‘Heavensent To Spill My Stuff’

This song has been spinning in my head this Palm Sunday and the lead up to Easter. There is something about the Bible going into real time this week, that plays with my spirit.?So not being an expert of Paul Kelly (just a fan really) I am overlaying my framework of this week on his writings. Of course I also would argue ?that this is what we all do anyway – just without the preamble.

Those who know me would have heard my rants about Palm Sunday and practicing ‘missing the point’ in our churches. I guess in following the ?Holy week this year, I am reflecting on the Monday after Palm Sunday.

In Mark 11, you will see that on Sunday Jesus comes in “triuphantly” (inspired headings of the bible) into Jerusalem?as the ‘answer to your prayer ..from the great nowhere.’ But he does not take over powers of empire etc but does a quick reconnaissance of the temple and heads off to Bethany.

Jesus’ teachings and his way has ‘rocked our heads‘ and we are all impressed by the ‘multiplying fish and bread’. Following his way is exciting and confronting being a part of building a better world based on radical love.?Certainly if any figure in history has been ‘canonised, demonised, moralised, sermonised’ (here even) ‘sold the rights and serialised’, it is Jesus.

On monday he returns and trashes the temple, much ‘like a sleeping time bomb‘ and a ‘heart crying enough!’ he confronts oppressive exploitative religion.

So what about us? ? ?Are we about to break? ? ?When and over what issue will our hearts cry enough? ? ? To be heaven sent to spill our stuff?

Maybe it was the Close the Gap actions last week or the indigenous focused preamble of the UCA (and the discussions surrounding it) or maybe just Paul Kelly’s continuing reflections on aboriginal injustice but I found myself thinking, “when will our heart cry enough!”. When will we find a way to recognise the first people in this land and close the gap? Is this just my response? Probably. As I write, my inbox has emails about human traffiking, peace activism, Non Violent Direct Action, human shields groups and global poverty engagements. So I know that people are called to various causes and I find a sense of admiration (maybe a bit of jealously) for people who are fully engaged in the issue that caused them to break. Yes, I am talking about ?my peace buddies, youth workers, social workers, those adopting orphanages and rehab centres OS and here in Australia.

I am certain that those that have found their issues, like Jesus, act because their ‘heart is full of love‘ for people and they did break. Hearts break over people. They don’t have the answers, they don’t have ‘tactics’ but they act because they did break.

God broke and Jesus broke for us. God’s love for us was revealed in Jesus at Easter by the cost he faced, the life he lived and the grace we know.

Happy Easter – I pray we’re about to break.

Age

Just About To Break – Paul Kelly

Nothing but a Dream,

Handle me with care
I’m the answer to your prayer
I come from the great nowhere
Step back! Give me some air
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break

I’ve been dreaming some
I’m a sleeping time bomb
When I wake it won’t take long
I’ll hit from here to kingdom come
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break

They’re gonna want to analyse me
Canonise and demonise me
Buy the rights and serialise me
Moralize and sermonise against me
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break

I’m gonna rock your head
Start a burning in your bed
I’m making gold from lead
Multiplying fish and bread
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break

My philosophy’s eclectic
Things round here are gonna get hectic
There’s no defense ’cause I got no tactics
I sing the body electric
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break

The thunderstorm is just above
Every heart one day must cry enough
I’m heavensent to spill my stuff
My heart, my hear is full of love
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break
I’m just about to break