One of the main goals of this project is to help all of us believers see what we truly have in Jesus. We want to believe in an enchanted world like Narnia, when we have one truly at hand. His Spirit enchants every moment of our life making it far more magical that we might like to believe possible.
This morning I was in Romans 9 puzzling over some of the concepts there. That chapter contains some theology that I find uncomfortable and hard to work through, but I engage with it every time. I know that I am the one in the wrong, not the Scriptures and I will eventually come around to it. After I had come to the end of my ability, I turned to the commentaries of other, more qualified voices. I didn’t find what I was looking for but I did find a “glowing path” that I walked down. A gentleman offered a warning in connection to the passage regarding how we must take care to not confuse our portion in Jesus with the portion of others in the world.
Portion. What an interesting concept to use.
In our modern context when we think of “portion” it’s usually in context of the “portion size” on a nutrition facts label; a restriction.
The verse in Lamentations, “The LORD is my portion…” came to mind quickly. When the Israelites came into the Promised Land all the other tribes were given land, but the Levites were only given certain towns because “the LORD is their portion”.
Admittedly I was only a third of a cup of coffee in, and so maybe you, fully-caffeinated reader, have skipped to the end and already figured it out. I was struggling. Portion as inheritance… One portion different than the world’s portion… We have to beware settling for the other portion.
For some reason the scene in “Oliver Twist” where Oliver had the audacity to ask for more gruel came to mind. I didn’t think there was any fruit to be gained there and kept shoving it away. It’s food. The LORDs portion to His children isn’t to do with food. Its heaven, eternal things, peace, sustaining strength in times of trouble and even not-trouble, it enriches our lives even here on Earth…oh dear.
It clicked suddenly, looking in my mind’s eye at the orphaned street urchins shambling to the great, black, gruel filled cauldron. What if one of them told to wait a moment, and then was given a tray with a steak dinner on it; honey rolls with cinnamon butter, mashed potatoes, and green beans with bits of bacon in the juice (that’s right, I’m looking at you Texas Roadhouse, you beautiful food institution, long may you remain in business near me.).
A few things would immediately happen. 1) That child’s eyes would open wide in wonder and his heart would fill with amazement, followed by love and affection for whomever gave him the tray. What did he do to deserve so much? How could he ever pay them back? 2). There would be those who would say “Woah! What do I have to do to get that?” And others who would look on in jealousy and say in their hearts, “Who does he think he is? What’s so special about him? Why didn’t I get that?”.
In my mind’s eye I could see the first group rush the person serving, excitedly asking if they can get a steak dinner as well, while the second sits and their faces go darker and darker.
Naturally all metaphors break down, so I’m going to go ahead and get to my point before it does.
Firstly, we would be absolutely insane to have a steak dinner in front of us and be jealous or even desirous of the bowl of gruel that everyone else has. And yet, that is our great struggle.
We are not of this World, we freely admit. We also freely give ascent to the fact that our God is massively beautiful and amazing; capable of miracles and great, stunning answers to prayer. He is deeply involved in shepherding our souls through our days here on earth, through temptations, fears, and difficulties, enabling us to not only live in the Spirit but thrive. But we keep looking at everyone else’s bowl of gruel like that is more desirable than what we have every meal in Jesus. We envy, we give in to petty jealousies, we see the advertising of different lifestyles that we so very much crave…but it’s gruel. It cannot satisfy or nourish as He can in any way, shape, or form.
Secondly, why are we keeping our steak dinner to ourselves? If we were one given that kind of meal and sat down at a table full of others with only half filled bowls of grey muck, we could do two things. 1) Jealously guard it with an attitude of “Sucks to be you”, or 2) Share it with those around us and tell them that all they have to do is ask and they will receive the same.
We would and should be handing out those beautifully baked honey rolls and say, “Taste and see!”
I will be moving to a different state this summer and I have begun trying to search for a church in the area we would like to live in. One of the most disheartening things I see is how many churches, at least according to their websites, have all of their ministries inward facing. I believe there is absolutely a place for men’s ministry, women’s ministry, kids ministry, etc. But if we are not reaching outward then it is the same as a group of those kids just passing pieces of the dinner amongst themselves and saying “Oh man, isn’t this good?” And completely ignoring all the other tables. We wouldn’t accept that behavior if our children did it, yet we are all too comfy accepting it in ourselves.
We are called to share. We are called to help the poor, the orphan, the widow, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned, etc. And are we doing that? We each have to consider our own actions, and our own hearts. Are those around us eating the harsh gruel of life, complaining about their portion and how it affects their stomachs and we give them a sympathetic face while we munch on our green beans and bacon?
How is it that we have this beautiful meal when all we deserve is gruel and it has become so commonplace to us that we desire gruel again? How does it have no wonder and amazement for us?
And, how is it that we feel at all justified in keeping it to ourselves?
Pax,
W
Finding Narnia 
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