All things change

 Its a while since I wrote in this blog. Mostly because for Nicola and I a lot has changed. We thought we knew what God was doing with us but got tangled in our own plans.

All things change! Especially when we recognise what God is doing compared with what we want to do.

After our location plans went wrong we rested for a bit and refocused. Where we have settled is so much more than we had thought. A nice home in a lovely village with a church that we are now actively involved with. Well we were never going to retire and do not a lot. We are able to and are extending the property to enable us to do more with friends and neighbours. 

All things change!

God's purposes are not always obvious to us are they? We heard in church recently of the transition of God's prophetic mantle from Elijah to Elisha. God's planned change to call Elijah home. Look in 2kings2 if you are interested.

I know its only mid-November but earlier today as I looked at all of the Christmas adverts on facebook I found myself reflecting on the change that God brought through the first Christmas and the life of Jesus. 

All things change, God made a way where there was no way for people to be freed from the price or the curse of sin and once again have a relationship with him. I was drawn to a song which I had not heard that helped my reflect and reminded me that while each year the christmas adverts come earlier, Christmas should be welcolmed. God changed everything through Jesus.

The words might help your preparation for Christmas. This link will play the song the words are below.

A world awakes all unaware 

Of what the night did bring 

A mother’s pain a baby’s cry 

New life begins 

While Bethlehem slumbers 

In shadows so dark and deep 

Sweetly sleep 

What child is this in manger laid 

That dazzled shepherds seek? 

Whom heaven adores yet earth ignores 

Helpless and weak 

Most ancient of mysteries 

Stirs in the chill of these streets 

Sweetly sleep 

O world awake! 

Shake off the night 

A greater dawn is breaking 

A brighter Sun 

Heaven’s pure light 

To set the world on fire 

God in flesh appearing 

Heaven and earth are touching here 

Receive him now 

As you would welcome 

A new-born child 

From A World Awakes by Graham Kendrick 

Copyright © 2007 Make Way Music 

www.grahamkendrick.co.uk 

Bread of Life

 I am currently reading a book by Andrew Wilson as a devotional. The last few days I have been reading a section on "Bread". Which got me thinking 😊

The thing is that today in most developed countries we can take or leave bread. Its not essential and in some cases we are advised not to eat it for our health. If we do eat it we have a myriad of choices. When we eat bread often its not in community but on our own, rushing through a day and grabbing a sandwich or sitting alone somewhere having a 5 min break from the day's activities.

Biblically, bread was essential as was the success of producing the crop from which it is made. To share or break bread with someone was (as Wilson says) to include them by sharing something essential to life.

What does it mean to me to share bread with others? Is it any more than just being hospitable? My wife and I like having people around for food or going to other folks' homes for food, especially our family. They are good times of sharing stories, hearing each other and re-bonding. We recently helped out on an Alpha course in the church we attend and they do Alpha with a full meal as we used to years ago before we tried to make the sessions shorter. The connections made during that series again made me think of the importance of sharing food or breaking bread with each other. We got to know each other, we recognised differences as well as similarities in understanding. A number of the guests asked Christ into their lives and all (some were already Christians) were deeply affected on the Alpha day. Connections made through sharing food.

So when I read in the Bible Joh 6:35  Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty..."

How should I interpret it, given that bread today has a different sense of importance to those Jesus was talking to? Well taking communion, sharing or breaking bread with other Christians is like a shadow of what Jesus was meaning, I think. Its one time when a group of Christians share bread / wafers or water ever in common union with each other and with Christ. But I don't think it has the significance that this would have had when Jesus said it. Would "I am the food of life". Give us a better understanding? We all need food to survive and to grow and to live. We rely on those who grow and provide our food, however we buy it, cook it and eat it. 

I am the bread / food of life, suggests to me that Jesus is something that we cannot do without for the life that God intends us to have. Our inner hunger and thirst met in full. Without him in our lives we are in some ways, empty, spiritually thirsty and hungry. When I eat with others, sharing food, time and care for each other, I will try to remember that in that simple thing, the one who is my "food and drink" is with us.