My third week in college

A very brief entry this week - as I'm doing the devotions tomorrow and really need to prepare and practise (just a lot nervous )

Well this has been the heavy teaching week exegesis and hermeneutics!  Exegesis is working out what the text meant then, whereas hermeneutics is working out how the original meaning applies to us now.

So what exactly have we been doing?  Well we've been having to learn the Greek alphabet and Dave (our lecturer) helpfully gave us the following Greek Alphabet Song.  Here it is performed by last year's students (I'll replace this with this year's version as soon as I get the video - it'll be worth it if only to see why it was called "Toga Tuesday"):



Who said that Christians are boring?  Strange is the word they're really looking for.

So the exegesis is all about looking at the greek words and the grecco-roman background and all that so we can understand what the author was saying (as it's all too easy to take verses out of context - and even sell millions of books on it...).  I have to say though it's been pretty cool.  I've now got my first hand-in for these exercises this coming Friday - and there's so many more books to read.  Not enough time and it's all greek to me (hoho had to get that one in somewhere ).

Carrying on from my reflections last week...  I was really struck by Jesus' response to the disciples question about why a guy was blind shortly before Jesus healed him:

This happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
John 9:3

And Joseph's (the technicolour dreamcoat fella) response to his brothers (remember they sold him into slavery):

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Gen 50:20

Not only have the bad things that happened in my life now become part of my story of how great God is, but also they're not wasted as they have been used to achieve His good purposes.  I wouldn't be the same person I am now had Jen not been hospitalised - certainly we would've been divorced yet now I love her so much.  Had I not been bullied I wouldn't have worked as half as hard as I did at school and so it goes on.  By the grace of God I am indeed who I am.

My second week at college

Well after a gentle week of induction followed by a weekend retreat (oops forgot to mention that on the last entry - never mind - I'll just have to squeeze that in a bonus blog entry!) we're now into the course proper.

So last week we were doing "introduction to the bible" which covered what is "scripture"?, the different genres, what does it mean to say it's "inspired by God", which books got in (ie the canon) and which didn't and why, what about apparent contradictions and alleged errors, what authority does scripture have and why, and what is it's role in God's relationship with his people...woh!
Heavy stuff indeed - but this week we look at exegesis and hermeneutics (which I can only spell by copying it off of my notes) which sounds far more terrifying and this is what our next assignment is based on...

Here's some interesting facts about the bible for your pub quizzes:
- written over 1500 years (40 generations)
- written by over 40 authors from every walk of life including kings, peasants,
philosophers, fishermen, poets, etc.
- written in three languages (Hebrew, Greek and errr I don't know)
- written on three continents (Asia, Africa and Europe)
- written in different places including wilderness, dungeon/prisons, palaces, during
military campaigns, etc

So it's been quite an academic week but helped by our lecturer (Dave Perry, who is a bit of a Lord of the Rings fan) who likens the bible is a drama in which God is the author, Jesus is the hero, the Holy Spirit is the "force" that moves the plot, if we follow Jesus we get to be part of the cast and in the end the good guys win! (Hurrah!) He makes it really quite accessible.

Two things stood out this week for me:

The first was how the Torah (first 5 books of the bible) is very similar in style to the suzerain vassal treaties (covenants between the king and his people) that were common around that time and region - and so we can see that in their day they would see God as the king who is making a covenant (promise) to look after his people in return for the people keeping the laws kept in the covenant. Fascinating.

And the second was that after a heavy week we finished on Friday with Dave telling us to spend 40 minutes meditating on Psalm 121 after which we would feed back what we felt God was speaking to us from it. Forty minutes and in SILENCE - any of you who know me will know how hard this must have been! After 20 mins I was all ready to throw in the towel but then something happened and it was like treasure was unlocked...and I was writing all sorts of ideas and inspiration that was coming.

One momentous moment was when I was wrestling with God about the the verse:

The LORD will keep you from all harm
he will watch over your life;

I didn't get it as I was bullied almost all of my secondary school years, had a difficult home-life, had a marriage that nearly ended in divorce, had a wife that got clinical-post-natal-depression and was hospitalised and have had two of my children die. So surely he hasn't kept me from harm.

But then I felt God remind me of how he has healed these memories (in particular I was reminded of the "celebrate recovery" course I attended where we were praying and I just saw Jesus in my mind's eye step into some of these memories and transform them taking away the power they held over me). And I can truthfully say I am not living in fear, or regret or bitterness or whathaveyou - these memories do no longer harm me (before the various prayer sessions these memories used to really hold me captive with fear and bitterness). The LORD has indeed kept me from harm.

Again, with the death of our children Rachel and James I can say I am not bitter, or afraid of trying for more children, or depressed. I am in fact thankful - I am just so grateful to God that He entrusted us with these precious ones no matter how short the time was. It was a real breakthrough moment of understanding for me and I don't think I'm going to be quite the same.

Lots of love
John

My first week at college

Gosh! So much has happened in one week - I'm a bit at a loss how to summarise it all! But here goes...

My first essay
Well I had to write a 1,000 word "critical review" detailing interpretation (what was the purpose of the book), technical analysis (how did the author set about doing it) and judgement (did they achieve the purpose). I choose to do it on:
"The return of the prodigal son" by Henri Nouwen
Well it was a bit of a shock writing an essay at first - but once I started it seemed that the words just kept flowing (not that I'm at all talkative! ). Ended up having to ignore the quotes in my word count to get it under the limit and finished by 2am Monday morning (I wasn't the latest - Lucy was up to 3am!).
What did I think of it? (I love writing a blog - as I get to make up the questions!)
Well to be honest given the prodigal son is about God's fatherly love for his children and how he delighted he is when we say sorry (and boy do I need to hear this):

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

He seemed to spend more time talking about the darkness and struggle away in the foreign land than the return and the kindness of God.

My first week
Well this was an induction week so I got to know my fellow 26 students (I'm not the oldest!) via a facebook ice breaker (you would've loved it Katy and Jo!), we got a tour of the centre, the library and the kitchen (as we'll be cooking meals for the group and others as part of our serving), we also got to learn about our learning styles (turns out I'm an activist - want to get on and do it - not brilliant at listening nor yet at crystallising their mixed up thoughts...this is so not me... ahem!).
Found out where we're going on our mission trip...only allowed to say "North Africa" in a blog and not allowed to mention the group who we'll be partnering with to ensure their safety. Living on the edge, eh?
Also started to talk about our community service placements (as what we believe will impact how we act - if it doesn't then we have to question whether we really believe it). Think God wants me visiting prisons and/or working with the homeless rather than working with the youth centre...watch this space! Am I terrified?
Friday was the freakiest day of all. Last year's students all prayed for this year's bunch and were asked to write down what they felt God wanted to say. We were also told to get with God for half an hour and write down what we felt He wanted to say as well. It was terrifying and exciting all at the same time (is it me? is it Him? what if we hear nothing? )
Then we fed-back (is that the right word? I really should write this blog earlier in the evening!) what we felt God was specifically saying to each student in turn and then had the things the students wrote last year read out.
It was mind-blowing how many of the things we felt God was saying to a particular individual were identical to what the students had written last year (do bear in mind they had never met any of us) and also how appropriate they were to that individual. Yes I believe God is very much alive and active but when He speaks to us so explicitly it can be just a bit terrifying (eek - He knows everything!) as well as exhilarating (wow - He's really that interested in me!!)
Think that this might just summarise how this year is going to be...

Preparation for college

Well yes I know I should've been working hard on my essay but instead I seem to have spent my week off between work and bible college decorating! Rather too much. But look at the lovely results:
The study before - now why did Becky reject this for the H&S admission?

My friend guy has helped clear the room - mmmm, lovely carpet.

Ah yellow - bright, warming and cheery!

Ta da! Becky would be proud of me (quick use this photo for H&S!)

And the bedroom...hmm nice blue walls adds to that feeling of being cold in winter (and the manky blue carpet which is just missed out of this phot for your protection!)

Ah nice yellow again (ok so we didn't have money to buy lots of different paints!) helps us feel warm and sunny(and the fixed central heating and loft insulation should help too!)

Quick get that essay finished - it's got to be in at 9am on Monday!