I've told you before about my Bible study group for young women. It is intended for older students and young graduates to provide support and fellowship over what can be a very challenging transition. We now have a core group of 10 young women who meet regularly to discuss faith and doctrine over huge quantities of tea and scones. (We are clearly a British bible study group!)

Originally we studied Biblical Womanhood, looking at being made in God's image, the Fall, marriage, singleness, beauty and modesty, the church, relationships with our brothers and sisters, and our relationship with God. We learned so much together, discussing the challenges in going against prevailing culture. At the same time, we have faced many difficult issues including purity, domestic violence, abuse, and remarriage after divorce. It has been hard to look at these issues but, through lengthy Bible study, discussion and prayer, we have been able to work through them and so tried to find practical Biblical answers.

For our next study, we decided we would study a book of the Bible rather than a theme, so we are now studying Zechariah. It's an unusual choice, but it has been so encouraging to study God's word to those struggling Israelites.

So far, we have seen that we need, like the Israelites, to return to God as individuals, as churches and as a society. God's work of salvation is finished - our sin has been sent away, the sacrifice is complete, we are forgiven and righteous in his sight, and he has the victory. To us as his people, he has promised his presence and blessing and promised to rebuild his church to be his final dwelling place and home of his glory. We must live in light of eternity, knowing that, along with our promised salvation, there is a promise of judgement on those who have rejected God. Now, until Judgement Day comes or we are called home, we are to share this good news with the whole earth. In our next study, we are looking at what it means to follow a religion and to have a living faith.

(Can I also take a moment to recommend the Good Book Company (or Matthias Media for my Australian friends), an evangelical Christian publisher, for good solid Bible study resources? Their studies and daily devotionals have minimal digressions into the 'nice stories' that plague many other Bible study books and are firmly based in Scripture with strong evangelical teaching.)

Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children.
Deuteronomy 4:9