Saturday, January 27, 2007

Home bitter-sweet home

For the past month, I've been living at home with my parents, and for the most part it's been really good. However, the lack of employment and/or direction in life, which most post-grads experience, is wearing me thin. This time has shown me what little patience and faith I have. In the bible, when people read a passage like Acts 28:30, we tend to blow right past it without realizing the depth of the passage, because it just seems like a random fact.

"He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance."

In this closing passage of Acts, Paul stays in Rome, providing for himself and teaching. It would be too easy to say, "Yup, whatever, on to Romans!" What sticks out now more than ever are the words "two years." He spent two years of his life in a place, according to my bible map, that was more than 2000 miles away from his home - at a time when many people wouldn't leave their city. Rome was it - the center of power, knowledge, arts, etc. (granted, they stole it from everyone else, but it was the place to be). Imagine going to a place like New York City, London, or Paris - living there for two years, supporting yourself, preaching, teaching, and accepting everyone that comes to your door, whether they're wealthy, poor, beautiful, ugly, sick, overbearing, offensive, awkward or whatever...

I have no idea how long I'll need to live at home, or how long it'll be until I have something concrete to focus on...other than my 2-day-a-week internship, which is non-paying; but I'm becoming more and more convicted that I need to preach boldly, like Paul, during this time where I have no hindrances to hold me back from...well, anything.