tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7876613.post4256239925824577938..comments2023-11-20T10:17:40.928+00:00Comments on Good in Parts: Harvest rethink - a sermon for Songs of Praise at All Saints, 2011Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09171138485811816831noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7876613.post-81293970484492828812011-09-28T14:08:15.730+01:002011-09-28T14:08:15.730+01:00Amazed I'm the first (and only!) commenter. G...Amazed I'm the first (and only!) commenter. Great post.<br /><br />The key paragraphs (for me) are the one containing the lines from the Shaker song, and the preceding. Theoretically we think it might be nice to live simply and free of material accoutrements, and yet... When it comes to actually putting this into practice we don't quite trust that we can do it without relying on all of the things we've been taught since birth to rely on: money, savings, a pension, insurance policies. After all, they've worked for us up to this point!<br /><br />The cultural necessity of all of these things we rely on is so strong that to think about doing the Christian counter-cultural thing feels like suicide. And yet our continuing participation in these systems which so control us gradually chips away at our fragile souls, leading to a slow death. I don't think we see that, though, and instead worry about the heavy bump of taking the plunge, cutting our ties, breaking our crutches, and getting off our beds and walking!<br /><br />Escaping from the "suicide machine" (which actually feels like a nice, warm cocoon) is, for me, the offer of Salvation. It is an ongoing process of luring us out from underneath our hiding places to stand in the Light. I need a lot more of it: come LORD come!iamchristianhearmeroarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00663182150945382894noreply@blogger.com