Making the world a brighter place

•August 17, 2010 • Leave a Comment

The Christmas catalogues have started dropping through the door…

It is so easy to get caught up in what we want, or think we need.  To find yourself spend, spend, spending to create the “perfect” experience or locate the “perfect” gift.

But perhaps we are looking in the wrong place.  Isaiah reminds us that in feeding the hungry and helping those in trouble, light will shine from the darkness, and the dark around will be as bright as noon. I can’t quite decide from the gist of reading whether the brightness comes to our world, or that of the recipient.  But then I decided – both!  Yes the one who’s life is helped will be brightened, but so will we.  There is happiness in giving – how much more so in helping.  And how much brighter the world in general if there is more giving, helping and sharing.

The brightness is not a glow of self-satisfaction or righteousness, but brightness in our own lives that comes from doing what God asks.

If we think of others and their needs before our own wants, we will end oppression and be too caught up in caring to point the finger or spread rumours.  We will be too busy being angry about the things that are wrong in the world to waste that anger on trivialities.

To give is to be a builder.  Houses that have been in ruins for years can be rebuilt.  Places of destruction and desolation can be made new again – and we can be part of that.

That is what Jesus did. Here was a woman in need.  There are so many reasons why Jesus could have done nothing.  Jesus no doubt had lots to do; he was busy teaching; it was the Sabbath.  This woman had been ill for 18 years, perhaps she was beyond help, it certainly wouldn’t matter if Jesus waited one more day until the Sabbath was over – after all one of Isaiah’s criteria for doing the right thing was honouring the Sabbath…

But Jesus is concerned about restoration, about bringing new life to places of devastation, he is about giving and not taking, and bringing the brightness of God’s presence to the world.  He gives her freedom from her illness.  He is accused of hypocrisy, but Jesus shows them how to really honour the Sabbath.  He does what he can, he gives what he has to offer.  He makes her life a brighter place, and he makes the world a brighter place by showing others what they can do too.

I was absolutely gobsmacked to discover that a prosthesis for a leprosy sufferer can be bought for just £10!  Just £10!  Why aren’t we all putting one on our Christmas lists to make someone else’s world brighter?  MRDF has a selection of Extraordinary Gifts too.  Just £9 can buy a goat that will provide an income for years.

Do we really need more “things”?  I know I don’t!

So how about bringing brightness into the darkness.  What can we do today to make the world a brighter place?

Posted in Lectionary, life
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Nowhere and nothing

•August 10, 2010 • Leave a Comment

Google street view is absolutely amazing.     It is fascinating to be able to look at all kinds of places without being there.  You can find houses – we’ve checked out all the ones we’ve lived in, places of interest, possible holiday locations.  Google streetview is all seeing – as long as the car has been down that road of course!

Jeremiah reminds us that God is everywhere, there is nowhere we can hide that he doesn’t see us.

Now as far as I can see, this is a double-edged sword.  It is at the same time both fantastic – and rather scary.

God is everywhere.  There is nowhere we can go that he isn’t.  Ergo God is always with us.  No situation is beyond him.  Wherever we go, God is there.  Whatever happens to us, God is there.  In doctors waiting rooms, in solicitors offices, in job centres, in a war zone, in the food queue – God is there.  On mountain tops, in valley bottoms and on the undulating path in between – God is there.  In times of joy, success and all going well – God is there.  In times of despair, hopelessness and injury – God is there.  Nothing is beyond him.

That is so comforting, so encouraging – and also so challenging.

Because if God is always there, he knows exactly what we are doing.  He knows when we’re doing the right thing… and he knows when we’re doing the wrong thing.

The challenge of Hebrews is that we are to rid ourselves of the sin that slows us down, that stops us being what and who God has called us to be.  We acknowledge that sometimes we get things wrong.  We do not live up to God’s holy standards.  He knows that, and is still with us and wants us to be with him.

If we are worried by some of the things God might see us doing, perhaps its time to stop them.  I have been known to say to my sons, “would your mum be proud of you if she knew you were doing it?”.  That can be a sobering thought – I hope!  How much more sobering to ask ourselves, “Would God be proud of me if he knew I were doing this?” – because he does.  He knows everything we do.

So what should we keep doing, and what should be nailed to the cross, dispensed with?  Because God forgives the wrong things, and invites us to start again.  We do not need to leave in shame and guilt, afraid that we will be found out.  God knows what we do, and still loves us and wants us to be his people.  It is not what we have done wrong, but what we’re going to do from here on in.

Jeremiah’s final piece of advice is that those who hear God’s message should proclaim it faithfully.

This is the point where the two meet up.  We are called to be God’s presence.  So we are his presence in the places that we go.  He calls us to go to the places he needs us to be.  He sends us where other people need us, to be his arms of love and comfort; to be his ways of love and hope; to be his hands of action and help; to be his voice of challenge and justice.

God is in all those places.  Will we join him?

Posted in God, Lectionary
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Keeping the faith

•August 4, 2010 • Leave a Comment

Faith is confidence and trust in someone or something.  It is defined as a belief not based on proof – but it can be belief based on previous experience, and the previous experience of others.

God made an outrageous promise to Abram.  Not only does he promise to protect and reward him, but also that he will have a son of his own.  We know that Sarai, Abarm’s wife, is well past child-bearing age.  Abram’s chances of fatherhood are over – but not in God’s ways.

God had previously called Abram out of his own country, to a land that he would show him.  God had kept his promises to Abram before – and now he is going to do it again.  God promises, Abram believes and God is able to work.  Abram has nothing to go on than that God has kept his promises to him in the past, so he trusts what God says to him now.

The reading from Hebrews reminds us that faith makes us sure of the things we hope for and proof of what we cannot see.  That’s not the things we hope for like an ice cream or a nice day, but eternal hope.  Treasure stored in heaven.  Faith in God is what gives us the strength to go on.  We can have faith because he has kept his promises before.

Further into Hebrews 11 we are reminded of how Abram walked by faith.  He did what God asked him, however ridiculous or outrageous it seemed, and God came through on his promises.  These people had faith to keep walking towards God’s promises.

God continues to call us today.

God’s callings do not always make sense! But they can always be trusted.

When God called me to ministry it made no sense at all.  Me??  I had my life sorted.  But God called me.

When we moved into ministry we were caught up in negative equity selling our house.  This really isn’t convenient Lord!  But God called and God provided.

When I became too ill to work, what was that about?  I had been trained and developed skills, but God leads the way.  He has continued to provide and lead us in new and different ways.

Who knows what will happen next?  But I know that God is leading and we follow in faith.

When I was thinking of candidating for the ministry (for that you can read fighting with God about it!), I came across this.  I don’t know who wrote it – if you do please let me know – but it was one of the final pieces of the jigsaw, that stopped me being able to run away from God’s way, and to reach out and follow his call – by faith.

Who us?

And the Lord said, “Go!”

And we said, “Who us?”

And he said, “Yes, you”.

And we said, “But we’re not ready yet

And there’s company coming.

And we can’t leave the kids,

And you know there is no-one to take our place.”

And he said, “You’re stalling”.

Again the Lord said, “Go”.

And we said, “But we don’t want to”.

And we said, “Listen, we’re not that kind of people

To get involved so deeply, besides

Our family wouldn’t like it.

And what will the neighbours think?”

And he said, “Baloney”.

And yet a third time the Lord said, “Go!”

And we said, “Do we have to?”

And he said, “Do you love me?”

And we said, “Look, we’re scared.

People are going to reject us.

And cut us up into little pieces.

And we can’t take it all by ourselves.”

And he said, “Where do you think I’ll be?”

And the Lord said, “Go!”

And we sighed, “Here we are Lord, send us”

Each day we can have the faith to step out walking with God.  He is faithful.  He will never abandon us.  He has faith in us, can we live in faith of him?

At times we walk by faith, not by sight.  But it is not blind faith.  It is in the faith of the amazing God who has been calling and leading for generations.  We are privileged to be invited to join that walk, and receive all he has to offer us.

Where is God calling you today?  What is he calling you to?  However strange or fantastic it seems, when God calls he leads and he provides.

Posted in faith, follow, God, Lectionary
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