Selah2020: Pause and Reflect

[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 20/March/2022]

The recent conflict between Russia and Ukraine has dominated news headlines for the last couple of weeks. We have gone from the perhaps naïve notion that such a war could not happen in present day Europe to staring in disbelief at some of the images from the conflict zones.

Reactions have varied. Some are very angry with the aggressor and feel that it is important to retaliate with a show of strength (an eye for an eye), others are overwhelmed with pity for the oppressed and have responded with open arms to welcome refugees and to procure aid to help those caught up in bunkers and other places where they are seeking safety and shelter. Many don’t quite know how to pray, but almost all, I think, would like to see this war end quickly.

I have felt guilty at the fact that sometimes I have had to turn away from the news feeds, partly because it was hard to watch, but also partly because I wasn’t sure that I was being told the whole story. Where does one turn to if there is a chance that the news could be at worst fake, or on the other hand, just not the full picture? How does one pray for the situation?

A couple of things to ponder:
1 – A lesson to learn from the war in Ukraine is that the peace we have is fragile, and we need to be careful to look after it and guard it well. It may not take very much for that peace to be shattered. When Jesus was teaching his disciples about how to manage conflict, he said in Matthew 5:23-24, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift”.
A few verses earlier, Jesus had said “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God”. Jesus’ example (and we are called to follow him), was not one of vengeance, retaliation, or an eye for an eye. It was one of forgiveness and reconciliation.

How should we pray for the situation in Ukraine?
Let us pray for peace.

2 – Jesus, on the cross, died not for the sins of a select few, but for all. The aggressor and the oppressed are both precious in his sight. The apostle Peter puts it this way “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”. 2 Peter 3 verse 9.
Picture a parent with two children whom he loves dearly, one of whom has offended the other. The offended sibling is now out to exact revenge and cause grievous harm to the other child. However much the other child deserves to be punished, the parent would rather that forgiveness is offered, and that reconciliation happens between them. Much as one would want to see justice, it is worth remembering James 2 verse 13 which states that: “mercy triumphs over judgment”. We in our sins, deserved God’s judgment, but in Christ, He showed us His mercy.

How should we pray for the situation in Ukraine?
Let us pray that mercy will triumph over judgment, so brothers and sisters can be reconciled to each other.

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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 March 2022]

Do you ever look back at something you have written some time ago and wonder whether you could have expressed yourself rather better? It might have been an irate letter to a newspaper, an impetuous comment on social media or a note declaring everlasting love for a now-forgotten sweetheart. Does what you wrote then make you cringe now?

Back in those dark days when much of one’s future depended on the ability to write well in exams we were frequently told to reread what we had written before turning in the paper. In theory, this would give us the opportunity to improve on the answers and thereby gain a few more points.

I seldom had time for such a luxury – the three hours typically allowed for the paper were rarely enough ‘do justice’ to the subject in question. However, there was one occasion when I did reread what I had written and then discovered that I had misunderstood the question. There was just time to turn my answer into a dialogue demonstrating the merits of my interpretation of the question; somewhat surprisingly that was then accepted as a well-considered answer!

Contrast this with the situation of someone who has spoken words that they now regret; their tongue was in motion before their brain was activated. What now? You cannot go back and re-speak what you have said. Do you ignore the faux-pas and hope the hearer didn’t notice, do you try to steer the conversation away from the sensitive topic or do you try to compensate and just dig a deeper hole?

Throughout history people have said things that would have been better left unsaid. From “Am I my brother’s keeper?” through to “Prepare the nuclear option“, ill-considered words have brought misery, misunderstanding and disastrous outcomes. So, is staying silent always the better option?

Does fear of ‘putting your foot in it’ deter us from speaking out when it is appropriate? Have we left unsaid those things that ought to have been said? Does pausing to think compromise the spontaneity of our message, meaning that its relevance has gone? Speak out or shut up – what are we to do?

Nehemiah was a high-ranking official in the court of Artaxerxes, king of Persia. He was discussing with the king the derelict condition of Jerusalem, when the king asked him “What do you want?” The text tells us his response:

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king. [Nehemiah 2 v4-5 NIVUK]

Nehemiah had anticipated this and he had a little list but he still took the time to pray before answering.

What is our lesson? Anticipation, preparation, prayer.

Lord, let me hear from you before they hear from me!

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Bible dates: Where appropriate, the dates given for Biblical events are based on the Bible Timeline resource
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[This is one in a series of devotional reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during March 2022]

History is being written before our eyes. It is said that history is written by the victors but our understanding of history also depends upon our viewpoint, both chronologically and ideologically. As Dennis asked last Sunday, what can we believe when we suspect that history is being re-written before our eyes? Here is one perspective, written from very close to the Ukraine border.

In 1854 at the time of the battle of Balaklava, the peninsular of Crimea was part of Russia; some 100 years later it was transferred to Ukraine by a leader of the USSR with his own Ukrainian connections. As Ukraine was at that time a Soviet satellite state, border changes like that were little more than an administrative exercise.

Around 1990 the then President of the USSR granted a high degree of autonomy to many of these satellite states. After the dust settled some of these states stayed close to the Russian Federation; others started to explore other alliances. The population of Ukraine consists of primarily two ethnic groups, one with affinities to Russia and the other tempted by western values.

For some years the country’s leadership swung between one group or the other. In the years leading up to 2014, efforts by the European Commission to force a regime change resulted in civil unrest and were seen as a threat to Russia’s area of influence. Then a certain former KGB officer with an interest in national security decided that too much of his domain was disappearing into the sunset. What followed is less history, more current affairs.

Why this potted history of eastern Europe? No longer can we say that what is happening is far away and irrelevant. But what are the implications for us?

Care for the homeless, the fatherless and widows is a reflection of God’s provision for our own needs. The rapid and generous response of many individuals is in contrast to the indifference and hostility being demonstrated by others who hide behind official formalities.

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Matthew 25 v40

Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow. Deuteronomy 27 v19

There is a widespread tendency to dismiss history as just being a thing of the past, no longer relevant. The same attitude is applied to Biblical prophecy; the books of Daniel and Revelation are preached selectively, concentrating on the bits that are easy to understand and with the rest ignored. Yet both history and prophesy have lessons for us.

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the Scriptures might have hope. Romans 15 v4

One of the challenges of studying history is that there is more of it every day. History is being made now, there is more history to come. God is writing a history book, and he has a chapter on you; will you be happy with what is written there?

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. … The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. Revelation 20 v12

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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 reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 13/March/2022]

Do not rely on your own insight or – in most translations – Trust in the Lord, and “lean not on your own understanding”. (Proverbs 3:5)

My barber and I have the most frustrating and, sometimes, challenging conversations! (How can she give such perfect haircuts while apparently never looking at what she’s doing?!)

She’ll show me video clips on her phone, arguing that nothing we see is what it appears to be. She speaks several Eastern European languages, and devours news from online sources that I (and, I bet, most of you, my readers) have never heard of! According to her, nothing we watch on, say, BBC news is reliable. That includes coverage of what is happening in Ukraine.

Until this morning I’ve been dismissing her views as wild and uninformed. Now I’ve begun to ask myself, how have I come to trust what I see on my TV? What I see with my own eyes?!

Does the verse in Proverbs mean that I am NOT to trust what my eyes are seeing? Or to ‘rely on my own understanding’? I’m going to experiment with something: I’m going to deliberately ask the Lord to show me what is true. That is, to ask Him to help me see things as HE sees them!

When you read my next YOURS page, I’ll let you know if I’ve learned anything!

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 March 2022]

When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies. [Numbers 10 v9 NIVUK]

Scholars tell us that this is one of the final instructions given to Moses whilst he was on Mount Sinai. Although not one of the better-known Ten Commandments, nevertheless it does have something to say to us.

Justified defensive action:
Even God’s people can come under attack from those with evil ambitions. Abraham’s herdsmen were required to fight off marauders. Nehemiah’s wall builders carried both the tools of their trade and their weapons of defence. Many times, king David had to defend his nation from external attackers, often with a loss of life on both sides.

It is worth remembering that each one of those who fell were some mother’s son and it is likely that many of them had families of their own; in short they were each a valued member of their society and, although personally innocent, they suffered for defending it.

A blast on the trumpets:
Both a warning and a call to arms, to mobilise God’s people to come to the defence of their land and their society. The blast of the trumpet and the scream of sirens are also a call for help. Are the sirens sounding in Burma, in Afghanistan, in Yemen too far away to be distinct? Surely not so those that are sounding less than 4 hours’ flying time away.

There are some things that we can do to offer assistance but, for us, the call to arms is primarily a call to prayer.

Then you will be remembered:
God claims that his love is greater than that of a mother for her children, even a mother seeking to protect her children from an invading army or a mother giving birth in an isolated bunker attended by medics with the sounds of explosions ringing in their ears.

Do we still believe that God knows what is going on, that God has it all under control, that God is good? How can we declare that to someone who has lost their livelihood, their home, their family? But what else have we to cling to?

Lord, we bring to you our doubts and the scepticism of those around us; help us to overcome our unbelief.

Rescued from your enemies:
In around 473BC the Jews were again facing a threat from a vicious enemy. Queen Esther was asked to intervene but when she hesitated she received a stark warning: relief and deliverance would come but she would suffer for refusing to get involved. She then used her influence and resources to bring about a means whereby the Jews could defend themselves.

Does all this talk of fighting upset you; do you worry about where world is going? Maybe God allows these things so that we will draw closer to him. Here are some words from Jesus; can you spot the reassurance hidden within a depressing prophecy?

You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened [Matthew 24 v6, 22 NIVUK]

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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 reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 06/March/2022]

Do you remember the song, “He gives beauty from ashes”? Isaiah 61 v 3. How true this verse is when we hear about the war in Ukraine and various other atrocities around the world. The Bible says while the earth remains there will be seed time and harvest Genesis 8 verse 22.

All this seems so glib to write about when such terrible things are happening in the world, but God, Our Father is full of encouragement even in the bleakest of situations and will give us new hope. I only have to look out of our window and our garden is producing new shoots of spring flowers. Walking through the woods the same thing is happening.

To hear stories of how people are encouraging each other is amazing and gives new hope to a weary world. So at this time what can we do, as Christians, to encourage each other? Speaking hope and love in difficult circumstances and do whatever needs doing within our capability is key to a healthy community.

I remember listening to Richard Wurmbrand when I was at Bible College in Dallas Texas, he was a Romanian, Lutheran Pastor who was persecuted for his faith. While he was in prison a man was sentenced to death and on his way to be killed he gave his shoes to another prisoner so the other man could walk comfortably.

Show us Lord how to be a blessing where we are in our day and in our time.
Every blessing,

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.