The things that last

So you know that laundry from the other day?


There was a 5 pound note (as in British currency, not weights and measures...) in the pocket of the jeans. Very clean -- entirely in tact. I'm always been grateful that currency is made of tougher stuff than normal paper!



It reminded me that there are things which can not be destroyed by cloudbursts (or long wash cycles, even). This is the 'immediate redemption', I suppose, of loss or chaos -- it wakes us up to the things of value -- God and people, love and wonder, courage and calling -- these don't disintegrate quickly or easily. According to Christ, the first 3 not at all.


And according to Paul, the last one remains as well -- God has called us beloved, invited us home -- and the calling of God will not be revoked. How did Jesus put it -- that he won't allow us to be snatched from his hand?



A friend and I were discussing hope and waste yesterday. Her response to cloudbursts is that now the laundry will have that lovely post-rain smell. She's Scottish alright. Also someone with that gift of faith that Paul refers to in one of his letters -- bedrock conviction that nothing is ever, ever wasted in God's economy.


I'm persuaded but not convinced -- I tend toward Jeremiah -- some things are a waste -- some things are only temporary and the gift of chaos is that the temporary is exposed before it has a chance to do some real, lasting damage by deceiving us into entrusting ourselves to anything less than the eternal and ending up ashamed at the end of the day.


So I don't mind bad cheques disintegrating in the wash. But the notes of value -- those have to remain. When those things that should have lasted fall apart -- when the best of human efforts are directed toward the purposes of God and still fall short (the cancer treatment doesn't cure, the violence isn't stemmed, the money flows to the well fed and satisfied, the promises are broken) -- that's when I wrestle until hope in an eternal kingdom is restored.


My friend's faith begins with the vision of restoration and journeys from there back toward the present reality -- I begin with the present reality and journey forward from there to the vision -- and sometimes over lunch, there is the moment of grace when the two journeys intersect.



And all shall be well, all shall be well, all manner of things shall be well.