By Greg Jones
What if some things were meant to be, and some not?
When you look at your life what about it is “meant to be?” And what isn’t? What’s a mistake? A sin? A…well…a do-over? What in your life are you grateful for – and what would you like to see redeemed? And can those things be brought together?
It’s hard to know sometimes, what’s meant to be, and what’s not. In some cases, of course, it’s easy. I believe that at a minimum, every person was meant to be. All loved by God, all cherished, all made in God’s image. And certainly every person — no matter how long they live, no matter how much or how little they succeed— has the implanted power of God inside already —a soul, an animus, a spark — an inner light. And certainly every good a person does — every truth, every kindness, every patience, every grace — comes from this inner light, planted there by the One who let it be in the first place.
And, so, every person is meant to be, and every grace which passes to and through them is meant to be. So what’s left?
Every vice, every sinful choice, every wasted moment – in a way of looking at things, these are things that are not meant to be. In this same way of looking at things, every harm done to others, either by accident or on purpose, was not meant to be. As well, the many collisions of this universe of cold and chaotic forces which impact upon the beloved of God, maybe those things are not “meant” to be either. After all, in this way of looking at things — which Jesus offers — there is a “ruler of this World” which one day will be cast out of it.
What Jesus chooses to do in going to Jerusalem and dying on the cross, and rising again, and ascending into fullness with God and all, is to begin the reconciliation and redemption of what should and what should never be. God gives everything that is meant to be. And God will redeem everything that isn’t. That’s why God not only creates. God redeems. Thanks be to God.
The Rev. Samuel Gregory Jones (‘Greg’) is rector of St. Michael’s in Raleigh, N.C. and the bass player in indie-rock band The Balsa Gliders – whose fourth studio release is available on iTunes. He blogs at Anglican Centrist.