Thinking about God, Jesus and The Big Questions

When so many bad things happen in the world, or to ourselves, it seems like these are cancelling out all the good things we are doing. Yet, this is not the right way to look at it - the good news is that we have a lot more hope and joy than it first seems. Even if you literally do something good, and someone literally goes and destroys it before anyone gets to see the good thing you did, your hard work is not wasted. Because God sees it, and ultimately you are answerable to God, not to the people who never got to see your work because it was destroyed.  The good and bad things do not cancel each other out; instead (here on Earth), they coexist. This is actually good news and offers some hope. No-one can take away your good work from you even if they physically destroy it, because God has already seen it, and He is the most important entity in the universe. There is strong Biblical evidence supporting this attitude. Let's take a look at the parable of the weeds among the wheat (Jesu...

Have you ever tried to do some good work (e.g. volunteer work) that seemed really hard to you, and that you didn't really like? I've done that a lot.  I have also done some volunteer work that seemed surprisingly easy and fun, and was a joy to do, not a burden. What is the difference? Well, some of the difference is the work itself, for sure.  If you have a natural interest in the work then it will obviously seem easier and more fun to you. But the bigger reason is God.  God makes the impossible become possible.  He makes difficult work become easy.  When this happens (you find yourself doing something which you really enjoy while you're doing it) then you know this is God acting in your life. If you do not have the skill for something, yet feel called to do it, God will give you what is needed.  In fact, I believe that even if God were not willing for my own sake to equip me with what I need (and I think actually he would do this for our own sake) bu...

We complain about the fast pace of life today.  I understand.  When I was working 50 hours a week regularly (and I realize this isn't all that much compared to the 60+ hours a week worked by some), it seemed I never had time to take care of even the basics. Things like laundry, groceries, washing dishes, cooking food, cleaning, and so on seemed to use up what little time I had left over in the day.  How, then, could anyone expect to have any time to think about any of the big questions, like whether God exists? Even for Christians (believers), how can any of us make time to study God's word? It seemed like the business of just living took up all my time! Yes, I made time to attend church and Sunday School each week.  I did volunteer activities.  Somehow, I fitted this in.  Yet, with or without these, I still felt sorry for myself and for our generation. I felt we didn't have enough time to think about God and study His word. But when I stopped to real...

The Mary and Martha scripture is one which many people frequently find difficult to understand.  I was one of those people, until I heard a good sermon about it which was explained in a way that was easy to grasp.  Here is the Bible reading below: As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10: 38-42 Many people find it very easy to identify themselves with Martha in this scripture. After all, if Jesus came to your ...

Imagine if Noah hadn't bothered to listen to what God wanted.  Instead of building an ark (which admittedly would have sounded like a crazy idea to most people at that time - or even today!), suppose Noah had decided to do 'something good'.  For example, started a soup kitchen for the poor.  Or countless other possibilities, all of which were very helpful at that moment but wouldn't be of any use to anyone once the flood came.  Noah clearly listened to God's wishes and spent his time on that project, even if this meant that he would be ridiculed by his neighbors.  So it's equally important that we a) determine what it is that God is asking of us and b) listen to him and follow through on that task, even if we don't understand or see the eventual outcome of the work. With so many 'generically helpful' things out there to do, it is important to ensure that we are doing is part of God's appointed task for us.  I'm not suggesting we give up o...

One of the things I find the hardest is to put in practice God and Jesus's teachings in the busy 'real world'. In fact one of the biggest struggles I have is listening to a religious leader (whose full-time job is in ministry) exhort us to do various ministry works, when the rest of us are so busy already with demands of a secular job and/or caring for children or other dependents. It is easy to feel that the religious leader is simply 'out of touch' with the demands on our time, yet I know that they are simply conveying the message that is there in the Bible. So, as a (currently) stay-at-home mother, why did I feel a drive within me to find some volunteer work I could do? After all, wasn't I already justifiably busy with the unpredictable and full-time demands of a baby? (To clarify ahead of time, I certainly didn't feel I was guilted into volunteering by religious leaders). So why did I feel to need to help minister to others? (For those who are curious ...