Census sense

Here in the UK, yesterday was census day - filling in the 32-page document cataloguing how our lives have changed since ten years ago. There's been the usual furore about what questions are/aren't asked, with the government defending its position. But they're in charge, so had the last say.

Skip back 2000 years, to a different government. The rulers of the Roman Empire would have scoffed at the idea that they were being controlled by someone else. It was their idea to take a census - decreed by Caesar Augustus himself (Luke 2 v 1). They were in charge.

Or were they?

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel… (Micah 5 v 2)

The Lord had decreed that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem - and so the mighty Romans meekly did His bidding.

Passed...

Spotted this link on the BBC news website: "Kinky Granny among those who passed". Of course "Kinky Granny" grabs attention - but what caught my eye was "passed". Passed what? Her driving test? The citizenship exam? Her 100th birthday? No - it was a link to the monthly review of lesser-known people who've recently died.

But I still want to know what "passed" means. Is it short for "passed on" or "passed away"? If so, where to? Some pleasant place where the deceased meet loved ones and look down benevolently on this world as in The Lovely Bones? Or have they "passed" some kind of entrance exam, proving themselves good enough for "heaven"? Or is it simply that their lives have passed - been used up, finished, no longer existing?

If the BBC mean any of the above, it can only be because they don't believe Jesus' words:

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5 v 24

Kindling an old flame

A two-week holiday - no books - just a Kindle.

Pros
• No heavy books to carry
• No need to guess how many books you'll read while away
• The Kindle sits flat on your lap or props easily (eg: on a fold-down tray on a plane/train) - much easier than trying to get a new book to stay open at your page
• There's a built-in dictionary - fantastic for checking obscure words without losing the thread
• Variable text size is a boon for my aging vision - no need to hunt out my reading glasses!
• For new titles, e-books are cheaper than real books
• The Kindle opens at the page you were last reading
• You can add notes (eg: to highlight a quote that could be the basis of a blog)
• Great battery life (two weeks' reading used about half), and quick to recharge from computer or mains

Cons
• A Kindle isn't that light - about the same as a thick paperback
• I have around a thousand books at home, so don't want to pay again for e-versions
• It's harder to assess an unread book - one was far more violent than I had expected
• Many of the free books available are erotica - difficult to avoid when scrolling lists of popular titles (a problem I've rarely faced when browsing in a bookshop)
• It's unwieldy if juggling two books at once (eg: flicking between a Christian book and the Bible passage it's unpacking)

Conclusion
If I hadn't been collecting books for 30 years, I'd seriously consider a Kindle as a way to build a library that takes no space. But I still love the feel, smell and tangibility of "real" books.

Selling marriage

Statistics show that marriage is at an all-time low in the UK, so SHE magazine challenged four top ad agencies to “sell” marriage. Here’s the pitch each agency came up with:

Agency: BBH
“The concept came from the idea that it’s the small things that make a marriage. The ad shows a couple looking back on a marriage – at 20, 30, 40 years – and all the little moments that they always remember.”

Agency: KK Outlet
“To illustrate the benefits of marriage, they created ads spelling out the words ‘Better sex’ and ‘Live longer’ in lingerie and funeral wreaths respectively.”

Agency: Publicis Dialog and Publicis Blueprint
“Our idea was to turn that tired cliché [that marriage is an act of conformity and conventionality] on its head and present marriage as the ultimate act of rebellion. When you get married, there’s a real sense of two people against the world. It’s the moment you create a nation of two, completely self-sufficient and not reliant on anyone else. So we wanted to make married couples and those intending to marry ‘the defiant ones’. The thing about being married, which is different from just living together, is that you stand up in front of friends and family and say, ‘I want to do this... We’re doing this because we’re that proud of our commitment and we’re telling the world about it’.”

Agency: Ogilvy
“There’s really no reason to get married. There’s nothing you can do when you’re married that you can’t do when you’re not married. There’s no good reason... There’s no good time; it’s just to do with love and sentiment.”

Hmm... if marriage is a picture of a Christian's relationship with God, I'm not sure any of these hit the mark...

Ignoring the warning

I was underground, at Earls Court tube station, when the alarms went off. Then there was a recorded message: loud, forceful, attention-grabbing: "Due to an incident, all passengers must vacate the station immediately". For a moment there was silence. Then one elderly lady stood up from her seat and began to make her away along the platform to the exit. No one else moved - including me.

A few seconds later: "That was a test of our fire-alarm system. We apologise for any inconvenience". This time the announcement was much quieter - so much so that the old lady didn't hear it. Another passenger stopped her, and explained that she didn't need to leave after all - after which we all watched her make her way slowly back to her seat.

Why didn't I move? My first thought was: "Oh no, now I'll miss my flight", followed swiftly by: "I'll wait a moment to see if it's real or not". I didn't believe the warning - and my guess is that's why no one else moved either. Our default position was disbelief.

I wondered if that's true for people when they hear the warning message of the gospel. No matter how loud or clear it is - how forcefully proclaimed - their default position is disbelief. Maybe I need to pray that people will be like that elderly lady: that they will hear the warning, and respond to it.

Why pray to a motorbike?

A Royal Enfield 350 Bullet has become an unlikely shrine. The motorbike’s rider fatally crashed into a tree. Now both bike and tree form a thriving shrine in the Indian village of Chotila. Visitors pray to the bike, pour libations of alcohol, and tie red thread round the tree – all in the belief that doing so will ensure them a safe journey.

My first thought? It makes no sense to choose a bike someone died on as a talisman against unsafe travel.

But then I thought about the cross:

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1 v 18)

Both the bike and the cross were instruments of death. But we can look at the cross with certainty and hope – Jesus has beaten death, and is the source of life for all who trust in Him. I won’t be praying to any motorbikes. But I will be thanking God for the cross.

To Kindle or not to Kindle

Having met my first Kindle this week - and hearing that Amazon now sell more e-books than "real" books - I thought I'd find out more. Discovered two things:

1. If you search the Kindle store for bestsellers it doesn't take long to come across plenty of erotica. I guess an e-reader is an easy way to order porn in secret, and not have anyone else knowing what you're reading (no cover to hide). Maybe that's one reason the e-sales are so high?

2. In reaction to the above I looked to see if the Bible is available. It is, in various versions, including the ESV study Bible for less than £9. My favourite though is...

Holy Bible (Kindle edition) by at el. God (author)

I'm so glad Amazon know who the Author is!

Hearing the King speak

In the aftermath to the widely-acclaimed film The King’s Speech, an interesting side story has appeared. A 94-year-old retired policeman who served at the Sandringham Estate during the Second World War has a story to tell. While patrolling around the royal residence, he heard the king, George VI, through a window. The king was repeating the same words again and again, practicing his Christmas speech for the following morning.

It’s exciting to hear from an eye-witness (or maybe that should be an ear-witness?) to an important event. The UK press have picked up the story, as it gives personal interest to the events many have seen unfolding on the big screen. You can read it here.

It got me reflecting on other royal eye-witnesses – but this time to the King of Kings:

“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.” (Acts 10:39-41)

“Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.”  (Luke 1:1-4)

Peter was an eye-witness to Jesus’ words and actions. Luke investigated carefully to be sure that everything he wrote was accurate. And we have the confidence that the eye-witness records are accurate, because the Holy Spirit made sure they were:

“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:25-26).

Wonderful!

Recipe for happy marriage: never forgive, never forget

The above was a newspaper heading at the weekend. Apparently a study has shown that if a spouse is too forgiving, the other partner will take advantage and continue or escalate their wrongdoing.

It made me so thankful that my bridegroom, the Lord Jesus, doesn't treat me like that.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1 v 9)

The Bible-Centred Youthworker

Came back last night from a four-day conference we run each year - The Bible-Centred Youthworker. It was challenging, refreshing, inspiring, humbling - and for me personally, as administrator of the conference, exhausting! Highlights included:

• Brilliant Bible talks from Phil Moon taken from Revelation 1-5. Heaven is God's throne room. Jesus is the Lion... who is a Lamb. So good to have our focus renewed.

• Seeing photos from a holiday club where 100% of the children came from Muslim families.

• Meeting so many children's and youth workers who are gospel-hearted, Bible-centred, and passionate about sharing the good news about Christ to their groups. I get so excited on behalf of the children and young people who have these godly men and women caring for them.

Recordings from the conference will be available soon as free downloads from our website. In the meantime, you can get a flavour for what we did on the conference blog here.

One woman's testimony

Last week I read a fascinating story of one woman's conversion. She talks openly about her search for faith, the appeal of the community she would be joining, and the huge changes there have been in her lifestyle. At first glance this was like many testimonies I've heard from young adults who have come to faith in Christ.

But this woman hasn't become a Christian - she has converted to Islam.

I was struck by the seeming similarities, so I looked again a bit closer. Yes, many of the personal and lifestyle comments rang bells, but then I noticed what was missing. There's no mention anywhere of God. Her conversion is based on a community to join and a way of life to embrace.

How different to a new Christian, who has discovered the joy of forgiveness through Jesus, and the privilege of knowing God as their loving Father, and being a brother or sister of Christ.

A _____ is for life, not just for Christmas

While waiting at Heathrow Terminal 5 last night for a late missionary (delayed, not deceased), I decided to draft a blog on my iPad (ie: a pad of paper I own). You know those bumper stickers that say "A dog is for life, not just for Christmas"? I've realised that the same is true for hot-cross buns!

The shops are currently heaving with trees, decorations, stockings and cards - which will all disappear after Dec 25th. But the hot-cross buns that came out for Easter are still with us. They've become an all-year treat.

Wouldn't it be great if the same was true for people's view of Jesus. He's not just for Christmas (a baby in a manger) but for Easter (a man on a cross) and for all of life (the King who rules). Jesus is for life, not just for Christmas.

The undeserving poor

Lots of discussion in the news at the moment about "the undeserving poor". Are there some people who don't deserve help and should be "getting on their bikes" to help themselves instead? How do we weed out the scroungers from the truly deserving?

The thing that struck me was the assumption that "the undeserving poor" is a label that people don't want - either because of the insult, or because it might mean they don't get anything.

How different it is for Christians. Because we know that we are the undeserving poor:

Undeserving: I'm just finishing off some sessions that I will be leading tomorrow at a training day on Grace. Our summary is that Grace is "an undeserved gift". God, in His mercy, doesn't treat as as we deserve. Instead, He accepts rotten sinners like me because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ - an undeserved gift to all who put their trust in Jesus.

Poor: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5 v 3

It's great to be one of the undeserving poor.

Making generalisations about the generations

At the end of a blustery four-hour journey today, back from holiday, I squashed onto a packed commuter train; then gained great popularity by squeezing in a rucksac, suitcase and giant box of Lego with me. (More about the Lego in another blog...) As the train pottered along, people got off at each spot while others vied for their seats. Eventually there was only me left standing - my precarious pile of luggage wedged vertical(ish) with my knee - and that's when I saw them.

A twenty-something, who had been sitting for a while, saw a space open up opposite. She called to her boyfriend to come and sit down, but he didn't hear her - engrossed as he was in his iPhone. He was about ten feet away - but neither heard nor saw her beckoning signals. So what did she do? Shout louder? Pop over and get him? No, she sent him a text to tell him about the spare seat.

My initial thought was: "Isn't that just typical of the younger generation - too lazy to walk ten feet to speak to someone. There must be some deep moral there." But then I tried looking at it from another angle. Faced with a problem, the young woman had come up with an effective answer. She spotted where the bloke's attention was focused, and used it to her advantage. She wasn't being lazy - but ingenious. And I berated myself for making generalisations about the younger generation.

So taken with this scenario was I - and my thoughts on the implications - that I almost forgot to get off at my own stop. Which, of course, is just typical of my generation!

Why?

I love the free catalogues that you find tucked inside magazines. It's such fun seeing the stuff that other people buy! But one of them has me stumped. The motorised coin sorter. You throw your coins in the top, and it sorts them out for you, and tells you how much they're worth.

I've just done an experiment—emptied my purse, sorted and counted the contents. The coins add up to £9.33. It took me 19 seconds.

So who spends £30 on a machine to do it for them? And why?

Apparently it's a catalogue bestseller. I can only think that it must be men who need them…

The advent of…

I spotted two Playmobil Advent Calendars in a toyshop window. Great fun. Nicely made. A new figure or object to add to the 3D model each day of Advent.

One of them built Santa's Grotto. Ah well, a secular product, I guess you can't expect too much.

The other built a stable. Ah, that's better - even though a stable isn't actually mentioned in Matthew or Luke (Jesus was probably born in the animal's section of someone's house) - but at least we're in the zone of the biblical account.

Oops. No we're not. Great stable - lots of glowing horses and grooms to take care of them. Stalls for each animal. Plenty of tack. Even riding helmets (a 21st century nativity scene). But… no baby.

I always thought that Advent was about the coming of Christ: looking back to the time when He was born as a human being; looking forward to His return as King over all. But I must have got that wrong. To the delight of little girls everywhere, it's actually the advent of a riding school.

A ritual black tie

I was struck by this recent quote from the historian David Starkey:

Ritual is necessary. You want something to stand between you and the rawness of death. I'm a ritualised athesit; the big moments need marking.

I like the modern approach to funerals that sees them as a celebration of a life; an opportunity to look back fondly and with gratitude. But when it comes to "something to stand between you and the rawness of death", I don't want a ritual - I want a Saviour.

Sadness is normal

I've just read this BBC news article about regaining the variety of terms we can use for sadness, rather than overusing "depressed" for all of them. I do think we lose something by using umbrella terms - and that people are more able to understand and empathise if we are specific: grieving, bereft, discouraged, diminished, empty...

But sadly I can't agree with the underlying premise that depression no longer carries a stigma. One person commentating on the article says:

It annoys me when people think the stigma is being broken. You try dropping it into normal conversation and see the room act like you have just dropped a massive fart.

This is my experience as well: either an embarrassed silence, a few muttered platitudes, or someone who has also suffered from depression wanting to confide in you their every experience. Friends and colleagues - once they know and understand - have been fantastic. But I still fear "coming out" as a depressive to anyone new. The stigma is alive and well.

Unanswerable questions

The search engine "Ask Jeeves" has done a survey of the top ten "unanswerable" questions. Here they are, along with my suggested answers:

1. What is the meaning of life? To know the God who made us and loves us, and to have a right relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.
2. Is there a God? Yes! All creation points to Him (Romans 1 v 20) and all Christians should be pointing to Him too.
3. Do blondes have more fun? I don't know, but I've certainly had more people smiling at me since my hair went purple!
4. What is the best diet? Use up more energy than you eat.
5. Is there anybody out there? I'm a SciFi fan - but have to say that the most important person "out there" is God.
6. Who is the most famous person in the world? I don't know how "famous" is judged, but I believe that Jesus is the person who's had the most impact on the world, right down to the fact that we date our history from His birth.
7. What is love? "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us." (1 John 3 v 16)
8. What is the secret to happiness? Peanut butter. (Or Philippians 4 v 12 if you prefer.)
9. Did Tony Soprano die? Dunno - but even if he did, it was probably just a dream someone had in the shower.
10. How long will I live? I don't know, but the Lord does (Psalm 139 v 16), so I try to live for Him and look forward to the day when I will see Him face-to-face.

I'm certain you can come up with some better answers though. Do please add them as comments - I'd find them helpful and I'm sure others will too.

The last "sin-eater"

I have to admit I'd never heard of a sin-eater until reading about them here. Apparently they were paid to eat bread and drink beer or wine over a dead body in the belief that they would take on the sins of that person. It sounds a worrying process to me: what if they skulked off early before eating enough, or all that beer made them sick? I'd much rather put my confidence in someone more trustworthy:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1 v 9