on the walk

For our second sermon in the the Around the Word series Ben was back to cover the law and the founding of the nation. If you missed it, I hope that you will follow the link and listen to it, but if you heard you know that he reminded us that God’s way is designed out of love to lead us to life. It is a different and unique way to live that is given to us for our good. Giving us a law is not a cruel joke on us but rather a blessing. There are other ways to live, but none of them lead to life.

In a later post I want to track down and share a snippet from C.S. Lewis about our tendency to choose the things of death even when God is offering life. in this post O want to share a terribly sad news story that I could not get out of my mind as Ben preached. Ben was talking about that fact that the boundaries of the law are meant for our protection just as a fence protects a calf from wondering in the road. (I like that metaphor and have used for to make that same point. Of course it breaks down a bit when we remember why the farmer is protecting the calf. But I digress…) The news story that I could not shake as I thought about this sermon is the story of a boy who was killed by a roller coaster because he was trying to retrieve his hat. Here is a bit of the story.

Six Flags officials are uncertain why the unidentified 17-year-old from Columbia, S.C. scaled two six-foot fences and passed signs that said the restricted area was both off-limits and dangerous to visitors, spokeswoman Hela Sheth said in a news release.

Authorities were investigating reports from witnesses who said the teenager jumped the fences to retrieve a hat he lost while riding the Batman roller coaster, said Cobb County police Sgt. Dana Pierce. Police have declined to release the teenager’s name until an autopsy is completed.

My heart breaks for this boy because in my spiritual life, I have done this same thing. I have jumped fences covered in signs that said, “This area is of limits and is dangerous to you.” But I was sure that something behind those fences was just what I needed. I grieve for this family not just because that boy was loved by God and created in God’s image, but even more because I am that boy.

So with a heavy heart I face again God’s strong call to me out of love and not judgement. “Choose life.” The discipline that GOd gives is an expression of God’s love. The fences God creates are an expression of God’s love. The signs that warn of the death my sin will cause are expressions of God’s love.

The Law is an expression of God’s love. The way of Christ, even when it is the way of the cross is an expression of God’s love for me.

Choose Life.

on the walk

-Ethan

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