I'm feeling the pressure of having nothing to say. The week has been spent in mild panic about the possibility of missing appointments or forgetting things I've got to do. Husband has major exams in three weeks, we move house in 6 weeks, Christmas and holidays are coming and we are making a lot of appointments for autism treatments in between. Thus there hasn't been much room for thinking at length about very much at all. And because I don't want to lose you, dear readers, I have to post, and to post, I think I have to go looking back into the dark distant past files of the computer...
So here, tah dah, I present a children's story I wrote a few years ago. Obviously, I didn't succeed in getting in published - although I tried fairly hard. But I still think it's cute, and an interesting idea, even if the last line is pretty rubbish.
Island Andrew
In the middle of the lake was an island. It was quite a big island, with plenty of trees, and it didn’t look very far away. At least Andrew didn’t think so. Andrew wanted to go to the island.
It didn’t work when he asked Mum if he could go to the island.
“No Andrew, we’re on holidays, and anyway, how are you going to get there?” she said, going back to read her book.
Holidays weren’t holidays when there was nothing to do and no-one to play with. Annie was busy playing dolls with her friends.
“Just play in the lake,” Andrew’s mother said.
There must be a way of getting to the island, Andrew thought, sitting on the edge of the lake.
He looked at the island and dreamed of what adventures he could have there. Perhaps there would be a steaming jungle with crocodiles. Or wild and crazy hanging bridges he would have to crawl across. Perhaps there would be an island monster.
Andrew shook his head. It was no good. How would he get there? It was too far to swim. He couldn’t walk, and he didn’t have wings to fly.
“I wish I could go to the island,” thought Andrew. He picked up a rock and threw it in the lake. Then he picked up another rock and threw it in. Everytime he threw a rock in, he said to himself, “I wish I could go to the island.”
Andrew threw rocks into the lake all day and all the next day. He threw rocks in before breakfast, he threw rocks in up until lunch time. He kept throwing rocks in the lake until the sun set over the island.
The next day, when Andrew went to the edge of the lake, he picked up a stone to throw in the lake. But he stopped.
He looked carefully at the water, and then he looked again. It couldn’t be!
All the rocks he threw in the lake had made an island!
“I’ve made an island! I’ve made an island!” Andrew danced around and around for joy. “I’ve got my own island!”
He named it Island Andrew, and suddenly found that Annie wanted to play too!
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
Asking for it
One of Sydney's minority religious leaders apparently made a comment recently in a sermon about women. I haven't read the actual comment, but I understand the implication is that some women bring sex attacks on themselves by the way they dress.
Of course, people are outraged about it. But most are looking at it from a woman's point of view. What his statement means about men is equally offensive.
The implications of what he said are that: men are unable to control themselves when they see a provocatively-dressed woman; women have control over men's impulses and actions just by the clothes they wear or don't wear; and men are not responsible for their actions, women are.
When it comes down to it, what he means is that men are really no better than domesticated animals - they are generally well behaved, but if you leave some uncovered food around, you should expect the beast in them to come out! After all, they can't help it.
Of course, people are outraged about it. But most are looking at it from a woman's point of view. What his statement means about men is equally offensive.
The implications of what he said are that: men are unable to control themselves when they see a provocatively-dressed woman; women have control over men's impulses and actions just by the clothes they wear or don't wear; and men are not responsible for their actions, women are.
When it comes down to it, what he means is that men are really no better than domesticated animals - they are generally well behaved, but if you leave some uncovered food around, you should expect the beast in them to come out! After all, they can't help it.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Content, whatever!
I have been reading through Philippians with my friend over the last few weeks. It's been delightful to read, think through and explore this marvellous letter.
This week we got to the idea of contentment.
How do you define it? Perhaps it's easier to say what it's not. It's not greed. It's not grasping for more. It's not obsession.
It's also not having no needs at all, or saying that needs you do have don't matter. Paul says he can be content, even while in need. But he points out that contentment is not necessarily part of having all your needs met either! Contentment is not tied to circumstances.
Contentment is something that we can learn. It might take some time to learn. It's not going to be something that is easy to grasp.
Perhaps a good way to define it is to look back earlier in the chapter to where Paul talks about 'the peace that passes understanding'. Such peace is a gift from God, and comes after we give our anxieties to him.
Perhaps the beginning of contentment is seeing ourselves in perspective to God, and being at peace to let him be in control. He is in the end the one who gives strength. We don't have it on our own.
Philippians 4:10-13 10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
This week we got to the idea of contentment.
How do you define it? Perhaps it's easier to say what it's not. It's not greed. It's not grasping for more. It's not obsession.
It's also not having no needs at all, or saying that needs you do have don't matter. Paul says he can be content, even while in need. But he points out that contentment is not necessarily part of having all your needs met either! Contentment is not tied to circumstances.
Contentment is something that we can learn. It might take some time to learn. It's not going to be something that is easy to grasp.
Perhaps a good way to define it is to look back earlier in the chapter to where Paul talks about 'the peace that passes understanding'. Such peace is a gift from God, and comes after we give our anxieties to him.
Perhaps the beginning of contentment is seeing ourselves in perspective to God, and being at peace to let him be in control. He is in the end the one who gives strength. We don't have it on our own.
Philippians 4:10-13 10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
You'll be back for more
Here's a delicious recipe which came out of a last minute cupboard-cleaning baking effort a few weeks ago. Most of the time my "oh dear I don't have enough ingredients" experiments don't work out, but I'm quite proud of this one.
Apricot crunch balls
Melt some butter or margarine (50g?)
Stir in:
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup sultanas
1 cup crunchy all-bran, a little crushed
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup coconut
Squeeze the mixture into balls and place on a tray and refrigerate.
Melt some chocolate (milk, dark or white) and spoon over the balls. Refrigerate to set.
Apricot crunch balls
Melt some butter or margarine (50g?)
Stir in:
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup sultanas
1 cup crunchy all-bran, a little crushed
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup coconut
Squeeze the mixture into balls and place on a tray and refrigerate.
Melt some chocolate (milk, dark or white) and spoon over the balls. Refrigerate to set.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Say it better
I once had vague ideas of starting a business dedicated to helping people get their message across better. Not an advertising agency, but a communication enhancement centre. And I'll tell you, we Christians need to enhance our communication!
We have the greatest message in the world - God's unrelenting love, grace and mercy poured out to us in extravagant ways. But so often, we present that message through long-winded, boring speeches.
Our message says 'born again'. Our method says 'boring again'.
Good teaching and learning involves these things:
hearing
seeing
feeling
touching
tasting
moving
doing
questioning
thinking
participating
speaking
telling stories
engaging with people
thinking thoughts
knowing facts
making deductions
feeling emotions
stirring passions
translating his experience across to my experience
reflecting
stopping
A lot of the time, preachers will stop at the first one on my list - hearing. And they sometimes don't get to the last one until 40 or 50 minutes later, without using the others on the list.
Lecture-style Christian talks are often great. They frequently include marvellous, deep reflections on the text and great applications to life.
But I think the Christian subculture I belong to has the mind-set that says listening to (or delivering) a long Christian lecture is the ultimate in 'serious' Christianity. If you can do either of those, you are taking the Bible seriously and you are growing in your faith.
My point is, however, that there are other ways to learn and engage with the same content more effectively than sitting through a long talk.
I'd be interested in your ideas for how you'd like to see Christian teaching and learning done. What are the benefits of the current model? What do you think we miss by not doing it differently? How could it practically work in a church situation? How can we use more interactive models of teaching, but still keep the input from people who have good insights into context, meaning and application (traditionally the preachers)?
We have the greatest message in the world - God's unrelenting love, grace and mercy poured out to us in extravagant ways. But so often, we present that message through long-winded, boring speeches.
Our message says 'born again'. Our method says 'boring again'.
Good teaching and learning involves these things:
hearing
seeing
feeling
touching
tasting
moving
doing
questioning
thinking
participating
speaking
telling stories
engaging with people
thinking thoughts
knowing facts
making deductions
feeling emotions
stirring passions
translating his experience across to my experience
reflecting
stopping
A lot of the time, preachers will stop at the first one on my list - hearing. And they sometimes don't get to the last one until 40 or 50 minutes later, without using the others on the list.
Lecture-style Christian talks are often great. They frequently include marvellous, deep reflections on the text and great applications to life.
But I think the Christian subculture I belong to has the mind-set that says listening to (or delivering) a long Christian lecture is the ultimate in 'serious' Christianity. If you can do either of those, you are taking the Bible seriously and you are growing in your faith.
My point is, however, that there are other ways to learn and engage with the same content more effectively than sitting through a long talk.
I'd be interested in your ideas for how you'd like to see Christian teaching and learning done. What are the benefits of the current model? What do you think we miss by not doing it differently? How could it practically work in a church situation? How can we use more interactive models of teaching, but still keep the input from people who have good insights into context, meaning and application (traditionally the preachers)?
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Are you really still you?
In the last two days I've had two wonderful emails from very old friends. They are girls I went to school with in Pakistan, one of whom was my first ever 'best friend'. I haven't seen them since I was 18, and that's more years ago now than I like to admit to.
I was absolutely delighted to hear from them, and a little sad that I do not know them now as adults. While we are still friends, and will probably always call ourselves friends, I don't know them as I would like to.
It brings up these questions: are they still the same people they were when I knew them? Does the fact that I was close to them once mean that I can still say, "I know them well"? Am I still the same person I was 30 years ago? 10 years ago? a month ago? yesterday?
Do our experiences shape us over and above our natural personality and character? Would we still recognise each other despite the diverging of our paths and the passing of the years?
Friends who met as adults may not find these questions as challenging. Is it the change from childhood to adulthood that matters most?
I was absolutely delighted to hear from them, and a little sad that I do not know them now as adults. While we are still friends, and will probably always call ourselves friends, I don't know them as I would like to.
It brings up these questions: are they still the same people they were when I knew them? Does the fact that I was close to them once mean that I can still say, "I know them well"? Am I still the same person I was 30 years ago? 10 years ago? a month ago? yesterday?
Do our experiences shape us over and above our natural personality and character? Would we still recognise each other despite the diverging of our paths and the passing of the years?
Friends who met as adults may not find these questions as challenging. Is it the change from childhood to adulthood that matters most?
Getting to know you...
I've always had secret dreams of going somewhere and just living there for the rest of my life, getting old with the same people, getting to know them well, and having friendships that last the years.
But the way things have worked out for me, I just don't think that will ever happen. Instead, I have the privilege of stopping for periods here and there, getting to know new friends, and then saying goodbye, to move on to another group of people.
Both situations have their benefits and drawbacks. If you were born, grew up and died in the same community, you might have wonderful, lifelong friendships and loyalties, but you might not have room in your life for new people. Horizons could become smaller than they need to be.
If, like me, you have moved on and on and on, you miss out on the comfortableness of having old friends around you, and you often feel like you don't really belong anywhere. Even though friendships can last across distances, it can take a lot more work to keep them up, and the proximity effect is lessened.
However, the benefits are certainly the privilege of moving between exciting and wonderful groups of people, learning something from each group and bringing it to the next group. It makes for a more challenging experience and broader outlook.
But the way things have worked out for me, I just don't think that will ever happen. Instead, I have the privilege of stopping for periods here and there, getting to know new friends, and then saying goodbye, to move on to another group of people.
Both situations have their benefits and drawbacks. If you were born, grew up and died in the same community, you might have wonderful, lifelong friendships and loyalties, but you might not have room in your life for new people. Horizons could become smaller than they need to be.
If, like me, you have moved on and on and on, you miss out on the comfortableness of having old friends around you, and you often feel like you don't really belong anywhere. Even though friendships can last across distances, it can take a lot more work to keep them up, and the proximity effect is lessened.
However, the benefits are certainly the privilege of moving between exciting and wonderful groups of people, learning something from each group and bringing it to the next group. It makes for a more challenging experience and broader outlook.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
I think I know how God feels
That's quite an arrogant assumption, but I'll tell you why.
I decided it would be nice to treat the seven year-old to an icecream. We went to the shop, she chose a delicious banana paddle pop and then turned to me and said,
"You're the best and nicest mummy in the whole world because you buy me icecreams."
Yeah right.
If she'd stopped to think, she might have realised that the reason I bought her the icecream was because I am the best and nicest. I am not the best and nicest because I buy her icecream.
It's easy to confuse character with gifts. To appreciate the gift more than the giver. But gifts always come about because of the character of the giver.
God must get annoyed!
I decided it would be nice to treat the seven year-old to an icecream. We went to the shop, she chose a delicious banana paddle pop and then turned to me and said,
"You're the best and nicest mummy in the whole world because you buy me icecreams."
Yeah right.
If she'd stopped to think, she might have realised that the reason I bought her the icecream was because I am the best and nicest. I am not the best and nicest because I buy her icecream.
It's easy to confuse character with gifts. To appreciate the gift more than the giver. But gifts always come about because of the character of the giver.
God must get annoyed!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Daniel 1 & 2: Where we fit in to this
The end of my talk on Daniel 1 & 2. See previous three posts for the first part.
What can the story of Daniel say to us, here, in a relatively peaceful, mildly secular, democratic country?
I wonder if you’d agree with me that just as in Daniel’s time, the powerful forces in our society would like to paint God in the general position of being a loser. Maybe not completely defeated, but certainly marginalised, slightly old-fashioned, eccentric – even cute - but not very relevant for those people who run everything important.
Knowledge of God doesn’t cut it when it comes to budget time. Worship of God doesn’t run the economy. Following God is one of those optional extras. It’s nice if you have it, but it’s not the essential part of life.
Or is it?
What does the Bible tell us about the future? The book of Revelation paints a fearsome picture of God as judge, ultimate king and amazing victor when everything on earth is finished. One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
It sounds impressive. But if God is in such a loserish state now, if things look so bad for him here, how is this victory going to be achieved?
You can probably see that I’m going to paint a parallel picture here.
In the passage, God uses two things as he goes from apparent defeat to victory: one, his people, undefiled and wise, and two, his revelation.
Today, God uses two things as he will go from apparent defeat to ultimate victory: us, his people, undefiled and wise, and two, his revelation.
Us – God’s people
What does it mean for us to be ‘undefiled’ or to live Christianly in our culture? As we know there were a number of things Daniel could have stood up against - the name change, the study program, even just going to Babylon. In the end, he chose food – and the result for him was good health. What will you stand up for? How will you decide?
One principle could be to know for yourself like Daniel. Do you know what keeps you healthy – spiritually healthy? Take a stand on those things. Read the Bible, go regularly to church for Christian fellowship. Prioritize your life so that the good, godly things get done first. Get rid of the spiritual rubbish that defiles up your heart and mind.
God’s people must also be wise. Let’s just look quickly at some of the ways Daniel was wise.
The first kind of wisdom Daniel had was wisdom in how to get his point across. He had the ability to convince people quietly and talk them around to his point of view. He wasn’t confrontational – he used his contacts, and he made sure he was relating to people who could help him.
It would have been too easy for Daniel to go straight to the king and say, “I’m not eating your food! It defiles me.” He wouldn’t have lasted long… but he could have claimed he was being persecuted for the sake of the gospel. Be smart. Don’t create confrontation if you can uphold your principle via the back door first!
He also had wisdom to know how much he was going to be part of his new world, and how much he was going to be distinctive. There are three possible reactions to pressure to conform to an alien culture. And we as Christians are in an alien culture every day!
Firstly: you can assimilate completely. So you look like everybody else, sound like them, even think like them. It certainly relieves the pressure you can feel of being an outsider.
But if Daniel had done this, he would have been giving up his loyalty to God. If we do this, it will make us feel better for a little while but we will lose our faith, and we will lose our Christian influence.
Secondly: you can withdraw into a kind of ghetto of your own culture as far as possible, and avoid the pressure.
But if Daniel had withdrawn completely and refused to be part of the court, he would probably have been killed, and he would have lost any chance of witnessing for his God. If we do this to a large extent we lose any influence we can have on people around us. Long term this approach makes your faith unreal and irrelevant – and it justifies the surrounding culture saying, “Well, Christians have nothing to contribute.”
Three: like Daniel, you see Christ as the transformer of culture. You are involved with, but not completely part of the culture, and you are confronting it with the aim of seeing God transform it.
We need to learn about our culture, like Daniel did, so we will know how best to influence it. And by the way, he wasn’t slow to get his friends into important positions. If you have an opportunity to have a public position of responsibility, take it and pray for wisdom so that you can be an influence for God.
This is where it is so important to read and study the Bible to understand what it means to be what Jesus called the ‘salt and light’ of the world. We need to use God’s wisdom from the Scriptures in living in our culture every day.
The revelation of Christ (to answer the unanswerable)
We live in this world, God’s people, hopefully both undefiled and wise. But that’s not the sole purpose of our existence. Like Daniel, we have a revelation from God too, and when we share it, it answers the unanswerable questions of the people around us today.
What are the unanswerable questions people ask? Perhaps you have asked them, or are still asking them.
- What is the purpose of it all?
- Why do I feel incomplete?
- Who’s behind it?
- Why can’t I get rid of my guilt?
- Why is there so much wrong and evil, and yet so much good and beauty in the world?
- How does it all make sense?
There are lots of astrologers, magicians, wise people, gurus, management consultants, life coaches, journalists and TV personalities who give some really great but pat answers to the questions.
Or who use the questions to make money by selling products as the answers.
Or who try to distract us from asking the questions so we won’t feel bad.
But I think we all know, like the magicians and astrologers in Nebuchadnezzar’s time knew, that no-one can really answer these unanswerable questions. It was probably the most truthful thing they ever came out with when they said these words:
"There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks… What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among people."
It is true. No human can answer these questions. But the God who lived among people can both truly define the question and give the answer.
Jesus Christ, God’s son, who lived on earth, and died and rose again for the salvation of the world is the revelation of God for us here today. He is the one who tells us just who we are, he is the one who forgives our sin, he is the one who puts us right with God, and he is the very image of God, God’s likeness. He is for us the answer to our unanswerable question.
And it is him that we are to share with our friends, our neighbours, our culture. Jesus Christ, the answer.
We are God’s people, undefiled, wise and with a revelation of Jesus Christ to carry to the world, so that tomorrow, as yesterday, people will say,
"Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries.”
God was never a loser. He has always been in control, loving us, and wanting all people everywhere to turn to him, be saved and give him the glory. The story of Daniel is all about God. The story of you and me is also all about God.
Let’s pray for his grace and strength to be his people, undefiled and wise, and carrying to others his revelation of Christ, for his glory.
What can the story of Daniel say to us, here, in a relatively peaceful, mildly secular, democratic country?
I wonder if you’d agree with me that just as in Daniel’s time, the powerful forces in our society would like to paint God in the general position of being a loser. Maybe not completely defeated, but certainly marginalised, slightly old-fashioned, eccentric – even cute - but not very relevant for those people who run everything important.
Knowledge of God doesn’t cut it when it comes to budget time. Worship of God doesn’t run the economy. Following God is one of those optional extras. It’s nice if you have it, but it’s not the essential part of life.
Or is it?
What does the Bible tell us about the future? The book of Revelation paints a fearsome picture of God as judge, ultimate king and amazing victor when everything on earth is finished. One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
It sounds impressive. But if God is in such a loserish state now, if things look so bad for him here, how is this victory going to be achieved?
You can probably see that I’m going to paint a parallel picture here.
In the passage, God uses two things as he goes from apparent defeat to victory: one, his people, undefiled and wise, and two, his revelation.
Today, God uses two things as he will go from apparent defeat to ultimate victory: us, his people, undefiled and wise, and two, his revelation.
Us – God’s people
What does it mean for us to be ‘undefiled’ or to live Christianly in our culture? As we know there were a number of things Daniel could have stood up against - the name change, the study program, even just going to Babylon. In the end, he chose food – and the result for him was good health. What will you stand up for? How will you decide?
One principle could be to know for yourself like Daniel. Do you know what keeps you healthy – spiritually healthy? Take a stand on those things. Read the Bible, go regularly to church for Christian fellowship. Prioritize your life so that the good, godly things get done first. Get rid of the spiritual rubbish that defiles up your heart and mind.
God’s people must also be wise. Let’s just look quickly at some of the ways Daniel was wise.
The first kind of wisdom Daniel had was wisdom in how to get his point across. He had the ability to convince people quietly and talk them around to his point of view. He wasn’t confrontational – he used his contacts, and he made sure he was relating to people who could help him.
It would have been too easy for Daniel to go straight to the king and say, “I’m not eating your food! It defiles me.” He wouldn’t have lasted long… but he could have claimed he was being persecuted for the sake of the gospel. Be smart. Don’t create confrontation if you can uphold your principle via the back door first!
He also had wisdom to know how much he was going to be part of his new world, and how much he was going to be distinctive. There are three possible reactions to pressure to conform to an alien culture. And we as Christians are in an alien culture every day!
Firstly: you can assimilate completely. So you look like everybody else, sound like them, even think like them. It certainly relieves the pressure you can feel of being an outsider.
But if Daniel had done this, he would have been giving up his loyalty to God. If we do this, it will make us feel better for a little while but we will lose our faith, and we will lose our Christian influence.
Secondly: you can withdraw into a kind of ghetto of your own culture as far as possible, and avoid the pressure.
But if Daniel had withdrawn completely and refused to be part of the court, he would probably have been killed, and he would have lost any chance of witnessing for his God. If we do this to a large extent we lose any influence we can have on people around us. Long term this approach makes your faith unreal and irrelevant – and it justifies the surrounding culture saying, “Well, Christians have nothing to contribute.”
Three: like Daniel, you see Christ as the transformer of culture. You are involved with, but not completely part of the culture, and you are confronting it with the aim of seeing God transform it.
We need to learn about our culture, like Daniel did, so we will know how best to influence it. And by the way, he wasn’t slow to get his friends into important positions. If you have an opportunity to have a public position of responsibility, take it and pray for wisdom so that you can be an influence for God.
This is where it is so important to read and study the Bible to understand what it means to be what Jesus called the ‘salt and light’ of the world. We need to use God’s wisdom from the Scriptures in living in our culture every day.
The revelation of Christ (to answer the unanswerable)
We live in this world, God’s people, hopefully both undefiled and wise. But that’s not the sole purpose of our existence. Like Daniel, we have a revelation from God too, and when we share it, it answers the unanswerable questions of the people around us today.
What are the unanswerable questions people ask? Perhaps you have asked them, or are still asking them.
- What is the purpose of it all?
- Why do I feel incomplete?
- Who’s behind it?
- Why can’t I get rid of my guilt?
- Why is there so much wrong and evil, and yet so much good and beauty in the world?
- How does it all make sense?
There are lots of astrologers, magicians, wise people, gurus, management consultants, life coaches, journalists and TV personalities who give some really great but pat answers to the questions.
Or who use the questions to make money by selling products as the answers.
Or who try to distract us from asking the questions so we won’t feel bad.
But I think we all know, like the magicians and astrologers in Nebuchadnezzar’s time knew, that no-one can really answer these unanswerable questions. It was probably the most truthful thing they ever came out with when they said these words:
"There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks… What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among people."
It is true. No human can answer these questions. But the God who lived among people can both truly define the question and give the answer.
Jesus Christ, God’s son, who lived on earth, and died and rose again for the salvation of the world is the revelation of God for us here today. He is the one who tells us just who we are, he is the one who forgives our sin, he is the one who puts us right with God, and he is the very image of God, God’s likeness. He is for us the answer to our unanswerable question.
And it is him that we are to share with our friends, our neighbours, our culture. Jesus Christ, the answer.
We are God’s people, undefiled, wise and with a revelation of Jesus Christ to carry to the world, so that tomorrow, as yesterday, people will say,
"Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries.”
God was never a loser. He has always been in control, loving us, and wanting all people everywhere to turn to him, be saved and give him the glory. The story of Daniel is all about God. The story of you and me is also all about God.
Let’s pray for his grace and strength to be his people, undefiled and wise, and carrying to others his revelation of Christ, for his glory.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Daniel 1 & 2: God's revelation
In the last two posts, we’ve seen that God used his people – who were undefiled and wise – as he went from loser to victor amongst the Babylonians. But the second thing he used to declare his name was what we call revelation - making known something to people that they could not have known on their own.
We don’t know what the time gap between chapters 1 and 2 are, but sometime later, Daniel and his friends are pretty well entrenched in palace life. And the king, that renowned tyrannical, power-hungry despot, Nebuchadnezzar, had a bad dream.
It was such a bad dream that he wanted to know what it meant. He called in all his wise men, magicians and astrologers to ask them.
And so that he would know that the interpretation was right, he thought he’d throw in a little proof-challenge, as power-hungry despots are apt to do occasionally: "Tell me my dream and then interpret it. Otherwise I’ll kill all of you."
Nebuchadnezzar was looking to his wise men to answer the unanswerable. To solve the unsolvable. To fathom the unfathomable.
And of course, not unreasonably, no-one could do it.
This is what the wise men and the magicians said to the king in chapter 2, verses 10 and 11:
"There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks… What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men."
That of course is true. But Daniel knows the God who can reveal it to the king. He prays, asks his friends to pray, and seeks the answer from God. And he comes through. God is the source of the solution.
Daniel makes sure that the king knows this. In V24-28 He’s careful to tell the king that it’s not his own cleverness, but God’s revelation. He certainly doesn't take the glory for himself.
The details of the dream are interesting and worth more study on your own perhaps, but I’m not going into them here. What I'm more concerned with is that God began this story looking like a loser, defeated by the most impressive army ever seen on earth. He finishes up this story the ultimate winner. He is the only one who has the answer to the unanswerable question posed by the most powerful man on earth.
And Nebuchadnezzar says these humble words: "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries.”
We don’t know what the time gap between chapters 1 and 2 are, but sometime later, Daniel and his friends are pretty well entrenched in palace life. And the king, that renowned tyrannical, power-hungry despot, Nebuchadnezzar, had a bad dream.
It was such a bad dream that he wanted to know what it meant. He called in all his wise men, magicians and astrologers to ask them.
And so that he would know that the interpretation was right, he thought he’d throw in a little proof-challenge, as power-hungry despots are apt to do occasionally: "Tell me my dream and then interpret it. Otherwise I’ll kill all of you."
Nebuchadnezzar was looking to his wise men to answer the unanswerable. To solve the unsolvable. To fathom the unfathomable.
And of course, not unreasonably, no-one could do it.
This is what the wise men and the magicians said to the king in chapter 2, verses 10 and 11:
"There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks… What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men."
That of course is true. But Daniel knows the God who can reveal it to the king. He prays, asks his friends to pray, and seeks the answer from God. And he comes through. God is the source of the solution.
Daniel makes sure that the king knows this. In V24-28 He’s careful to tell the king that it’s not his own cleverness, but God’s revelation. He certainly doesn't take the glory for himself.
The details of the dream are interesting and worth more study on your own perhaps, but I’m not going into them here. What I'm more concerned with is that God began this story looking like a loser, defeated by the most impressive army ever seen on earth. He finishes up this story the ultimate winner. He is the only one who has the answer to the unanswerable question posed by the most powerful man on earth.
And Nebuchadnezzar says these humble words: "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries.”
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Daniel 1 & 2: God's people - undefiled and wise
This follows on from yesterday's post, looking at how God went from an apparent loser to ultimate victor in the first two chapters of Daniel. How did he do it? Well, firstly he used his people.
Let’s look at God’s people first, and we’ll notice two things about them. Firstly, they are undefiled. And secondly they are wise.
In verse 3 some young Israelites were brought into the Babylonian court. What were they there for? To assimilate into the new culture, learn the language and customs. They were expected to go from being Israelites and God’s people to becoming completely loyal to their new overlords. Basically, to becoming Babylonians with new names and identities.
(Interestingly their new names all had something to do with the Babylonian gods.)
Now in verse 4 let’s notice that Daniel and his friends did not resist this. They kicked up no stink being captured, being brought in. They even submitted to the new names. They were ok with learning about the Babylonian culture – and this could have included magic and divination. On the outside, it looked like they were well on their way to getting new Babylonian identities and leaving their loyalty to God behind.
But in verse 8 we see that they are certainly not completely Babylonian. They took a stand for God. And oddly enough, what they stood against was the food!
For whatever reason, they believed it defiled them. It may have been kosher rules, may have been the possibility that the food was offered to the Babylonian gods beforehand. Commentators seem to be unsure as to the exact reason.
However, regardless of Daniel's reasoning, the fact that he stood up against it shows he and his friends still knew who they were – God’s people. Even though he appeared defeated, they still knew what he expected of them – to be pure and undefiled.
Daniel may have decided not to eat the food, but he had a few hoops to jump. And here is where we see the wisdom of God’s people.
Instead of just declaring his stand as a protest, Daniel decided to go through the right channels and ask permission to eat his veggies. But he hit a snag: the official wasn’t going to allow it. Daniel was unfazed. He found someone else to ask, with a different approach this time: “Test us and you’ll see”.
He was successful. And throughout the rest of the two chapters, we see Daniel’s wisdom in the way he deals with everyone from the king, to the guards, to his friends.
God's people were undefiled and wise, but they also had a job to do. Wait for the next post to find out what it was!
Let’s look at God’s people first, and we’ll notice two things about them. Firstly, they are undefiled. And secondly they are wise.
In verse 3 some young Israelites were brought into the Babylonian court. What were they there for? To assimilate into the new culture, learn the language and customs. They were expected to go from being Israelites and God’s people to becoming completely loyal to their new overlords. Basically, to becoming Babylonians with new names and identities.
(Interestingly their new names all had something to do with the Babylonian gods.)
Now in verse 4 let’s notice that Daniel and his friends did not resist this. They kicked up no stink being captured, being brought in. They even submitted to the new names. They were ok with learning about the Babylonian culture – and this could have included magic and divination. On the outside, it looked like they were well on their way to getting new Babylonian identities and leaving their loyalty to God behind.
But in verse 8 we see that they are certainly not completely Babylonian. They took a stand for God. And oddly enough, what they stood against was the food!
For whatever reason, they believed it defiled them. It may have been kosher rules, may have been the possibility that the food was offered to the Babylonian gods beforehand. Commentators seem to be unsure as to the exact reason.
However, regardless of Daniel's reasoning, the fact that he stood up against it shows he and his friends still knew who they were – God’s people. Even though he appeared defeated, they still knew what he expected of them – to be pure and undefiled.
Daniel may have decided not to eat the food, but he had a few hoops to jump. And here is where we see the wisdom of God’s people.
Instead of just declaring his stand as a protest, Daniel decided to go through the right channels and ask permission to eat his veggies. But he hit a snag: the official wasn’t going to allow it. Daniel was unfazed. He found someone else to ask, with a different approach this time: “Test us and you’ll see”.
He was successful. And throughout the rest of the two chapters, we see Daniel’s wisdom in the way he deals with everyone from the king, to the guards, to his friends.
God's people were undefiled and wise, but they also had a job to do. Wait for the next post to find out what it was!
Monday, October 02, 2006
Daniel 1 & 2: God, from loser to victor
The next few entries are all from a talk I gave recently on Daniel 1 and 2. My mum commented afterwards that she's never heard those two chapters put together in a sermon, but I think they go together neatly if you see it as the story of God in Babylon, rather than the story of Daniel in Babylon!
God is a loser. At least, that’s how it looks in the first two verses of Daniel chapter 1.
The tiny little nation of Judah was besieged and under threat from Babylon, the biggest international superpower of the time. The Babylonians were fierce, ruthless and terrifying. It looked like they would just eat God’s people for breakfast and spit out their trophies.
And in fact, in verse two, some of their trophies are things from the temple. The great God of the Israelites, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Moses, the living God, according to his people – it was his temple that was desecrated, despoiled and devastated..
Yes, to everyone looking on, to the world and the nations nearby, Israel and Judah’s God looks like a loser. He is defeated. He is vanquished. The might of the Babylonians has it all over him.
It’s not a good start for God in the book of Daniel. Or is it?
Have a look more closely in verse two. There are several characters here: the babylonian king - Nebuchadnezzar, the Judean King - Jehoiakim and God.
In this second verse, we see what the book of Daniel is all about: the Lord. "The Lord delivered Judah into Nebuchadnezzar’s hands."
He starts out, painted as a loser to the outside world. But have a look at the end of chapter 2. In verse 47, the very king who desecrated the temple and stole God’s things, the king who vanquished Israel’s God and made him appear small and ridiculous to the world is saying these incredible words:
"Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries.”
How did this happen? How did God go from defeat to triumph? From ridicule to renown? There are two things to see, and we'll explore them in the next few blogs. One, he did it by using his people. Two, he did it by revelation.
God is a loser. At least, that’s how it looks in the first two verses of Daniel chapter 1.
The tiny little nation of Judah was besieged and under threat from Babylon, the biggest international superpower of the time. The Babylonians were fierce, ruthless and terrifying. It looked like they would just eat God’s people for breakfast and spit out their trophies.
And in fact, in verse two, some of their trophies are things from the temple. The great God of the Israelites, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Moses, the living God, according to his people – it was his temple that was desecrated, despoiled and devastated..
Yes, to everyone looking on, to the world and the nations nearby, Israel and Judah’s God looks like a loser. He is defeated. He is vanquished. The might of the Babylonians has it all over him.
It’s not a good start for God in the book of Daniel. Or is it?
Have a look more closely in verse two. There are several characters here: the babylonian king - Nebuchadnezzar, the Judean King - Jehoiakim and God.
In this second verse, we see what the book of Daniel is all about: the Lord. "The Lord delivered Judah into Nebuchadnezzar’s hands."
He starts out, painted as a loser to the outside world. But have a look at the end of chapter 2. In verse 47, the very king who desecrated the temple and stole God’s things, the king who vanquished Israel’s God and made him appear small and ridiculous to the world is saying these incredible words:
"Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries.”
How did this happen? How did God go from defeat to triumph? From ridicule to renown? There are two things to see, and we'll explore them in the next few blogs. One, he did it by using his people. Two, he did it by revelation.
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