Selah2020: Pause and Reflect

[This reflection by Dazz Jones was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 01/Oct/2023]

In a world filled with distractions and competing ideologies, the call to follow Jesus Christ remains central to Christianity. But what does it truly mean to follow Jesus? How can we orient our lives and purpose around the Kingdom of God? In this article, we will explore the essence of following Jesus and provide practical guidance on how to align our lives with the values and principles of His Kingdom.

Walk the Talk: To follow Jesus means to immerse ourselves in His teachings found in the Gospels. Jesus’ words offer profound wisdom, love, and guidance for living a life that honours God and serves others. His teachings emphasize love, forgiveness, humility, and selflessness. As followers of Jesus, we should strive to embody these virtues in our daily lives not just talk about them.

Relationship not Religion: Adding to the previous point, following Jesus is not merely a practice something we do; it’s so much more, it’s who we know. Christianity is about cultivating a deep and personal relationship with God. This relationship is likely to be built best on prayer, Scripture reading, and communion with God through the Holy Spirit. Regular prayer, worship, reading and meditating on the words of the Bible will help us know His will, understand his character and grow closer to Him.

Others over own: One of the central messages of Jesus is love – love for God and love for our neighbours. To follow Jesus means to extend love and compassion to everyone we encounter, just as He did. To put the needs of others before our own. This love is not limited to those who share our faith but encompasses all people, regardless of their background, beliefs, race, religion, creed, gender, sexuality or circumstances.

Seek first the Kingdom of God: In a self-proclaiming, Instagram boasting, achievement-hunting culture; to orient our lives around the Kingdom of God, we’ll need to work hard to prioritize its values and principles above all else. This means seeking God’s righteousness, justice, and peace in every decision we make regardless of the impact on our circumstances and reputation. It involves aligning our ambitions, goals, and aspirations with the overarching purpose of advancing God’s Kingdom on Earth.

Embrace Forgiveness, even when it’s spiky: Forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian faith. Jesus taught us to forgive as we have been forgiven. To follow Him means extending forgiveness to those who have wronged us, letting go of bitterness, and reconciling with others. This can seem like we’re being asked to hug a cactus … which is never impossible but depending on what happened in the past might need to be done very slowly and very gently.

Do you want to talk about it?: Part of following Jesus is sharing the good news of His love and salvation with others. We are called to be witnesses, spreading the message of hope and redemption to a world in need. Talking to people about your life and the difference God makes in your overall experience and thought processes can be a very powerful way to share faith.

To follow Jesus is a lifelong journey of faith, love, and service. By embracing His teachings, cultivating a relationship with Him, and living out His love and compassion, we can truly follow Jesus and be a light in a world that needs His transformative grace and truth.

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Resources:

Bible quotations: Unless otherwise specified, quotations are taken from the resources of Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, in accordance with the licencing conditions outlined on our Site Policies page.

Bible dates: Where appropriate, the dates given for Biblical events are based on the Bible Timeline resource
and are subject to the constraints defined on the corresponding webpage.

~~~~~~~~~
Horley Baptist Church online
HBC main site
Confidential prayer link

Link to Recent Reflections
.
Link to Index of Bible Passages
 
Last week’s reflection: Celebrating The Harvest by Helen Ruffhead
 

[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during September 2023]

Last week an event of astronomical importance took place, something out of this world yet something which, I suspect, went unnoticed by most people. Thinking of ‘astronomical’ in its literal sense should provide a clue.

Like many wealthy American pensioners, the sun is moving south for the winter. In the US this is called ‘snowbirding’, in the case of the sun it is part of the celestial cycle. The sun passed directly overhead the earth’s equator marking an event known as the autumnal equinox. A similar event occurs in March each year as the sun crosses the equator on its northbound movement.

For those who have forgotten their Latin, equinox translates as ‘equal night’, a reference to the occurrence when the length of daylight hours is equal to that of the dark hours. The phenomenon is global and, this year, occurred on 23rd September.^[1]

The sun was created during the fourth period of creation:

God made two great lights – the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth Genesis 1 v16-17 [NIVUK]

There are two broad categories of lights. There are lights which enable us to see and there are lights which are intended to be seen, although there is considerable overlap in these two functions. A vehicle’s headlights show the way ahead; its indicators give a message to those who see them.

In the sun and the moon we see examples of these two principal types of light. The sun is not intended to be seen; indeed, trying to look at it can cause severe eye damage. Instead, it gives light to enable us to see the world around us.

The moon reflects the light of the sun, enabling us to see. It does so following a predictable, but not necessarily helpful, routine; sometimes it appears half-hearted, sometimes it disappears completely. Its moods influence the rise and fall of the tides. It sends mixed-messages; contrast the romance of the Owl and the Pussycat dancing to the light of the silvery moon with the sinister overtones of a moonlit Dartmoor resounding to the ominous cry of its infamous hound. Nevertheless, God described the moon as ‘good’.

Have you ever likened yourself to the moon? Do you have your bright and dark sides? How are you using your influence? Does your faith wax and wane? What sort of messages are you sending?

God described his creation of man and woman as ‘very good’ but they lost the right to be described as such once they broke the rules that God had stipulated. The Psalmist questioned why God would still persist with them:

When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place; what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him? Psalm 8 v3-4 [BSB]^[2]

God still loves his creation and he has provided a means whereby the relationship can be restored. Those who have accepted God’s offer of restoration can move from living in the dark to living in the light; furthermore, they can look forward to acquiring their own heavenly body.

The moon reflects the light of the sun – are you reflecting the light of the Son?

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Resources:
[1] Equinox, via wikipedia
[2] Berean Standard Bible, via Biblehub

Bible quotations: Unless otherwise specified, quotations are taken from the resources of Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, in accordance with the licencing conditions outlined on our Site Policies page.

Bible dates: Where appropriate, the dates given for Biblical events are based on the Bible Timeline resource
and are subject to the constraints defined on the corresponding webpage.

~~~~~~~~~
Horley Baptist Church online
HBC main site
Confidential prayer link

Link to Recent Reflections

Link to Index of Bible Passages

Last week’s reflection: Were You There?
 

[This reflection by Helen Ruffhead was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 24/Sep/2023]

When preparing for our Harvest Thanksgiving service on ‘Connect in Faith’, I thought I would see what the Bible said about celebrating the harvest. To my surprise, I found that not one but two of the three major Jewish festivals related to harvest.

Exodus 23 and Deuteronomy 16 describe the three major festivals, when all Jewish men were expected to come together to worship God, give thanks for his provision and give generously to those in need. The first is Passover, followed fifty days later by Pentecost, which is also known as the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Harvest, when the people would bring the firstfruits of their crops to God.

The third feast was held around the end of September and called the Feast of Ingathering, to celebrate the end of harvest and the safe gathering of all the crops. This feast is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, as the Jews would live in tabernacles, or tents, in memory of their time in the wilderness, when they had lived in tents and God himself, represented by a pillar of cloud, lived in a tent amongst them.

Once I visited Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles and saw tents on the balconies of people’s homes, where they would sleep during the week of the feast.

What is the significance of these feasts to us? We know that Jesus, our Passover Lamb, was sacrificed for us during the Feast of Passover. At Pentecost we received the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is the firstfruits of our inheritance in Christ. (See Ephesians 1 v 13, 14).

The Feast of Ingathering, or Tabernacles looks forward to the time when Jesus will return and gather his people together and God will live in the midst of them.

Revelation 21 v 3-4 says:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

As it says in the hymn “Come ye thankful people come”:

Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin.

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Resources:

Bible quotations: Unless otherwise specified, quotations are taken from the resources of Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, in accordance with the licencing conditions outlined on our Site Policies page.

Bible dates: Where appropriate, the dates given for Biblical events are based on the Bible Timeline resource
and are subject to the constraints defined on the corresponding webpage.

~~~~~~~~~
Horley Baptist Church online
HBC main site
Confidential prayer link

Link to Recent Reflections
.
Link to Index of Bible Passages
 
Last week’s reflection: Navigating Life’s Journey by David Makanjuola
 

[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during September 2023]

Last week’s commemoration of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York in 2001 reminded me that, very occasionally, there are some momentous events that stick in our minds, to the point that we can recall exactly the time and place where we were when we first heard about them. In the case of “9/11” I had just ridden down Whitehall in a new electric car, but I have told that story before.^[1]

Most of us can recall a few events that have had such an impact on us that we can recall the circumstances in which we first heard about them. They may or may not have been events of national or international significance but the way that we heard the news sticks in our minds.

I can recall where I was when I heard that Ian Smith, the leader of the government in Southern Rhodesia, had made a unilateral declaration of independence from Britain. Similarly, I was personally affected when the Arab-Israeli war of 1968 broke out – the plane I was in was diverted to Tehran; I heard the news announcement about the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, just two hours before I was due to lead a prayer meeting at HBC.

Historians endeavour to record and analyse such moments, preserving them in the collective conscience, but it is the personal accounts of those who were there that give the events drama and colour. In the 1970s, the popular Welsh comedian Max Boyce used the catch-phrase “I was there” to lend some credibility to his somewhat exaggerated accounts of famous Welsh sports events.

The Bible too is full of historical reports but it also contains may personal accounts from those who were there, witnessing events at close quarters as they unfolded. The first three gospels were largely compiled from third-party accounts but the gospel of John was written from his own recollections from his time with Jesus. This does not undermine the authenticity of those three gospels but John’s first-hand experiences add a personal dimension.

Later, in the book of Acts we find Luke writing from his personal experiences of travelling with the apostle Paul. His detailed description of the shipwreck in Acts 27 shows that he too was there.

An old spiritual song which probably predates the American civil war poses a series of questions:
  ‘Were you there when they crucified my Lord?‘
A criminal suffering the same fate was; he said “… this man has done nothing wrong”.
  ‘Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?‘
A hardened Roman centurion was; he exclaimed, “Surely this man was the son of God”.
  ‘Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?‘
Joseph of Aramathea was; he asked for the body of Jesus and arranged for him to have an honourable burial.
  ‘Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?‘
Mary Magdalene was, she went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!”^[2]

John also wrote about an event that is yet to come:

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. Revelation 20 v12 [NIVUK]

When that roll is called up yonder I’ll be there – will you?

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Resources:
[1] An Event to Remember, September 2021
[2] Luke 23 v41, Mark 15 v39, Matthew 27 v58, John 20 v18

Bible quotations: Unless otherwise specified, quotations are taken from the resources of Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, in accordance with the licencing conditions outlined on our Site Policies page.

Bible dates: Where appropriate, the dates given for Biblical events are based on the Bible Timeline resource
and are subject to the constraints defined on the corresponding webpage.

~~~~~~~~~
Horley Baptist Church online
HBC main site
Confidential prayer link

Link to Recent Reflections

Link to Index of Bible Passages

Last week’s reflection: Where, or What?
 

[This reflection by David Makanjuola was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 17/Sep/2023]

We have just come back from holiday and I spent part of the time wading in the sea, just looking out at the horizon. From where I was, it looked like a straight line and one could understand why people thought the earth was flat and that you could fall off the edge.

The other thing I noticed was the vastness of the sea and how insignificant I was. The Breton Fisherman’s prayer came to mind: “Dear God, be good to me. The sea is so wide and my boat is so small.”

I thought about how it must have been for early explorers setting out, not knowing what was out there. Would the sea be calm or turbulent, would they spot land in the distance, would they be able to land safely without being dashed against the rocks? It would have been reckless to head off without a map and a compass, and it would have been very comforting to see the lighthouse as they approached the shore.

As we embark on this journey called life, we have no idea what tomorrow holds. We are, in a way, like that fisherman heading out to sea in his boat. We need guidance, and we need something to bring us ‘safe to shore’.

Dennis’s article in ‘Yours’ last week, talked about our need of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ, as the time neared for his crucifixion, was speaking with his disciples and praying for them. In John’s gospel chapter 14, Jesus comforts his disciples with these words.

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me [John 14 v1]

All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid [John 14 v25-27]

Jesus knew that to navigate life’s journey, we would need guidance – His Holy Spirit, and that as we encountered the storms of life, we would need His peace.

Lastly, as the words of the song ‘My Lighthouse’ remind us, Jesus promises, at the end of our journey, to bring us safe to shore. As he said to his disciples,

My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” [John 14 v2-3]

So, as you travel into the week ahead, be thankful for what Jesus offers – the Holy Spirit, who will be your compass, your comforter and the one to remind you that Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you and that whatever challenges lie ahead, He will see you safely through.

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Resources:

Bible quotations: Unless otherwise specified, quotations are taken from the resources of Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, in accordance with the licencing conditions outlined on our Site Policies page.

Bible dates: Where appropriate, the dates given for Biblical events are based on the Bible Timeline resource
and are subject to the constraints defined on the corresponding webpage.

~~~~~~~~~
Horley Baptist Church online
HBC main site
Confidential prayer link

Link to Recent Reflections
.
Link to Index of Bible Passages
 
Last week’s reflection: Show Your Power by Dennis Ginter
 

[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during September 2023]

What comes to mind when you hear mention of Waterloo or Trafalgar? Are they just London landmarks? How about Balaclava or Stanley – an article of clothing or a range of tools? For a Briton who knows his history these names represent significant military engagements in past centuries but for most of us their significance fades as the years pass.

Are school pupils still taught about Hastings or Runnymede? The historical relevance of these places is more important than their physical location. Similarly, if we talk about directives from Brussels or hear of a rebellion at Westminster we know that these place names are figurative, surrogates for the administrative functions that take place in those places.

In last week’s reflection based on Psalm 95 we saw two place names, Meribah and Massah.^[1] Throughout the Bible there are other references to places from Israel’s history, places that have little significance to us reading the Bible in a different time and culture. However, for those who were hearing these names nearer to the time or for a Jew who knows his history, they would have a great impact and add emphasis to the dialogue.

In John’s account of the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Sychar we see an apparently casual reference that serves, to us, to simply locate the event.

So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. John 4 v5 [NIVUK]

However, historically-aware readers would have recognised that this statement has more significance:

And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants. Joshua 24 v32 [NIVUK]

Both Jews and Samaritans claimed lineage from Jacob. Despite their mutual dislike, this location had a particular importance in their national heritage. For them, it was a place to be revered. For us, this additional information puts the subsequent conversation about the different ways to worship God into perspective.

Are we tempted skip over place names in the Bible? Do we dismiss them as simply giving some geographical interest to the narrative? By ignoring the historical significance of these places we lose much of the richness of God’s message to us. So next time you come across a Bible placename, remember that asking ‘what’ might be more important than asking ‘where’.

O God of Jacob, by whose hand your people still are fed,
Who through this weary pilgrimage a wav’ring Israel led:

Through each perplexing path of life our wand’ring footsteps guide;
Give us this day our daily bread, and shelter fit provide.

Oh, grant us your protecting care till all our wand’rings cease,
That to those mansions kept for us we all may come in peace.
– Philip Doddridge 1702-1751

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Resources:
[1] Exodus 17 v7

Bible quotations: Unless otherwise specified, quotations are taken from the resources of Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, in accordance with the licencing conditions outlined on our Site Policies page.

Bible dates: Where appropriate, the dates given for Biblical events are based on the Bible Timeline resource
and are subject to the constraints defined on the corresponding webpage.

~~~~~~~~~
Horley Baptist Church online
HBC main site
Confidential prayer link

Link to Recent Reflections

Link to Index of Bible Passages

Last week’s reflection: Chapter and Verse