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We have three flowering cherry trees in our front garden. Each year around this time they produce gorgeous pink blossoms. Just before we went away for a few days last week, I noticed that the blossom was on the trees and would very soon be in full bloom. We were attending a conference in Southampton from Tuesday until Sunday, and I was hoping that by the time we returned, the blossom would be at the height of its beauty. Sadly, I was to be hugely disappointed. When we arrived home early Sunday afternoon, much of the blossom had already fallen from the trees, and the lawn was covered with "pink snow"! The beauty of these three trees is extremely short-lived. They flatter to deceive.
I am reminded of some words from the Bible, in Psalm 103, where the writer states, 
'Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. the wind blows and we are gone - as though we had never been here.' A stark reminder of our human mortality. There was a poignant reminder of this on the car radio this morning with the broadcasting of part of the memorial service for the 179 British service personnel who have lost their lives in the Iraq conflict.
The truth is, sooner or later earthly life will come to an end for all of us. It seems to me that two key questions arise. The first is this: how will I use the time I am given on this earth? The second key questions is: how do I respond to God's offer in Christ Jesus of life eternal?
For four days last week I was in Southampton, attending a Christian Healing and Mission Conference. It was truly amazing! I travelled down with my wife, Sue, and two other ladies, Wendy and Elaine, from my church. Our car, a Toyota Aygo, is fairly small, and although it could seat four people, the boot is minute and there was no way we could fit all the luggage in (especially as Elaine decided to bring the kitchen sink!)
Fortunately Wendy's husband, Denis, came to the rescue by suggesting that he and I swap cars for the period of the conference. He has a much bigger car with a huge boot, even big enough to take Elaine's kitchen sink. It was an inspired suggestion, and I was pleased to accept the offer.
I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed driving Denis' car. Not only was it bigger and more powerful, it also had cruise control! I had never before driven a car with cruise control, but it was brilliant and made motorway driving so much easier. For those unfamiliar with cruise control, basically it is a system whereby once you reach a desired speed you can switch on the cruise control and the system will keep the car at the desired speed, without you having to keep your foot on the accelerator pedal!
Of course, as soon as you press the break or clutch pedal, the system disengages. The driver has to keep a close eye on the road to look out for slower cars ahead etc. But, as I said, it makes driving much less stressful. Unfortunately, when we got back home I had to return Denis' car!
It has made me think a bit about life's journey. It's easy for us to allow life to get on top of us, and be submerged in the stresses and hassle. But just as cruise control makes motorway driving so much easier, when we allow God to take control of our lives and we follow his directions, we find ourselves so much more at peace. It takes a lot of the stress from life, because we know that God is in control. After all, he is our creator, so it must make sense to follow his instructions!
Take a look at the image on the right. It is of an old postcard which was recently sold on ebay. The postcard features General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, arriving for a meeting at Bridgend in 1907. An interesting item, no doubt, but I guess that most people wouldn't see the postcard as being of any great value. So how much do you think it sold for? I will give the answer a bit later!
ebay is a worldwide phenomenon. Millions of people buy and sell a whole variety of items every day on ebay. I must admit to having been an ebayer for some years now. Though some aspects of ebay frustrate me greatly, I have found it a great place to pick up the odd bargain, and to get rid of unwanted items.
I also enjoy TV programmes like Bargain Hunt, Flog It, and The Antiques Roadshow. Of course, the big question raised with all these programmes is "how much it it worth?" The expert may give their opinion, but ultimately it isn't until an item is put up for auction that the true value can be discovered. It seems to me that, in monetary terms at least, the value of an item is dependent on what someone else would be prepared to pay for it.
So how much is a human life worth? How much is your life worth? It seems to me very sad that our society appears to be placing less and less value on human life. There were nearly 200,000 abortions in England and Wales in 2005. No doubt the figure will have risen since then. Many are campaigning for euthanasia to be legalised. Though these are emotive subjects, they indicate that, as a society we may be losing sight of the intrinsic value of a human life.
The good news is that God has set a value on human life. We are his creation, and the Bible tells us that human beings are made in God's image. In other words, we are created with the purpose of having a relationship with the living God! Though human sin and disobedience have spoiled that relationship, and separated us from God, God still loves us and we are precious in his sight. The Bible tells us that 'God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but shall have eternal life.' (John chapter 3 verse 16)
God loves YOU so much that he was willing to give his own Son, Jesus Christ. That's how precious you are to him. That's how much you're really worth! If you want to discover more about Jesus you may like to visit the rejesus website - you can do so by clicking here.Want to know how much the postcard sold for? Answer: £370. Don't ask me why!
My wife, Sue and I have spent a few days up in Scarborough this week. Despite my promises to Sue that the sun always shines in Scarborough, for much of our stay there was a cold, wet mist pervading the town. Whenever I visit Scarborough I love to look out over the South bay, with the castle standing proudly on the headland. Surely there can't be many better views in Britain. Sadly, the mist prevented me enjoying my favourite view!
A few years ago, Sue and I were able to buy a little flat just off the Esplanade in Scarborough. It has been a wonderful place to escape to over the years, though we don't seem to be able to get there as much as we would like these days. It took me a while to persuade Sue that Scarborough would be a good place to buy a flat. For me there was no argument - Scarborough is my favourite place on earth!
I have been reflecting on why that should be. Certainly there are some tatty parts of the town, and a number of the quaint old shops, around which I used to love to browse, have disappeared. So why does Scarborough still have such a strong pull on my emotions? On reflection, I think it must be much to do with my childhood memories. As a youngster I spent many happy holidays at Scarborough with my Mum, Dad and brother (my four elder sisters must have left home by then). My childhood memories are very precious. I was blessed to grow up in a loving family, and family life has always been so important to me. I was, therefore, greatly saddened to read this week that some newly published government statistics have prompted a leading family expert to say ‘the traditional nuclear family … has become a museum piece’I have no doubt that if, as the report suggests, family life is breaking down, then our society will pay the consequences. I thank God for organisations like Care for The Family (to visit their website click here).
I thank God also for my own family, and for the love and encouragement they have given me over the years. And I thank God for Scarborough!
On Saturday 15 April 1989 Liverpool were due to play Nottingham Forest in an F.A. Cup semi-final at Hillsborough, the home of Sheffield Wednesday F.C. What promised to be an entertaining and absorbing game involving two of the country's top teams turned into a tragedy when 96 Liverpool supporters died, following overcrowding in the Leppings Lane end of the ground, where the Liverpool supporters were housed.
Today's Football Focus programme on the BBC marked the 20th anniversary of Hillsborough with a special tribute programme, including interviews with some of those who were actually at the match. One couple told of how their two teenage daughters died at Hillsborough. Liverpool hero Steve Gerrard, aged only 9 at the time of the tragedy, lost a cousin. The whole programme was very sensitively produced, and I found it very moving. It is clear that the passing of the years has done little to take away the hurt, pain and great sense of loss.
One interesting element of the Football Focus programme was the fact that in some way the Hillsborough disaster changed the face of football in this country. This can be seen, perhaps, mainly in the way that since 1989 a number of new, all-seater (and therefore much safer) stadiums have been built. Even from such a tragic event, some good has come. It was interesting, too, to hear how such a tragic loss of life caused many people to see that there are some things more important than football. Death can bring true values into sharp focus.
Today is the day after Good Friday, when we remembered the death of Jesus. Jesus' first disciples were devastated when they witnessed Jesus' death. They believed that with his death, all their hopes has disappeared. They were at their lowest point, and life hardly seemed worth living. But what a difference a day makes! On Easter day Jesus rose from the dead! Hope was recreated in the hearts of his people. A hope which is still alive today. In the words of Jesus, 'I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life, and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.'
The image above is of the Hillsborough memorial tablet. The last words on the tablet are from the song which has become a Liverpool theme song: 'You'll never walk alone' Even when we face tragedy in life, if our faith is in Jesus, we know that we really will never walk alone!
I don't know about you, but if I'm walking down a street and I see someone handing out leaflets I usually do my very best to avoid them, even if it means crossing to the other side of the road! It was with some trepidation, therefore, that I joined a team of folk from church to hand out leaflets one day earlier this week. Since December last year we have set up a gazebo outside church and used it as a base to hand out leaflets. The leaflets usually give a short message about some aspect of Christian faith and also highlight forthcoming events in church. Naturally, this month's leaflet had an Easter theme.
The sad truth is that so many people in our society today have little or no understanding of what Easter is all about. For many, it's about chocolate and eggs, and perhaps the chance to have a few days off work. We Brits seem to be into chocolate in a big way: around £280million was spent on Easter eggs in the 4 days leading up to Easter last year! In fact, Easter chocolate sale make up about 10% of Britain's annual spending on chocolate.
So how do we help people discover the true meaning of Easter? This is what we put into the leaflets which we distributed this week:
Do you sometimes wonder why we celebrate Easter? Is there more to Easter than Easter eggs and fluffy bunnies? It may seem strange, but Easter is focused on someone who died. On the day called Good Friday we remember that Jesus Christ, God's Son, died an agonising death at the hands of the authorities. The good news? That wasn't the end of the story! Three days later, Jesus was alive again. What's more, he is alive today! Want to discover what this means for you? You will be welcome at Priory - we'd love to tell you more.
(Priory is the name of our church). Last Tuesday we distributed around 2,500 leaflets. Our hope and prayer is that they will encourage people to want to discover more about Jesus.
I have been privileged to visit the Holy Land on several occasions. One of my favourite places is the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem. Though it may not be the actual site of the tomb in which Jesus' body was placed, it has a very special atmosphere. One can visit a tomb which is probably not unlike the actual tomb of Jesus. But the tomb is empty! As the angels said to the disciples who visited Jesus' tomb, 'He is not here, he is risen!'
Jesus is alive today! Billions of people around the world know it to be true. This is good news for every person, for through him we are invited into a relationship with God our heavenly Father. If you don't know Jesus personally, if you haven't yet experienced his living presence in your life, then know that he loves you and longs for you to come to him. Visit your local church this Easter to find out more.
To visit the eauk slipstream website where you will find podcasts with Gary Habermas, an expert on the resurrection, click here
Being a parent is both an awesome responsibility and an immense privilege. As a parent one can experience both deep pain and tremendous joy. My wife, Sue, and I have been blessed to have three children. Caz is our oldest, then comes Steph, and the youngest (our only son) is Chris. They are all now in their 20s. All of them have flown the nest, and so it is a real joy when on occasions we can gather together again as a family. The most recent occasion was last weekend when Chris was married. Caz and Steph were two of the bridesmaids, and seeing the three of them together reminded me again how fortunate we are to have three such fantastic children. We love them and are very proud of them.
Like all parents, I guess, Sue and I can look back over the years when our children were growing up and see many things which, with hindsight, we might have done differently. We were certainly (and still are) far from being perfect parents. Yet despite all our mistakes, our three children have grown up to be young adults of which any parents would be proud. So, is there a secret recipe to successful parenthood? Are there certain rules to follow which will guarantee success? Sadly, the answer is no. If you read the beginning of the Bible you will find that even God, the perfect parent, found that his children went off the rails in a big way!
Yet there are some things which can be said which might be helpful. One of the most precious things a parent can give is time. Sue chose to put her career on hold for some 20 years so that she could stay at home and care for our children. She was always there for them. I am sure that this helped give our children the security they needed in their formative years. The sad thing for parents who can't or don't make the time to spend with their children when they are growing up is that the lost time can never be reclaimed.
We have tried as parents to help our children discover godly values. The truth is that children learn much of their behaviour and values from adults, and especially from parents. Again I have to say that Sue and I are far from perfect, but we have done our best to help our children see how much Jesus means to us and the difference he makes in our lives. We have also been tremendously blessed by being part of caring churches over the years. Our children have learned so much from Christian friends who have loved them and modelled for them godly lives.
Another thing I would say on the subject of parenting is that one of the best things we can do for our children is to pray regularly for them. When our children were young I made it a habit to go into their rooms when they were asleep and pray for God's blessing upon them (don't they look angelic when they're asleep?) Even now, Sue and I pray every night for our children. I have no doubt that prayer makes a difference.
Finally, I would encourage parents to try and cherish every moment they spend with their children, even when they're being a pain. Realise what a precious gift children are. Their childhood will soon come to and end and they will leave the family home. Make sure that they know that they are loved, so they will want to return.
So there is no recipe for guaranteed success as a parent. But there are things we can do. And even for those parents who despair, I would say keep praying and keep loving.
It's still hard to believe, but my son Chris woke up this morning as a married man! Preparations for a wedding can be a time of tension and stress. There were, no doubt, an element of those things, but all the hard work paid off, as the whole day was fantastic.
There was so much about the day that made it such a memorable occasion. The church service was great; all the different elements combined together so well. It makes such a difference when the bride and groom really understand the significance of making their vows before God. One of the things which impressed me was how Chris and Megan were clear and bold in making their vows before God and the congregation. There was no doubting that they intend to keep them!
Chris and Megan were married at their own church, Holy Trinity, Leicester. Many of their church friends who have supported, encouraged, and shared their faith journey with them, were at the service. It is clear that as Chris and Megan establish their first home together in Leicester they will be surrounded by friends who love them. They will be part of a caring and exciting church where they can continue to grow together in the things of God.
The reception was another excellent part of the day. Bring father of the groom, I had to stand in line shaking hands with all the guests. Not the most exciting part of the day, but it was good to be able to greet all those who had come to share this special occasion.
There were four speeches given after the meal: the usual ones from the bride's father, the groom and the best man (all excellent). More unusually, the bride also gave a speech! Megan spoke really well and from her heart in giving thanks to all those who had helped and encouraged her along the way. I was moved to tears by what she said!
For me the best element of the whole experience was the fact that both Chris and Megan made it quite clear that the day was not only about committing themselves to each other for life, but that they were committed as a couple to serving God, and living their married lives before him.
I can't say how proud I am of them both, and look forward to seeing what God will do in and through them in the years ahead.
Have you ever thought it strange that so often marriage partners have strongly contrasting views on certain issues? Only yesterday I was talking with two ladies who were relating the different perspectives they have with their husbands on what items around the house need to be kept ("they are bound to come in handy one day") and what can be disposed of.
My wife, Sue, and I have been married for over 31 years (and still going strong!) But there are certain issues over which we struggle to see eye to eye. One example of this cropped up recently. Our son Chris is getting married in two days time. His fiancee Megan is a lovely girl, and we are thoroughly delighted that they want to commit their lives to each other. Of course, when one's son gets married, one has to make a special effort to buy a suitable outfit. I hate trying things on, and it didn't take me long to find a suit which I liked and fit me ok. Even though the shop assistant thought it might be a little large, I decided that I didn't want to try any more suits on, so bought it!
Perhaps not surprisingly, Sue's outfit has taken a little longer to obtain! One of the differences between Sue and me is that if I have to do something or go somewhere, I like to be there in plenty of time - I hate being late. Sue, on the other hand, is quite happy being a last minute sort of person. As you can imagine, this has caused one or two "discussions" over the years. On this occasion, however, as the wedding drew closer and Sue still had no outfit, even she began to panic.
When it got to 3 days before the wedding and she still hadn't found an outfit, things were getting rather desperate. Friends from church were praying for her, some had offered to lend her an outfit, a couple of friends had brought round hats for Sue to use. Even a friend of our daughter, Steph, had sent round some dresses for Sue to try!
All the prayers were answered yesterday when Sue eventually found a suitable outfit (and what's more, it didn't break the bank!) All she needs now is shoes, hat and bag to go with it!!
On reflection, the big problem with leaving things until the last minute is that you might be in danger of missing the boat. Sometimes it may not be all that important, but on other occasions it might be a matter of life and death. One of the warnings given in the Bible is, "
Seek the Lord while he can be found; call on him while he is near".
God invites every person into a relationship with him through Jesus Christ. Have you responded yet? Don't leave it until it's too late.
I had intended to write on the theme of proctrastination, but I've decided to leave that until another day!
I've been thinking about the fact that today is April Fool's Day. I've always been one for practical jokes. Isn't it true that many people take themselves far too seriously? April Fools Day used to be one of my favourite days of the year, bringing as it did the challenge and opportunity to play tricks on friends and family. I'm not sure why, but as I have grown older, I have tended to make less use of April Fools Day. I have to admit, however, that one of my church members received a letter from Buckingham Palace this morning advising them of their knighthood!
St Paul, writing to first century Christians in Corinth, stated, "We are fools for Christ's sake." (1 Corinthians 4:10). In the eyes of many, to follow Jesus looks like a foolish thing. I guess that when I took the decision over 20 years ago to give up my potentially lucrative career as a chartered accountant to train as a Methodist Minister, there were some who thought that I was being a fool. To a society which constantly urges us to "look after no. 1", to live the Christian life of self sacrifice and service seems very foolish. It can seem foolish for a person to give control of every part of their life to God. Yet, paradoxically, it is by giving up our lives to Jesus that we truly discover what life is really all about.
Speaking personally, I'm happy being a fool for Christ!
If this subject interests you, you may like to look up an article on Wikipedia: click here.
We have three flowering cherry trees in our front garden. Each year around this time they produce gorgeous pink blossoms. Just before we went away for a few days last week, I noticed that the blossom was on the trees and would very soon be in full bloom. We were attending a conference in Southampton from Tuesday until Sunday, and I was hoping that by the time we returned, the blossom would be at the height of its beauty. Sadly, I was to be hugely disappointed. When we arrived home early Sunday afternoon, much of the blossom had already fallen from the trees, and the lawn was covered with "pink snow"! The beauty of these three trees is extremely short-lived. They flatter to deceive.
