The earth has an atmosphere which is comprised of other “spheres” as well. According to Wikipedia, there are layers within the earth’s atmosphere and each has its own properties. The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere and it extends from the earth’s surface to the bottom of the stratosphere, the next layer. Then from the top of the stratosphere is the mesosphere (which contains the ozone layer, at an altitude between 15 km and 35 km). Then there is the thermosphere and on top of that the exosphere begins at a distance of 690 km. There’s heaps more to all this, of course.
But below the troposphere (the earth’s surface) is the lithosphere (litho = rock), which is the rigid outermost shell of the planet (the crust and upper mantle). The lithosphere is broken into seven or eight major tectonic “plates” and there are many minor plates or “platelets”. Where these plates butt up against each other, their relative motion determines the type of plate boundary: convergent, divergent, or transform. Earthquakes, volcanic activity, mountain-building, and oceanic trench formation occur along these plate boundaries (or faults as they are commonly called). But here is what I found fascinating. These plates are actually moving, but we don’t sense that in any real way day-to-day. This is because the movement of the plates (the biggies and the smaller ones) typically ranges from zero to 10 cm annually, or about 4 inches in the old language. According to geoscientists, who officially adopted the theory of continental drift in the 1960’s, this has been occurring since the earth’s creation.
So, imperceptible movements of huge, thick layers of rock beneath the earth’s surface and upon which whole continents are “floating”, have been slowly moving for millennia, and we never give it a thought – until there’s an earth tremor, or an earthquake. These tremors and quakes occur when the pressure of these plates’ movements either presses too hard on another plate, or pulls away, and there is a compression or a stretch. Then the earth’s surface ruptures, or is forced to bulge somewhere else. And so, ridges and even mountains are formed out of compression pressures, and trenches and canyons can be formed from stretching pressures. Many ocean trenches were caused by “seafloor spreading” because of this stretching. All this is fascinating, and my non-scientific – and really basic – outline here, serves as a life of faith metaphor (an LOFM) like the bamboo metaphor last week.
Most days, as we walk in faith and seek to live in righteousness more and more – which is way more than being a “nice person” who keeps some moral code – we can be tempted to think that not a lot is happening in our personal faith development. However, many a scripture assures us that God is working in hidden places. It may take “10 cms a year”, or seem like that, but God is faithfully and carefully working in us as individuals, and as a church, too. Unseen and unfelt a lot of the time, movement is happening as God faithfully responds to our obedience and worship. We can sometimes think that nothing is happening, at all, and be tempted to give up, but God is most definitely at work …
Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.”
Imagine the chaos and trauma if the earth’s tectonic plates were moving at, say 10 metres a year, instead of 10 cms? We’d never be able to build a house let alone a city. We would be forever cleaning up debris and rubble from collapsed structures, with virtually no chance of ever finishing the building of anything, let alone survive the geographic carnage and environmental catastrophe involved.
There is very good reason for God’s apparent slowness, I think. I would rather have this slowness guided and held by God’s faithfulness, than the swiftness of my ignorance of how things really work. Imagine that carnage?
And so, God is careful and timely, and this is why we need to so value kairos moments and embrace them fully. These are often signal moments when it is really time to be transformed a little bit more where God grabs our attention, and invites us into the Learning Circle after a lot of unseen work has led to the moment.
Then, one day, when you least expect it, you experience your own little tremor or earthquake when it is time for the shift or the transformation to be completed. Sometimes this does mean some mess, perhaps, even a shock. Or, maybe, it is a delightful realisation that some deep element of our perfection is now finally done and dusted. Whatever it is, you are forever changed and the joy that accompanies that new abundance of life is inexpressible.
2 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV)
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
More often than not, the perfection of our faith takes time, but we can be sure that God is working to His agenda and will not be a moment late. The momentous breakthrough will come, and so, keep your eyes on Him …
Hebrews 12:1-2a (NIV)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. …”
Think on these things …
Ps Milton