Newness and Continuity in Christ
From Ecclesiastes 4 – 13 Better a poor and wise youth than old and foolish king who will be admonished no more. 14 For he comes out of prison to be king, although he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun; they will with the second youth who stands in his place. 16 There was no end of all the people over whom he was made king; yet those who come after Word will not rejoice in him. Surely this is also vanity and grasping for the wind. New King James Version
On the drama The West Wing, the President's political operative has found his next champion as the present administration draws to a close. He is invigorated, and he invites his veteran mentor and a close friend of the current president to join the new team. The mentor declines gently, wistfully, recollecting, "I already found my guy."
In Ecclesiastes 4:13-16, Solomon is a little more wizened than wiser. He has seen the people's hopes fix on one leader, then another. As a king himself perhaps with his reign nearing its end, he seems constricted by the circle of life and power in ways that television's idealized leader behind the leader is not.
Which is true of us as we realize that every Earthly opportunity we have is a time-limited opportunity? Do we relish the roles God has allowed us to play, and allows us to play today? Or does the awareness that they will and sap much about joy and gratitude in the present moment? If we listen, we can hear time's hoofbeats. Somebody else will occupy our office. Somebody else will take our title. Even in the relatively long-lasting and vital role that will invigorate and challenge my wife and myself in midlife, somebody else will become more important in this little person's heart as they grow and mature.
Helpful, as always, in beating off bitterness is Charles Spurgeon's Christ-centered perspective. He lifts up his eyes to confess in the sermon "The Beatific Vision", "To see Christ as He is will give thee back thy youth's bright gleaming eye." Seeing Christ as He allows us to resolve and root ourselves in the reality that what He sends, and sends again, He sends for our good. What He ends, He ends to bring something better that will allow us to see and depend on more of Him. Whatever of today is routine, we rejoice in His continuity. Whatever of today is disconcertingly new, we reorient ourselves in the assurance that He has seen it before and fashions it specifically for the formation of our character in His likeness.
On the drama The West Wing, the President's political operative has found his next champion as the present administration draws to a close. He is invigorated, and he invites his veteran mentor and a close friend of the current president to join the new team. The mentor declines gently, wistfully, recollecting, "I already found my guy."
In Ecclesiastes 4:13-16, Solomon is a little more wizened than wiser. He has seen the people's hopes fix on one leader, then another. As a king himself perhaps with his reign nearing its end, he seems constricted by the circle of life and power in ways that television's idealized leader behind the leader is not.
Which is true of us as we realize that every Earthly opportunity we have is a time-limited opportunity? Do we relish the roles God has allowed us to play, and allows us to play today? Or does the awareness that they will and sap much about joy and gratitude in the present moment? If we listen, we can hear time's hoofbeats. Somebody else will occupy our office. Somebody else will take our title. Even in the relatively long-lasting and vital role that will invigorate and challenge my wife and myself in midlife, somebody else will become more important in this little person's heart as they grow and mature.
Helpful, as always, in beating off bitterness is Charles Spurgeon's Christ-centered perspective. He lifts up his eyes to confess in the sermon "The Beatific Vision", "To see Christ as He is will give thee back thy youth's bright gleaming eye." Seeing Christ as He allows us to resolve and root ourselves in the reality that what He sends, and sends again, He sends for our good. What He ends, He ends to bring something better that will allow us to see and depend on more of Him. Whatever of today is routine, we rejoice in His continuity. Whatever of today is disconcertingly new, we reorient ourselves in the assurance that He has seen it before and fashions it specifically for the formation of our character in His likeness.
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