Life + Faith

Category: On Life

  • “N” As A Social Media Movement

    This past week has been horrific in world affairs, from the continuing Israel/Gaza conflict to the MH17 disaster.

    On various social media outlets over the last 24 hours there have also been reports of Christian persecution in Iraq due to the over-powering presence of the ISIS group.

    As a showing of support with fellow believers in this part of the world a number of friends have begun putting the Arabic letter ‘N’ as their profile picture. I’ve joined in as well and would encourage you to do the same.

    arabicNazarene

    The reason for this is because the Arabic letter ‘N’ (noon) for ‘nasara’ or ‘nazarene’ is being written on Christian homes in Iraq by the strict Muslims of ISIS. This is a warning sign, telling Christians to convert to Islam, pay a subjugation tax, or expect their death. Many of these believers have taken a fourth option, fleeing. Now, there are very few Christians in this area at all.

    While it’s become a small movement, and some would say doesn’t bring much change, I believe it (1) highlights the need for people to be educated about the current situation and (2) reminds people to pray for them. At least we can do that.

    The original article I read about this idea was from David Ould’s blog, while there are also a number of other outlets writing about this issue, including The Telegraph here, and Murray from Mentone Baptist has a few reflections here.

  • God and Vocation

    Aimee Byrd recently wrote a little post about vocation, with a pretty cool story to go with it, and used a Gene Veith quote. I thought it was relevant to yesterday’s post on where God is.

    …vocation is played out not just in the extraordinary acts—the great things we will do for the Lord, the great success we envision in our careers someday—but in the realm of the ordinary. Whatever we face in the often humdrum present—washing the dishes, buying groceries, going to work, driving the kids somewhere, hanging out with our friends—this is the realm into which we have been called and in which our faith bears fruit in love. We are to love our neighbors—that is, the people who are actually around us, as opposed to the abstract humanity of the theorists. These neighbors constitute the relationships that we are in right now, and our vocation is for God to serve them through us. (p59)

  • Where Is God?

    When on a short-term mission trip the end of each day is usually set aside for a team debrief. In this setting I often ask the question “Where have you seen God today?”

    It is a question I find hard to answer myself.

    Recently I’ve been reflecting on how some people seem to be able to answer this question of God’s presence easily while others don’t.

    I’m one of the people that don’t.

    It’s not that God isn’t around. I know He is. In fact, it would be rather depressing if God wasn’t around and you couldn’t see His hand in the world.

    But in the daily grind, while eating breakfast, working in the office, looking after the kids, fiddling with our phones, and doing what we do it’s often hard to spot God’s presence. It’s not like each day is filled with overwhelming awe for life and the tasks to do during the day. Many days are similar, many days a filled with challenges as well as joys.

    I can’t say God is in the joys without saying He’s in the challenges either. To say God is only in the joy-filled moments of life not only cuts Him out of much of the ordinary but also downplays the importance of His presence in the challenging times.

    In some respects it’s about perspective. A greater awareness of God will bring a greater awareness of His presence in our days.

    I was reminded of this as I read Ephesians 1-2 this morning. Paul talks in such lofty terms but reminds us of what He has done for us through His Son. Much of the passage is to do with what God has granted us through the work of His Son. And while the passage doesn’t talk directly about His presence in the world we can see the way He does work and so must be working today. The fact that He has chosen, predestined, adopted, blessed, redeemed, forgiven, lavished upon, made known, and given an inheritance to His people assumes He’s still doing that today. And if He’s still doing that today then He’s still at work, which means He’s still present.

    So where have I seen God today? All around.

    In what exactly? In the people I talk to. In the shopping centre I visit. In the driver I pass on the freeway. In the cafe I sit in. In the home I live in.

    I’m not sold on the idea that He is in everything, like in the salt and pepper shakers I have in front of me. But His presence is in this world and I need to be more observant of it.

    So, what about you? Where have you seen God today?

  • Spurgeon on Productivity

    “The way to do a great deal, is to keep on doing a little. The way to do nothing at all, is to be continually resolving that you will do everything.”

    by Charles Spurgeon

  • The Syrian Crisis

    Damascus is my favourite city in the world.

    by Rosemary Sheel
    by Rosemary Sheel

    Over the last ten years I would’ve visited this wonderful city nearly a dozen times. It’s history and culture captivated me since the day I first arrived. To walk the souk filled with shopkeepers attempting to sell their wares and see so many people in one place enjoying themselves is a vivid picture in my mind. So too is walking the street called Straight, where St Paul once walked. To visit Ananias’ house with the small staircase into the small two-roomed house now decked out out as a church.  These memories and many more are what I think of when I think of Damascus.

    filename-389086-2245499176067

    Now, this image has been changed and I can’t imagine how the people of Syria cope with the destruction of their country.

    The Syrian Crisis has wrecked havoc for Syrians and the wider Middle East as people seek to cope with current situation.

    Last night on ABC’s Foreign Correspondent there was an episode about the refugee camps in Jordan. It tells the story of Syrians who are now “making a life for themselves” inside these camps. The episode gives an amazing picture of life within the camps and what these people need to deal with on a daily basis.

    I’d encourage you to watch it and become aware of what’s going on.