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One of the many ways in which people are differentiated from one another is that (so it is said) some people are morning people and others are night-time people. From my own experience it would appear that a person may change from one to another over the course of their lives (perhaps several times!) It's probably true to say that for many years I have been much more of a morning person. It has long been my custom to set my alarm for an early hour. For some years my alarm went off at 5am (apart from on my day off). I don't set it for quite so early these days, but I still wake up fairly early. Even when I haven't set my alarm, my body clock tends to wake me up early anyway.
My normal practise is to spend some time after waking thanking God for the gift of a new day, committing the day into God's hands, and asking for his strength and guidance in meeting whatever the day will bring. I also pray for my family, and for others I known who are in particular need. Those early minutes of the day are very precious; it's so good to know that we have a God who cares about every aspect of our lives and into whose hands we can commit every moment of the day.
Most days, much of my prayer time happens before I actually get out of bed. This isn't necessarily a good idea, of course, because there is the temptation to drift off to sleep again! I did so a few days ago, and I found myself in dreamland. I dreamt that I was on a trip abroad with a group (no idea which country). The group was due to catch a coach which would take us back to the airport ready for the flight home. The coach had arrived and people were making their way to it along with their luggage. I decided that it would be wise to visit the loo before the journey to the airport. When I emerged from the toilet, I realised that the coach had left without me!
So there I was, in a foreign land, abandoned by my fellow passengers, and with no idea how I could find my way to the airport in time to catch the homeward flight. I'm sorry that I can't relate what happened next, because at that point I woke up again! For some reason the dream remained very vivid in my memory even after I had woken. I reflected on the fact that what had troubled me in the dream wasn't that I was alone in a strange place and in danger of missing my flight home. What really upset me was the fact that no-one seemed to have noticed that I was missing from the party - clearly I was not deemed to be an important member of the group!
The feeling that ones life isn't worth very much can cause a great deal of heartache. Earlier today I watched an episode of a US medical series 'House'. A dying patient made the comment to the doctor, "the world won't be any different after I'm dead, no-one will miss me." That lack of self worth, and the feeling that no-one cares about us, can be hard to come to terms with.
I love the verse from the prophecy of Isaiah:
Can a mother forget the infant at her breast,
walk away from the baby she bore?
But even if mothers forget,
I’d never forget you - never.
Even if the world forgets us, God never will!
It's probably a few years ago now since I first started to write a regular blog. My original intention was to update the blog weekly, and although there have been times such as holiday periods when I haven't maintained that schedule, I have managed to write something most weeks. Usually an event or incident has happened during each week which has given me an idea to write about or reflect upon. As the time approached for this week's blog to be written, however, I have been really struggling for inspiration. My mind seemed blank. In fact it's that image of a blank canvas which has helped to set me off down a certain line of thought.
I was further prompted by reading today that 83-year-old entertainer Rolf Harris has performed his first live show since his arrest over historical sexual assault claims, apparently receiving multiple standing
ovations from the audience at the 'Rolf Harris Live' show in Bristol recently. I have no wish to comment on the charges against him, but I do have very strong memories of Rolf appearing on TV during my childhood years. I loved to watch him as he began work on a large blank canvas, armed only with a giant paint brush and several tins of coloured paint.
The way he put various splodges and brush-strokes of paint onto the canvas seemed at times to be very haphazard, and it was sometimes impossible to recognise what he was doing or what picture he was seeking to create. On occasions it just appeared like an unholy mess! Then, suddenly, the picture would seem to burst forth out of the canvas. There is no doubt that Rolf Harris has an amazing artistic talent, and his paintings have become much sought-after in recent years. It is wonderful how he can look at a blank canvas, imagine a scene in his mind's eye, and then transfer his thoughts onto the canvas to create a wonderful result. What was once blank and boring becomes a thing of beauty.
Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday, the day when the Church celebrates the giving by God of his Holy Spirit to bring life to his people. In many ways the day of Pentecost was the birth of the Church. It is the Spirit who is the source of life and power to the people of God. In St Paul's second letter to the church on Corinth, he writes, 'we … are being transformed
into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is
the Spirit.’ In other words, Paul says that a key role of the Holy Spirit is to work in our lives to transform us into the image of Jesus Christ.
The good news of the gospel is that when we turn to God he accepts us just as we are; he offers forgiveness and new life in Christ Jesus. But that's not the end of the story; as we open ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives he begins to create something beautiful, as he performs his work of transformation. Even the most damaged and ugly canvas can become something wonderful. It could be said to be a life-long work. I know very well that there's much still to do in my life, but as someone once said, "Be patient, God hasn't finished with me yet!"
One day last week Sue and I travelled up to Doncaster to visit our daughter Steph, son-in-law Matt and our beautiful granddaughter Beth. We spent an enjoyable, relaxing day with them. Sue fancied visiting the nearby Lakeside Village Shopping Outlet. To be honest, such places are not normally my cup of tea (they all seem very much the same to me!) However, I knew that there was a Thornton's shop and cafe there, so I was hoping that we might be able to stop off for one of their delicious hot chocolates.
The weather had turned quote overcast and damp, so it was just as well that we were mainly under cover. Having Beth with us meant that we could use one of the parent and child parking spaces. We visited a number of shops in the complex, including one which sold children's clothes. As I was wandering around rather aimlessly, I happened to notice a child's jumper which had printed on the front a caption and image which attracted my attention:
We British seem to like to talk about the weather, and we often complain if it's raining. Yet the message on the jumper is that in order to see the beautiful rainbow we have to accept that the rain must come. We may not always appreciate the rain, but when the rainbow appears it can bring great delight.
In the Bible, the rainbow is seen as a sign of God's covenant commitment to his people. God's promise is not that life will be free from storms, difficulties and tough times. But he does promise that he will be right alongside us in those tough times. He also promises that there will come a time when the storm clouds will roll away. In the words of the Psalmist, 'Tears may flow in the night, but joy comes in the morning.' (Psalm 30:5)
I am pleased to say that before we left Lakeside I did manage to have a Thornton's hot chocolate, which was delicious. We then headed back to Steph and Matt's home. As if to reinforce the message on the jumper, the rain began to fall, the sun shone, and a lovely rainbow appeared in the sky:
There is probably not a person alive who doesn't experience tough times in life. How wonderful to know that we don't have to face them alone. There is One who promises 'I will never leave you or forsake you.'
