That's too difficult

Over the last couple of weeks I've watched most of Star Wars I - VI. I say most of because I've never actually sat down at the beginning of one and watched it through to the end, rather I've popped in and out and over the course of a few weeks I have probably watched most of most episodes. Finding things to do with children with chicken pox has been a challenge - but an introduction to Star Wars has gone down well. All but Episode III probably come into the family viewing category - but they've not seemed to notice that gap in the story!

Star Wars is the classic struggle between good and evil with the balance of power swinging first one way and then the other.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about the following video will make it all clear.



There are a number of stories in the Bible that highlight the ultimate power struggle between God and Satan. Daniel 2 is one of those stories where we have Nebuchadnezzar and his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers on one side and Daniel on the other. It's a bit like the story in Exodus where Moses comes up against Pharaoh and his wise men.

In Daniel 2 Nebuchadnezzar asks his wise men to tell him what he has been dreaming about then interpret the dream for him - of course they aren't able to do this and tell the king that no one has ever made such a request before - it's too difficult (2:10-11).

Eventually Daniel finds out what is going on and gets his friends to pray that God will reveal the mystery - which God does. Daniel confirms to the king that no one could do what he is asking but there is a God who can (2:27-28). Daniel then tells the king his dream and interprets it for him.

In Matthew 19:26 Jesus tells his disciples 'with human beings this is impossible, but with God all things are possible'. When God asks us to do something he will give us all the resources we need to succeed. God may well ask us to do things that no one has ever asked of us - things we can barely imagine ourselves doing. We may want to say to God - what you're asking is too difficult.

And it probably is - if we're relying only on our own strength, resources and abilities. But don't forget that there is a God in heaven - and for God nothing is impossible.

God gave Daniel the ability to interpret dreams - God will equip us for his service too.

A break in radio silence

It's been two weeks since my last post so thought it was about time for an update. Our series in Daniel is going well, and we are up to chapter 4 on Sundays now - so three posts overdue there. My silence could be down to the Tour de France and Ashes Cricket on the tele - or maybe it's to do with chicken pox, governor duties as we approach the end of term, and preparation for Holiday Club. I'll let you decide!

In my survey of popular Bible stories taught in Sunday school Daniel in the Lions' den came in quite high although I was surprised to have no mention of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace. But that will be the subject of my next post.

Answers on a post card please

I am conducting some extensive research (by which I mean this blog, facebook and twitter) into what people think are the most popular Bible stories that are taught to children in Sunday School. You might also want to include topics for Holiday Clubs and All Age Services into the mix.

Basically which stories do we teach our children.

Maybe you could list what you think the top 5 or 10 are below.

There are no right answers - your answers are giving me the basis for my research which I will be using on Sunday morning.

And now for a totally unrelated picture that I came across this morning, hopefully it will leave you with a smile on your face...

The good, the bad and the boring

As I mentioned last time we've just started a series at church looking at the first half of Daniel. One of the things that Daniel wants us to see is that God is working behind the scenes - all the way through Daniel he writes that things happen because of God. So even if Nebuchadnezzar thinks it is his power and might and military strength that has led to the successful invasion of Judah - it actually only happened because 'God delivered...'

When we experience bad days do we have the eyes of faith to see God working out his plans? To recognise the presence of God - even when it looks like he's no where around.

Daniel and his three friends were the best of the best. If anyone was going to be able to make a go of it in Babylon it was going to be them. They looked good. They were charming. They were intelligent. They had everything going for them. But at no point in the story do they allow this to go to their heads. They remain humble. They remember that everything that they have, and everything that they are able to do is down to God. God has given Daniel the supernatural ability to interpret dreams, but their other gifts and abilities and talents also come from God - and they never forget this. When things go well and they are praised - they reflect that praise to God.

On the good days do we give thanks to God - or do we sometimes fall into the trap of patting ourselves on the back and thinking that it is all about us. Do we start to rely on our own abilities and strengths, rather than continuing to look to God?

But most of us, most of the time will not have good days or bad days - they will just be typical, normal, mundane, boring, routine days. We do the same things we do everyday. We get up at the same time, we eat the same thing for breakfast, we take the same journey to work. And after a day in the office we return home, and watch the same TV and then we go to bed - in order to start it all over again the next day!

And I suppose one question for us is: do we have the eyes of faith to see God at work in the ordinary, in the mundane, in the routine? Are we looking for God? Are we waiting for him to show up? Do we see his handiwork in the spider's web on our walk to work?

God is there - on the good days, on the bad days and on the boring days. Another question might be - if God is there, can you have a boring day...