Well, I'm away tomorrow for a much needed break with my lovely girlfriend! True to my style, we have nothing organised and are just gonna see where we can get ourselves booked into for a night (hopefully in Donegal or summit). To be honest, its about time I got away. My job doesn't really facilitate weekends away as most of my weekend is taken up with work (exceptions being most saturdays with the lads!). However, this is the first friday night I have been off in ages, and we just decided, lets go for it!
I'm hoping that I will be well rested (even though it only is for one night), as Summer Madness rapidly approaches, and there is much more to be done during summer. So i ask you, spare a thought for us poor youth workers who have much stress at this time of year.
Peace
Thursday, 31 May 2007
Thursday, 24 May 2007
All Creation groans
I'm sitting here trying to think of what to say, and I just keep coming back to how disappointed I am with life! Now this is not a suicide note; but I have to say, life at the moment seems to be a bit tedious. I think it's because like all of us, I sense that there is much more to the mundane life that this world offers us. This probably seems very obvious to those of you reading this, bit I think I just need to get this off my chest.
Is it just me or does life seem to have come to a halt. We were promised so much at the dawn of the 21st Century...until 9/11 changed that. We were promised so much by Live Aid...but it seems that nothing much has changed (sure individual communities benefit from this, and this is not to be underwritten-but where is the end to war, poverty, injustice etc). It seems we are further away from these things than we ever were in the 20th Century. At least then, we knew what was right and what was wrong; we were good and they were evil. Now we live in a world were there seems to be good and evil in every story. We were promised so much by our peace process, and it has taken 10 years to get something workable, and the success of that remains to be seen. And we were promised so much when we became a Christian, but for many of us, that life isn't really a fulfillment of that promise.
This all seems to be very negative, and maybe you are sitting there saying that I need to wise up; the glass is half full, silver lining and all that. There are people in this world who are in a much difficult situation than I am-starvation, loss of loved ones, persecution etc. I suppose what I am trying to articulate is that somewhere, deep within me, a groan of significant proportions is arising. I'm fed up with the promises...I want results. And maybe that starts with me. Do I believe that even in all the cynicism of this world, God works? Do I believe that the actions of a few can greatly benefit the many? I mean, all the examples I have given above haven't exactly been resounding failures; Live Aid helped feed countless millions, we do have peace in our country, the War on Terror has captured many 'terrorists' (who in reality are just like me; trying to fight for their cause!), and my Faith has helped me, guided me and shown me many wondrous things in the last 10 years.
But, it just doesn't seem enough...maybe I want too much! But maybe the greater crime is not wanting/needing/caring enough! Ok, so I am an optimist in a pessimists body (and quite a sexy one at that!!!!!). And what this blog boils down to is that even in all my frustration, squashed hopes and cynicism is the feeling that its gonna be ok; as long as I am never satisfied with what I have, God will use that to spure me (and hopefully others around me) on.
Sorry if this seems like a selfish blog; I needed to get this off my chest. I understand that my position in life is fairly comfortable when held up against other people's who have suffered tragedy. I don't mean to be ungrateful, or uncaring whatsoever. I hope that maybe some of what I have said can inspire you, the reader. If not, just ignore it, and pray for me and those around you.
Peace
Is it just me or does life seem to have come to a halt. We were promised so much at the dawn of the 21st Century...until 9/11 changed that. We were promised so much by Live Aid...but it seems that nothing much has changed (sure individual communities benefit from this, and this is not to be underwritten-but where is the end to war, poverty, injustice etc). It seems we are further away from these things than we ever were in the 20th Century. At least then, we knew what was right and what was wrong; we were good and they were evil. Now we live in a world were there seems to be good and evil in every story. We were promised so much by our peace process, and it has taken 10 years to get something workable, and the success of that remains to be seen. And we were promised so much when we became a Christian, but for many of us, that life isn't really a fulfillment of that promise.
This all seems to be very negative, and maybe you are sitting there saying that I need to wise up; the glass is half full, silver lining and all that. There are people in this world who are in a much difficult situation than I am-starvation, loss of loved ones, persecution etc. I suppose what I am trying to articulate is that somewhere, deep within me, a groan of significant proportions is arising. I'm fed up with the promises...I want results. And maybe that starts with me. Do I believe that even in all the cynicism of this world, God works? Do I believe that the actions of a few can greatly benefit the many? I mean, all the examples I have given above haven't exactly been resounding failures; Live Aid helped feed countless millions, we do have peace in our country, the War on Terror has captured many 'terrorists' (who in reality are just like me; trying to fight for their cause!), and my Faith has helped me, guided me and shown me many wondrous things in the last 10 years.
But, it just doesn't seem enough...maybe I want too much! But maybe the greater crime is not wanting/needing/caring enough! Ok, so I am an optimist in a pessimists body (and quite a sexy one at that!!!!!). And what this blog boils down to is that even in all my frustration, squashed hopes and cynicism is the feeling that its gonna be ok; as long as I am never satisfied with what I have, God will use that to spure me (and hopefully others around me) on.
Sorry if this seems like a selfish blog; I needed to get this off my chest. I understand that my position in life is fairly comfortable when held up against other people's who have suffered tragedy. I don't mean to be ungrateful, or uncaring whatsoever. I hope that maybe some of what I have said can inspire you, the reader. If not, just ignore it, and pray for me and those around you.
Peace
Monday, 14 May 2007
When you speak does God listen?
Had an interesting discussion with a really good friend the other day which was challenging and completely out of the box of normal 'Christian' thought. I just want to share some of it with you, for no other reason than it has occupied my thoughts the last few days...
The conversation started because a friend who is not a christian raised an issue of whether it is wrong to partake in communion if you don't even believe in the bible-for you it is just a piece of bread and a sip of wine; nothing more or less. Then we discussed someone else who wouldn't call themselves a christian but who feels that they have a personal relationship with God-they pray and share things with God. However the point was raised; are these prayers effective in any way? Does God listen to the prayers of people who are not christians? Lets get into the theology a little bit-it is said that God cannot stand evil, and therefore does not have communion with sin. Therefore, to pay the price and allow us to have a relatioship with God, Christ died. Theologically speaking it can be said that God doesn't see us, but instead sees Christ as we stand before Him (if we are christians). However, if God cannot have communion with sin, then how do we even get saved?! And thats were the discussion seemed to stall for a while...
I don't know if I have an answer-I mean logically speaking, if God can't stand sin, and Christ takes our place, then for us to accept Christ, we have to come before God as sinners-it seems paradoxical. And the question I had to ask was that does God ignore us sinners, or does he lower his standards for a brief time so that we can approach him to seek forgiveness?
If you're still with me, could you explain this to me; if you are not, then don't worry about it!
Anyway, it seems to me that yes, God hates sin (righteous anger of course), and that the only way we can have a real relationship is to stand on the payment that Christ made. But does that mean that God just ignores those who haven't accepted Christ? It seems to make Christianity a little bit too transactional; that is, if you don't accept God, he wont listen, and furthermore, you're going to hell! It doesn't seem to fit with the view I have of an all loving God who sent his son!
So what did I conclude? Well, I suppose if you are a christian, its kinda like a marriage-when you marry someone (so I'm told) the relationship you have with that person is so much deeper than the one you have with your mates-there is more to it. So maybe God has 'friendship' with people who are not christians; he listens and sometimes will speak to them, but the relationship is limited because that person is not 'married' to God (which is in a sense scripturally correct wording-'bride and bridegroom!).
The lesson...get married to God. Fall in love with him, because it is the best relationship you will ever have...period!
The conversation started because a friend who is not a christian raised an issue of whether it is wrong to partake in communion if you don't even believe in the bible-for you it is just a piece of bread and a sip of wine; nothing more or less. Then we discussed someone else who wouldn't call themselves a christian but who feels that they have a personal relationship with God-they pray and share things with God. However the point was raised; are these prayers effective in any way? Does God listen to the prayers of people who are not christians? Lets get into the theology a little bit-it is said that God cannot stand evil, and therefore does not have communion with sin. Therefore, to pay the price and allow us to have a relatioship with God, Christ died. Theologically speaking it can be said that God doesn't see us, but instead sees Christ as we stand before Him (if we are christians). However, if God cannot have communion with sin, then how do we even get saved?! And thats were the discussion seemed to stall for a while...
I don't know if I have an answer-I mean logically speaking, if God can't stand sin, and Christ takes our place, then for us to accept Christ, we have to come before God as sinners-it seems paradoxical. And the question I had to ask was that does God ignore us sinners, or does he lower his standards for a brief time so that we can approach him to seek forgiveness?
If you're still with me, could you explain this to me; if you are not, then don't worry about it!
Anyway, it seems to me that yes, God hates sin (righteous anger of course), and that the only way we can have a real relationship is to stand on the payment that Christ made. But does that mean that God just ignores those who haven't accepted Christ? It seems to make Christianity a little bit too transactional; that is, if you don't accept God, he wont listen, and furthermore, you're going to hell! It doesn't seem to fit with the view I have of an all loving God who sent his son!
So what did I conclude? Well, I suppose if you are a christian, its kinda like a marriage-when you marry someone (so I'm told) the relationship you have with that person is so much deeper than the one you have with your mates-there is more to it. So maybe God has 'friendship' with people who are not christians; he listens and sometimes will speak to them, but the relationship is limited because that person is not 'married' to God (which is in a sense scripturally correct wording-'bride and bridegroom!).
The lesson...get married to God. Fall in love with him, because it is the best relationship you will ever have...period!
Wednesday, 2 May 2007
Faith as doing
Another part of my personal journey over the last two years has been learning what true faith looks like. Now I am not talking about the faith that pays lip service to doctrine or organisation, but faith that is there because of the personal relationship you have with Jesus if you are a christian.
What I have discovered/learned/realised is that this true faith is all about actions. God brought me to James chapter 2 where he showed me that the faith that really matters is the faith that does!
What does this look like then? How do we live a faith that does? And do we really believe it matters?
What I have discovered/learned/realised is that this true faith is all about actions. God brought me to James chapter 2 where he showed me that the faith that really matters is the faith that does!
What does this look like then? How do we live a faith that does? And do we really believe it matters?In asking these questions, we would do well to remember the life of Jesus (you know, the guy we follow). Jesus spent time with people, building relationships. Granted, he didn't always have time for everyone (after all whilst on earth he was bound by temporal mechanics!), but he nevertheless was involved in some very deep, lasting relationships (his family, his friends the disciples, even some of the unloved!).
I believe that having a faith that does will look like that; relationships-not with everyone mind you, but with a small core of people, whether they be family, friends, christian or pagan. Some of these relationships could be the deepest of your life, or they could be built around a common thread, such as a love of football, or having a pint with a few old friends from school. And through these relationships you will have an opportunity to really show God's love through your actions.
And does it matter? You better believe it! Through interacting with people, we can show them a glimpse of heaven; not in our power of course, but by the power of the Spirit that lives within us. We carry God inside us, and in our actions, people are shown His love.
So its easy then...but it is also very tough!
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