Will Your Anchor Hold in 2017?

At the start of a new year, we often reflect on events that have taken place over the previous year or years. We look back and wonder whether things could/should have been different and we set goals for the future. 

Although I don’t bother with new year’s resolutions as I tend to immediately break them, I do reflect and consider whether changes are needed for the new year. I also think about things I have learned from a faith perspective and how they can be applied to my life. 

This new year I’m looking back on several years of struggle and disappointments, from a human perspective. Having to leave a mission field I believed I was called to for life due to circumstances beyond my control, long-term health problems, broken relationships and various short term work stints rather than being able to settle into the long term work I was hoping for. 

What does it all mean and what was the purpose? More importantly, what happens next? I’ve never been particularly patient or good at waiting for things, but I’m learning.

I’ve moved beyond the “Why has God allowed this to happen to me?” and “Maybe I made a mistake and God is punishing me,” and “Why did God seemingly lead me in one direction only for everything to fall apart?” I’ve been learning that there is always a purpose in everything that happens in the life of a Christian. It’s a lesson that has to be learnt over and over again, in my case.

Our attitudes tend to be shaped by the “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life” philosophy which is great until the trials come. I commented on this in a previous post. Actually, the statement is true but as with so many things, our interpretation of it is likely very different to God’s. His wonderful plan is not about earthly happiness or success, it is about making us more like Jesus and fitting us for His service. This process might be painful, even traumatic, but it is ultimately for our good if we love Him. (Romans 8 vs 28.)

When I think about the “trials” I have experienced in recent years, they really pale into insignificance in comparison to what others are going or have gone through. I haven’t lost any family members or close friends to cancer or accidents. I haven’t been arrested for a crime I didn’t commit or placed in prison after a miscarriage of justice. I haven’t been blown up by a terrorist or even been in the vicinity of a bombing/attack. I haven’t lost a job, house or car due to debt. I haven’t suffered from a permanent disability or illness that keeps me house-bound. There are so many other things that haven’t happened to me or from another perspective, that God has protected me from.

I am blessed with financial security, a supportive family and friends, food, clothing and shelter and material things in abundance. I have the ability to read, write and think intelligent thoughts (some of the time.) More importantly God has revealed the truth about His Son Jesus Christ to me and has rescued me from a life of sin and an eternity in hell. 

My “trials”, when measured on this scale are barely worthy of mention especially when I think that God is allowing them for my good and to make me better able to serve Him. I should be grateful that He bothers to refine me whilst I am protesting. Actually, I am blessed and it’s all about perspective.

Maybe we need to take a leaf out of Job’s book when he cried “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.” It is easy to serve God when everything appears to be going right but we grow spiritually in the tough times. There are always people in situations far worse than our own—all those who aren’t yet saved for a start.

We don’t want to be like the seed on the rocky ground that grew up quickly but withered and died when it was scorched by the sun. (Matthew 13) Why did that happen? The Bible tells us it was because the soil was shallow and the seed had no root. When trouble or persecution came because of the Word, they quickly fell away.

We don’t want to be like the seed that fell amongst thorns either. The worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choked the Word, making it unfruitful. Worrying and becoming anxious about things may be a natural human response but we have a Father in heaven who cares for us more than sparrows…

As we mature spiritually, our response to trials should be different. Instead of complaining and wondering “why me”, we will seek to learn the lessons and to be obedient despite the circumstances. Then we will ask the question, what next?

It is our response to the trial that is important. We can be effective witnesses to non-believers at these times. They are watching closely to see how real our faith is—whether God will really sustain us in the difficulty. If we throw up our hands in horror or give up and turn our backs on God the probably correct assumption by onlookers will be that our faith wasn’t genuine in the first place. Our faith is proved by the tests that we endure. 

At the start of a new year, let us ask ourselves whether we are prepared for new challenges and trials. Let us be ready for them, whatever form they might take trusting that God is faithful and knows what He is doing. 

Let us ensure that our anchors in Jesus will hold in 2017. 

Have a blessed and peaceful New Year!

Ashers Bakery in Supreme Court Today #supportashers #freespeech

I have been monitoring the Asher's bakery case in the UK since the story first made headlines. For those that don’t keep up to date, Asher's is a bakery, in Northern Ireland, owned by the McArthur family, who are Christians. They were asked  by a gay activist to bake a cake for a gay wedding containing a slogan indicating support for gay marriage. They declined on the basis that the message conflicted with their Christian beliefs about gay marriage. They were taken to court, not by the gay activist, but by the tax payer funded Equality Commission, primarily for discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. The bakery is being supported by the Christian Institute.

I found it especially interesting that the people jumping to defend Asher's were in most cases non-Christians who were concerned about the potential impact on freedom of expression. Maybe this is not surprising as many Christians don’t seem to be able to make up their minds where they stand on this issue with comments like, “I don’t really know what to think about this,” and other such bland statements appearing on social media platforms. But the absence of comment from many Christians is just as concerning. Maybe they feel that their faith is a private matter, or maybe they just resolve to do whatever it takes not to find themselves in a similar situation. I don’t really know the reason for the eerie silence.

I think what many are forgetting is that Asher's didn’t in any way choose to make global headlines or to be thrust suddenly into the public eye by their stance, and I’m sure did not intend to be controversial, or to upset anybody. They were simply trying to live their Christian lives in peace as a godly witness in an increasingly secular country. They have been forced to defend their Christian faith in a tax-payer funded court case which has really been a disgrace from the outset. I followed the case in disbelief at first, thinking that at some stage the craziness would come to an end. It eventually concluded with Asher's being found GUILTY.  After my initial shock and disbelief, I grew increasingly confident that the judgement MUST be reversed on appeal as the negative consequences for so many areas of public life would be staggering otherwise, and not just for Christians.

I am writing to highlight the many incredibly profound statements that have been made by the McArthur family throughout their trial, and to encourage continued support and prayer for them, That they have been able to maintain their Christian witness and dignity at “such a time as this” is a remarkable testimony to non-believers, and I hope will convict those Christians who feel that faith is a private matter that needs to be kept hidden. 

Statements like: “We feel that the Word of God is of much more importance than the words of the Equality Commission,” have a profound ring of truth to them. On hearing this, I was ashamed to recall the times as a Christian where I had been afraid to take a stand because of a secular authority, or person, and their potential reaction. But really, if God is God, and the Bible is God’s Word then why aren’t we all taking a leaf out of the McArthur's book and standing up for what we believe. Is it really okay that a Christian should be forced to violate their sincerely held Christian beliefs by doing some action that they know will offend a holy God? Who are we serving and who is our Master?

The McArthur's are providing a great example to all of us as Christians, as even when they were no doubt devastated by the outcome of the court case, they still released statements firmly reiterating their faith in God and His plans for their future.  Even that they were “happy” to be part of His plan!

“It doesn’t change how we feel about God and it doesn’t change anything about why we took our stand, we don’t regret that for one minute. And we believe God has a plan for the future and whatever that will be we are happy to be in His plans.”

Asher's was also contacted and encouraged by a Christian bakery in the USA in similar circumstances and facing a hefty legal bill. They now join the minority of Christians who have stood against secularism in the UK and abroad including:

1.       The B and B owners who refused to allow a gay couple to share a double bed.

2.       The Doctor who was sacked after 30 years of practice for offering to pray for a patient.

3.       The Judge who was investigated for refusing to place a child for adoption with a gay couple.

4.       The Registrar who refused to marry same sex couples.

5.       The Nurse who was investigated for wearing a cross to work.

6.       The Taxi driver who was investigated for a Christian symbol in his taxi.

7.       The lady who was investigated for offering to pray for a Muslim colleague.

8.       The street preachers that have been arrested for quoting Bible verses and thereby “offending” people.

9.       The parents who complained that their 5 year old had been told he wasn’t allowed to read his Bible in his free time whilst at school.

10.   The students and hotel visitors who stood against their universities and hotels banning Bibles from the rooms.

There are no doubt many more that haven’t made the national news and others who have quietly accepted their predicament and resigned without a fuss knowing that God will bless them for their failure to compromise.

I think we need to remember that this is not about politics or political activism. I would agree that Christians should avoid getting too bogged down in politics as a life focus. These people are defending Christian liberties. If they don’t, then ultimately Christian freedoms will be eroded to the point that there will be no legal evangelism. Christians need to take a stand on this issue and remember the words of Jesus;

”If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” Mark 8 vs 38 (NIV)

(NB I am grateful to the Christian Institute for a lot of the facts. Please visit their website to keep up to date The Christian Institute)