Where do you belong? – 2

Today I will reflect on the second answer of the “most important Christmas-song”. I will look into the answer: I belong in the “jumpers’ land”.

When I think about "jumping" in a Christian context, my thoughts immediately go to one of the stories Terry Camsey used when he taught about Church Growth for 25 years ago. He told the anecdote about the "jumping nuns". 

The tradition of the Order was that the nuns jumped while they were praying. There is no harm in jumping while praying, but when someone asked “why”, no one knew the answer. On closer examination, it came to light that when the order was founded, the nuns were barefooted when they prayed. The reason was the passages where Moses and later Joshua (1) were asked to take off their shoes because they stood on holy ground. The combination bare feet and a cold paved floor made to the nuns jump to keep warm while they prayed. They continued this tradition also after heating was installed in the monastery. Jumping had become part of the tradition.

There is nothing wrong with traditions as long as I know that they have a purpose and a function. However, it is dangerous to be stuck in a "jumpers’ land" where the tradition is drained of its content.

The Christmas Mystery was, and is, a protest against vain traditions.

'Manna' for today:

I belong in a land rich on content!

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(1) Exodus 3:5 & Jos 5:15

It is about 'contagion'

NORSK
I know that holiness is contagious. There is Scriptural support for the claim. In the passage about the sacred anointing oil, I read that everything and everyone involved in the worship in the Tabernacle became holy through the anointing, and further it says that:

“…whatever touches them will be holy”
Exocus 30:29b

Even further there is support for the claim that people filled with the Holy Spirit become ‘contagious’. What happened with the 120 on the first Pentecost, spread with epidemic speed. On the very first day 3000 people asked the vital question that is linked to any epidemic:

“Brothers, what shall we do?”
Acts 2:37b

They received the prescription: Holiness is about death and resurrection in Jesus Christ. And since that day, no power neither in the heavenly realms nor on earth has managed to stop the epidemic. Many powers have tried, but in the midst of persecution and threats of distinction “the contagious life” has shown its divine growth power.

‘Manna’ for today:

Holiness is contagious!

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It is about respect

NORSK
When I study holiness in the Old Testament, it is evident that the Israelites never doubted God’s holiness. They had the Torah with its clear regulations how they should deal with issues concerning their worship and practical life. 

They had seen what e.g. the holiness of the Ark of the Covenant could do the surroundings when it was taken out of its sacred purpose. The Philistines had captured the ark of God but came soon to this conclusion:

"Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it will kill us and our people."
1 Sam 5:11 

They firmly believed what Moses learned from one of his encounters with God:

Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."

And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."
Ex 33:18-20

They took the consequences of this belief and tied a rope around the leg of the High Priest when he entered the Most Holy Place – in case God should reveal himself. Isaiah’s reaction to the vision in the Temple is another confirmation (1). 

This respect for the holy made them consecrate not only people, but all the items used in connection with the religious life.
A consecrated item was then perfect for its purpose in the ministry. It had the same shape and the same look as before it had become holy. The great difference was that the item had been the object of an act of obedience to God’s description of consecration. It was not its original talent that made it perfect, but the act of faith!

'Manna' for today:

Holiness is about awe and respect

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(1) Isa 6:5

It is about pain

NORSK
The three first words have become standard in the headings. It creates a continuity which is important, but it is easy to forget what “it” is. “It” refers to the main focus of my dive in the ‘Well of holiness’ – which of course is “holiness”.

Is it correct that holiness also is about pain?
If it is correct that holiness is linked with the ‘other’ trinity (1), the answer must be: “Yes!”
A disciple with focus on the mission will also know God’s pain for those experiencing pain and suffering.

A couple of days ago, I wrote: 
When Moses was told to take of his shoes because he stood on holy ground, it was not because it was a meeting between God and Moses – it was even more about the third party: God’s chosen people (2).
It did not take long time before Moses heard God say: 

I’ve clearly seen my people oppressed in Egypt. I’ve heard their cry of injustice because of their slave masters. I know about their pain.
Exodus 3:7 CEB

I am convinced that Moses could feel the same pain as God felt. If not, Moses was not part of the 'other' trinity. Holiness is about identification with God and those whom he loves.

When I teach the subject of holiness, I have asked people if they think mother Teresa’s face looks “holy”, and if they take time to reflect, a majority normally say “no”. The same people are very likely to have mentioned her as an example of holiness. 
Personally I think her face is marked by pain. To feel God’s pain is a natural consequence of living with him in the world. We can feel it. Here is an example:

In March 2004 I asked a dear colleague who looked terrible: “Are you ill?”

“No”, he replied, “but I have watched and wept with God all weekend! He weeps over mass destruction, and I have seen terrible things happen. I even heard God say the name of the assassin. I think he must be a dictator in Asia.”

He had written the name on a note and wondered if I could confirm that there was a dictator by this name. I read the note and had to admit that I did not recognize the name, nor new the meaning of it. Nine months later the whole world knew the meaning of the name. On the note was written “Sunami” (3).

‘Manna’ for today:

God cares for people - therefore holiness will also be about pain. (4)

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(1) The ‘other’ trinity = God + disciple + the world
(2) See “It is about holy ground”
(3) “Tsunami” – phonetically the ‘t’ often disappear in Norwegian.
(4) Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Rom 8:17

It is about a three-legged stool

NORSK
It is interesting that the advantage of a stool with three legs, is the guarantee of stability. Even if the legs are not the same length, the stool will stand firm. It is good to bear in mind when we look at the ‘other’ trinity, because here the members are not ‘co-equal in power and glory’ (1).

Still – there will be no holiness unless the three are coming together (2).
 
One of the reasons why we chose to drive to the European Zonal Conference was an urge to see if The Salvation Army’s mission is needed in Bulgaria. The first night after we had received our appointment to Eastern Europe, I dreamt that The Salvation Army opened work in that country. 

I was surprised because the dream was so vivid, and also because I had never thought about that possibility. I shared it with Magna and some friends, but did not think much about it before I had an unexpected phone call with an invitation to a chat over a cup of coffee. This was last October and the chat led me back on track. I shared the dream with my leaders, and they were excited to explore the possibility. So - ten days ago we found ourselves in Sofia in a meeting with two representatives from the Evangelical Alliance.

We shared our stories, and the reply was: “What took you so long? We have been waiting for you for twenty years!” Then they shared their thoughts, and we felt we were on ‘holy ground’. It was confirmed when they said: “Please do come as a church and not only as a charity-organization. Yes, we need the humanitarian work, but it has to be in the context of the spiritual ministry!”

That was a strong confirmation: They want a holistic ministry - the core of our mission. We cannot go anywhere without God, but with him, we see opportunity for mission to ‘the world’ in Bulgaria.

Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”
Exodus 33:15

God’s presence makes the difference. Without him, there is no stability, and the ‘stool’ will fall.

Still, we believe that God is with us, but need a lot of prayer-support. Because there is “A river going through Europe” – more tomorrow.

‘Manna’ for today:

It takes the ‘other’ trinity to have a holy mission.

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(1) The third doctrine of The Salvation Army:
We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead – The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.
(2) God + disciple + the world = the ‘other’ trinity

It is about ‘holy ground’

NORSK 
During the night we returned from an exciting “journey”, and on several occasions we experienced being on ‘holy ground’. The photo is chosen by purpose. It is taken at Areopagus with Acropolis as the background. The place is far from being ‘holy ground’ by itself, but it symbolizes ‘holy ground’ because it was there Paul preached his famous sermon (1). In a good way it confirms what I shared yesterday: Holiness is also about the ‘other’ trinity = God + disciple + the world.

Where these three come together, the experience of ‘holy ground’ will occur. We felt it when the disciples Maria and Polis – the Salvation Army officers who lead the work in Greece, gave their testimony about what is happening in the country. We experienced it when we were in a meeting and saw the refugees who came from different countries and religions – they were there because they were included by a Jesus-motivated love.

When the Muslim TV channel Aljazeera made an interview with Maria, their first question was: “Why are you, as a Christian organization, helping Muslims?”
Maria responded spontaneously: “Oh, is that what they are? I can only see human beings in need of help and love!”

That is what makes The Victoria Square in Athens ‘holy ground’.

When Moses was told to take of his shoes because he stood on holy ground, it was not because it was a meeting between God and Moses – it was even more about the third party: God’s chosen people (2).

In Jesus, God has shown that he loves and chooses the whole world (3).

‘Manna’ for today:

Where the ‘other’ trinity comes together, the ground becomes holy.

NB – more reflections on the ‘other’ trinity linked to the experiences of last week will follow.
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* Magna and I together with our leaders, Rodney and Wendy Walters
(1) Acts 17:16-34
(2) Exodus 3
(3) John 3:16

It is about a tent

NORSK
Often I find that the search for my daily, ‘manna’ is confirmed by things happening around me. This week we are in Athens on a conference together with the leaders of all the territories in Europe. We run through a number of matters which are important focus areas for the Salvation Army, and every day starts with a Bible-study led by Commissioner Sylvia Cox. She leads us through the exiting story of the Tabernacle – a sacred tent and dwelling constructed in accordance with the instructions and measurements given to Moses by God. The Tabernacle was later to be substituted by the Temple, but I love the thought of the moveable tent. Like the Temple, the Tabernacle existed of three parts.

Paul wrote:

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1 Cor 3:16 NKJV

This is probably one of the best illustration of “my image” as a follower of Jesus in the world – and I will use the temple/tabernacle in my reflections over several days, but today I want to focus on the movability:

“The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out.”
Exodus 40:34-36

The cloud represents the Holy Spirit, who lives in my spirit. I just love the thought of being a tabernacle for him – a tabernacle that moves when he moves.

‘Manna’ for today:

Holiness is the readiness to move with the Spirit

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