Feeling a classroom fall out ahead: Women - Equal but different...

I've just looked at what I need to teach my year 10s this week and my heart just sank... I've images of big battles in the classroom, heated discussions and fall outs over the topic: The roles of men and women in society and the church.  If the roles of women are changing in society, shouldn't the roles for women within the church change too? This is a topic, some get very heated about. It may surprise you, but I hate confrontation and heated discussions... even the thought of them makes me want to run away! 

I know that as I prepare to teach this topic, the view I hold from the bible is not popular with many, some will try and argue that I've totally misunderstood God's word, some will say I'm out dated, some will say that I'm sexist, some will say that I'm undermining who they are. Even within our teaching department there will be differences... but what Do I believe the Bible teaches about the roles of men and women? The below is just a brush stroke, a mere scratching of the surface...

Firstly I firmly believe that as 2 Timothy 3:16 states: ^'All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work' Therefore, what God has to say in the Bible, is relevant and applicable for us today, it is not outdated.

A brief summery: The Bible outlines God's perfect plan for humanity, God created men and women, equally but different. It is for this reason that men and women have different roles in life.

1. God establishes a pattern of relationship between men and women at creation

God made man and woman equal in the image of God - Genesis 1:27-28: So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” The writer of Genesis shows us that men and women are both equal, as they are both made in the image of God. This is also seen in 1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, 1 Peter 4:10 and Galatians 3:27-28.

2. God creates men and women differently in role (Genesis 2 and 3, Galatians 3:28)

You don't need to be a genius to work out that men and women are very different. And that's how God created us, different! This does not mean that in different roles one is superior to the other and it doesn't mean that one is prejudiced against. What it does mean is than in equality, male and female have been created with different roles. This is also modeled in the Trinity, God the Trinity are equal in person-hood but different in role.

Genesis 2:7 shows us that the man was created first as the "Source", or in other words the head, the leader. It is then from the source, from man and for man that the woman was created, as man's helper (Genesis 2:21-22 and Genesis 2:18, 1 Corinthians 11:9).  God could have spoken Eve into existence, yet, he deliberatly forms her from Adam. It is interesting here to note that in Genesis 2:16, it was to the man that God commanded, "do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil". God could have given this instruction once Eve had been created, but he didn't. God deliberately commands the man, this is a symbol of authority and status in his role. Further, in Genesis 2:19, it is the man that is to name the animals, again a symbol of his authority and rule. Now many would argue, 'well women aren't animals, so surely this is irrelevant?!' Genesis 2:30, man then names the woman. Furthermore, It is the man who is held accountable by God for sin, not Adam and Eve, but Adam (Genesis 3:9, Romans 5:12). 

And so this is why many Christians believe in male headship. One of the attacks against the headship of men, is that surely the Bibles teaching on men and women is cultural? They might turn to 1 Timothy 2, especially verse 10-13^{: "}Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor." Yet here it is inescapable to notice that the reason Paul gives in women not teaching or having authority over man, is due to God's created order. That although Male and Female were created equally, God has different roles for them. It should also be noted that in Paul's writings (especially 1 Timothy 2:1-15), to teach and to have authority mean the same thing. 

As to what this looks like in family life, the following verses are helpful.

1 Corinthians 11:3, "But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God" The Bible clearly affirms that the husband is to be the head of the wife. It should also be noted that in the Bible, the family is mini church and so family life should mirror that of church life: Titus 2:5, Ephesians 5:22-23, 25, 1 Peter 3:1-7

What are the roles then of godly men and women?

• The man is to teach and have authority over mixed congregations. This is not the role for women. (1 Timothy 2:11-15, 2 Timothy 2:2)
• Women are to teach women and children (Titus 2:3-5). However, within the family, the man is responsible for the teaching of the children... this will look differently in different families.
• Paul has women in his team, this is likely to have been in the above role (Romans 16:1)

The practical outworking of the above will be different for different people.  I personally believe that women have to work hard to enable, encourage and facilitate men to take the lead (without nagging) and we will often find this hard (Genesis 3:16). I think therefore it is also important to model headship in all areas of life, so if a married couple were to pray in church, it would be good for the man to pray first. I would also take the stance, that it would be better for a man to lead a Sunday service than a women, to encourage the men to be biblical men. I'm told that men can be intimidated by women, and if they see women leading this can encourage them to step back. I say this as well due to the accounts in Genesis 3. As the Eve takes the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil... where was the man? He passively takes the woman's lead and doesn't reinforce God's rule.

Some may argue that because Jesus was loving to women and that he appeared to women first after the resurrection, it is fine for women to lead mixed congregations... I personally don't agree, his appearing to women first could be for many reasons. I also do not think that male headship is discrimination or prejudice in any way. The Bible outlines God's perfect plan for humanity and so we should follow the plan or order God has outlined. God created men and women, equally but different. 

War: Baby Jesus... Prince of Peace?

I love the stories recounting what happened on the 25th December 1914 on the battle fields of France. Truce was called (temporarily) and so German and British Soldiers sung carols, shared rations, shook hands, exchanged presents and even enjoyed a peaceful game of footie! Amazing! Where there has been war, peace and goodwill set in amongst people who had been trying to kill each other!

The world does seem to pause for Christmas, people searching for a time of peace... Is this what the bible means when we read that the baby born at Christmas is to be the Prince of Peace? That as we celebrate the birth of Jesus we all enjoy a day of 'peace on earth and good will to all men'?

During the last week before Christmas I looked at the names given to Jesus with my year 7s.  We looked at what the angel told Mary; What does 'Jesus' mean? (Matt 1:21). We looked at Isaiah 9 and talked about how God's people in the C8th were desperate for good news and how Hebrew names were supposed to sum up what the child will be like. We talked about how the names given to Jesus were a bit like job descriptions, they were titles or nick names telling people what Jesus was going to be like... many years before he was born! Suddenly hands were raised... you could see cogs turning and getting stuck...

• "But Miss, you can't do that with a baby, you don't know what the baby will turn out to be like!"
• "Miss, Jesus can't be the Prince of Peace we still have wars"

With 15 minutes left of the lesson i had a job on my hands!! They were spot on, Jesus had quite some names to live up to! And... the world is and has been full of wars been since... not long after the world began. I'm told that statistics show that roughly in over the past 4000 years, roughly 8000 peace treaties have been signed and broken. God does allow wars and there are wars in the Bible...

We did a quick bible overview...

Genesis 1 - God made a perfect world.

Genesis 3 - People turn their backs on God and disobey him. People and the world face the consequences of this. And from this point on we see broken relationships and a few pages on, the worlds first murder. So, its us who makes wars not God.

Jesus - Very loving, brings people back into relationship with God, God offers the truce if we accept it, because Jesus has paid for the punishment we deserve on the cross, so we can be at peace with God, "It is finished". (Isaiah 53:4-6 pinpoints that it is Jesus who brings reconciliation with God through his death on the cross, Isaiah 2:4 highlights that it is Jesus who enables reconciliation between people. See Romans 5 also)

Revelation 21 - God promises that for those who trust in Jesus, there is a world to come free from all bad things, including death and war. So not only can peace with God be made, there is the promise of a world where there will be peace forever. This means there will be no world peace until Jesus returns!

• "So... that's why Jesus is called Prince of Peace!"
• "Miss, is war right or wrong?" 

I was thankful that we didn't have time to get into the ins and outs of war. However, knowing this class, I've a feeling they will ask again... just like the repeated questions of, "Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons?" "Are hairy women proof for evolution?" "Why did God let the snake come into the garden?"

I left that lesson, reminded afresh about the reality of the world we live in. A world where everyone wants to be ruler and where most people think they are right. We have a world where we often don't recognise how sinful we are. Genesis 6:5 highlights: "the LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time" James 4:1-2 reinforces that war is the result of our sinful hearts, and so shouldn't be blamed on God; "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. " 

The suffering and threats of more suffering that lead to decisions to go to war are horrendous. Suffering during war is horrible.  Suffering from the consequences of war many years on is horrific. This sums up how awful our sin is, and should make us cry out for a solution. The Bible tells us that Jesus offers this solution as he sacrifices himself securing eternal peace. Without Jesus the life we choose is a life of war, war with one another and war with God. What we see now in war, due to sin breaks lives... yet this is nothing in comparison to the suffering we deserve due to the way we treat God which the Bible calls hell.

Prince of Peace... it might not look like it now, but... the bible explains that Jesus is bringing about true and deep peace. So... does this mean we should all be pacifists?

Pacifism? No

The pacifist argument is very persuasive, we are called to be loving even to those who do evil against us (which isn't easy!). However, I don't think that the pacifist argument is biblical. Firstly the pacifist view of the reality of what people are like seems wrong, so its its view of justice. I also think we have to hold together both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and not conclude that the God of the Old Testament was angry and violent and the New Testament God is loving. Having said this the Bible is clear we shouldn't judge others, so I don't want to sit here and condemn pacifists!

God engages in war as judgment on sin

God does engage in war; On occasion forbids war, calls war, helps his people in war and even ensures his people get defeated in war... However, God never takes war lightly and his justice, holiness and judgment against sin are always involved. It's important that we understand that we cannot understand how and why God does everything, but we hold onto the truths we do know about God. He is the ultimate judge, and allowing bad things now is part of the consequences of sin. We might not understand morally why God allows war as a form of judgment, but we need to trust that God is right in all he does. 

Romans 1:18-32 explains that its not that God isn't loving, its not that God doesn't have the power, it's not that God doesn't know how... to stop all the wars and pain. Actually God is giving us what we ask for. Verse 18 tells us that God is lettings us have what we want and this is his wrath revealed against all godlessness and wickedness. God's judgment now, his wrath against our sin, is (v21-32) giving us up to our sinful minds, shameful lusts, depraved minds. But this doesn't mean that God has given up on us, he is simply, giving us what we want. The problem is, what we want have terrible consequences! Reading Romans 1 is immensely humbling!

Exodus 14:4 and the events of the Exodus show us that in judging and allowing evil to come upon people, God does so with eternity in mind. God wants people to know that he alone is God and wants people to be drawn into relationship with him in order for them to avert everlasting punishment. Therefore, what may appear to be evil is actually graceful and loving.  

It is good to punish wrong and part of being a good and perfect God is to punish evil. In Deuteronomy 32:35, God says, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay".  

Ezekiel 18:32, "For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!" Although God allows war and uses war, it doesn't mean that he delights in it. When God engages in war, it is due to the severity of sin and the need for people to repent.  

God is not quick to anger and not keen to engage in violence, nor should we be. “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” God is not like some of the soldiers we hear about on the news who take part in unlawful torture! 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." God could have brought about the end of the world now, but he is being gracious to us, allowing time for more people to accept his offer of reconciliation. God is patient!

In God's sovereignty, God allows those in government to make decisions about war; "For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer." (Romans 13:4) Its easy to moan about governments, especially the decisions they make about war.  However, we also need to remember they are God's servants, given authority by God and will punish people, and may even decide to go to war. Isaiah 45 and Amos 9, highlight that God's complete sovereignty includes war. Romans 8:28 tells us that God is working for the good of those who love him, and that will include war.

Is war murder? 

Interestingly the word for killing in the Old Testament is not the same as murder. Does this mean war is right? The Bible is clear that ending a life is wrong as people are made in the image of God. This highlights to us the severity of sin, that on occasion God engages in war, that sin must be punished and God is willing for human life, made in his image to be ended early.  

Murder is one of the reasons that abortion and euthanasia are wrong, why does this not apply to war in war? I suppose the answer is, because God says so. Can the rules for war be used for abortion and euthanasia? I think if you use the Bibles justification for war and apply it elsewhere that is misapplying God's word, especially as God uses a different word when it comes to war for the ending of someones life. I think this also highlights that war is not something to be jumped into, as human life is precious. God's engagement with war was always perfect, however do all soldiers act perfectly? No and they will be held responsible for that.

Jesus and war? 

It's true, Jesus did tell one of the disciples off for cutting the soldiers ear off and he rebuked those who came to arrest Jesus questioning why they came with swords as he wasn't leading a rebellion. He didn't tell them to find a different job. This doesn't tell us we should never use swords. Note what Jesus didn't do: He didn't rebuke the soldiers for being soldiers! He didn't tell them off for having swords but for trying to use swords in this situation. Jesus was respectful of the soldiers, also see Luke 3:14 and 7:9. Jesus here was making a point regarding fulfilling the scriptures and he knew that he had to be arrested to die, and so he wasn't going to fight being arrested. 

In Matthew 5:21-25, Jesus urges people to do their best to be reconciled with one another and live at peace where possible. We are not told to go looking for war, we are told to be peace makers. However, in politics one of the difficult decisions that has to be made is whether in extreme circumstances whether war can bring about the greater good.  

Jesus states that war will be inevitable, it has to happen and so we shouldn't be alarmed or surprised by it (Matthew 24:6-8). "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." Jesus tells us that war is a sign that this world is coming to an end and that a perfect new creation is in sight.   

Our responsibility 

• We need do do our best to prayerfully live godly lives and with God's help aim for peace at all times. This will involve mourning our sinfulness. It is good to pray for world peace, that prayer is praying that Jesus would return.
• We need remember that the government are God's servants and pray that they would make good and godly decisions. We need to hold love and justice tightly together and pray for godly motives. We need to pray for those in power to make godly decisions. We also need to pray for the victims and sufferers of war.
  
• We could write to MPs gently and lovingly encouraging them to act in a godly manner.
  
• Discernment for Christians to decide whether they could be godly witnesses in politics and the armed force. In Acts 10:2 we find a godly soldier, a soldier seen in God's word positively. This soldier is not told to get a new job. He helps God's people, gave generously to God and prayed a great deal. He wouldn't have been found torturing captives!
  

God will ultimately bring justice into our broken world. God may use war as a form of bringing about justice now, showing He is supreme. War now is judgment upon our rebellion against God. 
Let's thank God for Jesus, who is the Prince of Peace born at Christmas, enabling peace with Himself and finally a perfectly peaceful world to come due to his death on the cross. War is inevitable now and should make us wake up to the seriousness of our sin and our need for the Prince of Peace in everyone's lives and in our world.

The fruitful life - Jerry Bridges - Chapter 10, Gentleness

I've been dipping in and out of this challenging but encouraging book for a couple of months now. Each chapter has so much to be digested and prayerfully apply. I love the way Jerry bridges writes in such an accessible way and each page is coated in scripture applied to our lives.

As I have read the chapter on gentleness, I have become particularly  aware of how a lack of gentleness is ugly and is often something that so easily destroys relationships. This chapter has also helped me to understand exactly what gentleness is and how as a society we easily over look gentleness. It has also been encouraging that it is not something that only I battle with.

During my university days, we often joked about what the ideal posh vicar's wife would be like... I won't share the list, but something we didn't joke about was that we knew that all godly girls should pray for a gentle quiet spirit (1Peter 3:3-5), we knew gentleness was a good thing.

But I wonder how people imagine gentleness to look like in practice. How often do we remember Jesus' gentleness? Do we often think that gentleness is out of reach?

Early on in the chapter, Bridges quotes George bethune, "Perhaps no grace is less prayed for, or less cultivated than gentleness. Indeed it is considered rather as belonging to natural disposition or external manners, than as Christian virtue; and seldom do we reflect that not to be gentle is sin"  
Such a great reminder, that a lack of gentleness is not to be brushed off as 'its just the way I am / they are', and a prompt to be commit to be praying for this characteristic of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and encouragement that this is an area that God wants to develop us in.


So what is gentleness? Billy Graham defines it as;  "Gentleness is mildness in dealing with others... it displays a sensitive regard for others and is careful never to be unfeeling for the rights of others" 

Bridges explains that gentleness is relational and he pin points the need to pray specifically about certain situations regarding gentleness. The following are part of his list:
1. Am I sensitive to other people's rights and feelings?
2. Do people relax in my presence? Do they worry about being looked down on or criticised?
3. Am I sensitive to others opinions and ideas?
4. Do I avoid blunt speech and an abrupt manner?
5. Do I listen to reason?
6. Am I fair, considerate and generous rather than rigid and exacting?


Another really helpful chapter from a brilliant author.

Work: Good but its not God (Ecclesiastes)

I'm now in my 2nd year of being a 'real teacher'. This year has felt much harder than last year. I have felt more and more pressure and I have felt pulled in all sorts of directions. There are disheartening moments in teaching, and yet remarkable rewards too. Sadly as I mentioned in a blog below, work has become a chore. Its easy to get sucked into the moans and groans in the staff room... its easy to have your mind occupied by the negatives of the job... and foolishly I've had a bad attitude this half term when it comes to work!

But... this week, during half term I've been soaking up what the Bible has to say about work, and allowing the Bible to shape me. My prayer has been that I'll go back to work on Monday, refreshed and with a godly mindset.

Earlier this week I was challenged and encouraged to view work as good and created by God (Genesis 1 and 2).  I loved reading Colossians 3 remembering that in all I do I am to work as serving the Lord. I was really challenged by proverbs - not to be a sluggard but an ant! (my love of being horizontal has been truly challenged!)

Today Ecclesiastes has also cut deep into my heart. I've been challenged, rebuked and encouraged that: Although work is good, it is not God. Work will not provide us with what only God can. I've asked myself... What is it about work that you don't like? Is it that its hard, or is it because of misplaced values?

It doesn't take a genius to suss out that 'work' is effected by sin, most 'work' involves people in some way shape or form - and us people are sinful! Wherever we look in the world of work there is sin, work is infected by sin and this means it will be tough... it can have good results (which are a gift from God)... but it will be tough!  Genesis 3:19, "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return

Ecclesiastes 5:18 "This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for people to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives people wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God."

Ecclesiastes 2:10-11, "My heart took delight in all my labour, and this was the reward for all my toil.    Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun"

 I've loved the reminder that I'm to work hard (like ants)... but also to ensure I don't seek ultimate satisfaction in work - if I do I will end up with heartache. If I do, I will dread work. 

The bible is clear that only partial satisfaction and 'happiness' will come through toil. The fact that it will be toil should alert us to understand that work is not where we will find ultimate, true delight. How foolish we are to place more than we should in our work! (Romans 1-2) Work is not a source for us to find our identity, nor is it a foundation of our significance in life. I wonder how much of our lack of delight in work is due to the wrong values we place in work... 

And so, when we ask ourselves honestly why we don't enjoy our work or why we dread going in... is this due to the value and hopes we place in our work that will never fulfill? When I get frustrated by work, I need to ask myself the question: Am I placing too much significance in work? Am I seeking what only relationship with the creator God can give me? When work fails to satisfy, is that because I'm neglecting my relationship with God and so seeking what only God can give me elsewhere? Has work replaced God in my life? Has success at work become an idol - that will only fail me?

The more I focus on God and the more I delight in my relationship with God, the smaller the frustrations with a working life become. The more I focus on God, the more I can experience delight in my work. When God is big... everything else is small.

As I head back to work, I need to remember the encouragement and challenge reading Ecclesiastes has brought. I need to focus on God more. I need to seek my ultimate delight and satisfaction in my heavenly father and ensure its not in my work - which will only ultimately bring partial and temporary joy. I need to remember that although God created work, and that work is good (and its important to remember this), I need to ensure that my identity, my values and hope lie ultimately in my loving heavenly father who is not tainted by sin and not in His creation. As I work, I need to remember that although God created work, and there is some joy and satisfaction from work... It is only relationship with our creator that brings ultimate joy and satisfaction. What joy our Father brings, and I can experience this joy, I can be delighting in knowing my heavenly father as I work... 

Psalm 42:1-2 "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?"

Work: God made us to work to serve Him

As soon as we begin reading Genesis we find an active, working God. If we are seeking to live godly lives we too will want to work. In fact as God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden, he is put straight to work. It is important to remember that even before the fall, there was work, and work had great benefits.I have also been really struck that living as a Christian means that God is the ruler of my live and it is him who I am serving in all I do - this will bring a great deal of Joy.

Genesis 2:15, "The LORD God took the man and put him n the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it".

Colossians 3:23-24, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ that you are serving."

Mind set and Attitude change:
a) God works and we too are to work. We are to work to please our heavenly father.
b) I need to work with the attitude that I am working for God and serving Him.

Can getting your heart's deepest desire ever be disasterous?!

I've been taking advantage of extra time to read during the holidays and on of the books I've been reading is Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller (Hodder and Stoughton: 2009. I've found this book deeply challenging, its been well worth the read.

I'm sure we've all had numerous conversations with people about their desires in life. We don't need to have graduated from university to have desires, it's pretty obvious that even young children are clearly aware of what they want and know how to make their desires known. Its only when we stand back and evaluate the bigger picture of what's going on that we can see whether a desire is a 'good one' or a 'bad one'. For example, a child may really want to eat a whole chocolate cake, and to the child this seems like a brilliant thing to do. However the parent knows that there is likely to be negative consequences. You can imagine the hyperactive child running about just moments after eating a whole chocolate cake, a few moments later you hear a whinge and a whine, the child has a tummy ache... then... the cake makes a second appearance all over the clean floor (of course there is the problem of obesity too!). But surely when we are grown up and wise, we know whether or not our desires are good for us!?

Whilst reading this book, one of the things I was really struck by was the fact that one of the worst things that can happen to someone is for God to "give them over to the desires of their hearts" (Romans 1:24). Keller explains that this is the greatest punishment imaginable because our hearts fashion these desires into idols, and so... "They worshiped and served created things rather than the creator" (Romans 1:25). Keller highlights that without the Holy Spirits intervention, our hearts deepest desire will never be for God nor will they be God glorifying. This has challenged me to think through the things in my life that I desire; Are they idols? Are they becoming idols? They might not be bad in and of themselves, but can become unhealthy idols which will never be fulfilling, nor satisfying. Being idolatrous is fatal.


xvii - xviii
"What is an idol? An idol is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give. A counterfeit god is anything so central and essential to your life, should you lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living. An idol has such a controlling position in your heart that you can spend most of your passion and energy, your emotional and financial resources, on it without a second thought. It can be family and children, or career and making money, it can be a romantic relationship, peer approval, your beauty or your brains... An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, "If I have that, then I'll feel my life has meaning, then I'll know I have value, then I'll feel significant and secure.""

xix
"If anything becomes more fundamental than God to your happiness, meaning in life, and identity, then it is an idol."

xxiv
"The only way to free ourselves from the destructive influence of counterfeit gods is to turn back to the one true God."

"I think your prayers have saved my boys life"

The world is not as it was originally meant to be. This is the inescapable, sad reality that people face day in day out. Evil and Suffering of many differing forms fill our news, there is no escaping it - the world is in a mess. But for Christians, this isn't the end of the story - we know why bad things happen, we know that God loves us, and we know we have an amazing life ahead of us in perfect relationship with God in a perfect place, where there will be no evil and no suffering.

But reality is, until Jesus returns the world remains broken. Thankfully we can pray to our loving heavenly Father who is able to do all things and who knows personally the pain of suffering.

Though, I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel afraid of telling friends who aren't yet Christian that I'll pray for them... just in case the prayer isn't answered in the way we'd like: What if they think that God doesn't exist because prayers haven't been answered?! How little a view of God we have!

I met with a friend this evening, she knows the world is broken, she wakes up to it each morning with the beeping of the hospital monitors, the murmuring of the machine that feeds her son, not to mention the whirling noise of the Chemo (or poison as she calls it) entering her teenage son's body. Day in and day out, evil and suffering stares her straight in the face, there is no escaping it. This is just one story, my heart broke this evening as I heard the stories of the children who have died this week on the ward, or of her sons best friend in the hospital who has been rushed into ICU and is unlikely to make it through the night.

9 months ago when I told my friend that I was praying for her family, she froze, there was an awkward silence, she changed the subject and walked away. Praise God that 9 months on things have changed.

In the midst of this suffering my friend explained to me how she is now certain that it is only because people have been praying for her son that he is still alive. "He should be dead", "The cancer should have killed him", "Even the consultants didn't think he'd make it", "Its amazing that the 50cm tumour hasn't spread anywhere else in his body", "Why is my boy still alive when so many of the other children on the ward have died?"... these little coincidences could go on and on. But she now see's that maybe there there is a God who answer's prayers, these aren't just coincidences. What a great God we have, my prayer is that through this tough time, somehow God would continue to lavish his grace and mercy onto this family and bring them into his Kingdom.

As I drove this evening I has mixed emotions. Of course there is sadness for what the family is going through. But I'm excited about the work of God in the lives of this family. Part of me was encouraged to pray more and more and to trust God to work in the ways He see's best, to know that he is sovereign over the lives of our friends - not me. My friends comments tonight also reminded me not to be fearful of sharing with people that we're praying for them. Just yesterday great fear went through me as I sent a text explaining that I was praying for her family, knowing that in the past this kind of message has not been well received. Yet, tonight, even though she calls her self an atheist, she is comforted by the idea that people are praying for her, and she wants people to be praying. Because she is aware that people are praying, she is attributing great things to God and is now far more open to the Gospel. Even though some prayers haven't been answered the way we would have liked (her son still had to have his leg amputated), my friend is focusing on the ways God has answered prayers. For this I praise God.