Dwayne and Soloman

We watched Little Miss Sunshine on team days, a film that i think given half a chance may become one of my favourites. Some of it was a little cloase to home though. One of the characters in the film, Dwayne, reminded me a lot of myself before i was saved. Not in the vow of silence wanting to be in the air force way. But just feeling like a disposable teen, hating everyone, feeling like there was nothing to live for. The scene where he found out he'd never get in the air force, through no fault of his own basically made me want to cry. Seriously. And it makes me think three things.

First of all, thank God for the grace which is changing me from Dwayne to Jesus more and more every day. And man, i'm still vile and wretched but Christ is there by His Spirit and He will win. Secondly, it reminded me of how burdened i used to feel for my own generation. You know the modern west is the first culture to not try and teach people en masse why they exist? No wonder my generation is such a shambles. No one thought to tell them why they were born. Partly this was obscured by a burden for students and unreached peoples, but my generation needs a lot of sorting out.

Which brings me to point three. It's oh so easy to malign emo kids and goths, telling them to 'cheer up' or whatever. But we need to reach out to them. They're depressed because no one's told them about Jesus. Because they have nothing to live for. And just because they want to express that by dressing like a 2004 version Gerard Way doesn't give anyone any right to sneer at them. I used to love being in Reading when the festival was in town...these kids were by kin, my brothers. If it wasn't for the cross i'd be there with them. Jesse Lacey would be my god and nietzsche my inspired author. They can be saved, they can be 2 Corinthians 3:18'd because i was. And here's the other thing, what has a nihilist or a transcendentalist actually got to be happy about? What has anyone got to live for without Christ?

Driving back to the snow laden Chiltern Hills yesterday Mark Driscoll told me about Ecclesiastes 1. Soloman tried everything that we try to find meaning and fulfillment and happiness. He was the wisest, richest, most powerful man in the world. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Surely he was the happiest man who ever lived right? He had it all. He did have it all...and what did he conclude? Meaningless, meaningless...it's all meaningless. Thats how his lament opens. All of life is empty vapour, all of life is nothing. Trying to work it out is like trying to catch the wind.

Without Christ.

Christ owns the universe. A life lead without reference to Him is going to be meaningless, is going to be empty. It's going to be a waste. Thats who my generation needs, thats who Soloman needed. Jesus Christ, the infinate, eternal, Son of God. All things were made through Him and to Him and for Him. So the only way we can live...and really live is for Him and through Him and to Him. Get Christ sorted out and you'll get yourself sorted out.

What a message. What a weighty calling that no man will ever be worthy of. I hope that, as mission weeks starts in Surrey on sunday afternoon i am ready to herald to coming of the King of the universe. I hope i am.