Controlled Chaos

So the bottom line is that ever since the beginning of term my life has been feeling a little out of control. Not too unexpected - nor is it to bad - but just enough to make me feel... antsy. Do you know that feeling?

The washing, dust and cobwebs have been piling up but as of today I'm seeing the proverbial light through the tunnel. I'm putting it down to daylight saving giving me an extra hour to take care of things.

I'm liking it to pilates reformer - another form of controlled chaos. The update I promised - it is damn hard! I'd like to think I'm pretty flexible. When I'm on the ground I can do the splits, but not when I'm in mid air stretched between two pole thingies without being able to hold on to anything for balance. Still worth giving a go though if you get the chance.

Student Ministry - Can it change the world?

This is the topic that I am going to be speaking on this Friday night, 7:30 (for 7:45 kickoff) at Christ Church St.Ives. It's put on by the mission group at my church - and is a chance for me to speak about student ministry and what I'm doing etc.

Feel very free to come along - I'm hoping that we can get a group to head out for a couple of drinks and/or dinner after.

Don't Just Quote Me...

So, as promised, here is the first of the instalments into an exploration of Romans. It's brief, and focused on one small section - but that's because right now, it's hitting close to the bone. To start we, we're jumping straight into what I think is often one of the most mis (or inappropriately) quoted verses of the bible...

"And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him" (Roms 8:28)

How many times have you heard that verse (or perhaps trotted it out yourself?) when someone has been going through something rough. In and of itself of course I must affirm that it's not a bad thing to say (it is after all, Scripture that God has given to us that is true and right) - but I think that caution must be used before jumping into a situation with these words. It's good though for us to remember that these words haven't come from someone whose life has coasted along in serenity. Paul has faced despair, persecution (to the point of death) constant beatings and imprisonment. Put into the context of the passage (Roms 8:18-39) Paul is helping us to think about what it means, and what our attitude should be, as ones living in a world that is groaning, as in the pains of childbirth, while waiting to be restored to it's former glory.

Let's put it into a practical scenario shall we? On Thursday I went up north to spend some time with some much loved friends. In the last couple of weeks they have received some news about their beautiful baby girl, Gemma.


Gem in now 3 months old - and they've recently been told that she may be facing blindness and Cerebral Palsy. One is big enough - but both? Both! I have cried for the injustice of it. As Christians, with a biblical theology of the fall and of the restoration that is to come, we know that this world is not as it should be. This section of Romans gives us Paul's perspective on what it means to look forward to a future glory. The future restoration of the world - physical and spiritual - to the way that God intended it to be.

So you tell me, what would you tell my friends?

All too often Christians will try and comfort their friends who are suffering with the words of Roms 8:28, but all too often these words will come out as being trite and blasé to one who is facing genuine pain and suffering. Sometimes, the thing to do is not to jump to offering the words, but rather to sit in silence and mourn with them. Mourn that this world is not as it should be – and remember together that, by Christ, God will restore all of His creation to the Glory that we were supposed to enjoy.

And that my friends, is hope…



Please pray for this gorgeous little girl. Please pray for my wonderful friends - who are two people who constantly inspire and challenge me in Godliness and what it means to serve Him in all things.

Pray for whatever aspect you want; healing for Gemma, patience, love and wisdom for her parents - perhaps most of all that the hand that Gem clings to will be that of her Lord and Saviour, Jesus.

Don't Sweat It

Looks like a torture instrument doesn't it? Close - but it's designed for good not evil. In the spirit of trying new things, and working on being disciplined in my life, this morning I went for my first ever 'pilates reformer' class. It was tough! You see the women in the ads and they look graceful and in control. I just felt clunky. But 11 hours later and my muscles are starting to feel it.

During those 11 hours (while those muscles recoup) my brain has been stretched further than normal. In the last couple of months I've been working on a series of studies about the second half of Romans. It was supposed to be ready on Wednesday. By Friday I had a bit of a breakdown in the office when I realised that I couldn't get my head around the whole thing. In the words of N.T. Wright, the Book of Romans is "neither a systematic theology nor a summary of Paul's lifework, but it is by common consent his masterpiece. It dwarfs most of his other writings, an Alpine peak towering over hills and villages. Not all onlookers have viewed it in the same light or from the same angle, and their snapshots and paintings of it are sometimes remarkably unalike. Not all climbers have taken the same route up its sheer sides, and there is frequent disagreement on the best approach. What nobody doubts is that we are here dealing with a work of massive substance, presenting a formidable intellectual challenge while offering a breathtaking theological and spiritual vision".

(Whew, no pressure!)

But like any mountaineer who's daunted by their object/subject it's good to approach things bit by bit. And that's what I'm going to do with the studies for Credo and we'll see how God chooses to work through it. To that end (and I could be making a bold claim here) I'm going to endeavour to post, each Monday, some musing on the sections of Romans that I have prepared for the Credoities (and students who read will get a preview in that case but I trust that you'll use it for good). Please feel very free to post your thoughts and interact with me here on it - I want to be able to make it better for if we use the studies again.

The one thing I know already is that Romans, like the pilates course, is going to take a lot of discipline, patience and perseverance - with a fair amount of stiffness along the way. But like most things, I'm sure the discipline will pay off. Apparently, after 30 sessions on the 'torture' reformer I could look as calm and in control as this girl. We'll see...