Marriage Under Lockdown

Whilst I have laughed at all the many husband and wife jokes that have gone viral during the lockdown, I am also acutely aware that spending 24/7 with your spouse might not be a laughing matter for some of us. Having said that, it has however become a great taster of what we can expect once we are both retired. So if spending 24/7 with your spouse is proving a challenge, then this blog is for you.

I was reminded of that cliche of how our spouse ‘completes’ us, and the well known fact that opposites attract. What we may see as our husbands strengths and weaknesses could be our opposites and visa versa.

A recent sermon I heard at Shofar, Century City, made me realize how a wife is to be regarded as favour from God.

The truth is that marriage is a reflection and pattern of Adam and Eve. God designed Eve with a special purpose to be part of Adam’s salvation and helpmeet. The word helpmeet means a helpful companion.

We are to help our husbands, when they cannot help themselves. He should consider us his best friend and someone they should always be able to depend on, no matter what. Just like Eve was created from Adam’s rib, the ribs protects our vital organs, likewise, so must the wife protect her husband and his heart.

God blessed women with the gift of intuition, which is a gift passed onto her husband, should he heed it.

From the staggering Divorce rates, it is obvious that Satan seeks to destroy marriages, because he knows that there is strength in unity and without marriage, families are vulnerable to crumble and be destroyed.

Wives are responsible for their husbands spiritual protection. We need to be praying for him daily. In fact, we mirror and represent the Holy Spirit to them, by being their advisor, encourager, counselor, helper and comforter.

To quote a great analogy that was shared in the sermon, marriage is like a Rally Race. The husband is the driver and the wife is the navigator. To win the race, they have to work well as a team. The husband may give the direction and control the speed, but it’s the wife who can look ahead to see the blind spots and look out for dangers ahead. It is our jobs to advise them of these. Yes, the road ahead will be full of gravel, bumps and unexpected turns, but when we both keep our eyes on the road ahead, acknowledging and appreciating our need of each other, then we will function how God purposed marriage to be and it will thrive!

Our spouses may have a different way of handling and reacting to this lockdown, and it may feel like you are clashing heads right now or not seeing eye to eye, but may you be reminded that you are both on the same team. Listening to their opinions, even when we don’t agree, allows us to be their sounding board to get things off their chest. When we consider this as our sacrifice, it makes them feel heard and loved, and will make them more receptive to hear us when we need to vent. But keep in mind, even when you disagree, that’s okay. Accept their opinion and agree to disagree. Our jobs aren’t to make them see things our way or to change their opinion. I like to believe that God made us different so we will always have another perspective to consider.

And last but not least, Feminists or single woman may believe that they have no need of a man to fulfill their lives, but it is important to keep in mind that there is a man out there that needs you!

So as this lockdown continues, thank God that you are not in it alone, and appreciate and celebrate the blessing of your spouse.

Patience to Perform

Whilst most of the world under lockdown are free to take their dogs for long, leisurely walks along the beach, South Africa has chosen to ban dog-walking altogether. For many, like myself, who live in an apartment complex, as opposed to a freestanding or terraced house with a private garden, this has been a huge challenge and feels punishingly cruel. It took me a whole week to convince our Managing Agent and Body Corporate that taking our dog downstairs to the communal lawn within our complex, to do her business, aka ablution, was not the same as taking her for a walk for exercise. The fact that she has to walk there, is besides the point.

So after a week of dealing with one confused, desperate dog, who was forced to succumb to doing it on our balcony, we are now back on the small bit of luscious grass, much to the delight of Coco! Unfortunately it seems she is now out of sync and needs some urgent bowel reprogramming. 

However, in this process I have learnt an important lesson - dogs do not like to be rushed or forced to do it quick! It is much like trying to hush a crying baby when you're stressed out, frustrated or anxious, or trying to potty train, for that matter. I think babies, children and dogs can somehow sense our energy, and if we are not calm or patient, we will fail hopelessly at getting the results we so desperately want... In fact, we can actually make things worse and will see no result at all, no matter how long or hard we keep trying.  

I have had to change my perspective and resolve myself to the fact that unproductive trips are not a waste of my time. We still got to visit with nature and enjoy a bit of fresh air, and whilst my soul was calmed through listening to the birds, Coco enjoyed sniffing to her heart's content and take a cooling sprawl on the grass. 

Coco needs to do a whole lot of sniffing before she finds the perfect spot, and although at times it may feel like we are walking in circles, she needs my cheering patience before she will be ready to perform! 

So with lesson learnt, I pass it on - if you want a good result, be sure to breathe deeply, remain calm and be extra-patient, no matter what the situation... Dog, or no dog. 

From the Cross to the Tomb

You may think it strange that we call the day that our Lord Jesus was beaten, bruised and crucified a ‘Good’ day, but it’s because we already know the ending of the book.  We know that at the end, we all live happily ever after.  As gruesome as Jesus’s death was, we can remember that He had to die in order that we may live eternally that knowing it was His Father's will, He was prepared to suffer for it. As we recall John 3:16, we know that it was because God loved us so much that He was prepared to sacrifice His only son in order to redeem us from the gates of Hell and reunite us to live with Him eternally.

Much like a funeral, where instead of focusing on the death itself, we get to celebrate the person's life and what Jesus's death represents. Yes, we should feel sorrow and remorse for our sins, that caused the great lengths of suffering that Jesus had to endure, but we can also use Good Friday to remember God’s goodness in offering us a Saviour, and be eternally grateful for it.

Being a symbolic person, I have a few traditions and rituals that I like to enjoy on this long weekend.  For one, I like to wear red on Good Friday to symbolize Jesus’s blood that was shed for me.  I also like to wear something with a butterfly that reminds me that just like their cocoon, Jesus lay wrapped up in a tomb, but that He would came out of it like a glorious butterfly. I also make a point of joining many other Christians in South Africa by eating pickled fish – for me, it is a reminder that Jesus was a fisher of men, and calls us to be the same, and to acknowledge the spices that was used for Jesus’s burial and the vinegar that He was offered to drink on the cross.

On Resurrection Sunday, commonly referred to as Easter, I try to make a point of wearing the colour purple, the colour of royalty, to acknowledge that our Risen Jesus was truly the King. I make sure I have a Hot Cross Bun for breakfast and for lunch or dinner lamb is on the menu, remembering that Jesus was the perfect, spotless Lamb, without any blemish, that was sacrificed on the altar of the cross for all humanity, including me.  And as I enjoy my lamb with my mint sauce, I am reminded of my commit-‘mint’ to follow Him always, no matter what!

Corny I know, but how ever you choose to celebrate the special events of this long weekend, may it be a meaningful occasion for you. Let it be a time to remember your loving Lord and Savior Jesus, on the cross, to the tomb and then Risen and Alive… 
           
  

Psalms 23 : Lying down in Green Pastures

As the world receded into their homes to curb the spread of the Coronavirus, I was reminded how, like sheep, God is making us 'lie down in green pastures'. To lie down is to be in a state of rest and the green pastures represents our lush provision for both our spiritual and physical needs. If Jesus is to be our Bread of Life, then we need to be feeding from His Word, the Bible. Not just rushed appetisers, but delicious, heaped portions to savour and enjoy, that will leave us feeling full and satisfied. Only the correct portion of the right kind of food will be able to properly sustain and grow us.

It is interesting to note that sheep will only lie down if they are content and satisfied, without any worry or fear. Could this be why we may be finding it so hard to be at rest right now, especially within our homes, with the added demands of kids and increased pressures? You may be feeling anxious and fearful, unable to rest and just 'do nothing', or you may be trying to continue to work from home, pretending that everything is still normal. You may be pacing your floor with worry over an uncertain future and you may have become obsessed, like so many of us, with this virus, that has taken over every aspect of our lives. 

Today I want to challenge you to take a deep breath, knowing that this is all out of our control and the only control we have right now is how we choose to respond to it, and by staying home so we can stay safe, and finding rest for our soul. Whilst many are fighting to beat this disease, there are just as many people struggling with dis-ease, not knowing how to find the peace or the kind of rest that God wants to offer us. 

We can either choose to remain disgruntled or we can use this opportunity to right all the wrongs in our lives. By submitting to this need for isolation, and appreciating its objective, we can turn this difficult situation into a life-changing experience. If we change our perspective, we will see this time as a precious gift of rest, a time to recharge ourselves both spiritually and physically.

Are your meal times with God not leaving you full or nourished? If you are not feeling content to 'lie down', then perhaps your meals of feeding in His green pastures need some adjusting.

While it seems ironic that where once we were urged to stay positive, with the Coronavirus, that has become a negative, so instead, lets all remain optimistic and not lose hope. Our lives will eventually return to a new normal, and when it does, we can either be the same dis-eased person, or we can come out of this hibernation well fed well rested and content - the choice is yours...

Happy Holy-days!

When I first found out that the church I currently attend, namely Shofar Century City, was closed during the Christmas period, I was both shocked and confused.  Why would a church not have a service for one of its most important celebratory events?

Although I am still disappointed by this, I now understand why from a recent sermon I heard - the church places such an importance on going away on holiday, that the majority of the congregation would not be present to attend!

I learnt that the word holiday comes from holy-day - a time set apart, doing things out of the normal, something special and sacred.

For most of us, we reward ourselves with rest after a hard days work. Our definition of rest is hugely flawed in thinking that vegetating on the couch, mindlessly watching TV or doing nothing, will bring us the rest we are after.

However, biblical rest is the complete opposite! We are commanded to honour the Sabbath by spending time with God.  This is God's spiritual nourishment that fuels us into feeling recharged and energised to do another weeks work.  Did you get that? Rest is suppose to come before hard work, and not the other way round!

God warns us to take rest seriously - so much so, that in 2 Chronicles 36:20-21 God punished them for not observing the Sabbath.  So if a weekly rest is so important, how much more is an annual one, where we can reflect on the past year and prepare ourselves for a new one!

We all have our favourite idea of the perfect holiday - whether it be camping, lying on the beach or going on a safari - there is a common denominator that is found in God's creation.  When we connect with God through nature, we will find rest for our weary souls and be refreshed. 

Although I do not enjoy camping myself, some might say from the Feast of the Tabernacles, where God commanded his people to build a shelter (tent) and spend 7 days in it, that God certainly does!

Rest is not a destination, but a starting point. We are able to work hard when we have spent time resting in God's presence, and thus recharging our batteries when we spiritually connect to the source of our power.

Rest is both a principle to obey and a blessing to enjoy!

So this festive season, I challenge you to set aside as many days as you are able to, to stop working and REST - (Restore - Energise - Strengthen - Transform)

And as you do so, may you be ready to start working hard again, to achieve all your goals set for 2020!

A Healing Snake on a Pole at Calvary

Based on Bible verses:

Numbers 21:8-9 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

John 3: 14-15 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 
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Have you ever wondered about the meaning of the Medical logo with a snake on a pole? Google may attribute this to a Greek god or legend, but if you read the above verses, it is obvious that these images were clearly inspired by scripture. 

God’s use of serpent symbolism for healing was appropriate for the Israelites, as they associated serpents with life and healing, due to their regenerative healing powers through their ability to shed their skin. 

When the Israelites kept moaning and complaining about their mundane life in the Wilderness, God sent poisonous snakes to bite them. But when Moses prayed for them to be healed, God gave the instruction in Numbers 21:8 (see above). God was teaching them something about faith. It is illogical to think that looking at a bronze image of the cause could heal anyone, but that is exactly what God did. The saving power came not from the bronze serpent itself, but from God, who saved the people when they trusted Him by looking at the bronze serpent. The revelation here is that God doesn’t always prevent or remove the things that may cause our death or when we are ‘bitten’ by sin, but He does promise that we will be cured from death, and healed from the poison of sin. 

In the John 3:14 reference, we see that the bronze serpent was a foreshadowing of Jesus. The serpent, a symbol of sin, was lifted up from the earth and put on a pole, just like Jesus was lifted up with his crucifixion at Calvary. Jesus became sin in order to take away the sin from everyone who would look to Him in faith, just like the Israelites had to look to the up-raised symbol in the wilderness. 

Jesus, in the place of the snake, is the source of our healing, the source of rescue from the poison of sin, and from the wrath of God. Jesus in the place of the snake is portrayed as evil and a curse. The snake on the pole is a picture of God’s curse on the people. So it was with Jesus. In becoming like the snake, He was the embodiment of our sin, and the embodiment of our curse, and in becoming sin and curse for us, He took ours away. 

When we look to Jesus, we are promised a new life or a rebirth, which symbolises how a snake shed’s its skin in order to get a new one. The grace of the new birth is in our seeing Jesus Christ lifted up. 

God redeemed a symbol of evil (the serpent) and turned it into a symbol of salvation. Just as the Israelites had looked in faith on the serpent on a pole to be saved from death, we also look in faith to the crucified Saviour in order receive healing and eternal life.

Preparing for Life's Storms

Just like in the natural, when we are given a warning of an approaching storm, there are certain measures we need to take in order to be secure, whether it is boarding up your windows or securing your outside furniture, or just to remain inside.  Unfortunately, with the climate change crisis and the effects of El Nino, storms often strike when we are least expecting them, or with little warning. That's why it is always important to be fully prepared for a storm, BEFORE they happen, when everything is still calm and we have the time to plan for it.

This is even more important when it comes to our spiritual lives. Life will not always be plain sailing and we must be prepared for head winds and rough seas ahead.  In order for us to maintain an unwavering faith and not have a 'faith wobble' at every crisis, we need to keep ourselves anchored in the hope of Jesus and keep practicing our coping tools. Your faith and hope go together - without the one, the other will always tend to 'leak' out.  To use the analogy of flight, faith is the runway from which your hope takes flight.  You need a solid foundation of faith in order for your hope to remain steady when you are hit by a storm.  To achieve this, your faith needs to be based on WHO God is, and not what He can DO, otherwise when bad things happen that you don't understand, you will not survive the storm well.

The only way to learn who God is, is to spend time with Him.  We need to be reading His word, the Bible, daily and speaking to Him through prayer.  When we are undistracted and open to hearing the Holy Spirit, we give God the opportunity to give us a personal revelation of Himself.  We also need to take time to write down our answered prayers, so we can remember them when we are faced with a lack of trust, faith or have doubts and need a breakthrough.  

In other words, we need to already have a game plan in place and have all the necessary survival tools at the ready, BEFORE the storms come, so that we can be prepared for them and get through them unscathed. Knowing our weaknesses and trigger points will help us to be better prepared and not fear the storms of life.

(Based on 'Unwavering Faith' Sermon by Robert de Jongh - Shofar Church, Century City, Cape Town)