It may surprise some of you to know that I was never cool or popular in high school (then again, it may be no shock at all). In fact, in stark contrast to my current size and shape, in high school I was short, scrawny, and a bit awkward looking.
Looking back, it occurs to me that high school is not always the greatest place if you are a little different from the 'normal' of the school you attend. Clearly, I was not 'normal' in high school and as a result was the target of some quite significant bullying at times. As a result of this bullying I have developed a real compassion for others who are picked on and targeted for bullying in whatever form it may take.
As you might imagine, when I read the story about the Xavier College boy who was hospitalised after a muck up day rugbyesque game and how a friend of his claimed that he had been the target of systemic bullying at the school (read the article here: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=651791). Later in the week I was shocked to read in the newspaper that children in prep class at primary school are reporting cases of being bullied.
Bullying should not be accepted as being a 'normal' part of growing up. Yes it happens, and yes, I am a much stronger person today because of the things I have experienced growing up, but this in no way makes it right or acceptable. As I read the bible I see a God who has a passion for those who are oppressed, harassed and bullied by the more powerful. I see God continually call His people to take a stand against the oppression and harassment of others and to promote a society where all are accepted and cared for.
In Amos we see the "Fat cows of Bashan" condemned for their oppression of the poor and the crushing of the needy, James 1:27 says: "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God , the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (NRSV)" The Message puts it this way: "Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world."
This week, I would encourage you to look out for those who are subjected to harassment or bullying and reach out to them with the grace and love that God has shown us.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
EXPERIENCING GOD
Before I start, let me say that this is by no means a definitive answer on the above subject, just a collection of some of my thoughts on the subject, and I would be happy to hear your thoughts also.
Lately I have been travelling around Western Victoria a bit. As I have travelled around I have had the privilege of sharing with people about worshipping and meeting with God. Recently as I was travelling I was thinking about this concept of meeting with God and experiencing His presence.
After reading a few blogs I began thinking about how we have become such an experiential society. Everything from food to cars to toilet paper is marketed to us as an experience. We seek out experiences and consume them just as we would any other commodity. This led me to thinking about our experiences of intimacy with God.
Do we treat those times when we experience God's presence in some special tangible way as a consumable commodity?? What should our expectation of experiencing God's presence in a tangible way be??
I know that God is omnipresent, that he is in all places at all times, but I also believe that there are times when He makes Himself more present to us at other times. Think the regularity and depth of these times has more to do with us than it has to do with God though. I know that things like sin and disobedience make it harder to hear and experience God. I also know that we can consciously choose to reject God and avoid His presence also.
My real question is: As Christians, how often should we be seeking that tangible experience of God's presence, should we be some kind of Holy Spirit junkie continually seeking our next 'hit' of intimacy with God, or is it OK to go years or even decades without feeling the intimate presence of God in our lives???!!!
I heard a while ago that Mother Theresa stated that for the last 50 years of her life she had not experienced God's presence in a tangible way. digitaljournal.com discusses some of Mother Theresa's letters and says this in summary: "Mother Mary Teresa spent 17 years in Calcutta, teaching with a group of uncloistered Sisters, before traveling to Darjeeling in 1946, at the age of 36. During that trip, she believed that Christ spoke to her and called her to work with the sick, the poor, and the dying. Mother Teresa was able to recount conversations she had with Christ, and even recounted her visions of him. Based on her revelations to her Mother General, her confessor, and even the Pope, she was granted permission to begin her one-woman crusade. It was then that Mother Teresa felt Jesus leave her and stop speaking to her...
...According to her letters, Mother Teresa felt Christ did not communicate with her for the next ten years. It wasn't until after the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, when Teresa prayed that God would give her some proof that he was "pleased with Society", that she felt the long years of darkness end. It was only to be for a brief time, no more than five weeks, before her period of spiritual darkness returned, and continued until her death on Sept. 5, 1997."
I think we all go through periods where we feel like God is distant or even absent. I know that even Jesus felt this way on the cross, crying out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me." But to go for 50 years without feeling a tangible presence of God or hearing His voice, what must that be like??!!!
And this brings me into conflict. How can I reconcile a woman who is seen as being so Christlike and spiritual, and yet seemingly devoid of any real experience of Christ Himself for half a century, and the promise that God has made to us that when we search for Him with all of our heart, that we will be able to find Him?
As I look at the bible I see God as an experiential God, not a god to be believed in but never intimately connected with. Isn't the whole point of our creation to be in relationship with Him??!! As I read through the Bible I see God 'turn up' in amazing way and unexpected places. I read stories of people having amazing, intimate encounters with the Creator of all things, of being rescued and delivered, of being given messages and signs. I see God as a God that reveals Himself to humanity, not just though creation, but in intimate, personal, tangible, ways!!!
Not that I am assuming that God will just turn up when and where we want Him to necessarily. I think that sometimes we need to persist in prayer before that moment when God arrives in some amazing tangible way. I am happy to be corrected in this, but I think it was Commissioner Samule Logan Brengle who recounted a story of a time when he was seeking God and after praying and fasting all day, still had not encountered God. It was not until well into the night, after much prayer, fasting and waiting on the Holy Spirit that God revealed himself in a tangible way which Brengle (I think) described it as "Fire, amazing Holy Fire." I think that sometimes we miss out on those moments of special intimacy with God because we bail out too early, because we cease to persist.
Sometimes we miss out on those moments with God because we refuse to listen to what God has already told us. William Booth said: "Before we go to our knees to receive the Baptism of Fire, let me beg of you to see to it that your souls are in harmony with the will and purpose of the Holy Spirit whom you seek."
Can you remember the last time you had an intimate personal, tangible experience of God's presence in you life?
I am keen to hear your thoughts on the matter, maybe this will stimulate some interesting discussion.
And let me know if I have misquoted Brengle.
Lately I have been travelling around Western Victoria a bit. As I have travelled around I have had the privilege of sharing with people about worshipping and meeting with God. Recently as I was travelling I was thinking about this concept of meeting with God and experiencing His presence.
After reading a few blogs I began thinking about how we have become such an experiential society. Everything from food to cars to toilet paper is marketed to us as an experience. We seek out experiences and consume them just as we would any other commodity. This led me to thinking about our experiences of intimacy with God.
Do we treat those times when we experience God's presence in some special tangible way as a consumable commodity?? What should our expectation of experiencing God's presence in a tangible way be??
I know that God is omnipresent, that he is in all places at all times, but I also believe that there are times when He makes Himself more present to us at other times. Think the regularity and depth of these times has more to do with us than it has to do with God though. I know that things like sin and disobedience make it harder to hear and experience God. I also know that we can consciously choose to reject God and avoid His presence also.
My real question is: As Christians, how often should we be seeking that tangible experience of God's presence, should we be some kind of Holy Spirit junkie continually seeking our next 'hit' of intimacy with God, or is it OK to go years or even decades without feeling the intimate presence of God in our lives???!!!
I heard a while ago that Mother Theresa stated that for the last 50 years of her life she had not experienced God's presence in a tangible way. digitaljournal.com discusses some of Mother Theresa's letters and says this in summary: "Mother Mary Teresa spent 17 years in Calcutta, teaching with a group of uncloistered Sisters, before traveling to Darjeeling in 1946, at the age of 36. During that trip, she believed that Christ spoke to her and called her to work with the sick, the poor, and the dying. Mother Teresa was able to recount conversations she had with Christ, and even recounted her visions of him. Based on her revelations to her Mother General, her confessor, and even the Pope, she was granted permission to begin her one-woman crusade. It was then that Mother Teresa felt Jesus leave her and stop speaking to her...
...According to her letters, Mother Teresa felt Christ did not communicate with her for the next ten years. It wasn't until after the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, when Teresa prayed that God would give her some proof that he was "pleased with Society", that she felt the long years of darkness end. It was only to be for a brief time, no more than five weeks, before her period of spiritual darkness returned, and continued until her death on Sept. 5, 1997."
I think we all go through periods where we feel like God is distant or even absent. I know that even Jesus felt this way on the cross, crying out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me." But to go for 50 years without feeling a tangible presence of God or hearing His voice, what must that be like??!!!
And this brings me into conflict. How can I reconcile a woman who is seen as being so Christlike and spiritual, and yet seemingly devoid of any real experience of Christ Himself for half a century, and the promise that God has made to us that when we search for Him with all of our heart, that we will be able to find Him?
As I look at the bible I see God as an experiential God, not a god to be believed in but never intimately connected with. Isn't the whole point of our creation to be in relationship with Him??!! As I read through the Bible I see God 'turn up' in amazing way and unexpected places. I read stories of people having amazing, intimate encounters with the Creator of all things, of being rescued and delivered, of being given messages and signs. I see God as a God that reveals Himself to humanity, not just though creation, but in intimate, personal, tangible, ways!!!
Not that I am assuming that God will just turn up when and where we want Him to necessarily. I think that sometimes we need to persist in prayer before that moment when God arrives in some amazing tangible way. I am happy to be corrected in this, but I think it was Commissioner Samule Logan Brengle who recounted a story of a time when he was seeking God and after praying and fasting all day, still had not encountered God. It was not until well into the night, after much prayer, fasting and waiting on the Holy Spirit that God revealed himself in a tangible way which Brengle (I think) described it as "Fire, amazing Holy Fire." I think that sometimes we miss out on those moments of special intimacy with God because we bail out too early, because we cease to persist.
Sometimes we miss out on those moments with God because we refuse to listen to what God has already told us. William Booth said: "Before we go to our knees to receive the Baptism of Fire, let me beg of you to see to it that your souls are in harmony with the will and purpose of the Holy Spirit whom you seek."
Can you remember the last time you had an intimate personal, tangible experience of God's presence in you life?
I am keen to hear your thoughts on the matter, maybe this will stimulate some interesting discussion.
And let me know if I have misquoted Brengle.
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