God has a plan for 2011 (and you’re in it)

Readers of the Daily Telegraph might have spotted a remarkable photo of a dolphin in mid flight in last week Thursday’s edition (http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/fishermans-photo-catch-of-the-day-a-dolphin-frolicking-in-the-air-at-coffs-harbour/story-e6freuy9-1225974656338). If you look closely, you might be able to make out the cheeky look on the dolphin’s face. It’s almost as though its thinking, “Wheee! Look at me go!” but we can only wonder what was going through its head as the photo was taken.

The dolphin playing in the waves was only doing what it was created to do. And it probably put a smile on the face of the fisherman watching it. For those of us who are wondering what 2011 will bring, it will be good to remember that God created each one of us with a role to play in His plans for eternity (Jeremiah 29:11). Just as the dolphin is filled with joy and brings pleasure to those watching it, as we play our part in God’s plan we will also feel God’s pleasure as we bless those around us. While it is hard to imagine how or why an infinite God would have interest in each individual person on this planet, the fact remains that the Creator of the universe has a personal interest in you (Psalm 139) and you have a part to play in His plans for 2011.

As 2010 comes to a close some of us may want to take some time out to ponder the highlights and lowlights of the year (and we won’t say anything about the cricket here!). All of us probably experienced God’s goodness at some points in the year and we should take a moment to thank God for them. For those who have suffered loss in 2010, we may want to vent our anger or sorrow to God. The Psalms are full of prayers made by frustrated people (Psalms 12, 13, 38, 60, 74, 83, 102, 109, 120, 130, 143) and if you’ve never tried it before, it can be quite therapeutic. Who knows? You might even hear God answering you as you call out to Him. Our creator appreciates honesty but His answers may not always be what we expect!

The Season of the Gift

In this politically correct, inclusive and tolerant age, Christmas can have many different meanings to many different people. Some will tell you that it is all about family. Others will say that it is a time to be grateful (but they may not be able to tell you who to be grateful to). A visiting Martian observing the cards, decorations and songs may very well come to the conclusion that the celebrations revolve around fir trees, snow, a jolly bearded red-suited man, reindeer or even (according to some family traditions) the barbie by the pool. A smaller segment of society will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ but parents may have to be sensitive as many small children could be easily confused (“But isn’t that a naughty swear word daddy?”).

For some, the season is about giving. Businessman Dick Smith came out guns blazing recently accusing the ‘super rich’ in the country for not giving away enough this Christmas (http://www.smh.com.au/national/tycoon-dick-blasts-australias--appalling-and-greedy-super-wealthy-20101221-193q1.html). For Mr Smith, this is the season of giving, of gifts and of putting the needs of others over oneself. It’s almost a Biblical way of looking at Christmas- a time of remembering Jesus Christ, God’s gift to all humanity.

While many will be quick to point out that Christmas has pagan origins (being the celebration of the winter solstice), Australia does not have a pagan history. The Europeans who colonized this great land brought with them Christian faith, values and traditions, one of which was the celebration Christ’s birth (Luke 2:1-7). As Christians who read the Bible, we read how the Eternal, Infinite, Almighty Living God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth was born to a peasant couple in Bethlehem as a gift to all humanity. It is a time for us to remember that we were undeserving of this gift but God was reaching out to us anyway. It is a reminder that in the midst of a broken world there still is Hope for all peoples. It is a reminder that God desires Peace on earth and Goodwill to all of us and He sent Jesus to show us the way.

The Almost Religious Experience of Oprah

How many times has US President Barack Obama visited Australia? Zero. But really, had he come to visit, the media would have been full of news reports about trade, defence treaties, and possibly even the global threat of climate change. Ho hum. Perhaps then it’s just as well that the most powerful woman in America came to visit instead of the most powerful man.

Oprah’s visit Down Under has been somewhat of a publicity coup for Tourism Australia which coughed up $5 million towards her visit. Concerned tax-payers however need not be dismayed. Pundits estimate the Big O’s visit will generate $14 million worth of publicity in the United States and $71 million domestically. This is a pretty good return on the investment compared to the Lara Bingle ad bungle which cost $180 million (yes, really) and had to be withdrawn when some countries objected to the swear word (you know which one) and the mention of alcohol (some countries are just very strict about such things). Oprah on the other hand will soon be seen and heard shouting her love for Australia and all things Australian in 145 countries with God knows how many people hanging on to every word.

As we pause and reflect on this extraordinary event two things may come to mind. Firstly, as we observe the almost religious fervour/ecstasy of Oprah’s followers, let us remember the coming of a man who came quietly into this world two thousand years ago. He was not given $5 million to show up but He came anyway, born in an unfashionable backwater to tell us all He loved us and wanted to give us a special gift. There were no pearl necklaces or laptops involved, instead there was a promise of Undeserved Divine Favour.

Secondly, Oprah believes in the goodness of this country (and why not indeed?) and is only too happy to share the good news to all her friends and acquaintances. As Christians who have experienced the goodness of this Undeserved Divine Favour, should we not also be as enthusiastic in sharing our excitement of this great Gift? And why should our excitement be any less?

God, could you please fix the plumbing?

After going through years of drought, what is going on? According to a hydrologist with the Bureau of Meteorology, the flooding which is afflicting large parts of New South Wales is “a once in 20 years event”. While all the rain would have been welcome during the drought years, most would agree that there is just too much of it now!

Many news reports carry stories of farmers who had hoped that the rains would bring some relief after so many barren dry years. But now there is too much of it. Even the vines are suffering from the damp.  “How can a good God allow such a terrible thing to happen?” will be one of the questions which will be asked. Those who don’t believe in God will be spared this question as a non-existent God cannot be responsible for any events in the world, good or bad. Those who do believe in God however are left with tough questions. Is God really good? Does He really care for us? How could He let something like this happen?

As to the question, “Why?”, the Bible does not disclose much. We know from the book of Job, that God does not give Job an answer for his suffering. All he is left with is the realisation that God is God and Job is not. For tough questions such as the recent flooding only God knows the answer and we are just asked to trust in His wisdom.

But we live in hope. The Bible teaches that the world suffers from the fall (Romans 8:22) but that God will one day inaugurate a new age when there will be no more sadness or suffering (Revelation 21:4). Our hope is ultimately in God and the next world. We can also be comforted knowing that we have a God who is intimately familiar to the human experience of grief and pain. For those who have put their faith in God, we have the promise that we are not and will never be alone. God walks with us (Matthew 1:23) and will bring us safely home one day.

That Devil Drink

For those who read the Mudgee Guardian’s police briefs from last week you might have seen a recurring theme running through most of the segments. If you haven’t it can be read here: http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/news/local/news/general/police-briefs-for-november-24/2006404.aspx?storypage=0

At a first glance it would seem that alcohol intoxication would be either a primary or secondary factor in many of the incidences in the report. But this seems to be in line with the state average. According to NSW State Commissioner Andrew Scipione, 70% of all street crime is caused by alcohol overindulgence (http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/booze-is-the-reason-for-crime-scipione-20100913-157hu.html). For those who are not convinced of the dangers of overdosing on booze, The National Health and Medical Research Council’s website (http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/your_health/healthy/alcohol/burden.htm) lists a frightening array of diseases associated with alcohol consumption. These include cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, malnutrition, obesity, liver diseases etc etc. Does this mean Christians should not drink at all?

The Bible actually mentions wine a fair bit in the Bible. The first time we read about it is in Genesis 9:21 when someone quite important (Noah) gets sloshed. Are we to see this as a warning against drinking alcohol? Probably not but there are many other Bible passages which warn against overindulgence (Proverbs 20:1, 23:29-32, Isaiah 5:11, Ephesians 5:18). So we may drink, but not in excess. After all, we even read about Jesus turning water into wine (John 2:9) at a wedding.

Something else we need to consider as Christians is that everybody is different and for some people, alcohol is a hindrance to their spiritual growth. On our part, we should be aware of our own limits and ensure we do not go beyond them but we should also be sensitive of those who may be struggling to control their own drinking habits. Just because we feel we are free to drink (within our limits of course) we should not assume everyone else is too. There are those who live with a daily temptation to overindulge and we should do our best to support our brothers and sisters who fight this temptation. The apostle Paul writes with this in mind in Romans 14:21.

Red Frogs and Good Neighbours

What are Red Frogs? For some people they are just lollies which can give one a boost during the day. For others, Red Frogs are a helping hand, a pancake breakfast, a ride back home after a long night out, a feeling that one is safe, a room cleaning service, and a light in the dark.

Each year, thousands of school leavers celebrate the end of their secondary education by going away from home and celebrating the next phase of their lives with friends. While for many this is merely a release from the pressures of Year 12 exams, for some, things go too far and get out of control quickly. And this is where the Red Frogs come in.

The Red Frogs consist of young adults who volunteer their time and energy to assist, befriend, guide, feed and entertain schoolies. The aims of the Red Frogs (according to their website: http://www.redfrogs.com.au/hotelchaplaincy/about-us/what-is-red-frogs) are to “support school leavers” during schoolies week and to provide “a positive presence within their party culture”. While many (mostly those who don’t have children) wouldn’t be too concerned about what these youngsters are up to, there is something very Jesus-like about these Red Frogs.

Two thoughts come to mind. For starters, these Red Frogs go in to help, not to be judgemental. They mingle with the teenagers, try to spot trouble before it begins and provide good advice without too much condemnation and finger shaking. Very much like Jesus and the woman who was almost stoned to death (John 8:3-11).

Secondly, there is something also quite Jesus-like about how they help those who might have despised them in the past. Let’s have no illusions about how hard it is to be identified as a Christian while one is in High School. Apart from the higher moral standards Christian teens have to hold on to (which isn’t a bad thing) they also may have to cop snide remarks and occasional ridicule from their peers. But they still stop and help out anyway, pulling them out from the gutter (when necessary). How remarkably like another story from the Bible (Luke 10:25-37).

Total Recall Required

The A380 was hailed as the next level in passenger planes. When it was first launched, the plane was larger and could carry more people than any other commercial aircraft at that time. Unfortunately the A380 suffered a blow to its reputation two weeks ago during a Qantas flight when an explosion in one of its engines forced it back to the nearest airport. Those who were in the plane at that time reported a catastrophic malfunction which sent a spray of shrapnel through the wing of the A380. The stricken plane managed to land safely and fortunately there were no injuries but since then, every other airline which uses the A380 has been rushing to replace one of the components in the Trent 900 engines which the plane uses.

After frantically studying the problem, Rolls Royce, the manufacturer of the faulty engine, issued a statement claiming, “… the failure was confined to a specific component in the turbine area of the engine (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/11/12/3065263.htm).” In other words, one of the many parts in the engine had failed and in failing had almost brought the plane down. In order for the A380 to fly safely every single component of each engine must work perfectly. Even if 99.99 of all the components were to work well it still isn’t good enough as we now know.

While many of us are happy knowing that we are 75% perfect, or 85% perfect, or for a rare few 99.99% perfect, to God, that’s not good enough to fly on. Like each of the components in the Rolls Royce Trent 900, only 100% will do. But no one is 100% perfect and that is why God’s plan of salvation involves a total recall. We must all be born again (John 3:3-7) in order to be 100% perfect. All of us are tainted by sin but God has given us a way out by sending Jesus to show us how to be remade in His image. By putting our faith in Jesus and accepting what He did for us on the cross, we can destroy our sinful nature and experience a new life (1 Peter 1:3).

Like a flower on the field

As for mortals, their days are like grass;

They flourish like a flower on the field;

For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,

And its place knows it no more.

Psalm 103:15-16, NRSV

Where were you when Mel died? According to a report at least 2.335 million were watching when the popular character was killed off on the hit TV series Packed to the Rafters. For those who don’t watch (or care), poor Mel died in a car accident while texting and driving (an object lesson on why doing both simultaneously often leads to tears). Within moments of the event, fans of Packed were venting their sadness (or anger) over the tragic incident with a psychologist even warning that the episode could trigger overwhelming sadness which would require some to “…adopt strategies to overcome their grief” (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad-application/rafters-funeral-hits-raw-nerve-with-fans/story-fn6bfkm6-1225950231325).

It is a tragedy of death that we all know it’s coming but we don’t know when. Many who saw Ben Rafter planning that romantic getaway with Mel and running to the knock on the door might have reached for that Kleenex just then. What an awful moment it is when we are suddenly confronted with the realisation that all our hopes and dreams of sharing the future with a loved one are irrefutably and undeniably over.

As Christians, the Bible reminds us that death is the result of sin entering the world (Genesis 2:17, Romans 6:23) but that Jesus came to set us free from our fear of death (Hebrew 2:15). It will always be a mystery how the Immortal, Eternal Creator of Heaven and Earth shared humanity’s experience of death and overcame it but in doing so He made it possible for us to share in His victory (Romans 4:25, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 1 Thessalonians 4:14). Just as we walk with God in this life, we will walk with God in the next. Sadly those who choose not to be in a relationship with God in this world will not be forced to spend eternity with Him in the next. God respects choice but the Bible has nothing good to say about eternal separation from God.

A celebration of darkness

Sometimes we just forget. We forget our house keys, where we parked the car or (sometime to our great peril) loved one’s birthdays. This is possibly why Christmas is often associated with Rudolph and hohoho. It is because some have forgotten the real reason behind the celebration. In the same way, many have also forgotten what Halloween is all about.

Last weekend, many in town would have noticed a fair number of people wandering the streets in the guise of goblins, gremlins, ghouls, witches, warlocks, vampires, villains and other representations of the undead. But why is this associated with Halloween and what are we celebrating? Well it really depends on who you are. If you’re a teenager, it’s just another excuse to paaartaaay. Commercially, it’s another reason for retail growth but to druids or neo pagans, it’s a festival of darkness or the dead.

According to the fount of all knowledge (aka Wikipedia) it was believed that at this time of the year, those that had passed on could cross back over into this world and that in order to ward off evil spirits, a person had to dress up like one to confuse them (as if).

In stark contrast, Christianity is all about life (Psalm 36:9, John 6:33, Colossians 2:13). The Bible teaches that death is evil (Genesis 2:17, Romans 5:12, Ephesians 2:1) and that Jesus came that we might not just have life, but have it in abundance (John 10:10). As Christians we believe that light will always triumph over the darkness and that the resurrection of Christ is a celebration of life and victory over death (1 Corinthians 15:26, 2 Titus 1:10, Revelation 1:18).

Still, it is doubtful that this annual occurrence will go away anytime soon so we should consider it an opportunity to discuss the reality of the spiritual world with those who haven’t picked a side yet. The Bible teaches that (even though we can’t see it) there is a war going on in the spiritual realm (Ephesians 6:12, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 12:17) and we all need to pick a side, whether we like it or not.

The standard: For better or worse

What’s the point of a lifelong commitment? A writer on the Sydney Morning Herald website (http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/lifematters/should-marriages-have-an-expiry-date-20101025-16zpb.html) recently suggested that since divorce is so common nowadays, marriage certificates should have ten year expiry dates. The romantic ideal of growing old together seems to be getting rather… well, old.

An antidote to this cynical view might be for us to consider the biblical ideal for marriage. In the beginning, God made man and woman, and it was a good thing (Genesis 2:18). Much later, the apostle Paul explains husbands and wives should have the same sort of love as Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:22-28). The picture of unconditional love here is Jesus laying down His life for His church. It is important for us to remember that not once did Jesus ever say, “But what about me?!”

The idea of love is to put the need of the other before one’s own. Not just when one feels like it. The concept of God’s love is a ‘doing’ verb which encompasses the past, present and future (Jeremiah 31:3). Feelings (strangely enough) are not central in the act of loving. We know that Jesus did not feel like being crucified (Mark 14:36) but out of love for His Father, Jesus went though it anyway.

And that is the theoretical aspect of love as per the Bible. In reality though, many of us (yes even Christians) regrettably fall short of this standard. In this fallen world, each one of us often looks to our own interests first. We are constantly reminded that we need to do what is right for me. But in the Biblical ideal, it’s not about me and without God’s help we might as well have that ten year expiry date.

Weddings should be an opportunity for a man and a woman to stand before God, family and friends, promising to look to the best interests of the other person for as long as they live. Central to the Christian wedding is the promise made to God by the couple but also requesting His help in keeping that promise. It’s about working towards a standard.

The immeasurable value of life

Apparently 85% of Australians support voluntary euthanasia. Or that’s what a billboard on the Hume Highway in Sydney is saying. The Sydney Morning Herald wrote an article about it this week noting that even the Prime Minister has promised debate on the matter.

Euthanasia is an emotionally packed subject. There are those who go through days filled with pain on end or live with limited physical abilities that many of us take for granted. The argument for euthanasia is that those who desire it should have a right to end it all. But there are endless questions to ask and debate, and many of them will probably not be met satisfactorily.

For example, what defines quality of life? And who defines it? Can someone going through a traumatic phase of life (or depression) be in the right frame of mind to make right choices? And who decides what we do with all those who fall short of our ‘quality of life’ definition? How can we know their motives are faultless and completely objective? Do we have to right to decide who can live or die? Should anyone be even allowed to bear this terrible burden? It is also ironical that politicians who debate on whether those who do not feel they have sufficient quality of life should be allowed to end their lives, would equally oppose the death penalty of drug dealers in other countries, keeping in mind that the scourge of drug abuse dramatically reduces the quality of life of not only the addict, but the entire community he or she lives in.

As Christians though, we believe that everything we have comes from God and should be used in His service. If we look to the Bible, we find that life is a precious gift from God (Genesis 2:7, Job 12:10, Acts 17:25) and is therefore sacred (Genesis 9:5, Exodus 20:13). Humanity was created to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever and while we may lay down our lives in service to God or each other, the unsanctioned taking of life (Genesis 9:6) is and should be forbidden.

A Perspective on Truth

Once upon a time Bruce Guthrie was a very powerful man. In a recent interview with Kerry O’Brien on ABC’s The 7.30 Report, he recounted how former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd would send him text messages from football games. But that was when he was still editor in chief of the Herald Sun which (according to its own website) sells more than 554,000 copies a day.

In November 2008 however, he was dismissed from his job and he proceeded to take the owners of the paper to court. In Mr Guthrie’s opinion, he had done his job well and did not deserve to lose his position. The court ruled in his favour in May this year and ordered News Limited to pay him $580,808 plus interests and costs. Mr Guthrie then wrote a book (as one does) with the rather cheeky title of Man Bites Murdoch. For as we all know, Rupert Murdoch is the owner of News Corporation Limited.

In his interview with Kerry O’Brien, Bruce revealed that he did his job well, but just never did well in work politics. If he’d played by the rules, he’d still have his job. Bruce shared that all the news in the company had to go through particular filters: “What will Rupert think? What will the Murdoch family think? What will the corporate partners think? Is this in the business interest?” In other words, there were some specific perspectives which journalists there had to consider. Does this mean all the news from News Limited can be discarded as untrue? Not really. As most journalists will be able to tell you, having a particular perspective on an issue does not make it untrue. All people will have some sort of perspective. Nobody is entirely free of bias.

And this is something we need to consider when we hear criticism of the Bible as biased reporting of historical events. As Christians, we believe that the Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit, but it was also written by people. A shepherd, a doctor, a king, a fisherman and many others. Their particular perspective does not invalidate their testimony (see Luke 1:1-4).

Who was that Man?

If you’re ever sitting at a party, bored out of your skull with nothing interesting coming up in conversation, there’s always one question which you could throw into the pot (and stir up all sorts of opinions and volatile passions). “What do you think of Julia Gillard?” or Tony Abbott, or any other political leader in this country. Depending on your company, you could discover all sorts of new things you never knew before about the person you were asking about. Sometimes you find out all sorts of things about the company you’re with too.

One of the questions which Jesus asked his disciples was what the general public thought of himself (Matthew 16:13). The responses were quite uniform in that most people thought he was a dead person who had come back again. Some said he was John the Baptist (who had recently been beheaded) while others thought he was Elijah or Jeremiah, both of whom had not been seen for hundreds of years. It is interesting that no one among the crowds thought of Jesus as the Promised Deliverer of all Humanity (aka the Messiah).

Simon Peter however (and the disciples) recognised his true identity and divine nature which is why they followed and worshipped Jesus. For if the good news is that Jesus really is God incarnate (who came to deliver us from the corruption of the fall and eternal damnation), then the bad news is that recognising the lordship of Christ involves total dedication. This is possibly one of the reasons why no one among the crowds could acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. Probably why people today (confronted with evidence of Jesus’ existence) still do not. Half heartedness is not an option, it is all or nothing.

As beings who are created for eternity, we can never find fulfilment in temporal existence. Only an Eternal Being can give hope and purpose to a people created for infinity. In the words of Jesus, “If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.” (Matthew 16:24-25 NLT)

Help a weak brother today!

What do Dolly Parton, Samantha Fox and Katy Perry have in common? Depends on who you ask but most people would say they are famous for their singing ability. Other people might say they are famous for other things but they might not tell you what they are (especially if you’re in polite company).

This week Katy Perry was to have performed on Sesame Street. Regrettably she was pulled off air at the last minute for being ‘inappropriately dressed’. Most people can’t figure out what all the fuss is about. After all we are all free to wear what we like and society generally has a hissy fit when someone in authority tells us what we can and can’t wear. It gets even worse when a religious establishment tells us what appropriate dress is but we won’t even go there.

In order to understand the bigger picture, we must first get our heads around an important concept about human males. Teenage guys for example mostly only have one thing on their mind. It’s hard to understand what that is when you don’t have testosterone burning through your arteries with every beat of your heart but there you go. Sometimes it gets easier as one gets older but not always. As Christian men however, we are reminded of Jesus’ teaching that looking at a woman with dirty thoughts is verboten (Matthew 5:28). And shacking up is also frowned upon (Exodus 20:14, Matthew 5:27, Romans 13:9) which is probably one of the reasons people got married so early back then.

Women, just like men are made in the image of God and we want to honour and esteem them for the beautiful creatures they are. But the fact of the matter is, it is difficult to do so when distracted by overflowing voluptuousness. Very difficult. Especially when you are a testosteroney teenager. And this is where the fairer sex can help. The Bible also teaches that stumbling the weaker brethren is not very considerate (Romans 14:19-22). As summer approaches, most men are quietly rejoicing at the sights to come. But spare a thought for the weak brother(s)!