Home 
I Am A Rock
WELCOME TO TODAY'S WORSHIP SERVICE
March 8, 2008
I Am A Rock
Open your Bible
Light a candle
OPENING SONG
I Am A Rock
Simon & Garfunkle
READINGS
FROM THE BIBLE
Biblical:
Biblical:
God said: "Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it exist to make a distinction among the waters and in the waters. Gen. 1:6
FROM SWEDENBORG
Swedenborg:
the 2nd state rarely comes into play without trouble, misfortune and grief. Heavenly Secrets, #8
12 Steps of A.A.:
made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God.
FROM SWEDENBORG
Swedenborg:
the 2nd state rarely comes into play without trouble, misfortune and grief. Heavenly Secrets, #8
12 Steps of A.A.:
made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God.
MESSAGE
It is the true story of Christopher McCandless, who grew up in a well-to-do family. He had an excellent education at Emory University. Then, he gave away his law school tuition money – to Oxfam to help world starvation. He made his way to Alaska for a journey into the wilderness, to live alone and off the land. He did so for four months, keeping a detailed journal of his experience. It is a shock that he died of starvation, in 1992, only a few miles from civilization.
The story of why he went into the wilderness, what it meant for his spiritual journey, and the significance of his death, are questions we can ponder together this month. I read the book last week, saw the movie this week.
In the third step of A.A., we are told:
Made a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of God as we understood God.
Our movie of the month is about one young man’s experience to do that.
It is the true story of Christopher McCandless, who grew up in a well-to-do family. He had an excellent education at Emory University. Then, he gave away his law school tuition money – to Oxfam to help world starvation. He made his way to Alaska for a journey into the wilderness, to live alone and off the land. He did so for four months, keeping a detailed journal of his experience. It is a shock that he died of starvation, in 1992, only a few miles from civilization.
The story of why he went into the wilderness, what it meant for his spiritual journey, and the significance of his death, are questions we can ponder together this month. I read the book last week, saw the movie this week.
Chris’ hero was Jack London and his book Call of the Wild. Chris, too, felt that call.
En route to Alaska, he formed a bond with a father-figure, Ron Franz. Ron had lost his wife and son in a tragic accident many years previous. He, too, is looking for healing in human companionships. Chris sees the path to God as through nature. God is in all things, and can be found in all things. Ron leans towards relationship as that path; an area where he, too, seeks healing. Here is that crucial conversation:
Ron later drives Chris north to his destiny in Alaska. Before letting Chris out of the car, he shows deep emotion as he admits that he would like to adopt Chris – perhaps as a grandson.
Chris says he’ll think about it on the Alaska trip. Of course, he is never to return from Alaska. Here we have an example of Ron reaching out to Chris for redemptive human love. Chris is not ready for it.
The early part of his Alaska adventure, Chris is ecstatically happy. He is clearly connecting with God through the glories of nature. The movie allows us to experience the richness of this, as we see the majestic glory of the Alaska wilderness.
However, Chris becomes very ill, and realizes that he confused a poisonous plant for a nutritious one.
In the end, Chris reaches a profound understanding of happiness.
Watch this clip:
Chris found God in nature, and he found himself. And he realized what true happiness was as he was dying. Happiness is only complete when it is shared with others. Here he is writing in his journal – which was pages torn from books.
It is clearer in the book that Chris had turned down several opportunities to be better prepared for the journey. Several people tried to convince him to take a map, to take more supplies, to listen to the experiences of those who knew the Alaskan wilderness.
Chris’ “Call of the Wild” was so strong, that he didn’t want to wait to do things in a way suggested by others. But, if he had had a map, he would probably have made it out alive before encountering a poisonous plant.
Chris’ “Call of the Wild” was so strong, that he didn’t want to wait to do things in a way suggested by others. But, if he had had a map, he would probably have made it out alive before encountering a poisonous plant.
It seems a tragedy that he died through a series of small human mishaps. Yet, again we see God at work. Chris did not connect with many people in life. However, he has touched the hearts of thousands since his death.
So, how do we “turn our will over” to God? I think the movie shows that there are many paths. But the inner “call of the wild” needs to be tempered. The love of the inner call needs the wisdom of the people of the world. We are not meant to be a “rock” or an “island.” We are meant to live within loving human relationships.
Again, we return to the message from Swedenborg: don’t try to live with all wisdom or all love. God meant for us to have both.
Let’s use this season of Lent as an opportunity to look at how we balance Love and Wisdom; human relationship and nature in our lives. Let’s support each other on our journeys.
CLOSING SONG
Now extinguish your candle 
And close the Bible. 
Go forth; knowing that you and God are creating you anew every moment.
