Now that I am a man!

I have just been working on some minor revisions to my second book: "Foundations of the Faith" - an introduction to some basic Christian beliefs, based on the words of The Apostles' Creed.  That Creed (or 'Statement of Belief '), begins with the words "I believe in God ..." That, for many in our post-Christian, humanistic, materialistic, society is the problem! They don't! They accept the notion that everything has come from nothing - and claim that science supports their totally unscientific position!

I recall, during my teaching years, that it was a question often posed by pupils – usually those about 14/15 years old.  That is the group which, in my personal experience, have reached that wonderful stage at which they do know everything about everything, and who have also come to the conclusion that the mere adult at the front of the classroom knows nothing about anything!  Not, of course, that I am tarring all young people in that age group with the same brush! 

Anyway, when the question was posed, I answered as follows:  

Pupil: “Sir, if God made everything, who made God?!” Me: “That’s obvious.  It was a man in a yellow submarine!” (Giving away something of my age to those who remember the song!).  The blank stare was the sign for me to continue.  “So, I suppose you want to know who created the man in the yellow submarine!”   “Who?” the pupil invariably asked.  I answered, in another age-giver-away, “A pink purple-people eater!”  Another issue had obviously been raised.  “Who made the pink purple-people eater?”   This time we moved to the inanimate world – which, by the way, is where the evolutionist must start.  “A giant cricket bat.”, I would answer.  By this time, it was usually the case that the pupil had caught on and responded with another question.  “Who made the giant cricket bat?”  “God!” I would reply.  “Now, how did this conversation start?”

Of course, this is not what is taught by most school text-books! Rather, these suggest that primitive matter evolved (from nothing!), through billions of years, into living creatures that eventually inhabited the jungles (that had "just happened"!).  From these, in turn - after many more billions of years - came modern mankind. There will usually be a series of pictures supposedly accounting for, for example, the bone structure of the human head. They might begin with the shark (with no reasonable explanation of how the shape of the shark's head came about); advancing to the lizard; 'evolving' into a monkey, followed by an ape and, finally you and me! This pseudo-scientific presentation leaves me with the conclusion that my existence is the result of nothing more than a series of chemical accidents (chemicals which, by the way, also "just happened"!), and that my life has no real purpose.

What a contrast to what I was reading this morning, in  the book of Ezra the scribe! Reading through the list of names in what we know as chapter 8 - an exercise that, on the surface, may seem to be tedious and unnecessary! - one is almost forced to conclude that behind every movement, and every action, of this remnant that had remained in Babylon when the first group had returned to Jerusalem when Cyrus was king of Persia (modern Iran!), lies the supervising ministry of God the Holy Spirit (HaRuach Kadosh), bringing about the divine purposes of the Father.

The Bible makes it perfectly clear that we are created, "... in the image of God ..." (Gen.1:27), that we might live for Him, and bring glory to His Name.Your life, and mine, have significance! We are accountable to Almighty God to manifest in thought, word, and deed, His eternal glory and purpose. 

Recognising that you are a man - or a woman! - and not just another animal, should affect how you live today, and every day! Will it?!

Bearing your cross!

Many folk, even in our increasingly post-Christian, Western, culture speak of the cross that they have to bear.  This usually refers to some kind of unpleasant set of circumstances over which they have no control.  They will say, in connection with their particular trial: "Well, it's my cross, and I'll just have to bear it!"

In fact, this is an inaccurate statement!  Such unpleasant circumstances and experiences may be thorns, or afflictions.  However, at least in the Biblical sense, they are not crosses.  Our cross is something that we assume voluntarily!  Jesus said, ""If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me." (Matt 16:24).  The cross stands for death to self.  It entails suffering for the sake of Christ and His witness.  It is borne by hundreds of thousands, if not millions, in some fifty countries around the world today, where to own the Name of the Saviour is to leave oneself open to persecution at a level that is beyond the comprehension of those of us who live in the relative safety of the 'West'.  Bearing, or taking up, our cross means ennduring privation for Him in one way or another.

Our service, then, is regulated not by a grudging sense of duty, but by our dedication to the One Who bore a literal cross on His way to Calvary.  We no longer live for the applause of men, but for the glory of God.  This, I suspect, is why those in the persecuted church consistently ask the rest of us to pray - not for an end to their persecution, but for the grace and the strength to endure it!

If you profess to be a disciple of Jesus, are you willing to take up your cross for Him?  Remember, a dragged cross is always heavy; but those carried joyously will be amazingly 'light' (see Matt.11:30).