A dead girl and a sick woman

LUKE 8 : 40 - 56

Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. "Who touched me?" Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you."
But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me."
Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."
While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don't bother the teacher any more."
Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed."
hen he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep."
They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!" Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Hell - a fate worse than death

I have been really interested in reading about Hell - particularly why we should believe in its existence. Three reasons have been suggested:
1. Jesus' direct references to hell - His passionate and graphic representations of hell should leave us with no doubt as to its reality
2. Hell's own importance - the nature of the place and the way our view of it reveals our understanding of God (I'm not sure I really get these points fully, but apparently we can be so humanity-focussed as to think that everything exists for the good of mankind - clearly not so when many will be condemned to hell; alternatively we can have a man-centred view of sin where we are only concerned with those 'wrongs' which affect others, and do not give due respect to the offence we cause our holy God. )
3. Love demands it - this seems so contradictory, doesn't it? How can love demand eternal torment? However, if the love we profess as believers has no place for hell, it’s not a robust love, but rather just superficial sentimentality. Jesus is our Saviour. – which necessarily implies being the saviour of something or from something. He has saved us from hell.
I think Mark is a great verse for talking about hell (I am particularly impacted my the responsibility to avoid causing the little ones who believe in Jesus to sin - a big Sunday School application I think).

Ref: Mark 9:42-50”Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

I'm sure many of you have thoughts/comments about this. Please post comments

It's 1.15am and I should be sleeping

In silence, thoughts have taken flight
Like constellations filling night.
Conceptions born in mind ignite
A sleepless plight, a sleepless plight.
Such restlessness abandons sleep
By deeming it a pleasure cheap
As, deep inside, ideas creep
Within mind’s keep, within mind’s keep.
Lo! Death has reared himself a throne
By making weary every bone
And leaving not, unturned, a stone
To sleep postpone, to sleep postpone.
What’s that I see upon the lawn
As hours slip past the telltale yawn?
First light appears and thoughts are gone
With break of dawn, with break of dawn.

EXAM STRESS

I have been doing a little bit of study so that I am better equipped to teach Sunday School, and also for my own edification.

It's amazing though how as soon as exams are involved, things completely change. One would think I needed to pass this exam so as to continue to earn a living, to continue to attend church, or worse still, to continue to be a Christian. I really am a ridiculous person.

Anyway, God was very good to me and I was able to answer three of my prepared essay questions: the nature and work of the Holy Spirit; the doctrine of Justification by Faith; and the 'one, holy, catholic and apostolic church'.

Maybe I won't hit the 3 year olds with J.B.F on Sunday - but on the other hand, it's never to early to learn how entirely dependent we are on God's mercy and grace.

Loneliness

A bit of a recurring theme for me at the moment - Loneliness.

Sunday night is always the worst. After church (with so much on my mind), feeling desperately alone and facing the week ahead.

I need help. I am confused. I don't know how to live my life, manage my job, my health, my loneliness.

There is really only one thing to do. To " draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. " Heb 4:16

Important to maintain a sense of humour, I think.

Getting what we deserve?

Several of my close friends have recently had babies. This has been really difficult for me.

Like most girls, I grew up expecting to marry and have a family. I came close to marriage once, but it wasn't to be. Without a husband, I feel that it must be some punishment from God. Am I so unloveable and undesirable?

As I am now unable to have children due to my illness, often I feel that God has dealt with me unfairly.

I think that I do not deserve to be lonely or childless, but in reality, I have no such entitlement. At no place in Scripture, does God promise that we will all be blessed with marriage and children.

He does however promise that as Christians, we belong to Him and belong to each other.

So whilst I do not have a husband, I am not alone. I have brothers and sisters in Christ. And whilst I have not borne children, I can love, care for, and minister to the children of my fellow Christians.

And I must praise God for that, and make the most of these opportunities (even if I am praising Him through my tears)

THE BEST BOOK BUY OF ALL TIME!!!!

I have been reading Knox's Justification By Faith. This must be the best book buy of all time (apart from Scripture of course). It cost me a grand total of $1.50 from Moore Books.

There is so much to take from this little booklet, but I have been particularly mulling over the section on works.

It will be no surprise to readers of this blog to hear that works have no place whatsoever, in justification.
In his letter to the Galations, Paul said that by attempting to observe the law as a way to gain merit the Galations were: severed from Christ; removed from God; fallen away from grace; disobedient to the truth; Christ would profit them nothing; and that they were not following the true Gospel. Harsh words indeed!

I know this. But I do not live it. Why do I keep returning to reliance on my own skills and abilities in an attempt to satisfy God?

I am so incredibly frustrated with myself.

Knowing I am unworthy, knowing that I have nothing to offer, what response can I make?

Psalm 116: 12 -13

How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.

Birthday

This week I celebrated my 4th anniversary as a Christian. As I re-listen to the sermon through which I was converted, and re-read the subsequent letter I sent to my friend Jaime, who preached that day, there is much to contemplate.

It is near impossible to separate my spiritual journey from my illness. My diagnosis of Bipolar Affective Disorder shattered my concept of self and my place in the world, and dramatically altered my experience of God.

In my letter to Jaime, I wrote "I used to think that one had to earn salvation and that God tallied up our sins and other good deeds to decide whether we 'got in' or not. This ridiculous notion meant that I could never win God's love because my sinfulness always overpowered any good... The whole idea of grace is new to me, you see."

It's ironic, the works based mentality that kept me from relationship with God for so long, is still the thing struggle with.

I "work" hard at church and go to doctrine lectures to memorise "Simul justus et peccator". One may well ask has anything changed in four years?

Ultimately I must ask the question, can God accept a broken, subnormal woman, whose only thoughts are evil all the time, to be his child?