The Edge of the Otherworld: October 2016

Monday 3 October 2016

God isn't looking for perfection

Actually, no, hang on a minute, he is...

Jesus said, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48 (NIV) And that was at the end of a whole load of teaching on being pure in thought, scrupulously honest, uncompromisingly generous and militantly forgiving. Be perfect, though? That's just ludicrous. We're messed up, warped, misled and frequently a bit rubbish. Perfection this side of Heaven is something of a big ask. We can try our best but...

The Edge?

The ancient Celts lived beside the endless ocean. It stretched away forever, terrifying in its power yet rich in its provision. By standing on its shore, wisdom could be found.

Their proximity to the physical edge of this world helped them to realise that they also lived on the ephemeral boundary of the Otherworld. The most mundane task could lead to insight and adventure. One step beyond the next tree might bring a wonder to behold.

We can learn from that. Round every corner, behind every door, in the eyes of every person that we meet, there is a mystery to be found. More than that, although God might constantly seem beyond our sight, the truth is that he is always holding us close in his ever-lasting arms.

Truly, we all stand with one foot in eternity and, whether we realise it or not, we all live on the Edge of the Otherworld.