Out of the mouth of babes

My next door neighbour's Grand-daughter is six years old. Her name is Lucy.

Yesterday afternoon when she got back from school, she came round to our house to listen to me play guitar for a while (she has a guitar too, and hopes to start having lessons soon).

I played for her a song I wrote from Psalm 113 about giving God all the praise He is due.

Let the name of the LORD be praised,

both now and forever more.
From the rising of the sun, until the night falls.

He will be exalted over all the nations,

His glory above the heavens.

Who is like the LORD our God? Not one!
Hallelujah, praise the LORD!

Not to us, LORD, not to us

But to Your name be the glory

Because of Your love and faithfulness.

I wasn't sure whether she would understand it, but it was short and sweet and she seemed to enjoy it!

As she sat on the sofa, we talked about her day and school and the band she's in with two of her friends. She sang to me two of the songs they've written at breaktime, zero to twenty and I used to be a dragon.

This kid is one sweet, creative little bean.

She went on to tell me the story she wrote last week in her literacy class, about a dragon (common theme!) who couldn't find his mother, and she embellished it with different voices for each character. She hopes they'll read it out at the assembly her class is doing next Wednesday. Her line in the assembly (which she already knows verbatim) is 'Now would you please put your hands together and bow your heads and say this prayer with us'.

She also told me about how much she loves learning about space and the solar system. She can name all 9 planets in order, which they don't learn in school until year five she told me! And then she explained the Big Bang Theory to me...

'Before the big bang there was nothing. There was no time or people or air, there was just nothing. And then I don't know what, but something just sort of, exploded. And then there was the world. And eventually humans came, after the dinosaurs...'

This little six-year old loves learning and reading books. She soaks up information like a dry sponge, and can tell you all about what she's read. She's beautiful and so advanced for her age.

But her words struck me. Like I was being hit with a big stick.

'before... there was nothing...'

She's read in one of these books, that before the world came into existence there was absolutely nothing. And out of nothing, something exploded and the world was created.

That's all.

She went on to tell me more about her day, but I couldn't leave it like that. Believing that there was just nothing. But how do you start a conversation about God with a six-year old? How do I correct her, and tell her that the book wasn't exactly right in saying that there was 'nothing'?

I almost held my tongue.

But then I thought of her, growing up, and never hearing about or getting the chance to believe in our great God. I thought of her as a teenager, coming over to tell me about her day at school, and the chance of the conversation ever turning to God, when she's telling me that Science is her favourite subject and the details of the Big Bang Theory, and about boys and music etc.etc.etc.

What better time than this to introduce her to Him? To put her straight on some of those details that the book missed out.

So I asked her about the line she has to say in her assembly next week and when they pray at school, does she know who they pray to? She said 'Oh no one in particular but this is what we say...' I can't remember the prayer she recited, but it started off 'May God grant us....' and went on for about 8 lines.

I told her that when she prays that she's talking to God. We spoke about Him for a little while. She believes in Him and has read the Bible before, and we talked of how He lives in Heaven but also here on Earth with us, and that He lives inside those who ask Him to live in them. He helps us live our lives and we can talk to Him by praying. And I told her that before the Big Bang, when there was nothing, the Bible actually tells us that there was something; there was God. And He created the Earth and that was probably a Big Bang!

Her little face lit up as she understood, and that 'I don't know how but something sort of exploded' all of a sudden made sense to her. She concluded that God must have made the world and humans because He was lonely...!

And there the conversation ended, because she's six and her attention span, although unusually long, is still that of a six-year old!

She wanted to see the snails, and finish her blueberry muffin, and see if by lying down on the lawn she could spot the baby blackbird who has been living in the bush at the bottom of our garden...

Then she went back next door to say hello to her Grandad (apparently on arrival at their house she ran straight up the drive and said hi to my dad, before coming over to find me!)

...

I came home later that evening, and my mom said she saw Pauline (Lucy's Grandma) earlier. She told her that when Lucy went in after being round ours, she wrote a song about Jesus.

I thought about it for a while, (I am currently thanking God for prompting me to talk to her about Him when He did!!) and realised that throughout the entire conversation, I hadn't spoken about Jesus. In my song I sang 'LORD' and we'd only spoken about 'God'.

She'd gone away and written a song about Jesus.

I can only think that it was the Holy Spirit giving her the words and connecting the dots!

Matt 21:15-16 - But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant. "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, "'from the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?"

Amen!

The children knew who He truly was, even thought the chief priests and teachers of the law didn't.

Oh and I've learned a lesson through all of this.

Christ, His death and Resurrection are essential to the Gospel.

It's only through Him we have access to the Father.

Telling people about Father God only is only telling part of the truth!

It's like telling a man lost in a desert and dying of thirst, that there is an oasis, a fresh spring of water to re-hydrate and refresh him! But then not telling him where it is or how to get there...

Plenty of people today believe in a 'god', some even believe in Father God, but they don't know Jesus.

Without Him, we can not truly know the Father.

Irresistible Revolution #3

I now carry Irresistible Revolution with me in the bottom of my bag when I go out, in case I get a spare moment and a chance to get stuck in. As well as my bookmark, loose sheets of notepaper mark my pages so I can write notes as I go, on parts that particularly stick out to me or challenge me. I'm really making an effort to not give up reading this one!

To date, I have read up to page 39 (which consists of the Foreword by Jim Wallis, Introduction, The Authors Note and the first few pages of Chapter One). I wanted to blog some of my thoughts to help me properly digest what I'm reading, so I'll post a quote and let my thoughts run on it..

‘The whisper cries out for God to save the church from us Christians and breathe new life in to the aging body.’[1]
I think the reason this passage stood out is because of the 'saving the church from us Christians' part. Firstly, it makes me think of the quote from Brennan Manning, 'The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians - who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, and walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.' It makes me sad. Sad to think that I'm probably one of the Christians that is being spoken about here... But secondly, it makes me think that surely, all Christians can not be represented here. There are some who have got it right, who are so stained with the mark of Christ, so full and over-flowing with the Spirit that the joy of God in them bubbles over and reaches out to those around them, like a breath of fresh air. If the whole body was 'aging' and decaying, we wouldn't be bearing fruit would we?

‘New prophets are rising up who try to change the future, not just predict it.’[2]
This makes me excited and nervous..
Excited because to me, this is a sign that God is moving and that people are taking Him and their gifts seriously, these 'new prophets rising up'. Excited because change is occurring. And because prophets tell of what God is doing and going to do and we get the chance to be involved in this.
But it makes me nervous because prophets were the ones who God sent when Israel was in a state, ignoring Him, and in desperate need of rescuing. I know the world is in that state already, but most people aren't listening to the prophets. A lot of people don't care.. It also makes me nervous because Jesus warned us about false prophets and it's our responsibility to discern what is true from what is false...
Harold Camping for example, whilst in essence doing the right thing by investing time and finance to warn people about the end times, was false in predicting the date and time of Christ's return, and his eschatology was debatable... But his example does lead to questions like, what are we seriously doing to warn people of Christs return? And what else are we doing other than informing people of the after-life? Are we loving and serving? Are we meeting the needs of the needy? Providing for our children in the future? For our children’s children…? Are we showing people the life of joy and freedom that is available to us today, not just in the future?

‘The truth is that much stands in the way of God’s will for the world.’[3]
Yes. Earthly, material things. But Christians too probably.

‘If I’m awesome we have a problem… only God is awesome.’[4]
Originally I was worried about what the book was gonna be like, and what Claiborne's attitude was gonna be. I didn’t really know what to expect, but figured that he might take the view that he’s right and I’m probably wrong, and that I need to be a better Christian so here’s how to do it... I'm coming to realise that that's my default way of thinking when faced with someone who I assume to be superior to me in theology / spirituality / intelligence / general life cirmcumstnace etc.etc. That I'm gonna be told that I'm wrong, and I should do better.
Anyway, perhaps this is why this phrase stood out to me coz already throughout the book, it's clear that Claiborne thinks of himself as very ordinary, and normal. He's down-to-earth and I haven’t detected a hint of an attitude anything like what I thought I might. He is honest, blunt, and challenging (even in the author’s note!) but he’s not arrogant and he knows that God is the only one worthy of glory and exultation through this.

OK so I've run out of time to write.. I'll continue the next time I get a moment! So far so good though I think, and I'm really enjoying this!

---

[1] Claiborne, Shane. The Irresistible Revolution (Michigan: Zondervan, 2006), 23.

[2] Claiborne, 24.

[3] Claiborne, 25.

[4] Claiborne, 27.

From the Kitchen...

You might be happy to know that the time I get off Uni is being put to good use! Slowly but surely I am working my way up the ladder of domesticated accomplishment and so far I think it's going very well.

I started during Easter break with with the most important thing: baking. Cookies, tiffin, rock cakes, brownies and other chocolatey treats... Then moved on to some essential main courses (similar level of importance to baking sweet delicacies but not quite) with lasagne and cottage pie. I also own a rice cooker which is helpful, so I am capable of using the three basic carbohydrates...

On the weekend, having finished uni for Summer and already begun to tackle the pile of ironing that's been building up since my return, I decided it was time to make my first Victoria Sponge. (This is my favourite type of cake and it seems like a necessary dessert to be able to make...)

It actually turned out really well and since it was quick and easy, I made another (this time with help from mom after she'd finished making fresh pasta). This one was even better, so we took it next door as a gift for our neighbour on her birthday. This was it:

The Victoria Sponge

The only challenge I am experiencing along this journey to domesticated competency is that in most cases, whatever I bake, I eat. And whenever I'm bored (which is currently quite often) I tend to flip through one of Delia's cook books to see what I can make. I had more desserts today than I did actual meals... I either need to take up some form of exercise, or find myself a different, less calorie-consuming pastime....!

Irresistible Revolution #2

I haven't yet got past the intro. It's a shame really coz I have lost the urge to just sit and read.

It's to be expected really, but I'm not sure why. I've only been a 'reader' for about 18 months now, and I have recognised already, the serious difficulty I encounter when I attempt reading factual / teaching / theological books.. I seem to only enjoy stories, tales, novels, poems, and the odd biography here or there (but creatively written and by about an interesting person!).

I have the desire to read them, but as soon as I start, I sub-consciously switch off and give up. Many a book has ended up at the side of my bed, collecting dust as I neglect to read it.

I feel like I should be reading books like this, but I just find them dry and although challenging, not massively inspiring or gripping... They don't capture me and can't manage to hold my attention.

It's a shame really, and it's not that I don't like the book, or that I don't intend ever to read it!!

It's happened with Velvet Elvis (Rob Bell), Don't Waste Your Life (John Piper), Courageous Leadership (Bill Hybels), Crazy Love (Francis Chan) and others until now this one, Irresistible Revolution (Shane Claiborne).

All well known and top selling authors.. but perhaps just not for me.

I shall persevere with this anyway, and see where I get to.

Watch this space!

Mark Driscoll on Twilight

I just watched this clip of Mark Driscoll talking about the Twilight Saga and similar books for written for preteen girls (his daughter's age) - click here to watch the clip. I laughed out loud quite a lot to be honest, he's a funny guy. But I actually think he's brought to light quite a serious topic and has some really valid opinions about it..

For the past 11 months, I've been so looking forward to the next Twilight movie release (Breaking Dawn) like you wouldn't believe. Just so I can go watch it before reading the book!

But having listened to this, I have to say that I'm thinking twice...

Irresistible Revolution #1

I finished my book this morning (Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers) and I don't know if you ever feel like this but I get it whenever I finish a good book.. it's like an insatiable thirst to keep reading.

So while I'm in this mood I'm gonna start (or attempt) Shane Claiborne's Irresistible Revolution.

I know quite a few people who have read this, who have been challenged and said great things about it.

But I'm gonna admit here that I'm nervous to start it. A little scared, if I'm really honest.

I think it's because I'm expecting to be challenged and caused to ask and answer difficult questions.. and I'm not sure I'm ready. I can't be challenged on something and then just go on with life normally and ignore it.. The book's tagline is living as an ordinary radical.

I'm not very radical. And as a bit of control-freak, routine-dependent sort of person (GOLD), the word 'radical' is not one I willingly or easily embrace.

Like I said, I'm not sure I'm ready for this.
But I'll try and see.

And already thinking about it, following Christ is radical. In today's world anyway. And if I'm doing it right. But I know this is a journey and by no means have any of us yet 'reached the goal' as Paul puts it. So I suppose I'm already there in terms of radicalness. I'm running the race already. And this book will give insight to the life of a guy who might be able to share a few tips..

And if now isn't the time to read it, I'll put it down for a while until it's right.

What I'd like to do (no promises though!) as I attempt to read this, is blog my thoughts as I go along. So I'm not gonna just power through this to tick it off as done and add it to my reading list, I'm gonna think about it and let it sink in.. and then blog what I'm thinking!

I had this idea when reading the first page:

Dedicated to

all the hypocrites, cowards and fools ... like me.

May we find the Way, the Truth and the Life

in a world of shortcuts, deception and death.

Already I am challenged because I put Claiborne on a pedestal.

My preconceptions of him, that came purely from ignorance and assumption, were that he would be amazing and righteous and have it all sorted.

This sorted that one out.

He is humble and admits that he is a hypocrite, a coward and a fool. Like me. That's what I feel like. Don't we all sometimes, I wonder? When he says ordinary radical, that's just what he is.

But we've got an extra-ordinary God :) and I'm reminded that it's Christ I am following, and trying to imitate, not Shane Claiborne!
Good thing to bear in mind as I go from here!!

And I agree wholeheartedly with his last two lines there. I'm reminded of the words to Jimmy Needham's Not Without Love benediction (click to listen to it on youtube)

"Now I finally see that Christ is what Christ offers"

It is only Christ who offers the Way where we know only shortcuts and dead-ends, the Truth when we know only lies and deception, and Life when all we know is death and decay...

Yes and Amen. I pray that I would come to know Christ more through this, and that He will shine through me as I go about living my life for, with and in Him.