CLM-0-065 p There's Always More Beyond

From: "Clergy Mail List"

Sat, 1 Apr 2000

Clergy/Leaders' Mail-list No. 0-065 (Practical Christian Living) THERE'S ALWAYS MORE BEYOND by Edward Chinn The "Strait of Gibraltar" is a narrow body of water connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The closeness of the southernmost part of Spain and the northern coast of Africa creates the Strait. In ancient times, there were two rocks-one on each side of the Strait. Greek legend said that Hercules had placed the rocks on either side of the Strait. People called these rocks "the Pillars of Hercules." The Spanish drew the Pillars on their fifteenth century coat of arms. They put scrolls across the Pillars. The artist wrote three Latin words on the scrolls. The words were "Ne Plus Ultra"-No More Beyond. These words were a warning to sailors not to enter the Atlantic Ocean. Then, Christopher Columbus voyaged to the New World and returned to Europe. The Spanish government changed the inscription on the coat of arms. The artist removed the Latin word "Ne" from the scroll. Now the inscription read, "Plus Ultra"-More Beyond. The Spaniards learned "There's Always More Beyond!" From his Roman jail, St. Paul wrote to his Christian friends in Philippi. He wrote about some people, "this world is the limit of their horizon. But we are citizens of Heaven; our outlook goes beyond this world. . . ." (Philippians 3:20, Phillips Translation). For those who follow Christ, "There's Always More Beyond!" Physically, There's More Beyond Christ once said, "I am the light of the world." Light is an appropriate symbol for Christ. God did not equip our eyes to see all the forms of electromagnetic waves. We can see those electromagnetic waves in the visible spectrum. On one end of the spectrum are ultraviolet waves. On the other end of the spectrum are infrared waves. The waves at both ends of the spectrum are invisible to us. Nevertheless, these forms of light serve important purposes. We can take pictures in the dark with an infrared camera. It is even possible to photograph people in a room after they have already left the room. We can use certain ranges of ultraviolet rays to sterilize water and milk, or the air in operating rooms. They can help to heal wounds. Our eyes can see only a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. This is not all there is. "There's More Beyond." Mentally, There's More Beyond Christ once said to his friends, "I have much more to tell you, but now it would be too much for you to bear." Mentally, there's more beyond. For instance, the report of our physical senses can be misleading. Our senses tell us that a church building is motionless. When our minds go beyond the report of the senses, we learn that planet Earth are moving in three directions. Our eyes tell us that parallel railroad tracks meet at the horizon. When our minds go beyond the report of our eyes, we learn that they don't meet. Our eyes tell us that a star is in the night sky. Someday we may learn that this star exploded long ago and we are seeing light that has been traveling all this time. Mentally, we have to go beyond the physical. Socrates painted a picture of an imaginary cave. Someone chained people in the cave and made them look at the back wall. Since they have lived in the cave since childhood, the back wall is all they have ever seen. Behind them is a blazing fire. Mysterious puppeteers use the light of the fire to create shadow images on the back wall. The prisoners believe these shadows to be reality. Socrates asked his listeners to imagine someone released a prisoner. He would turn around, see the fire and the puppeteers, and learn what really was going on behind his back. When he returned to speak to his fellow-prisoners, he would tell them about what he saw. The prisoners looked at the shadows. It was their habit. The freed man assured them, "There's More Beyond." Personally, There's More Beyond Charles Dickens wrote a story about an orphan named Oliver Twist. In one scene, Oliver is in the orphanage. His guardians gave him a thin cereal. When he finished it, he carried his empty bowl to the man in charge and said, "Please, sir, more." Human beings are like Oliver Twist. In one way or another, we are always saying to life, "Please, more." "There's Always More Beyond." Spiritually, There's More Beyond Christ took Peter to a certain mountain. The Heavenly Father transfigured Christ. While Christ was praying, his whole appearance changed. His face and clothes became shining white. Two figures from Israel's past-Moses and Elijah-appeared with Christ. Peter wanted to "park" spiritually at that high moment of insight and experience. Christ, however, did not let Peter "park" there. Christ showed Peter "There's More Beyond." Christ led Peter down the mountain. Peter met a father with a sick child down in the valley. St. Paul, too, realized there was more beyond where he was, spiritually. Paul wrote to the Philippians: "My brothers, I do not consider myself to have 'arrived,' spiritually, nor do I consider myself already perfect. But I keep going on, grasping ever more firmly that purpose for which Christ Jesus grasped me. My brothers, I do not consider myself to have fully grasped it even now" (Philippians 3:12, Phillips Translation). (This contribution from Edward appeared as a newspaper column.) The Revd Edward Chinn, D.Min. All Saints' Church, Philadelphia, PA 19114 USA edwardchinn@earthlink.net www.libertynet.org/allsaint ____________________________ Clergy/Leaders' Mailing List (Moderated) This mailing list is open to all Christians via Internet e-mail. 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