Let it be!

After this I looked and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."

Then one of the elders addressed me saying, "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from were have they come?" I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

Therefore they are before the throne of 

God, 

and serve him day and night in his 

temple;

and he who sits on the throne will 

shelter them with his presence.

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst

anymore;

the sun shall not strike them,

nor the scorching heat.

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne 

will be their shepherd,

and he will guide them to springs of 

living water,

and God will wipe away every tear from 

their eyes."

Mary Poppins- "Practically perfect in every way"?

Mary Poppins- "Practically perfect in every way"?

Over the holidays Mary Poppins did a lot of preaching to us. We borrowed a bunch of good movies from a friend. One of which was Mary Poppins! I watched portions of it with the kids probably 10-12 times. After hearing the songs over and over I got to thinking about the meaning and messages in this movie.

The husband is the controlling domineering man "I'm the ruler of my house.." The woman is outwardly the sweet supportive accommodating wife "Yes dear. Of course dear. Oh you're so right Goerge." While on the inside hoping to break free advocating "votes for woman!..." Mary Poppins comes in as a radical woman of sweetness and light. She obeys no one and changes the world making it a brighter, magical and more pleasant place to be. Bert is the domesticated man hanging on Mary Poppins every word. Mary Poppins is a well balanced healthy woman. The household is dumbfounded and mesmerized by this spectacular woman.

The sales pitch is that if woman were top dog the world would be a more beautiful and happier place. Only now years down the track with woman voting and leading in all spheres the world hasn't really become a brighter more beautiful and happier place. The problem is woman have sin too and their sin only screams louder when they take the lead.

Many woman (men as well) have deep wounds because certain men in their lives have abused power or used authority wrongly.

Some woman are stuck leading when what they really long for is to be led by a good man who will care for and protect them.

I'm glad that woman are allowed to vote and that most of western society has adopted the biblical beliefs of a woman's value (Col 3:11).

However, sometimes I wonder if we haven't reversed the problem. I see domineering controlling woman demanding their rights and I wonder "where have all the good men gone?" Have we destroyed manhood by saying we don't need or want it? When manhood dies then the feminine and beautiful dies too.

This world craves and needs the beauty of true woman, the courage and grace and freedom and life. Not the seduction or deceit and bitterness. I don't think we even know what beauty is anymore. Paint scribbles are published as paintings and woman in rags are considered beautiful. It's not beauty, it's poverty. Immodesty driven not by lack of money but poverty of soul and vision, not knowing who we are as image bearers of the Almighty.

Abba, please teach us what it means to be a woman and a man as you perfectly and beautifully designed us to be. We are endowed with honor and dignity because we are made in your image!