We all know why Christians should read the bible. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Christians believe that God created the Heavens and the Earth, God is the beginning and the end, and it makes sense to read what He has to say. That's all very well for the committed Christian, but what about agnostics and atheists? The short answer to this question, of course, is that agnostics and atheists should read the bible so that they would then become committed Christians. Which, to me, sounds like a very good reason... but one that is unlikely to be accepted by agnostics and atheists. I've listed some other reasons which, hopefully, sound a little more compelling.
1. The bible is influential.
In the 2001 Australian Bureau of Statistics census, 69% of Australians identified as Christians. 75% of Americans identified themselves as Christians. Christianity is growing rapidly in the Asia, with the largest church in the world located in South Korea. 83 million copies of the bible are distributed each year, it remains the biggest-selling book of all time. There is a very good chance that you will rub shoulders with Christians in your life. There is a high chance that your future boss, or your neighbour, or that cute girl from school/work are Bible-reading Christians.
Additionally, if you live in a Western society, no matter how secular your society is now, the country would have been founded on Christian beliefs. The pioneers were Christian. The founding fathers were Christian. The constitution was written by Christians, those initial creeds and laws based on the creeds and laws of the Bible. Like it or not, no matter who you are, where you are, your life and surrounds has been affected, in some way, by this book.
2. The bible is a literary must-read.
Book shops love to circulate the "must-read" lists... the BBC published a list of 100 must-read books in their list The Big Read. I've even seen a book titled "1001 Books To Read Before You Die". (Obviously written by someone who loves lists, and nerdier than even I). It is not surprising to find that many of the authors on these lists (such as Shakespeare, Tolkien, Lewis, Dickens, Dostoevsky, to name just a few) wrote with either subtle references to the bible or with biblical themes. Being such a timeless classic book, the bible has shaped both English literature as well as the English language. This is a book that should feature at the top of every "must-read" list. (Except for the BBC's Big Read list, which contains fictions only...)
3. Go Straight to the Source.
Once I was telling an agnostic friend of mine about my faith, and tried my best to answer some of his questions. After the discussion, he told me about the last Christian who had tried to answer his questions. Apparently, his friend faltered and couldn't find answers to most of his questions... and the only answer he could come up with was to sigh and say: "Sharing the gospel is so hard."
Unfortunately, sharing their beliefs is a daunting and difficult experience for most Christians... because most Christians believe it is a matter of life and death, and so he or she wants to do it to well, but at the same time expose as little of him or herself to ridicule as possible. Additionally, the Christian is not someone to whom God has given the answer to all your questions and doubts. Your Christian friend is merely someone who has satisfied all of their own personal questions and doubts, by the grace of God. Pay attention to your friend's testimony - this is a unique, powerful story of redemption and victory. But if you still have questions that your friends can't answer, you need to go to the Source. You may not find the answer to your all questions, but you may find answers that make your questions seem dim in comparison.
A word of advice, though, about going to the Source. You need to approach God (and God's word) with an open, quiet and inquisitive heart, if you want to reap maximal utility from your reading. Be willing to find God, and have the courage to accept Him if you do. If you approach the Bible simply looking for "loopholes" or something to add to the ammunition in your argument against your Christian friend, you may or may not succeed, but I would suggest you're wasting your time.
4. The Bible is timeless and relevant.
Many religious texts, including some Christian books, describe people and events that are mystical and unworldly... or simply displaced from reality. But simply flip through the even first book of Genesis - you will find that God does not leave out any ugly details. He is relentlessly blunt, and makes no apologies for the worldly human-ness of His characters. Genesis tells of theft, murder, incest, rape, war, famine, slavery... these are not dressed-up, idealised characters... these were real people, who accepted or rejected God's offer of salvation or redemption.
The book is painfully raw, its protagonists experiencing and expressing the full range of human experience... from the exuberant psalms of David, to the lamentations of Jeremiah, you will find words and stories relevant to who you are and where you are today... and you will find how God dealt with people who felt the way you do.
5. The Bible transforms lives.
Nearly six years ago, an atheist who couldn't bear to hear her friends talk about God, picked up a bible and read it from cover to cover, for some of the reasons listed above. The transformation didn't happen over night, and God is still working on me (thankfully) now... but somewhere between Genesis and Revelation, my life was changed for ever. The scriptures are God-breathed, it was written for your benefit... to teach, guide, and to issue you a challenge to follow Him. You can not miss this. I imagine you may not feel ready for your life to be transformed yet... that's fair enough, I wasn't ready either; no one ever is. But the fact is that God is relentlessly, unbendingly existant, and expectant, whether you feel ready or not. Your indecision or lack of 'readiness' does not change the fact that God IS.
I guess my point is, that if you want to make an "informed" decision about God and His role in your life, you can not do so without seeing what He has to say, without reading His story from creation to fall to redemption.
Where to start:
I started from Genesis and read all the way to Revelation - and I still hold the belief that everyone should read the full story of God at least once in their lives... although of course, I must admit, in my first reading I skipped through parts of Numbers, Deuteronomy and Leviticus... and of course, I realise that the Bible is a big book and many people have not read anything longer than the feature article in a newspaper.
If you are one of those people, I would suggest starting with the Gospel of Luke. Unique among the other writers, Luke was a gentile (non-Jewish) physician, and the book was written for gentiles like you and me. You may want to go to the Gospel of John for a more 'spiritual' presentation of the same story, and of course Genesis to see how it all began.
If you don't have a copy of the bible, many churches will either lend or give copies away. Bibles are quite cheap from Christian book stores. Online bible can be found on http://www.biblegateway.com/
Ok, now go!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
He won't grow tired or weary
Isaiah 40:27-31
Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The scriptures tell us to "call upon the Name of the Lord" (Joel 2:32). Words made famous by Hillsong.
Have you ever called upon His name, asked to be lifted out of the miry clay, pleaded to soar above the storm, (yes, Hillsong has a lot to answer for) but after you say "amen" and open your eyes, you are still in the clay, the storm still rages... have you ever been there? Have you ever called out to the Lord, for even basic things that a loving father would provide... like provision, shelter, safety, peace... and then, wonder where all those prayers went?
There are things which I have been praying for since the day I became a Christian, things very close to my heart, things which keep me awake at night and make me the nervy person that I am. Things that are not outrageous nor selfish, things that I suppose many people even take for granted. I am still waiting for those prayers to be answered. (I still don't feel comfortable talking about it publicly, but those who know me well, would know what I am talking about.) Each time I allow myself to have a little hope, something happens that makes me wonder if my prayers ever reached higher than the ceiling. As I type this, my family is in disarray again, my mother is in pieces mentally and physically, and I'm finding it impossible to prepare for the final exam of my degree, in just a few days time.
My scripture readings this week lead me to the book of Acts. And I was struck by one thing - the perpetual motion of the Holy Spirit. Whether the disciples are preaching, or praying, or locked up in a prison cell... or simply walking along a road... the Holy Spirit is always moving... the disciples were merely floating buoys, caught up by the wave of the Holy Spirit. They didn't always realise it at the time, but the Holy Spirit was always moving, always in motion, always working. Paul worked hard, but the Spirit worked harder. As Isaiah 40:28 tells us: [The LORD] does not grow tired or weary. And though it seems like Paul is the main character of the book of Acts, the main stakeholder is the Spirit.
And yet, Paul suffered.
He received the Jewish punishment of 39 lashes, five times (195 lashes in total). Beaten with rods 3 times, stoned once, shipwrecked 3 times, spent one night and one day on the open sea, constantly on the move, often gone without food or drink... and, let us not forget, he started out his days as a Christian in total blindness. (See Acts 9; 2 Corinthians 11:24-29) Throughout his ministry, he spent nearly 6 years of it in prison in total. Did he not call upon the Name of the Lord? I have a suspicion that among the long list of things Paul would have prayed about, safety and peace would have been on the list. He was willing to suffer for the gospel, but surely he would said to the Lord: "Lord, let them not riot today." Though he was willing to suffer, I suspect that, like us, being human, he would have prayed that the day go smoothly without anyone getting slandered or beaten or imprisoned. Those were not improper things to ask for - surely they were things a good father, who likes to give good gifts, will grant his child. I wonder if he felt as frustrated, broken, and defeated as I feel.
And yet, in the midst of all these sufferings, he wrote the following words: "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed... Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4)
"Therefore we do not lose heart." Those words can't have come easily to Paul, just like this blog article is not easy for me to write. Those words were not idle words... because a few chapters later he starts listing out his sufferings.
That is the challenge issued to us today. God promises that He is in perpetual motion, that He is working for our good, and He does not grow faint or weary. The promise is unchanging. The promise is uncompromised, no matter how compromised the circumstances may be. He invites us to trust Him. He invites us to have faith. He challenges us to not lose heart, no matter how many prayers have been unanswered, no matter how frustrated we feel, no matter how much we don't understand His ways. He challenges us to cling on to Him alone.
He does not grow tired or weary. Will you?
Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The scriptures tell us to "call upon the Name of the Lord" (Joel 2:32). Words made famous by Hillsong.
Have you ever called upon His name, asked to be lifted out of the miry clay, pleaded to soar above the storm, (yes, Hillsong has a lot to answer for) but after you say "amen" and open your eyes, you are still in the clay, the storm still rages... have you ever been there? Have you ever called out to the Lord, for even basic things that a loving father would provide... like provision, shelter, safety, peace... and then, wonder where all those prayers went?
There are things which I have been praying for since the day I became a Christian, things very close to my heart, things which keep me awake at night and make me the nervy person that I am. Things that are not outrageous nor selfish, things that I suppose many people even take for granted. I am still waiting for those prayers to be answered. (I still don't feel comfortable talking about it publicly, but those who know me well, would know what I am talking about.) Each time I allow myself to have a little hope, something happens that makes me wonder if my prayers ever reached higher than the ceiling. As I type this, my family is in disarray again, my mother is in pieces mentally and physically, and I'm finding it impossible to prepare for the final exam of my degree, in just a few days time.
My scripture readings this week lead me to the book of Acts. And I was struck by one thing - the perpetual motion of the Holy Spirit. Whether the disciples are preaching, or praying, or locked up in a prison cell... or simply walking along a road... the Holy Spirit is always moving... the disciples were merely floating buoys, caught up by the wave of the Holy Spirit. They didn't always realise it at the time, but the Holy Spirit was always moving, always in motion, always working. Paul worked hard, but the Spirit worked harder. As Isaiah 40:28 tells us: [The LORD] does not grow tired or weary. And though it seems like Paul is the main character of the book of Acts, the main stakeholder is the Spirit.
And yet, Paul suffered.
He received the Jewish punishment of 39 lashes, five times (195 lashes in total). Beaten with rods 3 times, stoned once, shipwrecked 3 times, spent one night and one day on the open sea, constantly on the move, often gone without food or drink... and, let us not forget, he started out his days as a Christian in total blindness. (See Acts 9; 2 Corinthians 11:24-29) Throughout his ministry, he spent nearly 6 years of it in prison in total. Did he not call upon the Name of the Lord? I have a suspicion that among the long list of things Paul would have prayed about, safety and peace would have been on the list. He was willing to suffer for the gospel, but surely he would said to the Lord: "Lord, let them not riot today." Though he was willing to suffer, I suspect that, like us, being human, he would have prayed that the day go smoothly without anyone getting slandered or beaten or imprisoned. Those were not improper things to ask for - surely they were things a good father, who likes to give good gifts, will grant his child. I wonder if he felt as frustrated, broken, and defeated as I feel.
And yet, in the midst of all these sufferings, he wrote the following words: "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed... Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4)
"Therefore we do not lose heart." Those words can't have come easily to Paul, just like this blog article is not easy for me to write. Those words were not idle words... because a few chapters later he starts listing out his sufferings.
That is the challenge issued to us today. God promises that He is in perpetual motion, that He is working for our good, and He does not grow faint or weary. The promise is unchanging. The promise is uncompromised, no matter how compromised the circumstances may be. He invites us to trust Him. He invites us to have faith. He challenges us to not lose heart, no matter how many prayers have been unanswered, no matter how frustrated we feel, no matter how much we don't understand His ways. He challenges us to cling on to Him alone.
He does not grow tired or weary. Will you?
Friday, November 12, 2010
Biblical stewardship
Stewardship is the concept in Christianity that nothing on in the world really belongs to us, it belongs to God, and we are the 'stewards', or managers. Therefore, biblical stewardship refers to how we, as individuals, as a society, and as a race, manage the resources that God has entrusted under our care.
I have been thinking about this topic a lot lately, I think partly because I am about to complete my degree and will be starting work next year. I have not held a full-time job for the duration of my degree, and I've almost forgotten what the taste of getting a pay-statement feels like. As I day dreamed about the things I want to do with the money, and as I sat down to plan a rough budget for next year... I wondered what exactly the bible says about money... how to earn it, retain it, and spend it. The bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10), and that blessed are the poor (Matthew 5:3)... does that mean we should all strive to be poor? The following exposition is a compilation of what I have come across in recent weeks of reading various sermon notes, commentaries, and of course, the Book itself. There was plenty to read, and plenty to ruminate over... a significant portion of the bible is dedicated to instructions on how to spend material wealth. A disclaimer: very very little of this is original...
The Poor
In a recent sermon, Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church defined four categories of people: the Foolish Poor, the Foolish Rich, the Righteous Poor, the Righteous rich. His main point was that the important thing is not whether you are rich or poor, but whether you are righteous or un-righteous. If you are unrighteous (and foolish), then obtaining wealth is pointless, because you have not the wisdom to steward it right.
The best descriptor for the "foolish poor" could be found in the book of Proverbs. If you are foolish and poor, it could be because you are lazy (like the sluggard described in Proverbs 20:4), or too much into 'get-rich-quick' schemes (Prov 21:5), or use excuses to avoid work (Prov 22:13). Bottom line: get off your bum and do something, there is no easy way.
The "righteous poor", according to Mark Driscoll, are those who are generous and faithful even in their poverty. Being ever the obsessive-compulsive, I had to find a few biblical references that describe the "righteous poor"... and I found it in Mark 12:41-44, a widow who was doubtless impoverished but was still generous with what she had. Perhaps also interesting is the description of a righteous yet poor widow in 1 Timothy 5:9... Paul describes a widow who is doubtlessly poor... yet blessed others in non-material ways, like bringing up children, helping others in need, providing hospitality. If you find such a widow, Paul instructs Timothy, put her on the list of people to be provided financial support from the Church. This shows that you don't have to have money to be a real blessing to those around you.
The "righteous" and "foolish" rich, I think, probably require little definition. The "righteous rich" is doubtless someone who obtained their wealth through diligence and wisdom rather than corruption, and who is generous with their wealth. Jesus had much to say about the "foolish rich"... so much so that the Rich probably deserve their own paragraph... which I will write, shortly. But first:
What the Bible says to poor people
Interestingly, I have, to date, never met someone who admits to being rich... and I've met some pretty rich people. When complimented on their wealth, most of them think about it, and say, "well, I'm not THAT rich..." and then proceed to give an example of a friend or colleague who makes much more. And since no one admits to being rich, everyone likes to blame everything on the rich people.
Before we all go admonishing the rich people, we should probably take a moment to consider: just who ARE the rich? I find it interesting that the bible defines only the rich and the poor... there is no biblical "middle class". If you are not sure where your next meal will come from, you are poor. If you only have one cloak and if it is taken from you then you will have to endure the cold of the night, then you are poor. If you are blind, deaf, lame, a widow with no means of support, then you are poor. On the other hand, if you are certain of your next meal, if you have enough to be able to lend a little to another person, if your list of possessions could be sold for any significant amount of money... then you are rich. There is no middle class.
Applying this biblical standard to our modern-day lives... I would say this: if you have ever opened a fridge full of food, and yet still feel like there is nothing you want to eat... if you have ever opened your closet and could choose from a number of shirts and jackets to wear... if you have a roof over your head... and you are reasonably sure that next month, your fridge will still be stocked up (although hopefully with different food), you will still have a closet full of clothes, and the roof will still be there... then you are biblically rich. (In fact, if you are reading this, you then you have a standard of living higher than any of the rich people of biblical times.)
Which, really, is fair enough. Those of us living in the Western societies comprise the top 10% wealthiest people in the world... the rest of the some 90% of the world's population live in abject poverty. No matter how you stack up against your friends or colleagues, you are still in the top 10% of wealthiest people. Are you feeling convicted yet? I know I am.
What the Bible says to rich people (ie - to you and me)
1. Nothing belongs to you, you're just looking after it for a short time
"The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it" - Psalm 24:1. Look around you, everything in your room, your house (as well as your neighbours' houses)... everything belongs to Him.
The concept of stewardship stems from Genesis 2:15 - "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." In other words, there was no transfer of ownership... the Garden belonged to God, Adam was the care taker. Nothing has changed - the earth and everything in it still belong to God, and we are the care takers. (Without going into the climate change debate... even looking at the poverty around us... I would venture to suggest that we have not managed these resources very well.)
2. Don't get comfortable, this is not your home.
You are in the world, be you don't belong here, your citizenship is elsewhere... and we are just waiting for a time when we can go Home... so don't get too attached to your belongings here. Colossians 3:1-3 tells us to "fix our eyes on things above, not earthly things"... mostly because nothing here is going to last very long.
The book of Revelations tell us that shortly everything will be destroyed... everything that once belonged to you will be burnt to dust. I recall reading the account of someone who, in his youth, discovered he was becoming too attached to his worldly possessions, so much so that he needed to refocus his life. So he wrote the words "TO BE BURNT" on all his most prized possessions. I wouldn't suggest vandalising your car with large block letters like that... but it is a worthy sentiment. The thought of those words stamped on my lovely grand piano makes my heart pang..
3. Don't hoard. It's pointless.
There are a number of reasons people hoard... so we can feel rich, so we can eventually buy extravagant things we otherwise couldn't afford, or just so we can feel secure in the knowledge that we have enough for tomorrow.
I could think of a few examples of biblical characters who hoarded wealth. The classic example, of course, is the man described in Luke 12, who built more and more and more barns to store his grain. When he died, he could take nothing away with him. Thinking through the bible, there are quite a few others who likewise enjoyed riches and yet came to realise how fragile it all is. King Solomon built palaces and harems and streets of gold, but in Ecclesiastes pronounced it all "meaningless". Job enjoyed vast wealth, so much so that his kids could just take turns partying at each others' houses... and Job learned just fragile it all was.
4. Be wise with your possessions.
Matthew 25:14-30 is a story that describes the different ways that people steward what they have. One works hard to make his use of what he has been given; another buries it such that it is neither used, nor seen. I'm not going to repeat the story here - this blog post is going to be way too long already. However, inherent in the meaning of the story is that there is an expectation that if we have been given something to steward (whether it is material wealth, physical abilities, or 'talents'), then we must steward it well, and with wisdom.
Make no mistake, though - this story does not mean that we must all go and become financial brokers and make our money double. This story does tell us that we need to make use of what we have. The question is - how?
5. Use your possessions. Be generous. Be extravagant.
The bible calls for generous giving, there is little doubt about that. The Old Testament is wrought with laws with regards to giving to God and giving to the poor... from offerings to the temple, to the tithe, to offerings for the poor and the widowed. The book of Proverbs is filled with verses like "a generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed" (Prov 11:25). The New Testament reinforces this - Jesus repeatedly challenges those around him to sell all their possessions. 2 Corinthians 8-9 tell us how St Paul felt about giving - and that God loves a cheerful giver. Yes, unsurprisingly, the bible calls for us to give. Not only that, give with humility, quietly, instead of shouting about it for all the world to see.
To those of us who are budgeting and managing our finances, just how much does the bible call for us to give?
How much is enough (I'm going to have a lot of fun writing about this one...)
"I do not believe we can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare." - C. S. Lewis (By the way... I LOVE C. S. Lewis! He makes me laugh and cry at the same time...)
Like Lewis so succinctly puts it, there is no way to put a definite amount on how much we ought to give. The only 'definite' amount is the tithe - the bible calls for 10% of our gross income to be given to the church. But we know also that the 10% is merely a minimum... there are also other offerings to be made, as well as offerings to the underprivileged. These other offerings are just as important as the tithe. (Matthew 23:23-24).
Mark Driscoll estimates that everything put together, the Old Testament calls for 25% of your income to be given away. 10% for the tithe, 10% for other offerings and festivals, and 5% for the poor. I would say that if you are calculating your offerings so strictly, perhaps you already have the wrong idea. The point is not how much should we give away... instead, if we regard everything as belonging to God, then the question is how much should we keep. The bible calls for us to trust God for our daily bread, so obviously we keep enough for our daily needs. What would you do with the rest of it? God was extravagant in giving up even Himself for our sake... and it is important to remember that we give to His kingdom and to those around us not because we are forced to but because we have tasted the richness that comes from His salvation. (2 Corinthians 8:9) But the practical question of 'how much'... is a question for you to ask God about, and to put into contemplation.
The famous evangelist John Wesley, who lived in the 18th Century, lived a life that offers food for thought. He made the decision to give as much away as possible... the first year, he made 30 pounds, and he discovered that his living expenses came to 28 pounds, so he gave 2 pounds away. The following year, he made 60 pounds, but he held his living expenses steady... so he was able to give away 32 pounds (a whole year's income). The year after that, his pay increased to 90 pounds... but his living expenses had not changed, and he gave the rest away. Toward the end of his career, he made 1400 pounds a year, but his yearly expenses rarely rose above 30 pounds. He kept no more than 100 pounds on him at any one time, the rest he gave away. When he died, he had nothing to bequest than the few coins in his pocket and in his dresser. Unlike the rich fool of the gospels who had amassed wealth yet could take nothing away... John Wesley died with no worldly possessions worth taking away.
Of course, our economy is somewhat different now - my income is unlikely to ever double in only one year. And yet, what touches me most about this story is that he managed to hold his expenditures steady in the face of all his income. This is sort of like an old, retired doctor (who should otherwise be rich), who still lives the frugal life of a medical student! How great the discipline!
I think, in our modern lives, our 'needs' often grow as fast as our income, if not more... such that by the time we make more money, we also have more needs. As I write this, I am wearing a pair of earrings with little purple cubes on them, that change to blue if you look at it from a different angle. I had my ears pierced last year, on a whim... and though I had no interest in earrings beforehand, I now find that I'm attracted to anything shiny, small, dangly, loopy, or hoopy. None of my earrings cost more than about $5 each... so you could say it is a "small" luxury that I enjoy. Recently, I've suffered some losses... my gold hoop earrings broke, then my pearl hoop earrings, then my pearl dangly earrings broke. My heart aches to think of the poor little pearls in my hand, detached from each other. I found myself thinking... "bugger, I don't have any hoop earrings anymore. I seriously need to find some time to buy some. I NEED some hoops!"
Do you see what I'm getting at? Last year, I wouldn't want a pair of earrings if it were given to me for free. Since I got my ears pierced, I have enough earrings to wear a different pair each day for a fortnight, and I still feel the need to go and buy more. As our wealth grows, so do our 'needs'... we feel like we need a better phone, a faster computer, a nicer car, a bigger house. Or a pair of shiny hoopy earrings. No wonder we can never spare any to give away to those who don't even know what clean water looks like.
Imprinted deeply in my memory is a scene from the film Schindler's List. It is the end of the WWII, and Schindler, a German entrepreneur, has just paid bribes to free over a thousand Jews... leaving him penniless, with nothing but a trunk of clothes and a car. The Jews gather together, a large crowd, in gratitude for what he has done for them. He looks around him... and instead of joy, and instead of feeling very proud of what he has done, he collapses to the ground and burst into tears. "I could have saved more," he cried through his tears. "Why did I keep this car? I could have saved 10 more [Jews] if I sold it. Why did I not sell this pin? It's gold! I could have saved 2 more. I could have saved more. I could have saved more. I could have saved more." No amount of comforting words from the Jews or from his wife could console from his immovable grief and guilt.
Proverbs tell us that in the day of wrath, your wealth is worthless. (Prov 11:4) Will we look back at the things we clung on to, and instead of seeing our prized possessions, will we see a lost opportunity to bless someone? Schindler sold all he had, but at the end, he still felt he could have done more. What are we clinging on to, that we ought to let go of?
Conclusion
Ok, I have covered WAY too many topics here to be able to give a nice, succinct summary of everything... from poverty to riches to stewardship to generosity to discipline.
The best summary, I think, still comes from scriptures. Matthew 6:33 - "Seek first His kingdom and righteousness, and all these will be given to you as well." Everything else... is meaningless.
I have been thinking about this topic a lot lately, I think partly because I am about to complete my degree and will be starting work next year. I have not held a full-time job for the duration of my degree, and I've almost forgotten what the taste of getting a pay-statement feels like. As I day dreamed about the things I want to do with the money, and as I sat down to plan a rough budget for next year... I wondered what exactly the bible says about money... how to earn it, retain it, and spend it. The bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10), and that blessed are the poor (Matthew 5:3)... does that mean we should all strive to be poor? The following exposition is a compilation of what I have come across in recent weeks of reading various sermon notes, commentaries, and of course, the Book itself. There was plenty to read, and plenty to ruminate over... a significant portion of the bible is dedicated to instructions on how to spend material wealth. A disclaimer: very very little of this is original...
The Poor
In a recent sermon, Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church defined four categories of people: the Foolish Poor, the Foolish Rich, the Righteous Poor, the Righteous rich. His main point was that the important thing is not whether you are rich or poor, but whether you are righteous or un-righteous. If you are unrighteous (and foolish), then obtaining wealth is pointless, because you have not the wisdom to steward it right.
The best descriptor for the "foolish poor" could be found in the book of Proverbs. If you are foolish and poor, it could be because you are lazy (like the sluggard described in Proverbs 20:4), or too much into 'get-rich-quick' schemes (Prov 21:5), or use excuses to avoid work (Prov 22:13). Bottom line: get off your bum and do something, there is no easy way.
The "righteous poor", according to Mark Driscoll, are those who are generous and faithful even in their poverty. Being ever the obsessive-compulsive, I had to find a few biblical references that describe the "righteous poor"... and I found it in Mark 12:41-44, a widow who was doubtless impoverished but was still generous with what she had. Perhaps also interesting is the description of a righteous yet poor widow in 1 Timothy 5:9... Paul describes a widow who is doubtlessly poor... yet blessed others in non-material ways, like bringing up children, helping others in need, providing hospitality. If you find such a widow, Paul instructs Timothy, put her on the list of people to be provided financial support from the Church. This shows that you don't have to have money to be a real blessing to those around you.
The "righteous" and "foolish" rich, I think, probably require little definition. The "righteous rich" is doubtless someone who obtained their wealth through diligence and wisdom rather than corruption, and who is generous with their wealth. Jesus had much to say about the "foolish rich"... so much so that the Rich probably deserve their own paragraph... which I will write, shortly. But first:
What the Bible says to poor people
- Don't be a Foolish Poor. Work hard, don't make excuses, don't be hasty. (Yes, that one is pretty clear...)
- Do not worry about your poverty, God knows your needs. Instead, seek God, seek His kingdom and righteousness, and the other stuff will come. Trust in His provision. (Matthew 6:25-34)
- Live one day at a time, ask daily to receive your daily needs, and don't worry about the next day. (Matthew 6:11, 34; Lamentations 3:22-24.)
- Don't wear yourself out to get rich. Proverbs 23:4 (Speaking as a medical professional, I'd agree... not worth it.)
- It is better to be a Righteous Poor than a Foolish Rich... so focus on being right with God instead. (Proverbs 28:6)
- Don't be dismayed if you are hard working, generous, and seek after God's ways, and yet you are still struggling. Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man didn't have a place to sleep... (Matthew 8:20)... and you, dear friend, are the follower of a homeless man. Riches in heaven are promised to you, but no one ever promised that you will be rich on earth. (Yeah, sorry. Go back to point number 1 and keep going...)
Interestingly, I have, to date, never met someone who admits to being rich... and I've met some pretty rich people. When complimented on their wealth, most of them think about it, and say, "well, I'm not THAT rich..." and then proceed to give an example of a friend or colleague who makes much more. And since no one admits to being rich, everyone likes to blame everything on the rich people.
Before we all go admonishing the rich people, we should probably take a moment to consider: just who ARE the rich? I find it interesting that the bible defines only the rich and the poor... there is no biblical "middle class". If you are not sure where your next meal will come from, you are poor. If you only have one cloak and if it is taken from you then you will have to endure the cold of the night, then you are poor. If you are blind, deaf, lame, a widow with no means of support, then you are poor. On the other hand, if you are certain of your next meal, if you have enough to be able to lend a little to another person, if your list of possessions could be sold for any significant amount of money... then you are rich. There is no middle class.
Applying this biblical standard to our modern-day lives... I would say this: if you have ever opened a fridge full of food, and yet still feel like there is nothing you want to eat... if you have ever opened your closet and could choose from a number of shirts and jackets to wear... if you have a roof over your head... and you are reasonably sure that next month, your fridge will still be stocked up (although hopefully with different food), you will still have a closet full of clothes, and the roof will still be there... then you are biblically rich. (In fact, if you are reading this, you then you have a standard of living higher than any of the rich people of biblical times.)
Which, really, is fair enough. Those of us living in the Western societies comprise the top 10% wealthiest people in the world... the rest of the some 90% of the world's population live in abject poverty. No matter how you stack up against your friends or colleagues, you are still in the top 10% of wealthiest people. Are you feeling convicted yet? I know I am.
What the Bible says to rich people (ie - to you and me)
1. Nothing belongs to you, you're just looking after it for a short time
"The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it" - Psalm 24:1. Look around you, everything in your room, your house (as well as your neighbours' houses)... everything belongs to Him.
The concept of stewardship stems from Genesis 2:15 - "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." In other words, there was no transfer of ownership... the Garden belonged to God, Adam was the care taker. Nothing has changed - the earth and everything in it still belong to God, and we are the care takers. (Without going into the climate change debate... even looking at the poverty around us... I would venture to suggest that we have not managed these resources very well.)
2. Don't get comfortable, this is not your home.
You are in the world, be you don't belong here, your citizenship is elsewhere... and we are just waiting for a time when we can go Home... so don't get too attached to your belongings here. Colossians 3:1-3 tells us to "fix our eyes on things above, not earthly things"... mostly because nothing here is going to last very long.
The book of Revelations tell us that shortly everything will be destroyed... everything that once belonged to you will be burnt to dust. I recall reading the account of someone who, in his youth, discovered he was becoming too attached to his worldly possessions, so much so that he needed to refocus his life. So he wrote the words "TO BE BURNT" on all his most prized possessions. I wouldn't suggest vandalising your car with large block letters like that... but it is a worthy sentiment. The thought of those words stamped on my lovely grand piano makes my heart pang..
3. Don't hoard. It's pointless.
There are a number of reasons people hoard... so we can feel rich, so we can eventually buy extravagant things we otherwise couldn't afford, or just so we can feel secure in the knowledge that we have enough for tomorrow.
I could think of a few examples of biblical characters who hoarded wealth. The classic example, of course, is the man described in Luke 12, who built more and more and more barns to store his grain. When he died, he could take nothing away with him. Thinking through the bible, there are quite a few others who likewise enjoyed riches and yet came to realise how fragile it all is. King Solomon built palaces and harems and streets of gold, but in Ecclesiastes pronounced it all "meaningless". Job enjoyed vast wealth, so much so that his kids could just take turns partying at each others' houses... and Job learned just fragile it all was.
4. Be wise with your possessions.
Matthew 25:14-30 is a story that describes the different ways that people steward what they have. One works hard to make his use of what he has been given; another buries it such that it is neither used, nor seen. I'm not going to repeat the story here - this blog post is going to be way too long already. However, inherent in the meaning of the story is that there is an expectation that if we have been given something to steward (whether it is material wealth, physical abilities, or 'talents'), then we must steward it well, and with wisdom.
Make no mistake, though - this story does not mean that we must all go and become financial brokers and make our money double. This story does tell us that we need to make use of what we have. The question is - how?
5. Use your possessions. Be generous. Be extravagant.
The bible calls for generous giving, there is little doubt about that. The Old Testament is wrought with laws with regards to giving to God and giving to the poor... from offerings to the temple, to the tithe, to offerings for the poor and the widowed. The book of Proverbs is filled with verses like "a generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed" (Prov 11:25). The New Testament reinforces this - Jesus repeatedly challenges those around him to sell all their possessions. 2 Corinthians 8-9 tell us how St Paul felt about giving - and that God loves a cheerful giver. Yes, unsurprisingly, the bible calls for us to give. Not only that, give with humility, quietly, instead of shouting about it for all the world to see.
To those of us who are budgeting and managing our finances, just how much does the bible call for us to give?
How much is enough (I'm going to have a lot of fun writing about this one...)
"I do not believe we can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare." - C. S. Lewis (By the way... I LOVE C. S. Lewis! He makes me laugh and cry at the same time...)
Like Lewis so succinctly puts it, there is no way to put a definite amount on how much we ought to give. The only 'definite' amount is the tithe - the bible calls for 10% of our gross income to be given to the church. But we know also that the 10% is merely a minimum... there are also other offerings to be made, as well as offerings to the underprivileged. These other offerings are just as important as the tithe. (Matthew 23:23-24).
Mark Driscoll estimates that everything put together, the Old Testament calls for 25% of your income to be given away. 10% for the tithe, 10% for other offerings and festivals, and 5% for the poor. I would say that if you are calculating your offerings so strictly, perhaps you already have the wrong idea. The point is not how much should we give away... instead, if we regard everything as belonging to God, then the question is how much should we keep. The bible calls for us to trust God for our daily bread, so obviously we keep enough for our daily needs. What would you do with the rest of it? God was extravagant in giving up even Himself for our sake... and it is important to remember that we give to His kingdom and to those around us not because we are forced to but because we have tasted the richness that comes from His salvation. (2 Corinthians 8:9) But the practical question of 'how much'... is a question for you to ask God about, and to put into contemplation.
The famous evangelist John Wesley, who lived in the 18th Century, lived a life that offers food for thought. He made the decision to give as much away as possible... the first year, he made 30 pounds, and he discovered that his living expenses came to 28 pounds, so he gave 2 pounds away. The following year, he made 60 pounds, but he held his living expenses steady... so he was able to give away 32 pounds (a whole year's income). The year after that, his pay increased to 90 pounds... but his living expenses had not changed, and he gave the rest away. Toward the end of his career, he made 1400 pounds a year, but his yearly expenses rarely rose above 30 pounds. He kept no more than 100 pounds on him at any one time, the rest he gave away. When he died, he had nothing to bequest than the few coins in his pocket and in his dresser. Unlike the rich fool of the gospels who had amassed wealth yet could take nothing away... John Wesley died with no worldly possessions worth taking away.
Of course, our economy is somewhat different now - my income is unlikely to ever double in only one year. And yet, what touches me most about this story is that he managed to hold his expenditures steady in the face of all his income. This is sort of like an old, retired doctor (who should otherwise be rich), who still lives the frugal life of a medical student! How great the discipline!
I think, in our modern lives, our 'needs' often grow as fast as our income, if not more... such that by the time we make more money, we also have more needs. As I write this, I am wearing a pair of earrings with little purple cubes on them, that change to blue if you look at it from a different angle. I had my ears pierced last year, on a whim... and though I had no interest in earrings beforehand, I now find that I'm attracted to anything shiny, small, dangly, loopy, or hoopy. None of my earrings cost more than about $5 each... so you could say it is a "small" luxury that I enjoy. Recently, I've suffered some losses... my gold hoop earrings broke, then my pearl hoop earrings, then my pearl dangly earrings broke. My heart aches to think of the poor little pearls in my hand, detached from each other. I found myself thinking... "bugger, I don't have any hoop earrings anymore. I seriously need to find some time to buy some. I NEED some hoops!"
Do you see what I'm getting at? Last year, I wouldn't want a pair of earrings if it were given to me for free. Since I got my ears pierced, I have enough earrings to wear a different pair each day for a fortnight, and I still feel the need to go and buy more. As our wealth grows, so do our 'needs'... we feel like we need a better phone, a faster computer, a nicer car, a bigger house. Or a pair of shiny hoopy earrings. No wonder we can never spare any to give away to those who don't even know what clean water looks like.
Imprinted deeply in my memory is a scene from the film Schindler's List. It is the end of the WWII, and Schindler, a German entrepreneur, has just paid bribes to free over a thousand Jews... leaving him penniless, with nothing but a trunk of clothes and a car. The Jews gather together, a large crowd, in gratitude for what he has done for them. He looks around him... and instead of joy, and instead of feeling very proud of what he has done, he collapses to the ground and burst into tears. "I could have saved more," he cried through his tears. "Why did I keep this car? I could have saved 10 more [Jews] if I sold it. Why did I not sell this pin? It's gold! I could have saved 2 more. I could have saved more. I could have saved more. I could have saved more." No amount of comforting words from the Jews or from his wife could console from his immovable grief and guilt.
Proverbs tell us that in the day of wrath, your wealth is worthless. (Prov 11:4) Will we look back at the things we clung on to, and instead of seeing our prized possessions, will we see a lost opportunity to bless someone? Schindler sold all he had, but at the end, he still felt he could have done more. What are we clinging on to, that we ought to let go of?
Conclusion
Ok, I have covered WAY too many topics here to be able to give a nice, succinct summary of everything... from poverty to riches to stewardship to generosity to discipline.
The best summary, I think, still comes from scriptures. Matthew 6:33 - "Seek first His kingdom and righteousness, and all these will be given to you as well." Everything else... is meaningless.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Biblical Womanhood
If you want to know what the bible calls women to be... don't ask Christians, ask the Bible.
I still remember one well-meaning older woman’s advice, given to me at church: “If you want to attract a man,” she said, “you should talk in a softer voice, try to be gentle always, and have a gentle persona. You should never act strong – instead, act like you need a man… men like girls who seem like they need them. And always wear skirts – nothing scares off a man like a woman who refuses to wear a skirt.”
Similarly, when I was making jokes about learning to play the drums, a sister at church told me that I’ll have to find a boyfriend who doesn’t mind a girl who plays such an un-feminine instrument as the drums.
Anyone who knows me would know that I am not the passive, gentle, docile Christian girl. I am the sort of girl who contemplates learning the drums, who revs her engine on her car loudly, who thinks of shopping only as a tiresome chore, and who is relentlessly and almost fiercely strong. I only speak softly when there is something pathologically wrong with my throat (that is, when I am sick). It bewildered me to think that my faith in God will require me to change who I fundamentally am.
I write this article for anyone who, like me, has felt bewildered about what being a Christian woman really means, in the face of traditions, and in the face of the current world-view of womanhood. In writing this, I must make two disclaimers. One is that I am only 24 years old, and have been a Christian for 4.5 years. God teaches me more and more each day, and I don’t pretend to know everything about this very complex topic… and what I do know, I’m not always able to put into practice. The second is perhaps less of a disclaimer and more of a statement. I write this according to what I believe is biblical principles. If you are an astute feminist, if you are one of those people who believe that women and men are equal, then you may find yourself offended. I believe men and women have equal rights, but if you believe that men=women, then I make no apologies for the simple mathematical fact that you are wrong. I do not mean to offend you, but you are wrong.
Alright, to get down to business…
Biblical women are warriors
If you believe that biblical women are docile and passive, then consider some of the great women of the bible. For example, Deborah was a Judge in Israel during the time of the Judges. In those times, to be a ‘judge’ also means to be a ruler, a decision maker. During the time of national chaos, she rose to be a judge… and when the time came, she led her people into war.
Consider also Queen Esther, who also fought back, in a completely different way. When her people were in danger, she knew what she had to do… she had to risk her life. Deborah fought by taking up a sword… Esther fought by putting on a pretty dress… which goes to show that there are many weapons in a woman’s artillery. All throughout the bible we see many examples where women risked themselves to play a crucial role in the grand story of God. I would not like to meet any of these women as enemies… push Deborah too far, and she will raise an army. Cross Queen Esther, and she will Purim your ass, and turn it into a national holiday.
This reminds me of my best friend, who isn't written into the bible per se, but could well be. She is a Godly, sweet woman, and in some ways she has that "gentle and quiet spirit"... and yet, if you hurt her loved ones, she will happily corner you and remove your head from your shoulders.
Biblical women are not afraid to be righteous
In other words, biblical women are not afraid to stir things up. If you think that you need to tiptoe around people, being cautious not to cause a stir, being cautious to be inconspicuous… think again. Consider some of the women in the bible who were not afraid of causing a stir in order to be righteous. Think of Mary, who anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume. Was she afraid of the stir she caused? Think of Tamar, who almost caused a scandal. Think of Mary the mother of Jesus, who did cause a scandal. Then there was the sinful woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears. She WAS the scandal.
I’m not saying, of course, that you need to go out and cause a scandal… but we know that if we are to comply with God’s word, then eventually we will cause a stir in our surrounds. Jesus did not give us a spirit of timidity, but instead gives us the example of many women who were not afraid of spilling themselves for His righteousness.
Biblical women are not afraid to be vulnerable
This is where I suppose I may get in trouble with the feminists… and this is the lesson that was the hardest for me to learn.
Many verses in the bible, particularly in the epistles, talk about women being in ‘submission’, covering their hair, not taking leadership, etc. These verses have been quoted and misquoted many times, and almost invariably they have been taken out of context of the times in which the letters were written and the greater theme of the letters. I don’t intend on addressing these issues here, but it is clear to me through these verses that, fundamentally, women are different to men. We all have our vulnerable side, and by nature we thrive best when we can draw strength and protection from somewhere. Ruth came to Boaz in the night and said to him, “cover me”, and he was touched by her fearless vulnerability. I may be offending feminists here, but I’ll be the first to admit that we all long for someone with strong shoulders on which we can lean on.
This was the most difficult lesson for me to learn… because allowing yourself to stop being strong all the time means allowing yourself to be vulnerable. There is a time to be a warrior like Deborah; there is a time to be gentle and still like Ruth. I don’t handle this very well; being vulnerable makes me feel panicky and afraid. It is something that God, in His mercy and grace, is dealing with to this day. God is showing me that there is great strength in having a “gentle and quiet spirit”.
Biblical women are complex
Thinking through the women of the bible, and perhaps reflecting on our own lives and our own natures, we get a sense of how truly complex we are. We are fiercely strong, yet exquisitely vulnerable. We are fearless, a force to be reckoned with, commanding respect… and yet we need to be loved and cherished and “covered”. We are intuitive, relational, analytical, yet emotional. Why are we so complex? I used to be a bit ashamed of my complexity… and try to hide certain aspects of it. Who wants to deal with someone this complex?
The answer lies in the secrets of creation… we were fashioned in the likeness and image of God Himself. Can there be any doubt that God is as complex, if not much more, than we are? He is Father, Spirit, and Son. He is master and servant, lion and lamb, judge and intercessor, parent, friend, and lover… the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Boys, if you complain that your girl is too complex for you to grasp… you obviously haven’t tried to understand the nature of God yet. Ladies, this is not permission to be fickle or inconsistent… but understand that your complexity is glorious.
Conclusion
I suppose the gist of all this is that we don’t need to be passive and docile… nor do we need to be always vigilant, always alert and on edge. I suppose the last important thing that I wanted to say about biblical womanhood is to dispel two myths. One is that you need to be married or attached in order to count as a "biblical" woman. You don't – having a man does not define your identity as a daughter of the King. The other is that you need to have children to thrive as a Christian woman. This is also not true... not having children does not limit your ability to live out your nurturing nature. You are a daughter of the King… and that fact alone makes you beautiful. To quote Peter: “For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful.” (1 Peter 3:5 NIV).
If you want the bible references for any of the above, feel free to contact me via comments.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The love of God
Recently, I was given the task of being a youth mentor at my church... and one of my responsibilities include leading my group for bible study. I wasn't too sure about this - after all, what exactly do I talk about with them? How do I do this?
I was asking myself this question (and, I must admit, getting myself into a bit of a panic) when I remembered something that happened a few months ago... when God asked me the question: "if you had one chance to share just one message with people, what would it be?" I realised that my "chance" had come. The following, I suppose, is this "one message" - the one thing that I consider crucial for every person to understand, whether they are seasoned Christians or unbelievers... the "one message" that will make a difference in someone's life. And this is the message that I will be sharing for my first bible study session.
The message is about the love of God. It is a simple message, God did not intend for this to be rocket science. It is simply this: God loves you.
Every Christian understands that God loves us. In our church, we are told to "greet the person next to you by saying 'Jesus loves you'." Children in Sunday school sing the song "Jesus loves me, this I know". We are reminded, again and again, that God loves us... so much that the phrase "Jesus loves you" has become a by-word, a cliche that is thrown about. Do you understand the full implications of this? Do you understand what this means, for you, your life, and everything that you do? Or are you stuck in the same cycle, wondering: "Yes, Jesus loves me... but so what?"
Allow me to expound a little further.
God loved you from the beginning.
You are a creation of God, and before you were born He knew you... and loved you. Genesis tells us that you were created in His likeness... and after He created you, He looked at you, and liked what He saw. In fact, you could say that He fell in love. He loves you so much that He, the Creator and King of the heavens, decided you were worth dying for.
Your sins didn't stop Him loving you.
Romans 5:8 tells us: "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
I can still remember a time when I was (perhaps due to my perfectionist nature) getting upset with myself for my inabilities and limitations... I couldn't live up to my own standards, couldn't keep my goals, and felt like I was failing in every aspect of my life. God pointed this verse out to me, and reminded me that He didn't wait for me to become perfect before demonstrating His love for me. He knew I'm not perfect, but that didn't stop Him. How amazing that He wasn't put off by how tainted and sinful I am!
Your sins (or indeed anything else) will never stop Him loving you.
Romans 8:35 asks the question: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"
Hmm... good question. There have indeed been times, I must admit, when I felt separate from the love of Christ. There has been times, the difficult seasons in my life, when I felt I could sympathise with Job when he said "if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him."
This question is answered a few verses later, in Romans 8:38-39: "I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
I think, for Christians, it is this last point that we most easily forget... and yet this is the one point that can have a huge impact on the way we live and the way we stand up to adversity. Don't get me wrong - this does not mean that we can do whatever we like. And it does not mean that because God loves us, nothing bad will ever happen to us. What it does mean is that we can be secure in Him. Absolute security, written in stone, firm as a rock.
Jesus loves me... so what?
The issue of how we respond to God's love is perhaps somewhat a separate topic, to be considered another time... but I do believe that how well we respond to God's love depends on how aware we are of God's love for us. So here is my challenge, to you as well as to myself: know that God loves you, unequivocally, in every circumstance. Each morning, remind yourself that nothing the world produces today can separate you from His love. Each time you repent, remember that God who is righteous, loved you while you were still a sinner. Each time you serve or minister, remember what John said: "We love, because He first loved us". Each time you face a challenge, whether it is a difficult customer, difficult boss, or some monumental exam... remember that nothing separates you from His love. Each time you feel rejected by someone, remember that God didn't reject you. Each time you look up at the sky, stars, flowers, trees... remember that the God who created all these loved you enough to die for you.
In short, my challenge is this: remember, at all times, in all circumstances, that God loves you.
It is not as easy as it sounds. But do it, persist in it... and you will realise that everything else becomes unimportant in comparison... and realise how liberating it is - that when He sets you free, you are free indeed!
I was asking myself this question (and, I must admit, getting myself into a bit of a panic) when I remembered something that happened a few months ago... when God asked me the question: "if you had one chance to share just one message with people, what would it be?" I realised that my "chance" had come. The following, I suppose, is this "one message" - the one thing that I consider crucial for every person to understand, whether they are seasoned Christians or unbelievers... the "one message" that will make a difference in someone's life. And this is the message that I will be sharing for my first bible study session.
The message is about the love of God. It is a simple message, God did not intend for this to be rocket science. It is simply this: God loves you.
Every Christian understands that God loves us. In our church, we are told to "greet the person next to you by saying 'Jesus loves you'." Children in Sunday school sing the song "Jesus loves me, this I know". We are reminded, again and again, that God loves us... so much that the phrase "Jesus loves you" has become a by-word, a cliche that is thrown about. Do you understand the full implications of this? Do you understand what this means, for you, your life, and everything that you do? Or are you stuck in the same cycle, wondering: "Yes, Jesus loves me... but so what?"
Allow me to expound a little further.
God loved you from the beginning.
You are a creation of God, and before you were born He knew you... and loved you. Genesis tells us that you were created in His likeness... and after He created you, He looked at you, and liked what He saw. In fact, you could say that He fell in love. He loves you so much that He, the Creator and King of the heavens, decided you were worth dying for.
Your sins didn't stop Him loving you.
Romans 5:8 tells us: "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
I can still remember a time when I was (perhaps due to my perfectionist nature) getting upset with myself for my inabilities and limitations... I couldn't live up to my own standards, couldn't keep my goals, and felt like I was failing in every aspect of my life. God pointed this verse out to me, and reminded me that He didn't wait for me to become perfect before demonstrating His love for me. He knew I'm not perfect, but that didn't stop Him. How amazing that He wasn't put off by how tainted and sinful I am!
Your sins (or indeed anything else) will never stop Him loving you.
Romans 8:35 asks the question: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"
Hmm... good question. There have indeed been times, I must admit, when I felt separate from the love of Christ. There has been times, the difficult seasons in my life, when I felt I could sympathise with Job when he said "if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him."
This question is answered a few verses later, in Romans 8:38-39: "I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
I think, for Christians, it is this last point that we most easily forget... and yet this is the one point that can have a huge impact on the way we live and the way we stand up to adversity. Don't get me wrong - this does not mean that we can do whatever we like. And it does not mean that because God loves us, nothing bad will ever happen to us. What it does mean is that we can be secure in Him. Absolute security, written in stone, firm as a rock.
Jesus loves me... so what?
The issue of how we respond to God's love is perhaps somewhat a separate topic, to be considered another time... but I do believe that how well we respond to God's love depends on how aware we are of God's love for us. So here is my challenge, to you as well as to myself: know that God loves you, unequivocally, in every circumstance. Each morning, remind yourself that nothing the world produces today can separate you from His love. Each time you repent, remember that God who is righteous, loved you while you were still a sinner. Each time you serve or minister, remember what John said: "We love, because He first loved us". Each time you face a challenge, whether it is a difficult customer, difficult boss, or some monumental exam... remember that nothing separates you from His love. Each time you feel rejected by someone, remember that God didn't reject you. Each time you look up at the sky, stars, flowers, trees... remember that the God who created all these loved you enough to die for you.
In short, my challenge is this: remember, at all times, in all circumstances, that God loves you.
It is not as easy as it sounds. But do it, persist in it... and you will realise that everything else becomes unimportant in comparison... and realise how liberating it is - that when He sets you free, you are free indeed!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Discipline
My usual "discipline" is to get up at around 5am, to read the bible, contemplate, and pray. This, of course, sounds very good... and often it is indeed a precious time. However, there are times when I wake up feeling so sleepy that I don't remember what I read in the bible and my prayer is something along the lines of... "Lord bless me today. In Jesus' name. Amen."
I developed this routine after I realised that I simply couldn't count on having enough time and energy in the evening to do this. Often, in the evening, if I want to study I won't have time to study the bible, if I want to read the bible to my satisfaction then I won't have time to do anything else. As spiritual discipline is important, I decided that 5am is a good time to get up.
It hasn't worked so well in the past few days, because I let my habits lax a little during my week break from clinical placements. There didn't seem any point in getting up at 5am if you're not actually going out during the day, and if you have all day to spare. So, this week, now I'm back in the hospital, I've tried to go back to my old routine, not without some issues.
This morning, after I slept through my alarm and woke up groggily at about 5:45am, I dragged myself out of bed (it's dark in winter, too), and fumbled clumsily through my bible. I read, but I'm pretty sure nothing was absorbed. Not only that, I kept my eye on the clock, making sure I don't have to rush off to eat and get ready for the day. Then, as I bent my head and closed my eyes to pray, suddenly something within me asked a question: "is this really what you think God wants? Only a single cell in your brain is active, you mechanically go through the motions of reading and praying - is this your spiritual act of worship?"
It was almost like a rhetorical question, so I'll not bother to answer it here. But it does point out to me that I need to reconsider what I regard as discipline, and how to worship with discipline. What exactly does Christian Discipline look like?
I'm very tired today (because I slept late last night and got up early today), and am very tired... but I will contemplate this, read something about it, and there'll probably something posted here soon about this topic. Suggestions welcome.
I've just realised that there is actually so much that I want to write about... and so much that I want to research... but time, unfortunately, is limited. One of these days I will retire from medicine, spend my days on an armchair, and write the most unreadably long blog posts ever seen.
I developed this routine after I realised that I simply couldn't count on having enough time and energy in the evening to do this. Often, in the evening, if I want to study I won't have time to study the bible, if I want to read the bible to my satisfaction then I won't have time to do anything else. As spiritual discipline is important, I decided that 5am is a good time to get up.
It hasn't worked so well in the past few days, because I let my habits lax a little during my week break from clinical placements. There didn't seem any point in getting up at 5am if you're not actually going out during the day, and if you have all day to spare. So, this week, now I'm back in the hospital, I've tried to go back to my old routine, not without some issues.
This morning, after I slept through my alarm and woke up groggily at about 5:45am, I dragged myself out of bed (it's dark in winter, too), and fumbled clumsily through my bible. I read, but I'm pretty sure nothing was absorbed. Not only that, I kept my eye on the clock, making sure I don't have to rush off to eat and get ready for the day. Then, as I bent my head and closed my eyes to pray, suddenly something within me asked a question: "is this really what you think God wants? Only a single cell in your brain is active, you mechanically go through the motions of reading and praying - is this your spiritual act of worship?"
It was almost like a rhetorical question, so I'll not bother to answer it here. But it does point out to me that I need to reconsider what I regard as discipline, and how to worship with discipline. What exactly does Christian Discipline look like?
I'm very tired today (because I slept late last night and got up early today), and am very tired... but I will contemplate this, read something about it, and there'll probably something posted here soon about this topic. Suggestions welcome.
I've just realised that there is actually so much that I want to write about... and so much that I want to research... but time, unfortunately, is limited. One of these days I will retire from medicine, spend my days on an armchair, and write the most unreadably long blog posts ever seen.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The Problem of Pain, as told by me
I'm not altogether sure why I'm embarking upon this topic. For such an unseasoned writer as I, this is probably the most challenging thing I've written. Tonight is Saturday night; tomorrow is a full and challenging day, and I should be spending my time preparing. But my mood is all askew and I'm having difficulty concentrating on doing what I ought to. Instead, a chance e-mail from a friend (and an unrelated conversation with another friend) has set me off thinking about the problem of pain.
The problem of pain is simply this: if there is a God, if God is good and loving, and if God is also omnipotent, then why is there still suffering in this world? This question has been mused by almost everyone, a question that remains poignant across generations, a question that has been asked by theists as well as atheists, saints as well as sinners. It is also a question that is asked by academic thinkers like theologists and philosophers, as a purely intellectual exercise... as well as a deeply personal question asked by mothers, fathers, friends and lovers, anyone who has ever suffered or watched the suffering of a loved one.
Firstly, let me say that the explanation that I am about to give is a very personal one. It will by no means answer the question that has been asked for centuries by the wise and foolish alike. My explanation is not likely to satisfy the philosophers of the world, it is not even necessarily 100% theologically correct. My explanation might not satisfy a person who is experiencing suffering. However, it is my hope that what I am about to share is, in some way, of some help to someone out there. I must here confess that I write out of sheer desire to write, I really have no high and mighty altruistic motives.
Let us first, as with all problems, define the question at hand. The question is, how can a just, loving, merciful and powerful God allow suffering in the world? Personally, the question can be narrowed down to a single word: why? The Black Death killed around 100 million people. Why? The World War I killed 15 million. 15 million individual lives, each with hopes and dreams and fears. Each with family members hoping and praying for their safety. That's 15 million funerals, 15 million families mourning a loss. How can a just, loving, merciful and powerful God allow this to happen?
Personally, I must make one thing clear: I do not believe that God intends for bad things to happen. In fact, I find it slightly offensive when I hear people say: "God intended for it to get this bad, for the building of your faith and the maturation of your character." (Miserable comforters, I always think to myself.) In the old testament, we see Joseph suffering a number of grievous misfortunes under the hands of his brothers and his master. However, by the hand of divine providence, Joseph was able to turn the defeat into victory, and through these hardships, became able to save the lives of many. (This story is told in Genesis 37 to 50). At the end of the story, Joseph says this to his brothers, who caused his suffering and unfair treatment: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Joseph makes this clear: the harm, and the intention for harm, came from his brothers. God turned it around for good. Similarly, we get through some troublesome times despite not knowing quite how we managed to survive. We find ourselves stronger than before - our character more resilient, our understanding deepened, our faith more grounded. By the grace of God, we say, we came through. But can we say that God intended for all the tragedy and devastation, merely for the sake of a character-building exercise? Just because God was at the right place, at the right time, and did the right things, it does not make God the culprit.
Of course, one cannot write a discourse on the problem of pain without talking about Job - a whole book of the bible, some 42 chapters mostly devoted to the pain and misery of one man. The story of Job is really too great a complexity to expound here, it's not a story that can be summarised in a few sentences. It is a story of a good man, to whom God allowed the devil to inflict terrible suffering. He spends most of the book lamenting his pain, asking the question: how can I have a hearing with Him, the Almighty? How can I make him answer my question of why? At the end of the book, God appears in a storm. God makes no attempt to answer the question of pain. God offers no explanation to Job why He allowed the suffering to occur (although the reader is shown this at the beginning of the book). Instead, He simply pointed to the great natural phenomena of the world, and effectively said: "Where you here when the heavens and earth was created? Who, then, are you to question me, to want to have a hearing with me? To, indeed, put me on trial?"
There are, of course, many lessons that can be learnt from Job, and I can by no means pretend to be able to list them all here. Firstly, we see that God does sometimes allow suffering. It is God's perogative to decide why, it is God's perogative to decide whether He tells us His reasons. In Job's case, we could see the reasons from the beginning, but God didn't tell him, even at the end. Instead, God basically said, "I am God, need you know more?", and Job was satisfied. Secondly, we see how easily we attempt to judge God. Who indeed are we to accuse God of being unloving, unmerciful, unjust, or weak? Who are we to question Him, to put Him on trial, to suppose that we can decide whether His actions (or lack thereof) have been justified? As C. S. Lewis so precisely pointed out, "How can we face to Gods, til we have faces.?"
No discussion about pain and suffering is complete without some mention of the freedom of choice - since it is by that choice that the forbidden fruit was eaten, and pain and suffering came into the world. Because of our tendency to sin, if we want a just, loving, merciful and powerful God, He can not be any other than the way He is now. If there is to be justice for all sinners, then none of us will receive mercy. If He used His power to right all wrongs and to punish all misdeeds, then none of us will survive. Perhaps if God used His power to prevent all sins, then humans would resemble robots, finely tuned to do what is precisely right. No, God used His power to do none of these things. Instead, He has allowed us freedom... and, because He knew that with freedom comes sin and with sin comes death, He decided to die for us. In doing so, he became both just as well as merciful, both relenting as well as relentless.
Lastly, I just wanted to share a personal experience in this area... one time when I met a young boy who had been sexually molested, and who now struggled with fear, anxiety, and learning and social difficulties. As I heard his story I found myself feeling increasingly angry and upset. You always read about tragedies like that, of course. But meeting one, and witnessing its aftermath, makes it so much more real - and the idea that such things happen under our crisp blue skies hit me like a cement wall. I was angry and affronted to the point of tears. Then, I heard God whisper to me: "I love him more than you. What makes you think I'm not also incredibly upset that this happens to my children? It hurts you to see children like this; don't you think it hurts me infinitely more? That's why I had to redeem my children; that's why I had to come down myself and die for you." When we are crushed, God also feels crushed (Jeremiah 8:21). God is certainly not an impassive master, rather, a passionate father.
I know that what I write today will not satisfy the questions of many. In fact I don't even know if I've really answered the question. But I have learnt, as did Job, that the question doesn't have to be answered - it's the beauty of being human. We are limited, and as long as we admit that we are limited and we can't have all the answers, we can, if nothing else, stop the ceaseless, fruitless search. I think, in the end, that is the answer to the problem of pain - that we are human, God is God, and His mind is a great and unsearchable mystery.
The problem of pain is simply this: if there is a God, if God is good and loving, and if God is also omnipotent, then why is there still suffering in this world? This question has been mused by almost everyone, a question that remains poignant across generations, a question that has been asked by theists as well as atheists, saints as well as sinners. It is also a question that is asked by academic thinkers like theologists and philosophers, as a purely intellectual exercise... as well as a deeply personal question asked by mothers, fathers, friends and lovers, anyone who has ever suffered or watched the suffering of a loved one.
Firstly, let me say that the explanation that I am about to give is a very personal one. It will by no means answer the question that has been asked for centuries by the wise and foolish alike. My explanation is not likely to satisfy the philosophers of the world, it is not even necessarily 100% theologically correct. My explanation might not satisfy a person who is experiencing suffering. However, it is my hope that what I am about to share is, in some way, of some help to someone out there. I must here confess that I write out of sheer desire to write, I really have no high and mighty altruistic motives.
Let us first, as with all problems, define the question at hand. The question is, how can a just, loving, merciful and powerful God allow suffering in the world? Personally, the question can be narrowed down to a single word: why? The Black Death killed around 100 million people. Why? The World War I killed 15 million. 15 million individual lives, each with hopes and dreams and fears. Each with family members hoping and praying for their safety. That's 15 million funerals, 15 million families mourning a loss. How can a just, loving, merciful and powerful God allow this to happen?
Personally, I must make one thing clear: I do not believe that God intends for bad things to happen. In fact, I find it slightly offensive when I hear people say: "God intended for it to get this bad, for the building of your faith and the maturation of your character." (Miserable comforters, I always think to myself.) In the old testament, we see Joseph suffering a number of grievous misfortunes under the hands of his brothers and his master. However, by the hand of divine providence, Joseph was able to turn the defeat into victory, and through these hardships, became able to save the lives of many. (This story is told in Genesis 37 to 50). At the end of the story, Joseph says this to his brothers, who caused his suffering and unfair treatment: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Joseph makes this clear: the harm, and the intention for harm, came from his brothers. God turned it around for good. Similarly, we get through some troublesome times despite not knowing quite how we managed to survive. We find ourselves stronger than before - our character more resilient, our understanding deepened, our faith more grounded. By the grace of God, we say, we came through. But can we say that God intended for all the tragedy and devastation, merely for the sake of a character-building exercise? Just because God was at the right place, at the right time, and did the right things, it does not make God the culprit.
Of course, one cannot write a discourse on the problem of pain without talking about Job - a whole book of the bible, some 42 chapters mostly devoted to the pain and misery of one man. The story of Job is really too great a complexity to expound here, it's not a story that can be summarised in a few sentences. It is a story of a good man, to whom God allowed the devil to inflict terrible suffering. He spends most of the book lamenting his pain, asking the question: how can I have a hearing with Him, the Almighty? How can I make him answer my question of why? At the end of the book, God appears in a storm. God makes no attempt to answer the question of pain. God offers no explanation to Job why He allowed the suffering to occur (although the reader is shown this at the beginning of the book). Instead, He simply pointed to the great natural phenomena of the world, and effectively said: "Where you here when the heavens and earth was created? Who, then, are you to question me, to want to have a hearing with me? To, indeed, put me on trial?"
There are, of course, many lessons that can be learnt from Job, and I can by no means pretend to be able to list them all here. Firstly, we see that God does sometimes allow suffering. It is God's perogative to decide why, it is God's perogative to decide whether He tells us His reasons. In Job's case, we could see the reasons from the beginning, but God didn't tell him, even at the end. Instead, God basically said, "I am God, need you know more?", and Job was satisfied. Secondly, we see how easily we attempt to judge God. Who indeed are we to accuse God of being unloving, unmerciful, unjust, or weak? Who are we to question Him, to put Him on trial, to suppose that we can decide whether His actions (or lack thereof) have been justified? As C. S. Lewis so precisely pointed out, "How can we face to Gods, til we have faces.?"
No discussion about pain and suffering is complete without some mention of the freedom of choice - since it is by that choice that the forbidden fruit was eaten, and pain and suffering came into the world. Because of our tendency to sin, if we want a just, loving, merciful and powerful God, He can not be any other than the way He is now. If there is to be justice for all sinners, then none of us will receive mercy. If He used His power to right all wrongs and to punish all misdeeds, then none of us will survive. Perhaps if God used His power to prevent all sins, then humans would resemble robots, finely tuned to do what is precisely right. No, God used His power to do none of these things. Instead, He has allowed us freedom... and, because He knew that with freedom comes sin and with sin comes death, He decided to die for us. In doing so, he became both just as well as merciful, both relenting as well as relentless.
Lastly, I just wanted to share a personal experience in this area... one time when I met a young boy who had been sexually molested, and who now struggled with fear, anxiety, and learning and social difficulties. As I heard his story I found myself feeling increasingly angry and upset. You always read about tragedies like that, of course. But meeting one, and witnessing its aftermath, makes it so much more real - and the idea that such things happen under our crisp blue skies hit me like a cement wall. I was angry and affronted to the point of tears. Then, I heard God whisper to me: "I love him more than you. What makes you think I'm not also incredibly upset that this happens to my children? It hurts you to see children like this; don't you think it hurts me infinitely more? That's why I had to redeem my children; that's why I had to come down myself and die for you." When we are crushed, God also feels crushed (Jeremiah 8:21). God is certainly not an impassive master, rather, a passionate father.
I know that what I write today will not satisfy the questions of many. In fact I don't even know if I've really answered the question. But I have learnt, as did Job, that the question doesn't have to be answered - it's the beauty of being human. We are limited, and as long as we admit that we are limited and we can't have all the answers, we can, if nothing else, stop the ceaseless, fruitless search. I think, in the end, that is the answer to the problem of pain - that we are human, God is God, and His mind is a great and unsearchable mystery.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Good news, God is sovereign
A couple of years ago, I saw a snippet of a Billy Graham speech. I think it was part of a larger program, probably honoring his life, and all I recall were the words he uttered with conviction: "Good news! God is sovereign!"
I was sitting on my friend's carpet at the time, during a rather difficult and dry period in my life. Somehow that message resounded through my brain, shaking its foundations. And yet, it was such a simple message. "Good news, God is sovereign!". So simple that it's laughable - after all, God, by definition, is sovereign. Even an atheist knows that. Despite its simplicity, the short sentence pronounced with vigor moved me almost to tears.
What an easy thing for us to forget, that God is sovereign. His dominion stretches infinitely; His kingdom covers you, everything you are, and everything you see. When troubles come our way, it's easy to forget that God is sovereign, that the future is in His hands. When God doesn't respond to our requests the way we want him to, it's easy to forget that God is sovereign, not us. And when everything that can go wrong does go wrong, when our hurdles look like mountains, it's easy to forget that God is sovereign over all these things. Lastly, when everything goes against us, it's easy to forget that God is on our side. If you've ever asked yourself: "God is sovereign, so what?", tell yourself that this is good news!
I don't know what the original context of Billy Graham's sermon was. Quite possibly, the phrase was used in the wider context of a different message. Whatever the case, the phrase "Good news, God is sovereign" (though it is laughably simple) should be kept away like weaponry, to be brought out whenever the devil attacks.
I was sitting on my friend's carpet at the time, during a rather difficult and dry period in my life. Somehow that message resounded through my brain, shaking its foundations. And yet, it was such a simple message. "Good news, God is sovereign!". So simple that it's laughable - after all, God, by definition, is sovereign. Even an atheist knows that. Despite its simplicity, the short sentence pronounced with vigor moved me almost to tears.
What an easy thing for us to forget, that God is sovereign. His dominion stretches infinitely; His kingdom covers you, everything you are, and everything you see. When troubles come our way, it's easy to forget that God is sovereign, that the future is in His hands. When God doesn't respond to our requests the way we want him to, it's easy to forget that God is sovereign, not us. And when everything that can go wrong does go wrong, when our hurdles look like mountains, it's easy to forget that God is sovereign over all these things. Lastly, when everything goes against us, it's easy to forget that God is on our side. If you've ever asked yourself: "God is sovereign, so what?", tell yourself that this is good news!
I don't know what the original context of Billy Graham's sermon was. Quite possibly, the phrase was used in the wider context of a different message. Whatever the case, the phrase "Good news, God is sovereign" (though it is laughably simple) should be kept away like weaponry, to be brought out whenever the devil attacks.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Be back soon
My internet at home is down at the moment, and has been down for the past 2 weeks or so. It will continue to be down for another 2 weeks, while the ISP repairs some broken connections... or something like that.
So, that explains my leave of absence. My occupation is a medical student, currently on clinical rotations, and my only access to internet is during the day at the hospital. And the hospital is no place to blog idly.
When my home internet is back, so I will be also.
So, that explains my leave of absence. My occupation is a medical student, currently on clinical rotations, and my only access to internet is during the day at the hospital. And the hospital is no place to blog idly.
When my home internet is back, so I will be also.
Friday, March 26, 2010
The heart of worship
"I'll bring You more than a song, for a song in itself
Is not what You have required,
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart.
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You, it's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it,
When it's all about You"
- Lyrics of "Heart of Worship" by Matt Redman
I simply love the Heart of Worship song by Matt Redman. The whole song is part confession, part exaltation. As with all of Matt Redman's songs, you can really tell it comes from the heart... which is why I still prefer his original version. It has touched me so many times, and made me question my own motives before I go up before the congregation to worship.
I am again reminded of this song last week. I played the piano for the worship band for the first time, and I was practicing like crazy. Somehow, no matter how I practice (and indeed how much I pray for a miracle), I couldn't make it sound as cool as I envisage. Those who know me would know that I am a bit of a perfectionist, but I felt I couldn't even bring the music to a mediocre level, much less perfect. Needless to say, the perfectionist in me stressed out.
Shortly before I was to go to our first band practice, my mentor changed my state of mind with a simple question.
"Are you to worship, Sida?" he asked.
He didn't ask me if I was ready to play the piano. Instead, he had asked me, simply, whether I was ready to worship. With that single, simple question, he had reminded me that it was about the worship, not about the music. It was about God, not about me. My offering is my heart of worship - the music is only the manifestation. Even if I were Rubinstein, my music would still be too coarse to do justice to His glory; too barbaric to be played in His courts. It is Jesus that makes my offering holy; not how well I play.
I entered His courts on Sunday, before His people, to serve as a musician. I was ready to worship, and felt confident in heart and faith. I was, however, emphatically not ready to play music... but somehow, that became less important.
Oh, and, for the record, my playing was mediocre, but passable. By the grace of God.
Is not what You have required,
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart.
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You, it's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it,
When it's all about You"
- Lyrics of "Heart of Worship" by Matt Redman
I simply love the Heart of Worship song by Matt Redman. The whole song is part confession, part exaltation. As with all of Matt Redman's songs, you can really tell it comes from the heart... which is why I still prefer his original version. It has touched me so many times, and made me question my own motives before I go up before the congregation to worship.
I am again reminded of this song last week. I played the piano for the worship band for the first time, and I was practicing like crazy. Somehow, no matter how I practice (and indeed how much I pray for a miracle), I couldn't make it sound as cool as I envisage. Those who know me would know that I am a bit of a perfectionist, but I felt I couldn't even bring the music to a mediocre level, much less perfect. Needless to say, the perfectionist in me stressed out.
Shortly before I was to go to our first band practice, my mentor changed my state of mind with a simple question.
"Are you to worship, Sida?" he asked.
He didn't ask me if I was ready to play the piano. Instead, he had asked me, simply, whether I was ready to worship. With that single, simple question, he had reminded me that it was about the worship, not about the music. It was about God, not about me. My offering is my heart of worship - the music is only the manifestation. Even if I were Rubinstein, my music would still be too coarse to do justice to His glory; too barbaric to be played in His courts. It is Jesus that makes my offering holy; not how well I play.
I entered His courts on Sunday, before His people, to serve as a musician. I was ready to worship, and felt confident in heart and faith. I was, however, emphatically not ready to play music... but somehow, that became less important.
Oh, and, for the record, my playing was mediocre, but passable. By the grace of God.
Friday, March 19, 2010
On Worship
Back in undergrad, 5 or perhaps even 6 years ago, I was having lunch with some friends when one asked another a question that was slightly out-of-place for a crowded university cafeteria.
"What is worship?" she asked. I think she was joining her church's music ministry at the time.
"Worship is a way of life," was the response. "worship is not just about the church service, it's not just about the music or the singing. Worship is a way of life, and it continues outside church, outside the group meetings, even after the music has stopped."
I was about 17 or 18 at the time, and an atheist, so I listened to the response with an aloof expression on my face... but his words remain with me even today.
I accepted Jesus when I was 19, and joined my church's worship ministry sometime after... which means I've been in the worship team for about 3 years. During these years, I've often asked myself that same questions. What is worship? Why do we worship, what are the aims? And how do we achieve those aims?
My past mentor was fond of saying that you "can't worship God on stage properly until you learn how to worship God in private". My present mentor once said that worship is worthship, that it's about attributing worth to our God, proclaiming His worth. My mentors, past and present, as well as the aforementioned friend, are all men blessed with great wisdom, whom I love and envy. Though I make an attempt to answer the above mentioned questions, nothing I present here is my own. It is, instead, a collection of wisdom from books, the bible, and people I have been privileged to meet.
Worship is a word that is used a lot in Christian teaching, but we are rarely told its definition. So, what is the act of worship? Dictionary.com defines worship as "reverent honour and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred". As my mentor would say, we attribute worth to Him, pay honour to Him, because He is worthy. Because He first loved us.
But how? With our pianos, guitars, and drums, with sermons and prayers, testimonies and bible readings... but it is so much more than that. As my friend would say, worship is a way of life. I love that saying, it resounds through my head like a gong, and I think I will very quickly steal it and try to pass it off as my own wisdom. Not only that, it is backed by a bible verse -
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship." - Romans 12:1 (NIV).
Thus, our worship carries on after all the music has ceased. If we present ourselves as living sacrifices, then we worship with every aspect of our lives. And so, we pay honour to our God through our lives - through our work, our families, our conduct in public as well as our private prayers. Even after the last person has filed out of church and the doors are locked, the worship continues in every encouraging word, every kind act, and every smile. That is our living sacrifice, and that is our spiritual act of worship.
The answer to the question of why we worship may be simple enough - after all, we pay honour to God because He is infinately honourable. But why? Can we make God more worthy by worshipping Him? Conversely, if we cease to worship, if one day all the tongues were stilled and all the instruments thrown into the sea... does that diminish His worth?
One of my favourite bible passages lie in Luke 19:39-40. As Jesus was entering Jerusalem, the people were shouting and singing praises. The Pharisees, the Jewish rulers of the day, said to Jesus: "Rebuke your disciples!"
The thunderbolt comes with his reply. "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
How great the release! Even if all tongues were held still, the stones themselves will cry out! No matter how badly we sing, we can not diminish God's worthiness. We worship, not to make God more worthy, not even to make God seem more worthy, but simply to enjoy it. C. S. Lewis once said that in commanding us to worship, God is inviting us to enjoy him. We enjoy our worship, just as God enjoys our worship. It is not like other things in life, that seem to have a distinct rationale and aim. Worship is to be enjoyed, it is a vessel through which we are blessed and through which we bless others. It is a glimpse of heaven - because all the heavens resound with continuous worship.
Lastly, as an aside, I can't wait to see the stones sing. I have no desire to keep quiet myself, of course, nor do I want all the people in the world to be stilled. But, there are times, when I wish I could see every thing, even inanimate objects, rise up in praise. That would be a truly awesome sight.
"What is worship?" she asked. I think she was joining her church's music ministry at the time.
"Worship is a way of life," was the response. "worship is not just about the church service, it's not just about the music or the singing. Worship is a way of life, and it continues outside church, outside the group meetings, even after the music has stopped."
I was about 17 or 18 at the time, and an atheist, so I listened to the response with an aloof expression on my face... but his words remain with me even today.
I accepted Jesus when I was 19, and joined my church's worship ministry sometime after... which means I've been in the worship team for about 3 years. During these years, I've often asked myself that same questions. What is worship? Why do we worship, what are the aims? And how do we achieve those aims?
My past mentor was fond of saying that you "can't worship God on stage properly until you learn how to worship God in private". My present mentor once said that worship is worthship, that it's about attributing worth to our God, proclaiming His worth. My mentors, past and present, as well as the aforementioned friend, are all men blessed with great wisdom, whom I love and envy. Though I make an attempt to answer the above mentioned questions, nothing I present here is my own. It is, instead, a collection of wisdom from books, the bible, and people I have been privileged to meet.
Worship is a word that is used a lot in Christian teaching, but we are rarely told its definition. So, what is the act of worship? Dictionary.com defines worship as "reverent honour and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred". As my mentor would say, we attribute worth to Him, pay honour to Him, because He is worthy. Because He first loved us.
But how? With our pianos, guitars, and drums, with sermons and prayers, testimonies and bible readings... but it is so much more than that. As my friend would say, worship is a way of life. I love that saying, it resounds through my head like a gong, and I think I will very quickly steal it and try to pass it off as my own wisdom. Not only that, it is backed by a bible verse -
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship." - Romans 12:1 (NIV).
Thus, our worship carries on after all the music has ceased. If we present ourselves as living sacrifices, then we worship with every aspect of our lives. And so, we pay honour to our God through our lives - through our work, our families, our conduct in public as well as our private prayers. Even after the last person has filed out of church and the doors are locked, the worship continues in every encouraging word, every kind act, and every smile. That is our living sacrifice, and that is our spiritual act of worship.
The answer to the question of why we worship may be simple enough - after all, we pay honour to God because He is infinately honourable. But why? Can we make God more worthy by worshipping Him? Conversely, if we cease to worship, if one day all the tongues were stilled and all the instruments thrown into the sea... does that diminish His worth?
One of my favourite bible passages lie in Luke 19:39-40. As Jesus was entering Jerusalem, the people were shouting and singing praises. The Pharisees, the Jewish rulers of the day, said to Jesus: "Rebuke your disciples!"
The thunderbolt comes with his reply. "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
How great the release! Even if all tongues were held still, the stones themselves will cry out! No matter how badly we sing, we can not diminish God's worthiness. We worship, not to make God more worthy, not even to make God seem more worthy, but simply to enjoy it. C. S. Lewis once said that in commanding us to worship, God is inviting us to enjoy him. We enjoy our worship, just as God enjoys our worship. It is not like other things in life, that seem to have a distinct rationale and aim. Worship is to be enjoyed, it is a vessel through which we are blessed and through which we bless others. It is a glimpse of heaven - because all the heavens resound with continuous worship.
Lastly, as an aside, I can't wait to see the stones sing. I have no desire to keep quiet myself, of course, nor do I want all the people in the world to be stilled. But, there are times, when I wish I could see every thing, even inanimate objects, rise up in praise. That would be a truly awesome sight.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Introduction to this blog
Last weekend, a famous pastor named 張茂松, from Taiwan, visited our church, and delivered two sermons. He was a very passionate and powerful speaker, and over the course of about 3 hours or so (Saturday and Sunday), gave each of us much food for thought.
I won't elaborate on everything he said, partly because he said so much, and partly because I don't really remember all of it. I had a notebook and pen poised to take notes; but he was the sort of person who, when he is speaking, you can't really tear your eyes from him. I'm sure I stopped blinking at one stage, because by the end of the Sunday sermon, my eyes were watering and felt like they were going to pop out of my head.
One thing he that he spent some time emphasising, though, was his view that we ought to be encouraged to think big. "Dream a little bigger!" he yelled at us, projecting his booming voice toward the row after row of "young people" in our church. "Expand your horizon! Aim a little higher! Dream big!"
It was a challenge one couldn't much argue against, so then I asked myself, what is my dream?
Well, if you are a reader of my other blogs, you would know that I once had a fancy that I was going to build a hospital. You might also know that when I was a child I wanted to be a writer. There has been various other "dreams"... but perhaps the most pervasive was the half-formed hope that I would, one day, pen a book. I don't mean a blog that some unfortunate soul stumbled upon, I mean a book that actually gets printed, read, and, hopefully, help and encourage people.
Later, after the services, my mentor asked me what my dream was. Feeling kind of silly, I didn't really want to tell him, but a sermon like that made you bold. Or at least, bold-ish. I confessed that I wanted to write a book, or perhaps a few books.
"What kind of book?" he asked.
"I don't really know." I replied, feeling wretched. The world doesn't need another self-help Christian book, there were already millions out there. I'm not creative enough for fiction, and not knowledgeable enough for non-fiction. As such, I don't even have any ideas. The only thing I do have is this pervasive ill-conceived notion to help people through writing.
Hoping to at least rectify the situation, I told him about my (other) blog, and how it once attracted the attention of a nobel prize laureate (oh how I love that story).
"Well, I think it's a great idea. And I think you should start with your blog." He said. Typical mentor.
So, this blog is the answer to that challenge from the Taiwanese pastor with the enormous presence and booming voice. I made this new blog to be separate from my old one, which contains mainly random thoughts. Into this blog, I will write things that are a little more serious, a little more personal, all invariably related to my faith, things that I might otherwise want to publish in a book. If I ever get to.
Oh, and, lastly: my other blog is http://supersida.blogspot.com/ . If you are curious about the Nobel Prize laureate story, click here. I love that story, because, if nothing else, at least it justifies my otherwise frivolous attempts at writing.
I won't elaborate on everything he said, partly because he said so much, and partly because I don't really remember all of it. I had a notebook and pen poised to take notes; but he was the sort of person who, when he is speaking, you can't really tear your eyes from him. I'm sure I stopped blinking at one stage, because by the end of the Sunday sermon, my eyes were watering and felt like they were going to pop out of my head.
One thing he that he spent some time emphasising, though, was his view that we ought to be encouraged to think big. "Dream a little bigger!" he yelled at us, projecting his booming voice toward the row after row of "young people" in our church. "Expand your horizon! Aim a little higher! Dream big!"
It was a challenge one couldn't much argue against, so then I asked myself, what is my dream?
Well, if you are a reader of my other blogs, you would know that I once had a fancy that I was going to build a hospital. You might also know that when I was a child I wanted to be a writer. There has been various other "dreams"... but perhaps the most pervasive was the half-formed hope that I would, one day, pen a book. I don't mean a blog that some unfortunate soul stumbled upon, I mean a book that actually gets printed, read, and, hopefully, help and encourage people.
Later, after the services, my mentor asked me what my dream was. Feeling kind of silly, I didn't really want to tell him, but a sermon like that made you bold. Or at least, bold-ish. I confessed that I wanted to write a book, or perhaps a few books.
"What kind of book?" he asked.
"I don't really know." I replied, feeling wretched. The world doesn't need another self-help Christian book, there were already millions out there. I'm not creative enough for fiction, and not knowledgeable enough for non-fiction. As such, I don't even have any ideas. The only thing I do have is this pervasive ill-conceived notion to help people through writing.
Hoping to at least rectify the situation, I told him about my (other) blog, and how it once attracted the attention of a nobel prize laureate (oh how I love that story).
"Well, I think it's a great idea. And I think you should start with your blog." He said. Typical mentor.
So, this blog is the answer to that challenge from the Taiwanese pastor with the enormous presence and booming voice. I made this new blog to be separate from my old one, which contains mainly random thoughts. Into this blog, I will write things that are a little more serious, a little more personal, all invariably related to my faith, things that I might otherwise want to publish in a book. If I ever get to.
Oh, and, lastly: my other blog is http://supersida.blogspot.com/ . If you are curious about the Nobel Prize laureate story, click here. I love that story, because, if nothing else, at least it justifies my otherwise frivolous attempts at writing.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Morning questions
I woke up this morning, and after praying, I suddenly thought to myself, what if it's all a dream? What if it's all a lie, and all Christendom were fooled by it? What if they are right, we are nothing but flesh and bones, dust and ashes, and there is nothing beyond the confines of the material world? What if it is all one big, beautiful lie?
Immediately, a voice within said to me: "If it is one big, beautiful lie, where did beauty come from?"
And I got up and went on with my day; my question was answered.
Immediately, a voice within said to me: "If it is one big, beautiful lie, where did beauty come from?"
And I got up and went on with my day; my question was answered.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
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