Selah2020: Pause and Reflect

[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during October 2022]

For many years the phrase “three-score years and ten” was used in common parlance to indicate a typical western life-expectancy. It was often used as the basis for forecasting the costs of life insurance and health care, and for estimating the duration of pension obligations. With subsequent developments in public hygiene and personal lifestyles, this life expectation has been superseded. One consequence of this is the pressure to raise the age of retirement.

The phrase itself comes from a prayer ascribed to Moses; here is the verse in full:

The years of our life are threescore and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Psalm 90 v10 [RSV]

In some ways, these words by Moses are somewhat ironic since he did not start his life’s most significant work until he was eighty years old^[1] but as we read the account of the Exodus we can see that the second part of the verse describes his experience realistically.

Solomon was even more vociferous when he wrote:

Meaningless! Meaningless! … Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. What do people gain from all their labours at which they toil under the sun? Ecclesiastes 1 v2-3 [NIVUK]

For those of us who have achieved that first milestone or even the second, do those words of Moses and Solomon represent our own experience? Have we no positive memories? Is there nothing of value that we can encourage younger generations to look forwards to?

Both of these men had the responsibility of leading the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people, and their words reveal, in different ways, the stresses of their calling. Is leading God’s people in the modern era a stress-free experience? Do we bother to ask? Imagine the effect if everyone who reads these notes were to ask their pastor or other church leader if there is one thing for which they would appreciate prayer.

Modern society places stress on all those who actively participate in it. Physical pain, financial obligations and personal relationships can put us under stress. How do we handle it? There is sound advice in these words written by Joseph Scriven, a man who tried to live by the principles of the Sermon on the Mount but endured far more than his fair share of disappointments and distress:

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!
Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge – take it to the Lord in prayer!^[2]

Finally, no matter how real our stress may be, it is but a pale shadow of the stress that Jesus endured in the final days of his life on earth.^[3] His death procured for us the way of salvation – that at least is one thing that we do not need to be stressed about.

[1] Exodus 7 v7
[2] “What a friend we have in Jesus”, JM Scriven, 1885
[3] Luke 12 v50 [NRSVA]

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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.

[This reflection by Dennis Ginter was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 16/Oct/2022]

I’m just getting into Eugene Peterson’s “EAT THIS BOOK”. He explains that ‘eat’ here means to gnaw on, like a dog gnaws on a bone, or a lion on a carcass. Of course, he’s talking about getting into the Bible – or, rather, letting the Bible get into us!

I realised that most of my life I’ve been reading God’s Word for information, not transformation. To score points in a discussion, instead of submitting myself to what the Holy Spirit might be challenging me to take hold of.

Maybe you’re not the kind of person who becomes so obsessed by a thought or phrase that you can’t shake it for a week! I am. Just the day before yesterday, I found myself pondering on what Jesus really meant by loving my neighbour. Of course, I’m still gnawing on it! If loving others is really one aspect of the most important commandment of all, then NOT loving might also be the biggest SIN of all.

While I debate on what my attitude and behaviour should be towards people whose sexuality is different from mine, or people whose arrival in our community puts demands on my comfort or finances, or towards people I find awkward or even annoying – am I loving them the way Jesus did? If not, then I’m committing a serious sin! That needs to be confessed and remedied!

Or perhaps I should drop that bone and find another tastier one!?

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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.

[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during October 2022]

In a recent sermon the preacher suggested that a household with one car was more likely to be close-knit than one where more cars were available. His argument was that, with only one car the family would have to plan together for the use of the car and that those discussions would extend to other aspects of their domestic arrangements. With other cars available, the family members were more likely to go their own way without the need for consulting one another.

Does the same principle apply to the television? Do you dislike one person’s choice of programme so much that you retreat to another room and another TV? What about their preference for music of a certain genre or volume? Or their taste in smelly cooking? Households of a previous generation did not have so many opportunities for escaping each other – are we happier with our ‘multiple-choice’ lifestyles?

Do these domestic deliberations also apply to our church lives? If we do not like the music do we tune out? If we do not like the preaching do we ignore the messages that it contains? Are we tempted to think that the pews are more comfortable elsewhere?

Affluence makes the heart grow fonder – but often that increased fondness is for more possessions and richer experiences. A surplus of income over expenditure may indeed be regarded as a blessing but it carries risks. We do not have to look very far to see people whose lives have been damaged by wealth that they handled unwisely.

Jesus said that it is difficult for a rich person to get into heaven. It is not that Jesus thought of riches as intrinsically evil – many of the old testament patriarchs were very wealthy – but rather that an abundance of riches tends to distract from more important things.

Recently, we have heard about the work of Compassion and the Horley Food Bank, and members of HBC both individually and collectively have responded well. This is accordance with what we read in the New Testament letter from James:

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1 v27

We know that, in due course, our generosity will be rewarded in heaven^[1] but there is also a warning for those who hold their earthly possessions too tightly or are miserly with their time. In the meantime a word of thanks from those we help can be very encouraging.

We each have, in our households, things that we think of as ‘mine’ and other things that we regard as ‘ours’; are there also things that could be ‘yours’ – things that might be of greater benefit to someone else? Maybe sharing them is something that we could talk about.

[1] Matthew 25 v34-40

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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.

[This reflection by Chris Ginter was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 09/Oct/2022]

On Sunday 25th September my daughter Diane was leading the Harvest Festival Service at Horley Methodist Church. We sang that glorious harvest hymn, ‘Come Ye Thankful People Come’.

After singing this song for more than 70 years, I suddenly realised that it has more than a harvest meaning. God has a wonderful plan to bring the world into salvation by Jesus dying on the cross for us. The harvest of souls is God’s ultimate plan to bring people home into His Heavenly Kingdom.

At this time in history we need to come into a place of safety, into the arms of Jesus. Many storms are threatening our security and way of life but God our maker will provide for our wants to be supplied if we give our lives to Him. I love that verse in John 4 v 35: ‘The fields are ready for harvest‘.

‘Lord of Harvest grant that we, wholesome grain and pure may be’

So we look for the 2nd coming of Jesus to bring in the final harvest. There we can be with Jesus, free from sorrow, free from sin. There for ever purified in His garner (store house) to abide. Come, with all Thine angels come, raise the glorious Harvest Home.

Amen Lord – come quickly.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen
Revelation 22 v 20 and 21.

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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.

[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during October 2022]

Chains can be functional or decorative. Some people will imagine heavy forgings of iron or steel, others will immediately think of gold or silver jewellery. We can refer to chains of command or the DNA chain. One thing that all chains have in common is links.

It is said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If a chain is over-stressed then indeed it is likely that the weakest link will give way first. You can imagine the embarrassment of a mayoral chain of office hanging in two parts or the potential disaster of a broken anchor chain.

It is the weakest link that gets the attention and all the blame when things go wrong but can we afford to be complacent about the other links? A chain functions as a complete unit, each link is essential, from the strongest right through to the weakest. The principal task of all the links in the chain is to keep in contact with its neighbours and help them bear their load; if one fails then the whole objective is compromised.

Can we see parallels with our church community? It too has members who are weaker or stronger than others. Are those of us who are weak in one way or another willing to recognise that? Are those who are stronger willing to help to strengthen their weaker colleagues? The links of a chain must work together to achieve their common objective; so it is with the members of a church, working together and sharing responsibility for achieving God’s plan, whether it be some great project or attracting those who have yet to recognise him.

In many Bible passages chains are used to signify capture or restraint. We see accounts of captured kings, pestilent prophets, desperate demoniacs and arrested apostles being held in chains. The apostle Paul wrote that being in chains was helpful in that it gave him the opportunity to explain the reason to those around him, and it encouraged other believers in their faith too.^[1] Do we appreciate the potential of adverse circumstances to strengthen our relationship with God, or do we just grumble?

Being chained is a humiliating experience but those chains are physical. Of much greater danger are those spiritual ‘chains’, those things that restrain our spiritual growth. Procrastination, distraction, indifference, pride and unconfessed sins are some of the links in the chains that hold us back but the death of Jesus Christ offers a way to be released. Can you echo the famous words written by Charles Wesley in 1738?

My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.

[1] Philippians 1 v12-14

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.

[This reflection by Martin Shorey was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 02/Oct/2022]

As I write this reflection I’m having to rearrange my diary because of train strikes in London. Frustratingly, one of the days they have chosen to strike is the one on which I was heading into London for a special event, followed by a meeting with old friends. How inconvenient! How annoying!

Do you ever feel like that? Disappointed and irritated because things haven’t gone to plan? Are you put out by the inconvenience of decisions and events out of your control?

Both Jesus and James shared the stories of people that planned out their lives, only to have the unexpected come and ruin it all! In Jesus’ example it was a rich man storing up his wealth for his own selfish desires only to die before spending that wealth. For James it was guys who boasted about their great plans to go there and do this, when they had no idea what will happen tomorrow, let alone next year!

But maybe you’re like me. So many times I don’t do what I’m supposed to do, maybe even called to do, because it’s inconvenient, or it doesn’t fit with my plans. Perhaps I say “no” to doing something – not because it’s not within my talents or time but because I’d rather do something else less important, but set in stone because it’s in my diary, or it’s one of my normal routines of life.

Is it possible that we are missing out on the abundant life that Jesus is offering us, because we have settled for plans of our own making – plans that in reality we have no control over, and will perhaps be thwarted despite our best efforts?

Perhaps it would be better to put my diary (my plans, ambition, and time) in God’s hands, rather than risk leaving it in my own.

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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.