Give Me Strength

•March 8, 2014 • Leave a Comment

By Tim Evanson

What would your last words to someone be?  What advice would you give them? What would you long to say whilst you could?  What encouragement would you give?
These are Paul’s parting words to the Romans.  He has written a lot to them, but this is what he leaves them with:

Romans 16:17-27 (CEV)

17 My friends, I beg you to watch out for anyone who causes trouble and divides the church by refusing to do what all of you were taught. Stay away from them! 18 They want to serve themselves and not Christ the Lord. Their flattery and fancy talk fool people who don’t know any better. 19 I am glad that everyone knows how well you obey the Lord. But still, I want you to understand what is good and not have anything to do with evil. 20 Then God, who gives peace, will soon crush Satan under your feet. I pray that our Lord Jesus will be kind to you.

21 Timothy, who works with me, sends his greetings, and so do my relatives, Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater.

22 I, Tertius, also send my greetings. I am a follower of the Lord, and I wrote this letter.

23-24 Gaius welcomes me and the whole church into his home, and he sends his greetings.

Erastus, the city treasurer, and our dear friend Quartus send their greetings too.

Paul’s Closing Prayer

25 Praise God! He can make you strong by means of my good news, which is the message about Jesus Christ. For ages and ages this message was kept secret, 26 but now at last it has been told. The eternal God commanded his prophets to write about the good news, so that all nations would obey and have faith. 27 And now, because of Jesus Christ, we can praise the only wise God forever! Amen.

He warns them to beware of troublemakers, those who purposely put obstacles in the way and make life difficult.  For such people, it’s all about them and not about God, they want the attention – but they talk a good talk, and so a discerning ear is needed.  And a choice – between what is good and what is harmful.

That’s a choice for us all.  Are we swayed by those who have plenty of noise and bluster, but who are ultimately not rooted in God and what he asks?  Or are we wise to it, and able still to hear God’s voice?  Even worse, am I one of those people who causes divisions and wants everything my way, without necessarily thinking about what God wants?

But Paul’s final word, is a word of hope,

God can make you strong

when we waver, when we lose focus, when we are unsure of ourselves or of which is God’s way, he makes us strong.  When we realise we may have got it wrong and don’t know how we can turn things around, God can make us strong.  On our Lenten journey of wilderness, of self-examination, of time with God,

He will make us strong

Lord,
often I am weak,
unsure,
unclear;
I find it hard to hear you clearly.

Sometimes I want everything my way,
the way I like it,
the way I’m used to,
and I don’t always think about what you want.

Lord,
give me strength,
your strength,
to know the right way,
and do the right thing.

May I rely entirely on you

You Alone are my Strength

Posted in bible, faith, God, hope, Jesus, Lectionary, lent, Religion, theology
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Those Who Weep

•March 7, 2014 • Leave a Comment

A little belatedly, I’m starting my lent series.  I’m going to be following the daily lectionary readings, rather than the Sunday ones I normally cover, and reflecting on them here.  I shall also use the titles used in the Methodist Prayer Handbook, because they seem helpful for the Lenten journey.

Just for today  I am going to use the set Psalm, whilst Paul begins to wrap up his final farewells in Romans.

Psalm 126 (CEV)

(A song for worship.)

Celebrating the Harvest

126 It seemed like a dream
when the Lord brought us back
    to the city of Zion.
2 We celebrated with laughter
    and joyful songs.
In foreign nations it was said,
    “The Lord has worked miracles
    for his people.”
3 And so we celebrated
    because the Lord had indeed
    worked miracles for us.

4 Our Lord, we ask you to bless
    our people again,
    and let us be like streams
    in the Southern Desert.
5 We cried as we went out
    to plant our seeds.
    Now let us celebrate
    as we bring in the crops.
6 We cried on the way
    to plant our seeds,
    but we will celebrate and shout
    as we bring in the crops.

At first glimpse, this seems an odd song for the beginning of Lent, it’s a song more of returning than of going into the desert, a song of praise and celebration than of sorrow; but perhaps it is the glimpse of hope we need.

And perhaps a significant part is in those who cry as they plant their seeds.

Tears of sorrow,
tears of frustration,
tears of pain,
tears of anger,
tears of desertion

Lord,
let my tears flow,
as a realisation,
a cleansing,
a sorrow.

Perhaps
as I enter Lent,
a wilderness,
time alone with you,
I can weep
for how far I am,
how dry and parched my life,
how in need of life
and refreshment.

In tears of honesty,
of acknowledgement,
of healing

May I find
life,
hope,
strength,
joy
and peace
in and through you

that I may return
knowing,
loving,
celebrating,
living
as you,
and only you
bring me back

And then
I will be equipped to sow
for you

All Those Who Are Weeping

Posted in bible, faith, God, hope, Lectionary, lent, Religion, theology
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Standing in the Way

•March 6, 2014 • 2 Comments

It can be amazing the influence one person can have on someone else’s life.   Someone can be saved from themselves, or led entirely astray by one persons actions in their life.

Romans 5:12-19 (CEV)

Adam and Christ

12 Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die. 13 Sin was in the world before the Law came. But no record of sin was kept, because there was no Law. 14 Yet death still had power over all who lived from the time of Adam to the time of Moses. This happened, though not everyone disobeyed a direct command from God, as Adam did.

In some ways Adam is like Christ who came later. 15 But the gift that God was kind enough to give was very different from Adam’s sin. That one sin brought death to many others. Yet in an even greater way, Jesus Christ alone brought God’s gift of kindness to many people.

16 There is a lot of difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gift. That one sin led to punishment. But God’s gift made it possible for us to be acceptable to him, even though we have sinned many times. 17 Death ruled like a king because Adam had sinned. But that cannot compare with what Jesus Christ has done. God has been so kind to us, and he has accepted us because of Jesus. And so we will live and rule like kings.

18 Everyone was going to be punished because Adam sinned. But because of the good thing that Christ has done, God accepts us and gives us the gift of life. 19 Adam disobeyed God and caused many others to be sinners. But Jesus obeyed him and will make many people acceptable to God.

If we look at all the things we have got wrong, collectively and individually, then it would be fair to say that humanity is going to the dogs – or perhaps more appropriately going to hell in a handcart.  Basically and fundamentally, we are stuffed, in trouble.  As we read the action of one man and one woman, we see human beings stepping away from God’s intention and making the world something it was never meant to be – including going against God’s instructions.

God tried again to show his people what he wanted of them, the best ways to live – and that didn’t go any better.  Still people thought that it didn’t matter or that they knew better.  Some people got it, but generally, it was all going very wrong.

The actions of one man (and one woman), brought to the world the possibility of sin, disobeying God, and from that moment on every person who followed seized on it.

The total opposite of this was Jesus.  He was the one person who has ever managed to live out God’s instructions, because he understands them from the inside, he was part of their making.  He came to reverse what Adam did.  As Adam alone opened up the possibilities of evil, Jesus alone came to do away with the consequences.

We continue to get many things wrong, but Jesus continues to deal with that.  Jesus brings life and forgiveness to all who realise where they are and what they have done, and turn to him.  As Adam’s obedience made humanity unacceptable, so Jesus’ obedience makes us acceptable again.

This is quite complex to get our heads around (well mine anyway), but the bottom line is, Jesus brings the possibility of everything being OK.  He is making everything alright with God for us.  Like someone who comes along and pays a bill we can’t afford, or points us to the right road when we are lost.  Basically Jesus saves us – from ourselves, from our actions, when we get caught up in other people’s behaviour; he stands before God with us and vouches for us.  He gets rid of the things that stand in our way, if only we will let him.

Lord,
I have got so much wrong.

But I thank you
that Jesus got everything right.

Thank you
that can make a difference in my life,
that because of him
you accept me.

I come asking for forgiveness
and seeking your life,
for I know
that is the only way to live

And that makes me want to sing of such wonderful love

Posted in bible, faith, God, Jesus, Lectionary, lent, Religion, theology
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