Magic Lines

The following is a copy of the Thomas Question email devotional. You can subscribe to the email edition from our website and tune into our podcast.

It fascinates me that the largest outcomes are sometimes driven by the tiniest changes. For example an unstable mass of snow on a mountain top has an actual limit beyond which even a single snowflake or a puff of breeze (or a single careless footfall) will unleash an avalanche. Think of all the energy involved in all that snow unleashed by so small a thing as that. It can be tragic and terrifying.

We, too, have actual limits of our own which cannot be negotiated. Consider your own endurance. It’s not indefinite, which is another way of saying there is a line which represents “this far and not even one step further.” Having competed in endurance events for more than a decade, trust me – it exists!

We have phrases for these “moments”. We call them “breaking points” or “tipping points” or the “straw that broke the camel’s back”. The represent the point at which small changes accumulate to produce large scale change.
And the real problem is that we often don’t know the exact location of these lines until after we’ve crossed them. Like the moment when one too many harsh words are spoken and a relationship is changed for good.

Somehow we need more information and awareness than we are capable of. We need a larger perspective than can fit in a human mind. In short, we need someone with a God-sized perspective. The Jesus based life is way to not need to know the location of these lines. We can simply walk in tune with the principles laid out by the one who does know them. These principles are a protection against the unknown and the unknowable, the extreme and the permanent. They mark the edges of unseen cliffs we would otherwise barrel over. They help us know when to push ourselves and when to restrain ourselves. They are a way to know what truly matters – relationships, integrity, purpose. Consider life within His limits – it may change the way you look at everything.

This Sunday is as important a Sunday as we’ll have. It’s been some months since we’ve talked about our vision and values – so let’s do it. Let’s consider a compelling picture of what we could become 1, 2 and 5 years from now. The Sunday after that we’ll be having a slightly shorter 1 hour service with communion to celebrate Easter.

I hope to see you there and I hope you bring someone with you.

Chris

CHURCH EXPOSED
Our current series lasts until the end of April. What is church, what is The Thomas Question and what could we build if we set our minds to it?

BEAUTIFUL
Our next series begins in early May challenging assumptions about true beauty, a meaningful life and the struggle to make our most noble choices.

THE ANCIENT PATHS
Beginning this summer, a look back to the foundations of a spiritual life. What were the ancient truths that began this journey? How do we rediscover prayer, worship, and meaningful points of devotion in our own lives in the present?

YOUR VOICE
As always, we’re interested in input before and after each Sunday. If you have questions, comments, directions or feedback, hit reply or email us at info@askthequestion.ca and let it rip. As with our Deep Questions series, it only serves to add a layer of richness.