Wash my motives clean

"Why?"

It's a question that's often fun to answer. While the weeWeir is not yet at the inquisitive, asking "why?" to everything stage yet, I've been thinking a bit about motivation.

Why do we do things? Is it for respect, recognition or reward? How about to show compassion, capability or some sense of achievement?

Do I tell you a certain story as a way of controlling? Do I use circumstances to manipulate others into doing what I want?

Does it matter?

Too right it does.

You see, in the teachings of Jesus, the heart (or motives) are crucial. The intent is vital. But so it the approach.

It's Easter Sunday. Did Jesus intend to die? Yes. Why? "Not my will, but yours be done".

Did He do it in some grand show of bravado? Some demonstration of self-deprecation - or ultimate folly?

Nope. It was the ultimate sacrifice. The blameless took my shame.

Why? So that God would be glorified - and people would be drawn to Him.

My hope is that people see Jesus through how I live. That Jesus would show them the love of the Father, the Creator. And that through faith we can live in grace & peace, full of love and a hope that doesn't disappoint.

Motives are hard to judge from the outside, so I can't really speak for anyone else, but this Easter, I hope you meet with the living Jesus who loves us more than we'll ever know.

My hope is that people don't see me as someone who has it all together, who has it all figured out.

PS - the title is a line from a Sue Rinaldi song "Change this world". I remember a gig with IndigoEcho when Sue was *headlining*. That was an odd gig, lots of fun, but still odd. We played to about 20 people in a 300-capacity tent in Ayrshire. The line "come and wash our motives clean" has stayed with me for over 10 years as I think about why I do things.

Lens: The original (unaugmented) reality

A lot is being made of Augmented Reality as the next *big thing* in digital marketing/advertising/social awareness/other stuff.

But maybe this isn't all that new. While I love the overlay of information on what we can see (there's 35 examples here), there's something in the reality of a follower of Jesus that should be seeing more than just the world around us. There's a deep sense that God is in all, working through it all and showing his great love, grace & mercy to us as a result.

Lord, open my eyes to see the truth of what's around me. Let my Lens be awake to life.

Mediated View of the World

At the CofS event I attended last week, I heard Professor John Eldridge talking make reference to us living in a mediated world.

While I would completely agree. But it's nothing new. It's not something that the advent of radio or TV has instigated, it's just become more noticable, we've become more savvy (or cynical) and that the internet has exposed much of it.

Since our earliest days, the evidence suggests that our history has been passed down from one generation through stories, songs, pictures, etching, carvings - the list goes on. By it's very nature, these events are mediated. They are not experienced first hand. So what's the point then?

Our view of the world has always been mediated. In every aspect of life we are given the *facts* from a certain point of view. What's unclear, however, is how objective, impartial or reliable that point of view actually is. I guess that's why it's helpful to get a balanced view of the world. To hear things from more than one person who was there. There's plenty of content I don't watch/read/listen to because I frankly don't think it's reliable.

We're far more aware of the simple (and sometimes complex) plays of the Marketing Professional (a mis-nomer?). Gently manipulating our view of the world to favour their brand of product or service.

If I'm uncertain of the validity of some sources of information, how do I reconcile my faith in God and that there are truths I hold to be unshakeable. Some might argue that these things I hold to be true are only "true" from a certain point of view. Other might say that nothing is true and it's all just a breath in the wind, but the convictions of my soul say otherwise.

The risk is that dogmatism sets in and there's no room for grace. No room for the breathe of God to blow through, bringing life.

So yes, my view of the world is mediated. And I'm not ignorant of that. And I think that's all I can ask for. Other than some discernment of what is really going on.

Choices

It's not a new thought, but each of use face choices in each moment of our living.

We make a lot of choices automatically - you're breathing now, aren't you?

The choices we make now determine our future - they influence the way we percieve the world. The choices we make influence the way the world perceives us. I would suggest we also shape the world we live in by the choices we make. Which is an interesting thought.

Will I shave today?

Will I ride my bike, or take the car to work?

Will I be on time, or try to fit in *one more thing* before leaving?

Will I put the needs of someone else before me?

Will I put my trust in a system, a currency or something more eternal?

Will I be true to my word or let a few things slide?

As a follower of Jesus, I want my choices to bring Glory to Him.

Father, let me point people to You - the source of life. Jesus, thank you for the grace to live in the light of who I was made to be. Spirit, empower me to make the right decisions as I walk with You.

2030 - the future is, erm, not made yet thanks.

Rarely can I read or hear the words "The Future" without thinking of the closing scenes of Back to the Future where Doc Brown proclaims he's off to "the future" with a mystical, yet inquisitive look in his eyes.

I love that film, such a part of my teenage years.

Anyway, I read this today and was stuck by a couple of things.

* if the trends mentioned in the report then the future does look pretty interesting and I am all for the emerging of effective collaboration (ooh, buzzword!)

* we watch today's trends to get some idea of what tomorrow brings. Sometimes that so people can try and make money, or make sure we're ready/positioned to capitalise, sometimes it's just to avoid the feeling of "we don't know what's happening next! aaaaaarrrgh!"

* tomorrow hasn't happened yet. we don't know what it will bring. worrying about it isn't going to change the outcome (other than perhaps make it worse because we're caught up in even a little fear about it. that said, I think it's right to find the narrow way that shows our concern for more than simply here and now, and that we are creating our tomorrows right here and now.

When Jenny was carrying Beth, she was pretty ill. For about 5 months. A few things kept me going through that; the promise I believed God has given us about having a family and by not getting too caught up in what the outcome might be. I needed to be very present. I also had the support of our great families and friends too.

So, I think about the future and it interests me to see what people are forecasting - but if we're honest, there's few things about our lives that we can say *will* happen (other than death, but that's a whole other thing that I'm not getting into right now).

Let me live for today, in the light of what I've learned from yesterday and full of hope for tomorrow. I do wonder if Jesus-Followers are "seated in heavenly places in Christ" and God is outside of time, seeing it as one, then what does that mean for me...?