Touching the depths

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, a day when Christians remember particularly the occasion when Jesus rode into Jerusalem in a donkey. It was a significant event, not least because Jesus knew that in a few days' time he would be arrested, beaten, and sentenced to death.  One of the potential problems with having 'special' days in the Church year is that as we observe them over a period of years, we can become so familiar with them that we almost take them for granted, and their true significance can lose its place in our hearts and minds.

Sometimes, however, we catch a real depth of insight and emotional connection with a biblical event.  Yesterday evening was one such occasion, when I found myself deeply moved during our Palm Sunday evening service.  The service was at Markfield Methodist Church, one of the 3 churches of which I am privileged to be Minister.  The Markfield choir took a significant part in the service.  Although it was Palm Sunday, much of our focus was on the cross, and the sacrifice which Jesus made.

There was a very real sense of God's presence with us, and many in the congregation felt themselves touched at a very deep level.  The reality and significance of the events of Holy Week were brought home to us.  For a number of people at the service, and certainly for me, the most moving part was when the choir sang Steiner's wonderful piece, "God so loved the world."  There can't have been too many dry eyes after that!  Something indefinable happened as our hearts were led to focus on the depths of God's amazing love for this broken world.

I have listened to a number online recordings today.  Although I haven't been able to quite recapture the emotions of yesterday evening, I can't help thinking that this is one of the most inspirational compositions ever written.  God so loved the world - including me and you!

You might like to ponder on that wonderful truth as you listen here.

Beware the pointing finger

For a long time now, stories have been regularly appearing in the media relating to misdemeanours apparently committed by politicians.  As the 2015 General Election draws ever nearer, it seems that no stone is being left unturned in a bid to find those elusive skeletons which are hidden away in the cupboards of current or prospective MPs.  Indeed, it seems to be acceptable to do whatever needs to be done, using fair means or foul, to reveal any indiscretion.  Once something is discovered, it immediately becomes headline news, whatever the rights or wrongs of the case.  If the person concerned is ultimately found to be innocent of the charges, well it's just their hard luck.

I accept that a person seeking public office should expect a level of scrutiny, and I believe that the principle of integrity should be highly valued and lived out by our public figures such as politicians.  At the same time, I do think that there is an element of hypocrisy in all this condemnation and accusation which is flying around (after all, sections of the media haven't exactly covered themselves in glory by their behaviour in recent times).  Let me give another case in point.

Much has been made in recent years about those people (and companies) which seek to pay as little tax as possible by certain tax-avoidance schemes.  Whilst many of these tax avoidance schemes are not illegal as such, nevertheless many feel (and I am inclined to agree) that there is a moral and societal imperative that those who earn big money should pay their fair share of tax (assuming that we can agree what that fair share is!)  Politicians of all sides are recognising this to be an important issue and will no doubt included pledges to cut down on tax avoidance in their manifestos.

And yet, I wonder whether many of the same people who shout so loudly against the "tax dodgers" are those who seem content to go along with tax dodging schemes when it goes to their advantage.  I am sure that most, if not all of those reading this blog have come across situations where someone doing some work for them (a builder, double-glazing installer, plumber, electrician etc.) has offered them a cheaper deal if they pay by cash (which allows the tradesman/woman to avoid putting the transaction through the books and paying tax on it).  Many seem happy to go along with such suggestions.  But just because the amounts are smaller does that make it any the less tax dodging?  How can I rail against tax dodging if I am happy to facilitate it when it is to my personal benefit?

It's easy to point a finger at others, but maybe we would do well to examine our own lives first?

A tale of two Bens

You may have noticed that I have called this blog entry “A tale of two Bens”.  The first Ben is my young grandson.   He is a smashing little boy (most of the time), with a very endearing grin.  He is also a pointer.  Whenever something, or someone, attracts his attention he will point in that direction.  Last Sunday morning I was leading a Mothering Sunday service at one of my churches.  Ben, along with his brother and two cousins were at the service.  When I stood up to introduce the service, Ben noticed me, pointed his finger, and toddled down the aisle towards me.  When he got close, he lifted his arms in my direction, and I couldn’t resist gathering him in my arms.  He’s a very cuddly little boy!

Later in the service we watched a video clip which related the time when some children were brought to Jesus (you can watch it here).  Jesus’ disciples, thinking that Jesus wouldn’t want to be bothered with little children, tried to usher them away.  But Jesus welcomed the children.  The gospels tell us that he ‘took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them’ (Mark 10:16).  What an amazing picture of God’s love for us all.  As I held Ben in my arms I perhaps caught a glimpse of how God feels when we stretch out our arms to him and allow him to gather us to himself.

The other Ben is someone I met a couple of years ago.  My brother, Phil, came over from New Zealand (where he lives) to a conference in the UK, and brought with him a friend, Ben, who is from Vanuatu.  Ben is a lovely, gentle man who overflows with the love and grace of God, and it was a privilege to get to know him.  It was his first visit to the UK and I think that he found it a bit of a culture shock at first.  He loved his first experience of snow, although he didn’t appreciate the sub-zero temperatures!  I was fascinated to read later that a survey suggested although most of the people of Vanuatu have very little by way of material possessions, they are nevertheless amongst the happiest and most contented people on earth.

I was greatly saddened to hear of the devastation caused to Vanuatu by the recent visit of ‘Cyclone Pam’.  Not surprisingly, Phil has not yet been able to make contact with Ben.  Ben is often on my mind at the moment; he and his family and the people of Vanuatu are very much in my thoughts and prayers.  I hope and pray that relief efforts will be swift and effective, and that the people of Vanuatu will feel supported by the international community.  I am sure that Ben and many others will be finding strength in God’s presence, even in the midst of such devastation, and encouraging others to do so too.

God and the scrap metal merchant

I was walking home from church yesterday morning when a rather strange sight caught my attention.  On the pavement, leaning against a garden wall, was a central heating radiator. Sadly, its purpose for being there wasn't to give warmth to passers-by on what was a rather chilly day!  The sight reminded of a lesson I learned not long after our arrival in Leicester.

I was planning to cut the lawn at the manse and looked in the garage for the lawnmower (Methodist manses are supposed to be equipped with a lawnmower).  In fact there were two!  One was a rather flimsy Flymo, the other a more substantial but somewhat older metal mower.  The latter looked more promising but I soon discovered that it didn't work any longer.  I was considering how we might best dispose of the lawnmower when someone suggested leaving it on the pavement in front of the house.  I thought it was rather strange advice, but nevertheless I did as suggested, and was surprised to discover that the following day it had disappeared.

I soon learned that, at least in our part of Leicester, there are scrap metal merchants who regularly tour the area looking for unwanted metal which they quickly load on their van.  Since that early experience we have managed to get rid of several unwanted and often bulky metal items in this way.  No doubt that was why the radiator had been put out on the pavement (the next time I passed that area there was no sight of the radiator).

As a preacher I can't resist a good illustration, and the thought came to me that this incident could perhaps be used to help describe the way God deals with our sin.  I love the verse on the Psalms which states, 'As far as the east is from the west, so far does God remove our sins from us.'  Perhaps the psalmist's use of east and west is significant.  If he had written, 'as far as the north is from the south' then that would have been a defined, measurable distance (we know how far the north pole is from the south pole).  But there is no east or west pole.  God removes our sin infinitely far from us.

Of course our friends the scrap metal merchants do not generally take things unless we decide that the items need to be got rid of and put them out in full view.  In the same way, God does not take away (forgive) our sins or wrongdoings until we make the decision to confess what we have done wrong (i.e. put them out in God's full view) and receive his offer of forgiveness.

Through Jesus, God has made the way by which our sins can be forgiven.  The offer is made.  He longs to set us free from the penalty of sin.  But we need to respond to the offer.  I'm sure that I will think of that next time I see a large metal object in the street!

PS Not sure what happend to the image - maybe it's gone to the scrappers!

When we think that we know better than God

One day last week I was a passenger in a car being driven by someone who shall remain nameless.  We were heading for a local supermarket, and were approaching the car park.  The driver of the car indicated to turn right into a row of parking bays.  I casually mentioned the fact that this row was guarded by two "no entry" signs, but although the driver acknowledged their presence, she (oops, that's narrowed it down a bit!) was of the opinion that they could be ignored if it would mean that we reached a parking bay sooner than if we'd obeyed the no entry signs and gone round the long way.

On this occasion it was a perfectly safe manoeuvre, as no-one was coming the other way, but it did get me thinking...

The Bible is a fascinating account of God's relationship with human beings.  What the Bible tells us is that God didn't create us to be like robots, programmed to obey the Creator's commands without question.  Instead, he gave us the incredible gift of freewill.  He gave us directions for living, which he said would always be for our best.  But God knew, when he gave us freewill, that there was a chance that we would use it choose to ignore his directions and decide that we know better than God.

In one sense, the Bible is the story of history repeating itself many times.  Men and women decide that they know best, go off in their own way, make a mess of things, call out to God for help and forgiveness, God responds and offers forgiveness and sets them back on the right path.  But very soon they again come to believe that they know best etc. etc.  Yet God is so gracious and patient with us!

There are those who say that the concept of God is old-fashioned, and that even if God exists he is not relevant to our lives.  When I hear that, I just have to think of what life on earth would be like if we human beings lived, for example, according to the 10 commandments (in fact Jesus boiled it all down to just two: Love God and love others).  The world would be transformed instantly!

As the old saying goes, "For the best results, follow the Maker's instructions!"  We may not like all that God says, but his commands are only for our good.  We can choose to go his way or our own way, but choices have consequences.  My experience is that when I have chosen my own way rather than God's way I have sooner or later discovered that God's way was best!