Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. (Isa 49:15 KJV)
As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem." (Isa 66:13 NIV)
Well I've been getting to one of those places of burnout and lack of motivation! I have been getting ratty, irritable and unpleasant to put it mildly. Ask my wife. Actually, don't on second thoughts. I have come to see that this is because life makes demands I feel unable to meet, or I make demands on life and others they cannot meet. I therefore need to go to God in a deeper way for grace and love.
Anyway, I bought 2 books at Faith Camp held in Peterborough in the UK recently just before we returned to South Africa and both have helped.
Both are recommendable and have been helpful for very different reasons. The first is called 'Sarah' by Sarah Shaw. I will discuss the other later. 'Sarah' chronicles recovery from ongoing childhood sexual abuse which occurred between the ages of 3 and 18. The recovery followed emotional breakdown as an adult. It is moving for it's honesty and insight.
One lesson from the book is that God accepts us before he seeks change in us. I have been saying that for a while from a theological perspective but this book seems to confirm it. To attempt to make demands from someone like Sarah before she was ready would have been cruel. She was abused from age 3 by her father and rejected by her mother who blamed her for the abuse. Abuse, especially sexual, and rejection are extremely destructive, the more so the earlier it happens. She needed ongoing, committed tender love and acceptance. It needed demonstrating and not just saying. Thankfully, Sarah was led to an organization which specialized in this.
Sarah had learned, it seems to me, to abandon parts of herself. She learned to see parts of herself as unacceptable. Now it is true that we are unacceptable to God in our natural state. However, because of Christ, we are made acceptable. We are clothed in his righteousness until we learn to live in that righteousness. In other words, God can still love a mess, provided the mess (you and me) is willing to acknowledge his or her need of him.
God is the supreme Father and actually the supreme Mother, as the Isaiah verses make clear. The verses quoted above tells us that the mothering compassion, comfort and commitment of God exceed that of a human mother. Although Sarah initially needed a human channel to display this, God was the source of the love and acceptance shown to her.
Sarah makes clear that her greatest need and desire was for maternal comfort following abuse. That was not forthcoming at the time from her human mother who merely treated her as a serious problem. However as she was willing to forgive and look to God instead, healing was received.
The point of contact with God is relational, through the God-Man Jesus Christ, and through contact with his people. Once we know him by the Spirit we can receive much of this restorative and nurturing motherly love directly by prayer and faith.
Lest us men are overtaken by need denial, machismo and bravado, we should remember Peter and John. The first appears to be Mr Macho, the second much more tender. However it seems John was the one keenest to stay near Jesus the longest when things got nasty. (John 18, if the 'other disciple' is indeed John as is often assumed). I also remember hearing that dying soldiers will commonly call for their mothers.
I feel as if sometimes we are trying to make people disciples before they have become children and friends. In so doing we demonstrate slavery and not sonship. Some of our harsher attitudes as Christians can be inappropriate, and some of these attitudes can produce a lot of damage and condemnation if the recipient is not ready for the discipling we are offering. Paul was caustic at times but he could also be warm and gentle. May we learn which is required and when, and may we honour ministries which specialize in different approaches, seeing the place of our own contribution in the bigger picture of the Body of Christ.
So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. (Gal 4:7 NIV)
Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. (John 8:35 NIV)
As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem." (Isa 66:13 NIV)
Well I've been getting to one of those places of burnout and lack of motivation! I have been getting ratty, irritable and unpleasant to put it mildly. Ask my wife. Actually, don't on second thoughts. I have come to see that this is because life makes demands I feel unable to meet, or I make demands on life and others they cannot meet. I therefore need to go to God in a deeper way for grace and love.
Anyway, I bought 2 books at Faith Camp held in Peterborough in the UK recently just before we returned to South Africa and both have helped.
Both are recommendable and have been helpful for very different reasons. The first is called 'Sarah' by Sarah Shaw. I will discuss the other later. 'Sarah' chronicles recovery from ongoing childhood sexual abuse which occurred between the ages of 3 and 18. The recovery followed emotional breakdown as an adult. It is moving for it's honesty and insight.
One lesson from the book is that God accepts us before he seeks change in us. I have been saying that for a while from a theological perspective but this book seems to confirm it. To attempt to make demands from someone like Sarah before she was ready would have been cruel. She was abused from age 3 by her father and rejected by her mother who blamed her for the abuse. Abuse, especially sexual, and rejection are extremely destructive, the more so the earlier it happens. She needed ongoing, committed tender love and acceptance. It needed demonstrating and not just saying. Thankfully, Sarah was led to an organization which specialized in this.
Sarah had learned, it seems to me, to abandon parts of herself. She learned to see parts of herself as unacceptable. Now it is true that we are unacceptable to God in our natural state. However, because of Christ, we are made acceptable. We are clothed in his righteousness until we learn to live in that righteousness. In other words, God can still love a mess, provided the mess (you and me) is willing to acknowledge his or her need of him.
God is the supreme Father and actually the supreme Mother, as the Isaiah verses make clear. The verses quoted above tells us that the mothering compassion, comfort and commitment of God exceed that of a human mother. Although Sarah initially needed a human channel to display this, God was the source of the love and acceptance shown to her.
Sarah makes clear that her greatest need and desire was for maternal comfort following abuse. That was not forthcoming at the time from her human mother who merely treated her as a serious problem. However as she was willing to forgive and look to God instead, healing was received.
The point of contact with God is relational, through the God-Man Jesus Christ, and through contact with his people. Once we know him by the Spirit we can receive much of this restorative and nurturing motherly love directly by prayer and faith.
Lest us men are overtaken by need denial, machismo and bravado, we should remember Peter and John. The first appears to be Mr Macho, the second much more tender. However it seems John was the one keenest to stay near Jesus the longest when things got nasty. (John 18, if the 'other disciple' is indeed John as is often assumed). I also remember hearing that dying soldiers will commonly call for their mothers.
I feel as if sometimes we are trying to make people disciples before they have become children and friends. In so doing we demonstrate slavery and not sonship. Some of our harsher attitudes as Christians can be inappropriate, and some of these attitudes can produce a lot of damage and condemnation if the recipient is not ready for the discipling we are offering. Paul was caustic at times but he could also be warm and gentle. May we learn which is required and when, and may we honour ministries which specialize in different approaches, seeing the place of our own contribution in the bigger picture of the Body of Christ.
So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. (Gal 4:7 NIV)
Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. (John 8:35 NIV)
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