THE WOVEN UNIVERSE #937 - NGĀ TAMARIKI A TE ATUA: GATHERING THE BEAUTIFUL DIVERSITY OF GOD’S CREATION
A Morning Reflection
Kia ora e te whānau. This morning, after praying the Lord’s Prayer in both English and Te Reo Māori, I felt a strong nudge to return to a very familiar story, the raising of Raharuhi (Lazarus). Often, we focus so much on the miracle of a man coming back to life that we miss the important things happening in the background. To get a clear picture, I read the account in three different versions: the unedited Ethiopian Bible in English, our own Paipera Tapu, and the New International Version.
Beyond the Miracle
What really caught my attention this time wasn't the tomb or the bandages, but the words of a man named Caiaphas. He was the high priest of the year (te tohunga nui o te tau). In the middle of all the chaos and amazement following the miracle, he said something that he didn't even fully understand himself. He was speaking from a place of political stress, but the Wairua was using him to signal a massive truth about the mission of Ihu (Yeshua's name in the Paipera Tapu).
The Prophecy of Unity
The Ethiopian Bible records it this way: "Now he didn’t say this of himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad" (John 11:51-52). Our Paipera Tapu echoes this perfectly, saying the goal was "kia whakaminea hoki kia kotahi nga tamariki a te Atua kua marara noa atu", to bring together as one the children of God who have been scattered far and wide.
Direct Teaching of Ihu
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35, Ethiopian Bible English Version)
Original Source (Ge'ez): ትእዛዘ ሐዲሰ እሁበክሙ፤ ከመ ተፋቀሩ በበይናቲክሙ፤ በከመ አነ አፍቀርኩክሙ
Te Reo Māori: He ture hou taku ka hoatu nei ki a koutou, kia aroha koutou tetahi ki tetahi; me penei i taku aroha ki a koutou.
The Work of Man
I believe that when Ihu returns, his main mahi will be to unite Ngā Tamariki a Te Atua from every culture, every nation, and every worldly religion. For too long, we have lived in a world of boxes and fences. Ihu didn’t come to separate us from God or from each other; he came to weave us back together. The separation and the walls we see today are the work of man, not the design of the Creator. In the Woven Universe, we see that we are all connected by invisible threads of life force.
Diversity is Divine
We shouldn't be afraid of our differences. I believe the Children of God are as diverse as creation itself allows us to be. Whether it is our language, our traditions, or how we see the world, that diversity is a gift. God doesn't make copies; He makes unique souls. The goal isn't to make everyone look or act the same, but to bring that beautiful, "scattered" variety into a single, unified family.
The Trap of Fear
While reading, I noticed a very sad detail in verse 48. The religious leaders were terrified. They saw the miracles and said, "If we leave him alone like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation." This fear of losing "place," power, and control has always been a trap for religious systems. When a church or a group starts focusing on protecting its own patch rather than channeling God’s love, they have lost the frequency.
Love Your Neighbour
Our primary role isn't to build big institutions or seek control. It is to "love your neighbour as yourself." When we operate out of fear, we create more entropy and disorder. But when we operate out of love, we contribute to the negentropy, the life-giving order, of our communities. Let’s stop building walls and start recognising the "scattered" family members all around us. It is time to realise we are part of one great weave, held together by the love of the Source.
