Stillness in a frantic world

From my experience of business and from what I hear more recently, earning a living is a pretty frantic way of life. Many commute by train, plane or road, spending extra hours on the laptop, pad or mobile to catch up, stay in touch or feel needed. It seems to me being still simply does not figure in the modern way of life. Its all about getting the most we can out of every moment - every input, every piece of information, every experience ...

A business friend recently sent me some pictures of me in my early days in my last business role, at my desk, around me were the trappings of that life - phones, computers, I had several, whiteboard with time plans and schedules, to do lists and stick-it notes with yet more info. The other, sorting out an issue in one of the data centres, usually a rush on round the north circular (if rush was possible on that road). Every moment of my time was spoken for. There is a great danger in church life that we too nearly emulate the culture that we live among. Busy, busy, busy. Rating our achievements by the number of events, number of meetings or number of services we manage to put on or attend. Every moment accounted for!

In our church we have been looking at Nehemiah since Christmas, the start of his venture for God was started in prayer, took months of prayer and fasting to mature and continued in prayer and seeking God. A look at Jesus' ministry shows us that he too took time out to pray and be still.

The psalmist knew a good thing - "Be still and know that I am God", when all around is in turmoil - when the world is being shaken and troubled - God remains the same, the one we can look to and in whom peace and stillness may be found.

With a little stretch I can imagine Jesus, calling to us in the same way that he spoke to the waves that frightened those in the boat with them - disturbing their peace.

"Quiet!, be still"

Stillness in a frantic world is more important than ever in our churches - it cannot simply be about doing as much as we can, organising as much as we can, showing how hard we are working. It is, I think,  about hearing God like Nehemiah and investing time in quietly listening, focusing in on God. The key is that we have choices about how we live, how frantically or calmly we live and who pulls our strings.
Even as the waves and wind obeyed Jesus and were still, perhaps we need to take note of him and be still more often.

Heart broken people

The book of Nehemiah is a challenge in many senses, its a challenge to those who would profit from the poverty of others, its a challenge to those who don't allow their faith to affect how they live, its a challenge to those who cause trouble for or among God's people.

As I have been preparing sermons from the book another thing struck me, Nehemiah is a man who spends a lot of time seeking God because his heart has been broken by the state of God's city and people. First he hears of the state of Jerusalem after the return of the Israelites from exile (ch1), then risks his life because of that (ch2). When trouble flares its to God he turns looking to honour God. Chapter 5 finds him angry at the state of the people and what they are doing to each other, because it reflects on God's honour.

In an age of rapidly changing press stories and where we are bombed out with pictures of underprivileged nations, starving children, war and destruction, it is all too easy to remain unaffected by these things. Nehemiah was cup bearer to the king, an important official, he did not need to be concerned with Jerusalem but he was. He did not need to be concerned with the people in Jerusalem once he arrived, so long as they built the wall, he could have had his own supplies by right. He chose to be concerned to sort things out and chose not to exercise his rights.

God's honour was Nehemiah's main concern, today we can so easily accept things as they are, accept the social norms that are pushed onto God's people by society and government. I guess the big question for Christians is Will we be concerned about God's honour in these things or will we let it pass us by while we get on with our lives? Can we allow ourselves to be broken hearted for the things that break God's? It takes people who are heart broken by what they see and hear, heart broken enough to, like Nehemiah, make themselves heard, who stand up for truth, morality, justice, mercy.

A song we have been using in church recently echo's this with the words ...

"Break my heart for what break yours, everything I am for your Kingdom's cause ..."

Are we broken hearted? There is a price to being heart broken for God, What's on God's heart may well be in opposition to what our culture or the country we live in wants to do. Nehemiah left the security of his position (offered his life), faced opposition and trouble (stood firm) but through relying on God, saw the result of God's call on his life (God's work completed).

Happy Christmas 2012

Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year, even if it is also one of the busiest. It still continues to attract attention from so many who find church difficult at other times. The carols seem to invoke memories of school or of Christmas's past or maybe echo's of something we have yet to find. I love it because even if just for that once in the year, many want to sing the songs, go to a church and look for something "other" something special as we celebrate the birth of Jesus - God's intervention in the history of humanity.

I could say a lot more but instead, let me say to those who read this blog - Happy Christmas, celebrate all that God continues to do for us. Remember that he loves you regardless ...

More importantly - find a little time in your Christmas schedule to go to a Christmas Eve service or to a Christmas day service in your local church, take part, seek as the wise men did, and find the Saviour who loves you. If you are in the Harlow area of the UK - we have services on Christmas Eve at 7pm and Christmas day at 10.30 am.

Happy Christmas and a blessed 2013

Immanuel God with us

As we enter the session of Advent and prepare to celebrate Christmas once again, you might like to spend a moment or two considering what it means that God came to earth. We sing the songs and read the scriptures that talk of Immanuel - "God with us" - which the gospel writer repeated in his account of Christ's coming.

Perhaps you are happy with the idea, like many, that its really just a fairy-tale, just another children's story. On the other hand even though its historically recorded, maybe its been exaggerated to make it seem supernatural. How could God, being all powerful, become a frail human? Why would God do such a thing? If God exists at all doesn't God simply watch from afar, having little concern for us?

Consider the world and the troubles it manages to give itself? Wars, starvation, lack of health care, the poorest often suffering the most.  This Immanuel, God with us, that we so easily write off, might, if the words are true, have the answers that we are seeking - peace, wise government, justice, right living ...

If like me you believe that God did just that, came to earth, lived and died among us and has given the Holy Spirit to each and all believers - then God continues to be with us. What does that mean to us? Are our lives changing as we become more aware of what is on God's heart for the communities we live in? Are our attitudes to justice and mercy being challenged by the gentle prompting of the Holy Spirit? Does loving God affect the way we love others as we see them more as God does?

Consider, reflect and ask yourself  "so what" as you travel towards Christmas.

[Don't forget, you can comment on these blogs - it's always interesting to share our thoughts and reactions]

Forgiveness - Tough Stuff

Sometimes its hard to hear Jesus' words and put them into action in the face of things that we experience. Phrases like "turn the other cheek", "forgive as you expect to be forgiven" ring in my head as I think of the impact of other peoples carelessness.

Earlier in the week our dog was severely mauled by another dog. The owner knew it had a problem, my dog happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and landed in the vets with a heap of stitches a fluid drain and a haircut that needs hiding from the world.

31st Oct - Halloween, We were out at a meeting and returned to find smashed egg running down the windows and door of the house, the effect of trick or treaters not finding us home to give them a present. My thoughts were not happy ones.

Did the dog owner intend to hurt my dog? No. Did the children who egged my house intend to mess up the house? Yes! Both for the same reason a careless disregard of others.

And then there are those who are my brothers and sisters in Christ who unknowingly or deliberately cause me offense, Jesus tells us how to go about handling such things in church life but often folks are not willing to do that. What then?


What about my own carelessness in regards of others? Those times I put myself and my wants before my wifes. Those times when I get things wrong and others are badly affected. Those times when I don't find time for my daily devotions or rush them to get on with the real Pastoring ...

Forgive as you expect to be forgiven ...

In forgiving we open up possibilities for handling things differently, trying to move on from the event or situation and bring some good or positive result from it. The dog owner is seeking help for his dog. The trick or treaters ...., those in church who hurt me - I look to find a better relationship with while helping them to change if thats needed. Those I hurt - I hope they will forgive me.