Something More...these are words often used by those of us who are dissatisfied, and have a longing for a deeper sense of purpose and affectiveness in life. They are also the words we use when we feel tired of being tired, when we’re exhausted by our lack of fulfillment, inner peace, and enjoyment, and when we are trying to articulate our hope that there is, there must be, Something More to this life. These words reflect our innate knowledge that life isn’t the way it is supposed to be, that we are incomplete like an unfinished paint-by-number painting - or that we are at least being blocked from becoming whom we crave to be. Sometimes, on our deamier days, we might use Something More to refer to life beyond the here and now - Heaven.
But Something More can also be the words we use to formulate our desire to experience that which is transcendent - sensing the need for a connection, a spiritual encounter or communion with God. Our inner groan for Something More is our way of speaking out loud our human need to connect, to fill that God-shaped place in us that must be filled with something of ultimate importance - and until then, we sense a lingering emptiness. As Jesus said, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23).
And Something More is what we want most for ourselves and others - community. It is you and I seeking to recognize, understand, and simple accept and love the people around us, as well as embrace God back. Practically, it is about getting in on God's loving, and often immediate, response to the needs of one another, those people around us, and those living across the globe. Despite being surrounded with the often overwelming beauty of nature, and the many joys of just being human, in some ways, the world is a messed up place and God is on a search and rescue mission.
Something More, especially at Christmas time, might as well refer to personal transformation. Dickens' classic reveals the boredom, anger, and dissatisfaction of being a self-centered Scrooge, and what it is like to become an "Ebenezer" (God reverses defeat into victory, death to life). If you get a chance to watch Alistair Simm this Christmas, don't miss it. A Christmas Carol points out to me, and has every year since I starting watching it in the 70's as a kid, that I'm given every opportunity to be the kind of person I want to be, and turn from my self-absorption to become more like a good neighbour (Luke 12:25-37), like Jesus, God Himself living a human life. If you get a chance this Christmas, medicate on Jesus' words and example of sacrificing for the good of others - Luke 6:27-50.
