St Rule's Tower
From my Facebook note, "Scotland V - St Rule's Tower" - 02/10/2009 10:07 AM
I've decided to write a note, but I'm not quite sure what to express. I just finished walking back from Arleta's after I walked her home. It was a good night with my friends. But on the way home I began thinking more about what the present - now - is to me. In assessing the present I must interpret it through the past.
Eight decades ago my family moved from this place - Scotland - to Los Angeles. I would have never figured I'd come here to study. On top of that, I never have really thought about what is next in my life. I never sit back and bask in the glory of God as seen through my life experience, at least not in this particular way. I wish I had the words to properly express how I am feeling. No song, no picture, no rhetoric can adequately describe it.
Why did I leave that which I love (Hannah, my family/friends, Grace Brethren, Los Angeles) to come here? Why do I have the opportunity to be in such a unique program in such a unique place?
Every day I walk by the tower erected to hold the relics of St Andrew. Legend has it that in the fourth century the Greek St Rule (sometimes referred to as St Regulus) was told in a vision to - in order to prevent them from being moved by Emperor Constantine to Constantinople - bring the relics of St Andrew from Patras to the ends of the earth. I meet St Rule at the ends of my world - this small town at the edge of the North Sea.
On Sundays I worship with the community at the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity, a church that has been established for nine centuries and has stood in its current location for six. During the week I study at the five-century-old divinity school, St Mary's College.
It was God's grace that has brought me to life God's grace that kept me alive when my infantile body was on the verge of death at my birth. It was God's grace that made me an individual, one who was able to overcome extreme fear of the world in order to develop intimate and passionate friendships. It was God's grace that brought me to conversion and has continually drawn me further into his kingdom. It was God's grace that provided me the strength to pursue theology instead of physics and it was God's grace that provided for more than $100,000 for equipping my heart and mind for service in his Church and in this world. And while I gave up and sought lesser things it was God's grace that continued to preserve my life even when I wished to end it. It was God's grace that taught me how to receive love. It was God's grace that gave me the opportunity to integrate my wide range of abilities into my service toward him and it was God's grace that gave me the confidence to remain diligent the abilities that he has given me.
Why should I doubt when God has demonstrated his utter fidelity to me even in light of my utter failures? I have no logical reason to suspect anything less than God's grace, the grace that he lavishes upon me without measure. While I was actively pursuing a life outside of God's kingdom he was faithful in extending his invitation. And while I oftentimes live as a heathen God remains faithful. His goal is not to make me better, but to make me new. And while there are times when I feel completely alone, that not even God's Spirit is with me, I cannot ignore the ways that God has demonstrated his trustworthiness.
I can poke and prod at the cross of Christ, but in the end I must internalize both his cosmic submission and victory. God has called this universe to himself, to wake up to the reality of that which is made new.
Why must I trivialize that which is the most profound? The simple grace of God, which has always been and always will be more complex than any system of human creation, washes over the creation that he has deemed good and worthy.
I take it in now, from the top of the tower, where I meet the bones of St Andrew and the mission of St Rule. I am no pilgrim; I am not called to wish for a life after this. I am home; I am in a place that belongs to the only king. The effective work of Christ has made it so. It is only a matter of time - most likely after I have tasted my mortality - until God ushers in all justice and righteousness to his creation at the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. On that day there will be noise and a massive orchestra, and this day will extend into eternity - a wedding celebration without end.
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I made a video of some of my recent travels:
+++++
I've decided to write a note, but I'm not quite sure what to express. I just finished walking back from Arleta's after I walked her home. It was a good night with my friends. But on the way home I began thinking more about what the present - now - is to me. In assessing the present I must interpret it through the past.
Eight decades ago my family moved from this place - Scotland - to Los Angeles. I would have never figured I'd come here to study. On top of that, I never have really thought about what is next in my life. I never sit back and bask in the glory of God as seen through my life experience, at least not in this particular way. I wish I had the words to properly express how I am feeling. No song, no picture, no rhetoric can adequately describe it.
Why did I leave that which I love (Hannah, my family/friends, Grace Brethren, Los Angeles) to come here? Why do I have the opportunity to be in such a unique program in such a unique place?
Every day I walk by the tower erected to hold the relics of St Andrew. Legend has it that in the fourth century the Greek St Rule (sometimes referred to as St Regulus) was told in a vision to - in order to prevent them from being moved by Emperor Constantine to Constantinople - bring the relics of St Andrew from Patras to the ends of the earth. I meet St Rule at the ends of my world - this small town at the edge of the North Sea.
On Sundays I worship with the community at the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity, a church that has been established for nine centuries and has stood in its current location for six. During the week I study at the five-century-old divinity school, St Mary's College.
It was God's grace that has brought me to life God's grace that kept me alive when my infantile body was on the verge of death at my birth. It was God's grace that made me an individual, one who was able to overcome extreme fear of the world in order to develop intimate and passionate friendships. It was God's grace that brought me to conversion and has continually drawn me further into his kingdom. It was God's grace that provided me the strength to pursue theology instead of physics and it was God's grace that provided for more than $100,000 for equipping my heart and mind for service in his Church and in this world. And while I gave up and sought lesser things it was God's grace that continued to preserve my life even when I wished to end it. It was God's grace that taught me how to receive love. It was God's grace that gave me the opportunity to integrate my wide range of abilities into my service toward him and it was God's grace that gave me the confidence to remain diligent the abilities that he has given me.
Why should I doubt when God has demonstrated his utter fidelity to me even in light of my utter failures? I have no logical reason to suspect anything less than God's grace, the grace that he lavishes upon me without measure. While I was actively pursuing a life outside of God's kingdom he was faithful in extending his invitation. And while I oftentimes live as a heathen God remains faithful. His goal is not to make me better, but to make me new. And while there are times when I feel completely alone, that not even God's Spirit is with me, I cannot ignore the ways that God has demonstrated his trustworthiness.
I can poke and prod at the cross of Christ, but in the end I must internalize both his cosmic submission and victory. God has called this universe to himself, to wake up to the reality of that which is made new.
Why must I trivialize that which is the most profound? The simple grace of God, which has always been and always will be more complex than any system of human creation, washes over the creation that he has deemed good and worthy.
I take it in now, from the top of the tower, where I meet the bones of St Andrew and the mission of St Rule. I am no pilgrim; I am not called to wish for a life after this. I am home; I am in a place that belongs to the only king. The effective work of Christ has made it so. It is only a matter of time - most likely after I have tasted my mortality - until God ushers in all justice and righteousness to his creation at the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. On that day there will be noise and a massive orchestra, and this day will extend into eternity - a wedding celebration without end.
+++++
I made a video of some of my recent travels:
Click to view+++++