Taken To Heart

Hannah Arendt is one of the more important North American philosophers of the 20th century.  In her book "The Human Condition" she writes about significant events that have unintentionally shaped how we think today.

One of the examples she raises expresses how our world has shrunk.  This, in itself, is not a very stirring revelation, but when you begin to examine the implications of this for our spiritual health, this reality takes on a new light.  Here is what I mean:

Think about the explorers of the 16th century.  Christopher Columbus was one among many who had been captivated by the possibility of new worlds.  Arendt states that when adventurers like Columbus took to the seas it was with the intent of "enlarging the earth, not shrink[ing] her into a ball."  What Arendt is pointing out is that to our sensibilities today, what with living in a shrunken global village, where everything is accessible and immediate, when we think of Columbus embarking on his campaign, we think it was with the intent to shrink the world--to make it smaller--because that is what our experience teaches us.  But, in fact, they were motivated to make their world bigger!

But, then Arendt goes further and makes a statement that made me pause.  This is her comment:  "Nothing can remain immense if it can be measured."

I wonder if in our miniaturized world, our shrunken environment, and our technologically advanced reality where everything can be figured out eventually with experimentation and formulas, that we have also subconsciously bought into the idea that God Himself has also somehow become smaller?

"Surely not!" you might say.  But I want you to consider something:

It was not long ago that God was 'welcome' in our town squares; in the halls of our governments; in our schools; and in public discourse in general.  It seems to me that we have, in many ways, succumbed to an understanding that faith in Jesus Christ, and Christianity in general, is something that is meant to remain largely a personal and private thing.  If this is true, then Christianity has been reduced from a large and encompassing presence to something that is hidden from view.  God only resides in our hearts and not in our world.  Now I know that we are theologically aware of God as everywhere present, but do we live this way?  Like Columbus lived his desire to put his life on the line to expand the world he lived in?

As time marches on we get closer and closer to the day when Jesus will return to earth.  When we see him, will we still be imagining our God as one who has been reduced in our minds as one who only resides in our hearts, or will we be imagining the magnitude of the All Encompassing and Powerful One who stands above all things.  Just listen to this description of the Lord from Joel 2:11:

"The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command."

This is our God--the God of the universe, our world and our hearts.  Let's take this to heart and explore the vast richness of our relationship with Him.

BT