Every year at 3pm on the 25th of December our family put down the presents and turn on the radio to listen to the queen's speech, and wow this year we were blown away - the usual words of celebration of the year gone by, commending national achievements and encouraging persistence were seasoned this year with more than a mere cursory glance towards the meaning of christmas. Instead of drawing the focus down on the problems of our nation and the world, the queen preached the gospel, lifting eyes and hearts towards the only perfect solution to our struggles - Jesus Christ our Lord, Redeemer, Saviour and King. Whatever your views on the royal family are - it was awesome to hear a voice of authority in tune with God's heart and speaking his message. Have a look at these extracts:
Finding hope in adversity is one of the themes of Christmas. Jesus was born into a world full of fear. The angels came to frightened shepherds with hope in their voices: 'Fear not', they urged, 'we bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
'For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.'
Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves - from our recklessness or our greed.
God sent into the world a unique person - neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.
Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God's love.
In the last verse of this beautiful carol, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, there's a prayer:
O Holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us we pray.
Cast out our sin
And enter in.
Be born in us today.
It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord.
Thursday, 29 December 2011
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
to Bethlehem via the Cotswolds
The journey to Bethlehem was long and challenging. Each night finding a safe, dry place to sleep, each day trudging the sometimes dangerous and slippery paths. Joseph took a heavily pregnant Mary to the town of his ancestors, but there was no hospital, no hotel, not even a home prepared to welcome this small family. The whole world oblivious to the saviour's arrival.
This advent, a knitted nativity beautifully made by a friend of mine has travelled the homes of Ashby and occasionally further afield. Different children have taken it home each night, and families have talked together about what the journey was like for Mary and Joseph, and what is like today for those who also do not have a safe place to sleep at night. They have thought about the marvellous hope that is presented at Christmas and prayed together that Jesus would be welcome here in our hearts, our families, our communities and our nation.
Do not despise the day of small beginnings - Jesus came into the world as a little baby, he welcomes little children to him. Sometimes there is a journey that has to be travelled before the promises are fulfilled, but don't despise the journey - it could be the start of something amazing.
This advent, a knitted nativity beautifully made by a friend of mine has travelled the homes of Ashby and occasionally further afield. Different children have taken it home each night, and families have talked together about what the journey was like for Mary and Joseph, and what is like today for those who also do not have a safe place to sleep at night. They have thought about the marvellous hope that is presented at Christmas and prayed together that Jesus would be welcome here in our hearts, our families, our communities and our nation.
Do not despise the day of small beginnings - Jesus came into the world as a little baby, he welcomes little children to him. Sometimes there is a journey that has to be travelled before the promises are fulfilled, but don't despise the journey - it could be the start of something amazing.
Sunday, 11 December 2011
Communion thought
This was mentioned this morning in church as we shared communion together and really resonated with me. Maybe it's obvious but I wanted to share it! When we come to communion what are we supposed to be concentrating on?
Luke 22:19
This is my body broken for you. Do this to remember me.
that means we're not supposed to be remembering our sins, listing our failures and feeling condemned. No, we're supposed to be remembering Christ, keeping our eyes and mind fixed on him. His grace has already dealt with our sin, separated it from us as far as east from west. How awesome is our saviour - how great is his love and mercy. We don't live in condemnation anymore!
Luke 22:19
This is my body broken for you. Do this to remember me.
that means we're not supposed to be remembering our sins, listing our failures and feeling condemned. No, we're supposed to be remembering Christ, keeping our eyes and mind fixed on him. His grace has already dealt with our sin, separated it from us as far as east from west. How awesome is our saviour - how great is his love and mercy. We don't live in condemnation anymore!
Monday, 5 December 2011
Guilt free living
Here's a piece of wisdom from the breadmaker...
I know this - the question is do I live it? The answer if I'm honest is no - I don't. At lot of motivation for my actions comes out of guilt rather than out of love. I feel guilty that no-one has done the washing up...so I go and tackle the pile. Or I feel guilty that I've not worked hard enough on an assignment...so I resolve to try harder next time. Or I feel guilty that I've let someone down...so I buy them flowers. This does not mean that it is wrong to wash-up, work hard or buy flowers! The issue is rather the contract mentality which we apply to everything, and that we see our actions (or lack of action) as a breach of that contract resulting in a feeling of guilt. To become a christian is to become a child of God, a joint heir with Christ of all the riches of God's kingdom. And no good parent child relationship is based on guilt. Guilt makes us feel like constant inadequate failures where as love and discipline together builds character and creates secure Christians who are able to be more than conquorers through Christ! Next time you feel guilty that you've let God down, ask him to show you how his perspective and allow his grace to transform you. Rejoice that we don't live in a contract with God anymore - we are part of the family :)
I know this - the question is do I live it? The answer if I'm honest is no - I don't. At lot of motivation for my actions comes out of guilt rather than out of love. I feel guilty that no-one has done the washing up...so I go and tackle the pile. Or I feel guilty that I've not worked hard enough on an assignment...so I resolve to try harder next time. Or I feel guilty that I've let someone down...so I buy them flowers. This does not mean that it is wrong to wash-up, work hard or buy flowers! The issue is rather the contract mentality which we apply to everything, and that we see our actions (or lack of action) as a breach of that contract resulting in a feeling of guilt. To become a christian is to become a child of God, a joint heir with Christ of all the riches of God's kingdom. And no good parent child relationship is based on guilt. Guilt makes us feel like constant inadequate failures where as love and discipline together builds character and creates secure Christians who are able to be more than conquorers through Christ! Next time you feel guilty that you've let God down, ask him to show you how his perspective and allow his grace to transform you. Rejoice that we don't live in a contract with God anymore - we are part of the family :)
Sunday, 4 December 2011
The best of times, the worst of times...
So begins A Tale of Two Cities, (and if you thought me educated for quoting Dickens then I feel duty bound to inform you that despite several atempts I have never actually finished reading the book)
Why is it that often good times and bad times go hand in hand?A verse in proverbs says 'even in laughter the heart may ache.' I can start a week on top of the world and end it thoroughly miserable or visa versa. Is it that in the good times, we come under attack from satan who comes to steal, kill and destroy? Or is it that sometimes in the most challenging times of life we rely on our heavenly father more and experience more of his abundant blessing in our lives? Maybe it is not that the situations change but my attitude towards them changes. The other day I burnt a bagel and then in my atempt to open the window to avoid setting off the fire alarm I knocked over and smashed a glass vase. Looking back it was pretty comical, but at the time seemed like a chain of events out to upset me - and I reacted with tears. The truth was my reaction to the situation was detemined by the fact I was feeling miserable inside and who we are on the inside affects our behaviour on the outside. A few years back, the what would Jesus do (WWJD) wrist bands were all the rage, and it is a good thing to ask ourselves the question when we face challenging situations, but it is also important to remember that as Christians we have Jesus living in our hearts, and we have his Spirit speaking into our lives. We need to learn to tune our hearts and ears into his voice.
Why is it that often good times and bad times go hand in hand?A verse in proverbs says 'even in laughter the heart may ache.' I can start a week on top of the world and end it thoroughly miserable or visa versa. Is it that in the good times, we come under attack from satan who comes to steal, kill and destroy? Or is it that sometimes in the most challenging times of life we rely on our heavenly father more and experience more of his abundant blessing in our lives? Maybe it is not that the situations change but my attitude towards them changes. The other day I burnt a bagel and then in my atempt to open the window to avoid setting off the fire alarm I knocked over and smashed a glass vase. Looking back it was pretty comical, but at the time seemed like a chain of events out to upset me - and I reacted with tears. The truth was my reaction to the situation was detemined by the fact I was feeling miserable inside and who we are on the inside affects our behaviour on the outside. A few years back, the what would Jesus do (WWJD) wrist bands were all the rage, and it is a good thing to ask ourselves the question when we face challenging situations, but it is also important to remember that as Christians we have Jesus living in our hearts, and we have his Spirit speaking into our lives. We need to learn to tune our hearts and ears into his voice.
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Friends
What I find hardest about moving to a new place, is that it takes time to build good friendships, and it hurts to be separated from the friends you already have a depth of relationship with. Of course in time, friendship develops and I am thankful for all of the friends I now have in this country and around the world, who have shared their life with me for a time, and as a result have impacted my life.
Depth of relationship is a precious thing, to be able to talk with a friend and know what they will say before it is said - but listen anyway, to walk for an hour in silence without anything being wrong, to share the closest hopes and dreams and trust they will be taken seriously, to cry about the small things without feeling judged, to laugh until you can't remember why you started laughing, to turn up for tea in scruffy clothes and not feel awkward. To love and to be loved.
It's not easy to get to this point, some friendships naturally develop depth more quickly others take years.
However, depth of relationship only comes with time and effort, and if you have this level of friendship with someone cherish it, nurture it, protect it. If not, well take some advice from Winnie the Pooh, 'You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.'
"Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than brothers."
- Proverbs 18:24
Depth of relationship is a precious thing, to be able to talk with a friend and know what they will say before it is said - but listen anyway, to walk for an hour in silence without anything being wrong, to share the closest hopes and dreams and trust they will be taken seriously, to cry about the small things without feeling judged, to laugh until you can't remember why you started laughing, to turn up for tea in scruffy clothes and not feel awkward. To love and to be loved.
It's not easy to get to this point, some friendships naturally develop depth more quickly others take years.
However, depth of relationship only comes with time and effort, and if you have this level of friendship with someone cherish it, nurture it, protect it. If not, well take some advice from Winnie the Pooh, 'You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.'
"Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than brothers."
- Proverbs 18:24
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Truth and Unity
I feel like God has taken a marker pen and scrawled two words across my heart, TRUTH and UNITY, and I am on what seems a difficult search to find them in churches.
Church A is dead church, they do lots but believe little. Nothing changes, year in, year out. The faithful attending congregation gets older and smaller as time passes. Church is based around social activities which seem like a good idea but are gradually squashing God out of the picture. God doesn't speak today, he certainly doesn't heal today, and people who say they have spiritual giftings are definitely deluded.
Church B is crazy church, 'we are spirit-led' says the sign outside. Led by what spirit you wonder on walking inside, these people are weird. Rocking backwards and forwards, crying, speaking in funny voices. 'We'll skip the bible reading again today', says the preacher - I think God has something else planned. People come and get caught up in the emotion, but without hearing God's good news they remain unchanged and eventually swap church for the next craze...no-one notices they've gone.
Church C is compromise church. Out to fit into the world they have compromised the core values of God's kingdom. They tone down God's awesome grace and power to make it more user friendly. They water down the gospel message, and avoid whole chunks of the word.
Where is the truth? Now these are perhaps extremes but it seems many churches contain elements of one or more of the above, though perhaps unintentionally. In every church I have visited or been part of I have found people are friendly, in each church the leaders are committed to seeking God's will for their church, they spend time each day in prayer and worship, they want to see God's kingdom come. Yet, there seem to be many different teachings (mostly backed up with bible verses) and many different views on how church should work. More and more church groups spring up - each dissatisfied with the attempts of others at church and often very vocal about this. Jesus prayed that the church would be one - yet the further we move from the day he returned to heaven the less unified the church appears. This is not to say that we should appear identical or that new churches shouldn't be started, but perhaps we should spend less time in petty squabbles between churches.
Church should be simple, I don't care what style of music you sing to, or even if you don't sing at all as long as it's worship (of God... not the church denomination or pastor) church is about family, brothers and sisters in Christ, and about growing the family...reaching the lost and pointing to Jesus. Finally church is about being the voice of Christ in the world, his hands and his feet. How can we do this without effectively without desiring to put down deep roots into God's word to know his heart?
I long for Christians to be people who seek the truth, people who take their primary teaching from the word of God, and in this society of broken families I long to see the church as one united family.
Acts 2: 43-47 'Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.'
Church A is dead church, they do lots but believe little. Nothing changes, year in, year out. The faithful attending congregation gets older and smaller as time passes. Church is based around social activities which seem like a good idea but are gradually squashing God out of the picture. God doesn't speak today, he certainly doesn't heal today, and people who say they have spiritual giftings are definitely deluded.
Church B is crazy church, 'we are spirit-led' says the sign outside. Led by what spirit you wonder on walking inside, these people are weird. Rocking backwards and forwards, crying, speaking in funny voices. 'We'll skip the bible reading again today', says the preacher - I think God has something else planned. People come and get caught up in the emotion, but without hearing God's good news they remain unchanged and eventually swap church for the next craze...no-one notices they've gone.
Church C is compromise church. Out to fit into the world they have compromised the core values of God's kingdom. They tone down God's awesome grace and power to make it more user friendly. They water down the gospel message, and avoid whole chunks of the word.
Where is the truth? Now these are perhaps extremes but it seems many churches contain elements of one or more of the above, though perhaps unintentionally. In every church I have visited or been part of I have found people are friendly, in each church the leaders are committed to seeking God's will for their church, they spend time each day in prayer and worship, they want to see God's kingdom come. Yet, there seem to be many different teachings (mostly backed up with bible verses) and many different views on how church should work. More and more church groups spring up - each dissatisfied with the attempts of others at church and often very vocal about this. Jesus prayed that the church would be one - yet the further we move from the day he returned to heaven the less unified the church appears. This is not to say that we should appear identical or that new churches shouldn't be started, but perhaps we should spend less time in petty squabbles between churches.
Church should be simple, I don't care what style of music you sing to, or even if you don't sing at all as long as it's worship (of God... not the church denomination or pastor) church is about family, brothers and sisters in Christ, and about growing the family...reaching the lost and pointing to Jesus. Finally church is about being the voice of Christ in the world, his hands and his feet. How can we do this without effectively without desiring to put down deep roots into God's word to know his heart?
I long for Christians to be people who seek the truth, people who take their primary teaching from the word of God, and in this society of broken families I long to see the church as one united family.
Acts 2: 43-47 'Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.'
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