This morning the news of a friend thrust me into refection. I was contemplating life – more so ones life story and the grand intersection where life has its happenings. You all know it, where sovereignty st. and independence ave. meet. On that corner, at a little coffee shop in my mind, I pondered “all things considered” as much as finite creatures can ponder such things. I did little pondering. For we know, Man’s thoughts can rise no higher than the mental mountains our creator has made for them to tread. Yet I took to the task of climbing – a little work of self-transcendence, my guiding road map and a heart needing to pray, led me to a peak where I could go no farther but could see farther still. From my mental mountain’s view I gained a little “perspective.” Now back in the valley of my thoughts I am glad to say I saw a desire I thought I had lost. It was resting in the meadow of forgotten things along with my love for Rembrandt and the Beatles white album. The nature of this particular desire is akin to the joy of free falling or rock climbing without ropes. It is a desire for edge living. Desires are often hard to explain so I will use a guiding metaphor to lead the way. But such a metaphor from my conjuring are of a certain type, that is they are often pop-culture in reference, descriptive of my heart and well very Dawson (thus a little Odd). This is no exception. I will ask you bear with me and enjoy the musing of a geek.
Desiring to Leap because He is Worthy!
Have you ever seen the show Quantum Leap? I was devoted to it in the 90’s much like I am now with Heros… Hmm ? (I will psychoanalyze than latter). It is a show about Sam Becket, a scientist who becomes a time traveler that can’t stop traveling, He goes from date to date doing good and making things right. He is helped in each task before him by a friend from his own time in the hopes that the next leap will be his leap home. But with each leap there is always a new problem to make right. Sam is caught up in something bigger than himself. The last episode has always been haunting to me. At the end, he finds out that God was behind it all. God had made him to be a time-leaper and that this was what he was made for. He was God’s time traveling do-Good-er. In the end he is told he is not going back to what he thought was home. His mission is bigger than that and beyond his the bounds of his life but he must choose it. In the end he does choose to be what he was created to be. As Sam leaps on to the next tasks the narrator says, “ Sam Becket was never heard from again…” and the show ends…
It moves me – deep things are shifted like the cords of my soul had found harmony with the created order of life. This desire is a pioneer spirit and I believe this story is telling of a pioneer spirit. Apioneer spirit is willing to Be unknown, do things unknown, and dwell in unknown lands. This is the glory of making a Quantum leap for God! One who goes as God calls and does good where God places. The fame of recognition, the celebrity of faithfulness so common in today’s church is leaped beyond. They dwell in unknown lands. There feet never to feel the acceptance of familiar soil. The pioneer spirit wars for souls of many; they are warriors of the cross on the cutting edge of God’s glory.
They are the unknown. A pioneer spirit is a person unknown. One that is lost in God, found in grace, unknown to most, respected by angels, and Pleasing to GOD! The home town folks may ask, “What ever happened to so and so.. they just disappeared …God could have used such a soul??” Those in the know smile and say “God’s eyes are on them.” “They move in lands uncharted, worlds unknown” “Last time I saw him HE was burning…. And smiling all the way.” I am reminded of the Moravian unknowns…
“Two young Moravians heard of an island in the West Indies where an atheist British owner had 2000 to 3000 slaves. And the owner had said, "No preacher, no clergyman, will ever stay on this island. If he’s shipwrecked we’ll keep him in a separate house until he has to leave; but he’s never going to talk to any of us about God. I’m through with all that nonsense." Three thousand salves from the jungles of Africa brought to an island in the Atlantic and there to live and die without hearing of Christ.”
“When the Two young Moravians heard about it. They sold themselves to the British planter and used the money they received from their sale, for he paid no more than he would for any slave, to pay their passage out to his island for he wouldn’t even transport them. As the ship left it’s pier in the river at Hamburg and was going out into the North Sea, carried with the tide, the Moravians had come from Herrenhut to see these two lads off, in their early twenties. Never to return again, for this wasn’t a four year term; they sold themselves into life-time slavery. Simply, that as slaves, they could be as Christians where these others were. The families were there weeping, for they knew they would never see them again. And they wondered why they were going and questioned the wisdom of it. As the gap widened and the housings had been cast off and were being curled up there on the pier, and the young boys saw the widening gap, one lad with his arm linked through the arm of his fellow, raised his hand and shouted across the gap the last words that were heard from them, they were these: "MAY THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN, RECEIVE THE REWARD OF HIS SUFFERING!" This became the call of Moravian missions. And this is the only reason for being, That the Lamb that was slain, may receive the reward of His suffering.” 1
Hear me “unknown”, WE FORGET NOT!
My heart and my prayers go out to the “unknowns” your courage and passion inspires me to leap when ever he calls. Your secret victories, God’s great triumphs lost to all but the angels and God, I wish to know them all story by story line by line and eternity will be long enough to declare His glory in each of them! I await you, today is no in vain! My brother, my sister, I will know you and our joy will be increased. In the age to come it will be my joy to hear all the grand stories untold for their glory though clothed in earthly sod was far more brilliant than this life could bear. I remind myself sometimes that you breathe as we breathe and move as we move in the same time in a different space. I remind myself no matter the distance no matter the time I am with you and you me for we are one in Christ.
To ALL unknowns feeling alone
To my brothers in the “birth place of the gospel” your praise raises high, beauty in his ears, he hears your cries and sees your tears. Remember, I love you and Honor you for yours is the kingdom, and His is the Praise! Nothing can separate you for the Love of God!
Postscripts of a life spent
To my friend, to you who have fallen – You who lived as one burning! You who died without the sting of death.. You are now known - you have received your reward! Faithful is the man that overcomes – for you I write this your eulogy. And your words echoes in my heart as clear as the day you told me. "MAY THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN, RECEIVE THE REWARD OF HIS SUFFERING!" You made that your epitaph and I now remember the desire it kindled to live unknown. I honor you for teaching me. I honor you in your honor of the one worthy. I never told you so now I do – thank you for giving me my epitaph too. May I live as worthy of it as you have.
You will be missed, my friend.
God’s speed you on, Kammal,
They may kill your body but they can't kill your soul, and they can't stop your message!
“seni seviyorum!”
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1. From Ten Shekels and a Shirt a sermon by Paris Reidhead, First read to me by a friend which I write this blog for http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php
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