Emmanuel - God With Us : the real meaning of Christmas

At this Christmas time, may we not forget the real meaning of Christmas - God With Us....and as part of that reminder here are two YouTube links for you....

False Christmas Hope.....and the True!

…it’s one of the words often seen as part of Christmas decorations or on Christmas cards, and its because the true message of Christmas brings true HOPE and we should never lose sight of it.

The World needs it more than anything.

Recently it was reported that Michelle Obama was interviewed by Oprah and she expressed her thought that she felt that under her husband’s administration there was ‘hope’ and that this was evident by the fact that she believes there is now a lack of ‘hope’.  She went on to say:

"Hope is necessary. It's a necessary concept….

"I mean, he and I and so many believe  what else do you have if you don't have hope?

"What do you give your kids if you can't give them hope?”

…...Hey, it's gonna be OK. Let's remember the good things that we have. Let's look at the future. Let's look at all the things that we're building'."
"All of this is important for our kids to stay focused and to feel like their work isn't in vain, that their lives aren't in vain,”

How sad!

But this is a reflection of how people understand hope.

The hope they seek is based on what they see.  Mrs Obama wants people to ‘look’ at the good things we have, what we are building and what we think the future is going to be.

Unfortunately, much of the reason people don’t have hope is because of what they see.

And when we start building hope only in what we see, in what we do, and what we have and what we think lies ahead, we are building false hope on unstable sinking sand.

You see when we are brutally honest with ourselves we know we are not the biggest and most powerful force on the planet.  An accident, bad health, terrorism or the evil of others, and our own foolishness or inadequacy can wipe out or prevent what we put our hope in.  Deep down, apart from God, we know our lives and efforts are all in vain….just have heart-to-heart counsel with a few people and read the book of Ecclesiates.

We are fearful because we have lost hope in what we see and have no hope beyond our human existence with its limitations and risks and even our smallness in the face of natural disasters.  We know we are not all-powerful, and when life looks ‘uncertain’ to any degree to our own eyes, we lose hope.

Just finding ways to instill greater hope in ourselves and our world doesn’t ultimately build hope - its destroys hope….because it excludes the only ONE who can bring a sure hope to us.  To tell ourselves over and over that we determine our own destiny, or that we can do anything, or that we are in control, and even that we can instil hope in others, is to set ourselves up for a fall!

photo credit: CreativeCommons2.0

BUT, in the midst of reminders that what we do see is not secure,  Jesus brings hope for what we don’t see.  

When He came into this world, he didn’t come to encourage hope for this world, but to bring hope despite this world and beyond this world.  The Jews, like the Obamas, and so many like them, were/are looking for a change in politics, circumstances, education, health cover, and laws to bring hope.  The Jews wanted Jesus to change their circumstances and be a new earthly ruler to conquor their enemies.  

But Jesus came to be an eternal ruler to conquor the greatest enemy - sin and death.

People in our world are looking for hope through rescue from their earthly fears and concerns, - through better circumstances as they understand it.

But the message of Christmas is that the hope promoted by the Obamas is an empty and false hope and will ultimately dissapoint in this life, and destory, bringing death in the ‘life' to come. It doesn’t matter which human being or which human ability or which human achievement we put hope in, it is not a secure or sure hope.  It will not only be empty of all it promised but it will bring the opposite of all it promised.  It will bring heartache and turmoil and despair, because at some point it will fail us.

But Jesus is the one in whom we can have true hope - He brings answers and enabling and joy and peace to this life and brings the true and sure hope of victory over death. He brings eternal hope.

I started this post by saying how sad it is that this world is only looking to itself for hope.

But I want to finish with how glad I am that this world is verbalising that it is looking to itself, and that at this Christmas time, we can agree that it is hopeless if we only look at this world. To tell ourselves something is hopeful when it is hopeless is foolish and destructive, because God says a ‘fool has said in his heart there is no God’. When we only look to this world for hope, we are functioning as if there is no God.

Recognising the hopelessness of what can never truly offer us hope anyhow, is actually a good start on the road to discovering there is true hope on offer - from the ONE who is not only bigger and more powerful and in control of what we aren’t, but He is our Creator and loves us and wants the best for us……

And then the good news is that God has not ceased to exist or care just because we have rejected or ignored Him…..that is why He sent Jesus, to be and bring THE hope which we had lost sight of. He reminds us this world is not that which will give us hope, and it was never meant to be.

God alone, in Jesus - Immanuel, God with us, brings true hope.  

Don’t settle for the false.  

And this Christmas, share this truth with the world!….and REJOICE in the wonderful HOPE we have!

"Privileged" - Dr Helen Roseveare - goes to be with her Lord

This week Dr Helen Roseveare went to be with her Lord aged 91

Famous for her books and speaking at conferences around the world, she served the Lord as a missionary medical Doctor in the Congo (which became Zaire and is now the DRC-Democratic Republic of Congo just a couple of countries to our north.)

Her unwavering faith and commitment to serve her Lord and His faithfulness to her in the midst of some of the most horrifying of circumstances including rape by rebel soldiers, has been a great example to me from long before I ever became a fellow missionary in Africa.

I remember hearing/seeing her speak at a Keswick Convention I attended with my parents when I was young. She shared our lunch table on one of the days too, and her name and stories were firmly etched into my memory. They played a part in the picture I formed of a 'missionary' as a child.  I read some of her books that my mum had on her bookshelf and have some on my own bookshelf now too. Probably the two main things that impacted me from her life was that there is a cost to serving the Lord but that at the same time God is totally faithful and able to do above and beyond what we ask or think.

In more recent days one of the stories from her life went viral on the internet - the story of the prayed for hot water bottle and little doll.

As she would speak in various places she would emphasise that God's grace is sufficient.  She would also repeatedly emphasise that she felt her walk with Christ including suffering for His sake, was just an amazing privilege....another word for privilege is 'honour'....she is such a wonderful example of the great peace, joy, contentment and thankfulness that comes into a person's life when they feel the great undeserved favour and honour of God in being His child.

A tribute on The Gospel Coalition website posted this quote of Dr Roseveare's

God never uses a person greatly until He has wounded him deeply.
The privilege He offers you is greater than the price you have to pay.
The privilege is greater than the price.”
—Helen Roseveare

Here is an interview she had on 100 Huntley Street (its in four parts so you have to click on each part to watch it) - and if you click across to watch them on YouTube directly many other videos will come up of her sharing in one-on-one interviews or with hundreds in large audiences.

Christmas on Sunday

There's a problem with Christmas this year! …..apparrently in some parts of the world anyhow.  

Well its more a problem of the calendar…..the problem that Christmas is on a Sunday this year. 

It's actually a subject that is not on my radar at all, but I have just read an interesting blog post about it.  While I continue to live in Africa or Australia it probably won't ever be on my radar…..but the blog post was encouraging Christians in the USA to still go to church on Christmas Day.

This seems to be a unique cultural 'problem' for Americans, who as I understand it do not normally have a Christmas Day Service at their churches.

As Australians living in Africa, it doesn't pose a problem for us at all, in either our home country or our country of service.  

In both places it is normal tradition to always go to church on Christmas Day for a special Christmas Day Service.  The UK is the same.  Even the British Royal Family go to church on Christmas Day.

Because, (as I read recently somewhere else), Christmas day in the USA has become a day 'for family not faith',  Amercians seems to be worried about how they can manage to have family gift-giving on Christmas morning AND get to church. And like in the blog I mentioned above, some are concerned that people will opt for a family devotion at home and skip Sunday church for that week altogether.  

In my husband's family, family gift giving was on Christmas Eve when they were young kids, and in later years the gift-giving happened after church.  In my home as I grew up,  gift-giving was first thing on Christmas morning and we had a quick breakfast and all piled into the car and headed to church.  

It was never a problem, and in fact as kids we seemed to all manage to wear or take something to church that morning that we had received as a gift to be able to share stories with other kids of gifts received.

It was a wonderful time of carol singing, and remembering the whole reason for Christmas. Often the service structure was a little bit innovative with a 'sermon' in parts interspersed with appropriate carols, or the opportunity for the Pastor to bring out an aspect of the Christmas story that normally gets overlooked.  It always set a good tone and focus to the day.  

It was also the day that we knew church service numbers would swell with people who normally would never go to church - those twice-a-year folks - Easter and Christmas.  It was a great opportunitity to share the gospel with those who came, simply by reminding everyone of the real meaning of Christmas and its implications.

From there folks would head back home or to relatives' homes for family Christmas Lunch.  

Since it was holiday season anyhow, Sunday School was in recess and on Christmas Day the service was normally scheduled a little earlier (normal at the church I grew up at was 10am and Christmas was 8am) and it was limited to 1 hour to allow those time who had to travel longer distances to reach family gatherings. 

Here in our corner of Africa, it is the same, there is always a Christmas Day service.

So the fact that Christmas is on a Sunday this year, if anything it will feel a little strange for us because we will only meet together as a church once in the Christmas week instead of twice.

Though Americans may be stressing as to how they will manage to have proper gift giving AND gather with the church in the morning, other parts of the world have always done that and find no tension in the process, but instead find that it enhances the focus of the day and reminds us of the real reason for the day and its meaning for us.  

After all - we are the church only because of Christmas. Because the Son of God came and entered our world for the purpose of dying for sin and rising again to bring us new life, we in this world can be reconciled to God and united with Christ as His church.  

Surely for Americans,  that is a great reason to WANT to have such a unique opportunity this year to combine Christmas with a Sunday and share it not just with our earthly families but be reminded of our greater spiritual families and the GIFT that made it all possible!!  

We are just sorry that Americans only get to make it a church family day this one year, when in our part of the world, we get to do it every year!

Us and Them: Honour, Tribal Identity and the USA Election of Donald Trump

It seems that since the USA Presidential election the world is in a state of fear and turmoil.  

What is feared?

The following appeared in the Aussie news recently…..

After Donald Trump's recent victory in the United States' election, and Brexit in the United Kingdom, attention is now turning to the possibility of other unexpected results just over the horizon.

In Europe, Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front is riding high in the polls and could surprise everyone in the presidential election being held next April in France.

During a visit to Greece last Tuesday, US President Barack Obama had a warning for the world.

"We are going to have to guard against a rise in a crude sort of nationalism or ethnic identity or tribalism that is built around an 'us' and a 'them'," Mr Obama said.

from Australian ABC News website

Some people are worried that 'globalisation' is threatened, and that anything that threatens globalisation is to be opposed - in the belief that globalisation and elimination of tribalisation is the answer to the world's problems and the only possibility of peace.

From the time of the fall we have been tempted to seek our honour and identity through earthly human relationships.  Though we know we are individuals, we seek collective relationships. Globalisation has included a push for people to see themselves in terms of their wider global relationships and identity rather than their small group identity.  

In our sinful world of individuals apart from God, we are busy trying to find our own dignity, our own honour and worth, within the context of our human existence.  We may say we are 'individualists' but we really do also seek an 'identity' that goes beyond ourselves.

Here in Africa, tribal identity is crucial.  One's personal identity is never separate from one's tribal identity.  Life is not about only the individual, but the relationships of the group. And it's this that creates a problem when a person becomes a Christian.  There is reticence to leave that which forms and provides one's tribal identity.  One's vision is focused on the horizontal of life - those others in front of our eyes and what they want.  Earthly identity through earthly acceptance, approval and significance means everything.

But is the West any different?

The West may look at Africa and say it needs to let go of its tribalism and people should stand as individuals.  But as much as the West has tried to push individualism on the one hand, it has been promoting globalism on the other.  It has still had an underlying desire to be part of something greater. Apart from political globalisation, technology and social media have increased our connections with the wider world and reduced social interaction with the people closest to us. But the West's efforts at 'equality' and an 'open market' and 'global' identity are not really sustainable, because the 'one-ness' we seek, can never be attained on an earthly level by earthly means and earthly wisdom.

The world seeks what only God can give - barrier free community.  

Only God can give barrier free community, because it was God who created barriers to community in the first place - with the confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel. They came about as a result of sin and can only be removed through repentance and a new identity in Christ.

Some world leaders seem fearful that their efforts at globalisation may crumble. But any failure of what the world thought was 'working' is just a reminder that the 'success' of any identity beyond our family/ethnic identity can only be gained in Christ.  

The answer to the Tower of Babel, is the Baby who laid in the Manger and hung on a Tree.

It's in Christ that we are 'one' with no barrier between ethnicity, employment status, or sex. 'Racism', 'sexism' and 'class-ism' is abolished as we are 'born again' into a new family on God's terms rather than human terms. 

Such unity can only be achieved as we all come under one higher authority - God our Creator and our Saviour.  

The end of the world when the BEAST is revealed will be the ultimate attempt at a pseudo-authority in order to achieve that unity we all crave.   

The world wants each 'ethnicity' to see itself equal to every other ethnicity, but it wants it via seeking a one-ness without the One who instigated ethnicity and its divisiveness in the first place at Babel, and offered the elimination of ethnicity through unity in Christ, at Pentecost.  

One day the world will realise that each 'ethnicity' (and/or nation) wants to see itself as important, and thus earthly identity will always be tribal. Each will ultimately want to protect its own interests. We are made to cling desperately to our identity.  When we have no identity in Christ to cling to, we will cling to our earthly identity - the one that comes from a sense of nationalism, tribalism and ethnicity.  

That same day, the world will realise that the 'only' way to unity is to all come under the same authority of one person.  The ultimate in blasphemy will be when the Anti-Christ is raised up.  He is the Anti-Christ, not just because he will propose himself as the great Rescuer from maybe global calamities, but also from global fragmentation.  He will be honoured with the power and authority only due to Christ, as he sets himself up as the one to unify the world and bring peace to 'tribalism'……as a false substitute to Christ who is the only One under whom we can be ONE.  

Only in Christ can identity and status gained from nationalism, racism, tribalism and sexism be superceded.  Only in Christ can we be 'born again' to a new identity, a new status, a new 'tribe/family', become citizens of a new 'global' nation and kingdom.  Only Christ deserves the honour of the unifier, the authority and the Prince of Peace.  In Him, as Christians, we have a new identity - one that doesn't fear Brexits, Trumps, or what tomorrow's politics hold.

Let's bring to the world the truth in Christ, of a new identity, a higher authority, a greater peace than anything the world has or will offer! 

The Fear is Gone!

Africa has long been allocated the category of a 'fear culture' - out of the options of a 'fear', 'shame' or 'guilt' emphasis culture.  We have argued that this is definitely not the whole story and may be masking the real cultural issues rooted in honour and shame.

We have proposed that Africa is also a shame emphasis culture and that the fear observed is really a fear of bringing shame and being shamed. Right from childhood a child is 'programmed' to fear shame. Discipline is primarily to show displeasure for a child who is bringing shame. 

However, most of our 'culturally contextualised' missions emphasis in Africa has been to address 'fear issues'.  Yet the church around us cries out as to why so many sinful practices still abound when missions has been here so long?

I had an interesting converstation a few days back with one of the young guys who has completed with us the draft of the 'Highest Honour' Discipleship booklet we are in the process of producing with our local co-worker.

Part way through the conversation, he paused and looked directly at me and said "I no longer have that fear in me" [of truthfully saying what he needs to say to those 'above' him in society].  This young man exhibits a fresh confidence.  His ability to properly respect others in a God honouring way without the 'fear of man' has become a real example to us.

This is very interesting.  The intentional discipleship 'Highest Honour' course has hardly even mentioned the issue of fear.  It's primary emphasis is dealing with honour and shame - of helping the reader to understand the greatness of God and how He should receive the Highest Honour in our lives.

Yet this young man says, after doing this course, that in his everyday encounters, the 'fear' is gone.  Addressing the honour/shame dynamics lifted the fear!

Mountains, Valleys, Desert, Ocean

It's always exciting to explore a new part of God's wonderful earth.  The beauty and majesty never ceases to inspire awe of the Creator.  You can never get too much of the awesomeness of God!

On our recent holiday, the new region to explore was the Kwa-Zulu Natal south coast of South Africa. After 12 hours of driving we reached the Ocean.

We left Botswana at the peak of the driest 'dry season' in 35 years - the dominant colour of the scene at the local game reserve was 'brown' - almost no leaves on trees, no grass on the ground and the animals having to be given supplement feed.

What a contrast to spend a few weeks surounded by intense green panoramas everywhere we looked.  We realised there was a dominant colour in all our photos …..GREEN!

Whether it was visiting a coffee plantation

or a game reserve

where Blesbok grazed on hillsides,

Giraffe roamed the hilltops,

and an endangered Oribi grazed in a grassy field of wildflowers,

…...we soaked up the vistas!

But the sights to be in awe of were filled with extremes and variety.  

We had dull rainy days and bright sunny days. 

And within a tiny 30km radius this region displays not only expansive ocean views - even from our bedroom window...

but also awesome mountains and valleys of the Oribi Gorge

as well as the amazing 'smallest desert in the world'

- yes its a true red desert about 200m wide and only about 5km from the beach - a strange 'patch' of red amoungst the green of the mountains!  

………and last but not least to inspire awe of our Creator and the blessings of inexhaustible expressions of His power, majesty and love, here are a few shots of some of the beautiful wildflowers we saw including the various colours of the spectacular protea…..

Whether its the fine delicateness of the flower swaying silently in the wind, or the mighty granduer of the mountains and gorges with the sounds of the rapids hundreds of meters below - the Lord's name is to be PRAISED!

Of Rain and Reptiles!

It's always a time of rejoicing at the edge of the desert, when the rains come!

And last night they came!

20mm of steady soaking rain…

…along with the accompanying power outage!

But we were happy anyhow for the wonderful rain!

Our happiness suddenly turned to heart-stopping fear when in the dark with dim torchlight, my husband nearly stepped on a large Puff Adder lying across the path along the back of our house, as he went to lock the laundry door before heading to bed!

The Puff Adder, in case you didn't know is a highly venomous snake and is the snake responsible for the most snake bite deaths in Africa.  They are not to be trifled with.  The main problem with them is that they just lie in the path and don't move when you come close.  They don't slither off and their colours camoflage very well with the ground, so they are not easy to see and very easy to step on accidentally….and much less easy to see of course amoung the dark shadows of a moonless, rainy night with a power outage.

All calls to 'snake handler' friends availed nothing, as it seemed they had decided that rain and no power was a good reason for an early night.

So eventually I found a phone number for the BDF (Botswana Defence Force) who have a snake handling unit that can be called upon for such situations…..for a fee of P100 (about USD$10).  We assured them that we would absolutely be able to pay them their P100 when they came.

So we watched (the snake…from a distance), and we waited (for the BDF soldiers to come from their base), in the now cold wet night air.  It's amazing how quickly a hot day can turn to a cool night with a good dose of rain.

There has maybe never been a more welcome vehicle coming up the dirt track to our house at almost 11pm, than that BDF vehicle and its two occupants.

Within moments Soldier number one had his hooked stick around Mr Puff Adder and manouvered it into the large crate, while Soldier number 2 shone the torch.  Mind you Mr Puff Adder put up a bit of resistance with an extra vigorous wiggle, but the soldier won!  It all seemed so simple and was over within a few seconds, but we were very glad to let them do it all.

With Mr Puff Adder safely  secured in his crate on the back of the BDF bakkie (read 'ute' for Aussies and 'pickup truck' for Americans), we paid our P100, were issued an official receipt for 'snake retrieval', and the BDF vehicle, now with its extra occupant, drove off down the hill and away into the night.

This morning we woke up and found the receipt in a pocket and were reminded that it really did all happen….we have the piece of paper to prove it!

But we don't recommend meeting Puff Adders late on dark rainy nights….in fact we don't recommend meeting Puff Adders any time at all!

But we do thank the Lord for his protection….and for actually finding it the way we did, and now knowing its far away and not lurking under a log or some leaves somewhere near our back door.  There are probably a few more out in the bush on the hill where we live, and for that reason (along with scorpions) we make every effort to keep doors closed and have screens on windows!

The Confusion Over the Honour and Equality of Women

Equality of Women.

This is a topic to cause any conversation to get heated…..just like the blog I wrote a few weeks back about honour and headship and leadership.

But here I want to touch on the honour of a woman in the midst of the equality debate.

I have just come across a superb blog article (via a link from Challies.com), about women and their value alongside men….no not just value, but how much a man needs a woman to accomplish and be, all that he was created to be.  The article is profound, not just because it states the truth, but because of the ways it states it, and the referencess it quotes from the literature.

Please take the time to read the full article here, but meanwhile here is the final paragraph (emphasis mine):

Woman is the most powerful living force on the globe. She creates, shapes, and sustains human civilization. The first step in weakening her power is to convince her that she must overcome her femininity. This, ironically, is precisely what the most vocal strains of feminism have advocated. Yes, woman should have equality in the workplace, in politics, and in the public square. But to render her more like man in order to accomplish this, and to judge her womanliness a hindrance to her ascendancy, is to get things exactly backwards. It is to treat her as much less than she truly is.

I think this article hits the nail on the head.

We are confusing the 'are' and the 'do' of life.

As I have mentioned before, the Western world who have promoted feminism, are coming from an 'achieved honour' focus culture.  They see honour as being derived from what a person 'does'.  This is not the time to go into a theological treatise on ascribed and achieved honour in Scripture, but biblically our primary identity is not achieved but ascribed. We did nothing to be born and nothing to be re-born.  Once we are born, we then start 'do'-ing, and when we are re-born, we then 'do'.  But both only occur because we first 'are'. The 'doing' is the logical and natural outworking of the 'being'.

In trying to escape a mis-placed earthly and cultural honour which ascribed women a lower status, the world's answer seemed to be in the 'new' opportunities of the industrialised world, where women could begin to 'do' what men 'do'.  

Femininism was women seeking through achievement, what they believed they were failing to receive through culturally ascribed honour.  It is no different here in Africa.  Feminism and Feminist theology is strong in our corner of Africa.

But both feminism, and the culture it is rebelling against, are seeking mis-placed honour.  It is seeking honour according to the honour codes of fallen creation, of human wisdom and of finite knowledge, instead of finding honour from the Creator and knowing the joy of living according to His plan and purpose.

The world only knew one way to 'overcome' what was thought were the boundaries preventing a woman's honour (spoken about as dignity, equality, respect etc), and that was to overcome the femininity that held her back from 'doing' what men do.

Hoped for honour-gain has become honour-loss

But in seeking such honour by becoming more like a man, we didn't gain honour, we lost it.  

We lost the honour of our femininity.  

We lost the joy and pleasure of being who the Creator intended us to be.  

And as the blog article pointed out, the more society looses feminine women, the more society loses out. We end up with men who can't fully be the men they were meant to be and women who are refusing to be the women they were meant to be.

In fact we as women show how small-minded we are when we say we need to become like men.  

For a lock on a door to be functional according to its purpose there has to be both the lock mechanism and a key.  Neither one without the other is useful, but neither are anything like each other (except maybe they are both made of metal).  For one to say to the other that it must become in shape and activity the same as the other is pure nonsense.  They 'achieve' their purpose because they are different and work together acknowledging how the differences are meant to interact.  Neither is better than the other, and neither's activity is less important than the other.  Each is equal in value, worth, importance, significance and honour.

Identity needs to be rooted in the Creator's truth not the creation's ideas.

We need to develop a strong identity in who we 'are'.  And that identity needs to be rooted in who the Creator says we are.  

It must not be in what the world says we should look like, or what function we do or don't have, or what earthly heritage we come from.  Our identity needs to come from the ascribed honour we have firstly as beings uniquely created in God's image, and then most of all as who we are in Christ.

We must also be careful not to fall for the temptation to try to 're-create' the Creator's design, and re-define issues according to our own wisdom, in order to fit society trends or cultural mores….we can easily run the danger of seeking to be 'approved' by cultural opinion while rejecting God's opinion. On the other hand we should seek God's approval and smile even at the risk of rejection by cultural opinion. 

And as women, we need to learn to be content in who God says we are, and who God created us to be.  

What we 'do' is not the measure of who we are.  

What we 'do' may come from who we 'are', but the honour of identity starts with who we 'are' according to the Creator.  It is then and only then, that what we 'do' according to God's plan for us, will also be honourable.

Women will never be equal to men….in what we do.  

But guess what?….said another way…..

Men will never be equal to women either, in what they do. 

Different doesn't mean despicable

Men and Women are different: our roles are different, our function is different, our strengths are different, our weaknesses are different, our brains are different, our biology is different.  We are wonderfully different!  

When differences are in accordance with the creativity of the Creator, and not our own notions, 'different' is not something to be avoided, but to be embraced. 

We have just had the 2016 Olympics and every race was divided so that men and women do not run in the same race…..this is not because the Olympics treats women as inferior, but because it treats them with consideration and honour. 

We don't force 13 year old swimmers to enter the same world championships as 20 year old swimmers.  

The Paralympics are not held separately because we despise the disabled, but because we honour them.  To force them to run against others without disabilitites is dishonouring them.  For a disabled person to refuse to participate in the Paralympics because they see it as discrimiation is to refuse honour and set themselves up for failure and disgrace. 

We say things in the West like 'dare to be different' or 'embrace your unique gifts and qualities' or 'don't let anyone else tell you what you should be', and yet women are believing the lie that feminity is an unacceptable 'difference' that we should discard. We have believed the evolution lie that whatever is 'current' is of a higher evolved state and thus better than what went before so whatever 'new' idea comes along must be better for us.  

But the lies of the Serpant that started in the Garden are still capturing our minds today. 

When our idea of 'better' doesn't match the Creator's perfect design and we deem that the male and female differences are a hindrance to 'advancement' and 'happiness' and 'success', we are on the road of disappointment, delusion and destruction.

Delight in femininity

It's only when we acknowledge and embrace the differences that form the Creator's design, that they can become the very means to our true 'success' as how we were created to be.

It is only as we recognise our Creator (who made us as equal in His sight), and our Redeemer (who in Him we stand equal in His sight), that we will enjoy the fulness of who we are.

Even as Christians we can be tempted to first gain our identity from what we 'do' as seen by others and approved by others around us.  But if we take that road, we will set ourselves up for false comparisons….both with other women as well as with men.  

False comparisons will steal your contentment and flood you with condemnation.  

They will tempt you to want to 'be' who you are not.  

They will lure you to live outside the Creator's design. In this age of 'gender confusion' there is lots of temptation to live outside the Creator's design.

But that just sets you up for further heartache and disappointment.  

Let's not destroy our true created identity and honour in an effort to run after mis-placed identity and honour. 

Women, let's delight and rejoice in our femininity, and rejoice in our God who gave it to us to bring glory to Him and good to the world in which we live!

Elephants

Elephants are awesome animals!

The intriguing facts about them are too numerous to list here - but like all of creation, the more you learn about them, the more you see evidence of the Creator.

Here are just a few facts I was sent recently:

Elephants can live to be over 70 years old and they are the only mammal that can't jump!

Elephants have the longest pregnancy of all the animals. It takes a female 22 months from conception to give birth.

They also purr like cats do, as a means of communication.

Elephants, much like humans, cry, play, laugh, and have incredible memories.

Elephants can swim - they use their trunks to breathe like a snorkel in deep water.

Their feet are covered in a soft padding that helps uphold their weight, preventing them from slipping, and dulls any sound.

Therefore elephants can walk almost silently!

They are highly sensitive and caring animals. If a baby elephant complains, the entire family will rumble and go over to touch and caress it.

Elephants express grief, compassion, self-awareness, altruism and play.

These incredible creatures pay homage to the bones of their dead, gently touching the skulls and tusks with their trunks and feet. When an elephant walks past a place where a loved one has died, they will stop dead still; a siltent and empty pause that can last several minutes.

Botswana has one of the largest elephant concentrations in Africa, and it is growing due to elephants retreating to Botswana to escape poachers in neighbouring countries.

Botswana also has one of the most vigilent and active 'anti-poaching' units around.  Recently an anouncement was made in the media  that poachers should carry their passports with them as it would help Botswana to be more efficient at sending their bodies back to their own countries….you see Botswana has a 'no questions' policy that they will shoot to kill a poacher.

This might seem a little extreme, but Botswana is very protective of their wildlife.

And a recent incident helps to explain why…..

Despite their vigilence, the anti-poaching helicopter recently came across a particularly savage mass slaughter of 26 elephants in the Chobe National Park (where we were earlier this year) who had not just been killed and tusks removed, but had had their whole faces cut off.

Now it is true that as Christians we know human souls are of greater eternal importance than animals.

But we should reel in horror when God's creation is recklessly and selfishly destoyed.  We humans are pretty good at destruction of creation - whether it be permeating our world with plastic bags  and hormone altering chemicals  or saturating our bodies with often unecesary antibiotics and anti-bacterial soaps or cutting down every tree in sight so as to put in a housing estate….or even the reckless slaughter of elephants.

We can think that as Christians, because we value the soul over the body, that the body and creation in general is of little importance. 

But part of the role of humans on this earth is to manage and take care of the earth that was entrusted to us.  Those who have total disregard for God's creation are showing a total disregard for God, and in the process are also showing a total disregard for their fellow human beings with whom they share this earth.

Elephant populations have declined by 30% since 2007  across Africa!  If it continues at the same rate by the time the next generation are our age, there may not be any elephants!  There will be no opportunity for the grandchildren to ever show their kids an elephant and have such an awesome animal inspire honour and praise of the Creator!

Again what I'm about to say might seem strange, but do we pray for our governments that they will know wisdom and courage to honestly and faithfully do what they can to take care of the awesome creation God has given us? 

We should be ever aware of ways that we can be careful to take care of the aspects of creation that we have responsibility for each in our small corner. 

You may not have elephants in your country's 'back yard' to protect from poachers, but we all have areas where we need to be more aware, knowledgable, courageous and vigilent to avoid destruction of God's creation and promote wise stewardship.

Happy 50th Birthday Botswana!

Today is the day!

50 years ago today, The Republic of Botswana was 'born'.

Every village across the country is celebrating today in various ways - including joining together in the village kgotla….and people have been busy sending social media messages wishing each other 'happy 50th Independance Day'.

Here is a 'video message' that we received multiple times with the National Anthem as the background music:

Our village of Gabane, has been adding decorations around the village in all kinds of creative ways, making use of what they have available.

Last week the ‘torch’ which has been touring the country came through Gabane.

Earlier in the week, the premiere of the movie ‘A United Kingdom’ about Botswana’s first President Sir Seretse Khama and his British wife Ruth was shown….at which Prince Andrew - the Duke of York attended.

In the Capital City, last night at the National Stadium there were fireworks and today there was a big parade which ended at the Stadium.

The weather was perfect - not too hot, sunny with full blue skies!

We didn’t go to the Stadium, as much as we would have liked to, as it was expected that it would be full to overflowing, roads near it would be closed, and negotiating all that with a wheelchair was out of the question.

So we watched what we could via the ‘live’ broadcast on the local TV station.

It opened with prayer by the current President and was attended by two of the past 3 Presidents. 

We were thrilled with all the work that had gone into the decorated truck floats and the other displays tracing the history of the country and showcasing its current accomplishments. They did a superb job!

As a country it has come a long way from what it inherited at Independance (as I talked about in a previous blog post) and is reflected in this article sent to us today…..Botswana has come far from the impoverished ‘charity case’ predictions.

I learnt a few new facts about Botswana from the live broadcast commentators, including that the currency - the PULA - was only introduced 10 years after Independance. (prior to that they were using the Rand).  PULA is the Setswana word for ‘rain’ and is to reflect that without rain, the country cannot be successful, and makes up the unoffical ‘warcry’ (without the ‘war) of ‘Pula, Pula, Pula’!…and is has connotations of ‘blessing’.

All the government departments and parastatals, along with the military, police, youth groups such as Guides and Scouts were featured in the parade as were various animals including camels!…which were some of the early means of transport for the Police.

It all concluded with a huge flag coming down into the Stadium from above by a parachutist.

Relying on the Rubbish - Honour Redefined

Rubbish.  Our 21st Century world produces more of it than ever.  I recently read that by 2040 every water bird in the world will have ingested plastic!  And that is plastic that we have discarded as rubbish.  Most of our rubbish around the world is plastics.  And it's doing our planet and those that live on it, a lot of damage.

Africa has a big problem with rubbish too, and our corner of Botswana is not exempt.  The most part of Botswana has gone from mud hut traditional rural living to modern urban living in less than 50 years. Not only is there plastic all across our oceans, but it has made its way to also infiltrate the Kalahari Desert.  

This beautiful continent has been engulfed in plastic - plastic bags, plastic bottles, plastic wrap, plastic packaging, plastic in technology, plastic furniture and the list goes on.  And that plastic has created mountains of rubbish.  Villages don't have rubbish collection trucks and our capital city is not keeping up with rubbish collection, so its a big problem.

Another Kind of Rubbish

But there is another kind of rubbish that we as human beings are even more attached to than plastic.  

Misplaced Honour. 

It's the stuff the Apostle Paul was willing to let go of.  He was willing to count the mis-placed honour as rubbish, but all too often we foolishly value it.

Our yearning for honour is both instinctive and insidious.

We were made for honour.  God created mankind to be in an honourable place - a place of receiving honour from God.  In being indwelt by the life of God Himself we were meant to give honour back to God and show honour for others around us and all that God created.

But our sin catapulted us out of the honourable place before God, and rejected God's life within us.  Now, we look for honour in all the wrong places and give honour in all the wrong ways.

We seek honour that is temporary and we give honour that is twisted.  We fail to keep an eternal perspective with our eyes fixed on Jesus.

Essentially we are prone to seek honour from rubbish and we give honour that is rubbish....

That might sound a little bold, but its how the Apostle Paul classified it in Philippians 3:4-9.  

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:

⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

Which Rubbish?

We rely too much on worldly honour that God calls garbage/rubbish, and not enough on godly honour that the world calls rubbish.  We are relying on the wrong rubbish!

If we were more ready to rely on godly honour, knowing it's what the world labels as rubbish, then maybe we wouldn't be so surprised when the world treats our values and actions like rubbish.  We are so often fooled into thinking that God's definition of honour and that of the world's, is the same.  They are not.  Cultural honour, no matter what culture we are in, will never equate to godly honour.

We have to be willing to admit that we don't like being seen or treated with contempt just like rubbish, by those around us.  But we are not meant to 'like' it. We are meant to re-define it.  What is 'loss' and rubbish in the eyes of the world, is reward in the eyes of God.  What is reward in the eyes of God is normally rubbish in the eyes of popular culture.

Which Rewards?

We are to seek the reward that God wants to give us, the eternal reward.  We are called to make an exchange of rubbish for reward.  We can rely on what God calls rubbish and get the world's temporary awards and rewards OR we can count as loss and rubbish whatever the world offers and instead be eligible for God's eternal rewards.

Do we look at success in the world as a right, or as a 'bonus'.  If we receive applause from the world in addition to first seeking God's 'well done', we can be thankful.  But we actually shouldn't expect it.

In the Western world, we have for the past couple of centuries generally had the blessing of many societal standards of honour being reflective of God's standards.  Maybe it has made us too complacent in seeking honour firstly in God's eyes?  As the values and morals of the West decline away from Godliness, maybe our own hearts are being revealed as much as the world's sin?  Maybe we have been doing more living before a marred and twisted reflection of godliness in society, than actually living with an active moment by moment focus on God Himself?  Maybe we have been sliding into more reliance on 'horizontal honour' (before the eyes of other people) rather than 'vertical honour' (before the eyes of God), than we realise?

As we see the moral decline in the West, may it not be a time to point fingers and be shocked.  May it instead be a time to look at our own hearts and be stirred - stirred to address areas where we have been relying on the wrong rubbish, and stirred to courageously and lovingly rescue others from the rubbish!  

Let us not be simply defenders of godliness though. It's true that we don't have to be ashamed of the gospel. But our unashamedness in being treated as rubbish is not to be swallowed up with pride in our 'achievements', or even to win praise as heroes from other Christians.  Our unashamedness should primarily motivate us to not only stand up with courage, but to step out with courage to win souls, knowing that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to them that believe.  (Romans 1:16)

We all have to decide about 'whose rubbish' and 'whose rewards' to choose almost every moment of every day.  

• Do we want to stand approved of in God's eyes, or the world's eyes?  

• Are we willing to be rejected, discarded and trampled as the world's rubbish knowing that its much better than being rejected eternally by God?

These are the hard choices of life and what it means to lose our lives. (Matthew 16:25)

But these are also the keys to true blessing and what it means to gain our lives!

Whose rubbish are you relying on?

Whose rewards will you receive?