Comfortably Numb

The child is grown
The dream is gone
And I have become
Comfortably numb.
  (George Roger Waters, David Jon Gilmour)

In my last blog I said that this just might be the top reason for people in the Western World to not respond to God.  With all the conveniences of modern life we rarely think about eternity. I once heard a speaker say (I think it was Robert Lewis or maybe it was Belinda Carlisle??!!) that we are the first generation to expect heaven on earth.

Whether you gauge human existence using something like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs or Max-Neef's fundamental human needs, it's not hard to argue that at least the basic needs for a comfortable life on earth are within the reach of a large portion of people in Western nations.  Our modern homes have running water, toilets, electricity, central heating and air conditioning.  We can drive in our own vehicles to the local grocery store or take an airplane half way around the world. Add to this, the advances of modern medicine and we are living in an age that would blow the minds of our great grandparents.

So here we are in the 21st century, living our long lives of ease with not a care in the world (mostly). Why worry about heaven? I can think of a couple of very good reasons...

Easy life or a Full life?

Jesus said...
"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" 

 From the start, Jesus is all about giving us a full and complete life. He doesn't promise an easy life but He does promise a full life.  In backing this up, Paul wrote "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness." If you want a full life, with meaning and direction, it makes sense to go to the One who gives meaning, the One who can give direction and, ultimately, the One who helps you find your purpose in life. A full life.  I can honestly say that in my own life, Jesus has come through in spades for me in this. My life hasn't always been easy and I certainly don't have it all together, but God has blessed me with the fullest and most purposeful life I could imagine.

This may be contentious (and I'm a little hesitant to post it, to be honest), but if you want evidence in addition to scripture, something to consider is the activity of the brain as an indication of the fullness of your life, through the fullness of your thinking.  I recently read a book called "Finding God in the Waves" by a fella called Mike McHargue who also goes by the name of "Science Mike."  I can't say I agree with his theology but in his book he has quite a discussion on how prayer and religious experience shapes our brains. It physically shapes your brain. People who pray and seek God have more activity and connectivity between certain parts of the brain than those who don't. Perhaps this shows that if we want to live out the full extent of how we're wired and meant to function, then we should seek God.  In other words we're wired to seek God.  Or in more classical terms, St Augustine put it this way: "Our hearts are restless, until they can find rest in you."

If you want a full life, living out what you were wired to be, then turning to Christ is the best way to do that. So do it!

Eternity

I could have started with this one as it's the most compelling reason for anyone to consider seriously the claims of Christianity.  But I wanted to avoid the reader thinking I'm a typical "turn or burn" kind of fella and so I thought I'd ease you into it with a softer start!  Oh wait, this blog is about "getting off the fence" so what the heck...

Jesus said...
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

So Jesus is telling us that the road to life isn't easy, and may not be the most obvious, but He encourages us to seek it. If we don't, we're simply on the easy, broad road to destruction, or as the great philosopher Bon Scott called it, the Highway to Hell (take it away Angus...)

Beyond wanting a full life, or a good life, we need to be thinking about eternal life.  I recall someone posting a quote that said something like "Life is not a dress rehearsal..." but in the Christian worldview, that's exactly what it is... or more like a prelude and preparation for something much bigger and much, much better. As Saint Paul says, quoting Isaiah "It is written that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has known.  God has prepared these things for those who love him."

When I was at high school back in the UK many moons ago, I happened to have a Christian teacher for Religious Education.  In one of our lessons he told us about something called Pascal's Wager.  The gist of it is if you "bet" on there being no God and no life after death and it turns out He does exist in the afterlife, then you're toast when you have to face Him, but those that believed in Him will be fine.  But if you "bet" on God and live to serve Him and yet it turns out there is no afterlife, then your fate will be the same regardless of your belief, but you will have had a decent and moral life anyway.  On balance, it's better to "bet" on God.  At the time I hated this reasoning.  It didn't seem right that someone would make a decision to seek God based on the toss of a coin, or a base instinct to save your hide, but the logic is hard to argue against.  If you want to hedge your bets, then it makes sense to consider what God wants.

We are all mortal and will one day die. We need to think about eternity and if it exists, as I believe it does, then we'd better consider what God wants us to do.  And what He wants us to do is pretty clear to me...

John wrote...
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

 If you're ready to get off the fence, this website might be helpful... https://peacewithgod.net/