Love and Hope

•November 20, 2012 • Leave a Comment

Greetings to the Seven Churches

4 From John to the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace be yours from God, who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits in front of his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first to be raised from death and who is also the ruler of the kings of the world.

He loves us, and by his sacrificial death he has freed us from our sins 6 and made us a kingdom of priests to serve his God and Father. To Jesus Christ be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

7 Look, he is coming on the clouds! Everyone will see him, including those who pierced him. All peoples on earth will mourn over him. So shall it be!

8 “I am the first and the last,” says the Lord God Almighty, who is, who was, and who is to come.

The Book of Revelation is written to seven churches, at a time when Christians were being persecuted.  The author wants to give the readers hope – and to encourage them to remain faithful.

At its most fundamental it reminds us that God loves us – and because he loves us has freed us from our sins.

How is that for you?  How good are you at loving?  Not just doing the loving , but allowing yourself to be loved?  Can you be vulnerable to let others in? To touch your life and show you how precious you are?  Do you know God’s love?  Have you felt it?  Will you allow him to wrap you in his arms and love you to bits?

Is part of our struggle to allow ourselves to be loved, because we are aware of how many things we have got wrong?  Does that get in the way, or make us feel we are not worth loving?

God wants each one of us to know that he loves us dearly, whoever we are, whatever has happened in our lives.  He sees us and loves us so much he wants to free us from all that holds us – how much greater love can there be than that?

The result of God having done that, we are told, is to make us a kingdom of priests.

Do you feel that there is nothing you can do?  Do you feel useless?

Not so, says God.  Because those he loves and frees, he also calls.  You are part of the kingdom of priests to serve God.  A priest is someone set apart to live for God.  We think about it usually in terms of those ordained to a particular role, but Methodists believe wholeheartedly in the Priesthood of all Believers.  Each and every one of us has a part to play in being part of God’s church and living in his ways.

And why? To God’s glory.  All of God’s works are to show the way to him.  In us, through us, with us – pointing the way to him.

Thank you God

for the depth of your love for me,

for seeing beyond the things I have got wrong,

taking their hold over me,

and wanting to use me,

even me,

for your work.

Posted in bible, God, Lectionary, Religion
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Final Words

•November 19, 2012 • Leave a Comment

If someone were describing you, what would they say?  If they were talking about how you have fulfilled your purpose in life, would they think you had succeeded or not?

2 Samuel 23:1-7

David’s Last Words

23 These are the last words
of David the son of Jesse.
The God of Jacob chose David
and made him a great king.
The Mighty God of Israel
loved him.
When God told him to speak,
David said:
2 The Spirit of the Lord
has told me what to say.
3 Our Mighty Rock,
the God of Jacob, told me,
“A ruler who obeys God
and does right
4 is like the sunrise
on a cloudless day,


or like rain that sparkles
on the grass.”

5 I have ruled this way,
and God will never break
his promise to me.
God’s promise is complete
and unchanging;
he will always help me
and give me what I hope for.
6 But evil people are pulled up
like thornbushes.
They are not dug up by hand,
7 but with a sharp spear
and are burned on the spot.

David had been chosen by God to be king.  He was not the one the people expected to be chosen, but he was the one God wanted.

These are his last words.  I wonder if you could plan your last words, what they would be?

Would you have a final message to pass on to loved ones? A final thought of what you thought was important?  I’m sure I’d probably be leaving instructions on how things should be done when I wasn’t around!

David manages to include both a self-assessment and a reminder of God’s promises.

He genuinely believes that he has done what God asked of him, that he has done the task asked of him in the way God wanted.  How great it would be to be able to say that!

But he also points to that God:

  • He will never break his promise
  • his promise is complete
  • he will always help me

That is what David has learned about God during his life and his reign, and he gives the glory and recognition for all he has accomplished to God who has worked in and through him.

I think maybe that would be a better last word from me…

Lord,

I thank you for all you have done in my life,

all that you have achieved in and through me.

As I reflect on my life,

may I see your hand,

your promises fulfilled,

your help in my struggle,

and point all the glory to you

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Sign of the Times

•November 15, 2012 • Leave a Comment

We’re impatient.  We want to know when something is going to happen.  We want to plan and prepare.

Jesus’ disciples want to know when the destruction that Jesus has spoken about will happen.

Mark 13:1-8

The Temple Will Be Destroyed

13 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at these beautiful stones and wonderful buildings!”

2 Jesus replied, “Do you see these huge buildings? They will certainly be torn down! Not one stone will be left in place.”

Warning about Trouble

3 Later, as Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives across from the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him in private. 4 They asked, “When will these things happen? What will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

5 Jesus answered:

Watch out and don’t let anyone fool you! 6 Many will come and claim to be me. They will use my name and fool many people.

7 When you hear about wars and threats of wars, don’t be afraid. These things will have to happen first, but that isn’t the end. 8 Nations and kingdoms will go to war against each other. There will be earthquakes in many places, and people will starve to death. But this is just the beginning of troubles.

They need to know.  What are they to look out for?  How will they know it is happening?

There are always those who will tell us that, “The end of the world is nigh”.  People who look at what is happening around and say surely this must be the time.  But Jesus quite clearly tells his disciples that it is not that easy to tell.  We will not know when the end is coming – and we mustn’t let anyone fool us into thinking that they do know.

What is important is to make sure that we are ready.  Not to spend out time speculating on whether this is it or not, but to make sure we are ready today.  We never know what is going to happen in our lives any day, we do not know when our personal last day might be.

  • Are you ready to meet God?
  • What might you need to do to be ready?

Oh Lord,

you know that I like to know,

I want details,

specifics.

Help me to trust you

with the bigger picture;

but also to be ready

for what you are going to do

in me today.

Posted in bible, God, Jesus, Lectionary, Religion
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