Men and Women - this one may get me in trouble
At times they are so different we wonder what God could possibly be thinking when he created this mess.
Let us ask a question - Who is the natural lover in a man woman marriage relationship?
then
Let us ask another question - Who is the natural submitter in a woman man marriage relationship?
My dad asked me these questions once as a part of his "read your own verses" talk
The first question is an obvious question is actually quite normal. We have all heard it before, we have all been witness to a man - not loving a woman enough yada yada yada.
Here is the difference. God made us this way, on purpose. See, a man is naturally submissive. What????? Women disagree with this all the time, but this is because women try to obligate their men to do things - they don't - and thus they think this statement is wrong. But hold on here, there is this little thing called world history that actually proves this. I'm not going to spend much time proving women are natural lovers but this one needs some attention. Just think back to, oh, I don't know, the Vietnam war - or any other war for that matter. One man says to a group of men (mostly, yes I know women serve in the armed forces...just let me go here) and although in some times the men are even told "we expect a 50% casualty rating on this mission" they march out and take the hill. They climb and they crawl over their dead comrades, and, they take the hill - because someone in authority told them to.
Go to the work place, put a CEO in a room with two of his managers and when he says"We are going to sell widgets to Denmark" the man will get up and go and figure out how to get this task done, the woman will question. Now don't get me wrong, the woman questions, because she needs to know all the details, she needs to understand how the CEO derived his position - and once she knows that - with reckless abandon (love?) she will go after the same task - and a lot of the time even out preform the man.
Then God says - through the apostle Paul. "Husbands love your wives... wives submit to your husbands"
Huh?
What the heck - this, is counterintuitive.
Yep.
And it is the cornerstone of a dynamic union.
Let us ask two more questions:
Who is the perfect person in this man woman union - to understand true love?
Who is the perfect person in this woman man union - to understand true submission?
We are, in effect, our own subject matter experts on our mates God ordained duties in marriage. She will know when you are faking love, because she is the natural lover. He will know when you are begrudgingly 'submissive' because he is the natural submitter.
How do we get it right?
Well first step might be as per my dad's advice "Son, read your own verses."
The step beyond is to talk with your mate, discover what is truly meaningful to each other then with reckless abandon give a gift to your spouse they will truly recognize as authentic.
slv2all
Saturday, 14 February 2009
Saturday, 10 January 2009
John Piper - a man worth following
John is a great Gospel guy - follow him read his stuff watch his stuff
slv2all
slv2all
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
"Becoming Pariah"
Becoming Pariah 1Cor4:13b
Few set a goal of becoming despised; Paul wore it as a badge of honor. For him it was a matter of who despised him, he came to the point of being outcast by those most would seek to be acknowledged by. He placated the needy those without voice in the public forum and from a worldly standpoint it got him nowhere. If he rode in a chariot he rode it in shackles if he traveled to Rome it was under guard. Would you rather die and have a state funeral a parade and fan fare? Or would you choose to die naked and, from an earthly perspective, alone, with your friends and family to afraid to retrieve your body for proper burial? Will you honour the empty words of those who use their faith for political gain? Or, to your own demise, will you lay challenge and resolute discourse before those in authority? Shed all notions of worldly allure, the cold water given is due to your Christocentric discipleship, one that can not be shared, you are his disciple, or you are not.
Few set a goal of becoming despised; Paul wore it as a badge of honor. For him it was a matter of who despised him, he came to the point of being outcast by those most would seek to be acknowledged by. He placated the needy those without voice in the public forum and from a worldly standpoint it got him nowhere. If he rode in a chariot he rode it in shackles if he traveled to Rome it was under guard. Would you rather die and have a state funeral a parade and fan fare? Or would you choose to die naked and, from an earthly perspective, alone, with your friends and family to afraid to retrieve your body for proper burial? Will you honour the empty words of those who use their faith for political gain? Or, to your own demise, will you lay challenge and resolute discourse before those in authority? Shed all notions of worldly allure, the cold water given is due to your Christocentric discipleship, one that can not be shared, you are his disciple, or you are not.
Monday, 22 December 2008
Unencumbered theistic deference, or Me?
Unencumbered theistic deference, or Me?
Perhaps paramount of our obstacles of serving in a manner likened to the calling of James 1:27 or Proverbs 30:8,9 is the reflection in our mirrors. Who do you see? Do you see your success? Do you see your failure? Perhaps you visualize your personal "limitations", or mounting obstacles.
Seeing anything other than a servant of God, be it a broken servant, a hurting servant, one who is destitute, alone, or even one rich beyond compare in all aspects of life, limits our kingdom usefulness.
It is well known "if you focus on your wealth you won't be able to focus on God", but equally as damaging to kingdom usefulness is focusing on our weakness. Deference only to the "author and perfecter of our faith" in any circumstance, and seeing every hurt and blessing as an avenue for service to Him, ensures all we can and will be, is intrinsically tied to all He was and is.
slv2all
Perhaps paramount of our obstacles of serving in a manner likened to the calling of James 1:27 or Proverbs 30:8,9 is the reflection in our mirrors. Who do you see? Do you see your success? Do you see your failure? Perhaps you visualize your personal "limitations", or mounting obstacles.
Seeing anything other than a servant of God, be it a broken servant, a hurting servant, one who is destitute, alone, or even one rich beyond compare in all aspects of life, limits our kingdom usefulness.
It is well known "if you focus on your wealth you won't be able to focus on God", but equally as damaging to kingdom usefulness is focusing on our weakness. Deference only to the "author and perfecter of our faith" in any circumstance, and seeing every hurt and blessing as an avenue for service to Him, ensures all we can and will be, is intrinsically tied to all He was and is.
slv2all
Sunday, 21 December 2008
Our Prelapsarian Propensity
Our Prelapsarian Propensity
The greatest natural tendency of humanity is to downplay our fallen-ness, conjuring an idyllic state fraught with our own delusion regarding our stance with one another. Interestingly this stance holds no hope, and no peace because in this state we only hope in ourselves.
The greater the disillusionment (the closer we place ourselves to a god like status) the greater the inclination we have to foul things up. The degree to which we foul things up plays in large part to the depth and breadth of our circle of influence. Those who "do no wrong" with a limited circle of influence will merely foul up their relationships, and perhaps those attached to them.
However, as history suggests those with a large circle of influence with this fatal flaw wreak havoc on societies. I suppose the crusaders could have been "proclaimers of the gospel" instead of wielding the sword of "righteousness" yet with the do-no-wrong demi god like status of their leaders, the results were catastrophic the hatred between word-views goes on to this day. Modern day examples such as cultic leaders who force mass suicide in the name of Jesus - or even those promoting a less contentious parlay with no moral base, have the same potential effect.
Tied up in this micro belief (for it is held within ourselves not publicly en-mass) is a macro reality, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is contingent upon placing yourself rightly "behind' the others in your life. This stance begins with a view of yourself that is fallen and in need of redemption.
When we rid ourselves of this belief and consider ourselves in our rightful place of fallen and broken we actually have a shot at true greatness - through true service to humanity.
slv2all
The greatest natural tendency of humanity is to downplay our fallen-ness, conjuring an idyllic state fraught with our own delusion regarding our stance with one another. Interestingly this stance holds no hope, and no peace because in this state we only hope in ourselves.
The greater the disillusionment (the closer we place ourselves to a god like status) the greater the inclination we have to foul things up. The degree to which we foul things up plays in large part to the depth and breadth of our circle of influence. Those who "do no wrong" with a limited circle of influence will merely foul up their relationships, and perhaps those attached to them.
However, as history suggests those with a large circle of influence with this fatal flaw wreak havoc on societies. I suppose the crusaders could have been "proclaimers of the gospel" instead of wielding the sword of "righteousness" yet with the do-no-wrong demi god like status of their leaders, the results were catastrophic the hatred between word-views goes on to this day. Modern day examples such as cultic leaders who force mass suicide in the name of Jesus - or even those promoting a less contentious parlay with no moral base, have the same potential effect.
Tied up in this micro belief (for it is held within ourselves not publicly en-mass) is a macro reality, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is contingent upon placing yourself rightly "behind' the others in your life. This stance begins with a view of yourself that is fallen and in need of redemption.
When we rid ourselves of this belief and consider ourselves in our rightful place of fallen and broken we actually have a shot at true greatness - through true service to humanity.
slv2all
Friday, 19 December 2008
A Simulacrum of Christ
Simulacrum of Christ
"Christ-likeness" is to be the ultimate goal of a Christian. More than not we tend to be an insubstantial form or semblance of his character. I find myself to be this insubstantial representation more than not, even in perhaps the greatest moments I find myself being brought down by my own prideful look at my selflessness - and this is me at my best. In most of my writings, I try and separate myself, I try to enable the reader to be captured within so that one can be touched a bit deeper. This writing is different, I tried to separate myself but found I could not make this be about 'we' or 'you.'
I was struck today with the reality I am a poor image of He who saved me. I am fraught with my own self-full wants and ambitions and even my greatest attempts or perhaps even "successes" are hauntingly close to the agony that is myself.
And in my worst...
slv2all
"Christ-likeness" is to be the ultimate goal of a Christian. More than not we tend to be an insubstantial form or semblance of his character. I find myself to be this insubstantial representation more than not, even in perhaps the greatest moments I find myself being brought down by my own prideful look at my selflessness - and this is me at my best. In most of my writings, I try and separate myself, I try to enable the reader to be captured within so that one can be touched a bit deeper. This writing is different, I tried to separate myself but found I could not make this be about 'we' or 'you.'
I was struck today with the reality I am a poor image of He who saved me. I am fraught with my own self-full wants and ambitions and even my greatest attempts or perhaps even "successes" are hauntingly close to the agony that is myself.
And in my worst...
slv2all
Peremptory refusal to doubt.
Peremptory refusal to doubt.
Psalm 10
Precepts are quagmires of insoluble thoughts and feelings, often only vanquished by doubt. Do not be afraid to question God. Do not be afraid to stand up stiffen your back and yell into the face of your loving heavenly father. At times we must embrace the very basics of our humanity; let go of our adult-ness fully becoming a child in the sight of God. A simple faith, or a child like one, understands our authentic rant, while it will not change God's character, will alter ours. A child like interaction with God understands, ‘the loving parent I momentarily "disrespect" will still go to unspeakable lengths to save me.’
Of perhaps greater concern to God is a heart willing to show the true nature of our humanity, our fears, our doubts, our childlike anger, our weakness, and our total dependence. Once through the difficult journey of emoting with God, you will find him still there with arms open to accept love and cherish the only thing of worth you can bring Him, your presence, having been atoned for by his personal gift to you, the blood of his Son.
Our interactions with God do not change him – but they do change our perceptions of him, you will know he has heard you.
slv2all
Psalm 10
Precepts are quagmires of insoluble thoughts and feelings, often only vanquished by doubt. Do not be afraid to question God. Do not be afraid to stand up stiffen your back and yell into the face of your loving heavenly father. At times we must embrace the very basics of our humanity; let go of our adult-ness fully becoming a child in the sight of God. A simple faith, or a child like one, understands our authentic rant, while it will not change God's character, will alter ours. A child like interaction with God understands, ‘the loving parent I momentarily "disrespect" will still go to unspeakable lengths to save me.’
Of perhaps greater concern to God is a heart willing to show the true nature of our humanity, our fears, our doubts, our childlike anger, our weakness, and our total dependence. Once through the difficult journey of emoting with God, you will find him still there with arms open to accept love and cherish the only thing of worth you can bring Him, your presence, having been atoned for by his personal gift to you, the blood of his Son.
Our interactions with God do not change him – but they do change our perceptions of him, you will know he has heard you.
slv2all
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