Lord, forgive us

I shook my head in sorrow and disbelief as I read the following report earlier today on the BBC news website:

“Scuffles have broken out between rival groups of Greek Orthodox and Armenian Christian clerics over a turf war in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity. Around a hundred priests fought with brooms as they cleaned the church in preparation for Orthodox Christmas. Palestinian police armed with batons and shields broke up the clashes.

Similar disputes have occurred in the past between different denominations in the church, built on the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born. "It was a trivial problem that ... occurs every year," Bethlehem police Lieutenant-Colonel Khaled al-Tamimi told Reuters. "No one was arrested because all those involved were men of God," he said.

Previous clashes between the denominations which share the administration of the church have been sparked by perceived encroachments on one group's territory by another.

Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the site where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified, has also seen similar incidents.”

A few days ago we celebrated the birth of Jesus. God’s Son came into the world to bring the good news of God’s love for all humanity, and to reconcile us to God and to one another through his sacrificial death on the cross. Not long before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus said this to his disciples, ‘If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples’. In other words, the most important element of a Christian’s life is God’s love flowing through them to others.

Yet in the very church which commemorates the birth of Jesus (and also in the church where his death and resurrection are commemorated), the so-called holy men, the Christian priests, are falling out and squabbling over territorial issues. O Lord forgive us! How many people, over the years, have been turned away from Jesus because of the behaviour of those who claim to follow him?

The apostle John pointedly asks, in his first letter, ‘if we say we love God and don't love each other, we are liars. We cannot see God. So how can we love God, if we don't love the people we can see?’ A very good question for us all.

The other side of young people

Last Saturday we held an Advent Quiet Day at Priory. Three of us had been talking, praying and planning for the day for some time. The idea was to offer an opportunity for people to step aside from their daily routines for a while and take time to be quiet, reflect and pray; a kind of antidote to the busyness and pressure of Christmas preparations.

The theme of the Quiet Day was "Stations of the Nativity". We set up about 8 "prayer stations" based on the story of the nativity, ultimately leading to the manger. At each prayer station there were ideas for personal prayer, reflection and response. I was very hopeful that many would want to come, and would greatly benefit from the experience. In reality, the turnout was about the most disappointing to any event I ever remember helping to organise!! Nevertheless, I think that the few who did come found the experience to be very moving and thought-provoking.

One of the prayer stations was on the theme of Rejection (based on the time when "there was no room at the inn" for Joseph and Mary and the baby). I had pinned up some images of people/groups in our society who are sometimes rejected (or at least feel rejected). People at the Quiet Day were invited to light a candle and pray for those who feel rejected in our society. One of the images was of a group of young people in hoodies.

The London riots earlier in the year are still very much in our consciousness. It appears that many of those involved were young people. The problem is that all young people tend to be tarred with the same brush. I was delighted, therefore, to read a report from the Youth For Christ (YFC) organisation, which revealed that a number of young people responded very positively in the aftermath of the riots. This is part of the YFC report:

In the aftermath [of the riots] many were quick to denounce England's young people as wholly self-centred, anti-social and opportunistic. But this was just one part of the picture. A counter movement saw groups of young people come together to clean up streets, help those in need and restore some normality to their communities.

The report goes on to say how teams of young people were on the streets offering help and assistance, and making a real difference in the terrible situations suffered by a number of communities. They helped clean up damaged shops, even offering to pray for those who worked there. In response, one shop assistant remarked, "that's restored my faith in people a bit. I might even go to church on Sunday." There are some truly wonderful young people around.

The prayer station after "Rejection" was "Acceptance and Inclusion". The message of the angels to the shepherds was of 'good news of great joy for all people'. God's love in Jesus is offered to all. He longs to forgive, and reveal his love to all people - including those involved in the riots!

The gifts that money can't buy

When it gets to this time of the year, there’s one thing I really don’t look forward to. It’s certainly not Christmas itself - from my childhood years, I have always loved Christmastime. Undoubtedly the many happy childhood Christmases I experienced will have influenced my outlook on the season. It was a real highlight of the year when, as a family, we gathered round the Christmas tree on Christmas Day morning and opened our presents. My parents weren’t rich, and I don’t suppose the presents we received were of great monetary value, but they were warmly welcomed and greatly appreciated.

I love lots of things about Christmas: the giving and receiving of presents, the time with family and friends, the special Christmas services, the lights, decorations, cards and shared meals. But the one thing I really don’t look forward to is trying to choose a present for my wife, Sue. If she doesn’t really appreciate a gift, she isn’t very good at hiding the fact - and most of the gifts which I have presented her with over the years seem to have fallen into that category! I’m still not sure what I will get her this year - any suggestions greatly welcomed! Come to think of it, maybe a book on “How to hide your true feelings!”

The media is full of stories of financial cutbacks, and how families and individuals are finding it hard to cope with financial pressures. A recent survey suggested that around 1 in 5 people in the UK expect to have to borrow money to pay for presents. I wonder whether we’ve missed something somewhere along the line. Is the amount of money we spend really the important thing?

Charles Swindoll, in his book “Growing Strong”, suggests that some gifts we can give this Christmas are beyond monetary value. Some of his suggestions: Mend a quarrel; dismiss suspicion; tell someone, "I love you"; give something away - anonymously; forgive someone who has treated you wrongly; turn away wrath with a soft answer; visit someone in a nursing home; apologise if you were wrong; be especially kind to someone with whom you work. He finishes by suggesting: Give as God gave to you in Christ, without obligation, or announcement, or reservation, or hypocrisy.

Often the most precious and appreciated things in life really are those which money can’t buy.

Why?

On my blog a few weeks ago I wrote about an occasion when the normally macho world of football gave way to some very human emotions; many were moved to tears at the news that the two day-old son of Doncaster Rovers striker Billy Sharp had died. I didn't think at the time that a similar wave of emotion would sweep the game again so soon.

I was deeply saddened to learn last Sunday that Garry Speed, the the 42 year-old Manager of the Wales national side, had died. He was found hanged in his home by his wife early last Sunday morning. Tragically, he leaves behind his wife and two young sons. Over the past few days I have heard many people who knew Garry well asking the same question, "why?" No-one seems to know the reason he took his own life, and perhaps the answer will never be known.

So what was it that lead Garry Speed to take his own life? First thoughts were that he might have been suffering from depression. I was in a shop in Scarborough earlier in the week, and two middle aged men entered. One began a conversation with the other, asking what his friend thought of the Garry Speed situation. "I don't know what he'd got to be depressed about!" he said.

The truth is, depression can potentially affect people from all sorts of backgrounds and personal situations. On the face of it, Garry Speed had so much: a lovely wife, two great children, a job he loved and was successful at, popularity and respect, financial security. From what many people have said in the days since news of Garry's death, he was greatly loved and respected by all those who knew him. A number of those who knew him have been in tears this week.

It is probably true to say that all of us have thoughts and feelings in the deep places of our hearts which we may not feel able to share, even with those who are closest to us. But there is One who knows and sees the things we can hide from everyone else. As the writer of Psalm 139 states,

'You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.'

We cannot hide anything from God! Perhaps that might seem a bit scary, but how wonderful that God knows everything about us, even the things we try to hide and the things of which we are ashamed; yet still he loves us, and still he calls us to draw near to him.

If you are a person of prayer, please remember in your prayers Garry Speed's widow, Louise, and their two sons Ed (14) and Tommy (13), as they try to come to terms with their personal tragedy. May they somehow know the loving presence of Father God.