Knothole

 

Hey, Cobblestone,

     Good ol’ Jeremiah Burroughs – remember him? Of course not. He lived some 400 years ago. Didn’t leave any universities bearing his name. Just a circuit preacher who wrote a few books, got himself in trouble with the establishment once in a while. Fell off his horse one day. Died of complications from his injuries, forty-some years old.

     It’s not exactly the story you would write for yourself, is it? And yet, among the books he left behind is one titled The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. Pretty ambitious, huh? Wishful thinking? Having read the book, I don’t think so. Contentment is a jewel, and rare indeed, but Burroughs makes a compelling case for pursuing it. The standout line: “A heavenly conversation is the way to contentment.”

     Burroughs was convinced that Christians don’t talk about/think about heaven enough. Little brothers and sisters of Jesus could encourage one another to a much greater degree if we would remind each other of where we’re headed.

    Long after Burroughs, in the Nineteenth Century, the game of baseball was invented. Long before the Nineteenth Century had passed into the history books, the game of baseball had been monetized, beginning with our hometown team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings. Fences went up. No good selling tickets if there are no fences. But not all could afford tickets, so some, mostly kids, would find knotholes in the fence and watch the game, one eye at a time. Not content to simply watch, the kids would find an empty sandlot and imitate what they had seen. Knothole League Baseball was born.

     At the moment, there’s a fence between mortal Christians and heaven, a shabby construct of sin and separation. On the other side, we hear of the cheering and glory, of saints and elders and angels caught up in praise. On the other side, nothing subtracts from perfect contentment. From the other side – we take it on faith – our King will come in power, and it’ll be Game Over for any who oppose him. The other side. Then. Not now.

     But when the Father and Son collaborated to give the Holy Spirit in mass quantity, the knots fell out. From Pentecost onward there have been innumerable knotholes, through which heaven has been… if not visible, at the very least perceivable. Not a front row seat by any means, but the best view available in this age. This side. Now. Not then.

     Step up to the knothole, will ya? You gotta see this! And then, how ‘bout a pickup game?

 …when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (2Corinthians 3:16-18).

     When Burroughs wrote “a heavenly conversation is the way to contentment,” maybe he could just as well have said “toward” contentment. I don’t think he meant to put forth the notion that perfect contentment is attainable on this side of the fence. But I do think he would agree that the fence wasn’t meant to stand forever. The first of its failings, the portent of its falling, is already plainly visible.

 Grace and Peace (sufficient for where we are),

 John