Being a Christian

Recently someone from the seetal chile drew my attention to the following text by Maria Hüsing:

Being familiar with sorrow, but living without bitterness

Doubt yourself, but do not despair

painfully feel the hiddenness of God

and yet hopeful believe

Knowing one's own guilt and yet standing in grace

to do without some things and yet have everything

I call it being a Christian

Maria Hüsing calls it being a Christian. I would call it being a mature Christian. These words remind me of the prayer of Francis of Assisi that we hear every Sunday before the sermon. As Christians, we live in many areas of tension that often cannot be resolved. In electricity, tension is a prerequisite for electricity to flow. Mature Christianity can use the tensions of everyday life positively and productively. The transformation of our being (metamorphosis) aims at this. Such texts hold a mirror up to our eyes and show us the potential for further growth.

Our main tension is that we live between heaven and earth. The head in heaven, the feet on earth. At the same time in the already-now and not-yet. The kingdom of God has already begun, but it is not yet complete. Jesus returned to His Father after His earthly existence. But He has not left us alone, but has given us a succour. Last month we celebrated Pentecost and thus the sending of the Holy Spirit. "The Holy Spirit is, in a sense, a down payment that God makes to us, the first part of our heavenly inheritance; God thereby vouches for the complete redemption of those who are His own. And this too is to contribute to the glory of His power and glory"(Ephesians 1:14 NGÜ).

This Spirit brings about two things that we desperately need in the tensions of everyday life: A confident hope (Colossians 1:27) and the transformation of our being (2 Corinthians 3:18). Lord Jesus Christ, fill us anew with your Holy Spirit!