Peoria Times
24 RELIGION
September 9, 2021
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Opposites attract and can complete one another CHURCH-COMMUNITY CONNECTION
Pastor Ed Delph Peoria Times Columnist
Every morning in Africa, a gazelle awakens. It knows that it must run faster than the fastest cheetah or it will be killed. Likewise, every morning a cheetah awakens. It knows that it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. So, it doesn’t matter whether you are a cheetah or a gazelle — when the sun comes up, you better be running. This intriguing snippet makes us aware of two worlds — the cheetahs and the gazelles. Both worlds are equally valid yet come from entirely different perspectives. These two worlds are not “either/or” but “both/ and.” It would be unwise for the gazelle to live by a “my-world-is-the-onlyworld” philosophy. The gazelle who ignores the reality of the cheetah’s
world produces what the cheetah wants: gazelle burgers. Someone might want to write a book titled “Gazelles are from Venus; Cheetahs are from Mars,” but the reality is cheetahs and gazelles are from Earth. So, they better learn to deal with it. Each must wake up running with awareness of the other’s world. After all, their worlds do intersect. Jesus presented more of a “both/ and” world than an “either/or” world to us. Yes, there were absolutes, especially in what it takes to be a believer, but the absolutes were always in crucial areas and generally made clear. I’m not talking about a compromise of the absolutes. I’m talking about having a larger perspective that comes from having the mind of Christ. There is a spiritual world, and there is a natural world. Both intersect. To ignore the reality of the Creator will affect the creation. Pretending there is no God, ignoring God or dissing God is like the gazelle who pretends there is no cheetah, ignores the cheetah or disdains the cheetah. That could have
a bad ending for the gazelle and a fantastic meal for the cheetah. Here’s an example of the “both/and” perspective. Jesus is called the lion and the lamb. Now there is a paradox for you. How can Jesus be strong and weak, ferocious and gentle, a fighter and a fleer at the same time? Well, He is. Jesus could go from one extreme to another depending on what God told him was appropriate for the situation. Both the lamb and the lion are in God’s world. God is multifaceted. “I heard the voice of many waters.” (Revelation 1:15). God is Spirit (John 4:24). God is Light (I John 1:5). God is Love (I John 4:16). God is Elohim — Three in One, The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit. Friends, that’s a paradox. God’s world and our world have seven continents, not just one. There are seven days in a week, seven colors in a rainbow, and seven notes in the musical scale. There were 12 tribes, not just one tribe, that made the nation of Israel. God created the world to reveal the genius of the “both/and” mindset.
God integrates seemingly opposite viewpoints that reveal the complexity and wonder of God. Those who embrace an “either/or” way of thinking or dualism struggle with this. Dualism views most everything adversarial: us/them; win/lose; right/wrong; either/or; “Me Tarzan, you Jane”; or, in today’s world, “Me Jane, you Tarzan.” But that’s not what the mind of Christ is all about. Let me explain. Years ago, I rented a 15-person van to take our junior high children on a ministry trip. As we were traveling, I looked in the back seats and noticed all the junior high kids had earphones on with their favorite CDs blasting in their ears. No one was talking. Each junior higher was on the bus but listening to their favorite tunes with eyes glazed over and heads straight forward. That incident reminds me of these current times. Just like those junior high kids, all of us are on a journey together, but polarized, listening to our SEE OPPOSITES PAGE 27
Harvest CHurCH
Special Guest Nicole Pesce, Piano
“An inclusive, welcoming, caring community, serving Jesus Christ”
Wednesday Bible Classes for all ages - 7:00 p.m.
Everyone Is Welcome!
am am pm pm
Wednesdays: TeamKid, Youth Worship Bible Study & Prayer........................6:00 pm Dr. Mark Mucklow, Pastor www.fsbcg.org
Nursery Provided
Wednesday: Family Night 7:00 p.m. www.hcaz.org
Harvest CHurCH 8340 W. Northern
Northern Ave. Glendale Ave.
83rd Ave.
Revs. Mike & Sheryl Campbell
Worship 10 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m.
ewa y
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
Sunday Bible Study 9 a.m.
Sunday Services: Bible Study ....................................... 9:15 Morning Worship ............................ 10:30 Discipleship Training ........................ 4:45 Evening Worship .............................. 6:00
Dr. Ron G. Rockwell – Pastor
91st ave.
Music Begins 9:50 AM Live-Streamed at www.scfaith.org Masks highly recommended for the time being
Information 623.334.9482
10250 N. 59th Ave. 623-937-9216
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IN-PERSON WORSHIP SUNDAYS - 10 AM
10935 W. Olive Ave. Peoria 85345 Phone (623) 972-8479 office@westolive.com www.westolive.com
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16000 N. Del Webb Blvd., Sun City AZ 85351 Tel: 623-974-3611
8340 W. Northern Ave. Glendale, AZ 85305
