Tell them while you still can

As we stand almost on the verge of the closure of the year 2016, many commentators have been focussing on the relatively large number of 'celebrities' who have died during the year.  In just the last few days, for example, four major figures from the entertainment industry, Rick Parfitt, George Michael, Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds have slipped their mortal coils.  The earlier losses of figures such as Terry Wogan, Paul Daniels and Ronnie Corbett were particularly poignant to me, because in different ways they brought me great personal enjoyment and many happy memories during my formative years.

One of the people whose face I will miss as much as most is someone who will have been far less well-known than most of the other celebrities.  Indeed, he would probably not have regarded himself as a celebrity at all.  I learned only yesterday of his recent death, aged in his mid-50s.  His name was Graham Lay; a name which you may not recognise.  He was one of the experts in The Antiques Roadshow.  What attracted me to Graham was his boyish enthusiasm and his genuine interest, not only in a particular object but in the story behind it, and in its owners.  His warm smile was always apparent.  It seemed to me that he was someone I would have enjoyed meeting.  I loved the fact, too, that he was so proud of his Blue Peter badge that he wore it on just about every occasion!  Antiques Roadshow won't be quite the same without him.

I had noticed, over the years, that on occasion Graham seemed to have to make a special effort with his breathing.  I have now learned that he was a lifelong sufferer of Cystic Fibrosis, which can be a very debilitating illness.  From what little I have been able to learn about Graham, he bore his illness with remarkable fortitude and without complaint.  He gave the impression that he was one of those people with the knack of making others feel better for being in his presence.  He will be much missed.  My prayers are with his family and friends.

One of the celebrity deaths which caused great public comment was that of singer George Michael.  I was interested by Gary Lineker's subsequent tweet, "Wouldn't it be nice if death gave us a day's notice so giants like George Michael could see how much they were revered and adored?"  Leaving aside the interesting question as to what qualifies a person to be classed as a "giant", I'm convinced that being given 24 hours' notice of one's impending demise would not be an altogether unqualified blessing!

Leaving that to one side, however, the point is that death generally doesn't give us that kind of warning.  As I've said before on more than one occasion, if you love and appreciate someone, if you're grateful for their input into your life, or simply for who they are, tell them while you still can!

 

Christmas body language

A few days ago, someone from church mentioned to me that at the church's Christmas Market event I'd been noticed standing with my arms folded.  Body language experts would no doubt say that having one's arms folded gives a signal that you are "closed" to other people and that you not wanting to engage in conversations etc.  

I was quite surprised to learn that I'd had my arms folded, because ever since I heard a friend some years ago talking about the body language implications of folding one's arms, I've tried to avoid doing so.  It's not always easy, because sometimes folding my arms, especially when sitting and relaxing, seems to be the most natural and comfortable thing to so.  Having said that, I certainly don't want to convey an unspoken message that I want to close myself off from others.

Having set off down the track of thinking about body language, my mind went back much further to the time when I was training for the Methodist ministry.  One of our lecturers, who was a kind and gentle man, was extremely soporific in delivery.  I vividly recall a particular lecture he gave on the subject of body language.  As I struggled to stay awake (I think it was an after-lunch session), I glanced round the room, and noticed that most of my fellow students appeared to be in various stages of stupor.  I wondered whether the dear old lecturer was able to read our body language!

I read recently an autobiographical work by the late crime writer P.D. James.  In the book, she writes quite openly about her Christian faith, and of regularly attending church, but she states that her image of God was of someone who is remote and unknowable.  To put words into her mouth, she saw God as an "arms folded" figure.

The wonderful Christmas story reveals very clearly that is God is not like that at all.  One of the names given to Jesus is "Immanuel", which means "God with us."  As the gospel writer John puts it, 'And Christ became a human being and lived here on earth among us.'  God stepped into our world - he became one of us!  The good news is that God is not remote, far away, or disinterested.  He is one who promises that when we open our lives to him and put our faith in the one who was born 2000+ years ago in Bethlehem, he comes to make his home in our hearts through his Spirit.

The glorious good news of Christmas is that through all the ups and downs and joys and sorrows of life, we have one who will never leave us or forsake us.  So let's celebrate!

Jesus and Churchill: the blessing of giving

I used to have a book on my bookshelf with the title, "Difficult Sayings of Jesus."  It was 'twinned' with another book called "More Difficult Sayings of Jesus."  Both books were aiming to address some of the sayings of Jesus from the Gospels which are not so easy to understand.  The truth is that although the Bible is a truly amazing book through which God can speak to us, there are some passages which appear rather obtuse to the modern reader.  Having said that, I remember one commentator saying, "It's not the things in the Bible which I don't understand that trouble me, it's the things I do understand!"  The point he was making was that the Bible can be very challenging indeed.

Jesus made it very clear to his hearers that his teaching was not mere theory; he expected that all those who followed him would put into practice what he taught.  Indeed, he told the parable of the two housebuilders to emphasise the point that his words are to be obeyed.

As Christmas draws near, I have been thinking about one particular saying of Jesus, namely that 'it is more blessed to give than to receive.'  (Acts 20.35).  When I was a child, much of the excitement at this time of the year was in anticipating what presents I might receive on Christmas Day.  These days, I find much more joy in giving someone something which they really appreciate.  

There is real blessing in giving, perhaps something which our consumerist society is in danger of overlooking.  I was fascinated to read of some research recently undertaken by researchers at the London School of Economics.  What they discovered is that we human beings seem to be 'hard-wired' for helping others.  By measuring brain activity and hormones they have discovered that helping others delivers immense pleasure.  The more we give, the happier we feel.  The recent issue of a magazine published by Pilgrims' Friend Society also pointed out that 'studies have found that people who regularly help others live longer than those who don't.'

Just another example to show that Jesus really did know what he was talking about.  All we have to do now is put it into action!  I can't help but think of the words of Winston Churchill, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.'

 

Facing the Question of Suffering

A few months ago, I was interested and excited to read about some happenings at The Gate Church in Reading.  During a period of mission by the church, 100s of people had either rededicated their lives to Christ or made a first-time commitment.  One of the main features of what was happening was that it took place not in a church building but out and about in the community.

When we heard that some folk from Reading were coming to Leicester to help lead a two-week mission in the city, Sue and I were keen to go along and discover more.  After some training in the morning, we were challenged to go out onto the streets to engage with people and share the message of God’s love.  The reason I mention all this is because of the reaction of one lady we approached.  We had been encouraged to commence a conversation by introducing ourselves and then, having made the introduction, to say to the person how much God loves them and that God has a great purpose for their lives.

With some trepidation, Sue approached a lady who was walking towards us.  When Sue informed that lady of God’s love for her, the lady shook her head and replied something like, “I don’t see how God can love us when there’s so much suffering in the world.”  In other words, she brought up the age-old, thorny problem of human suffering.  Put simply, the BIG QUESTION is, “If God is a God of love, and if he is all-powerful, then why is there so much suffering in the world?”

It’s one of life’s tough questions.  It’s one which all those who believe in a God of love cannot ignore.  Let’s be honest and admit that although there are some things we can say in response, which might at least provide part of the answer, there is no fully worked out, conclusive response to such a massive question.  This blog is not the forum for addressing in any detail the question of human suffering, but the lives and recent deaths of two people known to me do, I believe, have something to say.

The first is a lady called Beryl.  I wrote a few weeks ago in my blog about this wonderful lady, who for some 35 years experienced the increasingly debilitating effects of Parkinson’s Disease, which progressively took more and more of her physical abilities away from her.  Beryl freely admitted that she didn’t understand why God had allowed this to happen, and yet her amazing testimony was that through the dreadful experience she found herself being drawn closer and closer to God.  Still she was able to daily count her blessings, and experienced the reality of constant God’s presence.

The second person I want to mention is called Dan.  Dan was the son of Paul and Jacky, friends of ours from our days in Norwich.  Aged 25, recently-married Dan was diagnosed with an aggressive and inoperable brain tumour.  Rather than wring his hands and give up on life, Dan responded with typical resolve.  He was a young man of strong Christian faith, and despite everything, his faith in Jesus Christ never wavered.

In May this year, Dan was told that the brain tumour was continuing to grow and another cycle of chemotherapy began.  In October, he was told that the chemotherapy wasn’t working and treatment would stop.  Describing how Dan took this news, his wife Kim said: “We came out of that appointment and I said: ‘how do you feel about it?’ and Dan just looked at me and said: ‘God’s good’.  And through everything, every time we get good or bad news, Dan is always like: ‘God’s in control and God’s good’.  And that has always been the focus: God is still good and God still loves us.”  [You can read a full tribute to Dan here].

Beryl and Dan, two people from different generations, but two people deeply in love with Jesus and very much aware of God’s presence in the midst of great suffering.  I can’t give a totally satisfactory answer to the problem of suffering, but what I would want to say is this: Firstly, this life isn’t all there is; those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ have the assurance of a life to come, free from suffering and pain, a life lived fully in the presence of God.  Secondly, God never promises that our earthly lives will be free from suffering, but he does promise that through whatever we face he will be with us; Both Beryl and Dan knew the truth of that promise!

Variety the spice of life?

We have several trees in our back garden, so not surprisingly the garden has an autumnal appearance at the moment.  Fallen leaves are providing an attractive, multi-coloured carpet.  I did take a photo but, as is so often the case, the resulting image didn't really do justice to the reality.

Though the leaves are similar, in reality each one is different, and together they had formed what seemed to me to be an enchanting early morning scene.  Variety lies at the heart of God's amazing creation.  Certainly variety is one of the elements of my role as a Methodist Minister.  Sometimes the contrasts in what I do are noticeable.  For example, one day this week I spent the morning visiting an elderly person who is nearing the end of their life; in the afternoon I was at one of my churches as we hosted a large group of very young children from a local school.  One of our church members has died recently, and it is possible that I will be asked to take the funeral service.  In contrast, I have an appointment in the coming week to visit a couple who would like their baby baptising.

Without variety, the resulting monochrome life would be so dull and boring.  The old saying, "Variety is the spice of life" contains much truth.  With Sue being away part of this last week, I had a go at cooking one evening.  Without going into too much detail, the results were disappointing, to say the least.  I may not be a chef, but even I know that ingredients like spices and herbs, when added to dishes, can make such a difference.

Yet the sad reality is that we human beings sometimes struggle with variety, especially when it comes to other people.  We may fear anyone who is "different;" we can be suspicious of anyone who sees things differently from us.  It seems to me that at the heart of so many of the problems in the world today lies the failure to embrace and accept those who are "different."  One of the mantras of today's culture is "tolerance", yet the ironic thing is that we are so poor at tolerating differences!

We have seen that so clearly recently with the US Presidential election, and before that with the EU Referendum.  We just don't seem able to disagree in an agreeable manner.

The 12 disciples who followed Jesus appear to have been a very diverse bunch.  As one commentator points out, "Jesus could not have picked a more diverse group of men to accomplish his divine purpose. By human standards, the Twelve had very little in common with one another - one unpredictable fisherman, possibly one with a bias against Nazareth, a fanatic Jewish nationalist, a despised tax-collector, a sceptic/pessimist, two “Sons of Thunder” with explosive tempers, and a covetous betrayer."  And yet Jesus command to them was "love one another."  He called them to work together and find unity in their diversity.

Variety isn't always easy to deal with, but it is so beautiful.  Let's not fight against it, but let's embrace it and celebrate it as part of God's amazing plan and purpose.

Election reflections: reason for hope

It has long been a running joke that if a British person shows an American friend some item of British culture, the expected response is something like, "O, we've got a much bigger one of those back home!"  The stereotypical outlook of a US citizen is much bigger and brasher than their UK counterpart.  Well, if we in the UK thought that the Brexit vote earlier in the year was a massive shock, the Americans have most certainly outdone us with the almost totally unexpected election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States.

My grandson Max was apparently looking at the TV this morning when the news showed Donald Trump walking onto the stage.  Max asked his mum, "Why are people following that man, mummy?"  Mummy replied, "His name is Donald Trump and he's the new President of America."  To which Max responded, "Is that 'cause he trumps a lot, mum?"  That's a bit of an aside to the main point of this blog, but it caused me to chuckle so I thought I'd pass it on!

In some respects the Trump victory mirrors the victory of the Brexiteers a few months ago.  The polls got it badly wrong in both cases, and many commentators have made the point that what seems to have happened in both cases is that there was a huge and unpredicted vote against "the establishment" by ordinary people who felt that their voices were being overlooked.  Whatever the rights and wrongs of either vote, the fact is that our democratic systems have produced an unexpected outcomes, whether we like it or not.

The point I really wanted to make is that I have been deeply saddened by some of the the reactions to the votes, particularly from fellow Christians.  Sadly, there have been some who have poured scorn on anyone with the temerity to see things in a different way; sometimes seeming to suggest that those who don't agree with them are mindless idiots.  Also, whatever we may think of the two candidates for the US Presidency, I see absolutely no justification for the mass of abusive personal vilification which has poured forth in recent months.  We may greatly disagree with the policies of the candidates, and strongly object to much of what they say and how they have conducted their campaigns, but personal abuse of any kind can never be justified.

Perhaps most worryingly of all, there have been many Christians who almost seem to have thought, both in terms of the Brexit vote and the Trump victory, that with either of these scenarios the world will come to an end!  They seem petrified of an outcome which goes against their wishes, and I have to wonder where is the God-element to such thinking.

A couple of Sundays ago we sang a song in church which has the chorus "Our God reigns," and I made the point that the song is a real statement of faith.  When we look around the world today and see the mess it is in, the huge inequality, suffering, conflict and many other problems we face as a human race, it can be hard to hang on to the belief that God still does have "the whole world in his hands."  Yet we are called to believe that somehow God is able to work even the worst things for good.  The apostle Paul stated this in his letter to the Christians in Rome as they faced terrible persecution from Caesar and the Roman authorities, and if they could believe it, so should we!

I like a Facebook comment from a friend, who wrote yesterday, "Praying for our dear friends across the pond on this Election Day. Whatever the outcome is of the election I am reminded that alongside a Pharaoh, God raised up a Joseph and alongside Nebuchadnezzar, God raised up a Daniel. God can win with a pair of twos. He loves the people of the USA and He is not about to let you down now whoever wins. We love you dearly and May God Bless the United States Of America."

Yes, in human terms we live in very uncertain times in all sorts of ways.  Yet in God we can know peace and security in the most uncertain and troubling of times.  This coming Sunday is Remembrance Sunday, when we remember the huge cost of war and the great sacrifice paid by so many.  We will read Psalm 46, which begins with these words, 'God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble.  And so we need not fear even if the world blows up and the mountains crumble into the sea.'  Twice in the Psalm we read this great faith statement, 'The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.'  Through the Psalmist, God speaks, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’


Jesus' promise to his disciples is a promise to all who will receive it, 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid' (John 14.27).

We are called, as followers of Jesus, to believe that even though the world around seems to be crumbling and all seems so uncertain and worrying, ultimately God is in control and will work his purposes out.  We are also called to pray; to pray for all those in authority (including the Donald Trumps of this world), and to pray for this beautiful world which God has given us, and for its people, each one loved extravagantly by our Creator God.  And finally, we are called to love.  I am currently reading a book by Martin Luther King, in which he so powerfully reminds us, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."  I pray that the people of our world may hear and remember those words and act on them.

When you just need a crutch

A rather traumatic event took place in my family during the past week.  Our younger daughter, Steph, and her husband and two young children were visiting our other daughter, Caz, in South Wales.  Whilst there, Steph managed to fall, fracturing her tibia and fibula in the process.  That was bad (and painful) enough, but the situation was complicated by the fact that Steph is almost 6 months pregnant.  She was taken to hospital and operated on; her leg is now in plaster.  After a couple of days in hospital she was eventually allowed to make the long and uncomfortable journey back home to Doncaster.

It will apparently be around 6 weeks before Steph is able to place any weight on her leg, followed by several further weeks of physio.  Clearly she will find it difficult to maneuvre herself around for some time, and will need support.  In view of her being pregnant, she has been given a zimmer frame for the time being.  Perhaps crutches will come later when she feels a little more confident and less in pain.

There are times when Christians are accused of being weak people.  "Your Christian faith is just a crutch!" is an accusation often heard.  No-one will find it strange to see Steph using a zimmer or crutches for physical support and to get around, in view of her current disability.  Why, then, should it be regarded as strange when we admit to needing support in other ways?

Indeed, there is a sense that admitting to weakness is a prerequisite to the Christian life.  The apostle Paul, in his second letter to the Christians in Corinth, writes about a particularly difficult issue which he had asked God to take away.  He then goes on, 'But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.' (2 Corinthians 12.9&10).  Paul discovered the wonderful truth that God's strength is most clearly experienced in and through our weaknesses.

The journey of Christian faith begins with a person coming to recognise their own weaknesses and inability to manage on their own.  In other words, we come to the point that we say to God, "I admit I've messed up, I admit I can't manage on my own and I need your help."  God graciously comes to our aid, and in our weakest moments gives us the strength we need to carry on.  I know that there have been certain times in my life when I would have been utterly lost without the knowledge of God's presence and his strength. I don't mind admitting that during those times I have leaned heavily on him.  Just as Steph would be foolish to attempt to move about without support, so it seems to me to be foolish to attempt the journey of life without relying on the One who gives life.

Of course God is far, far more than a support in times of need.  But I freely admit that there are many times when I need a 'crutch'!

The peril of taking things for granted

Generally speaking, I don't have much trouble sleeping at night.  In most cases, very soon after my head hits the pillow I drift off into the land of Nod.  I do realise that there are a significant number of people for whom sleeping does not come easy, and night-time can be very trying.  My problem, on occasions, is the opposite - I sometimes find myself drifting off when I should be wide awake!  Early in my days as a Minister I was visiting an elderly gentleman.  We were sitting in front of a glowing coal fire and despite my best efforts I just could not keep my eyes open!

So going to sleep isn't often a problem for me.  That's not to say that I don't usually wake up a few times during the night.  Because it's not always easy to get straight back to sleep again after waking, I have developed a technique which helps.  I get out of bed, visit the loo (even if I don't feel the need) and when I get back to bed I can almost always get straight back to sleep.  Having said that, I have developed the very bad habit of checking my phone to see if my brother in New Zealand has updated his Facebook page while I've been asleep!

One night recently I made my loo visit but when I turned on the tap to wash my hands there was no water supply!  In my half-asleep state I began to be concerned that somewhere in the house a water pipe had sprung a major leak, and went in search of a big pool of water.  I did try to encourage my wife Sue to help in the search but, not surprisingly in the early hours, she wasn't too keen.  Having discovered no sign of a leak I went back to bed.

To cut a long story short, I discovered the next day that there had been a main pipe burst somewhere in the local area, causing the water supply to a number of houses to be interrupted.  Looking back on this incident, I was reminded just how easily we can come to take for granted even the very precious things in life.  Water is life-giving, we cannot exist without it.  How fortunate we are in our part of the world to be able to turn on the tap at home and have instant clean water (it is estimated that around 800 million people in the world do not have access to clean water - surely a scandal).

Another incident which cause me to think along similar lines was when a church friend was suddenly rushed into hospital after suffering a heart-attack.  It came as a huge shock to everyone who knew him, especially as as far as anyone knew he seemed so fit and healthy.  Thanks to the excellent medical services (and much prayer), he is now home again and beginning the road to recovery.  Yet the whole incident was a reminder both of how fragile life is and also how we should never take life for granted.

So that's been the big lesson for me this past couple of weeks.  Appreciate all that I have, and never take any of it for granted.  As a friend once reminded me, we need to cultivate an attitude of gratitude.

Remarkable life

One of the greatest privileges and blessings of my life as a Methodist Minister has been the opportunity to meet some truly remarkable people.  Over the years, in the various churches with which I've been involved, I have come across some men and women whose lives have so demonstrated the character of Jesus, through their love, grace, compassion, servanthood and godliness, that I have felt truly honoured to have known them.

Today I was privileged to be involved in a service to celebrate the life of a very remarkable lady called Beryl.  I had known her only for the past four years, but it is clear that her life has touched the lives of many others, as family and friends gathered today to give thanks for her life.  Two of Beryl's brothers read poems which Beryl had written some years ago, both of which were tremendously moving.  I have been given permission to reproduce one of Beryl's poems here.  It's called "Parkinson's Disease - A View from the Inside", and was written 15 years after Beryl had first been diagnosed with Parkinson's:

I've had this now for fifteen years.
The frustration felt can bring on tears,
but sympathy is not what I need,
just understanding this strange disease.
I want to put you at your ease.
One moment you may see me walking well,
Another time I can hardly move - 
you just can't tell
which way the medication will work.
Sometimes it makes me want to jerk,
you may think I've gone berserk.
How hard I try I can't keep still
and sometimes I can feel quite ill
with writhing head and swinging arms,
I can't even talk in normal terms.
Then after a 'do' like that
I find I've gone off completely flat;
my body feels like a lump of lead,
I find it hard to lift my head.
It's then I feel so very weak,
I find it difficult to speak.
You may think I'm always sad
even if I'm feeling glad,
because it's difficult to smile
when muscles set and won't move awhile
and I can't do what I want to do,
like singing favourite hymns with you.
One day a dear friend said to me,
"Beryl you just have to 'be'".
I've found God closer every day,
he's shown me of my need to pray
and this is one thing I can do.
He meets me in the stillness, too
so inwardly I know his peace
and from my ailments find release.
I count my blessings every day,
that he'll be with me all the way.
I thank God for my family,
and friends like you who help me 'be'.

Beryl's absolute trust in God, and her experience of his constant love, had remained steadfast through the fifteen years of increasing disability through the onset of Parkinson's Disease.  What is more remarkable still is the truth that she continued to have a radiant Christian faith through a further twenty years!  All through that time she never complained, nor was she ever angry with God.

Her remarkable, radiant faith is a shining example and a huge challenge to us all.  The problem of human suffering is one which challenges even the greatest theologians and Biblical scholars.  Ultimately there probably is no fully satisfactory answer which will please everyone.  What Beryl would have said, however, is something like this: "I don't understand it either, but I do know that in my suffering God is with me, and that makes all the difference, and I know that my suffering will one day come to an end and I will spend eternity with God."

Only one leg to stand on

About once each half term I am invited to lead an assembly in one of our local schools.  Although it is a pleasure to do so, and the children in the school are really well behaved and attentive, I generally find the experience a little bit daunting.  Being in the position of having to talk to a hall full of schoolchildren is something slightly out of my comfort zone, not least because I am aware that I have to try and communicate in a way which speaks to the children.

The school where I take the assemblies has a theme of the week, and the intention is that the assembly should link in which the given theme.  Sometimes it's fairly easy to create an assembly on the given theme, on other occasions it can be a bit of a struggle.  The school theme for this week was "Self discipline."  I did wonder at one point whether I should illustrate the result of not being self-disciplined by turning up late to assembly, but ultimately I didn't go with that idea!

I quoted a few famous people on the theme.  For example, Leicester City hero Jamie Vardy, explaining his own phenomenal rise to fame and fortune, has stated, "The secret's just lots and lots of hard work."  I know from my own experience as a football chaplain that however skilfull a player may be, unless they have the commitment and dedication to the hard work of training (i.e. self-discipline), they will never reach their full potential.  

Edmund Hillary, the first person to conquer Everest (one boy thought it might have been Bear Grylls!) said, "It's not the mountain that we conquer but ourselves."  That inner determination is such a vital part of life.  As the Bible says, 'A person without self-discipline is like a house with its doors and windows knocked out.' (Proverbs 25.28).

Of course, the children like to get involved rather than just listen to me, so I invited 6 of them to come out to the front and try to stand on one leg for 30 seconds.  Perhaps not surprisingly, they all managed the task with ease.  I then asked them to repeat the feat, but this time with their eyes closed. Within a few seconds they were struggling (one boy fell over after a couple of seconds).  Only one of the children managed the full 30 seconds without putting their second leg down (I'm not sure that you should try it at home!)  I informed the children that the word record for the longest period standing on one leg is (apparently) over 76 hours, and that must have taken a heck of a lot of self-discipline.

The final Biblical quote I had was from Matthew's gospel (24.13), where Jesus says, 'Staying with it to the end - that's what God requires.  Stay with it to the end.'  The life of following Jesus, just like life itself, can be very tough at times.  Self-discipline plays a huge part in carrying on through the tough times, and fulfilling the calling of Jesus on our lives.  Resisting temptation can be a real struggle, and is impossible without some self-discipline.  But of course, the message of the Gospel is that ultimately self-discipline and self-effort are not enough.  Indeed, it is only when we admit that our own efforts are inadequate, that we truly recognise our need of God's help.

Self discipline is important, but even that is not enough without God's help.  Perhaps trying to succeed with self-discipline alone is like trying to live life standing only on one leg!

How thirsty are you?

Every now and then a phrase from a book jumps out at me and makes a deep impression in my mind.  I've just started reading a book by Randy Clark called "God Can Use Little Ole Me," which is subtitled "Remarkable Stories of Ordinary Christians."  It's a book which highlights the wonderful truth that ordinary people can be used in extraordinary ways when they place their lives into God's hands and find their strength in him.  The book tells the stories of a number of people (including Randy Clark himself) for whom this has proved to be the case.

In the first chapter, Randy Clark relates a statement which had been made to him:

"We have as much of God as we want."

Initially, Clark didn't like the statement.  However, he writes, "The more I thought about it, the more I realised he was right.  It is one thing to have only a slight desire for God, and quite another to be so thirsty for him that nothing is more important than getting filled ... Realising we are dry is not the same as being filled.  God fills us according to our thirst.  The thirstier we are when we come to him, the more he fills us.  How thirsty are you?"

How thirsty are you?  Isn't that such a challenging question?  And the thought that God gives us as much of himself as we desire is equally challenging.  Am I really desperate for more of God, or am I content with the occasional experience of God, on my terms and when I feel the need?

There is a passage from John's gospel which has been in my thoughts for some time; words spoken by Jesus:

'Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them' (John 7:37&38).

The only qualification for receiving from Jesus is that we have a spiritual thirst and we draw close to him!  And as we drink of that life-giving water of the Spirit, we we are in turn able to bless others.

So the question I continue to wrestle with is, how thirsty am I?  Is pursuing God my  greatest desire, or do I put other things first?  I just can't get the thought out of my mind: 

"We have as much of God as we want."

Influence & consequences

Back in the late 1970s a Methodist Deaconess, who was living in the East Yorkshire village of Ottringham, was asked by a girl who was living in the same village whether she would be prepared to host a meeting for young people who were connected to some of the local village Methodist churches.  The idea was that the young people concerned could meet together and discuss matters of mutual interest.  The Deaconess ('Sister Gwen' as she was then known) agreed that the young people could meet in her home as long as she didn't need to get involved other than make the teas and coffees etc.

Several teenagers gathered for the first meeting.  When Gwen took in the refreshments, she discovered that the topic of conversation was euthanasia.  This so intrigued her that she stopped to listen and take part in the discussion.  By doing so she became 'hooked' and began to take part in future meetings, seeking to offer helpful insights and advice to the young people, and helped them to see how the Christian faith related to various topics under discussion.  

The group really began to gel; the youngsters formed a close bond, and developed in their Christian faith to such an extent that they formed a 'mission band' named the Ambassadors.  As a group they took services in a number of the local Methodist churches.  For many of them, this was a first step in any form of public speaking or worship leading.

This snippet of history is particularly relevant to me and Sue, because we were members of that youth group, and being invited to be part of that group was how we first met.  Sue lived in the same village (Ottringham), and I lived in the next village along the A1033 towards Hull.  The chances are that if the group had not been formed, Sue and I would never have met.  In due course I fell in love and eventually (after much effort on my part!) persuaded Sue to marry me.  Some 38 and a half years later, Sue and I have been blessed with 3 fantastic children and 4 amazing grandchildren (not to mention a wonderful son and daughter-in-law), and we are still very much in love.

In one sense we owe it all to Gwen.  If she hadn't been prepared to open her home to a disparate group of teenagers, all that Sue and I have shared together would probably never have happened.  We also owe so much to Gwen through the love, care, support and nurture which she offered to us all.  We really did grow in faith in so many ways, and a number of the group are today still involved in Christian ministry of various sorts.  We had the privilege of having Gwen to stay with us this weekend, and as we chatted all sorts of memories came flooding back, as the intervening years rolled away!

The weekend not only brought back some great memories, but also reminded me how important one decision can be.  The consequences of Gwen being willing to open her home were immense, and Sue and I can never fully express the gratitude we feel.  Not only that, but the influence which Gwen had on the lives of those of us who were part of the group, during our formative years, is impossible to gauge.

Every decision we make has consequences of some kind or another.  To be generous and open-hearted can make such a difference.  And whether we like it or not, our lives do influence others, for good or evil.  I thank God for Gwen and the part she has played in our lives.  And I pray that God will help me to be as generous and open-hearted as she was, to make good decisions, and to be a positive influence in the lives of other people.