The Art of Rhythm (Part 3)
Why are we obsessed with towers? With building up? Sure, limited space is often an issue and perhaps an initial concern, but there’s more. Think of church steeples, clock towers, and other buildings painting the modern skyline.
We love to look upward. We love to see the limitless space of the sky. The sky reminds us, no matter our theological bent, there that is more. There is hope. There is room to grow (even in the most crowded of cities). We have options.
Like the Old Testament tale of the people building a tower all the way to heaven. How could such primitive culture with such limited tools build such a thing? Why would they bother? What did it really represent? Was it defiance or exploration?
Perhaps it is best explained as too much too soon. But what about now? As we survey any modern city we see the same efforts to get beyond the crowdedness of earth to the limitlessness of the sky. We are wired to long for a city in the sky.
It is this inclination toward expanse and space that drives us to new and creative solutions. It is this hunger for peaceful space that drives us toward initiative. It is our desire for peace that drives us to look up and find hope.
The sky, or the heavens, also drive us toward rest. They represent a timelessness. Anyone who has ever flown and looked out the window knows this to be true. Above the clouds there is just something very different. Very still.
Sometimes when life is draining and the problems overwhelming, the sky is our only hope. Of course most religions understand God to be in the heavens, safely detached from the chaos of this world, dispensing hope to those who seek it.
The Christian God is unique in that He is both detached and resting (since the 7th day) but also working for us (Christ interceding for us) and also here with us (in the Holy Spirit). He represents everything we need for a God to be.
Still 2/3 of the Trinity is not currently on earth. The Lord of the Air or the Prince of the Age is not God or Jesus, it is usually the Evil One. So earth generally is seen as the domain of the One who causes chaos, strive, lies, murder, grief, etc.
And they are abundant. The wickedness of the world is breathtaking. Seeing the homeless out and about reminds us there is a kink in the system. There are losers. And they usually “stain” the shopping districts of big cities ironically.
The problems quickly seem overwhelming. The whole system is holding on by a thread. Yes, it is. That’s sort of the point: take away electricity, demand credit payback, cure cancer, a whole system topples over in days. We are hanging by a string.
It’s no wonder we are drawn to the sky. It’s no wonder we look elsewhere for help. If it is only this world hope may truly be illusive. How do we push through? Endure another day without the sky? This is not it. We are not alone.