The news provides us with frequent examples of our fallen condition, of mankind’s propensity for destruction, exploitation and self-adulation. Wonderfully, on rare days, the news gives us a glimpse of the way things were supposed to be.
Moment by moment the dramatic mine rescue in Chile illustrated grace at work in the world. Vivid stories and pictures served up potent metaphor of mankind’s spiritual condition. Trapped in a dark place. Destined to die unless, hope against hope, help comes from above.
As each miner stepped onto the surface of the high Chilean dessert, the scene erupted in celebration and embracing of loved ones long absent. What a wonderful illustration of heaven, a place best described not as geography, but as love and light. How cool that each miner had to wear dark glasses to adapt his eyes to the glory around him.
There was the moment when the first rescuer descended into the mine. A blurry video feed showed his anticipated arrival and then his open-armed greeting to the 33 men. Was this not a picture of Jesus Christ, come to experience life in the darkness of a fallen world, and reveal the path to salvation? I loved how quickly Florencio Avalos, the first miner to the top, stepped forward already dressed in his special jumpsuit and ready to go.
Unable to save themselves, these men were nonetheless saved. They were helpless, but help came. They were lost, but those who loved them spared no effort and no expense to find them. The truth of the gospel is woven throughout the story.
This past week the miner dubbed “Super” Mario Sepulvida for his exuberant celebration after rescue offered some insights into what life in the mine was like in the first days after the collapse. The men bickered. Some wept. Thoughts of eventual cannibalism terrorized them. They hoped and prayed, but the worst nightmares dominated their conscious hours.
Then on the 19th day a 2-inch drill bit poked through the roof of their subterranean shelter and brought the 33 hope. In the light of that small hole they found resolve to live and work together with new unity and purpose.
This seems to me a picture of the church, or at least a version of the church that ought to be. Followers of Jesus Christ, more than anyone else, have reason to hope. And because of that hope we have reason to work and live in peace and purpose until Christ’s full peace and purpose is revealed.
It occurs to me that once the first small connection to the surface was made, the miners' lives went from mostly hidden to fully exposed. Their words and actions became open to observation and instruction from above. It is another picture of the wisdom and protection of God, revealed to us the teachings of Jesus, who watches to see if we are willing to obey.
When the means of rescue arrived, all 33 of the men took their appointed rides to the top. This is where the analogy of their ordeal and salvation breaks down. Tragically, in the larger world, as dark as it may be, there are those who think it is bright enough. As barren of love and comfort as the world may be, there are those who think it is as good as it gets.
Though the path of salvation may be obvious and clear, and there are many who point the way, there are those who respond with, ‘No thank you, I will just poke around down here awhile and see if I can find another path.”
Safe on the surface and released from the hospital, Super Mario made a trip to the ocean with his family. Oblivious to the rolling cameras, he stripped off his clothes and celebrated his rebirth by swimming naked in the waves. Then be fell to his knees in the sand and praised God for the gift of life.
Do not count me as one who would look down on Mario’s bare-bottomed expression of joy. The truth is we are all naked before God. He knows whether we love the light or the darkness,
The eye of the media moves on. The day after the miracle in Chile was over, the lead stories were again political squabbling, war, crime and celebrity. The story changes every few hours. The reality of the fallen, broken world distracts us from the greater reality . . . that our real home is a place of light and love.
C.S. Lewis wrote “miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.” There are those who look at what happened in Chile and see only an accident with a fortunate conclusion. There are those who do not see the grace of God at work in the world, or if they do see, prefer not to get overly excited about it.
For me the small letter miracle in the Copiapo mine is a reminder that I too was once in a dark place, but the love of Christ moved heaven and earth to offer an escape. That’s the good news worth pondering again and again.
Moment by moment the dramatic mine rescue in Chile illustrated grace at work in the world. Vivid stories and pictures served up potent metaphor of mankind’s spiritual condition. Trapped in a dark place. Destined to die unless, hope against hope, help comes from above.
As each miner stepped onto the surface of the high Chilean dessert, the scene erupted in celebration and embracing of loved ones long absent. What a wonderful illustration of heaven, a place best described not as geography, but as love and light. How cool that each miner had to wear dark glasses to adapt his eyes to the glory around him.
There was the moment when the first rescuer descended into the mine. A blurry video feed showed his anticipated arrival and then his open-armed greeting to the 33 men. Was this not a picture of Jesus Christ, come to experience life in the darkness of a fallen world, and reveal the path to salvation? I loved how quickly Florencio Avalos, the first miner to the top, stepped forward already dressed in his special jumpsuit and ready to go.
Unable to save themselves, these men were nonetheless saved. They were helpless, but help came. They were lost, but those who loved them spared no effort and no expense to find them. The truth of the gospel is woven throughout the story.
This past week the miner dubbed “Super” Mario Sepulvida for his exuberant celebration after rescue offered some insights into what life in the mine was like in the first days after the collapse. The men bickered. Some wept. Thoughts of eventual cannibalism terrorized them. They hoped and prayed, but the worst nightmares dominated their conscious hours.
Then on the 19th day a 2-inch drill bit poked through the roof of their subterranean shelter and brought the 33 hope. In the light of that small hole they found resolve to live and work together with new unity and purpose.
This seems to me a picture of the church, or at least a version of the church that ought to be. Followers of Jesus Christ, more than anyone else, have reason to hope. And because of that hope we have reason to work and live in peace and purpose until Christ’s full peace and purpose is revealed.
It occurs to me that once the first small connection to the surface was made, the miners' lives went from mostly hidden to fully exposed. Their words and actions became open to observation and instruction from above. It is another picture of the wisdom and protection of God, revealed to us the teachings of Jesus, who watches to see if we are willing to obey.
When the means of rescue arrived, all 33 of the men took their appointed rides to the top. This is where the analogy of their ordeal and salvation breaks down. Tragically, in the larger world, as dark as it may be, there are those who think it is bright enough. As barren of love and comfort as the world may be, there are those who think it is as good as it gets.
Though the path of salvation may be obvious and clear, and there are many who point the way, there are those who respond with, ‘No thank you, I will just poke around down here awhile and see if I can find another path.”
Safe on the surface and released from the hospital, Super Mario made a trip to the ocean with his family. Oblivious to the rolling cameras, he stripped off his clothes and celebrated his rebirth by swimming naked in the waves. Then be fell to his knees in the sand and praised God for the gift of life.
Do not count me as one who would look down on Mario’s bare-bottomed expression of joy. The truth is we are all naked before God. He knows whether we love the light or the darkness,
The eye of the media moves on. The day after the miracle in Chile was over, the lead stories were again political squabbling, war, crime and celebrity. The story changes every few hours. The reality of the fallen, broken world distracts us from the greater reality . . . that our real home is a place of light and love.
C.S. Lewis wrote “miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.” There are those who look at what happened in Chile and see only an accident with a fortunate conclusion. There are those who do not see the grace of God at work in the world, or if they do see, prefer not to get overly excited about it.
For me the small letter miracle in the Copiapo mine is a reminder that I too was once in a dark place, but the love of Christ moved heaven and earth to offer an escape. That’s the good news worth pondering again and again.
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