the world as I see it

For: The Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen's University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt

This week we had to put together a brief statement that reflected our worldview or the big story as we know it. Here is my attempt:

It all begins with God. This originator - beautiful, awesome, complete, and communicative in himself and all he does - liberally sprinkles his living and breathing compositions into time and space. Of these, the one that carries his likeness, his breath, and joins in his project of growing a loving and glorious holy community is mankind.

In the middle chapters of this story, the lovee (that would be us) wanders away from the lover (that would be God), deciding that life needs to be explored on her own terms. Disaster ensues. While everything that the original Lover touches brings life, everything that moves outside of that love starts to decay. But listen, this Lover, he cannot be thwarted. He pursues the wayward, confused, and tainted lovee, inviting her to a new start. He takes her stinking decaying world and all the trouble she has brought on herself and holds it close to himself. So close that the death touches his life and is swallowed up by its light.

The vision of a vibrant and rightly related community has never died. Love is still at the centre of it, but the boundaries are broader than ever. Now every maimed body and broken relationship and bruised ecosystem is invited to the party called "Restoration." Creation branches out into re-creation. Love is ever present, in every place and time, calling all back to himself, to align themselves with him, to be one with him.

The final chapter does not end. Love never ends. Everything that deviates from love will end. Everything that says yes to Love will live. And we will never get tired of looking at the original Lover in wonder and gratitude, becoming more like him every moment. Glory!

This is a school in South Africa where they are trying to teach and show these kids how to learn and live with hope.

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outWORD by Matte Downey

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