A few not necessarily connected thoughts this evening.
First, I finally started reading Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. I’m only a few chapters in, but two things strike me. First, he has a very interesting, though good, writing style. It’s very conversational and easy. Second, he speaks of how we sometimes don’t like things until we are shown how to like them. I’m inclined to agree with him.
Second, it’s become tradition in my family that, when one of us graduates from high school, we are given an album with letters of encouragement and advice from family members and close friends. In mine, one of the things that was said was something to the effect of, “Never let your learning [about theology] fill your head and cause you to forget God’s love.” I’ve been thinking on that since I read it. Then, while I was working on some homework, I came across 2 Peter 1:5-11:
5For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Peter seems to be saying the same thing. He says that knowledge should lead to self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. If we do not practice these things we have forgotten God’s grace. We are nearsighted and cannot see the bigger picture of Christ’s love. I suppose that makes sense.
Third, one good thing which has come from my denominational wanderings is a greater appreciation of the Eucharist. A Zwinglian view of the Eucharist really robs it of any meaning. Indeed, it is a remembrance of Christ’s work but it is also so much more. It is something powerful enough that God judges those who participate in it unworthily (1 Corinthians 11). Just think of how seriously God must take his Communion, then. It is not something to be done flippantly, but with rightful respect. The exact nature of the Eucharist may well be outside our understanding, full of mystery, but we do know it is something which God takes very seriously. It seems wise that we do the same.
From the Book of Common Prayer, to be used at the Eucharist:
We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy. Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.
