Touch- a question of life or death

News from the Ebola-ravaged countries of west Africa suggest that that deadly disease is being contained.

Today's episode of Desert Island Discs, with Professor Peter Piot, shed light on how that disease is transmitted, in the most innocent of ways.

The death of the first victim was followed by the traditional local funeral practices of washing the corpse and then friends and family members taking time to say their farewells by hugging their lost loved one. But such loving tenderness shown in touch proved to be a deadly practice. Like a deadly form of childhood playground games, the touch itself was deadly, as many others were then infected.

Throughout history, many diseases have been transmitted by touch, and many others carried with them the fear of touch. 

Hence, these days, doctors and health workers wear rubber gloves for fear of catching anything deadly from any of their patients.

In Jesus' time, those with the skin conditions known as leprosy were treated as outcasts. Once infected, and with no hope of recovery, life became a lingering anticipation of death.

But Jesus changed all that, as we read in the Gospels. ' A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said. 

Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,”he said. “Be healed!” Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed.' (Mark 1.40-42)

In a wonderful way, Jesus reversed the flow. Instead of infection and death moving from the sick man to Jesus, and spreading death itself, life and health spread from Jesus to the sick man. He was made well again, and death had been defeated.

Obviously, that reversal is most powerfully shown in the resurrection of Jesus.

As followers of the life-giving, death-crushing Jesus, we are called to bring his touch to those around us who are in the grip of many forms of death and dis-ease. As Jesus said about himself,'The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.' (John 10.10)

The question that challenges me is whether I will get close enough to the people around me to become contagious with the life of Jesus. Do I fear to touch the lives of others with the life of Jesus?
Best wishes,

Richard

Setting Priorities

The new Greek government will be working with others, so we are told, setting priorities for this new chapter in their nation's life. Their aim will be to restore pride and self-respect for their people, without making matters worse. I guess we all wish them well.

Setting priorities is a challenge we all face, every day. 

Some tasks have to be done, but we are often confronted by the battle between the urgent and the important. Good leaders and planners manage to work out how to have a 'to do' list, which helps them to keep on course to deliver on their top priorities.

I am encouraged to see that faithful people, in both Old and New Testament, have learned about setting priorities, and sticking to them.

I have much to learn from these good people!

The Psalmist, facing struggles and difficulties, is very clear about his priorities. 

'The one thing I ask of the Lord—
    the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
    delighting in the Lord’s perfections
    and meditating in his Temple.' (Psalm 27.4)

Elsewhere in the Psalm, we see that this person is not looking to run away from the realities of life, but to have a focused centre, so that he can handle all the pressing concerns much better. Without that relentless determination to keep our focus on the Lord, we will easily find ourselves swept off course.

St. Paul, towards the end of his life, reflects on how he has kept on the right course.'I don’t mean to say that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.' (Philippians 3.12-14)

Paul knows that Jesus has called him onwards and upwards, and he knows, too, that he could easily get distracted, by looking backwards. So he is determined to keep looking forwards, because his priority is to reach the end of the race. 

At the start of this new week, with many tasks lying ahead for us all, we also need to learn to set our priorities, and then stick to them!

Best wishes,

Richard

God or Nothing!

'Rock or Sand?' is the title of a book edited by Archbishop John Sentamu, with articles by many, including Archbishop Justin Welby. 

In this book, they confront the present attitudes of the prevailing climate in politics. 

The Huffington Post has provided this comment. "The Church of England has labelled income inequality "evil" in a scathing assessment of the coalition, in which it questions how David Cameron has allowed entire communities to be "cast aside."

In one of the Church's biggest ever political interventions, timed to coincide with the general election campaign, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York said valuing communities on purely economic output was a "fundamental sin", and claimed Britain has become dominated by consumerism and selfishness."

Put very starkly, the two archbishops are following the teaching of Jesus, who was very clear about the challenge we all face. “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matthew 6.24)

It clearly appears to the two archbishops that too many politicians have been serving the idol of money and economic growth.

We all know that money is a necessary item in our lives. But, as we often realise, it is a good servant and an extremely bad master. If we base our lives on the security that comes from money and possessions, we shall find the house of our lives come tumbling down, sooner or later. 

But Jesus offers a much more wonderful prospect, as put our lives in his hands.“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” (Matthew 7.24-27)

Today, we can choose to reset our priorities, so that we place ourselves under the wise authority of Jesus, and find the peace and contentment that only God can bring.

Best wishes,

Richard

Knowing our History.

750 years ago today, the first English Parliament was held at Westminster. Simon de Monfort, brother-in-law to the King, Henry III, called together people from every area in the country, and what we now have, as a representative democracy, can be traced back to that event. 

And 800 years ago this year, on the banks of the Thames at Runnymede, Henry's father, King John, signed the original version of Magna Carta. 

(I am indebted to the BBC for educating me in these matters - having time, these days, to listen to good radio programmes!)

Unless we know important parts of our history, we can easily think there are simple answers to complex social and political issues. The present levels of disaffection with most things political may have their roots in us not knowing why things are as they are.

The Bible is full of reminders to the people of God to remember their own history. At the meal Jesus shared with his friends, on the night be fore He died, we read 'He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” (Luke 22.19) So every time we meet to share bread & wine, we remember Jesus, and what he did for us.

And St. Paul kept on reminding his friends that they needed to look back to what Jesus had done for us. For example, 'God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.' (Ephesians 2.4-6) The life, death and resurrection of Jesus are the foundations for our life of faith.

When we know our own spiritual history, it gives us stability and confidence to keep going, especially when things are hard.

At church on Sunday, here in Banbury, Betty & I were listening to an amazing story from one man, whose life was turned round when 'Jesus put his arms around me', as he told us. Then, wonderfully, he started coming to his local church, where we met him. This miracle happened 10 years ago, and he is a wonderful example of how God puts his hands on our lives.

But it all starts when we know our history. Of course, when we know our history, then we can share it!

How are you on yours?

Best wishes,

Richard

Honour and Shame

As the terrorists left the Charlie Hebdo building a week ago, having killed 12 people, they were heard to say that they believed they had avenged the shame brought on the name of the beloved Prophet. When shame is caused, the only way to restore honour, so it is believed, is through the death of the shame-bringers. Hence, we use the term 'honour-killings'.

Thus, the killers would have seen themselves as honour-bringers, rather than as murderers.

But such views run counter to the views of western liberal democracies, where there is freedom to say things which may challenge the views of those in authority and power. 

In Europe, there have been long and costly wars fought over these issues. But many within the Muslim world are caught in a dilemma, between wishing to be free to think and speak as modern individuals, while also wishing to be faithful to what they believe is expected of them by their co-religionists. And the issues of honour and shame are at the heart of their struggles.

I recall that it is not so long ago that Protestants and Catholics lived under a regime where honour and shame were the defining factors in shaping behaviour. This means that we can possibly understand the struggles faced by our Muslim friends.

It is therefore startling to see, within the pages of the New Testament, that this same struggle is addressed.

St. Paul, in writing to his friends in Corinth, tells them about the issues he faced, when coming to Corinth for the first time. Many in Corinth would have expected a bringer of new ideas to try to win over his audience by clever speech and amazing rhetoric. But Paul had refused such an approach. 'When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. (1 Corinthians 2.1-3)

Instead of trying to win approval and bring honour to Jesus by giving a story of power and attractiveness, Paul deliberately focuses on the shame and foolishness of the death of Jesus. 'Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. 

But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.' (1 Corinthians 1.21-24)

This reminds me that in the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus, we do know God's power to change us and make us more like Jesus. But we follow a crucified Saviour, so should never use violence, in word or deed, to try to honour Jesus. He can look after himself.

Best wishes,

Richard

Light of the World

We are witnessing the ever-changing struggle between light and darkness in the events taking place around us and within.

The last week's attacks and reprisals in France have brought home quite how fragile is the peace and security which we usually take for granted. 

The dialogue of the deaf between advocates of 'freedom of speech' and 'respect for others' has followed familiar lines. And while leaders advocate national unity, the vision unravels as soon as people discuss what that actually means.

The temptation just to 'Keep Calm and Carry On', and do nothing is enormous, as it seems we may never be able to make a difference.

And yet, I am challenged by the words of Jesus to his followers. 

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.' (Matthew 5.14-16)

We all know that light brings hope and direction to people in darkness, and Jesus tells us that our actions - good deeds - will bring light to the people around us.

Betty & I were talking to a lady at church yesterday who told us her story. She was facing multiple problems. She was so desperate that she went to the Banbury Foodbank, as she had no money for food. There she met some people from the local church, and it brought her hope, so she started coming. We don't know the whole story, but we could see that some 'good deeds' made a lot of difference to her life.

So, I am encouraged that Jesus can help us to bring his light into our frightened and broken world. He will be glorified and others will be blessed.

Best wishes,

Richard

One Direction

I thought she was crying, but she was actually laughing.

We were watching the BBC2 quiz game, Only Connect, and Victoria Coren Mitchell was overcome, by the inability of the team to spot the connection between 4 names - Horan, Malik, Payne and Tomlinson. 

The erudite team of 'Bibliophiles' were asking deep questions of one another, but they could not work it out. The joke was that these are the names of 4 members of the boy band, One Direction, and millions of younger people would have guess the answer immediately!

But with a name like 'One Direction' has led me to reflect on the Feast of the Epiphany, which falls today. 

For many, this day is linked with the visit of the Wise Men to the infant Jesus, when they realise that this child is God in human form. Epiphany describes the 'aha' moment when eyes are opened and we 'see' Jesus in a new and compelling way. Having seen this, life then goes in a new direction, the One Direction, that leads us onwards to grow to know Jesus better.

St. Paul describes that process most helpfully.'You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.' (2 Corinthians 4.5-7)

Today, and every day, I must recall that Jesus keeps calling me to follow the One Direction which will lead me to keep growing to know Him better. And in that way, I will be able to make Him better known.

My prayer is that we are all following that One Direction.

Best wishes,

Richard

FROG

The weather recently in Banbury has included some days of FROG - that is my name for freezing fog. 

Previously, we had some beautiful days of clear skies and extremely heavy frost, with ice on roads and puddles, and on the Oxford Canal. But then yesterday, the fog came down, and it seemed we were in a different world.

At church yesterday, though, we were reminded of our need to be people who learn to rely on God in prayer. 

Some of you may recall the fashion of wearing a bracelet encouraging us to be 'Fully Reliant on God' - which also spells FROG. 

So the next time we have freezing fog round here, instead of moaning, I shall be reminded to be fully reliant on God.

St. Paul teaches the same lesson in a favourite passage, from his letter to the church in Rome. 

'And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the first-born among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.' (Romans 8.28-30)

Paul makes it clear that the reason we can be fully reliant on God is because He loves us and has a long-term plan to bring us home to glory with Him, and nothing can stop that happening - and so we can keep trusting Him, whatever the situation we are experiencing. 

I know very well that I have not yet become like his Son, so there is plenty more work to be done both in me and through me. And for that, I must learn to be fully reliant on God (aka FROG!)

Best wishes,

Richard