I am a little girl

Saturday, 30 April 2011

A blank page

I've continued thinking about Judas, and prophecy. Prophecy in the bible is sometimes something that WILL happen, or sometimes a warning of what COULD happen if the people continue to act in the way they do. In the Old Testament when the Jewish people are slipping into the sinful cultures of the people around them who worshipped other Gods and did awful awful things like sacrificing children, God would send them a prophet to remind them that they were his people and warn them what he would do if they continued to ignore him and hurt themselves and others.

God's priority is our relationship with him.
(I sort of wrote about this before, related to bin bags and sledging, in a note which can be found here http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150115041339158)

God does some seriously extreme things in the Old Testament to bring the people of Israel back to him.

Does God still do things like that?

I write a LOT of notes during in sermons and session, because otherwise I get distracted and daydream. Very rarely do I read my pages and pages of notes but they help me concentrate at the time. Somehow though as I was flicking to find the right page recently, something caught my eye which really fitted in.

'The new sensitivity of Judasim'

Ever wondered why the God of the Old Testament seems different from the God of the New Testament?

Here's an idea:

See it?
Just above this.
Blank page.
Nothing.
Silence.

Between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament was about 400 years.

No record of God talking for years and years and years.

After countless attempts to get through to his people with dramatic displays of his power and love, He turns to quiet.

But they weren't quiet.
During this time the Jewish people were living ... breathing ... thinking ... changing.

The Jewish people of Jesus' day were different to the Jewish people of the past.
And we today are different too!

Perhaps God doesn't bring earthquakes, or genocide, or break our legs to get us to stop rushing around and listen to him. Maybe he seems to act differently in the Old Testament because that's what made people stop their bad things and turn back to him. It worked! This is what happened: they would be all good with God. They would be tempted away by sin. God would allow a neighbouring army to take over. They would turn back to God for help. God would free them. Repeat x a million. (slight exaggeration - but it was a lot of times. God was very patient). The people forgot about God SO quickly, and only remembered him when they got desperate. But during the time of the blank page, maybe people changed. Maybe they became more aware, more thoughtful.

God used storms and plagues to get people to listen to him. Jesus didn't act like that. He ate dinner with people. He healed their sicknesses. He talked with them in the temple. He demonstrated his love and power through fishing, and farming, and sheep; things the people would understand.

Jesus and God are the same person. HE didn't changed. WE changed.
And I believe he knows you and me personally.
God in his wisdom and love speaks to us in a way we will understand.

God loves you.
He longs for you to come close to him.
He comes to you where you are, and speaks.
Are you listening?

Friday, 29 April 2011

Judas

This week I spent 4 days in a beach hut at beautiful Mudeford bay. One of the things we did whilst there was spend the first hour of each day in personal devotional / study time. In October I was involved in running a conference for young people and many of them said the most striking thing they had learnt was the importance of making time to spend with God. It can be easy to forget this conviction!! I have re-committed to spending more personal time with God - starting now!

So over the next few days I will be blogging my thoughts from my devotional time at the beach hut, and the other guys will be doing the same. We want to 1) be transparent 2) be good role models 3) encourage, challenge and learn together. Hope you enjoy!

Judas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S78_nVXzHds
http://www.footballfancast.com/2010/04/football-blogs/draft-judas-top-10-traitors
Owen Coyles is not a popular man in Burnley after leaving to join rivals Bolton. In the video clip, as he walks out at Turf Moor for a Burnley v Bolton match you can hear crowds chants of 'Judas'. The webpage is a list of the top 10 players who have left their teams, including Sol Campbell who is apparently 'the man simply known as ‘Judas’ among Spurs fans'.

Judas.
A name that has become synonymous with betrayal.

Matthew 26 - 27: 10 The plot to kill Jesus > Judas hanging himself
Judas betrayed Jesus.
Jesus knew this was going to happen (v21-25)
Jesus choose Judas as his disciple knowing that would happen.
Knowing that he was giving Judas the opportunity to betray him.
A betrayal that would lead to his death.
And Judas' death.
Why?

Why did the elders and priests need Judas to show them which one Jesus was, when he 'sat with them every day in the temple' (26:55)?

Why didn't Jesus try to stop Judas from betraying him, knowing what that would eventually lead to not only for himself but for Judas too?

Did Jesus know what was going to happen before it happened? Did Judas have a choice? Matthew 26:24 says he would have been better unborn - but if he hadn't been born he wouldn't have betrayed Jesus and then would the prophesies have been fulfilled? Paradox!!!!
Is free will free will if God knows what we will do?

Continuing to think about these questions which arose in my mind. I'm challenged to question and investigate things more rather than accept what I hear or have picked up unconsciously. I was amazed when I closely read over the crucifixion and resurrection story how many questions came up! I have definitely found that questioning my faith and beliefs leads to a deepening of my faith and a greater closeness to God. Recognise your questions - let them grow - take them to the Father - listen - learn.

The thing that strikes me now as I finish is not any of those questions, but this one:
Judas is synonymous with betrayal. Thomas is synonymous with doubting.
What is your name synonymous with?

Friday, 11 March 2011

Sledging on binbags

A couple of months ago it snowed in Weymouth. A lot, for us! It was very exciting.

Me and my mum went to this really steep hill place with our sledge.

We had this sledge from when we used to live in Sandhurst. My mum used to pull us to nursery in it.

But because it rarely snows in Weymouth, not many people have sledges.

We live by the sea, so you're more likely to have surfboards, kayaks and rubber rings than sledges and snow-appropriate-shoes.

British ingenuity never fails.

We saw people 'sledging' down that hill on their surfboards, kayaks and rubber rings ... bin bags ... tea trays ... pieces of cardboard ...

Judges 6:7

^{When the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian}

The Israelite people were oppressed by the Midianites. They cried out to God for help.

God answered. He helped them.

God's priority is our relationship with him.

He can and will use any situation to draw us closer to him.

If we allow him, trust him, call out to him.

Using a bin bag as a sledge doesn't make it less of a bin bag.

More importantly - you aren't to blame for the rubbish that it was intended to carry.

God using bad situations for good doesn't devalue, overlook, forget the pain of those situations.

And it doesn't make him to blame for them.

He turns our sorrow to joy.

He embraces us in our sadness.

He teaches us how to dance again.

He guides us to use our bin bags to fly down hills.

Romans 8:28

God works all things together for the good of those who love him and and have been called by him.

Wednesday, 9 March 2011

There's trouble for all when there's trouble for one

Last year for my colleague Peter's birthday Jenny, Mary and I concocted a cunning plan: we told him we were going to do an assembly - planned and practised it - then actually went to London for the day! Took about an hour driving up the motorway for him to figure it out!

The moment when Peter realised the truth! -->

We spent the day hanging round London and then went to see Les Miserables in the evening. Such a good day!

I love Les Miserables. I love how it shows the redemptive power of God. My Dad advised me not to watch it - 'it's really depressing. Everyone dies!'. I just love it though - hope, dreams, love, passion, forgiveness, self sacrifice.

There's an interesting line in 'At The End Of Day'. The workers are ganging up on one of the characters, Fantine, to get her kicked out. She has a secret child, and they're saying that she is immoral.
They sing:

At the end of the day
She'll be nothing but trouble
And there's trouble for all
When there's trouble for one!

Joshua 'followed the Lord wholeheartedly', and yet he wandered the wilderness for 40 years because of the actions of the community he was part of.
The people on the boat with Jonah weren't trying to avoid God like he was, but they would still be in the boat if it went down.

Is trouble for one trouble for all?
Are the consequences of sin ever individual?
Who do my mistakes affect, and to what extent?

Is the opposite true too - there's blessings for all when there's blessings for one?

'Halakhah' is the word for the collection of Jewish laws. There are 613 mitzvot - biblical laws - and I've heard that it was physically impossible for any one person to fulfil all of these laws. It was only possible as a community.

Man was not made to be alone.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

God, remind me of the responsibility my life carries. I'm glad you are into community. Help me to be into it too.

Tuesday, 8 March 2011

Jesus is not saving us from God

Today I was thinking a bit about hell (cheery!) as the Rob Bell book drama came to my attention.

Rob Bell said that we've got this idea that Jesus is rescuing us from God.

Hebrews 7:25 He lives forever to plead with God on our behalf

Does God like us? Does he want us to be saved? I know it's a yes - but why do I know that? Is it one of those things I've heard so many times I think it's in the bible but actually it's not?!

1 Timothy 2:2-4 Pray for all people. This is good and pleases God our father, who wants all people to be saved and know the truth.
'wants' translates as Θέλω or 'thelo' in Greek, meaning:
1) to will, have in mind, intend
-> to be resolved or determined, to purpose
-> to desire, to wish
-> to love
-> to take delight in, have pleasure

Apparently it's a 'present active indicative' word.
"The indicative mood is a simple statement of fact. It is an action that has occurred or is occurring or will occur."

I found various occasions where it has been translated as 'wants' (e.g. Matthew 27:43, 1 Sam 8:19) and various occasions where it has been translated as 'will' (e.g. Romans 9:15, Matthew 9:13, Micah 7:19).

- Is what God wants the same as what will be?
- Sometimes things are different to the way God wants them
- I don't know if God fully controls earth (because he's given us free will) but does he fully control eternity?

I don't understand all this but I know God's heart ... His love for me ... His love for people.

The aim of my life is to get to know Him and his heart more and more.

Thursday, 3 February 2011

If a job's worth doing

'If a job's worth doing it's worth doing well'

This is something that my parents instilled into us from an early age. Maybe it was just to ensure we did a good job of cleaning their car! But it is something that comes into my mind frequently. I often have bright ideas which I later regret, as they usually end up taking me hours and hours. One of these bright ideas was for us to hand make all of our wedding invitations.

Ben designed them - he's a genius. I don't want to give too much away, but there was an easy way of making them and a hard way. And doing it the hard way made them look a tiny weeny bit better. So of course we chose the hard way. The amount of times we have kicked ourselves for that decision!

They do look incredible :)

and yes, they took us hours ... and hours ... and hours.

Is it worth it?
Yes.
Because if I'm going to put my name to something
It's going to be flipping good!
and if a job's worth doing
it's worth doing well.

Now, back to the stamping. These are being posted in the morning - even if I have to stay up all night!

Sunday, 16 January 2011

Sneaky peek

This is a sneaky peek at the beautiful bunting which my mum has made for the wedding. I think it's going to look completely lovely. I'm so pleased with it!

I have soooooo much to do, my head is buzzing and I'm finding it hard to get to sleep at night. Then in school at about 2pm I feel my eyelids drooping!

I need to:
- send my dress off to be cleaned
- finish wedding invitations
- find out addresses
- find bridesmaid dresses
- find flower girl dresses
- arrange bar

and about a million other things - but those are the main ones at the minute.

I LOVE planning and organising but it's getting to be a bit 24/7! Not loving that so much.