As I mentioned yesterday, I was challenged by the Bible talk at Church yesterday. We were looking at Hebrews 3:7-19. Helpfully, Al has put his notes online here, so others can see them. The audio of the talk will be on the Church website today or tomorrow I would imagine if you want to have a listen, but here's what I was particualrly challenged on:
GOD SPEAKS TO ME/US. If you had asked me before I heard the talk if I agreed with that, I would have said absolutely! It's so obvious, why does it even need saying? However, being reminded that God speaks to me TODAY (present tense of verse 7) was encouraging and refreshing. Some people would argue that the Bible is outdated and irrelevant, but I don't see that, as the Bible, written by people and inspired by God still speaks to us, not neccessarily in an audible voice, but through the words. (I'm not speaking to you now audibly but I am speaking my thoughts to you as you read this). As I read the Bible, God is wanting to speak to me. The Bible is relevant today, and as we looked at the danger of 'hardening our hearts', although written to a first century audience, the danger is still applicable.
When we dug deaper into the quotes and uses of Psalm 15, we saw how thatwas written about Numbers 13 and 14. The Israelite's are at the door of the promised land, but don't believe God could get them in - the city is guarded, the walls are big and thick, the people look strong, and numerous, and they just don't believe (with the exception of Caleb and Joshua). We then thought about what these people had seen and witnessed before their very eyes. While they were slaves in Egypt, they had seen God send 10 signs and wonders to show people who he was, bringing illness and turmoil among the Egyptians. The last of these signs was to kill all the first born males, and yet protected the Israelites with the blood of the passover lamb. As they were fleeing, they came to the Red Sea, trapped, with Pharaoh and his army hot on their tails. God moved a cloud to protect them, and then continued to part the Red Sea, allowing an entire nation of people to pass through on dry land, and then wiping out the greatest army of the time in the waters. It's not like the Israelites hadn't seen God do amazing things, and yet, unbelief was still their reaction.
I realised how similar I am to the Israelites. I have seen God do wonders in my own life, as prayers have been answered. I know first hand that God protects and provides, that He is sovereign over all things - He is in control, and yet, when I come upon something that seems hard, unbelief is my reaction. There is no way out of this - this is a helpless situation - there's nothing that can be done. Actually Alex, there is something that can be done, but not by you! The sovereign creator God who is personal(A Praying Life) can do all things, and can work miracles in your heart, and the heart of others. In Matthew 19:26 Jesus says this, "With human beings, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
So I was reminded at how great God is, and that he wants to speak to me, but then there was one more thing that was exposed and that was the question of how we listen. Listening takes time and concentration. It is not something squeezed into a morning, or into a 5 minute window, but something that is time is made for, and days built around. If God speaks to me through the Bible, then I must be wanting to listen as I read it. If the words of the Bible are relevant and applicable today, then I'm not going to fully get the lessons unless I spend time with it. So often at the minute, Bible reading is a chore and hard work, but this must change, and that change only happens with a change of attitude. When I come to the Bible,I mustn't sigh and think about other things, I mustn't grudgingly put it into my day as a 'There God, you happy now?', but I should love to read it as I know that the God who loves me wants to speak to me, and spend time with me. I must now stop writing about reading my Bible, and actually do it. :)
Monday, 11 October 2010
Sunday, 10 October 2010
A Praying Life
I've realised that I've stopped reading, so this afternoon I picked up my most current book (I have lots of books on the go, but rarely do I finish any), A Praying Life, by Paul E. Miller. In it, Paul writes and explains the 'secrets' of prayer, as let's face it, prayer is hard. I'm up to Part 3, which looks at some of the big issues we have with prayer, and the first one, Chapter 12 is called Why is asking so hard. Throughout the book, Paul has said that we need to learn to pray like a child, without fear of rejection, or stupid requests, but being helpless as a child asks Mum or Dad.
Paul argues that we view the world very secularisticly, and we currently lump God with feelings and subjective opinion, which leads to God being marginalised, and therefore, prayer feeling odd. We relegate God to the sidelines where he becomes a feel-good cheerleader. God is distant and seperate from the world we live in, and our mind set doesn't permit God to connect with this world or us. We think we know the answers and how to do everything, so we don't ask for help. Why ask God for help when you can do it yourself? Simple, because we can't!
Truth is, we can't do anything ourselves. Everything we have comes from God, everything we can do is a result of God giving us the abilities. It is because God created the World, and us, that we can explore creation, and it is the wonder at how everything happens that has given us science. If a stream is a result of accidental natural forces, then you just see water, rocks and dirt. If God equals the stream, then you worship the stream god, not the creator of the stream. But if God created the stream, then wonder and curiosity naturally flow into the study. Science is a result of a God who created everything, and gave us curisity to explore it. We must see God behind all things, and that is done by becomming like a child again, and never losing our awe at the simplest of things. Childlike behaviour is simple, and faith is strong as they know they cannot explain everything away. A humbling thought. So often I see things that are just fact, they just happen, cars go past, food appears in Supermarkets, the water comes on when I turn on the tap. These only happen because of an almighty creator God.
The next Chapter looks at Why we can ask God. We define prayer as personal and private, and don't think it could make any difference. We have confidence in Science, but not in God. The issue of power-the ability to make a difference, to change something - is at the heart of asking. We need to know that God is powerful, infinite and truly awesome. This sits OK with people, until we then say that the infinite God is interested in me. We're fine with an infinite God as long as he doesn't get too personal. Psalm 23 opens with "The Lord is my Shepherd". Infinite is personal. Paul says that one of the reasons we struggle with prayer is because majesty and humility are such an odd fit. We just don't think that God could be concerned with the puny details of our lives. We either believe he's too big or that we're not that important. Both are mistakes. The infinite God of the universe made us each in his image, and wants to be intimately involved in our lives. We are his children when we believe in Jesus saving work, and as any parent wants to listen to his children, God the Almighty, wants to listen to us, which we do as we pray.
Prayer is simply communication with God. We struggle to talk to God for various reasons, whether it be the very word 'prayer' with all it's negative assumptions, or whether it is a wrong view of God himself, or ourselves. But, for any relationship, communication is vital if it is to grow. We must communicate with God, talking to Him through prayer, and listening to him as we read the Bible (we thought about this at Church this morning, and I'll write about it at some point).
Knowing that the infinite God of the Universe who created me, and wants to be intimately involved in my life isn't a problem for me theoretically. Practically, however, it is much harder. The further I get in the book, I'm learning how simple prayer actually is, and that it is my mindset that is the problem, a mindset that I am learning to change.
Paul argues that we view the world very secularisticly, and we currently lump God with feelings and subjective opinion, which leads to God being marginalised, and therefore, prayer feeling odd. We relegate God to the sidelines where he becomes a feel-good cheerleader. God is distant and seperate from the world we live in, and our mind set doesn't permit God to connect with this world or us. We think we know the answers and how to do everything, so we don't ask for help. Why ask God for help when you can do it yourself? Simple, because we can't!
Truth is, we can't do anything ourselves. Everything we have comes from God, everything we can do is a result of God giving us the abilities. It is because God created the World, and us, that we can explore creation, and it is the wonder at how everything happens that has given us science. If a stream is a result of accidental natural forces, then you just see water, rocks and dirt. If God equals the stream, then you worship the stream god, not the creator of the stream. But if God created the stream, then wonder and curiosity naturally flow into the study. Science is a result of a God who created everything, and gave us curisity to explore it. We must see God behind all things, and that is done by becomming like a child again, and never losing our awe at the simplest of things. Childlike behaviour is simple, and faith is strong as they know they cannot explain everything away. A humbling thought. So often I see things that are just fact, they just happen, cars go past, food appears in Supermarkets, the water comes on when I turn on the tap. These only happen because of an almighty creator God.
The next Chapter looks at Why we can ask God. We define prayer as personal and private, and don't think it could make any difference. We have confidence in Science, but not in God. The issue of power-the ability to make a difference, to change something - is at the heart of asking. We need to know that God is powerful, infinite and truly awesome. This sits OK with people, until we then say that the infinite God is interested in me. We're fine with an infinite God as long as he doesn't get too personal. Psalm 23 opens with "The Lord is my Shepherd". Infinite is personal. Paul says that one of the reasons we struggle with prayer is because majesty and humility are such an odd fit. We just don't think that God could be concerned with the puny details of our lives. We either believe he's too big or that we're not that important. Both are mistakes. The infinite God of the universe made us each in his image, and wants to be intimately involved in our lives. We are his children when we believe in Jesus saving work, and as any parent wants to listen to his children, God the Almighty, wants to listen to us, which we do as we pray.
Prayer is simply communication with God. We struggle to talk to God for various reasons, whether it be the very word 'prayer' with all it's negative assumptions, or whether it is a wrong view of God himself, or ourselves. But, for any relationship, communication is vital if it is to grow. We must communicate with God, talking to Him through prayer, and listening to him as we read the Bible (we thought about this at Church this morning, and I'll write about it at some point).
Knowing that the infinite God of the Universe who created me, and wants to be intimately involved in my life isn't a problem for me theoretically. Practically, however, it is much harder. The further I get in the book, I'm learning how simple prayer actually is, and that it is my mindset that is the problem, a mindset that I am learning to change.
Thursday, 7 October 2010
Date Night
My wife and I have finally signed up to Lovefilm, following a 2 month trial as a wedding gift. The first film to come through our letterbox was Date Night, in which Steve Carrell and Tina Fey play the Fosters, a boring married couple and wanting to change this. They go on their weekly date night to the city for a romantic meal at a top restaurant. Since there are no tables, they steal someone elses reservations, not knowing that the 'Triplehorns' are in a bit of trouble with some people you don't want to be in trouble with. What follows is farcical at times, and genuinly very amusing to watch as this mistaken identity leads down paths and adventures the Fosters would never have dreamt of.
The one thing that stayed with both of us was that it was so nice to see a film in which marriage was being worked at. So often we see films and TV about break ups, divorce, casual relationships, and marriage is rarely shown in a positive light, but Date Night shows some of the realities of marriage, and how important it is.
If you haven't seen it, you can view the trailer here. Enjoy!
The one thing that stayed with both of us was that it was so nice to see a film in which marriage was being worked at. So often we see films and TV about break ups, divorce, casual relationships, and marriage is rarely shown in a positive light, but Date Night shows some of the realities of marriage, and how important it is.
If you haven't seen it, you can view the trailer here. Enjoy!
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