts make excellent speakers against drug use. Reformed workaholics teach us the importance of rest. And, come to think of it, sinners make excellent experts on how to try and avoid sin.

So, as two-thirty ante meridian approaches on a very busy weekend for me, I can tell you that there are not cruel fates controlling your life or my life; but there is a God who wants you to realize that you only have to think about the gift of today. Yesterday and tomorrow are in His area of expertise. Just think of Him as a good friend who's company you enjoy and who tells the most wonderful stories. When I get into those situations, I can't pull myself away from that person. I want to stay there all day and all night long, just talking and listening. The difference with God is, we are already home, we don't have to go anywhere. Home is the present and God lives with us right here. At least that seems to be the clause in the rule of life.