Selah2020: Pause and Reflect

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

Once upon a time, “Once upon a time” was a common opening to many children’s stories. Often somewhat fictional in character they frequently carried a moral or social lesson. The consequences of stealing a baby bear’s lunch have been known to us since childhood, as have the dangers of accepting gifts from strange-looking people who live in dark forests.

In many ways, these stories are similar to the parables that Jesus told to his listeners. Compare, for example, the plight of the man who built his house upon the sand with that of the pig who thought that straw would protect him from a heavy-breathing wolf. These illustrations have been known for centuries but people still build with unsuitable materials in areas known to be subject to tornadoes, earthquakes or flooding.

In another of his parables, Jesus spoke of a man who had been blessed with a bounteous harvest; he resolved to upgrade his storage facilities so that he could keep all the produce for himself^[1]. One of the several ‘take-aways’ from this parable comes from the final question “Whose then will these things be?” We could paraphrase this question: Are you building for yourself, for your community or for those who will follow you? Is your focus on ‘me’, ‘we’, or ‘they’?

In another parable^[2], Jesus describes how a rich landowner engaged some men to work in his vineyard. The men started work at various times during the day but they were all paid the going rate for a full day’s work. There was some dissent amongst those who had worked all day but everyone received what they had agreed to.

It is interesting that in these parables, Jesus did not criticise these landowners for being rich; instead, he judged them on what they did with their riches. It was their attitude that counted.

Could Jesus have fed the five thousand with just four loaves and one fish, or would one thousand of them gone hungry? When the boy offered all his resources to Jesus everyone, including himself, were fed and, although nameless, the boy has a place in the Gospel records.

Had the widow in the Temple been ashamed about the paucity of her donation we would never had heard of her, and more importantly, we would not have learnt that God is more interested in how much we have kept back for ourselves.

There is more to being rich than just goods or money. We may be strapped for cash or running out of time but we all have some opportunity to use what we do have wisely and in God’s service. Our attitude to helping, sharing and giving not only affects our experiences of being generous but also it matters to God.

To what extent are we willing to echo the words of the apostle Peter when he said “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you”?^[3]

[1] Luke 12 v16-21
[2] Matthew 20 v1-15
[3] Acts 3 v6

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 was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 26/June/2022]

He leads us like a horse in the wilderness that we might not stumble.
Isaiah Chapter 63 v13

We have a picture in our lounge of a landscape with wild flowers in the foreground – houses in the middle ground and the open sea in the background.

I was thinking about how Jesus leads us in our lives, when we first knew Him we are delighted in His beauty and presence, just loving what Holy Spirit is doing – bathing in His love for us. Enjoying His fragrance.

Then we have to dwell and communicate with others, those that we live with, and next door too, it’s not always easy. They don’t think the same way as we do, don’t have the same outlook on life as we do.

But … Jesus says look at the bigger picture. We can go forward, beyond what we are going through now, there is a wider horizon.

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith.
Hebrews 12 v 1 and 2

Remember ‘love’, it covers a multitude of sins. In the 10 commandments the first two are great, love God and your neighbour as yourself. His Love is higher than the highest of mountains, His love is deeper than the deepest of seas, His love it stretches to the farthest horizon and His love it reaches to me.

Every blessing

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

The computer is on, the software is open, the fingers are poised above the keyboard and … nothing. The deadline for publication is approaching, still no flash of inspiration. Perhaps we should heed the words of Nehemiah 5 v8: They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say. In many circumstances that is wise advice but occasionally nothing is not enough.

In the musical “The Sound of Music”, the governess Maria sings that “Nothing comes from nothing, nothing ever could”. But is she right?

We can immediately think of the Genesis account of creation; the earth was without form and void, a mass of nothingness. God created the earth and all the creatures therein from nothing. Of course, when Moses compiled that account he knew nothing of anti-matter, sub-atomic particles or other entities that may exist where there appears to be nothing.

For Moses, the heavens consisted of the sun, the moon and those stars that are visible to the naked eye. He wrote within the context of his knowledge and that of his contemporaries. How might Galileo with his telescope and observations of the planets have written about creation?

It makes for an interesting diversion to speculate about how our God relates what we now know about the wider universe. Did he create other worlds with their own characteristics? Is our Earth the only sin-ridden one that requires his attention? In short, do we have a great big God or is your God too small?

The Bible makes much ado about nothing. The word is mentioned in 52 of the 66 books of the Bible; it is used descriptively as in the creation story, figuratively within lifestyle recommendations and warnings, and as an assessment of status. Here are some examples:

He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.
Job 26 v7
Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.
Proverbs 28:27
Has not the Lord Almighty determined that the people’s labour is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
Habakkuk 2:13
For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
1 Timothy 6:7

Jesus Christ made himself nothing so that he could make something of us^[1]. In 1776 Augustus Toplady summed up our status with his hymn ‘Rock of Ages’ which includes these lines:

Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling.

With God nothing is enough.

[1] Philippians 2 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.

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

Does it sound idyllic? Afternoon tea on the terrace under the shade of the walnut trees, accompanied by birdsong and the gentle melody of the wind chimes. A serving of apple torte with fresh cream; the apples are home-grown and the cream comes from one of the cows grazing calmly on the hills on the other side of the lake.

However, the trees need to be sprayed and pruned, the apples need to be picked and prepared, and the cows need to be milked – a messy and smelly process. So perhaps there is more to sitting in the shade of a tree than just the relaxing bit.

In the book of Jonah^[1] we find the prophet sitting under the shade of a leafy plant. He had completed his work but he was not happy. God had instructed Jonah to warn the people of Nineveh about their sinful ways and impending judgment but, contrary to Jonah’s wishes and expectations, the people of Nineveh repented and God withdrew his judgment. Instead, God rebuked Jonah for his prejudice; his plan was not in tune with God’s plan.

At the beginning of John’s gospel account we read of Nathaniel sitting under the shade of a fig tree. Some sources equate the Nathaniel of John’s gospel with the disciple Bartholomew mentioned by Matthew, Mark and Luke. If that is so then that time of relaxation under the fig tree may have been his last idle moment.

Do these reference imply that God is anti-rest, that he disapproves of people sitting idly under a tree? On the contrary, God himself established the principle of rest, not least by his example at the end of creation when God reviewed what he had made and declared a period of rest.

In Genesis 18 we see Abraham and his three visitors sitting under the shade of a tree. Two very significant events were discussed during that visit: the birth of Isaac and the founding of the Israelite nation, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah due to persistent sinfulness. Unlike the people of Nineveh, the people of those cities did not take heed to the righteous man amongst them.

As one of the apostles, Bartholomew would have heard Jesus say “Come unto me … and I will give you rest”^[2]. Did he take that promise seriously? Bartholomew is credited with taking the gospel to the area formerly known as greater Armenia, where he was eventually martyred. God’s plans became his plans and in due course God granted him eternal rest.

How do your plans relate to God’s plans?
Will you, too, one day receive God’s eternal rest?

[1] Jonah 4 v6
[2] John 1 v48

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 June 2022]

I recall the first time that I heard this question. It was in 1960 and has to do with a school dinner. Like so many such meals it would have been completely forgotten if it hadn’t been for the dessert, which purported to be chocolate pudding. It had the consistency of potter’s clay, the colour of mud and it was certain that no chocolate beans had been involved in its preparation. I decided that it was not to my taste and that I was not going to eat it.

In the disciplinary regime of the time the judgment was handed down: “You will sit there until you eat it”, and so began my first hunger strike (infant tantrums excluded). Some while later a teacher asked me “Why are you still here?” To cut a long story short, the pudding returned to the kitchen and I returned to class with a certain sense of victory.

In a more serious context, many people have asked themselves “Why am I still here?” Asking this question of ourselves can be a symptom of disappointment or depression, but finding a positive answer can encourage us to move on. A good place to start is to recognise that we are not here for our benefit but for the benefit of those around us. How do we contribute to the well-being of our community? Are there those in our families, work-places or in our social activities whose lives are enriched by our presence?

Of course there is a spiritual implication to this question. If it had been God’s will we could have gone to heaven immediately after accepting his plan of salvation. Atonement has been paid in full, our names are on the invitation list and no further formalities would impede our departure. So, why are we still here?

With so many heaven-ready Christians alive on earth there must be some reason for us to still be here. Jesus described his followers as the light of the world, a light that not only is seen but provides illumination to its surroundings^[1]. If we were not here, what darkness would prevail? Who would proclaim the message of salvation? Who would do the work of ploughing, seeding and bringing-in God’s harvest; who would support those who do? The church has been described as an organisation that exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not its members but how could it function without its members?

Having established that there is a need for us to be here, there is a supplementary question: “What are you doing here?” How are you using your time and talents? Irrespective of our circumstances there are things that we can do, in public or in secret; God will see them and reward us accordingly^[2].

How are you passing the time whilst you wait for your home-call?

[1] Matthew 5 v14-16
[2] Matthew 6 v1-4

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 was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 12/Jun/2022]

Recently on ‘Connect in Faith’ we had a special Ascension Day service. This is one Christian festival that tends to be overlooked, partly because it falls on a working day and perhaps because it lies between the two great festivals of Easter, when Jesus rose from the dead, and Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came in power. Yet there are some wonderful Ascension Day hymns which remind us of the significance of Jesus being taken up to heaven in glory. One is Charles Wesley’s “Hail the day that sees him rise”.

Hail the day that sees him rise, Alleluia!
Glorious to his native skies; Alleluia!
Christ, awhile to mortals given, Alleluia!
Enters now the highest heaven! Alleluia!

There the glorious triumph waits; Alleluia!
Lift your heads, eternal gates! Alleluia!
Wide unfold the radiant scene; Alleluia!
Take the King of glory in! Alleluia! ^[1]

Another great Ascension Day hymn is “Alleluia, sing to Jesus” by William Chatterton Dix. I have loved this hymn for many years, but only recently discovered it had a 4^th verse:

Alleluia! King eternal, thee the Lord of lords we own;
Alleluia! born of Mary, earth thy footstool, heaven thy throne.
Thou within the veil hast entered, robed in flesh, our great High Priest.
Thou on earth both Priest and Victim in the Eucharistic Feast. ^[2]

Normally praise and worship don’t come easily to me, but after hearing these hymns and reading the Bible verses which inspired them, all I wanted to do was worship Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

[1] See Psalm 25 v 9,10
[2] See Isaiah 66 v 1-2, Hebrews 9 v 11-12, Rev 19 v 11-13, 16.

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.