the significant hour

"God wants to see human beings, not ghosts who shun the world ... In the whole of world history there is always only one really significant hour -- the present ... If you want to find eternity you must serve the present." 

I heard this quotation from Deitrich Bonhoeffer this morning and it was very thought-provoking. On Sunday I drove down to Pine Mountain, GA to volunteer at a Summit Ministries event for Christian educators. I got to sit in on a few sessions, and this quotation was part of Dr. Jeff Myers' presentation this morning. A major theme of the conference that was challenging to me was the idea of living a life of virtue, which John Stonestreet described as a long obedience in the right direction. Living virtuously means to live a life that loves what is true and good -- a life dedicated to those things. It also means understanding that our lives are part of a bigger Story - the story of the world.

In light of all of that, and in light of the fact that I'm reading this excellent biography of Bonhoeffer right now, the quotation spoke volumes to me. Am I willing to serve the present in order to find eternity? Am I willing to see myself not as the leading role in my own story, but as a small piece in a much bigger, much more significant Story? If so, what will that life look like? I think the answers to those questions are beginning to culminate in my mind as I piece together thoughts I've had and prayers I've prayed recently, and I see a theme emerging. In order to serve the present and live my life as part of a bigger Story, I have to be faithful in the present time. I may not understand the bigger picture of where my life is headed, but when I understand that my life ultimately is not about me and my story, there is freedom to embrace the unknown and follow the Author of the world's story. There is freedom because the pressure is off of me to know and understand where I'm going and where I'm called; I'm free to serve God in the present time. I'm free to be fully human and fully alive -- to love God and the world He has placed me in. What a wonderful life: investing in the significant hour -- serving the present in order to find eternity.

Settling

After wandering and traveling and seeing and experiencing, settling down is rather a scary venture for me. As difficult as it may be to pack, unpack, board planes, meet new people, and engage with new ideas, it is equally as difficult and terrifying at times for me to just settle down and commit to a place and community. I know what travel and adventure looks like -- I've been blessed with those things for the past few years. But a vision of what it means to stay and to invest? That's what I'm learning about now.

And so, I embark on a new type of adventure. The adventure of staying. And I think within that venture, there are all kinds of opportunities to explore, to travel, to learn and to grow. Perhaps these opportunities come in different forms than before, like in reading a book instead of boarding a plane, but they are filled with unexpected joys as well.

I'm looking forward to some of the following things in this new season: Enjoying time spent with friends here; writing letters to friends far away; finding a job (!); anticipating what will happen in the future. With me, who knows the next time I will board a plane to a new job, country, or visit. But for now, I'll enjoy the present and the community of church and friends here. In a way, this blog is a place for me to record the things I'm learning, to wrestle with thoughts, and to speak simply of the beauty of things found in the now.