A L O N G time

It is now 2014 - some 16 months since I last blogged!

Life is very different now from then:

      -  We have been back in Melbourne for almost 12 months
      -  Brian is retired
      -  My appointment is Auditor at THQ
      -  We live in an attached unit in a cluster of 11 units
      -  Our daughter has been married just over 12 months
      -  We have found a new place to worship [not an easy task]
      -  We have a new lifestyle now

It has been quite an adjustment and just maybe I will blog about some of these in the coming days . . .

Abigail - Old Testament type of Christ

1 Samuel 25

This story is one of my favorites as an example of women who were honored in the Old Testament. Often, the church peddles a romanticized and chivalrous ideal (which has no foundation in Scripture) to encourage women to be submissive, quiet, dependent, and careful not to make waves. Particularly within a marriage, many churches teach that women should submit to the decisions of their husbands, even if the husband is making very wrong decisions. Women are encouraged that if they will submit and pray, God will honor this and intervene on their behalf. God may, of course, but often this type of response leads to more problems including domestic violence and abuse.

In contrast to what the world’s cultures may say—and in the Old Testament where women lived in a world that had far less equality than exists today—Scripture honors women who were anything but quiet, fearful, submissive, or weak when it comes to discerning the will of God and obeying Him. God consistently honors their boldness, not in being aggressive toward men or others, but in their wisdom and obedience to God.

In this story, Abigail is a wife of a man named Nabal who is foolish (his name actually means fool) and whose rash behavior has caused David to come with 400 men to destroy his household. When a servant tells Abigail what is happening, she immediately goes into action without consulting or telling Nabal, who we learn is most likely too drunk to think clearly. Her efforts saved the household from destruction because she understands the ways of God more than Nabal does. She so impresses God and David that her evil husband becomes ill and dies, and David makes her his wife.

In fact, David praises her for her good judgment. Her actions not only honor God and save her own household, but David recognizes that her wisdom saved him from spilling blood in revenge. He realizes this would have led to negative consequences for him as well.

I encourage you to read this story, because it is a great message to women who may be suffering domestic violence or other abuse. Women need to understand that God can and does honor them for their courage in doing the right thing for their households.

But, back to the main news here that Abigail seems to be an Old Testament type of Christ. As the story was read, I kept seeing images that I had never noticed before:

• Abigail comes riding a donkey
• She presents an offering for Nabal’s trespass (sin sacrifice)
• She asks David to let the blame for the offense fall on her alone (substitutionary guilt)
• She prophecies about David’s reign (declaring the kingdom)
• She is a peacemaker
• She washes the feet of David’s servants
  
  God included a woman in scripture as a type of Christ. I’ll be looking in other stories of women to see if there are more images like this. I was encouraged that, once again, God includes and honors women in His redemptive plans.

Heather Celoria 

Christians for Biblical Equality

An explanation of life

On the first day God created the dog. God said, "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. I will give you a life span of twenty years." The dog said, "That's too long to be barking. Give me ten years and I'll give you back the other ten."

So God agreed.

On the second day God created the monkey. God said, "Entertain people, do monkey tricks and make them laugh. I'll give you a twenty-year life span." The monkey said, "How boring, monkey tricks for twenty years?

I don't think so. Dog gave you back ten, so that's what I'll do too, okay?"

And God agreed.

On the third day God created the cow. God said, "You must go to the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer. I will give you a life span of sixty years. "The cow said, "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. Let me have twenty and I'll give back the other forty."

And God agreed again.

On the forth day God created man. God said, "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. I'll give you twenty years. "Man said, "What? Only twenty years! Tell you what, I'll take my twenty, and the forty the cow gave back and the ten the monkey gave back and the ten the dog gave back, that makes eighty, okay?"

"Okay," said God, "You've got a deal."

So that is why the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play, and enjoy ourselves; for the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family; for the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren; and for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

Life has now been explained to you.

For all you budding soloists an Advent song:

Christmas Time is Coming Once Again

(sung to “Winter Wonderland”)

Lyrics by Major William Clarke.

Hear the bells now a-ringing,
hear the songs we’re a-singing,

The glad happy sound tells those all around:

Christmas time is coming once again.

There’s the band serenading,
there’s St. Nick out parading,

Each in his own way proclaiming the day,

Christmas time is coming once again.

Listen to the children as they chatter;

Listen to the “Merry Christmas” call;

Listen to the shoppers as they clatter:

They’re buying pretty presents, one and all.

It’s a time filled with gladness,
cast away all your sadness;

Just lift up your voice in song, and rejoice:

Christmas time is coming once again.

Long ago angels told it,
Shepherds came to behold it,

Each year we reveal how happy we feel;

Christmas time is coming once again.

Every year, in December,
we take time to remember

The baby who came, Christ Jesus his name,

Christmas time is coming once again.

He who found his cradle in a manger

One day bore our sins upon the cross;

There to rid our souls from sin and danger,

He died to free our souls from guilt and loss.

Now to all tell the story,
stand and give God the glory!

Rejoice ever more, your Saviour adore:

Christmas time is coming once again.

Genealogy of Genesis 5

Adam                      Man (is)
Seth                       Appointed
Enosh                     Mortal
Kenan                     Sorrow; (but)
Mahalalel                The Blessed God
Jared                      Shall come down
Enoch                     Teaching
Methuselah             His death shall bring
Lamech                   The Despairing
Noah                       Comfort, Rest