Vicar Writes & Info
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart
This is a line from a classic Negro spiritual song which some of us may be familiar with. I remember it from time to time, as I did this week. It reminds me of the need to be faithful to my first commitments. Sometimes we describe it as the need to “return to your first love.” (Rev 2)
As we grow older, or time progress, life does get more complicated of course. We philosophise, theologise, theorise, and since it rhymes, I might as well add – improvise and compromise as well. Life moves from the basic commitments of love, faith, faithfulness, integrity, sincerity and humilty to that of ideas and concepts. And as we progress in ‘maturity’ in ideas and articulation of them, strangely, we become more immature in our basic behavior and life. As we grow, we seek mastery over others, events and our own progress, often labelled under the very chic term ‘leadership.’ Yet at the same time, we lose mastery over ourselves and the very simple values and practices that we know forms the basic foundation of life itself. St Pauls calls it not having ‘self-control.’
For a ‘mature’ Christian, what may this mean? It means we cease to read the Bible regularly and yet is able to articulate spiritual solutions for society. It means, we cease to tithe or give regularly while blogging over why world debt is not forgive. It means we cease to pray and commune with the Lord, and go about as if we can hear His voice or has divine wisdom. It means we cease to be loving, kind and considerate towards those dearest to us, while we reflect on the deepest ideas of sacrifice for mankind. We think of oversea missions but clueless about sharing the gospel to an inquiring neighbour or colleague (and we have not even thought of an Alpha invitation!).
The list goes on. And somewhere in our heart, the Negro spiritual hums quietly. We remember that Jesus said that ‘unless we become like little children, we will not enter the Kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3).’ St Paul also alerts us: ‘But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Cor 11:3)’
I said “as I did this week.” It is a word for me as much as it may be for some of you. Perhaps the Canon needs it even more as the complexities of life and ministry can quite quickly drown the Negro line.
Let’s keep each other in prayer. That we may ‘want to be Christians’, and not anything else in our daily lives.
