Star Wars

Today's news that George Lucas has agreed a deal with Disney, to produce three more Star Wars films, will please many fans. 

They will surely hope that the new films, to be numbered 7 to 9, will be much better than the dreary numbers 1 to 3, which are not a patch on the original three films. I guess we can all hope!

The heroic battles between good and evil, played out in the vast spaces between galaxies, has reminded us again that there is a real battle in our own world and hearts between good & evil.

St. Paul reminds his friends in Colossae that when we follow Jesus, we change sides in the heroic battle between good and evil. 'The Father has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.' (Colossians 1.12-14)

It is startling to be reminded that there is a kingdom of darkness, from which we need to be delivered. We cannot do that for ourselves. Our Father, in and through Jesus, is the One who arranges our transfer. Jesus provides for our freedom from the slavery which marks life in the kingdom of darkness, and brings us true and deep forgiveness.

Today, while some mess around with Halloween events, and go tricking and treating, we do well to recall that we have a spiritual enemy, who would long for us to slip back into the ways of darkness. We don't belong in that tyrannical kingdom any more, so we are called to live differently. 

St. Peter reminds us, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.” (1 Peter 5.8-9)

Best wishes,

Richard

Storms

While our weather looks lovely this morning, many are watching the weather with renewed concern, especially in the US.

Floods and high winds are wreaking havoc, and the resulting loss of power and capacity for people to move around,  are affecting millions. 

I recall that, following the Great October Storm of 1987, my cousin's home near Haslemere was without electricity for 6 week. 

As we lived in Bolton at the time, it all seemed a long way away!

No doubt the US clean up will take time, and there will be a high price to pay.

In Old Testament times, the Canaanite god of storms and rain was infamous Baal. 

Elijah's great showdown, on Mount Carmel, in which the Lord answered by fire (=a lightning strike), was the prelude to a storm sweeping in from the Mediterranean. 'Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’” And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel. Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel. (1 Kings 18.44-46)

But the Old Testament is confident that Baal is not the god of rain & storms. That role, as in all things, is played by the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the historic God of the people of Israel. So, the psalmist composed a wonderful psalm, celebrating God's power, in which he describes powerful and destructive storm, that snaps big trees, and causes the mountains to shudder. Thunder is described as the voice of the Lord, as the storm moves across the land.

The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.
    The God of glory thunders.
    The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.
⁴ The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is majestic.
⁵ The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;
    the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
⁶ He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf;
    he makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox.
⁷ The voice of the Lord strikes
    with bolts of lightning.
⁸ The voice of the Lord makes the barren wilderness quake;
    the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
⁹ The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks
    and strips the forests bare.
In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”

¹⁰ The Lord rules over the floodwaters.
    The Lord reigns as king forever.
¹¹ The Lord gives his people strength.
    The Lord blesses them with peace. (Psalm 29.4-11)

People of all times and places have to face storms of all sorts. 

But to know that the Lord, who loves us and cares for us, is also the Lord of weather and over all our troubles, can bring us to that place where the Psalm ends - 'the Lord blesses us with peace'.

May that be our experience today.

Best wishes,

Richard

Popped Idols

Many will be close followers of assorted talent competitions on various TV channels. Their names change, but the idea is the same! (You can see I am not hooked here)

It was Andy Warhol, the American artist and shrewd observer of modern culture, who said in 1968 that "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." 

In spite of the brevity of the celebrity that may come with such fame, people still long for it, and many are obsessed with being properly noticed and connected. 

Did you know that Lady Gaga has over 30 million followers on Twitter? Isn't that exciting??!

Earlier commentators, writing in Latin, expressed the same thought as 'Sic transit gloria mundi', which means "Thus passes the glory of the world."

We are used to fashions changing, and some colours or styles being the 'latest thing'. To be behind the times is seen as a disaster, in some circles, at least.

Whatever was the idol for last year - whether a fashion style or a person, or whatever else, they have all changed by this year. Idols don't last. 

But all this reminds us that everything changes - the autumn leaves are falling, the clocks have just been put back, and days are getting shorter, and Christmas is coming!

The Bible reminds us again and again that in a changing world, God is faithful and dependable. 

Lord, through all the generations
    you have been our home!
² Before the mountains were born,
    before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
    from beginning to end, you are God. (Psalm 90.1-2)

While we allow our lives to be under the obsessive power of idols, we shall be at their mercy. But when we are in the safe hands of the God who made us, we can be secure and stable, whatever the weather or season.

Best wishes,

Richard

Numbers

Learning to count is a feature of childhood. Using numbers seems to be how most of us have to live. 

And then there are statistics, which are organised numbers, which should help us understand life better.

It is said that politicians use statistics as a drunk person uses a lamppost, more support than illumination.

Nonetheless, when used wisely, numbers can be helpful.

For instance, it is now less than 2 months to Christmas Day. That fact may bring excitement to some, and horror to others.

There will be a large number of tasks which need to be done in most households associated with that festival.

And for many children, there is only one more day of school before the joys of Half Term.

Jesus taught with numbers on several occasions, often completely baffling his disciples in the process. 'When I fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?” “Twelve,” they said. “And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?” “Seven,” they said. “Don’t you understand yet?” he asked them. (Mark 8.19-21) 

While you puzzle over those numbers, you may be helped to know that many scholars see Jesus using numbers symbolically. Twelve represents the tribes of Israel - so Jesus has a mission to the Jews. But seven represents the non-Jewish world - the Gentiles - teaching us that Jesus also has a mission to all humanity.

When speaking of that mission, Jesus was aware of the normal seasons of the year. 'You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.” (John 4.35-38)

As a Church community, we are all involved, in one way or another in this harvest process - 'You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ 

Jesus reminded his first followers that there were people around them then who were ready to listen and respond to the Good News. The same is true in our day too. 

It is clear that God has been wonderfully at work in people's lives, over many weeks and months, and we are seeing, in one way or another, the fruits of that work.

Therefore, let us be encouraged, and pray that we will be faithful in caring for the harvest on our doorstep.

Best wishes,

Richard

Question Time

Another tragedy or disaster, another enquiry.

It seems we are in the habit of trying to get answers to important questions, often raised in the wake of a death or disaster.

So, today, after exploring the deaths of 200 young people in custody, the organisation 'Inquest' has produced a report which highlights the appalling connections between these young lives so cruelly cut short.

All these enquiries take time and cost money. 

Mercifully, in our country and culture, it is accepted that getting to the truth matters, and that justice should be available for all, especially the vulnerable and powerless. 

This is not true in many parts of the world, where the powerful and tyrannical can do what they like, without fear of any reprisals. 

When we stop to ask why our culture is as it is, we see that the concern for truth and justice grows directly from the Christian heritage that has shaped our laws and values. For this we need to be thankful, and alert to the currents which would change that.

We should not be surprised that it is our Christian heritage that has made such a difference, because Jesus himself confronted his closest followers with questions, which it took them some time to understand and answer. 

'Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 

“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.” 

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.” (Mark 8.27-29)

Some people I know have accepted that they haven't worked out satisfactory answers to these sorts of questions. They tell me that to do so would take too much time - and then they might have to reassess their life's direction!
Perhaps we all avoid some questions, for fear of the answers they might unearth.

But just as we accept that there should be time-consuming enquiries into major aspects of our public life, so we should all take the time to face deep and important questions for ourselves. Growing in knowing God, as He is revealed in and through Jesus, is not something that will happen while we are fully engaged with other activities. 

So here is my question for today. How much time have you allocated to asking and answering such questions for yourself?
Best wishes,

Richard

The Big Fight

There is a Big Fight going on.

Mitt Romney & Barak Obama are fighting to win the approaching US Presidential election. But they cannot both win.

In the Jimmy Savile business, many people are fighting to get to the truth. Some may be keener that the truth does not become known.

In the follow up to the Hillsborough tragedy, the present government is committed to fighting for the truth to emerge about the appalling cover-up perpetrated by South Yorkshire police. Some of the 1400 police who were serving at the time will be hoping the truth does not get revealed.

On every side, there is a fight going on, even if fists and weapons are not used.

The Bible presents the Big Fight as the battle between light and darkness. 

Jesus was very clear about his own role. “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8.12)

In our daily lives, we face the constant pressure to keep fighting against all that would lead us away from doing God's will. 

St. Paul presents this very powerfully. 'With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.' (Ephesians 4.17-18) 

If we are unaware of the relentless pressures we face, we may merely drift into bad habits. 

So we must take avoiding action. 'Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,  throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.  Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.' (Ephesians 4.21-24)

We can know that the living Lord Jesus will help us by his Spirit to live lives that glorify him. Knowing that we are on the winning side will make all the difference as we face today's struggles. 

Best wishes,

Richard

Undefeated

I confess that before this weekend, I had never heard of the racehorse, Frankel. 

But now I have learned that, having won 14 big races in a row, he may well have been the greatest racehorse ever. Finishing undefeated is remarkable. 

I can think of a few politicians who would like that record.  But further comments about political leadership must wait for another day.

Most of us face challenges and difficulties daily, and we too would love to know how to stay undefeated by all that comes at us. 

In Frankel's case, he often seemed to be well off the pace, as the race started, but then he would increase his pace, and come storming through to win by a huge margin. He repeatedly turned a possible defeat into a wonderful victory, and he repeatedly destroyed the quality field in the process. He didn't just scrape home by 'a short head', but by many lengths.

That reminds me of Jesus, and his death and resurrection.

St. Paul tells his friends in Colossae that in his death, Jesus was undefeated. 'God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He cancelled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.' (Colossians 2.13-15)

Jesus' very public humiliation and death was not what it seemed. It looked like a terrible demonstration of his failure. But it was, in truth, a public shaming of the spiritual rulers and authorities that are still active in our world today. All the forces that oppose God's will in this world today need to be reminded, by people like us, that Jesus was undefeated by them, as demonstrated in the resurrection from the dead.

That means that Jesus was undefeated, and that we can share in that undefeatedness (a new word coined by me this very morning!)

St. Paul states this very powerfully, when writing to his friends in Rome. 'Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8.35-39)

If anyone is feeling 'under pressure' today, re-read those last verses, and recall that we are on the undefeated side in the battles we face, and thank Jesus for his wonderful love and victory.

Every blessing,

Richard

Testing Times

Gareth Malone's workplace choirs were tested last evening. 

They all knew that one of the four competing choirs would be eliminated. Gareth had told them them that just as he learned to improve through competing, so having to compete would make them get better.

As the programmes have unfolded, all of the choirs have improved. 

Much of that is down to the brilliant teaching they are given, and the time taken in practice. 

But the adrenalin of having to deliver their best, under pressure, has a startling effect. 

Sadly, Manchester Airport Choir left with tears in their eyes, and next week, we shall discover who is the winner.

St. James said something similar to Gareth's statement about the value of being tested. 

But it is quite shocking. 'Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.' (James 1.2-4)

As all of us reflect on times of trouble and testing that we have been through, my guess is that very few of us look back seeing them as an opportunity for great joy.

Much more likely is a sense of escaping by the skin of our teeth, and having been worn down by the difficulties in our lives. We may have grown older and wiser, but we possibly feel wounded and sad that so much energy went on surviving what we might have thought of as unnecessary.

But James says what he does, because as a wise Christian pastor, he knows that some lessons about God's goodness and mercy, and some character changes in people like us only come about when we have endured tough times. 

If we can learn to look for answers to questions such as 'what is God doing in my life?', or 'how can I grow stronger in my endurance?', then we may indeed begin to be joyful when the times are tough. Instead of praying 'Lord, please take away this trouble', we might even pray 'Lord, please test me and try me, so that I develop endurance'. 

Are you ready for that challenge? Or will we all fail to learn the lessons the Lord is trying to teach us?

My prayer is that we grow, through testing times.

Best wishes,

Richard

Because you're worth it!

L'Oreal have a great slogan, 'Because you're worth it'.

Sadly, these brilliant words always follow an advertisement suggesting that surface attractiveness, with all blemishes airbrushed away, is what we should aspire to show. 

Surface image is shown to be more important that character substance. 

But how can we measure human worth?

In many parts of the world, and in many cultures, those with disabilities are treated shamefully. Only the rich and beautiful seem to be worth it.

But yesterday's news tells us another story.

Stepping Hill Hospital  has agreed to fund lifetime care for Zach Petrou, 19, expected to cost around £10m, who was brain damaged after being treated for croup as a baby. They have admitted liability, and have agreed to pay for the their mistake. This huge compensation payment reflects the view that people deserve good treatment, because of their intrinsic worth.

But in the ancient world, sick and weak children were drowned, and young girls were left on barren hillsides, in order that they might die, thus sparing their families the cost of their care.

Haw did this change come about?

It was Jesus which changed all that, especially in his attitude towards children.

'One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”  Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them' (Mark 10.13-16)

Jesus challenged and changed the views of his followers. Children and the weak and vulnerable are of equal worth with the rich and powerful. There is no place for favouritism.

Jesus took this further when he taught us about the way our Heavenly Father views us. 'Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?' (Matthew 6.26)

If that is how our Father views us, of having intrinsic worth, our lives should show that to others.

Today, we can show that we also value others, in a smile, in taking time to ring or visit a friend, in sending a message or an email. Why? Because you're worth it!

What a privilege.

Best wishes,

Richard

20/20 Hindsight

The news is full of stories that have been reassessed because we now have more information.

Some might say that it looks as though we have 20/20 hindsight. 

The Jimmy Savile allegations, the Lance Armstrong accusations, and the latest enquiry into the Hillsborough tragedy all show that more and better information can change the way we view the past. The wisdom which may come from such hindsight is yet to be seen.

The Bible is a story which relentlessly looks back to what has happened, and to see the hand of God active in human affairs. 

The story of Joseph, the dreamer son of Jacob, is one of the most striking. Sold by his brothers into slavery, he becomes the ruler of Egypt. When finally he reveals himself, he also reveals his understanding of how the Lord has been active. Behind the human wickedness, God has a larger plan. 'God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.' (Genesis 45.7-8)

Having this 20/20 hindsight allows Joseph to be generous and forgiving to his wicked brothers. Knowing that the Lord has been active throughout the roller coaster ride of his own life has given Joseph a perspective which places him within God's larger purposes. Instead of playing on his experiences of being a victim, Joseph shows that he is a willing servant in the hands of the God of all history.

How much our own lives might be changed and our attitudes reshaped if we would see ourselves in the Lord's hands. We might be much more thankful for all his blessings, and be much less grumpy and fed up when things don't please us.

Try it and see.

Best wishes,

Richard

Exclusive or Inclusive?

My 'Richard's Reflection' yesterday, on the issue of Security Concerns, raised several other matters, certainly in the minds of a number, who raised them with me! 

For instance, is there a place for a feeling of racial superiority? 

Are mixed-culture marriages a good thing? 

Should membership of the Christian community be exclusive (on whatever grounds we may choose) or can it become inclusive? 

To address all these matters in one Richard's Reflection is way beyond me! 

All of this comes down to how we read and interpret Scripture, alongside our own prejudices and hang ups.

How we read Scripture is very important. A brilliant book on this subject is 'The Blue Parakeet', by Scot McKnight, which has the additional comment, 'Rethinking how you read the Bible'. I can lend my copy to the first person who asks.

In short, those topics were all very live issues in the growing early Christian communities, as the Good News about Jesus spread around the Mediterranean in the period recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, roughly from 30AD to about 63AD.

There were many from those earliest Christian communities, who had been brought up in exclusively Jewish environments, who wanted the Christian community to be run on exclusive Jewish lines. They believed that any non-Jews who became followers of Jesus should live like proper Jews, and the men should be circumcised. There was much debate and St. Paul was relentlessly attacked by the extreme Jewish party within and outside the Church.

St. Luke records, in Acts 15, the Council of Jerusalem, where the issue was settled, such that non-Jews were not forced to live like Jews, as the Church was to be an inclusive community. 

St. Paul summarises that position in his letter to the Colossians, 'Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.' (Colossians 3.11) To the Church in Galatia, where there had been a fierce fight with the extreme Jewish group, he is very clear. 'There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' (Galatians 3.28) Cultures and national identity may divide, but Jesus brings people together.

One of the wonders of the modern era is that we can see that around the world, there are indeed Christian people from every tribe and language, culture and nation, who find unity and fellowship together within the one Body of Christ. God forbid that we should be an exclusive club for 'people like me'!

As we thank the Lord for this astonishing privilege, let us do all we can to welcome others into the family of the Church.

Best wishes,

Richard

Security Concerns

Today's news is full of security concerns about threats from unfriendly sources. 

So the US are not happy about allowing Chinese companies too much access to their markets, for fear that they might take the opportunity to do some espionage on the quiet. Of course, the US (believing themselves to be the good guys!) have never done this sort of thing to the Chinese, Russians or anyone else, have they?

And then there are concerns amongst those thinking about the proposed merger between BAE Systems (the major British contractor) and the European business, EADS, which has some control from both French & German governments. The US government are the major customer for BAE Systems defence contracts, the hope for those planning the merger is that the US won't mind having these European interests involved in their own security. On the other side, somewhat predictably, there are those in Britain who don't want any European influence in a major defence contractor's activity.

At root, these seem to boil down to one fear. You can't trust foreigners!

Is there a Biblical parallel?

Throughout the Bible, the people of God are warned about the potential for ruin which would come from making treaties with people who didn't share their faith in the one true God. 'Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy.  You must not intermarry with them. Do not let your daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters, for they will lead your children away from me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and he will quickly destroy you.' (Deuteronomy 7.2b-4)

Later history showed that these warnings were not heeded. 'Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and from among the Hittites. The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, ‘You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.’ Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway.' (1 Kings 11.1-2)

Solomon didn't just have a few foreign wives - he had hundreds! The very security of the nation was put at risk because of the idolatry which became the norm in ancient Israel. Once faith in God is compromised, anything goes.

Jesus taught the same truth, not linked, obviously, to foreigners or people from a different class or culture. Our tendency to idolatry goes much deeper than that. '“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.  Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.' (Matthew 6.19-21) We are surrounded, daily, by the temptations to indulge in materialistic idolatry. Our eyes see things which can draw us away from trusting God wholeheartedly. That is why we must guard our eyes. ' “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!' (Matthew 6.22-23) 

Just as the US may have good reasons to be fearful of Chinese influences, so we must take care of our thoughts and desires. Otherwise, we will face spiritual trouble and possible disaster.

Best wishes,

Richard

Counting

As children grow up, those watching them note several stages in their lives. Many relate to counting - their teeth, their words, their steps, and then when they can count to ten - or whatever target is chosen.

Some cultures are not interested in counting beyond 2 or 3, while others have developed astonishing ways of doing mental arithmetic, which make computers appear redundant.

The Bible is interested in numbers, often as a mean of telling us something about God. 'He is the Lord our God. His justice is seen throughout the land.
⁸ He always stands by his covenant— the commitment he made to a thousand generations.' (Psalm 105.7-8) Of course, the 'thousand generations' is a rhetorical device to indicate God's faithfulness. We shouldn't take some of these numbers at face value!

But our culture is obsessed with counting. The Guinness Book of Records tells us the biggest, heaviest, fastest, most expensive of everything. And we have all been deceived into thinking that quantity is the same as quality. We seem to believe that if we can count it, that makes it valuable. Jesus told three stories in Luke chapter 15, about lost things. There was one sheep out of a hundred that was lost, one coin out of 10 that was lost, and two sons who were both lost, but in different ways. Their lostness cannot be measured by the percentage of lost sheep, coins or sons in the stories.

Nonetheless, we miss out when we fail to count our blessings, or count our days. 

The Bible is full of reminders about our need to recall the blessings we have received. I have often been encouraged in my life of faith, as I have read Psalm 103. This is how one translation starts.

Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
² Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.
³ He forgives all my sins
    and heals all my diseases.
⁴ He redeems me from death
    and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
⁵ He fills my life with good things.
    My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! (Psalm 103.1-5)

It would be interesting to hear from other people what their favourite Bible verses are, which encourage them to count their blessings.

Happy counting,

Richard

Love in Action

50 years ago today, the Beatles released their first record, 'Love me do'. Later, they returned to the theme of love, with 'Money can't buy me love' and 'All you need is love'. But there is no surprise that pop songs should be about love. 

What pop songs may mean by 'love', and what the Bible speaks about, when it talks of love, are mostly different!

The old apostle, St. John, writes from his base near Ephesus, to the churches that he has had responsibility for, encouraging them to live out the command of Jesus, 'Love one another'.

He is intensely practical, showing how God's very character is expressed in his action to love people. 'God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.' (1 John 4.9-10)

Once we know that this is what God has done for us, we may wish to love God in return. The initiative to love always starts with God's care for us. But if we know we are loved, then we cannot keep away from active love for other. 'Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.' (1 John 4.11-12)

John is very practical, as he gives us an example of what love in action might look like. 'We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?' (1 John 3.16-17)

We sometimes excuse our inaction over some matter, by saying, 'It's the thought that counts'. St. John would tell us that that is rubbish. People in need don't need thoughts, they need active compassion.

For our Harvest Festival on Sunday, while we will have the chance to bear witness to God's love and care towards us, we will also, as usual, have the chance to bring some Harvest gifts, so that we may share these with people in need. After our service, we will put together some Harvest boxes, to take to elderly and house-bound members from our church, to the York Road Project and the Salvation Army. Please bring mostly non-perishable items.

Best wishes,

Richard

Darkness and Light

Today will be a dark day in Manchester, as the first funeral of the murdered police officers takes place in the Cathedral. Tomorrow will bring the darkness closer still. 

The disappearance of April Jones has brought deep darkness to the family and those closest to this little girl.

Again and again, we look around the world, or in our neighbourhoods, and sometimes into our own hearts, and see a heart of darkness. 

And then we wonder 'where is God?', or 'why doesn't somebody do something?'

As the days grow shorter and the nights longer, and darkness begins to rule our lives, we need to have answers for these questions.

The Bible is shot through with the battle between darkness and light, and at times we may wonder why darkness is so overwhelming.

In the Psalms, many appear to experience life in the shadows, and people cry out to the Lord in their hopelessness. Psalm 88 is the bleakest of all, and it ends with appalling resignation. 

'I have been sick and close to death since my youth. I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors.  

Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralysed me.
¹⁷ They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely.
¹⁸ You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.' (Psalm 88.15-18)

John's Gospel opens with a statement about these opposing destinies. 'The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.' (John 1.4-5) This at last brings us hope, when the lights are being dowsed.

But the relationship between these two destinies is complex, as Jesus reveals. '“There is no judgement against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgement is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” (John 3.18-21)

Because light brings exposure, we often withdraw, as we fear being seen for what we are. But God's light will bring life and healing for all that has been amiss. In his mercy, people's lives are turned round, and new directions discovered. 

My prayer is that we will all be changed by God love and light, so that we may carry that light to others.

Best wishes,

Richard

Harvest Thanksgiving

Autumn seems to be upon us, and the days are getting shorter. 

The recent warm weather has meant than many farmers have been able to harvest their fields, though the early and late rain may well have ruined much that was growing. 

But traditionally, at St. Andrew's, we celebrate our Harvest Festival in early October

In the Old Testament, because the climate in Palestine is different from ours, they had 3 harvest festivals. Passover was the start of the barley harvest, and 7 weeks later, at Pentecost, the wheat harvest was celebrated. Then in the autumn, after the gathering in of fruits and other foods, there was another big festival.

'“Each year every man in Israel must celebrate these three festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters. On each of these occasions, all men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he chooses, but they must not appear before the Lord without a gift for him.  All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God.' (Deuteronomy 16.16-17) The twin themes of celebration and generosity marked these special times.

As we don't live in a farming community, it is much harder for us to understand the pressures and culture of farming communities, which are so weather dependent. We just go shopping and buy what we want when we want, and too easily forget to return thanks to the Lord. 

In response to this, it will be good for us, on this coming Sunday, deliberately to focus on the Lord's provision for us, not only in our food, but in all other aspects of life. When we are grateful, we will also discover that we are generous. That would be good.

Best wishes,

Richard

Energy Prices

How much do we pay for our gas and electricity? 

Assorted suppliers keep telling me that we could save money if we changed to their organisation! No surprise there!

I would prefer to be as energy efficient and 'green' as possible, and be able to save money as well. I don't know whether that is possible. But it is easier to stay with our current supplier, as change takes some effort.

The same might be said about our lifestyle habits. We might like a lifestyle that is spiritually enhancing, with time off for rest and refreshment, good for our family and fits in easily to all of our choices. My hunch is that that deal isn't on the table. Getting something for nothing isn't usually realistic. As we are often warned, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is!

However, there is a great deal on the table, from the Lord Himself. 

'The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
²⁹ He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
³⁰ Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
³¹ But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.' (Isaiah 40.28-31)

We often sing the song based on these words, 'Strength will rise, as we wait upon the Lord', and it reminds us His promise to change our lives. But the offer requires that we learn to 'wait upon the Lord', which cannot be fitted into a lifestyle that has no space for God's will to be followed. 

If we want energy and spiritual vitality that brings glory to the Lord, we must do the 'waiting'. This doesn't happen while we are doing 3 or 4 other things at the same time. We need quality time with Him, rather than stuffing quantity into our time.

Best wishes,

Richard

PS Didn't the European golfers do well!!!