It is said that Martin Luther replied about the imminent return of Jesus that,
Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.
Tomorrow is so unknown. Defence budgets in numerous nations have doubled in these past few days. In Europe the average defence budget has been for years around 3%, decades ago they were well into double figures, and in certain times in history have been as high as 70% (and above) of taxation went on ‘defence’. It does not take a mathematician to work out what this means, for once things are doubled, without something that brings about a halt to it, we will have budgets tripled in that direction. We cannot accurately predict if there will be nuclear fall-out, if not by the unleashing of a weapon, with damage to a nuclear plant. Not a bright future.
SOW WHERE WE WANT THE WORLD TO GO.
I have used that phrase in my book(s) when seeking to give some very amateurish advice concerning those who are comfortable with shares / pension funds. Luther’s words at some level get hold of that. We do not know what will happen tomorrow, but I am able to do something today.
Creation cries out, waiting, looking.
Yes I pray what Putin is being sourced from dries up, from the spiritual forces, the imperial fantasy and whatever else is involved. This has to happen. Maybe tomorrow something will happen of that nature. But today, I can sow.
As always I look to the body of Christ. My hope has to be placed there, the ‘significant other’ that God intended to carry on the work that Jesus ‘began to do and to teach’. We have to see the imperial aspirations of Putin (and many other leaders) fall to the ground; I cannot but believe that if only the imperial aspirations of the body of Christ with her insistence of choosing a king, of seeking to extend borders…
The liberating environment of the kingdom of God… liberating to one and all, not simply to those who have come to faith and made it through our discipleship courses. A new world is beckoning. Though there seems to be more than one possibility. The shape and culture of one of them is being sown now, pulling on history, drawing on spiritual wells. The budgets are responding to the expectation of that world. What about the other possibility?
It had to come to this… we stand at a crossroads. There is a huge choice before us. Try and revive what we see as history, draw from that spiritual well, or gladly surrender the Christendom vision. Even if… I would plant a tree, so said Mr Luther.
This morning my head was buzzing. I walked to morning prayer meeting asking God to speak to me. I walked home afterwards and read, “To the tree planters.” This and your last blog,- stop, stand, listen – resonates deeply. I am looking at a small framed cross stitch of 2 walkers standing at a crossroads, given to me by a friend many years ago. Time to listen and reflect.
Thank you.
Thank you Martin this is such an encouraging post. Not to prophesy the ‘coming doom’ but to keep building his kingdom, his government, his peace, and sharing his kenotic, agape love with the world. Yes and amen!!
Yes, a new better world beckons. I am heartened by the global protests especially in Russia and her associate countries like Kazakhstan. It isn’t nice or easy to protest in many of these places. You risk arrest or more. People want peace. They want to take care of their families and their neighbours. They want to plant trees for the future.
I marvel that a single man with a few cronies can hold 7.5 billion people on this earth hostage to his demonic fantasy. Amazing. How is it we give individuals this power? That is the real change that must come out of this. We must restructure economies and politics in such a way that no individual can hold that kind of power.
The pandemic and now this war has shown us that we can work together, we can care for others and make things better. We will have to take all of these lessons into our approach to climate change, very quickly. In the meantime, planting a tree is a great response. Plant a whole garden. Plant a woodlot. Plant for the future. This might be the end of empire, and that’s a good thing. The climatic conditions to promote empires no longer exist. So it is the end of empires no matter who claims and runs them. But it isn’t the end of all. Plant good things for the future.
Thanks for this. I am so heartened by the fact that governments are starting to talk about turning off taps to Russian oil and gas. If we can reset and begin the journey everyone was so reluctant to start on, moving from oil and gas to something sustainable and kinder to Mother Earth, what a great choice that would be. The time is now to put into effect news ways that are harmonious with the planet. Unfortunately we cannot seem to get to those choices without catastrophes.
Almost fell off my chair reading this. Two days ago we planted 5 trees – a community orchard – in the small village where I live. Families and kids rolled up to dig, plant and water. Fruit will come eventually for all to eat whenever they want. Some took cuttings from a friend’s elderflower tree and are planting these in all kinds of random places around the village. Our hope is that these gestures, which are so intentional, will help nurture a sharing culture. This is where we’re heading and where our hearts are.