The Law of Nature and the nature of Grace

Lotti is an example of a sheep not content to stay within the boundaries. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-498961/Meet-Ewe-dini-sheep-open-locked-pen--tongue.html

     We are very familiar with certain laws of nature such as gravity and entropy. All of nature obeys these laws. Gravity exists through out the universe. It draws the particles together creating stars and the black holes in the center of galaxies. Entropy causes the universe to expand and the light of suns to radiate away. Entropy seeks the lowest energy state making molecular bonds in chemicals.

     As Life turns chemicals into creatures, the organisms it creates under the laws of random mutations, natural selection, and survival of the fittest are a diversity of form and function. All this diversity lives within nine larger planetary boundaries that determine the life giving conditions of the air, water, and soil.

     Even though we can build planes that can fly, bombs whose atomic particles separate in massive explosions, and genetically modified plants and animals, we are still subject to the same laws as the rest of nature.

     The spiritual world also has laws. All religions have some version of the golden rule, even atheists. But unlike the physical world, we can chose to obey or disobey spiritual laws. Embedded in the law of love is the freedom to chose.

     We can chose things that are life giving or life destroying. We can chose use gravity for our own destruction by jumping off a cliff falling to our death below, or we can build wings and use gravity to provide us lift so we can sail for miles. We can use entropy to destroy buildings, people, plants, and animals in a nuclear blasts or we can harness that same energy to generate power to heal, teach, and build in hospitals, schools, and factories. We can use natural selection to domesticate wildlife to our needs or we can hunt wildlife to extinction. We can treat our air, water, and land in ways that fit within the boundaries of life making it so all of life thrives, or we can try and exceed those boundaries to the destruction of ourselves and the rest of life on this planet.

     We have these choices and although it may seem obvious what the right choice is, often times we make a choice based on our own immediate wants and desires, our own fears. Instead of being patient, kind, and exercising self control, we become angry, demanding, and manipulative. Our shame causes us to deny the truth and pass the buck. Our guilt reinforces our poor choices in a negative feedback loop that cycles closer and closer to destruction.

     Christ breaks into our destructive habits and forgives us. He loves us in spite of our choices. He holds out to us the promise of who he made us to be, and calls us into living within the boundaries of nature. He calls us to chose life over death.

     Christ's forgiveness is a grace we don't deserve. Left to our own devices we will destroy ourselves and the rest of nature with us. But by the power of his grace we can chose life, we can chose to live within the limits of our purpose; we can chose to let God be God.

     Jesus tells a parable of the good shepherd who has one hundred sheep. He brings his flock within the boundaries of the fold or sheep pen. It is a confining place that limits the freedom of the sheep. But without the walls that limit the sheep's freedom, the sheep would be vulnerable to things that would harm them like wolves and lions and thieves. When the good shepherd finds he is missing a sheep he leaves the ninety nine and goes looking for the lost one. He searches and he searches until he finally finds it and brings it within the fold.

     Each time we chose to live lives of pride and selfishness we walk outside of God's fold. Each time we violate our planetary boundaries we are one step closer to bring destruction upon ourselves. There are dual messages in the bible: one is the certainty of destruction for following evil, the other is the hope of salvation for following God. It is our choice to love God and live within his boundaries or to seek our own way and come to destruction. And if we chose him, he helps us live within the fold.

     These themes are reiterated in the writings of the apostle Peter. He tells us that “the Lord is not slow in keeping his promise [of destruction], as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

      "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

     "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

     "So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation”.

     The Lord wants to take away our fear and shame and make us spotless and blameless. He wants to give us patience and self control so that we can live holy and godly lives. He wants to bring us all within the folds of his grace, into the boundaries of his love in order to keep us from the dangers that would harm us; from the destruction that will destroy the heavens and the earth. And he promises that if we live within his boundaries whether they be spiritual or physical we will have a home of righteousness, a place which works so beautifully well that it will be a new heaven and new earth.