Selah2020: Pause and Reflect

[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 19/September/2021]

We start off in life initially unaware of what goes on around us, why things are the way they are. We are blissfully ignorant, and we are recognised as children. Children are renowned for asking questions however, some of which are quite probing, and at our own pace, we grow out of childhood towards becoming adults.

The questions don’t go away however, and we keep searching for the answers. For me, there came a time when I was aware that the one who could answer many of my questions was the One who had created me, but I wasn’t sure that I was ready to either ask Him, or keen to hear the answers I might receive.

You see, from what I had heard about Him, I didn’t feel that I measured up to His standards and was sure that He would require me to change. I wasn’t ready for that. I had seen some Christians and they didn’t look particularly happy. It seemed as if the only way to be accepted by Him was to obey rules and regulations, to deny myself of things I liked and wasn’t keen to let go of, and to make sure I did more good deeds than bad ones. Even then, who knew whether I would still fall short? Would my bad deeds still outweigh my good ones?

I wondered what it would take for me to be deemed ‘worthy’ of Him and whether I could attain that, but not have to let go of parts of my life that I wanted to hang onto. What would it take to make a rebel like me lay down his weapons and surrender?

The words of a Southern Country song called ‘He was thinking of me’ come to mind:

I’ve wondered what He was thinking of when the crowd came that day
And took him from the garden as His disciples walked away
What could have gone through his mind as they nailed him to the tree?
Oh, but now I know, he was thinking of me.

He was thinking of me, all the way to Calvary,
He had me on his mind, all of the time, so that I could be free.
It’s hard to understand, but now I can see,
He suffered and died so that I could have life,
He was thinking of me.

As Jesus hung on the cross that day, a multitude gathered round.
Each one he was dying to save, but He saw more than just that crowd.
For His mind went to the future, when he would hear this sinner’s prayer.
For He knew I too would need a saviour.
Thank God, He was thinking of me.

What would it take to make a rebel like me lay down his weapons and surrender?
If I was forced into submission, if I was made to see that I had no choice … Logical thoughts, but God’s way was different. He chose to let me know that even while I was still determined to be a rebel, He loved me. He wasn’t going to force, or coerce me, but He chose instead to show me that He loved me then, loves me now, and will love me forever.

He was thinking of me, all the way to Calvary,
He had me on his mind, all of the time,
so that I could be free.
It’s hard to understand, but now I can see,
He suffered and died so that I could have life,
He was thinking of me.

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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 September 2021]

As we travel from infancy through maturity to old age we encounter a variety of experiences. As we learn through these experiences we make progress in three dimensions: body, mind, and spirit. These three dimensions come together to make up who we are. If we were academics we might describe these dimensions as representing the Sciences, the Arts, and the Humanities.

The physical dimension begins with the often-mythical idyll of childhood which forms the foundation for our adult activities that, in turn, lead to what we hope will be our golden years. For many people, their working years are times of busy-ness, stress and striving to make ends meet – they may not have the time or resources to just stop and be still. Later, for some, those golden years become tarnished and the passage of time becomes much more significant.

The emotional dimension includes the development of our mental faculties together with our relationship to the society around us. What is expected of us? We experiment with pushing the limits of rules; we learn to integrate, to comply with society’s norms, or not. It is here that we learn about the Arts and how they add to the richness of life.

The spiritual dimension is often neglected. Indifference, procrastination or the perceived priority of other matters serve to mask its importance. By contrast, it is here that we can have the greatest influence and receive the greatest benefits. It is an opportunity to slow down, consider a wider perspective and, if so inclined, to think about more eternal matters.

These thoughts remind us that God is also a trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Are we tempted to emphasise one entity in preference over the others? Do our perceptions change as we get older?

We might think of God the Father as the hands-on physical partner, controlling the universe and having the occasional laugh at our expense, whilst Jesus his Son is the one we relate to, the one who bought our salvation and deserves our love and adoration. Then there is the Holy Spirit – is he some kind of optional add-on, something extra for those who want to go OTT with their faith? Those tempted to think like that should recall the words of Elihu when addressing Job: “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life”^[1]. Better still, read the second chapter of the book of Acts.

As the Israelites started their journey towards the promised land Moses, their leader, gave them an instruction to help them on their way:

Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. [Deuteronomy 6 v4-5 NIVUK]

‘Strength’ refers to our physical abilities, ‘heart’ recalls our emotions and ‘soul’ represents our spirit. Devout Jewish households still recall this instruction frequently, encouraging each generation to follow its advice. Does your response encompass the full three-dimensional experience?

[1] Job 33 v4 NIVUK.

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/September/2021]

Back in February, I wrote this in my (ever-so-faithfully-kept!) journal:

“Jesus, please rid me of a default setting of shame and guilt. I want, need, to get up each morning and go to bed at night knowing that I am your son and that you are proud of me!” It’s forgetting THAT that leaves me feeling lonely, OUTSIDE! The Bible references were Hebrews 8:12 and 10:17; and Ezekiel 36:25-28.

Spinning around in my head for a few days has been Yahweh’s challenge to Isaiah in 1:18. God has just been listing in painful detail how his people have disappointed him. Now he asks Isaiah to stand before him, as in a courtroom, and attempt some kind of defence! ‘Come and reason with me, present your case!‘ Knowing there is no excuse, God himself says, ‘Though your sins are blood-red, they’ll be snow-white‘. HE WILL DO IT, NOT ME!

It’s my insistence that I must do better that’s the real problem! I AM ALREADY HIS SON. HE ALREADY HAS PUT MY FAILINGS BEHIND HIM ‘AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST‘! (Psalm 103:12)

When will I learn to relax? Am I alone?

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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 September 2021]

Twenty years ago I was in Trafalgar Square with the then Mayor of London and senior members of the management of the Ford Motor Company, along with a gaggle of international motoring journalists. We were attending the global launch of a new car – a two-seater fully electric urban runabout that was expected to have a major influence on city motoring. There were thirteen vehicles at the launch – who decided that 13 was an appropriate number? The cars had their 15 minutes of fame and we went back to our respective offices.

Then the world changed.

The date was the 11th September 2001. Two commercial airliners had been flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, a third hit the Pentagon and a fourth was brought down by its passengers before it could reach the White House.

It was, by all accounts, a bright clear day in the northeastern USA, no floods, no bush fires, no tornados; not the type of day when one would expect thousands of people to die. No doubt people were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, marrying and giving in marriage right up to the moment that the disaster struck.

Jesus used similar phrases to describe the situation immediately before the flood that killed everybody apart from Noah and his family …

People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. [Luke 17 v27 NIVUK]

… and then again referring to the destruction of Sodom:

It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. [ibid, v28]

Jesus was not just recollecting ancient history from the early chapters of the book of Genesis. He was talking about history-future; his-story, his own return in glory.

As I have demonstrated above, many of us can recall exactly where we were when we heard about ‘nine-eleven’. It is, perhaps, a sobering thought to realise that there is a generation growing up with no such memory; for them the events of that day are history.

How much more sobering, then, to realise that many generations have grown up thinking of Jesus as some character from history, if that. For them, the rumours of his return have been much exaggerated.

A few years later Ford decided that there was no future in the electric car and they discontinued its development. Are we at risk of writing off those who do not share our vision of the future? Jesus said that he will return when people are not expecting him – that, too, is an event that we should remember.

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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 September 2021]

Do you suffer from insomnia? You may not be sharing the nightmare journey of the Lord Chancellor in Gilbert & Sullivan’s ‘Iolanthe’ when he crosses the Channel in a bathing machine and cycles across Salisbury plain wearing only his shirt and socks. Nonetheless, sleep eludes you and a shortage of sheep to count leaves you tossing and turning.

Have you ever noticed how so many sermons seem to address the problem of insomnia? Admittedly, most of them were not intended to do so but listening to them may well send you to sleep. Don’t feel guilty – both you and the preacher are in good company; the Bible relates an incident when the apostle Paul preached for so long that one of the congregation dropped off.

Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third storey and was picked up dead. Acts 20 v9 [NIVUK].

Eutychus was restored to life and throughout church history his experience has been a salutary lesson to preacher and hearer alike. On the other hand, if the sermon doesn’t send you to sleep then maybe God has something to say to you as you listen. The stories of Joseph, Esther and Daniel all tell of God using insomnia to get his message across.

We are often at our most vulnerable when asleep. Adam lost a rib, Samson lost his hair, Sisera lost his life^[1]. (It’s interesting that a woman was involved in each case!) Nevertheless, sleep is a blessing from God; he who neither slumbers or sleeps will watch over us as we replenish our physical energy.

Another way to tackle insomnia is to try to pray. So often when we try to stay awake to pray the opposite happens, but once again you are in good company. Peter, James and John were asked to keep watch with Jesus during that final night in Gethsemane but they fell asleep.

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?’ he asked [Matthew 26 v40 NIVUK]

Recently, we were told of the advantages of getting up early to pray. If only we could. How many times have you got up early, closed your eyes to pray and … sweet dreams! Once again we have a Biblical example that we should aim to emulate:

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. [Mark 1 v35 NIVUK]

Learning to pray like this is not easy, it requires persistence and a re-assessment of our priorities. We might need to rearrange our evenings so that we are able to get sufficient sleep in advance. Maybe we need to put some measures in place so that we are forced to get up or to prevent us from being distracted. Here is some advice from Jesus:

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. [Matthew 6 v6 NIVUK]

Lord, teach us to pray.

[1] Genesis 2 v21-22, Judges 4 v21, Judges 16 v19.

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, 05/September/2021]

Jesus loved to mix with those who enjoyed a good party..

Many folk saw what He was doing & scorned Him.

How can this man who has done so many amazing things in God’s name mix with the likes of republicans, tax gatherers & sinners?

Recently we had the privilege of going to a party with non church goers, they enjoyed a good time, they enjoyed a drink, talked freely about their fears, worries, anxiety, the past the present and everything in between. I felt if Jesus had been there (which He was) He would have loved it too.

My desire is for the Church to be like that too, putting away our Sunday smiles and loving the unlovely, saying it as it really is and coming alongside each other in our sorrows and our joys.

Because Jesus loves the ones we may not choose to mix with, we can ask Him to give us the love He has for them. Then we will see lives changed, healing, repentance and revival happen with those we least expect.

Let us go forward boldly to live and work for His praise and glory.

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.