The home that I grew up in was a place of vibrant discussion and opinion, and we enjoyed the debate. Although we tried to disagree, our culture was the same and our thoughts were more united than we liked to admit! Now that I am living in California, I have gradually merged my British views and culture with an American mindset. I am the one who has changed the most and we agree on less than we used to.

I have moved continents and may have changed more than many other women of my age. However, anyone who has changed location, or become a wife and mother is in a different relationship with parents than when she was a child growing up. Rather than airing personal reflections on this challenge, it is more valuable to consider a few wise words from the Bible on this subject.

In Genesis 2: 24 we are taught that marriage between a man and a woman requires the couple to leave their parents and to join together as one: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and become one flesh.”

The words “leave” and “join” are significant. Leaving the protection and culture of the family nest can be hard, especially for the woman who values love and security. Adjusting to being married requires huge adjustments in roles and priorities, and refusing to emotionally or physically leave the parents can threaten the marriage. When we are married we are different from before. We must embrace the inevitable changes and join together with our husband to form a new family unit.

Does this changed relationship mean that we can disassociate from our parents? Not at all. The ten commandments teach us to honor our parents. Children are expected to obey their parents but this no longer applies to adult children. Marriage results in the woman being under the authority and protection of her husband rather than her parents, but the special honor that we should show our parents should continue to characterize our lives.

Sadly honor is a word that is rarely used today. It combines love, respect, looking up to, valuing highly….  In our culture there is little evidence of honor unless we count idolizing the rich and famous. Honoring parents should not depend on their status, political views, or health. It should not depend on whether we agree with them. It is a response of thankfulness and love. For some grown up “kids” honoring parents must be a difficult challenge if they grew up in dangerous and threatening homes. Only Jesus can create a forgiving and honoring response to parents who inflicted pain on their kids through neglect or abuse as they grew up.

My parents gave me love, security and fun. They invested hugely in my life. I am very thankful. The intense times of re-uniting from half way round the globe are no excuse. My role is to honor, to serve, to bless and to respect. I do not have to obey or to surrender to their opinions but I need to listen to them, to learn and to value them rather than to proudly defend my rights.  I do not have to prove my worth or win an argument. I should not sulk or withdraw.

In my family, we all follow the same God. Jesus is the one who can change the heart of the overgrown child to reflect His love and peace. If you are tempted to dishonor or to withdraw from relatives this Christmas, please learn from my mistakes and let Jesus transform your heart and tongue. I enjoyed spending time with my parents, but if I had responded to the words that I have written here, it would have been even better.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Adult Children’s Relationships with their Parents – a Christian Response

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My parents were children in Britain during World War II and growing up we heard many of their stories about bombing, rationing and their Mickey Mouse gas masks. Mustard gas was an awful weapon used with lethal results by the Germans in the first world war. Many were blinded and the British took seriously the threat of Germany invading Britain during the second world war, bringing with them, the nightmarish gas. Thankfully, the Germans lost the Battle of Britain in the air and they failed to invade Britain, but we were ready. The Mickey Mouse gas masks were designed for the children. They were made to look fun so that the kids would be prepared to put them on. They had practices so that the school children were ready if gas became a threat. My mother’s family lived near London and the bombing during the Blitz forced them to initially hide in their cupboard, under the stairs and later to go in the air raid shelter that they had built in their garden. Living like this became a routine. It was a way of life.

I know that men and women who have fought in battle understand the necessity of being prepared, knowing exactly what to do when attacked. As a Christian I believe that we need to be aware that there is a fierce battle going on right now, in our midst. If you are not a Christian you may not be aware of this. Jesus came to earth two thousand years ago to rescue us from the power of darkness. In Colossians 1: 13 Paul writes that God “has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness”. Unless we reach out to Jesus and receive His salvation we are in darkness, under the power of the evil one, the devil. Paul continues that God “transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son (Jesus), who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.”

How did Jesus purchase our freedom? He died for us, He bled for us. He bought us with His blood. Imagine a Jew in Germany trying to escape. He might purchase his freedom by bribing a guard or paying for a ticket to get on a ship to leave the darkness that was engulfing him in Germany. Jesus purchased our freedom. We belong to Satan’s kingdom of darkness but we cannot enter God’s kingdom of light unless Jesus pays the ransom. We actually deserve to die. Paul writes “You were His enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now He has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in His physical body, As a result, He has bought you into His own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault.” (Colossians 1:21,22)

We need to realize that, unless we come before Jesus thankfully and humbly to receive the forgiveness that He secured for us by bleeding to death on the wooden cross, we will remain in the darkness. The devil wants to keep us there. It would be like sunbathing when the German bomber planes were attacking your neighborhood, but worse. If you are not a Christian please read the Bible, talk to a Christian who takes his faith seriously and wake up to the spiritual battle that is raging. Jesus has already defeated the devil but unless you have put yourself on Jesus’ side, becoming part of His Kingdom, you are in danger. If you are a Christian, are you pointing your friends to Jesus the Savior? Are you helping them understand the nature of the battle and are you seeking the protection that we need from Jesus as we deal with the backlash from Satan that we will receive?

As we remember those who died for their country let’s also remember Jesus who died for our eternal freedom. Unlike all the other war heroes who died, Jesus rose from the dead and He continues to battle on our behalf. He protects us and rescues those who believe from the Kingdom of darkness.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Veterans Day: A Christian Response

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Tom’s future dreams, which will no doubt change in a few weeks, are influenced by a few days of past happiness. It is easy to make decisions based on similar experiences. A friend of my parents was also in love with Wales. He probably also experienced idyllic summer holidays and he determined that his wife and children would move to a beautiful remote location in Wales. He was unable to be there for much of the time as he was working in London during the week. He joined them in this supposed paradise for the weekends. I met the wife and kids once when they lived near my family in Hampshire, in the south of England, prior to their move to Wales. I don’t remember her name, but the mother was very sociable and a people person like myself. At the time I was a student, training to be a teacher and she asked me to read some Bible stories to her young kids, the one time that I met her: perhaps I had mentioned my new found Christian faith to her. I remember reading the children’s Bible to her lovely, young sons in her garden which was pretty and typically English: roses and a very green lawn thanks to plenty of rain.

My mother continued to mention this family occasionally. They moved to Wales but their lifestyle was not the buzz of extended family, games and nice weather that are typical of a week’s summer vacation. The loneliness was intense and the last I heard was the terrible news that the bubbly, friendly wife and mother had committed suicide. The beautiful countryside was not enough.

Today when I was speaking with Tom I advised him always to prayerfully consider what direction he should take in life. It is easy to run after dreams and to pursue a fantasy that can end in disaster. I assured Tom that heaven would be perfect but until then it is important to pray and to seek Jesus’ lead. I suggested that he should do something worthwhile and that he should not limit his decisions to a certain location or pay package. Of course we need to earn money but it should not be the main determiner of what we do and neither should the beauty of the location be the deciding factor.

Proverbs 3:5-6 offers words of wisdom: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” As humans we are easily influenced by experiences that are foolish. It is not only teenagers contemplating their future who need to seek God’s path. We all need His guidance. We are inclined to follow our hearts but the Bible warns us that our hearts can’t be trusted: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

The verses preceding verse 9 in this chapter in the book of Jeremiah illustrate the difference between the man or woman who trusts God and those who trust man for direction. I suggest that you read Jeremiah chapter 17 verses 5-9. The one depending on man’s guidance will be “like a bush in the wastelands”, whereas the person who trusts in the Lord is in a much safer place: “He will will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

If we seek God’s direction for our lives through prayer, Bible study and speaking with Christians who are mature in their faith, we will be shown the right path. This might not look picturesque and it might not be very profitable, but if it is God’s will, it will be a place where we will “bear fruit” for we will be relying on Jesus. He will satisfy us even if life is hard. The woman I met briefly was “like a bush in the wastelands” as her husband followed his heart. I feel certain that he did not seek God’s direction or seek the opinion of his wife. May this sad situation remind us to seek Jesus’ wisdom rather than following our hearts. Our hearts are deceitful.

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Guidance for the future

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In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13) there are many seedlings that do not reach maturity. They are more disappointing to the gardener than the small dry grapefruit because the seedlings never bore any fruit and the seeds that were taken by the birds were non starters. Fruit is not only delicious but it also has the capacity for more of the same plant to grow. The original seed, if it grows effectively, can produce multiple seed producing fruits and the result is wonderful.

In Matthew 13:23, Jesus explains that “the seed that fell on good soil represent those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” This is God’s will, and surely the goal of the church, that those who hear the good news about Jesus will understand the truth, and mature and multiply in the sense that they will help others to become productive children of God.

A Christian is not the smug, pew filler that I used to be. I was smug because I thought that I had done what was necessary by being in church, but I was no more than a seed on a hard piece of English stone floor, waiting to grow. There was so little truth to listen to and I did not understand that I needed to respond. Thankfully, Jesus put me in the equivalent of fertile soil when I went to college and arrived in a good church. The Bible was taught faithfully and as I listened I started to grow.

It seems that the hearer needs to be alert and listening and the message needs to be clear and true. It is so easy for all of us to be selective in our hearing. My children are adept at ignoring instructions to help but quick to hear any mention of food! The seeds that successfully reached maturity are like people who understand that without Jesus they are hopelessly lost. They hear and apply every one of His words to ensure that they grow up as God’s children rather than as a stunted, self absorbed seedling that shrivels up when in difficulty. The seed that becomes productive is like a true follower of Jesus who is not seeking his own comfort and pleasure but instead, like Jesus gives up his life. In John 12:24 Jesus says,”Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”

Many people want to have the reassurance of being connected to Jesus. They marvel that He rose from the dead and they believe that He has the power to successfully rescue us from the curse of death. They are right to trust Jesus but many are tempted to avoid the self sacrifice that we are called to. Unless we die to ourselves we remain a single seed, but God’s vision is for us to produce much grain. It is only when we focus on loving Jesus and others instead of ourselves that we truly start to do what pleases God. My other blog posts about the seeds discuss the reasons that they fail to reach maturity (and fulfillment). They are stunted because they are like people who are focused on themselves, put off by persecution, money and other worries.

Instead we should be focused on pleasing God. He can be trusted with our lives and He can handle our troubles. There is no time to focus on these personal distractions as Christians must join Jesus in far more important work than feeling sorry for ourselves. He wants us to join with others to reach out to “the lost”, to those who do not yet know how much He loves them. First we need to give up our lives to follow Him: “If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life you will lose it but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” When we give up trying to control things and trust God we are re-born as a new creation, a child of God with Jesus leading us. No wonder that we can now be productive, and bold, as Jesus is the one who through us can bring about a fantastic ‘harvest’. If we labor alone we will remain a single seed but when we die to our own ambitions we will belong to Christ and we will be producing much “grain”.

I was like a seed sitting immobile on hard stone. I was preoccupied with myself and I prioritized my pleasure and my success above spending time with God or helping others. Once I was placed in a church where I was taught the truth about Jesus, I started to change and by the time I was in my second year at college I was becoming more excited about helping others and teaching the Bible than pursuing my personal dreams. Now my desire was to please Jesus and this gave me fulfillment. I wanted others to grow into a relationship with Christ and I was eager to share the great news that God himself came to earth to die for you and me that we could be set free from the power of sin and death. I continue to share this message of great joy and I hope that others will become like seeds that are productive, bearing fruit and living abundant lives.

Christian women respond: Persevere and become spiritually mature. God’s harvest is beautiful and impacts the world.

www.WomenRespond.com

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The Harvest

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Abortion, in my opinion, is also a terrible tragedy that is ongoing. Sadly it is not a past atrocity like the concentration camps designed by the Nazis to destroy those they considered sub-human, notably the Jews. They killed about 4 million within a few years. There are approximately 4 million births in the US and at least 1.3 million abortions annually. 1.3 million is a huge number and should get our attention now.

When I was 16 and studying French at school, the French assistant was selling badges with the words, “A woman’s right to choose.” Of course as a young woman this seemed very reasonable and, typically, as a British teenager I had not heard much about abortion. I pinned the badge on my sweater and within minutes a Catholic friend asked me what on earth I was doing. He explained that abortion was not the removal of a small piece of tissue from a woman’s body but rather the killing of a baby created by God.

I am aware that there are many women who have had abortions in their past who are still suffering the pain of a decision that dramatically affected the fate of their child. Jesus offers forgiveness and in every church women should be available to offer the support and compassion to those suffering from post abortion trauma . The Christian counsel must also make it clear that abortion is a sin and repentance is necessary.

Failing to address abortion is not helpful. Parents and kids need to be aware of the pain suffered during an abortion for both the mother and baby. Teenage pregnancy is not fixed quickly and easily by an abortion. “…and still they weep” is a book written by Melanie Symonds, illustrating personal stories of women who have experienced abortion. Their grief affected their lives dramatically and in many cases the women who tell their stories wish that they had been aware of facts before making the fateful decision. Grace was confused when she had a miscarriage years after the abortion. The doctor told her that the baby had stopped growing at 12 weeks. She wondered how he could tell the age of the baby when her mom had told her that a baby was not alive until the quickening at about 20 weeks.

Better health education today hopefully informs teenagers that babies in the womb are not just pieces of flesh but they are alive from the beginning. By twelve weeks the child is perfectly formed and looks exactly like a tiny baby because that is exactly what he is. A film “The Silent Scream” shows what happens during the abortion of a ten week old infant. As he is torn apart by suction, a scream is clearly visible as the baby reacts. The assumption that such a young baby cannot feel pain is incorrect.

The Bible makes it clear that it is God who is responsible for the creative process of making a child. When I was pregnant I did not even know the sex of my babies. It should not be a surprise that God is responsible for the process: Psalm 139:13-16 declares that “you (God) created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”

I can understand how teenagers and mothers can be overwhelmed when they discover that they are pregnant at a difficult or embarrassing time in their lives. I believe that churches should teach clearly the value of human life from a Biblical perspective and the dangers of responding sexually outside marriage. Abstinence should be taught. We must also demonstrate Christ’s forgiveness and reassure women that if one of them becomes pregnant within or outside of marriage, the church members will offer practical support and love to help care for the baby.

There are all sorts of women who have had abortions for many reasons. They may not realize why they have experienced so much depression and a feeling of guilt. We need to help these women experience the love of Jesus and His forgiveness. I believe that we need to respond with love and concern to this societal tragedy. Remaining silent will help nobody.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Abortion: hurting mothers and babies

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In contrast, our local high school offers many opportunities for the kids to celebrate their school and their fellow students. It was only this year that I became aware of the meaning of homecoming in the high school context. A good friend of ours who is a senior was in the homecoming “court” and he asked our son, James, to ask us if we would watch the parade and the football game as he would be making an appearance at both. Typically, James said that we would not be interested, but his friend persisted and spoke to me. It was a real honor to be invited by a teenager to go to something that was important to him, and this invitation provided me with a reason to finally discover what homecoming is.

Martyn and I stood on the corner straining to see the car that Patrick was traveling in.

Homecoming 2008 Prince Patrick

As we waited we watched the band and the high school dance team showing off the skills that had been their focus since entering high school. It was bright and bold and uplifting, as were the floats that were all representations of Alice in Wonderland. I used to teach kindergarten in England and an effective way of keeping four and five your olds creatively busy was to give them tissue paper and glue and the scrunched up colors were an easy way to fill a shape to make a valentine’s card or another small project.

I could not believe that high school kids had the stamina to cover huge areas with little pieces of scrunched up tissue: Alice, a rabbit and playing cards were modestly large but the rest of the float was vast. The kids involved with each project walked behind the float and there were not many of them. Each float was judged and the winner was announced at the homecoming football game that evening. I feel sure that I would have suggested paint as a faster option. School spirit is obviously a strong enough force to get kids working hard for many hours to create something that was attractive but only of temporary value. I wonder what has happened to those floats four days after the parade?

Poway High Homecoming 2008 float

In one respect I admire the enthusiasm, the energy and all the smiling faces. In the England where I grew up, I can’t imagine the same effort or enthusiasm. This simply was not the type of thing that we would do at school. Pranks and dry humor were more likely to motivate us. I am pleased to live in a less cynical time and place yet I wish that there was equal “spirit” in the churches as there is in the homecoming parade or at the homecoming football game. I have visited many churches and real enthusiasm and joy is not generally bubbling over as you enter the church service. It is sad that high school kids can get so excited about a school event, but in many cases avoid church or become disconnected when they go to church. The homecoming kings and queens, the school football heroes and the brightly colored float cannot present as much “spirit” as that which is offered by Jesus.

Those who commit their lives to Jesus are promised the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a weird, ghost but rather he is God himself who lives with us in a spiritual, invisible form. In John 14:23 Jesus says, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep my Word; and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with Him. The “we” and “Our” refers to the Trinity, the triune God: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his disciples that they would be better off with the Holy Spirit than actually spending time with Jesus, for the Holy Spirit would be in them rather than just with them. They would only receive the Holy Spirit once Jesus returned to Heaven. Jesus tells them that the Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of Truth” and the “Helper” who will be with his followers forever. Jesus also says that the Holy Spirit will also “teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” All of these quotes are from John chapter 14. They are huge reminders to us that Jesus can continue to live in us today, pointing us towards God and helping us understand his Word, the truth. He will only be active in us if we are prepared to yield to Him, to love and obey Him. The Holy Spirit is much more dynamic than school spirit so let’s ask him to turn us around, wake us up and fill us. He will enable us to love our neighbors and to get our priorities right.

Very soon after Jesus returned to Heaven after his triumphant resurrection; the Holy Spirit came and transformed His followers. Dramatically they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they preached with authority, healed the sick and risked death as they urgently told people about the truth and hope offered by Jesus. He also offers us His presence, His truth, His help, His power and His love. Many teenagers seem to have other interests to pursue which contribute to school “spirit”. The homecoming parade would have been nothing if it wasn’t for the band, the dancers and the multiple pieces of colored tissue. Of course much of what we do is fun and is worthwhile, but none of this school spirit or anything else that preoccupies us: our kids, job, house etc can match the eternal love and transformation that Jesus offers. The Holy Spirit brings eternal joy and life that is of real purpose and value. Let’s look beyond the obvious and seek the one who has so much more to offer us; leaving our sin, our egos and our pride behind so that we can worship him with our lives. The church should reflect this devotion and enthusiasm. Let’s ask Jesus to make His home with us, indwelling our beings. As He makes changes in our lives and answers our prayers, let’s tell everyone, with more enthusiasm than the kids who cheer on their homecoming “royalty”, that Jesus is the king of kings.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Homecoming

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As a teenager I helped at a side show at the village horticultural show. My brother and I were in charge of “club the rat”. There was a long piece of pipe and we pushed the toy rat down the pipe and our customers paid to try and hit the rat. We were rather devious as we showed them the speed that it would travel and then for the real “go” pushed it much faster. Those who clubbed the rat won a prize but there were few winners! We knew many of the local people helping with the side shows and they were of all different ages and came from the local villages which are small and hundreds of years old. As a child I loved to enter paintings and animals made out of vegetables in the age appropriate contests, and the anticipation of arriving at the show and wondering whether I had won a prize was tremendous! The emphasis at the Monk Sherborne horticultural show was to display locally grown flowers and vegetables but I liked the other options for children. These occasions were wonderful community events when we all participated together. The horticultural show was held in a beautiful English country garden with large lawns with many different flowers and shrubs. Of course afternoon tea and cake were served and my mother, as well as many of the other mothers and grandmothers, made cakes for this event.

When our children, Tom, James and Alice, were young we went to the horticultural show as we lived in Kent, about an hour and a half’s drive from Monk Sherborne where my family home remained. They also appreciated the little competitions and watching their grandfather washing potatoes and later being awarded the first prize. For the kids, receiving rosettes was more rewarding than the small amount of prize money as the rosettes were very visible!

What was the significance of all of this? Certainly happy memories are valuable, but I think there was much value in working together, with family members but also with the wider community. We did not have to be excellent artists or gardeners to compete, but we were encouraged to try something different at least once a year. Although the competition was very limited we also learned to lose. This was much more humaine than at school when our exam results were read aloud for everyone to hear. This was a gentler part of British life.

Life now seems more compartmentalized, at least where we live in California. At middle school the kids have a limited choice of electives. If you choose band you cannot do art, drama, or learn a foreign language. My niece and nephew, at the middle school equivalent in England, have the opportunity to do drama, art, music, a foreign language or two and sewing; all at once. Of course they also study the core academic subjects. They are prepared to have a go at many different things, while our kids are expected to be specialists. My concern is that specialists do not have the mindset that they can try anything. They tend to focus totally on one activity once they get to high school: sport or band or drama….The standard is excellent but the danger is that some grow tired of the intensity. They also do not have time to integrate with the wider community. There is no time.

I want to add a spiritual perspective too. Are we so conditioned, at least in San Diego, to be specialists that we will not risk doing something beyond our comfort zone? Are our expectations so high that we make it difficult for others to volunteer? Is the music group at church just for the very best, or do the decorations at the vacation Bible School have to be done solely by the art experts? I think that there is a real danger of excluding those who desperately need to be involved. Are we unintentionally making it impossible for many to use the gifts that God has given them? I do not mean that everyone should preach or play music, but we need to train and encourage those who seem to be showing a specific interest or aptitude, to use their gifts. It really is essential that everyone in the church is involved and that they are not put off by perfectionists. They need to help out and have a go.

What if you are not a Christian? I hope that you are not so busy with either your kids’ activities or your own particular focus that you fail to question what this life is all about. Please do not avoid talking to Christians because you do not feel that you are a specialist. Instead dare to walk into something different and ask questions. Ask a question on this blog and understand that many others have the same thoughts. Let’s make time to be a multi-age community and to broaden our perspectives. In this all or nothing society many have had absolutely no exposure to Christianity and the Bible. In the multi subject curriculum that was offered when I was at school I at least learned something about Jesus. In the States there are the Christian schools that make Jesus a speciality and the public schools where mentioning his name is controversial. In my opinion we should smudge the line of division and at least enter the debate. Jesus in Matthew 7:7 encourages us to “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Start seeking the truth, have a look at God’s Word and ask questions. You will not be disappointed!

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

A village community event

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See you at the pole artwork

Kids get up early to stand round their school’s flag pole to pray for their school and their nation. This is a good start, but it should be seen as the faithful launch of an endeavor to continue to pray and to continue to reach out to their fellow students throughout the year.

I was at a recent meeting in San Diego for leaders concerned about the youth of our city. Here in San Diego the sun shines constantly and beaches are nearby. Sports or band or homework or family demand much attention and we should not be surprised that most teenagers no longer attend a place of worship. The sad consequence is that these passtimes have replaced Jesus. They are all enveloping and the expectation is that kids either pursue excellence for hours each day or they almost drop out. It’s all or nothing…The same is true for many of their parents. Most jobs demand long hours and offer little paid leave. The impression must be given that the job is the number one priority and vacations must be kept short. Alternatively, and increasingly common is the tough reality that many adults have few work options and struggle with unemployment.

It seems that most people are either too busy or too depressed to walk confidently into their schools or work places to talk about Jesus, to reach out to the lost with Christ’s compassion. It is hard to think of the busy successful ones as lost, but from Jesus’ perspective they are just as lost as those dependent on drugs or alcohol, if they have no relationship with him. In Luke 19:10 we are reminded that “the Son of Man (Jesus) has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” That was his purpose in coming to Earth.

In Luke chapter 19 Jesus seeks Zacchaeus, a greedy tax collector, notorious for cheating people. Jesus wants to spend the day with this man who is rich and selfish, a man who in Jesus’ eyes is definitely lost. Jesus does not just want to hover in churches or even round flag poles with the favored few, the holy huddle. He wants to reach those who have no concept of religion. Jesus does not wait for Zacchaeus to step into a temple or church; he invites himself to the tax collector’s house and Zacchaeus’s life is transformed: from profiteer to generous benefactor in a single day. He gives away half of his wealth to the poor and he repays those he cheated four times what he took! Jesus concluded that “salvation has come to this house today..” Jesus went after this guy and apparently prompted him to change totally. Zacchaeus’s actions show a repentant heart expressing Jesus’ love.

If you have not experienced the love of Jesus, call out to him and read his words in the New Testament. He loves you and he will change you, if like Zacchaeus you are willing to repent. Perhaps you are already aware of Jesus. Have you allowed him to change you, has he empowered you with his love and his Spirit so that you can’t help but reach out to the lost at school or at work? Let’s move beyond “see you at the pole” and respond like Jesus. Salvation is far more important than being politically correct or being successful: it is about whether or not we and our friends spend an eternity with Jesus. It is about radically changed lives in the present as well as in the future. It is about letting Jesus work in and through us to change the world.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

See you at the pole

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Karl Marx, German political economist, 1861

We studied various political thinkers including Marx and we read George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty Four”, wondering whether the Iron Curtain would become an even harsher barrier separating east from west. Europe seemed much smaller then, as most people living in the Eastern Bloc were virtual prisoners and could not join us to present their perspective. Our parents were children in Britain during World War Two and their memories also reminded us that the power of evil could impact us as it had impacted them. Although their gas masks looked like Mickey Mouse they were still a reminder that danger was a real possibility. Europe was not necessarily fine and there was much to discuss.

When we arrived in The States in 1999 we came at the end of an era. There was still the assumption here that the US was safe and far away from danger. Waitresses smiled continuously and there was a sense of satisfaction. There seemed to be an abundance of money: sufficient money to throw away on details. There was a sense that we could all fall in love with the present because it was good and we were happy. Vietnam was a bad memory but best swept aside as it should not spoil the fun of the present.

September 11th threw a hand grenade into much of that. It was a terrible day that reminded Americans that evil was a reality and that like Europe, America is not necessarily fine.

Our oldest son Tom is going to college for the first time this week. I hope that he will be challenged to think beyond the fun. Perhaps now there is more debate here about good and evil and while Islam seems to be more threatening than communism, it demands a response in the same way that the Iron Curtain provoked us to comment. September 11th can never be justified but the Bible teaches that God works for good in those who love him and I think that there is value in being challenged to question why. Without recognizing evil we cannot understand our need for a savior. This world is full of evil, full of examples of man hating man.

Jesus is God who came to Earth as a baby, at the first Christmas, to grow up to die for us to receive the punishment that we deserve, at the first Easter. My desire is that our son, Tom, will be in an environment, like I was, where students are prepared to push aside the Easter bunny and Santa Claus and consider how Jesus stands against evil with his love and hope. Instead of hiding behind fixed smiles, we also can consider the claims of Jesus and how he can help a hurting world, how Jesus can help us. Pursuing truth will offend but it is more purposeful than avoiding conflict by saying nothing. It is more purposeful than pretending that the Easter bunny has all the answers, smoothing over family difficulties by offering candy to maintain peace. This fictional interpretation of Easter contrasts hugely with what Jesus achieved on the first Easter when he shed his precious blood to offer peace to a people who deserve punishment.

As I travel to Chicago with Tom tomorrow I will be silent for a few days, Please use this time to scroll back to the beginning of this blog to see what I was like when I was also seventeen and starting college, and how God changed my life. Read some of the comments, including a current conversation investigating the meaning of life.

May God bless you.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

college is a place to ask why

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As a new Christian, I assumed that it was fine to have a boyfriend who was not a believer. None of the sermons had addressed this issue and I had not yet got to the relevant parts of Scripture that confronted this subject. I rationalized that because I did not sleep with my boyfriend, I was fine. I was in danger of being pulled in the wrong direction. I could have married someone who did not share what was becoming the dominant force in my life.

My concern is that there are many new Christians who do not understand that to follow Christ they need to let go of many aspects of their old lifestyle to adopt a much better life with Christ at the center. This is much more exciting and refreshing as it is only when we face up to the sin in our lives and ask Jesus to forgive us that we are truly able to enjoy living with him. We are aware that a cancerous tumor needs to be removed and the same is true of sin.

Sword

That is why we must apply the word of God to our lives rigorously. Seek a mature Christian who can help you understand Scripture and do not avoid the truth. Hebrews 4:12 explains that “the word of God is sharper than any double edged sword.” It penetrates deep, judging “the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”. In the same way that cancer needs to be removed to stop it destroying the body, sin also needs to be dealt with. Our relationship with Jesus is much more important than the health of our bodies.

My relationship with the non Christian boyfriend ended. Jesus intervened. Please ask Jesus what he needs to remove in your life. I assure you that you will not regret this prayer for we can’t hide from God (Hebrews 4:13) and ending a sinful habit draws us into his light and closer to Jesus.

This is a post from: WomenRespond.com

Like cancer, sin needs to be cut out

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