The Holy Grail and the Will of God

The knights of King Arthur and the round table couldn't find it. Indiana Jones and his professor father kept it from falling into Nazi hands. It was even the centerpiece of the best-seller The Da Vinci Code. Holy Grail: the dish, plate or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper.

For the benefit of a few readers unfamiliar with the legend, the Grail is an object said to possess miraculous powers. Some have claimed that it is not a object but a person, a blood line from Jesus of Nazareth. Others claim it is a purely Christian symbol, I.E. the sacrament of Holy Communion.

Far from being an ancient story, it is a recurrent theme that keeps cropping up in contemporary movies and television. There is the new action series on FOX called DRIVE; the Grail at the end of the cross-country race is the promise of millions of dollars, a kidnap spouse, or personal discovery. 24 continues another season with Jack Baur's Grail; saving the United States and the President from another disaster. American Idol promises the glamour of fame and fortune.

By pure definition, a grail is "the object of any prolonged endeavor." In the early Arthurian tales, the noble knight Percival's immaturity prevents him from fulfilling his destiny when he first encounters the Grail, and he must grow spiritually and mentally before he can locate it again.

At the risk of sounding hyper-religious or sanctimonious, my quest has been the 40+ year pursuit of living within the Will of God. Needless to say, that pursuit and it's outcome have had varying results. I think, however, I can make some observations that might assist a fellow Christ-follower who is of like heart.

If your relationship with Christ began in childhood or teen years, that adventure is filled with idealism and zeal. This is why the majority of people involved in "full-time Christian service" make commitments in their youth. The temptations are vicious in these years, but surviving relationship traps results in a reputation and conscience spared the ravages of a guilt-saturated youth. I would be remiss if I did not confess to a number of well-intentioned mistakes in those years. It is the zeal of youth that often cause us to run roughshod over others in the name of God. To this day, my wife says I have the discernment of a prophet, but don't exercise the gift of mercy very well.

In the middle years of a Christ-follower's life, I have noticed a focus on what we regard as our "ministry." This may or may not be directly related to the organized church but it is where passion meets reality. We are in it for the long haul. At times it melds with our occupation others a spiritual avocation. However, unless we maintain a balanced focus, our families and, at times, our personal relationship with our Savior suffers.

Especially for men, our focus is doing rather than being -- we just don't know how to describe ourselves without mentioning our occupation or hobby. The times I've suffered from burn-out have been in these years when disappointment and anger over unfulfilled or blocked goals prevailed. If you hear "How could you…" bouncing around your brain and out your mouth, know I have walked in your shoes while searching for the grail of God's Will.

If we can avoid the sarcasm and regrets of senior years, these can be a time of effectiveness in the Kingdom of God. We may lack the zeal of youth, but we should posses the wisdom to avoid naïve mistakes. It is a time of reflection, a conservation and properly directed energy.

On one wall of our family room shelves are dedicated to the places in the world I've visited, symbols of ministry, occupational opportunities I've enjoyed, and knick-knack reminders of American History. Not long ago, in a stretch of self-pity, I moaned, "These are all memories of a has been." The last several years have been filled uncertainty, accidents and the shifting needs of health and family. I don't handle not being included in the divine wisdom of God very well.

In these "mature years" I am listening to the wisdom of God in a new way. Wisdom, as found in the book of Proverb, is not quiet but we must be willing to listen. It refuses to compete with the voices of our generations.

"Lady wisdom goes out into the street and shouts. At the town center she makes her speech….I am ready to pour out my spirit on you. I'm ready to tell you all I know." (Proverbs 1, Message Bible)

Like Sir Percival, I'm on a quest, with some detours of immaturity, to pursue the Grail of God's Will for me. Some of my mistakes could have been avoided but recovery from them has made me stronger and re-tuned my hearing to the voice of wisdom. The Quest is as important as claming the Grail. As Indiana Jones discovered, it not the possession of the Grail that it satisfying, but what the Grail can do for the lives of those around us.