Welcome to This Life, a short column

reflecting on life...

CALLING FOR BARNABAS

3rd April, 2007

CHRISSI ELLANKOON

While there is no book devoted to him and we don’t hear him being preached from the pulpit all too often, the influence and effect of Barnabas’ ministry can be seen all the through the book of Acts and much of Paul’s writing.

      Barnabas, or as he was affectionately known as, Joes or son of encouragement was himself a member of the Levite priesthood, however he is not known for powerful teaching or miracles. His ministry was not one that had a place of prominence, however it was one of the up-most importance.

      What was the great ministry that Barnabas had to offer? He had the gift of encouragement, he knew how to draw out the best in people and encourage them to achieve all God had for them. Two of the people that he influenced greatly was Paul and John Mark. Both of these had important missionary journey’s, both of these men had a task to fulfill that was imperative for the spreading of the Gospel. While both these men were strong in the Lord, they both needed encouragement.

      The apostle Paul was a man of great strength, there was so much that he overcame for the sake of the gospel. It is hard to believe that even he needed encouragement. To me this highlights an important principle, that while we are in pursuit of God’s work we too may need some encouragement from time to time and there will be people who require our encouragement.

      Looking at the world today, we have learnt so quickly how to remind both ourselves and others of our mistakes. It is amazing how much we remember our past blunders, it is almost a cure for amnesia. While you not remember your childhood in any great detail, I can guarantee you that you will remember all the times you made errors and mistakes. This especially comes back to haunt you when you try to step out to do anything new. This is where the ministry of Barnabas is so important. As Christians we need to provide that counteracting voice, the one that reminds people that although you have made mistakes in the past you can still achieve your dreams.

      I often wonder whether Paul was sometimes haunted by his past. I wonder whether in the dark of the night his thoughts turned to the life he had before he knew Jesus, I wonder whether the face of Stephen and others like him returned to remind him of his past. I wonder if that is why the ministry of Barnabas was so important to Paul?

      We all need a Barnabas in our lives, we need to know that there is someone spurring us on and cheering for us on the side lines. We all need a hand to give us a pat on the back when we achieve and a hand to help us up when we fall. That hand needs to be provided by the Church. In a world that is so competitive and self driven, we can never expect the son of encouragement to emerge from there. While the world cries out our mistakes and reminds us of our failures, it is the sons of encouragement who will spur their brothers and sisters of Christ on to achieve all that God has set up for them.

      We have a responsibility as Christians to encourage our brothers and sisters, not to sit in judgement of them, there is only one who can do that job. No, we are called to remind eachother of the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ, we are called to encourage all those in the faith. We are called to be set apart and different by the fact that we choose not to judge the world but to encourage all to do what we can to make it a better place.

      For far to long the sons of encouragement have sat silent, they have believed that their ministry lacked importance. This is a call to Barnabas, you ARE NEEDED !! Do not sit silent, because as long as you do the voice of the world screams louder and louder draining the confidence of the children of God. Regardless

P IS FOR PERSEVERANCE

12th March, 2007

CHRISSI ELLANKOON

If I had a book of dirty Christian words, P would be for perseverance. Whenever I hear that word I cringe because I know all the connotations it brings. Living in a society of instant fixes and instant results, perseverance is slowly getting squeezed out of our character. In the world where nothing is made to last, we are asked nothing more than to give something a go and if it doesn't work or you don't like it, you are free to move on. It almost seems that there is no place for perseverance or that perseverance is somehow becoming redundant, or is it?

      In James 1:4 we are asked to consider it pure joy when going through trials and temptations because it is through the testing of our faith that develops perseverance. Verse four was a particular revelation for me - "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything". Perseverance is not just a good idea, but also a Biblical principle. As Christians therefore we have a responsibility to ensure that perseverance does not disappear from the men and women of today or the children of tomorrow. We have a responsibility to ensure that perseverance does not succumb to its redundant fate.

      As James points out, perseverance must finish its work. This is not an optional extra! James offers us no other option if we are to become mature and complete. Once the excitement of a new project has worn off, what drives us to finish it? When the honeymoon is over and you have each gained a few extra kilos and a large mortgage, what keeps our marriages together? James calls us as Christians to finish what we start, he calls us to good old-fashioned stick-ability. What James highlights is that if perseverance does not finish the work, then what does?

      What I am seeing more and more on my journey is that as people abandon perseverance the work is not being finished. Deadlines are not being met, marriages are not lasting, renovations aren't being completed, and books remain unfinished. But what is perseverance, what is this essential trait that spurs us onto maturity and completeness?

    Well, if perseverance were a woman, she would be the one sitting in the corner of the office. Easy to miss at first, there is nothing to draw attention to her except the contentment on her face as she goes about her work. She is not loud or flashy but if you ask her boss, she is spoken of highly. Words such as dependable, reliable is what she is noted for. Her boss points out the asset she is to the company because she will always get the job done, and on time.

      Perseverance is a loving wife as well. Thirty years into the marriage she is still looking for ways to be a blessing to her husband and show him that he is loved. She has stood firm and guarded her marriage, she has settled disagreements quickly so they have had no time to fester and take root. Perseverance does life with her husband day by day, investing into their relationship.

      Perseverance is a mother who lovingly walks the journey with her children. She endlessly encourages them in their pursuits and is there with compassion and support when they encounter disappointment. She can't recall how many times she has heard her son play that piece of music on the piano. She can't count the number of times she has driven her daughter to netball and cheered from the sidelines, however perseverance will tell you that she will continue to support, encourage and teach her children for the rest of her life.

      Perseverance is also the astute businesswoman, she has taken some big risks and had a couple of losses. Perseverance however cannot be held down for long. With each loss she assesses her learnings, picks up and starts again. She is not afraid of hard work, she remains determined to see her dreams come true.

      Perseverance is an athlete. She trains hard and is consistent. Whether rain, hail or shine you will find her running the oval or training in the gym. With all her preparation, on the day she falls, there is no chance that she can win now, but perseverance is resolute and will complete the race she started.

      Perseverance is you and I, each time we choose to rise above our circumstances and finish what we start we choose to persevere. When we feel unappreciated or just plain worn out, we keep going because we understand that perseverance must finish its work. As Christians, let us be determined and resolute, let our lives reflect perseverance so that we can become mature, complete and lacking nothing. Let us be ambassadors for perseverance rather than its harshest critic.

CHILD OF GOD

26th February, 2007

KATHIE THOMAS

"It's 'show and tell' this week, mummy, and it's about 'craft'. What am I going to do? I'm not good at anything! The kids are going to laugh at me".

      I sighed. We'd been down this path before and I needed my daughter to understand that she didn't have to be like everyone else. That she is who she is, a child of God.

      I asked her about the collage she had made recently and she screwed up her face. Then I suggested the placemat she had made for her dad and she shrugged her shoulders. "Then, what about that lovely bead necklace you made for me? I really love that!"

     "Really?" she asked, her interest mildly peaking. "I don't know mum.." as her voice trailed off.

     "You can tell the class that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' and that your mother really loves that necklace, because it was made with love and has special significance for me."

      I watched my daughter's face as different emotions flickered across it. I didn't like reminding her of a time that was fraught with sadness, but at the same time it was important for her to remember that through God's grace
and healing, she still had her mother with her. I felt a lump forming in my throat and was grateful that time was now well past and we had a future to look forward to.

      I grabbed her hand and squeezed it, cupped her chin with my other hand and smiled into her eyes. "Darling, don't ever forget that you don't have to be good at everything. But God has given you gifts that will awaken and grow inside as you grow older, and He has special gifts for you. Some children will be good at things like art and craft, but you have a special gift that shows His love to others around you. When others are down you know how to pick them up with the way you do things for them, and show them that you care. That bead necklace you made me has so much love in it, that I feel the warmth whenever I wear it. It is a very special gift you gave to me".

      My daughter smiled up at me, her eyes glistening with tears. "Ok, mummy, I'll take your necklace and use that for 'show and tell'".

      The following day I held my breath as the door opened and I heard my daughter calling out to me. I let my breath back out again as I heard her voice call out in a sing-song fashion, and the sounds of her skipping down
the hallway. She'd had a good day and I silently thanked God for His goodness to her.

     "Mum, mum, they didn't laugh at me, they didn't laugh! Some of the girls wanted to come and have a close look at the necklace and told me how glad they were that you are well and that I still have you. The teacher said it was really special too. And there were others who didn't have anything they could show so I told them things about them that were special, just like you told me last night. And you know what mummy? I told them that they are a child of God, just like me!"

THE GUILT BARRIER

10th February, 2007

KATHIE THOMAS

Some time ago an acquaintance had suggested to me that since God was willing to forgive us our sins and wipe the slate clean then perhaps we could live as we liked and ask for forgiveness upon our death. I was quick to admonish him and point out that:

      a. your heart has to be in repentance (God knows if we are sincere), and
      b. that death can come suddenly, leaving no time for thought or prayer.

      Little did I know I would need my own advice some time later. Does God get you like that too? Some months later struggled with a problem. Half of me wanted to be free from it, the other half...well, didn’t want that. I knew I was playing with fire...in fact, with my eternal future.

      The memory of what I had told this person surfaced and I spent considerable time thinking and praying but my heart wasn’t in it. It was elsewhere. How could I have let it happen? Why wasn’t God saving me from this torment? Didn’t He know I wanted to work for Him? How could I have been so weak when I thought I was strong?

      A short time later, while attending church, the pastor’s wife got up to prophesy. I’d not seen this happen before but was sure I’d get a message. I knew that God was watching over me but I had felt that for some reason, I just could not hear Him. I did get a message but not through her. While she was speaking to others, I had a vision.

      I was standing by a door through which a great light was emanating from within, shining around the doorframe. I knocked and tried the door but could not get in. Then the word ‘barrier’ entered my mind. “It was created by you, not by Me,” I heard God say.

      The door opened and I entered in. I could see a silhouette of a figure in the centre of the room but I couldn’t make out the features. The light coming from Him was too bright, like nothing I’d seen before. I held my arm up to my face but not before I noticed others standing close against the walls of the room who could look upon the figure of light. They were smiling. My eyes hurt from the brightness. A voice spoke saying that I could look upon the light if I wanted to.

      Suddenly I was filled with a new knowledge. I couldn’t look at the light in my vision because of the guilt within me. That guilt had been the barrier and the cause of the hurt in my eyes. Oh, how I longed to be rid of that guilt, but how could I, when I didn’t feel really free of those thoughts?

     ‘Weakness of the flesh’ flashed through my mind and once back home I searched my concordance for what I thought to be the right reading. But instead something else stood out - "my strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). I stepped back placing my hand on my mouth. I felt like I’d been slapped and my eyes filled with tears. I had been weak and through that weakness God was teaching me about His strengths.

    Oh Father, how slow I am to learn! I praise you that I am weak and You are strong. I praise you because you always have time for me, that you teach me many things. That you don’t laugh at me but with me, and that you feel for me when I’m in tears. I understand that Your strength is made perfect in my weakness because it is at that time that I need You most. I was smug enough to think some months ago that nothing would separate us. How wrong I was! Father, forgive me.

A GIFT TO GOD

4th January, 2007

KATHIE THOMAS

“When I go to heaven I’m going to take God a gift.” Melanie stated happily. We were on our way home from a birthday party and this had evidently started Melanie’s train of thought.

     “Do you know the best gift you can give to God?” I asked and when told ‘no’, I answered “Yourself”. I explained what God wanted for each and every one of us in His world. I asked her if she understood and she replied, “Well, when I see Him I’m going to give Him a great big hug and kiss!”

     “He’ll love that darling.” as I smiled broadly at the thought. Melanie, at seven years of age, is such an affectionate, loving child and I know that that is exactly what she would do.

      I reflected on this conversation later and wondered if I would do the same?

      No, I decided. I would probably stare in awe and feel totally inadequate in the face of His beauty and splendour. But wait, didn’t He feel that I was worthy of His love?

      Yes, I decided, Melanie definitely had the right idea. She had not been taught to think this way, it came naturally to her but for those of us past our childhood, we have to learn once again to be childlike in receiving God’s love and His promises as we are told in Mark 10:13-16. And I think that this sometimes means being short in memory too. How much easier it would be to forget some of the things we’ve done just as children easily forget their own shortcomings.

      And the more I thought about it, the more I realised that I, too, would love to give God a gift – a hug and kiss from me, an affirmation of my love for Him. And it took my young daughter to make me even think of it.

FORGING A FAITH

20th July, 2005

JO HOPPING

A few weeks ago while raiding a friend’s coffee table I read an article describing ‘Porch Theology’. Ann Jensen wrote that apparently a bunch of innovative folks are advertising 'Solomon’s Porch Theology' outside Irish pubs in Minneapolis and London, aiming for evenings of robust, civilised discussion regarding the events of our times and how these sit with the Christian faith.

      It’s not the first time this kind of thing has been done - obviously the name draws from the habit of people in Old Testament times who taught and argued and wept in the shelter of the Temple porch, rather than their faith being confined to teaching from the pulpit - and since then the concept would have existed in as many forms as there are pilgrims and faiths, with notable examples being the regular meetings of Lewis, Tolkien and friends at Oxford’s Eagle and Child pub and Francis Schaeffer creating L’Abri in Switzerland, a safe place for people to examine their beliefs.

      Dangerous thoughts, untidy faith and the weight of doubt shouldn’t scare us from continuing our journey. It’s in recognizing that we are powerless and that we can’t contain God that we begin to work at forging what our faith is based on and what God’s nature is like in the messy parts of our life as well as in the good, clean bits.

      Me, I’d love to make it to a porch, sit down with respected friends and a glass of something while the day eases to a close, and get into the debate. Trouble is, God doesn’t often allow me to make it that far. He generally manages to nab me at the clothesline and believe me, with the amount of laundry we produce, there’s plenty of time for him to make his point in a leisurely manner.

      Lots of things get nutted out while pegging the t-shirts out in the sunshine - like how I should apologize to my girls when I’ve behaved exactly as I tell them not to, or that I really should be deliberate about catching up with a friend who’s facing some untidy situations of her own. Sometimes He just graciously uses the space to remind me that he’s still there and that he really means it when he says he cares. Being on acreage, nobody minds if I have a bit of a cry when I’m being reprimanded, or laugh at one of those quirky ideas God seems to come up with. It’s getting to the stage where I hesitate to wander across the deck with the latest damp load, and try to sneak out when the bloke upstairs might not be watching.

      There’s a fair bit of work ahead of me before I reach the finer points of theology. And a few ‘discussions’ left between me, God and those friends who will put up with me long enough to finish a conversation. In the meantime I’m pestering my better half to buy me one of those super-size, long-term warranty clothes dryers.

AN ISSUE OF TRUST

27th June , 2005

JO HOPPING

It’s 5:42am and I’m awake (which these days is in itself a bit of a miracle), propped up under quilt and blanket and wondering if thinking about walking could possibly get me fit. I’ve even gone so far as to open the window for the full effect of the crisp morning air. You see, I’m really there.

      Snuggled in winter fitness attire, I’m striding it out down our driveway, sucking in the freshness of the lemon-scented gums which guard our entry and then it’s off up the hill at a brisk pace. I’ve even been thoughtful enough to dig out the lead and allow our overgrown Shepherd pup to gambol alongside, in front of and beneath me as I pace out the kilometres. The endorphins begin to kick in and I wouldn’t be anywhere else on the planet.

      Except I’m still muffled by half a dozen pillows. Self-image is a pretty powerful thing. I can delude myself into thinking I’m in okay shape until I spend time with one of my many friends who actually get out there. In fact, this girl doesn’t just stroll up the hill of our valley - she gets out and runs for kilometres, apparently every spare minute, with stunning results.

      Physical discipline has been compared to discipline of the spirit. There are plenty of us who’ve got a picture of God and reckon it’s all under control. Especially if we’re pretty nice people - you know - gracious with kids in supermarkets, successful in business, well-known in local parts as a good all-rounder. Knowing about God, however, and really knowing Him are totally different experiences. The guesswork and assumptions we hold while spectators are just a shadow of the real thing. It’s not until we allow ourselves to actually begin to look at who God says He is, and learn to hear His voice directing our plans each day, that our minds begin to be transformed and we begin to see a wider view of our life and the purpose for it.

      From the outside, many people have a perception of the Christian faith as something that’s out of touch with reality or not relevant to an everyday routine. God-in-a-box, pie-in-the-sky, wishful thinking for perfection. Maybe someday. Yet just like it’s probably time for me to stop whinging about being unfit and lazy, it might be time for some of us to stop complaining that we don’t live anything but ordinary lives, and open our eyes to the possibilities God has in store. ‘I know what I’m doing,’ says God, ‘I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.’ (from the Book of Jeremiah, The Message version of the Bible).

      So, how serious are you? It might be time to wake up, get out there and explore.

FEELING SMALL

1st June , 2005

JO HOPPING

Ever feel small? No - not that tower of pencil lines and dates on the door frame. I mean your life, your spirit.

      I was struck while reading Paul’s note to his friends at Corinth: ‘Dear, dear Corinthians. (I don’t think he’s patronizing them here - he just cares a lot.) I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively." (from The Message version of the Bible).

      If life’s so dull and repetitive that you’re going nuts, then the thought of eternal life is probably more like a life-sentence. But what if that eternal life is one that offers room to grow and serve and be appreciated? Right now we only see shadowed glimpses of God’s mind - those moments of discovery and those conversations that leave you bursting with the opportunity to develop your skills; those snatched moments when the dream that has been brewing, half-formulated, in your heart threatens to boil over into you’re here-and-now life.

      Giving control of things to God may appear to be a wimpy option only needed by those weak people who need a crutch to lean on. Nothing could be more distorted. Having the courage to recognize I’m a sinner in need of a Saviour is the best chance I’ll ever have to live expansively, led by the One who designed me, the One who said He knows the plans He has for me, ‘plans for a hope and a future.’