Well back to work this week after having two weeks off. Though my body is in Ohio, my heart and thoughts remain amongst the breathtaking vistas of Alaska. Scholars say Paul was in Corinth when wrote his letter to the Roman church. I must respectfully disagree with the scholars.
Consider verse 20 in the opening chapter of Romans when Paul says, "20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." Having now visited Alaska, I'm convinced that only from the majestic heights of Flattop Mountain could Paul write such stirring words.
Of all the places I've traveled never have I felt such a constant, permeating calm. Whether it be the ground beneath my feet, the wind at my back, or the wonderful company I found myself in; all was at peace. Perhaps this is because Alaska is a place absent of the need to rush anywhere, worry about anything, or coerce anyone. There exists a real sense that Alaska will accept whatever the day brings.
Beyond the mountains and the streams, this pervading sense of peace also inhabited the Habitat 4 Humanity building site. My team worked on the final two unfinished houses in the planned community appropriately named, "Neighbor Drive." The site consists of a dozen or so units with homeowners 17 different nationalities. And what might be a powder keg of hate and violence in other parts of the world, Neighbor Drive keeps the peace by making a concerted effort to see that the dignity of all its neighbors is respected.
The entire time I was there I kept asking myself, "how do we recreate the beautiful social tapestry of Neighbor Drive?" Is it really naive to think that people elsewhere who look dissimilar, talk distinctively, and believe differently can share the same space peacefully? I'm convinced the missing piece, the invisible ingredient needed to achieve stands outside the nature of mortal men and women.
For mortal men and women are easily corrupted, and will often find any excuse to resist efforts made toward equality and cooperation. The spread of Neighbor Drive will occur only by relying on God's eternal power and adopting his divine nature. The only question that remains is, how visible do we want to display such qualities?
The great mountains and roaring streams have no place hide God's eternal power, no cloak to cover his divine nature. Being that we too are God's creation, let us not retreat from showing the full measure of God's eternal power to forgive us and each other. Let us not wavier from demonstrating the vast expanse of God's divine nature to love us and our neighbor. And may do so without excuse.
CJE