Both Cathy and I consider this chapter to have the most impact in
changing our views, specifically on the topic of how Heaven is like (a
question that few Christians give serious thoughts to.) While I
find chapter 5 and 6 to have tremendous wisdom and social insight from
the author, chapter 7 impacts me the most.
We discussed the several main themes found in the chapter.
1. Nature and its renewal:
seasonal renewal: winter, then spring,
daily renewal
Perhaps God uses these natural rhythms to communicate to us how Heavens will be like
2. Heaven as a renewed version of what we yearn for and desire.
not just a church worship service that goes on
forever (this imagery was often ridiculed by comedians), but all the
beautiful things that we desire
we only see glimpses of beauty in our daily life
The fact that we will have a renewed Earth have great implications to
my spiritual perspective: what I do on this Earth, whether the
pursuit of personal holiness, how I treat my own body (soul) and manage
personal sin, how I view my investment in people and in personal
relationships. Previously, the imagery that we will leave
everything behind for another world (heaven) effectively says that my
actions on Earth are temporary, and the results disposable. But
now that there is the possibility of living in a renewed Earth (never
mind the logistical issues of how this will playout, with so many
people squeezing on a small planet), means that the things I do (as
listed above) will be back, and the people I build relationships with
will be around. Now that they are no longer disposable, I want to
be more responsible for my actions, and my investment of time and
resources.
We talk about the point "we can only hope for what we desire", where
desire is not simply our wants, but our search for meaning of life, and
personal quest in our existence.
Steve points out that often we only know what we want, such as what we
want to achieve, what we want to get out of life, and these are heavily
influenced by our parents and culture. He told personal stories,
of growing up in Christian family, yet still the point is to
succeed. He tend comment on not having high expectations, because
our attitude depends entirely on perspective. We living in
Westchester with all the comforts is really heaven by any standard to a
third world country, yet we continue to demand for this and that.
Kerry and Jim joined us for the first time. Jim shared that not
only the goal of success is given by Asian parents, but also the time
tested path: getting good grades.
Tony Campolo had once commented that Asian parents want their kids to
be successful, American parents want their kids to be happy, ...
I added that American schools have always emphasized to students "Money
cannot buy happiness", "Do whatever makes you happy", ... So our
desires and meaning for existence is often a byproduct of our social
and educational environment.
Now that we have a deeper understanding of what doesn't count as
"desire" as defined in the book, I can eliminate many of the "desires"
that I have shared in earlier chapters, such as the desire to have a
command of the virtual world by being an expert of computer technology,
or the desire to help Chinese or Asians to find better life in
the US. These are really temporal projects, whether to develop
some personal hobby, or to address some social injustice. But
they are not really "life meanings" independent of external social
influence.
So I ask us to reflect on what can count really as our "desire"?
Steve said that it is hard to know what we desire, but when it is taken
from us and it hits us, we know then what is important. His
recent time off to spend with CJ. I find that revealing:
what is most important in our lives. By this measure, our
relationships and family will certainly top the list over any career
advancement or social achievement. Cathy shared that she does not
know what she desire, as she is content to become a good mother and a
good wife. Nancy and Kerry agreed. Cathy points out that
ultimately our desires always comes back to our relationship with God,
although we often take God to be rather ethereal (other worldly), and
focus on our own struggles in life as if God is not sovereign.
Kerry then points out that one strong desire we all share is the need
to be loved unconditionally. Many of Steve's comments and wants
in people are really insecurity that only unconditional love can heal.
Their discussion reminded me of my own search for meaning.
Presently I have a hard time answering what my life-desire is, as my
various sharing in previous chapters by current measure no longer
count. But what Cathy and Kerry shared triggered my memory, that
my utmost and sincere search for meaning of life and the purpose of my
existence started in college. (In high school, I was too busy
solving math and science problems to care.) In college, I
investigated scientific approaches to origins of life in the biological
and physical realm, and more importantly dabbled in the philosophy and
various religion seminars. While these make great reading and
intellectual reflection, they still leave me tremendously empty
inside. Without a purpose, I was a rather downcast kid, always
asking "what is the point". In the mean time I continue my
sincere search for meaning in life.
My roommate Richard became a Christian in his sophomore year, and we
had many long car trips to argue over Chrsitianity. It was in my
junior year, when I start to meet with Richard and his mentor Mark on a
weekly basis, and Mark opening the bible to introduce Jesus to me, that
the verses of the Bible (especially the contextual ones before and
after the verses intended by Mark) that miraculously answer my
questions deep inside me. One day, I have a Pauline type
experience, an avalanche of all my questions and doubts in the
spiritual realm, much like Paul saying that like scales falling so that
his spiritual eyes can see, because of several verses that finally
shake the foundation of my doubts after the previous weeks of verses
impacting various foundations.
Of course there are more amazing miracles (even by scientific and
statistical measures) later on in my Christian journey, but the initial
avalanche, like a gift of faith, leave me accepting everything the
Bible says as totally apparent and natural to believe. It allows
me to find a personal loving God in the person Jesus Christ, even
though my search did not seek a God or a person or love. Yet
nothing less would be satisfactory, if the answer to my search were not
God, or were not personal (care about me), or were not loving.
Finding Jesus changed my entire life, as his existence alone gave me
meaning and hope for life.
So while we are discussing "desire" now, I find my Christian conversion
and the search before it as the most intense pursue of "desire" as the
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