{"id":87,"date":"2009-08-27T11:42:34","date_gmt":"2009-08-27T10:42:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cvmen.org.uk\/blog\/?p=87"},"modified":"2009-08-27T11:42:34","modified_gmt":"2009-08-27T10:42:34","slug":"are-we-nearly-there-yet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/carls-thoughts\/are-we-nearly-there-yet\/","title":{"rendered":"Are We Nearly There Yet?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Hanging out with my two kids is a blast. \u00a0I love their company. \u00a0They make me laugh, make me think deeply, and I get to eat burgers. \u00a0Travelling places with them is however akin to being strapped into a chair and being made to listen to Chris De Burgh sing \u201cLady in Red\u201d endlessly without a break. \u00a0The thing is; I love journeys. \u00a0I love to see new stuff, interact with new surroundings and enjoy the whole experience of doing something\/being somewhere, different.<\/div>\n
My kids however tend to bombard me with:<\/div>\n
\u201care we there yet (clich\u00e9 I know but it really does happen), how much longer, I need the toilet.\u201d<\/div>\n
They are without mercy in this. \u00a0There is no respite \u2026 no let up, no way out. \u00a0Any diversionary tactic used to thwart them is usually overcome before you can say, \u201cI\u2019m a parent, get me out of here!\u201d<\/div>\n
Here\u2019s the thing. They hate the journey but love the destination.<\/div>\n
I\u2019ve noticed that Christians fall into different camps. \u00a0There are those who love the journey and those who can only think of the destination. \u00a0Rarely do you meet a Christian who loves both.<\/div>\n
Some believers in the UK, typically more reformed theologically, think only of heaven or hell. \u00a0They preach only about the end game, often accompanied by incredible focus and intensity. Many preachers\/teachers from this camp often stay single as their intense focus on the destination allows for little else.<\/div>\n
Then there are those from maybe a more charismatic perspective. \u00a0They love the journey. \u00a0They love life to the full in the here and now. \u00a0They long for healing and wholeness, Kingdom power right now and may work hard to see God\u2019s Kingdom in evidence \u2026 but they speak little of eternity or judgement.<\/div>\n
It seems to me we need both. \u00a0Jesus came to give us life to the full (John 10:10). \u00a0He also spoke of judgement to come (Matthew 11:24, Matthew 12:36) and told us to look for the signs and warn people (Colossians 1:28). It is said that the Kingdom is now but not yet \u2026\u201d<\/div>\n
It\u2019s a tension and a tough one to resolve. \u00a0Now where did I put my car keys?<\/div>\n

Hanging out with my two kids is a blast. I love their company. They make me laugh, make me think deeply, and I get to eat burgers. Travelling places with them is however akin to being strapped into a chair and being made to listen to Chris De Burgh sing \u201cLady in Red\u201d endlessly without a break. The thing is; I love journeys. I love to see new stuff, interact with new surroundings and enjoy the whole experience of doing something\/being somewhere, different.<\/p>\n

My kids however tend to bombard me with:<\/p>\n

\u201care we there yet (clich\u00e9 I know but it really does happen), how much longer, I need the toilet.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

They are without mercy in this. There is no respite \u2026 no let up, no way out. Any diversionary tactic used to thwart them is usually overcome before you can say, \u201cI\u2019m a parent, get me out of here!\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing. They hate the journey but love the destination.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve noticed that Christians fall into different camps. There are those who love the journey and those who can only think of the destination. Rarely do you meet a Christian who loves both.<\/p>\n

Some believers in the UK, typically more reformed theologically, think only of heaven or hell. They preach only about the end game, often accompanied by incredible focus and intensity. Many preachers\/teachers from this camp often stay single as their intense focus on the destination allows for little else (however, this could be said to justifiable, according to Paul 1 Corinthians 7:8).<\/p>\n

Then there are those from maybe a more charismatic perspective. They love the journey. They love life to the full in the here and now. They long for healing and wholeness, Kingdom power right now and may work hard to see God\u2019s Kingdom in evidence \u2026 but they speak little of eternity or judgement.<\/p>\n

It seems to me we need both. \u00a0Jesus came to give us life to the full (John 10:10). He also spoke of judgement to come (Matthew 11:24, Matthew 12:36) and told us to look for the signs and warn people (Colossians 1:28). It is said that the Kingdom is now but not yet \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a tension and a tough one to resolve. Now where did I put my car keys?<\/p>\n

<\/div>