thoughts on the vine

This past Sunday I mentioned the various metaphors and examples Jesus used to describe this kingdom and reality of God birthing its way into this one.  Another example I used was of a strangler vine.  These plants emerge and begin to slowly wrap their branches and stems around and over the tree.  Over time, their branches begin to flatten out against the surface of the tree and interlocking and interconnecting with each other.  Eventually, the host tree can no longer survive and dies and rots away…leaving only the vine, which by that point has turned into a tree of it’s own (complete with branches and leaves).  From the old one a new one was birthed.

That is what’s happening here and now.  From the rebellion and decay and violence and death of this present world, a new one of life and healing and reconcilation and hope is winding its arms and branches around and throughout. 

Life is swallowing up death.

And as people who follow God and are being transformed within as everything around us is being changed, we are called to be apart of that.  To make it even more.  To tend and work and cultivate hope and peace and healing and newness and goodness.  So here’s what I’m asking of you:

Think about how you (individually) and we (as a youth group) can be apart of this thing.  How can we tend and cultivate and help in bringing all this about?  We’ve spent some time looking at who we are individually–what makes you, you.  Your personal interests and passions and insights will draw you to focus on certain areas to restore.  We’ve also spent a bit of time talking about needs you see in the area and community around us.  So let’s take all of that and begin to move forward with it.  Be thinking about specific projects and hopes and purposes we can begin to help make a reality.

This takes a lot of brainstorming, and thinking both quietly within and ”out loud” with others.  Let’s begin throwing thoughts and ideas out there (either post them on here, e-mail me, or bring them with you to Thursday Nights) and start putting hands and feet to these things.

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You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
     rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
     restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
     make the community livable again.

(Isaiah 58:12)

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