Mailbag: January 2010
14th January 2010 by Shandri Brown
What does God think about contraception? I know Catholic people are iffy about it, but does The Salvation Army have a view on it?
The Salvos don't have an official stand on the use of contraception. And in the Bible, God neither condemns nor advocates for contraception - this leaves us in a tricky position.
I think our motivation behind using contraception is what determines if it is right or wrong.
If a married couple is using contraception to delay having children until they are more mature, or more financially and spiritually prepared, then there is no biblical reason for why this should not be done. In fact, God gives us an example of birth control: a woman can only fall pregnant for a couple of days each month. And there is nothing wrong with abstaining from sex when a woman is fertile.
- Contraception doesn't change the fact that sex is for within marriage only.
- Don't have sex if you couldn't cope with having a baby. No contraception, except abstaining from sex, is fail-proof.
- Contraception is something that should be discussed and agreed upon when entering into marriage. It is not a one-person issue.
- Know and consider the long-term effects. Birth control pills, injections and implants are all drug-based options with side effects to your health.
For more information, check out the Desiring God website.
I know I should read the Bible more, but to be honest I find it pretty boring and so I avoid it. Do you have any advice?
A lot of it can seem boring, but we also know how important the Bible is, so here are some tricks to try:
- Read a different version that is more in tune with language you would use.
- Leave a trail of Bibles across your house so you literally have to trip over them to avoid reading it.
- Ask a friend to keep you accountable about what you have been reading in the Bible. Sharing with people helps to remind you how important Scripture is.
- Highlight any helpful, funny or interesting passages.
- Try not to see it as a chore. Picture yourself training to be a buff, spiritual warrior by getting to know your sword (Ephesians 6:17).
- Keep track of what you read. It feels good to tick off each book of the Bible as you finish it.
- Use a devotional guide that helps you understand what you are reading (teen-specific ones are available).
- When you are having a good day, and feeling motivated about reading God's amazing gift to us all, stick post-it notes around your room saying things like, "Turn around weakling, pick up your Bible and don't leave this room for another 20 minutes until you are strengthened in the Word".
I've just finished my HSC and don't really know what I want to do with the rest of my life. So many other people I know talk about God giving them a calling or vision, but that hasn't happened for me. How can I find out what I'm meant to be doing?
What are you passionate about? What gets you fired-up? What do you dream about? Who do you like being around? Sometimes simply the way we're wired is a good sign of what God might want us to do. If we are taking delight in growing in God (Psalm 37:4) then our desires begin to reflect his will.
Also, God is not the author of confusion, so use your brain and his handy guide book to help determine his will for you. I wonder sometimes if God hears us say, "I don't know what I should do" and thinks, "I told you already to go and defend the rights of the poor (Proverbs 31:8) and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19), why do you keep asking what you should do when I gave you a book telling you?"
Sometimes I worry that I will get God's specific plan for me wrong and get in trouble from him. But I imagine we can't be in too much strife if we got busy doing everything the Bible told us to do while we wait for his guidance.
Shandri Brown
save. grow. serve.
save - noah rzeminski
Noah Rzeminski from Wollongong tells how his father was not happy with his decision to b... Read more
serve - nick horvatic
Nick Horvatic from Bundaberg shares his journey as a youth worker over the past few year... Read more
Got your own story to share? Write to us today!
Comments
Guys this is awesome stuff love your work keep it up!!!
How awesome it is to have the privilege for young people to write in their questions and for you then to give them biblical answers!!!!!
THQ youth dept you guys ROCK!!!!
In response to the Bible Reading I'd also like to suggest two things that've helped me:
1. For those who break into a cold sweat when they see a white page with heaps of ink on it you could get a copy of the Bible on CD/Mp3 and listen to it being read aloud on your iPod. This is especially helpful if you're an auditory learner!
2. My persoinal favourite, engaging with the word visually through media, film and images. Check out the Manga Bible for a comic style version of the Word or google Bibledex and check out the Bible in short doco style films.
Hope this helps all those people out there who really struggle with copius amounts of reading, like me!