Bible Stories For Big Kids - Blog

HOPE

4/24/2022

To be truthful, I dread reading the Easter story each year as there are so many depressing elements to the story. The bitter hatred of the religious leaders, the shocking treatment of Jesus by the soldiers all at the instigation of those same religious leaders, people who should know God's truth, yet for whom power is more important. Judas' betrayal then suicide and Peter's denial and absolute remorse, all make for a read of gloom and doom especially when coupled with the latest overseas and even local news. Yet underscoring all of this is HOPE.

HOPE , because during this whole episode in the last week of Jesus life here on earth, the religious leaders thought that they were manoeuvring events, when in fact Jesus was totally in control. Even during Jesus' 'trial' he frustrated the religious leaders no end, and Pilate eventually decided to give up. By directing all the proceedings, (unbeknown to those around him) this was Jesus' time to show his ultimate obedience to his Father and love for all people, thus giving us HOPE in resurrection and eternal life.

There is so much hatred and bitterness in our world, and especially directed towards Christians, that it is easy to become dragged down with all the gloom and doom, yet God has given us this wonderful promise of HOPE.

As you relive the events of Easter, "May the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit "( Romans 15:13.)

AGENDA? WHAT AGENDA?

3/18/2022

I thought about it, decided against it but after a recent conversation, I decided to write about it. This person whom I met, happened to ask "why do Christians talk differently to me compared to when they pray?" - he was commenting on a church which he is currently attending. And that is what started me on this discussion.

Many Christians appear to have an agenda and I really don't quite know what that agenda is. I have a few theories and they all seem to go back to Christians not being able to relate to people who are not Christians or who are not part of their social circle. Over the years I have attended many churches and one common denominator was that the people were not friendly to me, a stranger. One church even had a 'welcoming person' and I really felt like calling out to the post church coffee drinkers 'don't you welcome strangers here' but thought the better of it.

Talking to strangers or each other, should be the same as talking to God. God doesn't require a special spiritual language for us to pray and we should be as comfortable talking to God as talking to anyone else. I am not denigrating the special time of worship or undermining the holiness of God, but reiterating the biblical fact that God loves everyone equally and so should we, and to me, that means being comfortable and friendly to all people and not just those in our comfort zone.

Although the difference of Jew and Gentile does not apply to current values compared to the problems posed for the early church, yet I see that same mentality still surfaces today. We don't live by rules and ethics but should be allowing God to open our minds to the real world of real people and being loving kind and thoughtful to all.

If you have a problem relaxing with people who are 'different' (whatever that means to you!) then I suggest you change your social habits, have a good look at how Jesus related to people ( how refreshing!), have a long chat with him about your 'problem', then go and be a good caring listener.

Give it a try and you may be pleasantly surprised!

A NEW YEAR - A NEW BEGINNING

1/8/2022

Happy New Year to you all. May we thank God for the blessings of last year, learn from any mistakes and move forward in this year of 2022.

Unfortunately for Adam and Eve, their year, full of promise and good things, was suddenly thwarted when they decided not to trust what God had to say. What had started out as a perfect life, was now turned upside down, but that was not the end. The last line of this chapter is my favourite from the whole book - "God still loved the people he had created" - something to remember each day! This story may be a good reminder of how not to start our year!

IN THE BEGINNING

GOD: “Where are you Adam?   Where are you Eve?”
          Silence
GOD: “Come on, I know you’re here!”
          Rustle of leaves as Adam and Eve’s heads rise above the bushes
GOD: “What are you doing hiding over there?”
EVE: “Er…um…it’s a little embarrassing. You see, you didn’t supply us with anything to cover ourselves – we are naked.”
GOD: “That hasn’t been a problem up until now. I don’t suppose you have eaten the fruit that I said was not to be eaten?”
ADAM: “She made me do it!”
GOD: “Oh, it’s her fault is it?”
ADAM: “Yes! She ate it first and said it tasted delicious and she didn’t die the way you said we would. So I tried some too. Really good flavour….”
GOD: “I’m sure it was, but when you ate it, something happened, didn’t it?”
EVE:     “Yes God, everything changed.”
GOD: “Yes, everything has changed now that you have disobeyed me. You had everything here laid on for you, yet you weren’t satisfied to stay and enjoy it. You had to test me out.”
ADAM: “Put that way, I guess you are right.”
GOD: “Unfortunately for you, I am right. Now firstly, I had better get you some animal skins to wear, then you can say goodbye to this place, for things will be very different from now on. When I said you would die if you ate from that particular tree, I meant that we could no longer have the same relationship with each other. See? Already you are frightened of me.”
ADAM: “Yes.”
GOD: “So now, you will both have to leave here. Instead of everything being provided for you, you will have to fend for yourselves. That means growing your own food and finding your own shelter. Life won’t be easy the way it has been, and we won’t be able to meet like this anymore.”
And so Adam and Eve left the luxury of that perfect place, to face the real world of work and worries, love and hate and all the difficulties of providing food and shelter.

At the same time, God was preparing his plan of reconciliation, as he still loved the people he had created.

CHRISTMAS IS REALLY HERE

12/20/2021

God had promised Simeon that he would not die before seeing the Messiah and now, an old man, he was overjoyed when Mary and Joseph brought their baby boy into the temple at the same time that Simeon 'happened' to be there. Simeon picked up baby Jesus and offered this wonderful prayer of thanksgiving to God.

"Lord now let your servant depart in peace according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples; a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

Christmas had arrived!

THE MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS

12/15/2021

The angel Gabriel had told Mary that she would be the mother of the Messiah, and in contrast to John the Baptist's father, Zechariah who at first did not believe the angel's message to him, Mary's later response was a magnificent song of praise to God.

"My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has looked with favour on the lowliness of His servant. Surely from now all generations will call me blessed for the Mighty One has done great things for me and holy is His name.

"His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

"He has helped His servant Israel in remembrance of His mercy according to the promises He made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS

12/12/2021

When John the Baptist was born, his Father Zechariah who could now speak after being unable to speak for about a year, had this joyous prophecy to share with his friends:-

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for He has looked favourably on His people and redeemed them. He has raised up a Mighty Saviour for us in the house of His servant David as He spoke through the mouth of His holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.

"Thus He has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors and has remembered His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our ancestor Abraham to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

"And you child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people, by the forgiveness of their sins.

"By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and guide our feet into the way of peace."

This is the message of Christmas!

POSITIVE THOUGHTS OR GLOOM AND DOOM?

11/29/2021

Omicron, the new strain of Covid has arrived on our shores and although I have not been badly affected by Covid restrictions, many people have, and I heard this latest news with dread. More lockdowns, more border closures, more empty supermarket shelves? It seemed all was gloom and doom for those who would be affected most.

And then I thought of St Paul. Here he was in prison - not necessarily a nice place to be - and in his letter to the Colossians, he starts by giving thanks for their faith and love, before proceeding with more positive statements. No 'poor me' from Paul, although that could have been justified as he had not committed a crime, but was in prison because of his new 'Jesus' faith. I thought that put Covid into perspective, especially for those of us who are safe and have good health services.

Another pleasant surprise amidst the persecution and suffering of so many people in areas of conflict was a prayer in the Christian Blind Mission prayer diary "We pray for peace and prosperity all over the world. May God shower His blessings on all and bless them with peace, happiness and good health." My first reaction was - hey, this is not happening in the world right now, so why should we pray this prayer, but then I thought why not? God has promised to bless us wherever we are and aren't those who are suffering entitled to God's blessings right now? Another change of attitude needed.

Here in the tropics, all the flowering tree are in full bloom and they look spectacular. Along with the beautiful sunsets ( I don't see sunrises) and lately, cloud formations, there are so many reminders of God's goodness to us in the form of natural beauty.

As we remember people in all their difficulties, we can also remember that God has not forgotten his promise to bless. I am reminded of that promise as I look at the beauty around me - something which I really appreciate.

TRUE FRIENDS

10/31/2021

Jonathan, as Saul's eldest son, should have been Israel's next king but having met David, the youngest son of Jesse, Jonathan learned early on that he would not achieve that position, and readily acknowledged that David would be the next king of Israel.

What an extraordinary friendship was that of David and Jonathan. Jonathan risked his life for David and as Saul became more eccentric and determined to kill David, so Jonathan did all he could to keep David safe. By doing this, Jonathan sealed his position of never being king and in case of his death in battle, asked David to look after any living offspring. This David did by bringing Jonathan's disabled son Mephibosheth into court as soon as David realised he was alive.

Jonathan had all the right credentials to be king and he certainly was no wimp on the battle field, yet he could be so gracious in not seeking power as king, a position he rightly deserved. I find his attitude remarkable, especially when comparing it to the politics of our time.

When I was in Local Government, I really was astounded by the 'games' the men were playing to be the most powerful. It was like watching tadpoles in a tiny pond so small was our Local Government area, but still the power games were at the forefront of decision making. Reading and listening to national and world news is no different - power games by leaders or the vocal minority seem to make headlines all the time - power to rule, power to drown dissenting voices, power to stop all opposition.

Jonathan was in a position of power, yet he chose not to use it for the wrong reasons. I really admire this man and the strength of character which he showed in all his dealings with his rival to the throne. If ever there was a friendship 'made in heaven' this was a wonderful example.

God puts us in positions of power in many different ways, and we are responsible to God how we use that power. Jonathan acknowledged God's participation in his covenant with David - putting God at the forefront is a good place to start.

LEADERSHIP? GOOD OR NOT SO GOOD

9/29/2021

'A friend recently watched a documentary on the life of Jesus and commented on the poor quality of Jesus' leadership skills. As this friend is proficient in leadership qualities he described Jesus as being distant towards his disciples and failing to 'keep them in the loop'; not a clear communicator, and not always readily available to his disciples, people who were being trained to carry on Jesus' work, when Jesus was no longer there.

What was Jesus' problem? On thinking about this, yes, Jesus was not always clear in his words and actions, but why? Did Jesus really have a problem, or are we looking at this from the wrong angle?

Assuming that Jesus was perfect as he claimed to be, then this must not be a shortcoming of his. I recently wrote a note to myself, stating that if you think you have God all worked out, then think again and I apply that thought to this topic.

Jesus was teaching his disciples how to teach others about Jesus the Messiah, but he was also teaching them to have faith in him, and not rely on him. A contradiction? Certainly, but let me explain. Some leaders have an ego which needs constant stroking and want to have their followers dependent, not independent. Jesus had no such ego - he just wanted his disciples' trust leading to complete faith in him so they would be able to stand on their own, knowing that God would help them and never leave them. Jesus gave them room to question what they did not understand and encouraged them to think through what Jesus was teaching, so as to be able to stand on their own when Jesus was no longer physically there.

As a parent, I saw my role as guiding and helping our children to mature and become independent of me but at the same time, I was there for them when needed
( I hope!) In the same way, Jesus' 'questionable' leadership skills were ensuring that the disciples knew that they could trust him while at the same time, not depending on his physical presence alone.

There are many faith stories but one which I really like is of George Mueller, a British evangelist in the Victorian era, who established orphanages for hundreds of children. His was a 'faith mission' with no assured income, yet one story reads that one day the children were ready for school, said Grace for breakfast but there was no food for them to eat. It just so happened that at the same time, a food cart broke down outside that orphanage and to prevent the food from going to waste, the driver gave it to the orphanage to give to the children. Now that to me is faith and I think that was what Jesus was teaching the disciples - total faith in him, not a warm fuzzy good feel while Jesus was around.

With (usually) a full pantry and freezer, in today's world we may not have to exercise the faith of George Mueller when it comes to mealtime, but Jesus is calling us to have faith in him - a complete trust that he really is capable and worthy of that trust. With the benefit of hindsight, I can thank God for his care of me, even when I did not realise it at the time and from these experiences, I know that I can trust God today and in the future.

My faith in God is based on previous experience - I know I can trust him- and I think that is what Jesus was teaching his disciples - giving them knowledge and experience to know that faith in him was for real. Maybe Jesus' leadership skills might not pass today's 'pub test' but whatever he did, his disciples were faithful to his teachings.

Isn't that the best outcome for a leader?

HOW BIG ARE YOUR SHOES?

8/22/2021

How big are your shoes?

I am not referring to the actual shoe size but instead, your capacity to stand in someone else's shoes.

Recently, I have been taking notice of people's interaction with me and have been unpleasantly surprised at how few people are actually interested in me. Now that sounds totally narcissistic so let me explain. I can think of three recent instances where I have asked a person a question - eg 'how are you enjoying the Whitsundays?' and instead of an answer which can be discussed, they have proceeded to tell me about people and places which are not at all relevant to me. They have physically been here in the Whitsundays but their mind/attention is still in their own world - their comfort zone. And that set me thinking!

When Jesus visited his good friends Mary and Martha, Mary remained with Jesus to chat and learn, while Martha became hot under the collar, preparing a meal all by herself. There was no microwave nor instant oven or stove top, so it would have been a time consuming task to prepare a tasty meal, and Martha was well known for her hospitality. Martha was doing her best for Jesus, or so she thought, but he rebuked her for this. Wasn't that just a bit unfair? Martha was sincere in wanting to serve Jesus a proper meal, but in this instance, she was sincerely wrong. Why?

Let's stand in Jesus' 'shoes'.

Mary and Martha probably didn't know at this stage that Jesus would only be on this earth for 3 years, so didn't realise the urgency in spending as much time with him as they could. Jesus was reaching out to them and although we do not have a record of the conversation, I am sure it wasn't about the weather! I would assume Jesus wanted to teach them as much as possible about his role as the Messiah and what that would mean for them as his followers yet Martha could not see past her own thoughts and ideas to appreciate why Jesus came to visit. Martha could not 'walk in Jesus' shoes' as the saying goes. Instead, she was caught up in her world and her own capable role and was probably not in the habit of seeing things from another person's point of view.

I have always been aware of asking people about themselves, but since thinking more about this issue, I am even more aware of 'standing in their shoes'. It is interesting what worthwhile conversations can be had when we stop and listen to what the other person is actually saying. Listening to what Jesus has to say can be another experience again!