So Clever

•October 13, 2015 • Leave a Comment

We think we’re so clever,
know so much,
have all the answers
– or can find them.

(and sometimes we are
there are amazing discoveries
and science, at times,
is awesome
and serves us well)

But do we really know,
the depths of the truth?
Do we understand
what is really happening?
Can we grasp
how it all comes together?

Have we lost our awe,
our ability to wonder
and leave it at that?

Can we grasp
that some things
we just need to leave with God
and allow him
to work it out
in,
through,
with
and for us?

Can I accept
that some things
I will never know,
but
I can trust the God who does?

You Lord
keep it all together,
you know,
understand
and hold

may I trust
in you
and hold tight
to your goodness,
wisdom
and love.

Job 38:1-7, 34-41 (CEV)

The Lord Speaks

From Out of a Storm

38 From out of a storm,
    the Lord said to Job:
2 Why do you talk so much
    when you know so little?
3 Now get ready to face me!
Can you answer
    the questions I ask?
4 How did I lay the foundation
for the earth?
    Were you there?
5 Doubtless you know who decided
    its length and width.
6 What supports the foundation?
Who placed the cornerstone,
7     while morning stars sang,
    and angels rejoiced?

34 Can you order the clouds
    to send a downpour,
35 or will lightning flash
    at your command?
36 Did you teach birds to know
that rain or floods
    are on their way?
37 Can you count the clouds
or pour out their water
38     on the dry, lumpy soil?

39 When lions are hungry,
    do you help them hunt?
40 Do you send an animal
    into their den?
41 And when starving young ravens
cry out to me for food,
    do you satisfy their hunger?

Posted in bible, faith, God, hope, Lectionary, love, Religion, theology
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Advent and Christmas

•October 11, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Long time no blog.

Yet another family crisis (how many can there be in one year I wonder to myself!) has rather occupied my life for the last three weeks –

BUT in that time, people have been beavering away on my behalf and I am delighted and quite excited to announce (cue fanfares, streamers, glitter explosions etc…)

2015-09-14 16.04.19

I have been encouraged to produce some of the reflections from this blog into a book, and decided to start with this collection of reflections for Advent and Christmas.  They are not new, but reworked for print.

Voices for Advent and Christmas contains 24 prayers and meditations on the familiar voices of the Christmas Story, from Adam through to Rachel weeping.  It covers the traditional readings of the Nine Lessons and Carols Service, plus others through to Jesus Presentation in the Temple.

It would work as a resource for worship, or as personal reflections to prepare ourselves in this busy season.

There has been a delay at the printers, but I hope it will be available later this week.

The price is £4 plus postage (70p second class within the UK, for other prices please ask)

To order or ask more please complete the form below and I can give you details for paying and you can give me your address.  Payment can be made via paypal or by sending me a cheque.

Thanks to everyone who has encouraged and cajoled me into this 🙂  And for anyone who is willing to buy one

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Thank you for your response. ✨

 

Posted in Advent, bible, Christmas, faith, Voices Through Advent and Christmas
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What Do I Have to Do?

•October 11, 2015 • Leave a Comment

What do I have  to do
to follow you?
To be with you?
To be a part of all you are doing?

Look at all I do,
all my good deeds,
my worthy actions,
I always do the right thing.

But,
do I do them for the right reason?
Is my heart and soul in it,
or just wanting to be seen
to do the right thing?

What are my motives?

And more importantly
what are the blockages in my life?

What holds me back
from doing more,
being more,
giving more?

What am I holding on to
so tightly
that I can’t let go
and because I can’t let go
I can’t give all of me?

That is what I have to do.
To make sure nothing
and no one
comes between me and God;
nothing is more important than him

then
my giving will be free
and I will be open
to receive all God has to offer me.

That is what I have to do.

Lord,
I might not think I am rich,
but I have so much.
Stuff
that I gather around me
and allow to become important,
barriers I create
that stop love getting through
– both ways,
habits I hold on to
that make me unable to see
another way,
the high horse I climb
where I can no longer reach
and no one can reach me.

Lord,
these
and all the barriers I have built in my life,
I invite you to take,
to smash,
to free me

that I may give
and receive
and know more of you

then be able to give more of you

Mark 10:17-31(CEV)

A Rich Man

17 As Jesus was walking down a road, a man ran up to him. He knelt down, and asked, “Good teacher, what can I do to have eternal life?”

18 Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good. 19 You know the commandments. ‘Do not murder. Be faithful in marriage. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. Do not cheat. Respect your father and mother.’”

20 The man answered, “Teacher, I have obeyed all these commandments since I was a young man.”

21 Jesus looked closely at the man. He liked him and said, “There’s one thing you still need to do. Go sell everything you own. Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come with me.”

22 When the man heard Jesus say this, he went away gloomy and sad because he was very rich.

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “It’s hard for rich people to get into God’s kingdom!” 24 The disciples were shocked to hear this. So Jesus told them again, “It’s terribly hard[a] to get into God’s kingdom! 25 In fact, it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God’s kingdom.”

26 Jesus’ disciples were even more amazed. They asked each other, “How can anyone ever be saved?”

27 Jesus looked at them and said, “There are some things that people cannot do, but God can do anything.”

28 Peter replied, “Remember, we left everything to be your followers!”

29 Jesus told him:

You can be sure that anyone who gives up home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or land for me and for the good news 30 will be rewarded. In this world they will be given a hundred times as many houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and pieces of land, though they will also be mistreated. And in the world to come, they will have eternal life. 31 But many who are now first will be last, and many who are now last will be first.

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