Selah2020: Pause and Reflect

[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 10/October/2021]

The Magazine “Balance” produced by Diabetes UK recently contained a fascinating article about the way the body works.

Diabetes is due to a lack of insulin, which the body normally produces in order to convert sugar into energy. Insulin is produced by the beta cells in the pancreas, but sometimes these cells are mistakenly destroyed by the immune system (Type 1 diabetes) or they are unable to produce enough insulin to control blood sugar levels properly (Type 2).

The article explains that there are different types of beta cells: mature beta cells which produce high levels of insulin and immature cells which produce very little insulin. Previously the immature cells were considered to be of little importance. New research has shown, however, that if you increase the proportion of mature beta cells you actually reduce the amount of insulin produced. When the natural balance between the mature and immature cells is restored, insulin release returns to healthy levels.

Thus the research shows that the seemingly unimportant immature beta cells actually have a vital role to play, as they cooperate with the mature beta cells to produce the right amount of insulin. The body needs both types of cells in order to do its work properly.

St Paul said something similar in 1 Corinthians 12 v 21, 22, 27: “The eye cannot say to the hand ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable … Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.”

(References to article in Balance Summer 2021 used with permission)

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 2021]

At strategic points around our house we have some video cameras which transmit an image to a monitor indoors. These cameras generate a very small amount of warmth and this has proved popular with a range of nocturnal insects. With the insects come spiders and a close-up of a spider’s legs walking across the lens is something worthy of an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

Were there spiders in the Garden of Eden? Did Eve ever turn over a leaf and run to Adam, shrieking for protection? Was Adam ever able to admire the ethereal beauty of a well-constructed web sparkling in the dew of an autumn morning?

For the spider the web represents the effort required to obtain its food, to a hapless insect the web is a trap but to us a spider’s web is fragile and inconvenient. Consider the words of Bildad the Shuhite:

A man without God is trusting in a spider’s web. Everything he counts on will collapse.
[Job 8 v14 Living Bible]

At least anecdotally, spiders can have an influence on world affairs. According to the story, in an earlier quest for Scottish independence the then leader of the Scots, Robert the Bruce, was hiding in a cave during a setback in his campaign. He observed a spider attempting to build a web. Six times the spider started to string out the fibres and six times they collapsed but on the seventh attempt the spider succeeded. This encouraged Robert the Bruce to redouble his efforts and eventually he was more successful than recent efforts have been.

The Bible also has accounts of success after seven attempts. Perhaps one of the best known is the capture of Jericho which fell to the Israelites after they had marched around the city on seven consecutive days.^[1]

During the reign of king Ahab there was a severe drought, brought about by the people’s sinfulness. The prophet Elijah had forecast an end to the drought once the people turned back to God. After defeating the priests of Baal he sent his servant to look for signs of the promised rain. Six times he saw nothing but on the seventh he observed a cloud forming over the sea.^[2]

Later we find the account of Naaman, an officer in the court of the king of Aram. This man was seeking a cure for his leprosy and in due course the prophet Elisha told him to bathe seven times in the river of Jordan. Initially, Naaman was repugnant at the idea but after some persuasion he complied. After the seventh immersion he was cured.^[3]

What is the common theme? In each case, success comes through persistence. Can we carry this through into our prayers? We might argue that God is not deaf and he is not forgetful; once we have prayed for some situation we can leave it in his hands and patiently await the outcome. Whilst this is true we should also remember that Jesus himself spent many hours in prayer. With that example we should endeavour to follow the advice that Paul gave to the Thessalonians:

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. [1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIVUK]

[1] Joshua ch 6.
[2] 1 Kings ch 18.
[3] 2 Kings ch 5.

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, 03/October/2021]

You may know the Beatles’ 1967 song “All you need is love”. I was listening to it recently and found myself playing it continuously for a while, particularly moved and encouraged by the repeated chorus, which states, “all you need is love, love. Love is all you need”. John Lennon was apparently trying to influence people’s thinking through the use of a repeated slogan. I’d say it was a very admirable ambition.

Some might argue that John Lennon was being rather naïve in his desire for the world to change for the better but, as followers of Jesus, loving others and being like Christ in the world is exactly what He asks of us. Jesus tells us that our greatest commandment is to love God but the second is to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40).

In 1 Corinthians 13 we are reminded, “love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails”.

I wonder if today we all need reminding of this central truth. Have I/we become too quick to find fault, criticise and condemn others instead of loving them, forgiving them, showing kindness and understanding? How are we doing in our relationships with family, friends and in our daily acquaintances? After all, without love at the core, all our good deeds and good intentions are worthless. With it, so much is possible.

Paul, in the same chapter of Corinthians challenges the believers who are quarrelling when he says “if I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing”.

My question, for myself and for you is am I truly living a life of love? Are we at HBC demonstrating Christ’s love to each other and to all we meet? Is it obvious to those who encounter HBC? Or are we focusing on too many other things which result in us losing the central message of Jesus? He, after all is the best and perfect example of love, shown through his life, death and resurrection. We really can’t go wrong if we follow His example and do as He asks us.

Amen

.

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]

A reference came to me whilst I was starting to think about this reflection; it was not the words of a verse, just its reference. It’s not a verse that I could recite from memory so I had to look it up.

They went to the chief priests and the elders. They said, “We have made a special promise to God. We will not eat anything until we have killed Paul”. [Acts ch23 v14 NIRV]

At first sight that does not appear to be a great start for a reflection that is intended to encourage and challenge us. So let us unpack it a bit.

Paul we know but who are the “they/we”? The text tells us that they were ‘more than 40 Jews’ who were offended, even outraged, by Paul’s arguments that Jesus was the messiah. Writers familiar with the society of that time have suggested that New Testament references to ‘the Jews’ meant men who were part of an intellectual elite that administered the synagogues and sought to uphold centuries of Jewish tradition. Are we so committed to maintaining our traditions and the way things have ‘always’ been done that we run the risk of killing off any new initiative?

They made a ‘special promise’ to God to kill Paul. Paul did not die as a result of their threat and I suspect that none of the conspirators starved to death but what does that teach us about making rash promises? Are we tempted to make promises to God? Prayers which sound too much like “If you fix this then I’ll do that” are usually just attempts to influence the course of events. How often the second part of the promise gets forgotten once the immediate situation has passed.

Of course, there are some promises that we can bank on – literally. You probably have one in your purse or wallet now: “I promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of …” The signature on a nation’s banknotes is that of an individual – I have actually met one of them – but it comes with the authority and the resources of the respective country. We trade goods or effort on the basis of our confidence in that promise.

What happens when we lose confidence in the ability of the state to fulfil its promise? It is said that in 1920s Germany a worker would require a wheelbarrow to carry his day’s wages, and that by the time he got home the wheelbarrow would be worth more than the cash.

What about the promises that God makes? Do we have confidence that he will deliver on his promises? Unlike us, God is entitled to make conditional promises. Here are three examples for you to explore:
“If you repent, …” Jeremiah 15 v19
“If my people …” 2 Chronicles 7 v14
“If you love me …” John 14 v15

Whole books have been written on the subject of God’s promises but should we be content with third-party experiences? We need to claim God’s promises for ourselves and then our confidence will grow as we see God’s promises being worked out in our own lives.

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. [Deuteronomy 31 v8 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, 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.

.

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.