I just moved into a new place. Every time I move in to a new building, city, or ministry there is a tension present. I always feel as though I can't properly rest or be fully comfortable because I'm not settled. The movement from one house to another, from one job (or unemployment) to a new job, or from one form of marital status to another is difficult All transition seems to have this tension. Being in between two places makes you feel like a stretch Armstrong doll being or a tug-of-war rope. When I think about my moving around in the last several years and the ministry of Jesus I see a shared tension.
"
Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
-Jesus of Nazareth, The Gospel of Matthew
Jesus was on the move. He lived in the tension. Jesus was between his heavenly kingdom and the world. Both were of Him and he was in both. The Church lives in a similar tension as she aims to be the kingdom of heaven on Earth. She is to embody the all ready (in Christ) and not yet (new earth) kingdom.
"This world is only a bridge. Cross over it, but do not build your house on it!"
-On an archway in northern India. "The Secret of the Presence.”
Accredited to Jesus by oral tradition.
“
This place is not my home. It has nothing for me.”
-Shawn McDonald, Gravity
As foreigners and aliens (1Peter 1:1, 17, 2:11 Hebrews 11:13) who are in the world but never of it we are to embrace this tension. Like Jesus, his children - his bride - are never at rest in this world because they do not belong to the world but to the kingdom.
“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” -Jesus of Nazareth, The Gospel of John
“I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” - Jesus of Nazareth, The Gospel of John
“My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” - Jesus of Nazareth, The Gospel of John
They live in their own countries, but only as guests and aliens. They take part in everything as citizens and endure everything as aliens. Every foreign country is their homeland, and every homeland is a foreign country to them. – Letter to Diognetus in the 2nd century.
So there is this tension. What do we do with it? Better yet, what are we to do in it?
Reveal it. We reveal this tension to the world because this tension also unveils the contrast between the world and the kingdom and those who rule both. In doing this we reveal the true struggle we face as explained by Paul in Ephesians 6:12. By living as kingdom people (following the teachings and example of Jesus Christ) we present the truth of reality to all people and show them the struggle that is present in creation. Not only that but we reveal where the victory of this struggle is found (Jesus and his kingdom).
How have you seen this tension? How have you embraced this tension?
True
Comments (3)
Why do the people in the picture have to be white? Come on now. lol jk
um Im confused.
Some people are just not good with change.
Me, I've moved 30 times, and I love it. I actually hate the fact that we've bought a house and I feel stuck because I don't have the freedom to move.
I don't think "tension" is the right word. Anxiety would suit better.
But, Im still confused by this post.
I actually just moved about four months ago, and I still have unpacked boxes. To me, the idea of there being tension between where I am and where is home is totally real. Thank you so much for this post; it makes me realize I'm not crazy, nor am I alone in feeling this way.