Only one post for the whole of January is not very good - so I'll double my tally by squeezing another post in on the last day of the month, and try to do better in February!
At church we have continued following the E100 Bible reading programme, looking at Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, two weeks ago, Joseph last week, and yesterday we looked at the first part of Moses' life - covering Exodus 1-14.
What are you passionate about? What are the issues that really get you going? What stories on the news really make you angry? What is the topic of conversation around the coffee table at work that turns you from being quiet, shy and retiring into a red faced, finger wagging, table banging, jumping up and down orator?
Maybe it is a global issue - such as trade justice; a national issue - such as cuts in local services; a local issue - such as the closing of a local children's centre.
Whatever it is, do you care enough to pray about it?
Moses was passionate about the oppression of his people - so much so that he killed an Egyptian who was beating an Israelite (Exodus 2:12). The people were crying out to God to save them from slavery and cruelty. And eventually God speaks to Moses and says to him, 'I have seen...I have heard...I am concerned...I have come to rescue...'
I wonder if Moses, in the midst of his fear, thought something along the lines of, 'about time...we've been waiting long enough...'?
But then horror of horrors - God reveals his plan to Moses. God says, 'I have seen...I have heard...I am concerned...I have come to rescue...so now, you go. I am sending you...'
What am I passionate about? What are you passionate about? Is God saying, 'Yes, I have heard and seen, yes I do care, and I'm going to send you to do something about it'.
Is God asking you to get involved and be a part of the answer to your own prayers?
Monday 31 January 2011
Tuesday 11 January 2011
The beginning - a very good place to start
Last week we started the e100 Bible reading challenge as a church, and last Sunday's message was based on the first five readings, which came from the first 11 chapters of the Bible, Genesis 1-11. (Click here to read a previous post and find out more about e100).
The chapters that we read included the stories about the creation of the world, of how Adam and Eve rebelled against God, the flood and Noah's ark, and the Tower of Babel.
Of course there are lots of questions and discussions that we could have about these chapters, and no doubt there are some who would like to ask the obvious questions relating to science and the Bible / creation and evolution... But if that is our first question then I think we've missed the point of the story. You will only get sensible answers from the Bible if you ask the right questions - and I don't think that these chapters are inviting scientific questions. Rather they invite questions about 'who is God?', 'who am I?', and maybe most significantly, questions about my relationship with God.
And when it comes to 'who am I?' there are some really exciting things to think about, but also some really challenging ones. Being created in the image of a creative God surely has massive implications for how we view ourselves and others, how we expect to be treated, how we treat others...
But these chapters also raise the issue of pride and reveal something of its consequences. Ultimately pride keeps us from acknowledging God and giving God first place in our lives. It is this rebellion against God that the Bible calls 'sin', and it is sin that leads to a broken relationship with God.
Genesis 1-11 sets the scene and introduces the problem of a broken relationship with God. Genesis 12 to the end of the Bible in Revelation 22 is the story of how God set about sorting this out. If you've never read the story it will take a few weeks to reach the ultimate answer to sin - the death of Jesus on a cross...but there are lots of signposts along the way.
Click here to listen to this message
The chapters that we read included the stories about the creation of the world, of how Adam and Eve rebelled against God, the flood and Noah's ark, and the Tower of Babel.
Of course there are lots of questions and discussions that we could have about these chapters, and no doubt there are some who would like to ask the obvious questions relating to science and the Bible / creation and evolution... But if that is our first question then I think we've missed the point of the story. You will only get sensible answers from the Bible if you ask the right questions - and I don't think that these chapters are inviting scientific questions. Rather they invite questions about 'who is God?', 'who am I?', and maybe most significantly, questions about my relationship with God.
And when it comes to 'who am I?' there are some really exciting things to think about, but also some really challenging ones. Being created in the image of a creative God surely has massive implications for how we view ourselves and others, how we expect to be treated, how we treat others...
But these chapters also raise the issue of pride and reveal something of its consequences. Ultimately pride keeps us from acknowledging God and giving God first place in our lives. It is this rebellion against God that the Bible calls 'sin', and it is sin that leads to a broken relationship with God.
Genesis 1-11 sets the scene and introduces the problem of a broken relationship with God. Genesis 12 to the end of the Bible in Revelation 22 is the story of how God set about sorting this out. If you've never read the story it will take a few weeks to reach the ultimate answer to sin - the death of Jesus on a cross...but there are lots of signposts along the way.
Click here to listen to this message
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