Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Why "Crash the Future"?

So, you may be asking why the title of this blog is "Crash the Future." Well, it's an analogy from a book which I enjoyed, The Barbarian Way, by Erwin McManus. He is discussing the names given to groups of animals and centers in on what a group of rhinos is called, and the significance of this name. He explains:

"My favorite of all is the group designation for rhinos. You see, rhinos run at thirty miles an hour, which is pretty fast when you consider how much weight they're pulling. They're actually faster than squirrels, which can run at up to twenty-six miles an hour. And even then, who's going to live in dread of a charging squirrel? (Sorry - that was a bit off the point.) Running at thirty miles an hour is faster than a used Pinto will go. Just one problem with this phenomenon. Rhinos can only see thirty feet in front of them. Can you imagine something that large moving in concert as a group, plowing ahead at thirty miles an hour with no idea what's at thirty-one feet? You would think that they would be far too timid to pick up full steam, that their inability to see far enough ahead would paralyze them to immobility. But with that horn pointing the way, rhinos run forward full steam ahead without apprehension, which leads us to their name.

"Rhinos moving together at full speed are known as a crash. Even when they're just hanging around enjoying the watershed, they're called a crash because of their potential. You've got to love that. I think that's what we're supposed to be. That's what happens when we become barbarians and shake free of domestication and civility. The church becomes a crash. We become an unstoppable force. We don't have to pretend we know the future. Who cares that we can only see thirty feet ahead? Whatever's at thirty-one feet needs to care that we're coming and better get out of the way.


"We need to move together as God's people, a barbarian tribe, and become the human version of the rhino crash. The future is uncertain, but we need to move toward it with confidence. There's a future to be created, a humanity to be liberated. We need to stop wasting our time and stop being afraid of what we cannot see and do not know. We need to move forward full force because of what we do know."

This analogy reminds me of Philippians 3:13-14, where Paul says that he has forgotten everything that is behind and strives for what is ahead, God's promised prize in Christ. Paul is like that rhino crash. It doesn't matter what's at 31 feet. All he knows is that he's headed after Christ and he's not going to let anything get between him and the goal of knowing Christ to the fullest. I hope and pray that I might be able to live in the same way. My desire is that I will be a part of a human crash, tumbling headlong down the path God has laid before us, not giving any heed to what lies behind or what is to either side.

I intend to use this blog to chart at least a part of that journey. I'd be lying if I said I know what is at 31 feet, but I am confident that whatever God has in store will be beyond my wildest expectations. And so I intend to run full speed ahead and say with Paul that, "My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead." If you're reading this blog, I hope that you'll choose to do the same, running headlong down whatever path God lays before you.

By the way, the two pictures in this posting are also posted on my sidebar. They're original artwork by Joby Harris from McManus' book. One is entitled "The Barbarian Revolt." It contains the Lion of Judah, a horde of barbarians storming the spiritual realm as His mane. (It's inspired by Matt. 11:12 - "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.") The background is that of a Greek manuscript... the gospel of Christ. The other picture is entitled "The Barbarian Invasion". It illustrates a heavenly warrior confidently standing firm. A compass is emblazoned on his heart, providing consistent God-ward direction, with the silhouettes of two white rhino heads in the background.

I love these pictures, I'd love to have full-size prints of them in my office someday, but for now they'll just have to remain on this blog.

4 comments:

evakoski said...

Great blog, and great blog title. Nice to see you in the neighborhood!

Anonymous said...

I can already tell I am going to really enjoy, and be encouraged by reading your blog Ashley..I really like the name as well!

Laura for the Baillies said...

i LOVE that name! i was JUST talking to a friend last night about that very thing...that God is good and we can trust Him and if He told us the exact moment our relief was coming, would we trust Him more? can we trust Him in the uncertainty of life, knowing that He is Good, and more than Enough and that sometimes we see nothing but that doesn't mean He's not working??

Anonymous said...

Ashley, what more could make a grandmother heartbeat faster than to read or hear a grandson talk about God. I am so thankful for you and the life you live and teach. Alaska is blessed to have you. You always give everyone the
praise they deserve. I' sure you are growing as you serve with all the people you mention. God is so good. Keep running. my love nana