May 28
2007
lou| Category: Uncategorized |
Matt and I went to see a movie yesterday that has really got me thinking about the modern day Christian, my self included.
It was a doco shot in a french monastery where the monks choose to live a life of silence and solitude devoting themselves to prayer and meditation of scripture. Once a week they go for walks with the other monks where they can interact with them. Otherwise they do not choosing to eat, sleep, work and pray alone.
When the men enter the monastery they give up all they had and live life very simply. This was a recurring theme of the doco the words of Jesus “Unless you give up all that you have you can not be my disciple”
Whilst I do no believe that shutting yourself away from the world is useful and ignores the command to go into all the nations and spread the gospel it was the giving up or away of their possessions that spoke to me.
Most modern day churches preach prosperity and our right as “kings kids” to own vast amounts of stuff and have much money in the bank. I have come to the conclusion that this is simply not true and in fact not what Scripture teaches us.
I keep coming back to Acts where the early church sold everything they had, moved in with one another and shared their possessions amongst themselves according to need.
I still struggle with wanting things I don’t need and being jealous of the “Joneses” but am coming to the conclusion that I must do what scripture is asking me to do. Be prepared to give away all that I have to those who need it more.
I would love to be able to convert the empty warehouse next door to our house to a communal living space and become just like the church in Acts.
For now though I have made a decision that I will have an open home, where all are welcome and where my possessions are not important.
May 05
2007
lou| Category: Uncategorized |
Just watched the movie happy feet on DVD with my kids. I was amazed at the depth of social comment and I must say a little moved by what it had to say on two levels.
Firstly it really made me ashamed to be a human being. What right do we have exactly to be doing what we are doing to our planet?
I am sick of excuses and if I hear one more Christian talk about their “Christian world view” and how God gave us this planet to use and it doesn’t matter because Jesus is coming back soon yada yada yada I think ill scream!!!
As far as I am aware He gave us this planet and each and every creature on it to care for and tend to . Not rape, murder and destroy it!
I honestly felt sick as those huge ships in the movie lifted all the fish out of the water. I probably wont eat fish caught at sea again. We are so selfish and I for one am going to make an attempt to think about the long term consequences of the things I eat, use and do.
I have to admit that I do feel a little confused at times as what to do to help save the planet but I will try to do my best especially as I will forever have dancing penguins in my head.
The second thing the stuck me about this movie was the slightly more subtle but still as powerful comment on the modern day church.
As an Jesus follower that is currently grappling with the concept of what really makes up a chuch I related to its comentary
Firstly it portrayed the church leaders (in this case the elders of the penguin field) as stuffy rigid narrow thinking people who were too busy making sure they hold on to power and are quite sure their way is the only way. Jumping up and down if anyone dares to think differently.
Matt and I have encountered this a little. Mostly older pastors thinking that there way to build a church the right way its the way always has been done and the way it always should be done…….. Nothing to bad really. There are many sites on the internet bagging the “emerging church” and its founders. Just like the established church did when many of those doing the bagging began their churches in ways that then seemed radical at the time. How soon we forget.
There was another character in the movie who had a six pack beer can binder thing around his neck. He clamed this was given to him by mystique beings and that it gave him prophetic powers as long as he was paid in pebbles. This got me thinking about many ministries that peddle a magic wand waving God that if you give to this ministry or that person your problems will magically disappear, or all truths about your life will be revealed. Of course in the end the penguin was found to have no magic, no faith and nearly choked to death from the plastic thing on his neck. Need I say anymore?
Amazing how I got so much out of what I thought was going to be an easy way of keeping my kids happy on a Saturday night
May 02
2007
lou| Category: Uncategorized |
Whilst at a friends house today I was browsing in her bookshelf. There were a plethora of self help and spirituality books.
I read the blurb on some. Each one promised a different thing. Health, wealth, well being, peace, prosperity, material possessions, everlasting love………..
The one thing all these books had in common was they all involved lots of hard work from the person wanting these things. Things such as a no fail 10 step plan, lengthy spiritual rights of passage to appease the spirit world, self denial, 100% positive thinking…………
Most of these books then went on to say that happiness etc was in the power of the person reading the book and their ability to carry out afore mentioned tasks. Thus absolving the writer of any responsibility if the promises did not come to pass
Got me thinking about the God I believe in. He asks only that I Love him with all my heart and mind and strength and love others as he love me.”
No ten step plan, no hours of praying to appease an angry God, no compulsory attendance to weekly meetings, Just love him love others.
His promises are equally simple:
He promises that he will never leave me or turn away from me.
He promises that he will never allow anything to happen to me that I am not strong enough to cope with.
He promises that I will have eternal life with him some day.
How is he able to make such promises? Simple he gave his life. In essence he did the hard yards, followed the plan, denied himself and continue to intercede for me daily.
All I feel I can say to that is Thanks
