Lines of Purpose
Read: Colossians 1-4
Moving right through the epistles, our next stop is Colossians, wheee! Right off the bat, Paul, through Rev. Peterson, says something interesting: "The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope" (1:5).
This is kind of a tricky metaphor. What I imagine is that we are like boats at a pier with our lines attached to that pier. We're kept out at sea with those lines by some force that keeps them taut? I don't know why but that just doesn't sit well for me. A boat tied up to the dock is kind of useless (except for sleeping in I guess). But a boat is fulfilling its purpose when it's out to sea. So, in a moment of heresy: Peterson, what the heck were you thinking?
What I do like about the verse is the idea that our purpose is given to us by God. I'm rather unsettled by what could happen to me at this rather tenuous point in my life: one car accident that is or isn't my fault and I'm going to be carless and broke. One major illness or accident and I find out that my stupid freaking health insurance that I pay way too much money into doesn't cover me out of state and I'm broke. I've really got nothing to fall back on and disaster could strike at any moment. But, beyond all that, God has a purpose for me and it's my hope (and perhaps faith as well!) that he has that purpose for me that will keep me stuck to him somehow. Maybe not sitting idly though. Maybe I need God the tugboat more than anything :)
posted by Matt Wiggins @ 10:05 AM
3 Comments:
I think Rev. Peterson was mixing metaphors with that line: growing slack as in desire and action = bad thing; a loosed rope on a free-roaming Christian = access to all. Albeit, a loosed Christian can also be dangerous to himself and others (part of me did that just to say "loosed Christian").
Anyway, in relation to your situation, I think that the idea of a focused purpose is very important, although you may not know what that purpose is yet. On a foggy day, sometimes you can only see a few feet in front of the boat.
Hope all is well, Matt.
i'm taking this metaphor more in a climbing situation. imagine being somewhere in the middle of Seneca Rocks. my dad is above belaying you, but he's hidden behind the rock. the rope is taught, giving you both safety and direction. it doesn't do the work for you. you must still find the hand holds, the finger jams, and the toe grips. but it is the hope of finishing the climb, of standing and looking back at what was accomplished. with your belayer at your side, as much a part of the climb as the climber.
Heh heh, you did say loosed :)
And I'm kind of stunned I missed the possible rock climbing analogy there. Good work, JD!
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