Passion

bosch-christ-mocked-crowning-thorns-NG4744-fmThe source of all meaning and purpose in my life flows from this singular passion: knowing Jesus Christ and who I am in Him, through the Gospel. Because all of life is lived out under God, the maker of Heaven and Earth, I want to be a part of His creative and recreative purposes. I join Him in that enterprise through the transforming power of the Gospel, by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, bearing His image or imprint by faith. In other words, I discover my identity in being human. What does it mean to be fully human, bearing the likeness of the Creator? Ideally, it means that whatever I make, do, and communicate should manifest something about Him. As a little icon of God, I want to display His character and attributes as much as a human being can.

Theologians speak of the “already and not yet character of the age we live in, presented in the Scriptures. Although created in God’s image and for His purpose, human beings are flawed and broken as a result of the Fall – that’s how we come into this world and the world has suffered as a result. God is redeeming or restoring creation back to its original beauty and purpose, culminating in the ultimate reality of a new heavens and new earth: people are part of that project. He’s already accomplished this in Jesus and is moving us to the ultimate realization through the Gospel and by His Spirit, culminating in His return at the end of this age. God’s rule and righting of the world’s broken condition has been accomplished already in Christ, but the realization of the fully redeemed cosmos has not yet arrived. That restored, glorious world is the world of the future.

For humans, for you and I, this already and not yet condition is manifested in this personal or individual reality: though deeply defective and marred in our reflection of God in us, we are at the same time fearfully and wonderfully made, invited into the work of restoration through the working out of the Gospel in what we say, what we do, and who we are. Like the tree in a yard or orchard, we produce fruit that is beautiful, nutritious and healthy. At the same time, we bear some that lack nutrients, provide little benefit or may even be harmful: and, some of our produce can be downright ugly. Ideally, the image of Jesus should be manifested in whatever we make, do, and communicate — even if what shines through is incomplete or imperfect.

So, the passion that sometimes fuels, but always informs my interests is the relationship I have with my Creator, the One that made me. I will be working out how that works in a public way on bosalisbury.com and invite you to check in from time to time to see how the project is coming along. But, beyond my own reclamation and restoration, I hope what you find here will help you work out who you are in relation to God, as both His image bearer and partner in gardenizing the world.

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