As we journey through the various seasons of life, growing older often brings a unique set of challenges and uncertainties. As I complete one more of my “golden years” (January 15), I turn to one of my spiritual mentors for encouragement and insight. Karl Barth, a renowned Swiss Reformed theologian, emphasized the importance of trusting in God’s faithfulness and his sovereign plan throughout our entire lives.

According to Barth, God’s faithfulness is a constant and unchanging attribute. In old age, when physical abilities may wane and worldly unpredictability increase, the assurance of God’s faithfulness becomes a steady anchor. Barth encourages readers to recognize that God’s faithfulness does not diminish with age; rather, it remains a steadfast foundation upon which we can confidently build our trust.

Barth’s theology underscores the idea that God is actively involved in our world and has a divine plan for every one of us. In old age, it is common to reflect on one’s life, questioning the purpose and significance of the journey. Barth would encourage us to embrace the belief that God’s plan for our lives is comprehensive, extending from birth to old age. Every experience, triumph, and trial has been woven into the fabric of his design, his Bigger Story.

As we age, we may be tempted to view life as a series of disconnected events, some seemingly purposeless or even painful. Barth, however, reminds us that God’s plan is not a disjointed collection of moments but a coherent narrative that culminates in God’s glory. As we grow older, believers can find solace trusting in the belief that God is continually working to complete his good plan for our lives, even when circumstances appear to be to the contrary.

By recognizing God’s faithfulness, accepting his divine plan, and trusting in the completion of his good purposes, we believers can celebrate our later years of life with a profound sense of purpose and security. May we all draw inspiration from brother Barth, finding comfort in the eternal faithfulness of a God who holds our past, present, and future in his good hands.

Blessings,

Richard

P.S. Since Patricia and I were born on the same day, January 15, 1953, I’d like to dedicate Glen Campbell’s Grow Old with Me to the love of my life.

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As we stand on the threshold of this new year, there’s a palpable sense of anticipation in the air. The clock is ticking, and with each passing moment, we find ourselves on the brink of a fresh chapter in the grand narrative of our lives. It’s a time for reflection, resolution, and perhaps most importantly, a time to embrace the profound wisdom of a man named Robert Farrar Capon.

Robert Farrar Capon, a theologian and author known for his keen insights into the grace of God, invites us to approach the coming year with a spirit of grace. In a world marked by striving and self-effort, his words serve as a refreshing reminder that we are recipients of grace that passes all understanding.

“Grace,” Capon once wrote, “is the celebration of life, relentlessly hounding all the non-celebrants in the world. It is a floating, cosmic bash shouting its way through the streets of the universe, singing the sweetness of its cassations to every window, pounding at every door in a hilarity beyond all liking and happening, until the prodigals come out at last and dance, and the elder brothers finally take their fingers out of their ears.”

As we step into this year, let’s shed the weight of performance and perfectionism and the burden of unrealistic resolutions. Robert Farrar Capon invites us to celebrate the life we’ve been given and to join the cosmic bash that is grace itself. Entering this party, we are encouraged to drop the heavy baggage of guilt and self-condemnation and step into the joy and lightness of being loved unconditionally in Jesus Christ.

In the midst of our imperfections, mistakes, and constant uncertainties, God’s grace calls us to dance. It’s an invitation to celebrate the freedom of forgiveness, to let go of self-imposed demands for flawlessness and to recognize once and for all that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

As this new year unfolds, let us with faith embrace the role of the prodigal in our own lives—and return daily to the source of grace, to the wellspring of love that never runs dry. It’s a journey that doesn’t demand perfectionism, but simply asks us to take a first step, to respond to the relentless pursuit of grace that chases us down with unyielding tenacity.

In the words of Robert Farrar Capon, “We are surrounded by an extravagance of love we simply have to accept.” Here’s to a new year of accepting and celebrating this extravagant love of Jesus, a year of grace, hope, and the freedom to dance.

Blessings,

Richard

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Life is a series of choices, and the decisions we make have a profound impact on our journey. Just ask Ebenezer Scrooge. The power of making good choices cannot be overstated, as each decision shapes our experiences, influences our relationships, and ultimately determines the direction of our lives.

In Charles Dickens’ timeless classic, A Christmas Carol, the author weaves a compelling story that transcends the boundaries of time and space to deliver an important message about the strong influence of our choices in shaping our legacies. And, we have no idea what our legacy is going to be because it is never one thing. Our legacy will be every life we have ever touched. Our good choices have the ability to enhance not only our lives, but the lives with whom we share this earthly pilgrimage.

The narrative structure of A Christmas Carol introduces us to the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, who guide Ebenezer Scrooge through the pivotal moments of his life. The journey allows him to witness the consequences of his decisions for himself and those around him. Dickens shrewdly illustrates that our legacies are not predetermined but are the result of a series of choices that shape our character and influence the world we inhabit.

The Ghost of Christmas Past unmasks Ebenezer Scrooge’s formative years, shedding light on the moments that helped mold him into the miserly figure we encounter at the beginning of the story. Dickens emphasizes the importance of childhood choices in shaping one’s worldview and values, laying the groundwork for the legacy to come.

The Ghost of Christmas Present exposes the consequences of Ebenezer Scrooge’s current choices, revealing the suffering and poverty that permeated the England of his time. He clearly sees how what we choose affects the well-being of others emphasizing the interconnectedness of humanity and the role we play in uplifting or oppressing those with whom we share life.

The ghost of Christmas Future takes Ebenezer Scrooge on a chilling expedition into the potential outcomes of his choices if he continues on his current path. The bleak future depicted is a stark reminder that our legacies are not only about personal success but also about the effects we have on the broader community. Dickens urges us to consider the long-term repercussions of our actions and the enduring nature of the legacy we will leave behind.

Ebenezer Scrooge’s eventual redemption is a testament to the transformative power of choice. Confronted with the consequences of his past actions, he makes the conscious decision to change his ways. Dickens wants us to believe that it is never too late to alter the course of our lives and leave a positive imprint on the world. As we navigate the complex tapestry of our own lives, let us draw inspiration from Ebenezer Scrooge’s redemption and strive to craft a legacy defined by the love of Jesus and the enduring power of God, the Holy Spirit, in helping us make good choices.

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The Roman census was bad news, but in the midst of such bad news, an angel appeared to a lowly group of shepherds.

Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. (Luke 2:10)

Luke wants us to ponder these competing narratives: the lesser narrative in the decree of Caesar Augustus delivering the same old bad news and the larger narrative in the angelic proclamation announcing good tidings of great joy.

It is clear that God is in control of history. Caesar’s decree brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, thus fulfilling Micah’s prophecy:

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times. (Micah 5:2)

God’s bigger story, God’s metanarrative, is God in control, directing the drama of the ages. Do you believe, as I believe, that God is at work in our world, at work in our lives, just as he was in the lives of Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, and Caesar Augustus? Do you believe there is indeed a bigger story, a metanarrative, behind the scenes amid both our good and bad days?

Not long ago, I conducted the funeral of a beautiful thirty-eight-year-old nurse who died after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She loved nature and God’s animal kingdom, and was fully dedicated to being a partner in the healing ministry of Jesus. What do you say when loving parents ask the age-old question: why?

I told my good friends that I did not know why God would allow their precious daughter to die any more than I know why God allowed our daughter to die. I then told them the two things that have kept my family moving forward after having faced similar heartache. We believe without question that:

• God is good
• God’s overall plan is good (regardless of our children’s death)

The biblical promise that, “In all things God is working for good” (Romans 8:28), is our lifeline, promising that in the midst of all the good and evil that we will experience in life, and in the lives of the ones we love, God is at work for good.

Some kind of narrative shapes the way we view the world and our place in it. Some story is at the core of our identity. I embraced the story of Jesus (God’s metanarrative) decades ago as my defining story, and it has made all the difference in the world. Only God knows the kind of life I would have lived had I chosen some other defining story to make sense of my earthly journey.

Calvin Miller beautifully describes what awaits those who have placed their faith in the definitive story of the risen Christ:

I once scorned every fearful thought of death,
When it was but the end of pulse and breath,
But now my eyes have seen that past the pain
There is a world that’s waiting to be claimed.
Earthmaker, Holy, let me now depart,
For living’s such a temporary art.
And dying is but getting dressed for God,
Our graves are merely doorways cut in sod.

In living through the paradoxes of life, we must be rooted in the reality of the present—but always with an eye toward the future. The Holy Spirit is forever drawing us forward, toward a time and place that is “not yet.” Our defining story, God’s metanarrative, is our shared story that will definitely have a good ending. Our earthly story may not have a good ending but God’s Bigger Story will. A good God is telling a good story that will have a good ending. Take that to the bank my friends. So, instead of just wishing you a Merry Christmas this year, let me also wish you a Merry Metanarrative, something worth celebrating every day of the year.

Richard Hipps

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In his wonderful little book Surprised By God: How And Why What We Think About The Divine Matters, Chris E.W. Green introduced me to the genius of Henry Ossawa Tanner. Tanner was an African American artist who painted The Banjo Lesson in 1893 after visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Suffering from typhoid fever, Tanner’s doctor recommended that he spend time taking in mountain air.

Staged within the confines of a small cabin, The Banjo Lesson depicts the light from a hearth fire enveloping an older man and a young boy. Holding the banjo with two hands, the boy gazes downward focusing and concentrating on his grandfather’s instructions. So that the boy will not be encumbered by its weight, his grandfather holds the banjo gently with his left hand. He wants his grandson to fully appreciate the rewards of music through his own discipline and hard work.

It seems God wants the same for us – that we exercise discipline and hard work – growing in the grace he so freely gives. We misunderstand grace if we relegate all self-effort to “works” and “self righteousness.” Why? Because we are called to discipline and hard work as we grow in the awesome, empowering grace of God. Jesus, in his earthly ministry, modeled that obedience is disciplined attentiveness to what God wants (John 5:19).

In The Banjo Lesson, Henry Ossawa Tanner is showing us a young boy who is just learning to play and has difficulty holding the instrument by himself. This is why the boy’s grandfather is embracing his grandson and helping him hold the banjo, allowing the boy to stand and play by himself. Neither one is looking at the other but focusing their attention on the making of music. Chris E.W. Green concludes:

“No doubt, as this child grows physically and skillfully, the master will give him even more room. And their attentions will continue to fuse, more and more tightly, until the student knows what the master knows. In much the same way, as we go from faith to faith, learning to obey more fully, our attention increasingly fused with God’s, we find ourselves obeying without self-regard.”

What does it mean to be a Christ follower (a good banjo player)? It means paying disciplined attention to our skillful teacher who will always be sitting behind us (so to speak) helping us play on our own. The mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, the great teacher inspires (William Arthur Ward). In the years you are given, be inspired to make beautiful music!

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Not only is the cross the instrument of human salvation; it is also the pattern for our lives here and now. The Apostle Paul was saying in I Corinthians that the cross is more than a means of personal redemption – it shows us what it means to live a fully human life. (page 40)

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The cruciform life means giving up our self-salvation projects. It means letting go of our stories as we have always understood them. It means giving up our old sense of who we are and what we thought our lives we’re about. At the cross, God is inviting us into his bigger story. (page 74)

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Healed ambition means no longer being undone by criticism, no longer being frightened to fail or to look weak or incompetent. You handle success lightly. You might even count it as a loss. Above all, today and again tomorrow you surrender your ambitions to God’s good providence and rest in the gospel. You go to work tomorrow, working from approval not for approval. That’s crucified ambition. (page 99)

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A thousand years ago, Bernard of Clairvaux wrote a treatise, ON THE STEPS OF HUMILITY AND PRIDE, in which he comments, “Christ had all the virtues. But although he had them all, he especially commended one of them to us in himself (Romans 5:8), that of humility, when he said, ‘Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart’ (Matthew 11:29). He could have chosen any virtue, for he possessed them all in perfect measure, but Jesus singled out humility as the primary one we are to learn from him. (page 103)

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Once you believe the cross really is God’s way to the good and beautiful life, then instead of fearing what humbles you, you can remind yourself, “Anything that humbles me is good for me.” Not good as eating your broccoli, but good as in Thank you, God, for revealing my faults and weaknesses, for allowing me to face setbacks and disappointments. Thank you for anything that moves me closer to the freedom and truth of seeing who I really am and who you really are. Anything that humbles me is good for me, because it leads me toward joy in you, not away from joy. Humility does not diminish life; it leads us to it. Humility gives our souls the rest that our achievements never could. (page 110)

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Marie Kondo’s book, THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP, can change the way you experience this new year. Let me explain. It has to do with the author’s method. She addresses our “cluttered” life by asking NOT what we should get rid of but what we should keep. And, she has a simple criterion for selecting which items to keep. She suggests that when going through our possessions, examining them one by one, we should ask ourselves: does this object, this item, this thing, bring me joy? Does it spark joy? if not, out with it!

Many of Marie Kondo’s clients end up with one third to one half of the belongings they began with. And, they also end up with a lot more joy in their lives according to hundreds of testimonies. By letting go of all items that do not spark joy, the items kept have more space to emanate joyousness.​

Get this: the focus in decluttering our lives is on what stays​, ​not so much on what goes. Having read this little book, it seems clear that clutter does smother joy. This consumer culture in which we live definitely affects our spiritual lives. I am finally understanding that clutter not only bogs down the space in my house, but also the space in my soul.

I am surprised at how much I have bought into the consumer psyche and how I have allowed retail therapy to try to fill some empty place in my life. Having just retired, going through 17+ years of stuff just in my office, I find myself overwhelmed. I am hopelessly addicted to books and part of my therapy is giving most of my books away to friends (other addicts). I am keeping only those books that guarantee a time of joyful re-reading.

If you live within driving distance of Memphis (especially my minister friends), and want to help declutter my bookshelves without over-cluttering yours, email me (hipps1974@gmail.com) and I will gladly mark a time for you to drop by and carry away as many as will bring you joy.

Happy New Year!
Richard Hipps

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