URC Weekly 3/13/2011: A Beastly Lament



Hello Family,

This past Friday, we had a community group and Deacon Tae led us in a discussion on Ephesians 1 and 2 that was insightful, encouraging, and Godly. The highlight of the night was a masterful allusion written by Tae himself about the limitedness and meaninglessness of human life told from a perspective of a dog. It really is a must-read. I share it with you now.

“A Beastly Lament”

I’ve always had a super tiger Kung-Fu grip on all self-seeking, sustaining and preserving elements of my life. Especially strong-gripped are the intangibles that may be unquantifiable and yet so evidently creased into my character, such as: my desire for control of processes and outcome; my focused efforts on the development of a robust and likeable self-image; the way in which I manifest my inherent self-preservation qualities evidenced in my actions, speech, and in the ways I set my goals; the importance I place on status; my self-centered orientation of decision making and my life devoted to a happiness and satisfaction, sometimes even euphoria, seeking journey. Yup, I am out on a mission, believing that these self-seeking acts will help define my life’s purposes.

Purpose… Laughable if I REALLY think about it. Whatever made me think that I was entitled to deserve even ONE purpose? My existence is as crude and lowly as a beast. I am a beast trying to be his own master, commanding his own distorted self-image. And I’m thinking, “Can a dog save himself from being… a dog?” I can’t help but ponder just what purpose can this beast create for himself but of self-seeking and self-preserving behaviors which all culminate to the ultimate achievement of life… like a glorious collection of a million bones, an ever-flowing water fountain, and my own tree to pee on or perhaps many robust and majestic sycamore trees… to pee on, as well as having someone to always scratch my itches and stroke my ego. That’s me.

And when my beast dies, at my end, tired of chasing my own tail and not knowing just why I was given this bite of a stinking breath hardly worth the title of “life”, not having felt even a little important in my entire life, a confusing and thirsty life, only my fellow beasts will howl in mourning… for a brief second, that is. Some will fight over my bones and trees, while others will go back to what they do best- snarling and chasing ‘round their own tails. Even at knowing all this, I am but helplessly shackled to my beastly sinful nature and empty pursuits.

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