Selah2020: Pause and Reflect

[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, July 2018]
 
The Christian walk has its highs and lows and I often find myself unsure of whether I am walking as God would have me do, often feeling guilty for not sticking to the straight and narrow path. An excerpt from a devotional by Charles Spurgeon^[1] has been very helpful for me in this regard and I have paraphrased it below. I hope it is as much a blessing to you as it has been to me.
 
It is ever the Holy Spirit’s work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus; but Satan’s work is just the opposite of this, for he is constantly trying to make us regard ourselves instead of Christ. He insinuates, “Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you have not the joy of his children; you have such a wavering hold of Jesus.” All these are thoughts about self, and we shall never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: he tells us that we are nothing, but that “Christ is all in all.”

Remember, therefore, it is not your hold of Christ that saves you – it is Christ; it is not your joy in Christ that saves you – it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument – it is Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to your hand with which you are grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to your hope, but to Jesus, the source of your hope; look not to your faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith.

We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by “looking unto Jesus.” Keep your eye simply on him; let his death, his sufferings, his merits, his glories, his intercession, be fresh upon your mind; when you wake in the morning look to him; when you lie down at night look to him. Oh! let not your hopes or fears come between you and Jesus; follow hard after him, and he will never fail you.

“My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness:
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”

[1] ‘Morning and Evening: Daily Readings by CH Spurgeon’, morning meditation for June 28
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[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 29/May/2018]

We have recently enjoyed the beautiful sight of the bluebells in the local woods. This year I was reminded of a time when our children were very young and we took them for a woodland walk. At one point we went off the path and after a while we lost track of where we were and which way to go. Then Barbara said, “I think we’re lost.” I didn’t think we were lost – I knew we were lost. But our 5 year old daughter said something that surprised me, “Don’t worry mummy, daddy’s here.” What faith a little girl had in her dad. Fortunately her faith was rewarded. We came to the edge of a field and on the other side was a road, which we found with relief led back to our car.

Even when we are trusting in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, there are still times in our lives when we feel lost and don’t know where we are going. I have felt this over the past few years with a decline in my health just as others have felt the same way too. It seems that God is far away in His heavenly realms. Psalm 113:5-6 puts it very well:

Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth.

But we also need to remember that He says in Isaiah 57:15:

I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in heart.

Elijah found this out in his own life when having defeated the prophets of Baal, he ran away from Queen Jezebel who threatened to kill him. As a result he experienced great depression and wanted to die. With fatigue he fell asleep and when he woke up an angel gave him food and drink to strengthen him. Then he heard God’s voice. “What are you doing here Elijah?” Did you notice that God used the word “here”? He was right there with Elijah in his time of need and restored his faith in Him.

We may all face problems in life with depression, illness, financial troubles, broken relationships and many others, and it’s at that sort of time that we can easily forget that we have a heavenly Father who is right here with us and never leaves us. Remember, “Don’t worry, Abba, Father, Daddy is here.” All we need is the faith of a little child.

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[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 20/May/2018]

Do you remember the scene from ‘The Good Life’ where the sophisticated Margot declares that she is going to have to tidy the house “because the cleaner is coming”? It is said that we never have a second chance to create a first impression, but how many times do we wish that we had managed some of those impressions differently?

Back in the 1850s Holman Hunt, the English painter, offered his interpretation of Revelation 3 v20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me“. One of the notable features of the door at which Jesus is knocking is that it has no external handle – it can be opened only from the inside. What sort of impression would Jesus get if He could gain access to what lies behind our door?

Lois Eades wrote a poem that some of us might be able to identify with. Here are some extracts:
If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two –
If He came unexpectedly; I wonder what you’d do.
Oh, I know you’d give your nicest room to such an honoured Guest,
And all the food you’d serve to Him would be the very best,
And you would keep assuring Him you’re glad to have him there –
That serving Him in your own home is joy beyond compare.

But when you saw Him coming, would you meet Him at the door,
With arms outstretched in welcome to your heavenly Visitor?
Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in?
Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they’d been?
Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn’t heard?
And wish you hadn’t uttered that last, loud, hasty word?

The door at which Jesus is knocking is the door of your heart. Are you keeping Him waiting whilst you tidy up?
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[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, May 2018]

Another week gone, a new one starting. Sometimes the days all seem the same. Sometimes it is like you’re stuck in a rut. Some days, it feels like inspiration has sprouted wings and flown and you’re rooted to the spot. We all have moments like this; for most of us, this passes quickly, but for some, not quick enough. I came across this poem and I hope it helps lift you whenever those moments come.

The Two Boxes
I have in my hands two boxes
Which God gave me to hold
He said, “Put all your sorrows in the black,
And all your joys in the gold.”

I heeded his words, and in the two boxes
Both my joys and sorrows I store
But though the gold became heavier each day
The black was as light as before

With curiosity, I opened the black
I wanted to find out why
And I saw, in the base of the box, a hole
Which my sorrows had fallen out by.

I showed the hole to God, and mused aloud,
“I wonder where my sorrows could be.”
He smiled a gentle smile at me.
“My child, they’re all here with me.”

I asked, “God, why give me the boxes,
“Why the gold, and the black with the hole?”
“My child, the gold is for you to count your blessings,
The black is for you to let go.”

–Author Unknown—

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[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 01/Apr/2018]

During Lent I never quite know how we should look forward to Easter. Should we be sorrowful as we know we approach Good Friday and all the memories of the sufferings of Jesus as he died for us, or should we be happy knowing that on Easter Sunday we rejoice that Jesus rose from the dead with a glorified body? I guess it’s a combination of both, but perhaps with an emphasis on the rejoicing as we remember that His death resulted in us finding faith for our forgiveness from God. Also we rejoice that His resurrection is a promise to us for having our future risen bodies like His, either after our death or at His Second Coming to reign.

For the sorrowful part I have been thinking of the way bystanders insulted Jesus as He suffered His horrific execution.

The crowd mocked Him – “Save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” (Matt. 27:40)

The chief priests and lawyers mocked Him – “He saved others but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said “I am the Son of God”.” (Matt. 27:41-43)

The soldiers mocked Him – “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” (Luke 23:37)

Jesus is the king of Israel and the Son of God, and their taunts could not hurt Him because He knew that He couldn’t save Himself, even though He had the power to do so. If He had come down from the cross, then He would never have died for us and we could not have received cleansing and forgiveness for all that we had done wrong in our lives.

But to start rejoicing I think of what one of the robbers said, when he acknowledged that he was guilty and deserved his punishment, but then he said – “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

Isn’t that amazing? He was dying and Jesus was dying, and yet he had understood what all those who were mocking could not see, that Jesus really is the Son of God. Then Jesus made that wonderful promise as He said – “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

That’s only the beginning of the rejoicing. The day is coming when all of us who trust Jesus as our Saviour and will be resurrected will join with the forgiven robber in paradise and say – “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb (Jesus).” (Rev 7:10)

At last, Lent is over, I can say – “Happy Easter!”

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[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 18/Mar/2018]

The experience of parenting came late to me. For most of my life I had successfully heeded the ubiquitous medical advice “keep away from children” and I was settled into a comfortable yet productive retirement. Then my wife announced that her grandchildren were coming to stay. Not merely coming to visit; coming to stay!

This is not such an uncommon arrangement in the rural areas of eastern Europe. One or both of the parents will leave the children in the care of their own parents or even grandparents whilst they explore the chance to provide for the family in a way that they could not do by staying at home. Meanwhile, the grandparents get the opportunity to correct the mistakes they made first time around. So when the four-year-old plunges his arms into the washbasin without rolling up his sleeves you patiently get a dry pullover, grateful in the knowledge that he has at least washed his hands. Or when a snotty two-year-old asks you to help her blow her nose for the umpteenth time, you gently comply. After all, rumour has it that you were like that once.

The Bible likens God’s relationship with us to that of a father, but what image comes to mind? In our contemporary society there are many examples of fatherhood – some good, some bad – so how do we decide which gives the best picture of God? In ‘Yours’ recently, Helen reminded us about the type of father who likes to give us good gifts – gifts that sometimes are all the more precious for having had to wait for them.

In his gospel, Matthew reports that Jesus taught His disciples to ask their heavenly Father for their daily bread, whilst the writer to the Hebrews argues that God’s discipline is ultimately for our good. Generosity, provision and correction are all characteristics of a caring parent; let us be thankful that our Father knows the perfect balance for each one of us.
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