Essential externals

For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest; Hebrews 12:18a 

No one scales a mountain by themselves. There are always significant externals lurking in the background; causes, voices and people often provide the much-needed motivation to keep pursuing the promise of the summit despite the discomfort we feel from tired achy muscles and waning willpower. 

At base camp, the camaraderie of fellow hikers fills us with hope of a fun-filled and pleasant ascent. And so, we set off warm, energized and eager to reach the summit in record time. 

Midway through the climb however, the reality of the physical (and mental) endurance our quest requires sets in and returning to base camp becomes super tempting. This is when it helps to look behind us as well as forward (and upward) intermittently. While the faint outlines of high-viz jackets near the summit remind us others have been where we are (and felt what we feel) but pushed through, the rapidly closing gap between us and those just leaving base camp eggs us on. 

Near the summit, with our physical and mental reserves more or less depleted, voices and causes fuel the final leg of our ascent. We remember conversations we had with those who had successfully reached the top while preparing for our own quests. And if we listen intently, their voices are carried by the blustery winds around us reminding us of how close we are to achieving our goal.  

Finally, memories of the causes that ignited our desire to ascend in the first place come flooding back to us: legitimacy, legacy and loved ones collectively pull us toward the summit and completion. 

 

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. Hebrews 12:21-24 

Purposeful pain I

But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 

Matthew 13:8 

Seed germination makes for an interesting case study. One’s perspective determines the lessons gleaned; a bland farm tale or a saga about private pain that unlocks true potential. 

Although they come in various shapes and sizes, there are two vital components to every type of seed: cotyledons and a coat. While the genetic code that turns the seed into a tree lies dormant in the cotyledons, the coat serves a vital function by protecting them from harsh environmental conditions; thus, preserving their potency (and purpose) until it’s time to germinate.  

Germination begins with weakening of the structural integrity of the seed coat (either in the digestive tracts of animals or in soil), then the seed expands by absorbing water to reactivate dormant metabolic processes. Pretty interesting that the first step in transitioning from dormancy involves a loss of defences or deliberate vulnerability. We all have psychological and emotional layers insulating us from the “cold, hard world”. Unfortunately, these barriers often also prevent us from taking in new matter to expand and bloom when it matters. 

Finally, germination is often a private, hidden process that takes place in dark loamy soils. Apparently, the conditions (moisture content, pH and temperature) need to be just right to “wake” the seed up. Sown in dry ground, they never transition from seeds. Swamped in excess moisture or heat, they rot fast.  

Unlocking our potential to fulfil divine purpose requires finding (and abiding in) the right environment, enduring the private pain of deliberate vulnerability and stretching/expansion by taking in new material. And not just any material but chemically active, life-giving matter whose components when broken down can power processes at the cellular level.  

 

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

Hebrews 4:12 

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 

Ephesians 5:26 

The origins of entropy III - His time

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8 

The divine perception of time has always confounded man. Even though we’re made in His image, our external and internal clocks appear to be wired differently from His. Understanding this and aligning with divine timing is a crucial aspect of fulfilling divine purpose.  

While He appears to be focused on processes such as fostering the right environment for His kingdom here on earth, we tend to be preoccupied with speed. Therefore, He can afford to wait millennia for man’s thoughts and values to align with His while we are persistently restless, hopping from one task to another and defining productivity by how much we get done within a reference timeframe (minutes, hours, days). Small wonder His descriptors for time are long term (seasons and generations) while ours are rate-dependent (per second). With this temporal perceptual difference, it is easy for us to be ensnared by comparisons as well as jealousy and our default mode becomes impatience. 

Jesus’ final temptation in the wilderness wasn’t just a promise to deliver the kingdoms of the earth; it was also labour-sparing and timesaving. He wouldn’t have had to endure the crucifixion or millennia of intercession (on our behalf) at the Father’s right hand for His work to be done. From a mortal productivity perspective, it was a no-brainer and a rational shortcut to fulfilling His fourth mandate (as described in the previous post). However, it would have come at a great expense. Perhaps he would have died (been separated from God) and lived out His earthly years as a carpenter; there’d be no church or restoration of gentiles or the promise of His kingdom on earth. Pretty steep opportunity cost due to impatience. 

Why do we perceive time differently from Him?  

Long before physical timepieces were invented, our biological clocks were designed by Him. And so, we have circadian rhythms and hormonal cycles that correlate with external timeframes from cortisol secretion to ovarian follicular maturation. External timeframes on the other hand, are largely defined by planetary rotations and revolutions; coincidentally, his first creative works as per Genesis 1:1. It becomes obvious then that He’s external to time, having created the systems by which it’s measured. He’s not bound by our perceptual limitations of chronology (Greek - kronos) but sees one big “real-time” picture that includes the past, present as well as the future and is therefore able to intervene at the right time (Greek – kairos). Our linear temporal perception often leads to impatience so as not to be left behind by the pace of events while He instead uses time as a tool for His purpose.  

According to Solomon, time and purpose are inseparable (Ecclesiastes 3) and our divine purposes are no exceptions. Looking to fulfil divine purpose in our linear, sequential view of time might result in us being out of sync with His will or even missing divinely -orchestrated opportunities. Rather we should strive to understand the divine big picture (like the Sons of Issachar) through prayer and thus fulfil our kairos-ascribed purpose. 

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. 

Ecclesiastes 3:11