going back to college ... YAY!!

I'm am super excited about going back to College today!!

Never mind the fact that I hadn't even thought about getting myself ready (you know with notebooks, looking at the syllabus etc) until last night...

Since then I've been full of enthusiasm :-)

Even after going to the gym this morning I've been jumping up and down excitedly (just little jumps though ... compared to my jumping when I hearing of someone deciding to follow Jesus)

Gosh my sentences have gone haywire :-(  must be too much excitement ... (and not a lot of time!)

Firstly I'm excited to see everyone again, particularly the other resos.

Secondly, I'm excited to be learning new things (but on the flipside, this may lead to info-overload which scares me a little).

Thirdly, I'm looking forward to being reminded of the gospel again and again, and being filled with amazement and joy again and again.

Time to head off to class...! :-)

the fatherhood of God

I've been thinking for the past year or so about the fatherhood of God.

All of us have got a father.  We might know them really well or not at all.  We might be really close or really distant from them.  They might be alive or not.  Have you thought about how your relationship with your physical / earthly dad might affect your relationship with your heavenly father (God)?

In the Bible, God reveals Himself to us as our heavenly Father.  Indeed that is how Jesus taught us to address God: "Our father in heaven...".  What an amazing thing, to call the creator of the universe 'father'!

However, when we use the word 'father' for God we naturally bring some of our own associations with that word.  These then impact how we think of God as our father.

When I was introduced to this idea last year it got me thinking.  I love my Dad.  He and Mum have provided for me very well.  But I've struggled to feel close to Dad.  Similarly, I find it difficult to really feel and know the love that God has for me.  I know it intellectually, I can tell you Bible verses about it, I may even know some Greek and Hebrew about it, but in my heart I still feel uncertain of His love and worry that He will reject me.  My heart and my head tell me different things.

So where to from here?

1. Pray.  Any lasting change needs to start from the heart not actions.  Thankfully, God is in the change business and has equipped us to change.  It is His Spirit living in our hearts which allows us to cry out "Abba, Father" (Gal 4:6, Rom 8:15).  He is the one who can transform us.
2. Dwell on the truth.  God is not the same as our earthly Dad.  "[God] did not spare His own son but gave him up for us all, how will He not graciously give us all things?" (Rom 8:32).  Consider the picture of God in the Bible.  He is loving and generous beyond belief!
3. Experience the love of others.  One other thing which my counsellor said would be helpful is to have positive experiences of love from others in order to help illustrate (in a tiny way) God's love.  This helps to show me that I am loveable, and helps me to feel loved.

I'm making headway on my journey.  I pray that you too will be able to embrace the love that your heavenly Father has for you.

almost done with exams ...

:-)

exam time self-centredness

Some things in life make it really easy to focus just on yourself and your own situation.  Things like sickness, suffering, a newborn baby ... just to name a few.  My thing at the moment is assessment.

My natural instinct at this time is to hole up in a cave, study and not think about anyone else.  To put it bluntly, to become entirely self-centred.

But is this how God would have us deal with these situations?  Does the call to love my neighbour suddenly stop taking effect because I'm busy?  I think not.

Naturally in times of great busyness, and particularly if we are incapacitated in some way, our capacity to serve others will be diminished.  Therefore, we should use wisdom to figure out how we can serve others, even in these difficult times.

God has called us to be part of His Kingdom.  And in His kingdom, serving others is revered.  Let us live in light of this kingdom, serving others not just ourselves.

been too busy to blog

things like study, especially close to exam time, seem to have that effect!

coupling up

The world continues to pair up around me.

Yet here I still am.

Just me.

Please Father help me to be content and fruitful for your kingdom all the days of my life.

accepted through Christ

At this time of assessment and exams I've been getting tense. :-(

But at the same time some of the reading I've been doing has been delightfully refreshing.  

I've been reminded that it is possible to do theological study in a secular manner.  Therefore I've been encouraged to rejoice, pray and share with others to combat this.  

I've also been reminded that whether I do poorly or well, this does not contribute to my standing before God.  I am accepted through the blood of Jesus alone.  And if I'm accepted by God, nothing else matters.  What other people think of me pales in comparison.  I have been accepted by the King who rules eternity.  But I have nothing to boast in.  Christ has done this on my behalf.

Have you accepted God's acceptance of you through Christ?