paravanes:meditations

  The Great Divorce , by C.S. Lewis. Harper One, 2000. 146 pages. (Originally published in 1946.) From the preface : "Evil can be undone, but it cannot "develop" into good. Time does not heal it. The spell must be unwound, bit by bit, 'with backward mutters of disserving power'--or else not. If we insist on keeping Hell, (or even Earth) we shall not see Heaven; if we accept Heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell." This book is not about the legal process of ending a marriage contract, Nor is it theology. Instead, Lewis' fable is about an imaginary trip from between Hell and Heaven. The book features imaginary characters who engage in a pursuit and a discussion of the deepest, most important realities: how do my choices bring me close to God, or away from God? What is the nature of Heaven? What is the nature of Hell? Lewis, an Episcopalian, draws a deeper meaning of these places than will be found in po...

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Right now, let's focus on the phrase about God's will that says "on earth as it is in heaven." We are still inviting God more deeply into our experience and also into the environment in which we live. We are inviting God's rulership again, but now we are inviting God to rule in our world. We are asking for God's rule on eatrth as God rules in heaven. This is an expansion of the request "your kingdom come." We are asking for God's will to be done immediately and without question. This begins with me, not with others. God's will is what I do, not what I impose. We are asking for God's will to be understood and known to be good. In heaven, God's will is unques...

  " Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.   I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God." --Revelation 21:1-3. (Image from calvarybaptist.org) Much of what we call "Christian service" involves struggle, challenge, and delayed gratification. For what and why are we delaying gratification?  We do this because we are waiting for "a new heaven and a new earth." Scripture doesn't give a lot of details about this place, and the information we are given in the Book of Revelation is sometimes complex, coded, and difficult for many to understand. Why is this? Why doesn't God sim...

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new Earth, for the first heaven and the first Earth had passed away..." Revelation 21:2 Throughout the gospels, Jesus tells his listeners and followers the Kingdom of Heaven is within them; He tells them how worthy they are of God's love---describing it in this way: 4] "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? [5] And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders [6] and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' [7] I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. [8] "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she fi...