Category Archives: witness

Turning and re-turning..

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Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season…

(Ps 1.1-3)

…the word of God came to John.. He went through all the region of the Jordan, announcing a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. This is what is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

‘A voice shouting in the wilderness: get ready a path for the Lord, make the roads straight for him! Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill shall be flattened, the twisted paths will be straightened out, and the rough roads smoothed off, and all that lives shall see God’s rescue.’

‘You brood of  vipers,’ John used to say to the crowds.. ‘Who told you to escape from God’s coming anger? You’d better prove your repentance by bearing the proper fruit! Don’t start saying to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father”; let me tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! The axe is already standing by the roots of the tree – so every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.’

(Lk 3.2-9, NT Wright translation, 2001)

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work….

(Col 1.9&10)

The words of John the Baptist to his intrigued audience are brutal – he doesn’t congratulate them for coming, but rather castigates them! His mission is to alert the nation of Israel to its desperate need for change – and not merely a political or social change, but a radical heart-transformation which would see them ready to enter into the kingdom of God. John is warning a people steeped in religious tradition that mere ethnic or nominal ‘belonging’ to the children of Abraham would mean nothing, giving no protection from the judgement which will surely come.

John is not saying anything new, but echoing the prophets who had gone before – telling the people over and over that unless they lived out their faith, embracing their calling to be a light to the nations by letting God’s word transform their lives, then they could not expect the receive the blessings of God’s promises.. lip service counts for nothing; going through the motions of ritual observance is fruitless when the heart is far from God.

It takes little imagination to see how this warning continues to apply to God’s people today… the mere fact of having been baptised is meaningless, unless our lives bear the marks of being submitted to God’s word. Having Christian parents guarantees nothing until the child embraces Christ as Lord for themselves in due time, and bears fruit – in turning away from sin, and turning towards God, a continual reorientation throughout their life. Even scrupulous observance of spiritual habits may cloak a heart and mind which remain wedded to the values of the world – remember the rich young man to whom the call to put Jesus before his wealth proved an impossibility?

What am I prioritising ahead of Jesus? What do I hug to myself jealously, fearful lest God should challenge me to set it aside? If John were to come to me today, what would he point out that is hindering my obedience to Jesus, and holding me back from bearing fruit?

Heavenly Father, I confess again that my heart is deceitful and that I need your Spirit to reveal to me my secret sins, my pride, my complacency.  I confess that personal comfort and social acceptance are precious to me.

I desire to bear fruit which will demonstrate your power at work to transform my life; I desire to honour Jesus and glorify him.

May your power work in me to keep me flexible, keeping me sensitive to sin and eager to turn away from it in repentance. Thank you that your power is at work in me to make me fruitful; help me to persevere and to keep re-turning to you in devotion and thankful dependence. For Jesus’ sake I pray, Amen.

Tongue-tied.. but why?

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Jesus [said], “I am the way, the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.”

(Jn 14.6)

“Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved”

(Acts 4.12)

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no-one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is our righteousness, holiness and redemption Therefore, as it is written :”Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

(1Cor 1.26-2.5)

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..

(1Pet 3.15)

What is it that keeps me silent when I could speak? Why do I revert to vague generalisations about church, when I have opportunity to speak of Jesus? These questions have been troubling me recently, as I was in that very situation and utterly failed to make proper use of it. I am ashamed and deeply unsettled to realise that I find it so much easier to talk about ‘my faith’, than about the person in whom I have faith.

It has been said that Christianity is not so much a religion, as a relationship, and if that is the case, then I am sadly disengaged from the other party to the relationship! Would a loving wife, when asked about her life, refer continually to her marriage as the best thing in it? Surely she would rather talk about her husband!! In the same way, I realise that my love for Jesus falls short, and is not at the forefront of my thinking. The reality of my salvation, of my eternal hope and the daily help and transforming power of the spirit are what come to mind first, not the person through whom alone I have received them.

This means that my witness, when I have opportunity to speak, is not first of Jesus, but only of how good it is to have faith.. this may have a place, but surely it is not what Paul meant when he shared with the Corinthians, preaching not human wisdom (and much human wisdom relates to the need for faith of some kind!), but the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I do not aspire to be another apostle, but I am aware that the name of Jesus could be on my lips so much more often than it is. I could boast in my Lord so much more than I do, and with gentleness, I could proclaim his unique glory as my saviour and the coming king.

It is pointless to speculate on the whys and wherefores of my reticence, and I don’t want to waste time there, but rather to bring this peculiar reluctance to the Lord himself and ask forgiveness and transformation..

Almighty God, and loving Father, I confess today my lack of love and loyalty to my Lord and Saviour, your son Jesus Christ. I confess that my mind and heart are distracted and often struggle to see him clearly – retreating so readily to consider myself and the blessings I receive from him, instead of recognising and delighting in him as Lord.

I desire to honour you, Father, Son and Spirit; to confess Jesus as my Lord in word and deed, and to proclaim the good news of his salvation to all. I pray you will direct my thoughts, stir up my love, lead my reading and understanding so that the glory, sufficiency, power and unique majesty of Christ might be ever more present in my mind.

Release my tongue to speak of Jesus, in season and out of season; to gently and persistently draw attention to him, and to boast only and always of him. Ignite a fire within my heart, so that all my head knowledge burns with a living flame of love and becomes a place where others may see the light of Christ and meet his love. Let me learn to tell his story and give him glory, in his precious name I pray, Amen.

A ready and generous affection

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..but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord…. the alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

(Lev 19.18&34)

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

(Jn 13.34&35)

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing  debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow-man has fulfilled the law…. Love does no harm to its neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.

(Rom 13. 8&10)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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…

(1 Cor 13.4-8)

Love is not proud, and how often pride is at the root of all our disobediences.. love is ready to leap to greet another, ready with a smile, a kind word, a hug. Love is not afraid to show emotion, to be vulnerable and allow others to show love; love is generous, not stingy and mean in measuring out affection. Jesus calls us to love, AS HE LOVES. We can’t say there is no model, but we can choose to justify our deviation from it – and what does that say about our hearts and our sense of how much we are freely, undeservedly, loved?

Last week, as I walked in a big city, I met an old friend who took one look at me, opened his arms and embraced me in the biggest hug. It was such comfort to my hurting heart – he didn’t know that, but our Lord knew that was what I needed, and so he sent me that generous, eager loving heart to greet me as Jesus greets all his children – ” My dear, it is so good to see you!”

That little miraculous moment left me wondering how often we manage to take our opportunities to love generously, to love like Jesus, with no thought of reward, or of what others are thinking?

We all respond differently to different expressions of love, and part of the wisdom of being like Jesus is learning how to say “I love you” to some who don’t like physical displays of affection – what can I do or say to let them know the divine love today? For me and for many of us perhaps, words are a powerful way to both build up and to undermine love. So today I want to think particularly about how Jesus used words and to challenge us all to be more aware of what damage we may be doing by careless talk…

Jesus does not make himself significant by putting others down, by using sarcasm or being patronizing, by mocking those weaker than himself. Jesus infallibly spoke to the women he encountered with an unheard of respect, honesty and as equally beloved to God – an attitude which led them to seek him out, to follow him with devotion and serve sacrificially. This man didn’t belittle or send them back to the kitchen or the nursery, he listened, reasoned and made them know their worth in God’s eyes… Sadly, his church has failed to effectively follow his example very well, but the principle and model are there for us to follow.

Jesus welcomed the children, those suffering from obnoxious diseases and disabilities, and spoke to them as the object of God’s – not patronizing pity- but transforming and empowering love. Jesus took care that his words fitted his hearers, and his divine love and wisdom shine through clearly to show us that it is entirely possible to live as those who choose never to destroy, but always to build up the body of Christ, always persevering and meeting harshness with love and respect.

What will you and I do with our words this week? Will we make excuses and hide behind our busy-schedules, behind particular health/family or employment stresses? I don’t think Jesus leaves us any room for taking out our troubles in our words on those whom we are called to love – He didn’t do it! Will we use the acid-biting sarcasm, the bewildering cryptic comments that leave our hearers feeling utterly stupid, the patronising comments that treat them like less than God’s dearly beloved image bearers?

Will we use words to say instead: “Hello my precious friend, loved and unique, how can I serve you today, how can I encourage you to know the utter security of God’s hold upon you and to have joy in knowing that love, and sharing it?”

I know which one I want to be, and to that end, I share these verses from an old hymn which beautifully expresses that desire to love in the Lord’s name.

I ask Thee for a thoughtful love, through constant watching wise, to meet the glad with joyful smiles, and wipe the weeping eyes, and a heart, at leisure from itself, to soothe and sympathise.

Wherever in this world I am, in whatso’er estate, I have a fellowship with hearts to keep and cultivate, and a work of lowly love to do the Lord on whom I wait.

(Anna L Waring, 1823-1910)

A prayer for the new year…

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Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. There is no-one holy like the Lord; there is no-one besides you’ there is no Rock like our God.”

(1Sam 2.1&2)

Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands.

Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may obey your precepts.

Make your face shine upon your servant and teach me your decrees. Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.

(Ps 119.129-136)

“I am the Lord’s servant, ” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation..”

(Lk 1.38,46,47&50)

I am a child of God. I am a beloved daughter of the King of Kings, and my place in his love, my inheritance, is assured to me. The death and resurrection of Jesus has broken the power which bound me in rebellion against God, and now I am learning what it is to fulfill my calling, my vocation, as one who – in loving and worshipping God – is able to care for the world which He created for us to cherish, and to love people in his name. I am one in the great kingdom of priests, a divine image-bearer to a lost humanity and bearer of good news – the hope which is ours in Christ Jesus. I am slowly becoming fully human, even as Jesus is!

What an amazing and encouraging way to face a new year, with all its unknowns. I have meaning and purpose, I am absolutely secure in the love of God himself, I am fully known and totally accepted. I echo the words of Hannah and Mary, women who trusted God and praised him, not waiting for the fulfilment of their prayers. My soul rejoices in God, my Saviour; there is no Rock like my God!

Almighty God, rock and refuge of your people down the generations, and our deliverer from all that would keep us in exile, far from you and unable to fulfil our calling, I praise you today. I thank you for the revelation of your nature, of the divine purpose to which we are called, and for your great act of salvation by which we are restored and set free to love  and serve you in your creation.

Lord God, I pray with the psalmist for your mercy, that I might receive your direction for my life and not be swayed by the opinions of those who do not know you. I pray that I might be useful to you, in honouring you and serving your people. Grant me an ever greater love for others, that I might be available to them in your name. Grant me your wisdom in speech, in action, in prayer.

Thank you for those divine encounters, when you have used me to bless others in your name, to be light and hope and help. Lord, in your mercy, grant that I may continue to serve you in this way, not shying away but opening my heart to those in need. Let me trust that a passing word, or smile may be enough, and grant me faith to leave them in your hands as I go.

I pray today for those whom I have left behind in 2023 – those encountered in passing, and also those from whose lives I have been withdrawn – by your will and to my sorrow. Lord God, have mercy on us all in our vulnerability, sustain us through loss and change. I pray for those I will meet in 2024, those who will be encountered in passing, and those into whose lives I will be drawn. Lord God, may I be a blessing, never a curse or a barrier to faith and obedient living. 

Father, I confess my lack of love, my disinclination for hard tasks, my fretfulness and so many things that make me hard to live with. Thank you, that in Jesus I am forgiven. I pray that those who suffer by my faults and neglect might, by your grace, be strengthened and healed. May I meet them with humility and love, seeking to give and not to receive.

Loving Lord Jesus, I pray for those who hurt me. May I meet them with love, may I forgive as often as I remember the hurt, and  so obey your command and live as you lived. Let the hurts which others inflict on me only drive me deeper into your love, and make me ever more tender-hearted.

I am your creation, and re-creation. I am your handiwork, to be used for your glory in any way you choose. Let me accept and rejoice in your directing of my ways, even when I find them painful, or tedious, even when they appear to me pointless. Keep me teachable, humble and responsive, and may I find that in the quiet tasks of daily life, you are present and I can live for you there. 

Let me become more and more like Jesus, more fully human, more worshipful and eager to obey your will and to minister your love. Be glorified in me, through my Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Bearing the maker’s mark

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I will cleanse you from all your impurities… I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees…

(Ezek 36.25-27)

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

..if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!.. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

(2Cor 3.18, 4.17&21)

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness..

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

(Eph 4.1-3,22-24,30-5.2)

We are accustomed to the idea of an artist signing their work, indicating pride of workmanship, and also origin; we know that hallmarked silver tells us about the quality of the metal and authenticates the genuine nature of the material. In the same way, we can think about believers being ‘sealed’ by the Holy Spirit, being marked by God in some distinctive way which has consequences for us.

The bible tells us that God makes people new when they come to faith in Jesus; in Ezekiel it is described as receiving a new heart, a disposition to respond in loving delight to God, and to obey all that he asks of us. Paul talks about a new creation, a person who is right with God and no longer under condemnation, because by faith they have received the forgiveness which Jesus achieved for them and they now live in communion with God and enter his presence with confidence, fearing nothing but to grieve their heavenly father.

The Holy Spirit is the authentication, the increasingly visible sign of that transformation taking effect in our lives. We live by faith in Jesus, whose spirit lives in us to move us towards ever greater likeness to Jesus, as our thinking changes according to God’s word and our actions flow from love for God and one another. It is helpful to remember that a hallmark is a sign of authenticity, that it tells a person about the quality of the material, the origin of the workmanship. The lives of believers need increasingly to conform to what our hallmark says is true about us, which is not merely a matter of a set of private theories of religion, but a personal relationship with the author of creation, our maker, and the one who has dealt with our sin forever.

Does my life speak of a love beyond all others, a love which compels me to bring all I do to the bar of Christ’s approval? Do my choices and actions speak of a loyalty beyond question to my Saviour, and an awareness that I bear his glorious name in this dark world as an ambassador for his love and as an invitation to come and meet him? I am aware that I fall short of this ideal, but nonetheless strive and pray towards it, so that I may not bear my Lord’s mark in vain but rather in fruitfulness and honour towards him.

I bear the hallmark of Christ; I am authenticated as a child of God. Let me therefore live to be worthy of his mark – it is my new nature and purpose to live in kindness, to love and seek the good of others for their blessing and his glory. It is my calling to grow up in my thinking to maturity, and the adherence to truth which will keep me faithful in my life and witness. Let me be of the true metal, bearing witness to the power of my maker and fulfilling the purposes for which he has made me new. So be it Lord Jesus, by your power and presence within me, Amen.

A lasting impression…

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Let my song of prayer come before You, Lord. As befits Your word, give me insight.

Let my supplication come before You, as befits Your utterance, save me.

Let my lips utter praise, for You taught me Your statutes.

Let my tongue speak out Your utterance, for all Your commands are just.

May Your hand become my help, for Your decrees I have chosen.

I desired Your rescue, O Lord, and Your teaching is my delight.

Let my being live on and praise You, and may Your laws help me.

I have wandered like a lost sheep. Seek Your servant, for Your commands I did not forget.

(Ps 119.169-176, R Alter translation)

John pointed [Jesus] out and called, “This is the One! The One I told you was coming after me but in fact was ahead of me…. Here he is, God’s Passover lamb! He forgives the sins of the world!… my task has been to get Israel ready to recognise him as the God-revealer… I’m telling you, there’s no question about it: This is the Son of God.”

(Jn 1.15,29&34, the Message)

In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognised by those on the way of salvation – an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.

(2 Cor.2.14-16, the Message)

Will I trust God to do what he has promised? That is a question which lies behind so many of the challenges which I struggle with in life, because I want to see and know what he is doing, what he will do, and that is not faith  but doubt and unbelief… The apostle Paul writes to assure the young church that since God gave us his only son in order to save us, we can surely not doubt that our welfare matters to him, and that all else that we could need will be supplied in the right way and the right time. And faith is the assurance of those things hoped for, the lived-out conviction that what God says, is true, is a foundation on which to build and depend.

So, as I am tempted to look at my situation and to despair, seeing little evidence of having done anything useful in God’s service, I take myself to task and preach this gospel truth to myself again.. It is for me to obey, to love and serve the Lord as he gives me strength, ability and opportunity. It is for God to bring fruit from my labours, in whatever time and manner is according to his perfect will for each individual involved and also within his eternal and glorious plan for a new creation and a fully realised kingdom. It is not for me to evaluate my performance, but rather to keep offering up what he gives me to do and to know that I am loved not because I obey, but rather I obey because I am loved. Let my awareness of that love grow, so that my faith-filled and trusting obedience can also grow and become steadier, more consistent and glorifying to the one in whose word I trust.

Let me become like John the baptiser, whose joy it was to point others to the Christ, and to deflect their attention from himself to the source of hope and light for all humanity. Let me trust that as I obey the Lord in the places to which he takes me season by season, through all the various experiences and communities which make up my small life, in obedience, I may be useful to my God and not be a barrier to the gospel. Let me be content, as John was, to fulfill my task and not to envy the jobs of others, nor to be ashamed of the lowliness of my particular service in the kingdom.

Lord God, let me be a sweet aroma of Christ in going about my community, let me leave an impression of love and hope which makes others want to find the source of all love and hope. Let my impact on the lives of others be for their blessing and your glory – I do not need to see it to give thanks that with you even such things are possible, and I can rejoice to be a means of blessing in your hands.

Let there be no doubt that it is Christ who matters, and that all is done in and through and for him, and that He is Lord of my life. As I leave these people behind, I know that you will use their impression of Christ as I pointed them to him, and I am content. Amen, so let it be.

I believe..

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‘But what about you?’ Jesus asked, ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.’

(Matt 16.15-18)

At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations….keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch.. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants of his household..? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns..

(Matt 2410-14, 42-46)

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created.. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, buy making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

(Col 1.15-20)

I believe that this world, and the universe which holds it, is the handiwork of God, who has revealed himself to the people he made and longs to live harmony with them. I believe that it is only as we accept that revelation, and make God’s truth the basis of our lives, that we can truly live, and enter into the promises which he makes for us.

I believe that God is building his kingdom community even now, that all around the world, people are coming alive as his children every day, and joining that family which calls Jesus Saviour and Lord. I believe that kingdom can be seen, as God’s children live out their love for him in actions of compassion, sacrifice and service; as they put their gifts to work for the sake of his family and to invite others to join the kingdom.

I believe that God will complete this work, regardless of all that human arrogance, pride, skill and wisdom can do to destroy the credibility of his revelation, and that one day I will rest in the glory of a new-made creation, in a resurrection body, and be at home.

As I contemplate the state of the ‘church’ in Scotland today, I still believe these things and I grieve for our nation in its deliberate and determined rejection of the gospel. I grieve that our churches as individual witnessing communities are apparently failing to have any impact on that spiritual darkness. I grieve for my own part in that failure, confessing my cowardice, my pride and fear of giving offence, of being hurt and of failing in my efforts. I grieve for our own particular denomination, where dying churches are being bound onto living ones, in a vain attempt to ‘cover the ground’, and thus crippling those who have the energy and vision to make disciples by requiring them to spend themselves in propping up something which seems to be pointless.

Lord, have mercy! Is this how your servants should be spending these days as we long for your coming? Is this the best use of the vision and courage, the strength and resources which yet remain to us? How can it be right to devote ourselves to pleasing those who won’t change, so that they feel comfortable, when there are so many who need to hear the gospel? What will this process do to the faithful servants who remain? At what cost will this institution be preserved?

I believe that you are building your church around the world today Lord, and I long to see your name glorified in this land. We, your people, deserve judgement, and we need to be purified, revived in zeal, courage and vision. Do not cut us off altogether, but have mercy on your faithful saints and show us your power at work, to build your church in our communities and glorify you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Grace to relinquish

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Jesus said to them, ” I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

(Matt 19.28&29)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.

(1 Pet.1:3-7)

We make promises to one another in marriage. We promise that we will conduct ourselves in particular ways, regardless of the situations in which we find ourselves, and also regardless of how we happen to feel on any given day. A marriage can only survive if the partners trust that – so far as is humanly possible – those promises will be kept. We have to believe that our spouse means to love us at our least lovable; to care for us in our weakness; to be loyal and discreet about our failures; to be for us even when we are against ourselves. Without that trust – in their words becoming motivations, attitudes and deeds – we cannot fully give ourselves to the relationship, but always hold back in self-defence. My trustworthiness is the gift I give to my husband, so that he knows my word is true, and can rest in it.

As followers of Jesus, we have also made promises before God – to enthrone Christ as Lord of our lives, to hold ourselves in readiness to serve him, to hold all his gifts to us on an open hand and continually offer them up to him to be used as he pleases for his purposes. We do not bargain with God when we become believers – we are not earning favour or salvation by our own love and service – but the magnitude of Christ’s saving work calls forth a response of whole-hearted dedication of our whole selves to him, and in our fervour we sing that he is all we need or desire in the world…. And then he offers us the opportunity to prove that our words were more than empty air, but represented the deepest truth about ourselves, and so often we hesitate.

What does that hesitation say about our trust in God? I think it says that we have a very low estimation of our Father’s abilities or desire to do what he promised. The bible is full of people who doubted God and tried to hold onto things, to manipulate situations in order to protect themselves and get their own preferred escape from trouble. How we struggle to believe that the dark valleys are necessary, are truly God’s path for us. How we rage against the loss of those things dearest to us, as if God were simply mean and liked to make us sad.

Friends, I am facing the end of a chapter in my life which has brought wonderful joys – good things for which I have thanked God over and over again. And now He asks me to relinquish these good things, to trust him for an unknown future, and to do this in such a way that He will be glorified in my life and witness. As I thought about this, I have been reminded of the words of saints of old. I have been rebuked and challenged by them to seek the grace of relinquishment for the sake of Christ, to follow cheerfully where He calls me. May God enable me to obey with readiness, thanksgiving and a spirit of trusting gladness, as I lay this place, this community and all the joy it represents on the altar as my sacrifice of praise.

Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life my all.

(Isaac Watts, 1674-1748)

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.

(Jim Elliott  1927-1956)

If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for him.

(CT Studd 1860-1931)

I travel in safety..

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On the day the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire… Whenever the the cloud lifted.. the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped… Whether by day or night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out.

(Num 9.15,17-18,22)

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

(Ps 3.3)

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favour as with a shield.

(Ps 5.11)

Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her; purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the Lord. For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

(Isa 52.11&12)

One of the most powerful images to describe our lives as believers in Jesus, is that of pilgrimage – a journey towards a goal, sometimes in company with like-minded travellers and sometimes alone but always with purpose. The famous book “Pilgrim’s Progress”, written by John Bunyan, is an exposition of our lives as we travel from unbelief to faith and finally to glory, exploring the various trials and challenges we may face along the way. Although the style may seem dated, the subject matter and the truth it describes remain relevant for us today.

We are travellers – either towards home with God in glory; or towards some God-less existence in an eternal self-determined exile. We are travellers going with different speeds, facing different challenges and succumbing to different weaknesses, sometimes we even stop moving, but the path remains, and the call to keep walking along it.

The words quoted from Isaiah are a call to respond to the saving work of God’s great anointed Servant, our Lord Jesus, in repentance (a coming ‘out’ from the world’s way of doing things) and in obedient pilgrimage to our eternal home and heritage as God’s people. The language is a deliberate echoing of the Exodus experience of the people of Israel, reminding Isaiah’s hearers of that journey by faith through troubles and trials, when God was ever present with them to lead and provide. However it also echoes the language of priesthood, calling us to let God’s word purify us as we go, continually letting go of those things which remain of sinfulness in thought, word and deed. An additional motivation to become purer as we travel, comes in the reminder that we now bear the holy things of God as his priests – his voice in the world, those who live for him before other people. We carry the Holy Spirit, we are the bearers of the good news of Jesus, it is for us to live in ways that honour God’s name since it is now our name too.

It is a lot to remember each day as we get out of bed, and it is a huge challenge as we are well aware of our own weakness, and the hostility of the world to the gospel that we bear. But, as we go, we are also assured of God’s presence with and protection of us – those who bear his name and who love him with true sincerity of heart are also under his special care. We are not running in terror of our lives, but walking calmly, committed to holiness and obedience and at peace because God – the Creator, the Sovereign God Almighty is our leader and our guard.

These words were given to me this week by a good friend, and I share them with you as the basis for prayer:-

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me.

Almighty God, thank you for calling us into pilgrimage from darkness to light, from grief to glory in your house.  Let us live as pilgrims in fellowship, in service, in faith and in readiness to move or stay as you direct.

Thank you for your protection over us, your presence with us and the confidence we can have in you as we look to you each day for what we must do.

As we travel let us go in faith, leaving those we love in Christ’s hands, putting our own hand into His as our guide; and looking to find the work He has prepared for us to do by the strength we receive from His indwelling spirit. In the name and for the sake of Jesus our Lord, Amen.

Actively waiting…

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Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. he does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

 (Isa 40. 27-31)

As you live this new life, we pray that you will be strengthened from God’s boundless resources, so that you will find yourselves able to pass through any experience and endure it with joy. You will even be able to thank God in the midst of pain and distress because you are privileged to share the lot of those who are living in the light. For we must never forget that he rescued us from the power of darkness, and re-established us in the kingdom of his beloved Son. For it is by his Son alone that we have been redeemed and have had our sins forgiven.

(Col 1.11-14; JB Phillips paraphrase)

Waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one’s thoughts.

(Elisabeth Elliott)

As servants of our Lord Jesus, in one sense we are always ‘waiting’ on the Lord, because each day brings new opportunities to meet and serve him – in his people, in the tasks to which we are called, in appreciating all the good things he gives us. In another sense, we have seasons of waiting – perhaps for the arrival of a child, the outcome of a medical procedure, the termination of a time of testing at work, the occasions when decisions have to be taken about employment, retirement, choosing a house or a spouse. There are always things which we would like to have decided NOW, when God asks us to be patient, and to trust him as we wait for clarity, direction and decisions – the latter often lie in other hands and we are thus spared the temptation to fiddle with the process and accelerate it for ourselves! And ultimately, we are all waiting for the return of the Lord and the full inauguration of his kingdom, with the creation of new heavens and earth and his rule of justice, righteousness and peace.

What do we do in our waiting time? How do we deal with uncertainty and the challenges of day-to-day living when big questions seem to shake our foundations and make planning for the future so difficult?

The answer surely lies in the fact that we trust in a sovereign, good and gracious God – in other words, we accept that we cannot control or know the future, but that we are loved by the one who does! So we also accept that uncertainty is a prompt to faith, to cling to God’s word and promises, and to trust that his timing is perfect.

There are many questions to which I would like answers now, quite valid ones! But I must wait on the Lord’s timing, and in the meantime, I have a choice to make about my attitude to what is going on. If I choose trust, then I am proclaiming God’s sovereignty over my life, and my glad submission to his will. If I choose trust, then I can be busy each day with the tasks which are immediately to hand – I can look to serve his kingdom with the freedom and resources I have today. If I choose trust, then each day I am waiting on the Lord to do his will, and I will be strengthened to do so, to be about my Father’s business, and also surely also be in the best place to receive his guidance and direction for the future.

Friends, let us pray for one another, for this wisdom.

Eternal Father, and sovereign Lord of our lives, grant us we pray the wisdom to wait upon you each day in faith and trust. Your plans for us are perfect, and you have work for us to do each day which will build your kingdom. Help us to leave the unanswered questions to your time and answer, to be about your business and not to fret over a future which is not ours to dictate or forsee.

As we wait on you each day, may we find strength for the tasks at hand, and also for the waiting, for the offering up of the questions as often as they arise, for the deliberate choice to trust you in all things. Be glorified in us we pray, through Jesus our Lord who most perfectly waited on you through all his days, Amen.