A reformed woman

Classy she ain't.

The Wife and I have a routine.  Everyone has one if they want to successfully negotiate the tricky procedure of getting from sleep to work in the correct time.  Our routine is made more simple by the fact that I live where I work.

It goes something like this:

The alarm goes off and the snooze button is struck. Repeat twice.

The wife (grumpily) gets up and heads for a shower while I pretend to get up but really just lie on for another five minutes.

Then through a mixture of guilt and duty I get up and head downstairs.

I let Rocky out for a widdle and head to the kitchen to make the Wife her lunch.

By this time the Wife has vacated the shower and I hop in, hop out and get dressed while the Wife is doing something chemical with her hair.

All this culminates in us both arriving, washed and dressed, ready for breakfast.

A well-oiled machine.

Yesterday morning was no exception.  While we were fixing breakfast my better half spied the sandwiches I had prepared and let out a little yelp of excitement. 'My favourite!' she said, 'I love that smell.'

'Of the mustard?' I enquired, confused.

'No, the Spam,'

Who would have thought some reformed pigs bits could make such a pretty woman so very happy.  Spam. it turns out, is her favourite thing to put in a work-day sandwich. A woman of simple tastes; I'm starting to understand why she married me.

We should find more pleasure in simple things.  Our genetically modified generation are always looking for stuff that's bigger, brighter, faster and more enhanced than ever before.  Look at things in their raw state.  Marvel at the purity of nature, the wonder of family, the beauty of a human thought.  See how the sun and moon maintain their orbit and be enthralled by it.  Look at what God has made and how he has made it and be satisfied because it is truly satisfying.

In the words of King David, the second king of Israel:

Taste and see that the LORD is good.

Psalm 34:8



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And now for some cheesy mid-week misic. The Afters with Light up the Sky.

OK to be gay

There is only one homosexual professional footballer in the whole world.

Or at least only one who is open about it. (read about him here.)

The bible teaches that practicing homosexuality displeases God. Put another way; it's a sin. I am someone who has sexual feelings but is allowed to act on those feelings (but only with The Wife!); I imagine that obeying the command to resist acting on those feelings for all of life to be a real challenge and those that are trying to obey God and abstain from sex or sexual activity (including kissing and cuddling) with people they are attracted to deserve our support and our respect. 

By the same token those who give in to temptation in this way do not deserve the condemnation of others anymore than the rest of us. Open sin is wrong, wilful sin is wrong but, 'If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us' (1 John 1:8), so we need to be careful we don't fall into hypocrisy.

Anyway, back to the football. If someone is a practicing homosexual, engaging in sex outside of a heterosexual marriage relationship is it ok for them to fear their sexuality becoming known because of potential threatening consequences.  Should Christians stand up for gay footballers who want to come out or will that been seen as condoning that particular sin?

I believe that a person's heart cannot be changed by force.  The law will not bring anyone to faith but yet the law is useful for making us aware of what displeases God so do we condemn these men?

If we were to meet Anton Hysen (the gay footballer in question) and he was to ask us, was I right to 'come out'.  What would you say?

Shh...

Silence is golden.

There is chorus we used to sing in primary school whereby we quoted the words of Jesus to His disciples.

I will make you fishers of men,
fishers of men,
fishers of men.
I will make you fishers of men,
If you follow me.

The second verse was all about taking hold of the new life Jesus has given.  It goes like this:

Read your bible, pray every day,
pray every day,
pray every day.
Read your bible, pray every day,
If you want to live.

A wee while ago some of you lovely readers took up the challenge of reading the bible in 90 days.  This was OK but it seemed a little unsatisfactory.  Reading is good but it can't be reading for reading's sake.  The reading is only useful if it is a part of our conversation with God.  This conversation is two way; we talk and God listens (what a ludicrous yet glorious thought that is) and God talks and we listen.

One way, and the clearest way, God talks to us is through the bible. It's important we read it to learn to discern God's way and God's will. It is not the only way God communicates with His people though.  The Holy Spirit sits in the mind and soul of the christian and steers their thoughts in a God-honouring direction.  He helps us to know what to do, how to act, what to say in those situations in which the Bible does not spell it out for us step-by-step. He develops in us a Godly instinct.

We need to listen to the Spirit, listen to what he has to say to us.  But how do we do this?

Silence.

Christians love to talk about 'quiet-time'.  That time of the day set apart for reading the bible and praying.  Into this time we need to place some silence.  A time to fill our minds with thoughts of God, to listen to what He has to say to us. How long you spend in silence is obviously up to you, maybe 15 mins would be an easy start. 

This may sound a little spooky to you, a little monk-ish maybe. I don't care.  We cannot have a relationship with someone we don't listen too, you wouldn't treat your friends or family that way (I hope).

Like all things though, it will take a bit of practice, initially it may feel a little silly but persevere, the reward of discerning the will of God, thinking how He thinks, will be well worth it.

How, though, do we know the thoughts we have are God's thoughts and not just our own?  Well, before the silence, we ask God to speak to us and ask Him to enable us to listen.  Afterwards we ensure that the thoughts we have are in line with the Bible's teaching for God will not contradict Himself.

'Be still, and know that I am God'

Psalm 46:10

'Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.'

Galatians 5:24-26

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I quit

Things get tough.

Whether its money or business, or unfair criticisms, or a task that seems far too big to even start never mind complete, or people moving too slow, or people moving too fast, or people obsessing, or people not taking an interest; there are countless reasons for getting frustrated and wanting to give up.

Somethings are easier to leave than others; a job, a marathon an unloving friendship.  Others are very hard to leave, like a marriage, a church, a friend in distress. 

The bible says we should never quit God. There will be times when we feel like walking away because the path He's leading us on seems too treacherous, too difficult and too painful to cope with.  It feels easier to walk away from Him and do things our way.  But that would be a huge mistake.

God calls us to make Him the Lord of our lives, to worship Him alone and to follow His ways.  He promises that, although His way is often different from how we would plan it but it will be better for us in the end. 

It's not always the wrong thing to quit, but we need to be sure that it's God's will we are seeking and not just an escape hatch.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 

neither are your ways my ways,” 

declares the LORD.

Isaiah 55:8

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Paddy whack

Happy St. Patrick's day!

Or is it?

Northern Ireland is a country with a long history of hurt.  Wrongs carried out by both sides in a conflict which has reduced to simmer in recent years but has yet to disappear. As a result if feels like everything has become a symbol for something or other, whether it's your choice of football team, alcoholic drink or the shape of your facial hair.  We express our identity through all sorts of things.

St Patrick's day is no different.  It is an optional public holiday which many refuse to take for fear of looking a bit too papish.  Others have adopted it as a day to demonstrate political allegiances - a show of strength if you will. Others still rise above the politics and either simply take advantage of the day off or use it as a light-hearted celebration of Irish culture and leave religion out of it.

St. Patrick was a great man of God, a missionary to this fair land when we were all still pagans.  Through the power of God the word of the Lord was accepted here and the Christian church grew.  St. Patrick's day reminds us of the goodness and strength of God.  Or at least it should.

Christians, let's stop perpetuating the hate.  If someone wants to celebrate in a way you don't like, let them, it's their call.  But let us redeem the 17th of March as yet another day of remembrance of the grace of God and let's celebrate it with praise to our King.

Plastic Jesus?

We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

1 John 5:20

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Plastic people?

Is there anyone that fails,
Is there anyone that falls,
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small?

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong.
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong.

So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay.
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too.
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them.

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples,
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain?
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken,
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade.

Is there anyone who's been there?
Are there any hands to raise?
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage?

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart.
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart.

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be?

Would your arms be open,
Or would you walk away?
Would the love of Jesus,
Be enough to make you stay?

(Casting Crowns: Stained Glass Masquerade)
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