Author: Suzanne

Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…..”

Bodies and minds. That’s what is on my mind as I sit in a Thai coffee shop today. An thin European lady, wrinkled, shoulder-length white hair pulled back in a pony tail, dressed in a simple cotton dress with butterflies printed all over it, sits outside smoking. Her husband (I presume) orders their coffees and walks around the art cafe taking photographs of all the decorations. I’m more taken with the beautiful plants scattered about the cafe than with the artwork.

“Smoking is not good for you,” I think, though don’t say to the lady. But I can’t talk, as I blob here, casually caffeinating my body. 

Bodies and minds – that is the topic of this blog post. 

In a class on spiritual formation which I took a few years ago, the lecturer kept saying, “It’s what is below the waterline that counts.” He was talking about boats, of course, and the importance of keeping them clean of barnacles and rust. He likened that to our spiritual lives. Today, though, as I sit in this inland city looking out through the roots of plants which are growing in water, it seems to me that the same truth applies. 

It’s all about what is below the waterline, or, usually, for plants, what is below the soil. It’s about our roots. Specifically, it is about how we are rooted in Christ. But I get ahead of myself……

Bodies – our responsibility

In Romans 12:1, Paul writes, ‘Therefore … in view of God’s mercy … offer your bodies as a living sacrifice … to God….”   

It is tempting to write a paragraph on the ‘therefore’. A teacher long ago taught me, “Whenever you see a therefore, look to see what it is there for.”  However, to do so would make this post too long. Suffice to say that Paul has just finished writing a brilliant doxology about God’s mercy before he begins this paragraph. 

Offering my body as a living sacrifice assumes all sorts of visible things. Living a healthy lifestyle is obvious. You won’t see me sitting outside a cafe puffing on a cigarette … but I admit that you may see me inside putting too much sugar and fat into my body. Offering my body as a living sacrifice involves watching my words, sometimes saying what needs to be said even though the topic is something I would rather avoid. It also includes how I use the resources I have been given of health, time, money, education, abilities, networks and more.

The way I act, the words I say, the choices I make – these are all things which are ‘above the waterline’. They are like the stems and leaves of the delightful plants in this cafe. They are visible to anyone who looks. But there is a lot happening below the waterline too. 

Minds – God’s responsibility 

In Romans 12:2, Paul writes, “… be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” He uses the passive tense – transformation is done to us. He does not write, “transform yourself” although we are instructed to “… not conform to the pattern of this world…”. 

It’s like what is happening beneath the waterline for the plants. The roots of the plants – the stuff of the mind – are parts we don’t usually see. But there is a lot happening there. 

The Greek word for what has been translated as ‘transformed’ is ‘metamorphoo’, ‘meta’ meaning ‘change’ and ‘morphoo’ meaning ‘form’. It is the same word from which we get the English word ‘metamorphosis’.  My mind boggles when I think of the way that grubby caterpillars spin cocoons and morph into beautiful butterflies. In the same mind-boggling way, the spirit of God renews our minds, causing us to morph into transformed beings.

The pressure is off … and on

I’m not responsible for transforming my mind. The pressure is off.

I am responsible for offering my body as a living sacrifice to God. The pressure is on.

Of course, thinking and actions are closely related just like the parts of the plant below the waterline (or the soil) can’t be separated from the parts which are above. The roots take up moisture and nutrients to feed the leaves, while photosynthesis occurring in the leaves feed the roots.

As I leave the cafe, I smile at the older lady clothed in a dress covered with a butterfly print. She smiles back. She will never know how her dress sparked my thoughts today, because my mind is part of ‘what is below the waterline’. My smile is all she sees. For a brief moment, our lives connect – two strangers in a city far from home.

Bodies and minds … my responsibility and God’s … what is above and what is below the waterline … these are the matters before me today. In a sense, it is liberating – I don’t have to be responsible for renewing my mind. There is plenty that I am responsible for, though, including writing up this meandering meditation on Paul’s words to the Romans. I wonder if they grew plants in glass jars of water as objects of art back then?  

Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…..”

When I was young, I hoped to change the world. 

Then reality hit. 

Don’t stop reading. This isn’t a depressing blog post. 

Creation care

I spent time in Genesis 2 today. Verse 15 stood out to me – God’s commission to Adam, the first man, to care for creation. I wonder what filled his days back then? That was before weeds and bushfires and floods and disease. Did he have to dig the soil, plant, feed, prune, then harvest? Did he have to take flocks and herds from one pasture to another? I wonder how long he had to wait before God gave him a life partner. 

Adam’s days would have been rather repetitive, I imagine. How much more exciting it would have been to build things, to have something more concrete (quite literally) to show for his efforts. Babel was just such a project, undertaken by his descendants … though that venture didn’t quite work out as planned.

The daily grind

This blog post comes from a hotel room. It’s stimulating to be back in Asia, although also a tad bitter-sweet. I am a visitor here now and no longer a resident. And I never did change the world.

A significant part of my work these days involves contributing to the systems that support others to do what I once did. Training – mentoring – information management – resource organisation – clarifying goals and strategies – co-ordinating communication – meetings galore – it’s not the stuff of Facebook updates. 

Do you ever wonder what you do all day? And what you have to show for your hard work? I’m well aware that I’m not alone in this respect. In my case right now, living out of a suitcase gets a bit old too. I’m really looking forward to unpacking in ten days time. (Who is counting?!)

Don’t think that I don’t appreciate my current situation. Most of the time, I do. I get to spend time with special people, travel to interesting places and can even use ‘work time’ to focus on spirituality and writing. It’s a privileged life and I’m grateful to family and friends who make it possible. There have been many highlights over the years. Although I haven’t changed the world, I have had the honour of playing a part in what God is doing.

Non-headline work is valuable

The point of today’s blog post is to encourage myself  (and anybody else who may read along) that non-headline work is valuable. We’re not all like Moses or Paul in terms of our callings.  Many of us have roles more akin to Adam’s. Of course, it is important that we regularly assess what we’re doing and remain accountable to others so that we don’t spin off into blind busyness or mindless meetings. But we need not take on our shoulders the responsibility of changing the world. 

Creation is God’s. Maintaining it is his business. God gave Adam and his descendants, including us, responsibility to care for creation. My particular responsibility just now includes one cat, a few plants and a whole lot of special people with whom I interact with in various ways.

History-shattering it is not, but it is enough.

On this first day of the Chinese Year of the Pig, I have another chance at starting my New Year’s Resolutions.  (I’m only half-joking.). I have also just finished a lovely ‘retreat day’ here in a small but bustling Asian city. It’s a wonderful way to start the Chinese New Year. 

Feeling somewhat inspired to capture the essence of what God is inviting me to me these days, I attempted another haiku:

Rhythms of life

Striving less and Spirit led

Like nature’s rhythms

Rhythms … that shall be my word for the year.  In a sense, it is also my New Year’s Resolution, though that remains officially related to health and fitness. I hope that I can ‘strive less’ and ‘be Spirit led’ even as I establish some healthier habits in that area too.

Rhythms and lights

Here in Chiang Mai, I am enjoying magnificent sunsets most days, though the reason the colours are so spectacular is the little bit of pollution in the air. One scene I snapped shows, in the foreground, traffic lights regulating the flow of what sometimes seems chaotic – cars, songthaews, motorbikes, tuk-tuks and pedestrians intersecting. Behind that, the sun sets, regulating the lives of birds (which flock to sit on particular power lines at sunset), water lilies which open and close with the sunlight, and much much more. 

Yet in contrast to the rhythms of nature and even of traffic, we strive on. Too often we ignore the rhythms of day and night, of six days for work then one of rest, of feasting and fasting and more. We push hard to complete apparently very important tasks, day after day, night after night, tapping away on our computers, rushing from one strategic meeting to the next. 

Who do we think we are? 

Just for the record, I have long been adamant that we need to take a weekly rest day, both out of obedience to God and for our own well-being. Yet I confess that I often strive to do what I think is a good idea or what I sense others expect of me, sometimes taking on too much work because if I don’t say ‘yes’, the whole world will come crashing down … obviously. Crazy.

Striving less and Spirit led

Today was a case in point even as I strived to retreat. Like I said earlier,  I had planned start the Chinese New Year with a retreat day. I have a new book – ‘Pursuing God’s Will Together’ by Ruth Haley-Barton— and I was planning to incorporate some walking with journalling and reading in coffee shops. The day started out fine, with everything going according to plan … my plan, that is.

At midday, I enjoyed a scrumptious lunch, which I interpret as a kind gift from a generous father. I had heard of this place but didn’t know where it was and literally walked right past it today. Then I went to an air-conditioned shopping centre where I knew I could get a fragrant cup of coffee served with a glass of green tea on the side. I settled in for an afternoon of peace and quiet. That was my plan, anyhow.

First it was the Chinese New Year clamour.  Four young men dressed as two lions roamed the centre, while another drummed and one more banged cymbals. They went back and forth throughout the whole centre for a good hour or more. It was entertaining even though I felt the stress levels rising because MY plans to be renewed and revisioned were going haywire. 

Finally, they stopped their noise and the poor hot boys threw off their lion outfits right outside the cafe in which I sat, the drummers coming in for take-away iced coffee. Literally, right at that moment, a lonely American tourist approached my table and struck up a conversation. I considered packing up and moving elsewhere at that point, but a little voice inside me reminded me that I had just this morning repented of striving for what I thought was important rather than looking for the Spirit’s leading. The tourist stayed for almost two hours, talking of family and hopes and disappointments and more. I had no chance to share my faith or say anything I considered of eternal value. Yet I sat there, being friendly. I hope … and sense … that is what God wanted of me. 

Rhythms and leading

Finally, I left the shopping centre and walked down the street. The sun was setting. The birds flocked to their allotted power lines and started up their deafening chatter. (You can tell that they always go there by the white … er … ‘paint’ … on the pavement below. I took care to walk well away from it.) And was reminded again of the rhythms of nature. 

I did not finish the book I intended to study today even as I looked for God’s renewal. I’m only a quarter of the way through it. But do you know what? It doesn’t matter. The sun will still rise in the morning. The birds will go off to do whatever birds do during the day. The water lilies will open their petals. Just as nature’s rhythms continue under the hand of Almighty God, so I too need to cease striving and simply seek to follow his lead. 

I started this piece with a haiku. I would like to finish with some well crafted Ines from one of my favourite hymns – ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’ by John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-92). May this be my prayer and perhaps yours too, whatever our days may bring, even and especially when the pace of life picks up and we lose focus and start striving again.

“Drop thy still dews of quietness

Till all our strivings cease;

Take from our souls the strain and stress,

And let our ordered lives confess

The beauty of thy peace.”

Mary’s heart lurched as she thought of her first-born, now a grown man. What could she do?  He wasn’t eating properly. He was working himself to the bone. He had made some powerful enemies. And she was seriously concerned for his mental health. 

“He’s out of his mind,” her younger sons had insisted. Rumour had it that some religious leaders considered him possessed by the devil. Oh yes, he may be special, this son of hers, but he was still her son and she couldn’t help but worry. 

If only he would listen to her. She would insist that he come home for a few square meals and some solid sleep. ‘Mother knows best,’ Mary would say. With her younger sons by her side for physical and moral support, she made her way to the home where Jesus was, yet again, working hard … too hard.

Encircled by admirers

Mary did, indeed, have reason to be concerned. Even as she waited outside, Jesus was inside vehemently refuting the blasphemous accusation that his power came from Satan. Yet, as he argued with those pompous teachers of the law who had come down from Jerusalem, sitting around him were people who accepted him as God-sent. They didn’t have the whole picture, but their hearts were in the right place.

A message was passed to Jesus through the crowd which was packed into this stuffy, overfilled room. “Your mother and brothers are outside. They’re looking for you.” 

Jesus looked up. “Who are my mother and brothers?”  Nobody quite knew how to answer. He turned to each of those everyday men (and women?) who were seated in a circle around him, perhaps looking deep into the eyes of each one.

“Here are my mother and brothers,” said Jesus, indicating his loyal followers. What?! Poor Mary. Surely her heart, already in knots, would fray and rip when these words were relayed to her. 

“Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother,” he continued. 

Sisters? Where did that come from? Were there women in the circle too? Certainly there were women who believed he was who he claimed to be even back then. Was he also thinking of the many who would follow him in the years to come, right down to us today?

Brought into the family

As I meditate on this scene, I identify with Mary, probably because she was likely in her mid or late forties at the time, just a few years younger than I am now. On the one hand, my heart breaks for her, standing outside, hearing Jesus apparently disown her. Yet on the other hand, I am comforted by the knowledge that Jesus would later take special notice of her in what would be his and her darkest hour both. He would entrust her to the care of his dear friend, John. Jesus hadn’t rejected her. But he had a divinely ordained role to fulfil, and Mary’s desire to smother him with mothering wasn’t appropriate.

Jesus’ point was this: Whoever does God’s will is Jesus’ brother and sister and mother. 

That includes us, his followers who live two millennia after this emotion-charged event. 

Did those people who were seated in a circle around him back then know and understand everything about the great mystery of Jesus’ work? No, of course not. But their hearts were in the right place. 

Plans for the year

At this time of year, I usually put together a ‘PMP’ (Personal Ministry Plan) for the upcoming twelve months, as well as look back on the year past. Don’t be impressed – I do it because it is ‘strongly encouraged’ (required, ideally) by the agency through which I work. I am asking God these days where he would have me focus during the year ahead.

What does it mean to ‘do God’s will’?

God’s will for us in the big things is obvious. He wants us to love him first and foremost, and then to love those around us in the same way that we love ourselves.  As for matters specific to my life, I look to him for direction and make the best plans I can. I’m encouraged from this passage that I don’t need to understand it all, but challenged that my heart needs to be in the right place. 

When I do that, Jesus calls me ‘sister’. I am his little sister. There is no way I can begin to identify with the role of ‘mother’ in this sense. ‘Baby sister’ of the Son of God is hard enough to get my head around. But understand it or not, that is what Jesus considers me … that is what he considers us … if only we do God’s will.

A warning and an encouragement 

Mary’s heart was tied in knots that evening as she worried for her son. But just a few short years later, Mary would become an integral part of the early church. It was a community which also included Mary’s other sons (Acts 1:14). Phew!

As an ordinary Christian woman who identifies with Mary in this story, I am so pleased to know that Jesus cared well for this dear lady who loved him so very much. I still feel very sad, though, when I imagine Mary being given ‘the cold shoulder’ while Jesus got on with fulfilling God’s will. I take this as a warning. It is pointless and a waste of time and energy to get so caught up in what I think is best that I miss what God wants of me.

And as an ordinary Christian woman, I’m tremendously encouraged to think that Jesus calls me ‘sister’ when I do God’s will. I still don’t have the full picture – it is too great a mystery – but I know and accept that, through faith in Jesus, we are given his spirit who indwells us and identifies us as sons and daughters of God Almighty.

And so, as I look to the year ahead, I am encouraged. Come what may, my big brother has it all in hand. 

“I will always be grateful to Australia for sending volunteers to my country. One of them changed my life.”  

Rescued

The young woman, her long hair pulled back in a pony tail, a friendly smile, and two bags of groceries, had just rescued me. She had grabbed me, pulling me out of the way of a speeding motorbike as I approached the songthaew, a share taxi of sorts common in Thailand. Let’s call my rescuer ‘Linh’. 

Linh was catching the songthaew too. She was delighted to hear that I was from Australia. And I was proud that a fellow Australian had turned this girl’s life around. 

It happened when an academic in the area of international development had volunteered for a year in Vietnam, Linh’s home country. She had helped Linh and others in her community recognise problems women faced there and mobilised them to do something about it. And then she had used her connections to get Linh a full scholarship to study international development in New Zealand.

All that is how Linh herself now works for a non-government organisation that strives to empower women.  And why she has such excellent English.

A conversation

I had caught this songtheaw to go to church. Linh’s ears almost visibly pricked up. Leaning forward, she asked, “Are you a Christian?”  I responded enthusiastically in the affirmative. “Then we have so much in common,” she gushed. “I’m a Buddhist. We all like to do good things in our communities. I work with a lot of Christians, and I see this all the time. What else do you think is similar in our religions?” 

What a question. I pointed out that she and I share a desire to do good and a general sense of peace. But as tactfully as possible, I pointed out that there are significant differences between our religions too. Christians believe in a God who created and sustains all that is. Many Buddhists have a strong sense of the spirit world but not of a creator and sustainer. Our motivations for doing good are different too, and relate to our beliefs about eternity. 

“Oh, I’m not a very devout Buddhist. I’m just a general Buddhist,” she said.  “And I like the Christians I work with. We have a lot in common.” 

I wish that there was a neat and happy end to this tale. However, there is not. The songthaew pulled up at my stop. As I clambered ungracefully out of the red vehicle, I urged Linh to find a church – either one that her Christian colleagues went to or the international church that I was headed for – and explore this question further.

A prayer

Do you know any Christians working cross-culturally? If you do, and if you pray, could you place two matters before our Creator and Sustainer right now, even as you read this little tale? 

1. Ask God to give your cross-cultural worker friends wisdom about how to balance ‘word’ and ‘deed’.  Linh has seen lots of good deeds done by Christians and knows of the faith that motivates them, but she has yet to hear and grasp the ‘Word’.
2. Give thanks for the academic who volunteered her time and expertise and, in so doing, changed the trajectory of Linh’s life. Ask that many more like her will go to communities like Linh’s, but that they will also bring with them the good news that Jesus offers – eternal life. 

May God hear and answer our prayers, and may he turn Linh’s heart to himself too.

“I am the light of the world” – religious rulers

You could have cut the air with a knife. For the onlookers, it would have been better than reality TV in the 21st century, and more significant. 

It was a Sabbath morning – a holy day for the Jews. Yet rest, Jesus did not. He arrived at the temple at dawn and began teaching. At dawn?! I value my slow, restful Sunday mornings. (And yes, I realise that Sunday is not the Jewish Sabbath.) That was a different time and place, to be sure, but I’m glad I live in 21st century suburbia. 

Can you imagine being part of the crowd which had gathered around Jesus that morning?  You strain to hear every word. You ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at the theatrics of the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders. Little do you realise that a response will be required of you and soon. (See John 9:22)

Jesus made his main teaching point for the day. It was this: “I am the light of the world” (John 8:11). 

“By whose authority?,” demanded the religious leaders.

That led on to a complicated interchange, increasingly passionate, including accusations from both parties (Jesus and the religious leaders both) about the other party being demonic! 

It culminated in Jesus’ claim to be divine “Before Abraham was born, I am,” he announced. 

The religious leaders tried to stone him to death in response. 

“I am the light of the world” – a blind beggar

Having slipped away from the murderous crowd, Jesus and his disciples came across a blind beggar. There is no record in John of this man seeking Jesus. It was all about Jesus seeking him. 

Again, Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world.” He then proceeded with step one of the man’s healing.

Jesus made a mud mask for the blind man’s eyes from his saliva and dirt. But the second part of the miracle was up to the man. Would he obey Jesus’ instructions and go and wash in the particular pool expressly stipulated by Jesus? 

He went, he washed, and he could see. Can you imagine seeing colour for the first time? Hurrying home along familiar streets full of unfamiliar sights? Seeing your mother’s face? 

Extensive questioning by those finicky Pharisees followed. In his plain telling of truth, the formerly blind man unwittingly answered the Pharisees’ earlier questions of ‘By whose authority?’ “If this man were not from God, he could do nothing,” the young man stated simply,  culminating in him being thrown out of the synagogue. 

Jesus found him for the second time. Again, he explained who he was, this time identifying himself as the long-ago-prophesied “Son of Man”. 

The seeing young man worshipped in response. 

“I am the light of the world” – modern men and women“

The events of that Sabbath day long ago held enormous significance for the people of that time and place. But what about us? 

We also have a response to make. 

The same writer who recorded the events of that eventful Sabbath day so long ago would explain many years later to people who lived far away what this claim of Jesus meant for them. (See 1 John and particularly 1 John 1:5-2:11.) It boils down to making Jesus Lord of our everyday lives, especially impacting our relationships with one another. 

I did not go looking for Jesus. Not at the beginning. Jesus found me. Yet although he has done everything necessary for me to have spiritual sight, I still have a part to play. May I not be blinded by a sense of self-importance or culture or learning as the Pharisees in the temple grounds were that morning. May I recognise reality for what it is, my spiritual eyes keen. 

And as we ‘walk in the light’, may we ‘shine like stars in the universe as we hold out the word of life’ for the glory of God.  (1 John 1:7 and Philippians 2:15b-16a) 

Let me say this up front…….I am no poet. 

However, you can’t go wrong with haikou, a poem of only three structured lines, can you? This is the stuff of school classrooms. Five syllables – seven syllables – five syllables. That’s it.  (Though I suspect it works better in Japanese from which it originated.) 

I’m also enjoying a delightful blog post on ‘mindfulness’ written from a Protestant Christian perspective, in which haiku is recommended. And so I decided to give it a go.

Okay … the truth is that I’m procrastinating. I have a assignment due, which is partly on the practice of silence as a spiritual discipline. But first, a haiku. Drum roll, please……

The sound of silence,

Manic mind urging action,

God is God – not me. 

Does silence have a sound?  In the experience of the Biblical prophet Elijah, God was present in ‘a sound of sheer silence’ (1 Kings 19:12 NRSV). As I write these words, I hear birds, traffic and a snoring cat. I think ‘sheer silence’ could be a little unnerving, don’t you?

When I stop and try to focus on God, everything else suddenly seems so urgent. I’m inspired to clean cobwebs, jot items on my ‘to do’ list and save the world. But I persevere, drawing my attention back to God.

Although there is nothing spectacular about the experience … well, not my experiences, anyhow … a significant change of mindset comes from sitting silently in God’s presence. I recognise that I am only human. Oh yes, God gives me a role to play in his work in this freckle of time in which we live. But he is God – not me. 

I am no poet. But haiku is a fun exercise that forces you to choose your words carefully. It helped crystallise my thoughts about silence as a spiritual discipline too. 

Give it a go.

Footnote 1:  https://soulsculpting.wordpress.com/resources/ by Cheri Howard, accessed 8 January 2018 

Should Christians fast from time to time? I have always considered it an ‘optional extra’ for the very devout or utterly desperate. However, after reading a chapter from Richard Foster’s most excellent book ‘Celebration of Discipline’ on the matter, I’m having second thoughts. Am I just a soft modern westerner who fits well into our culture of indulging almost every little whim … a culture which I quite like, incidentally. 

Allow me to think through this question in the format of this blog post. It helps me and it may give you some food for thought too … though ‘food’ for thought is probably not the best analogy. This blog post may give you ‘something to chew over’ perhaps. No, that doesn’t work either. Just think about it okay?

Fasting out of desperation

“Almighty God, you MUST step in and fix this problem. We are absolutely helpless. Only you can do this. Please, please, please, please, PLEASE.”  

That was my prayer of desperation back in the year 2000, and it drove me to fasting.  Was it an attempt to manipulate God?  Perhaps, but I don’t think that was a problem. God knew my heart. My fast only lasted a few days. I was irritable and headachey and so run down that I succumbed to a nasty cold before I finished. But God stepped in and answered the prayers of many, mine included, and I will always be grateful. 

For a while, in the early days of my work in Asia, I used to regularly fast for 2/3 of the day once a week. (I had one small meal on that day). It was a good habit. Chinese is one of the hardest languages in the world to learn (see footnote 1) and I was desperate. Hence the fasting.

Many years later, I watched friends fast for forty days. I admired them tremendously even before the fast. I was somewhat concerned as I saw them fade away to very little. They drank supplements that kept them healthy, however, unlike my short but desperate fast years earlier. I also saw significant breakthroughs in their ministry about this time. They are my heroes.

Biblical examples and teaching about fasting

It surprised me to realise that fasting was a custom throughout the centuries all throughout Scripture, even though language and culture changed significantly along the way. Key figures whose fasting we read about include Moses (Exodus 34:28), King David (2 Samuel 12:16), Elijah (1 Kings 19:8),  Isaiah, who taught at length about the importance of the heart when fasting (Isaiah 58), Daniel, who did partial fasts, at least (Daniel 1:12, 10:2-3), Queen Esther and many of her peers (Esther 4:16), Anna the prophetess (Luke 2:37),  Jesus (Matthew 4:2) and the early church (Acts 13:2-3). If they all practised fasting, and presumably many more besides, shouldn’t we consider it? 

Jesus explicitly taught about fasting (Matthew 6:16-18). He preceded his discourse by the clause ‘WHEN you fast’ and not ‘IF you fast’. Having said that, he did not ask his disciples to fast during his time in public ministry, in contrast to other religious leaders at the time (Matthew 9:14). He expected them to make the most of every day that he was with him … and he also expected that they would fast once he was gone (Matthew 9:15).

Interesting asides

I knew about Ramadan, of course, but I was surprised to learn that most religions have an expectation of followers fasting from time to time, including Judaism.  This isn’t a reason for Christians to fast, but just an interesting aside. Another inspiring aside is the example of a delightful British monk who thoroughly enjoys fish’n’chips and who fasts most Wednesdays and Fridays – I read about him in a secular article about fasting (see footnote 2).

These days, there is a lot of awareness in the secular world of the health benefits of what is called ‘intermittent fasting’. Just last month, a local TV station in my area broadcast a segment on how to avoid Christmas weight gain. It involved partial fasting (see footnote 3). It’s a no-brainer, really. 

Interesting asides aside, Christian fasting isn’t primarily about healthy living. Improved health is a positive outcome though, don’t you think? 

The main point

The main point of this blog post is to raise our awareness of a particular spiritual discipline – fasting. Fasting is not a salvation issue, and I’m not suggesting that we all need to do it. But key men and women of God in the Bible, at least, sure seemed to think that it was a good idea.

Will I put my words into practice and actually start fasting occasionally, not out of desperation, but as worship? Well, if I were to tell you that I will, I’d be going against Jesus’ explicit instructions to fast in secret (Matthew 6:18). But if I were to tell you that I was not planning to fast now and then, then it would be obvious that I was like that poor fool who looks in a mirror and then goes away and forgets all about it (James 1:23-24).

So I shall tell you nothing.

(1) https://www.atlasandboots.com/foreign-service-institute-language-difficulty/ accessed 7 Jan 2018

(2) https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-25592458   accessed 7 Jan 2018 

(3) https://coach.nine.com.au/2018/12/13/08/47/michael-mosley-weight-gain accessed 7 Jan 2018

Exposed. Naked. Or so it feels.  

I am trying to squeeze into my swimmers. 

It’s been years since I have swum.  It is only the possibility of getting in shape and the opportunity and accountability of swimming with somebody else that has convinced me to pull my abandoned swimwear out of the bottom drawer.  I checked to make sure that my swimmers still fit and the fabric hasn’t decayed. They’re okay … but don’t think I’m going to post photos. No way. 

This experience reminds me of how God sees us. In fact, he sees even more than a middle-aged lady clothed in lycra. His focus goes straight to the heart. 

God sees our hearts

The Bible is full of statements about God seeing our hearts. (See the list at the end of this post.) What he sees is often ugly. Despite what some people say, I don’t think that our society is getting worse, although in my country, at least, ‘tolerance’ is increasingly valued.  We’re not told much about what God saw of human hearts in Noah’s day, but we are told the it was not a pretty picture (Genesis 6:5-6). Millenia later, in the book of Romans, we read that God turns us over to the desires of our hearts when we reject him, causing our society to degenerate into disaster (Romans 1:18-32).

If anybody else were examining my heart, I’d be more than a little self-conscious. I don’t want you to see the spirit of criticism that rears its ugly head from time to time. The perfectionism that keeps me from productivity is something else I am working on even through keeping this blog. Exposing my heart to others would be worse than going to the shopping centre in my swimmers. 

The Emperor’s New Clothes

‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ is a tale by Hans Christian Anderson about an emperor who believed he was wearing magnificent clothes which were invisible to anybody unworthy of being in his presence.  Of course, nobody was willing to admit that they couldn’t see his clothes. Everybody pretended … or almost everybody … that he was magnificently attired.

I sometimes feel a bit like that emperor. Don’t you? I act like I have it all together, calm and in control of any little thing that comes up. Sometimes I even believe it myself. But do you know the truth of what is in my heart? I’m not sure that I even understand my heart’s depths. 

But God does. 

Adam and Eve

Shame. Horror. Embarrassment. 

After eating the forbidden fruit, Eve and Adam realised that they were naked. 

I wonder if they hid from one another? They certainly attempted to hide from God. Whatever did they use to sew those fig leaves together to make clothes? Vines? They must have been desperate. Big chunks of bark is what I would use were I to find myself in such a predicament in the Australian bush. Perhaps with huge tree fern leaves over the top.

Comfort 

Were it not for Jesus, I could not be comforted by the knowledge that God sees my heart. I would be like Adam and Eve, desperately grabbing anything at hand to try and cover whatever I could. But even when I was at my worst, Jesus died for me. The risen Jesus has put his Spirit in my heart, and works in me to make me more like himself. It’s a slow process. 

Because God knows the worst of it already, I don’t need to pretend to have it all together.  I can be myself  … though I’m motivated to be the best version of myself possible because I know he is watching.

Exposed. Naked. And yet not condemned nor ridiculed. In the words of the Biblical writer to the Hebrews, “…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22 NIV)

But as for being comfortable in swimwear out in public, that is a different story.

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‘God sees our hearts’ – a concept seen throughout the Bible

Genesis 6:5 God knows the inclinations of the thoughts of human hearts. 

Genesis 8:21 God knows every inclination of the human heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 People look at the external appearance, but God looks at the heart. 

1 Kings 8:39 God alone knows every human heart.

1 Chronicles 28:9. The Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.

1 Chronicles 29:17 God tests our hearts. 

Psalm 7:9 God probes hearts and minds.

Psalm 44:21 God knows the secrets of our hearts. 

Proverbs 21:2 The Lord weighs the heart. 

Jeremiah 11:20 God tests our hearts and minds. 

Jeremiah 17:10 God searches our hearts and examines our minds.

Matthew 9:4 Knowing the thoughts of his listeners, Jesus asked, “Why do you entertain such thoughts in your hearts?”

Luke 5:22 Again, Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?”

Luke 16:15   God knows our hearts. 

Acts 1;24 God knows everyone’s heart.

Acts 15:8 God knows the heart.

Romans 8:27 God searches our hearts.

1 Corinthians 4:5 God will expose the motives of our hearts.

1 Corinthians 14:15 The secrets of our hearts will be laid bare. 

Hebrews 4:12 The word of God judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 

1 John 3:20 God is greater than our hearts and he knows everything. 

Inadequacy yet success … this has been the recurring theme of my year. How about yours?

At this time of year, I find it helpful to look back over the past twelve months. The good old Ignition ‘Examen’ exercise is helpful. Some prompts can be found in this article: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/20131/examen-prayer-for-the-year

I won’t share all of my ‘Examen for the year’ ponderings with you. However, I would like to touch on a few highlights.

Gratitude

There is a great deal for which I am very thankful. So-called ‘work’ in 2018 has involved spending lots of time with special people in places near and dear to my heart. (Let’s not mention the admin.) I’ve had several more ‘all clear’ post-cancer checks. The study I’ve undertaken through the Melbourne School of Theology this past year has been practical and thought-provoking. Being diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity has been liberating in terms of improved health, although it makes travel more challenging. Enjoying community, getting some traction with writing and time at home have also been highlights. 

I’m well aware, however, that 2018 has been what the queen of England would call an ’annus horribilis’ for several friends. I wish desperately that things were different. One day they will be … but not yet. None of us are exempt from what these friends have been through this past year. Their experiences echo the words of the apostle Paul:

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:22-23 NIV)

Emotions

The examen guidelines suggest that you consider emotions experienced over the past year. To my surprise, I realised that time after time after time, I had found myself feeling frustrated and inadequate, yet was happily surprised by how things turned out in the end. There is a lesson in that, don’t you think? 

‘Inadequacy yet success’ was a theme in matters including finances, time management, travel plans both at home and abroad, wanting so very much to ‘fix’ whatever I possibly could for friends who were struggling and more. I could relate story after story to illustrate this point, but will tell just one.

I wanted to travel from mid September to mid October, and had offered to help with certain activities during this time. But a medical appointment, a family celebration and a simple ‘gut feeling’ convinced me to delay my trip by a couple weeks. I felt a bit of a failure in that I was letting others down by reneging on a commitment made months earlier. And I was sad to miss what I thought would be a very special opportunity. 

Who could have foreseen that I would be in just the right place at just the right time on at least four separate occasions during that trip to support friends through … er … interesting times. And that the activities I had wanted to be there for would be cancelled for reasons quite unrelated to my changed plans. Even in my inadequacy, God brought about success … not in terms of my plans being realised, but his.

Salvation and strength … under certain conditions

As I reflected and prayed about this theme of ‘inadequacy yet success’, I was reminded of a verse which I thought I knew well … but it turns out I had been missing a phrase. 

The verse as I remembered it is this:  “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength….” (Isaiah 30:15b NIV).  The bit I was missing, however, is a dire warning.

Consider these words of Isaiah earlier in the same chapter:

“Woe to the obstinate children,”  declares the Lord, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine….” (Isaiah 30:1a NIV, my emphasis)

And then I got to the verse I remembered … but notice the extra line I was missing earlier:

 “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”  (Isaiah 30:15 NIV my emphasis)

Thankfully, Isaiah chapter 30 ends with a note of hope, because God remains faithful to his own and responds as soon as his people call out for help.

Looking back and looking forward

A sense of inadequacy is not bad, actually, because when you’re out of your depth, you rely on God. It would save wasted energy, though, if we could avoid feeling frustrated in the midst it. 

As I look back on the year, I am grateful that God has used me in a variety of ways, though not always as I had planned. As I look ahead to the new year, I am asking for the grace to recognise what God is doing in my community and eagerness to be part of his plans. It’s not that I won’t plan. It’s just that I will hold my plans lightly. 

I suspect that the theme of ‘inadequacy yet success’ will continue. Take my resolution for the new year as an example. It is typical of the new year’s resolution of many middle-aged women – an increased focus on health and fitness. To this end, I had considered buying a FitBit in the Boxing Day sales, but then decided against it because I like wearing my watch. (I didn’t want to wear both.) However, two days before Christmas, I thought I had lost my watch on a street somewhere. So I bought the FitBit and … yes, you guessed it … found the watch at home within hours of making the purchase. I hadn’t lost it after all … I’d only forgotten where I left it. I’m enjoying the FitBit and am already more active because of it. But I am also delighted to still have my pretty watch to wear from time to time. Inadequacy yet success … again.

A blessing for 2019

As 2018 rolls into 2019, I wish each of us a sense of God’s hand on our lives. May we enjoy playing a part in God’s plans.  And may we experience deep contentment, come what may in 2019. 

As God said to Israel back in Isaiah’s day, “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength….”  But I am missing the last phrase again.

Unlike the people of Isaiah’s day, may it NOT be said ‘… but you would have none of it.” Instead, may we enjoy God’s salvation and strength, whatever the year may hold.