What's in a name?

Eighteen months ago, this blog began. It was originally born out of our church based Bible study group called Child Friendly Bible Study.  As the name suggests, this group was initially started to fill the need of a number of mums in our church with babies and children, who were longing for a place to come and learn more about God but where they felt at ease to let their children be  a bit noisy.  They wanted an opportrunity to grow in faith through studying the Bible, plus the intimacy of deep friendships that encouraged love, care and nuturing.  So in this environement, Child Friendly Bible Study was born. 

Child Friendly Bible Study has been going now for nearly 15 years and has been lead by various faithfull women.  The group has seen a number of people come and go as the seasons of life change for them. As time goes on, children grow and begin schooling life, and mums are drawn to work or other new ventures.  Some are here with us long term and others are here with us just for a time.  However, amidst these ebbs and flows of life leading people to and away, the purpose of Child Friendly Bible Study still remains  the same - to enable a place for women to learn about God through the teaching of the Bible, to be a place of love and friendship that encourages and supports, to be a place to pray for each other and the church, to be a group that promotes the maturity of faith in women so they me grounded firmly in Christ and secure in the knowledge of God's grace.

It has been my joy to have lead Child Friendly Bible Study for the last two and a half years.  Even in that time, I've seen many changes within the group.  There have been highs and there have been lows.  I've seen people have moving encounters with God and their relationship with him strengthened, affirmed, deepened and their faith soar.  I've seen others struggle through difficult situations and feel like they are stuck in a dark hole, but still hold on their hope in Christ through the faithful encouragement of others in the group and with the knowledge that there are otehrs who are praying for them and with them. 

These days, our group has changed from being an avenue for mums needing a time out with God in which their children were invited to be there also, to being a place open for grandmothers also.  This changes the group dynamics significantly and now we (those of us who are in the very thick of parenting young children) are being exposed to the wisdom, experience and knowledge of faithful Chrisitan women who have travelled this parenting road before.  These older women are treasures who have so much to offer to us if we are willing to listen.  So again Child Friendly Bible Study has morphed into something different from when it started but is still grounded with the same purpose - to mature women in Christ through the study of the Bible, encouraged to pray and nutured through prayer and fellowship. 

So in relation to this blog, it was created to provide a way to stay connected with each other during the Christmas school holidays (which in Australia is our long summer break).  However, it was a method that didn't really take off within the group for various reasons.  The blog has now changed from it's orignal purpose to support the members of Child Friendly Bible Study to be a virtual place where I share what God is teaching me, with the prayer that others may be encouraged, challenged, nurtured and strengthened in their faith to mature in Christ.  So it's time for a name change of the blog to better reflect it's refined purpose. Out of this the name, "My Redeemed Heart" has emerged which I hope will better reflect the content of this blog.

So continue to grow in Christ, thirst for his word and hunger for his righteousness.  Praise God for his grace.

I look forward to seeing you all again soon!

Nicole 
 

Legalism creeps in .........

The winter chill has arrived and the trees on our footpath have withdrawn their sustenance and it's leaves have fallen away for yet another year.  The winter blue sky seen through the bare branches of a tree, that only a short while ago was overflowing with flowering beauty and was a shady haven underneath.

                        

One  "day" we can be growing for God and then the next "day" we realise we are like this bare tree, still connected to God, but have somehow along the way lost our zeal, vitality, and passion for the gospel and are no longer growing strong in Christ.  We're confused because we appear to be doing all the right things yet are "bare".

For me, this "day" arrived when I was challenged from the book "Prayer and the Knowledge of God", by Graeme Goldsworthy, about the way I view my relationship with God. I began to see that I so often think in terms of how close or not close I am to God.  I view my relationship with God from a human perspective that says I need to do more praying or study of God's word or be available more for others, rather than viewing my relationship with God through what Christ has done for me.  I was gobsmacked to say the least because I desire to be a commited Christian and I know that being disciplined in prayer and studying the bible are ways to draw near to God.  But as I continued reading I could see in my life that although I knew in my head that I am saved by grace, I found in practice I have slowly travelled from that point of grace to becoming a Christian who is unawares that she is being driven by legalism.  To people who know me they may think I'm being hard on myself, or overdramatic but I am convicted of the sutle ways I've become about "doing" things first rather than living from the fact of God's grace.   

Legalism is attempting to gain God's acceptance by acheiving self-righteousness, a right standing with God.  As Chrisitans we can so easily succumb to legalism , even when we know it is wrong, sometimes without knowing we are doing it.  So what do we do about it?  The only answer is to keep reminding ourselves what God has done for us through Christ, that is, justification by faith. 

For it is by faith you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast."  Ephesians 2:8-9

I am finding afresh the wonder of God's grace given to me through Christ's actions.  It is like breathing new life into an old tired soul who has been working hard.  It is like the spring, when new growth appears on the supple branches and flowers are budding, promising great things.   

"Since prayer is an aspect of our sanctification, our development or growth in godliness, it too must be understood as the fruit of what Christ has done for us " Graeme Goldsworthy "Prayer and the Knowledge of God" page 13. 

Yes, prayer, studying the bible, being involved in your church and outreach are all important, but if done out of a sense of gaining God's or peoples acceptance first rather than as the fruit of what Christ has done for us, then  it's time to get back to the basics of the gospel. 

We are sinners who have been justified through Christ's work on the cross.  We are forgiven because of Christ not because of our good deeds.  Therefore, no one can boast - EVER!  I pray, I study God's word, I lead Bible studies, I elder, I ring to catch up with people, not,anymore, because I should or even that it's my responsibility but because first and foremost now, I love God.  And I love God because he first loved me.  It is all about love.  Love that God initiated and freely gave to me as an undeserving sinner.  Rather than look upon myself as worthless, I look upon myself as deeply loved beyond measure and I am overwhelmed. 

                              

 So please, if you catch yourself on yet another guilt trip, or condeming someone else because you perceive them as not being dedicated enough at church or in their Christian lives, then ask yourself are you succumbing to a legalistic attitude?  Where is God's grace for you and others? 

Remind yourself of what God has done for you and always keep that as your context.  This is understanding your life from God's perspective rather than our own human perspective.