Today my reading was one of my favourites, one that I have blogged on before. It is the story of Hannah who was childless and promised God that if he would give her a child she would give the child back to God. And she did. She took Samuel to the temple and left him with the priest, Eli. And, of course, God blessed Hannah's devotion by giving her 5 more children.
In all of life's stories there are other people involved, others who are a part of the script. In this story there is Elkanah, Hannah's husband. These Old Testament times often seem brutal and the way in which women were treated often makes me squirm. But Elkanah, who also had another wife who did bear him children, obviously loved her deeply and showed a great deal of compassion towards her. He, I think, can take part of the credit for the outcome of the story. For without his love Hannah might have given up, or might have been totally ostracised because she hadn't given him children.
The other character is Eli the priest. I cringe at the first mention of Eli in this story. Hannah went to the temple to pray "Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried—inconsolably" (1 Sam 1:10). Eli's response? He accused her of being drunk. Great. Poor Hannah is already at her wits end and the priest's response is to accuse her of being drunk. To her credit Hannah didn't give him a mouthful back (I think I might have). And to Eli's credit, after hearing Hannah's explanation his attitude changed, although there is no record of an apology.
So what do I make of this great story today. Nothing earth shattering. Having persisted with reading this far you must be disappointed! Firstly, as with Elkanah, it is a must that we show compassion to innocent people. Who are the innocent in our society today? Or who in my circle of contacts is innocent? I am treating them with love and respect?
Secondly, am I guilty of being like Eli? Making judgments based on what I see and not what is really going on. How rude and insensitive of Eli to speak to Hannah the way he did. There is no excuse. Who, today, will I come into contact with and make and ill informed initial judgement? How about finding out some facts first rather than being judgemental as a first response.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
No exclamation mark?!
Jesus said, "You have no idea what you are asking." Mark 10:38
James & John have just asked Jesus if they would be awarded the highest place of honour in glory. What an outrageous question. How selfish.
Having read Jesus' responses to the Pharisees and other religious leaders I would have expected him to explode. Yet he doesn't. There isn't even an excalmation mark next to what he has said. It seems as though his response is calm and measured, even gentle.
Maybe his response of "you have no idea what you are asking", explains it. It seems it was an almost innocent question which they had not thought through.
Jesus' response was totally different to that of the other disciples when they heard the conversation. They got into a fight with James & John.
Jesus has incredible wisdom when dealing with people. He knows when to be angry and when to be gentle. We don't. Like the other disciples we often end up dealing with things in totally the wrong way.
Help me God to have the wisdom to choose the right response to every situation I face, not to choose the irresponsible and inappropriate way.
James & John have just asked Jesus if they would be awarded the highest place of honour in glory. What an outrageous question. How selfish.
Having read Jesus' responses to the Pharisees and other religious leaders I would have expected him to explode. Yet he doesn't. There isn't even an excalmation mark next to what he has said. It seems as though his response is calm and measured, even gentle.
Maybe his response of "you have no idea what you are asking", explains it. It seems it was an almost innocent question which they had not thought through.
Jesus' response was totally different to that of the other disciples when they heard the conversation. They got into a fight with James & John.
Jesus has incredible wisdom when dealing with people. He knows when to be angry and when to be gentle. We don't. Like the other disciples we often end up dealing with things in totally the wrong way.
Help me God to have the wisdom to choose the right response to every situation I face, not to choose the irresponsible and inappropriate way.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Is it still important to me if it costs me?
I received my Foxtel magazine today and in it was one of those letters starting with the words 'important changes'. That is code for 'you are about to be worse off'. In this case Foxtel have surveyed their customers and they have conveniently told Foxtel that they really don't want the magazine anymore. So, in an effort to protect the environment, they are no longer going to supply the magazine unless their clients ring up and say that they want to continue to receive it.
Now, excuse my cynicism, but companies are often passionate about the environment if they can see an opportunity to make money out of it. A few years ago Westpac also told me how passionate they were about the environment and suggested that I consider receiving my bank statements electronically rather than on paper. How noble of them to consider the environment in that way.
What do Foxtel and Westpac have in common? They both make money out of being passionate about the environment. Foxtel will save quite a bit of money by printing fewer full colour magazines and on postage and Westpac, I'm sure, has saved money by not printing out statements and mailing them. In both cases I have continued to read the letter looking for the sentence that says "We recognise that our company will save money and we are therefore going to reduce our fees. In fact, we are so passionate about the environment that we will halve our fees and take a financial hit in order to encourage our customers to join with us in protecting the environment." Of course, no such sentences ever appear in these letters.
It is rare to find businesses who are willing to take a financial hit in order to protect the environment. If it costs more they will pass the fee on. If they save money they hang onto it.
So, as I write this blog dripping with sarcasm and cynicism, I think of my faith. Do I only get passionate about it when I get something out of it? When there is a direct benefit to me? What about when it costs me? Because in Christianity, to quote a certain environmental campaigner, it is 'an inconvenient truth'. Christianity costs. And I need to be as passionate when it is going to cost me as when it brings me great benefits.
Now, excuse my cynicism, but companies are often passionate about the environment if they can see an opportunity to make money out of it. A few years ago Westpac also told me how passionate they were about the environment and suggested that I consider receiving my bank statements electronically rather than on paper. How noble of them to consider the environment in that way.
What do Foxtel and Westpac have in common? They both make money out of being passionate about the environment. Foxtel will save quite a bit of money by printing fewer full colour magazines and on postage and Westpac, I'm sure, has saved money by not printing out statements and mailing them. In both cases I have continued to read the letter looking for the sentence that says "We recognise that our company will save money and we are therefore going to reduce our fees. In fact, we are so passionate about the environment that we will halve our fees and take a financial hit in order to encourage our customers to join with us in protecting the environment." Of course, no such sentences ever appear in these letters.
It is rare to find businesses who are willing to take a financial hit in order to protect the environment. If it costs more they will pass the fee on. If they save money they hang onto it.
So, as I write this blog dripping with sarcasm and cynicism, I think of my faith. Do I only get passionate about it when I get something out of it? When there is a direct benefit to me? What about when it costs me? Because in Christianity, to quote a certain environmental campaigner, it is 'an inconvenient truth'. Christianity costs. And I need to be as passionate when it is going to cost me as when it brings me great benefits.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Am I in His hands?
It's only 9.30am but I have already come across examples of the extreme variety of life's circumstances. Mike Pilley & I met for breakfast this morning and our readings for the day came from Numbers 1 & 2 and Acts 24. Numbers 1 & 2 are all about the census of the Israelites and the ordering of the tribes. Mundane stuff to read about but very important in the ordering of their lives at the time.
Acts 24 sees Paul up before Felix on trumped up charges. Because Felix is more interested in politics and trying to get a bribe out of Paul than administering justice, Paul was still awaiting a decision on the case 2 years on when Felix was being replaced.
And then, on the front page of The Age is the heart wrenching picture of this poor little nine year old chap who lost his parents in the tragedy at Christmas Island.
As I look at that picture, a song runs through my head as it has done for a couple of days now; "I'm in his hands". We have been practicing this piece at band practice to the newer tune written by Phil Laeger.
How do I reconcile this thought of being in God's hands when looking at a picture of an orphaned boy? "The days I cannot see have all been planned for me" - I believe that, yet I see the little fella's face.
Life is never simple or predictable. Sometimes it is utterly boring, such as times of census. Counting, collating, organising. Sometimes it is frustrating, such as Paul's time under house arrest awaiting for the corrupt court's decision on his case. Imagine what he could have achieved in those two years if he had been free. And sometimes life is utterly tragic, as it is at this time for Seena who will, no doubt, become a political football for Labor & the Coalition as they try to make political mileage over him.
Is he in God's hands? Yes, I believe he is, despite the circumstances which tend to say otherwise. But, we also have to do our bit to ensure that justice is done.
If you would like to hear Phil Laeger's version of the chorus, here is a link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ighpk8Dlwz4
Acts 24 sees Paul up before Felix on trumped up charges. Because Felix is more interested in politics and trying to get a bribe out of Paul than administering justice, Paul was still awaiting a decision on the case 2 years on when Felix was being replaced.
And then, on the front page of The Age is the heart wrenching picture of this poor little nine year old chap who lost his parents in the tragedy at Christmas Island.
As I look at that picture, a song runs through my head as it has done for a couple of days now; "I'm in his hands". We have been practicing this piece at band practice to the newer tune written by Phil Laeger.
How do I reconcile this thought of being in God's hands when looking at a picture of an orphaned boy? "The days I cannot see have all been planned for me" - I believe that, yet I see the little fella's face.
Life is never simple or predictable. Sometimes it is utterly boring, such as times of census. Counting, collating, organising. Sometimes it is frustrating, such as Paul's time under house arrest awaiting for the corrupt court's decision on his case. Imagine what he could have achieved in those two years if he had been free. And sometimes life is utterly tragic, as it is at this time for Seena who will, no doubt, become a political football for Labor & the Coalition as they try to make political mileage over him.
Is he in God's hands? Yes, I believe he is, despite the circumstances which tend to say otherwise. But, we also have to do our bit to ensure that justice is done.
If you would like to hear Phil Laeger's version of the chorus, here is a link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ighpk8Dlwz4
Friday, February 4, 2011
Death or Glory
"Then a voice came: "Go to it, Peter—kill and eat."
Peter said, "Oh, no, Lord. I've never so much as tasted food that was not kosher."
The voice came a second time: "If God says it's okay, it's okay." Acts 10:13-15
It was an interesting group of chapters today with two seemingly different Gods talking. In Exodus 35 the order came out - if someone works on the Sabbath they must be put to death. People couldn't even light a fire on the Sabbath.
Then in Acts there is Peter who has only ever eaten kosher food being told to eat none kosher food. No wonder he was reluctant given that he comes from a tradition where even breathing the wrong way in Old Testament times was likely to get you killed.
Peter received a word from a voice that he identified as the Lord, "If God says it's okay, it's okay".
It's sometimes a bit difficult to know exactly what God is asking us to do, but it's likely that God, at some time, will ask us to do something quite radically different to what we think, or have been brought up to believe, is correct.
If God says it's okay, it's okay.
Help me God to have the courage to act when you tell me to do something which, for whatever reason, doesn't seem right to me.
Peter said, "Oh, no, Lord. I've never so much as tasted food that was not kosher."
The voice came a second time: "If God says it's okay, it's okay." Acts 10:13-15
It was an interesting group of chapters today with two seemingly different Gods talking. In Exodus 35 the order came out - if someone works on the Sabbath they must be put to death. People couldn't even light a fire on the Sabbath.
Then in Acts there is Peter who has only ever eaten kosher food being told to eat none kosher food. No wonder he was reluctant given that he comes from a tradition where even breathing the wrong way in Old Testament times was likely to get you killed.
Peter received a word from a voice that he identified as the Lord, "If God says it's okay, it's okay".
It's sometimes a bit difficult to know exactly what God is asking us to do, but it's likely that God, at some time, will ask us to do something quite radically different to what we think, or have been brought up to believe, is correct.
If God says it's okay, it's okay.
Help me God to have the courage to act when you tell me to do something which, for whatever reason, doesn't seem right to me.
Friday, January 28, 2011
High Council
Not a religious blog today. Just a few random thoughts about the Army and the High Council.
As an aside, I get frustrated with the really poor standard of the Army's official web pages. They are old, slow and lacking information. Trying to find out the appointments of the relative High Council members has been almost impossible, as it has been to find their ages, let alone a bio of the members. Pictures - easy, but information - not so. Surely we can do better...
Anyway, Ten nominees for General with Comm. Knaggs declining leaving nine candidates. All of them white. All of them either male or single female, i.e. no married women nominated ahead of their husbands. All of them relatively old - but so are most of the high council members as it's almost impossible to reach Commissioner rank until retirement is looming large.
Why, if the Army is growing in Africa and the Sub Continent whilst declining in Europe, USA & Oceania, are there never any Africans or Asians nominated for General? And what does that say about the Army, its structure and priorities? Is the Army so fixated now on programmes that only Europeans have the nous to run the organisation?
The age of people reaching senior leadership positions is a real problem. Not that it is wrong for someone in their sixties to be in a senior leadership role, more that it is wrong that someone in their mid forties or early fifties (if not younger) cannot, it seems, under our current structure reach a senior position at those ages. Secondly, the military structure almost means that any entrepreneurial thinking has either been beaten out of a person by the time they make it to Commissioner rank, or they will not make it there in the first place either by reason of being overlooked or having resigned in frustration.
Get the feeling that I don't like the Army's structure?! I'm sure that the person elected to be the next General of The Salvation Army will be a fine candidate and will lead well. But, despite the fact that I have been following the High Council proceedings daily, I almost feel the appointment of the next General will be largely irrelevant to me. It will be more of the same. Will there be a General who makes me feel that Army is inspiring again? Or is the problem mine and my attitude, not the Army's and it's structure?
One final thought. Bear in mind that I am almost 50 years of age and I think the structure is outdated. What do teenagers and people in their 20's and 30's think?
As an aside, I get frustrated with the really poor standard of the Army's official web pages. They are old, slow and lacking information. Trying to find out the appointments of the relative High Council members has been almost impossible, as it has been to find their ages, let alone a bio of the members. Pictures - easy, but information - not so. Surely we can do better...
Anyway, Ten nominees for General with Comm. Knaggs declining leaving nine candidates. All of them white. All of them either male or single female, i.e. no married women nominated ahead of their husbands. All of them relatively old - but so are most of the high council members as it's almost impossible to reach Commissioner rank until retirement is looming large.
Why, if the Army is growing in Africa and the Sub Continent whilst declining in Europe, USA & Oceania, are there never any Africans or Asians nominated for General? And what does that say about the Army, its structure and priorities? Is the Army so fixated now on programmes that only Europeans have the nous to run the organisation?
The age of people reaching senior leadership positions is a real problem. Not that it is wrong for someone in their sixties to be in a senior leadership role, more that it is wrong that someone in their mid forties or early fifties (if not younger) cannot, it seems, under our current structure reach a senior position at those ages. Secondly, the military structure almost means that any entrepreneurial thinking has either been beaten out of a person by the time they make it to Commissioner rank, or they will not make it there in the first place either by reason of being overlooked or having resigned in frustration.
Get the feeling that I don't like the Army's structure?! I'm sure that the person elected to be the next General of The Salvation Army will be a fine candidate and will lead well. But, despite the fact that I have been following the High Council proceedings daily, I almost feel the appointment of the next General will be largely irrelevant to me. It will be more of the same. Will there be a General who makes me feel that Army is inspiring again? Or is the problem mine and my attitude, not the Army's and it's structure?
One final thought. Bear in mind that I am almost 50 years of age and I think the structure is outdated. What do teenagers and people in their 20's and 30's think?
Monday, January 24, 2011
O Happy Day!
19,16,15,14,7,2,0 It looks a bit like one of the questions from an I.Q. test where you have to select the next number in the sequence. What it actually is is the number of blogs that I have written from month to month, starting with July and ending this month. As the initial enthusiasm for the blog waned so did the number of entries. And then we arrived in December when every Salvo's blog entries dropped as we grappled with Christmas caroling. After today the zero will become one.
In life we often start on new things with enthusiasm and gradually drop off. And a drop off in intensity and enthusiasm is something that happens to us as Christians too.
This morning I have been watching/listening to a bit of the Welcome to The 2011 High Council. The advances in technology that allow us in Australia to be a part of the High Council welcome in London are quite remarkable. Apparently the programme is about 3 hours long - even longer than our Divisional meeting last night! Speaking of which....we sang that great song 'O Happy Day' and were asked whether the day on which we were 'saved' was the happiest day of our life, or words to that effect. I'm not sure that it was my happiest day as such. Most momentous and important, yes but I don't recall leaving church that night as happy as I was when I left the MCG on grand final day 2008! But it was certainly the day that my life changed in a way that has eternal consequences.
I often think of 2 Thess 3:13 which says "And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good." I do tire of doing good sometimes. I tire of doing a blog, I tire of being in a band (is that doing good?!), I tire of being in a leadership position and so on. I guess it is important to understand what 'doing good' really means. Being a disciple of Jesus, learning from him and doing what he did is really about 'doing good' I suppose.
So, in a new year, already 24 days old, celebrating the 'happy day when Jesus washed my sins away' and 'never tiring of doing good' are two challenges for me this year.
In life we often start on new things with enthusiasm and gradually drop off. And a drop off in intensity and enthusiasm is something that happens to us as Christians too.
This morning I have been watching/listening to a bit of the Welcome to The 2011 High Council. The advances in technology that allow us in Australia to be a part of the High Council welcome in London are quite remarkable. Apparently the programme is about 3 hours long - even longer than our Divisional meeting last night! Speaking of which....we sang that great song 'O Happy Day' and were asked whether the day on which we were 'saved' was the happiest day of our life, or words to that effect. I'm not sure that it was my happiest day as such. Most momentous and important, yes but I don't recall leaving church that night as happy as I was when I left the MCG on grand final day 2008! But it was certainly the day that my life changed in a way that has eternal consequences.
I often think of 2 Thess 3:13 which says "And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good." I do tire of doing good sometimes. I tire of doing a blog, I tire of being in a band (is that doing good?!), I tire of being in a leadership position and so on. I guess it is important to understand what 'doing good' really means. Being a disciple of Jesus, learning from him and doing what he did is really about 'doing good' I suppose.
So, in a new year, already 24 days old, celebrating the 'happy day when Jesus washed my sins away' and 'never tiring of doing good' are two challenges for me this year.
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