I don’t know if you’ve had a crazy week or a what are we going to do with the time week
For me it’s been one of those weeks where I’ve been playing catchup all week and this blog is one of those things which I’ve been so close to getting done but never seemed to have got done. Now with 2 weeks to go to Easter day I’m wanting to get caught up with the questions I’ve missed out on.
These questions this week are deep questions and I would have loved to have more time to ponder them
Tuesday – When was the last time I took time to stop and ponder creation?
At the moment we see creation springing into life – One of the amazing things for me is the mix between tending creation and leaving creation alone to get on with it. This week I’ve been struck but the idea of partnership for beauty and thriving. As humans we’re called into partnership but there are things we need to leave alone and let creation get on and not interfere.
I love watching the birds and other wildlife which venture into our garden – and contemplating the eco systems at play here
Wednesday – Who / what do I need to pray for today?
Quite a simple question today. In my experience taking time to think and pray give us links with others needs and takes us to a place where we remember our dependance upon God and also reminds us of the world around us beyond our own front door which for many at this time is vitially important
Thursday – How am I feeling today?
Acknowledging our feelings at the moment is really important. These strange times we’re living in and the stuff we’re experiencing in this lockdown is difficult stuff – And the fact that we’re all experiencing it differently is important. It’s OK not to be OK at the moment and it is OK to be OK at the moment too. Reading lots of articles about how people are experiencing this lockdown in particular which has been going on for such a long time and people being angry, frustrated, concerned … whatever emotions you might want to add to the picture is important. Emotions are not good or bad but help us to process the events that are going on in our life. I’m not a psychologist nor a counsellor but recently I discovered the feelings wheel taking time to think what’s going on is important and realising that all sorts of things lead us to feeling what we are both internally and externally
Friday – Who/What am I grieving at the moment ?
Grief is a natural part of life and helps us process so much when we loose someone / something which we have valued.
The experts tell us that grief can be understood as a process
In my experience it would be wonderful if it were so! … Sometimes it is and that is healthy but many many times it is much more messier than that but it is important to work through and to look at these things and to have people to chat to if we get stuck in one of these places. perhaps a friend, familiy member, pastor. All of us at some point will need this and taking time to understand this is really really important
Saturday – Whose example of life do I most appreciate?
Growing up I had lots of people around me who in their own quiet way have shown me what it means to live as a Christian, to be a good husband, to be a leader, to be a man after God’s heart and also invested time in conversations with me.
Whose example do you most appreciate and why not take time to thank them today … or if you can’t thank them maybe journal about what it is about them that you do appreciate.
Then how about putting those things into your daily life?
The Meaning of the Cross for God the Father- hope and rescue
In his highly acclaimed book, TheGulag Archipeliago, Alexander Solzhenitsyn highlights the plight of humanity. And it is in complete agreement with the Word of God. He writes, “If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”
The Apostle Paul put it this way in Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all humanity, because all sinned.”
Note these truths from this verse about the nature and plight of humanity. Firstly, all of humanity is sinful, no one is exempt save Jesus. And secondly, the consequences for sin is death.
Death is a separation. Physically we die because of sin. The body will separate from the soul at death. The body to decay. The soul into eternal life or eternal death. Spiritually we have died because of sin, we are separated from the life of God and alienated from him. One of the temporal consequences of sin is that we will all physically die. The eternal consequence of sin is an eternity in hell away from the love, life and presence of God.
The Apostle illustrated these truths in Ephesians 2:1-3. He writes, “You were dead in your transgressions and sins in which you used to live…gratifying the cravings of the sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. We were objects receiving the wrath of God.”
History is filled with tragedy on the sea. Hundreds, thousands of ships and sailors have come to their end through violent storms. They were engulfed in monstrous waves. The ship brakes up and falls to the bottom of the sea. Often, all aboard went to a watery grave, none survived. They were helpless in the wake of the storm in spite of their prowess at sailing, and in spite of their skills.
Spiritually, everyone is born into a raging sea of sin engulfed by its waves. Our destruction is sure. There is no hope we can find in ourselves. We are utterly powerless. Our only hope is help from outside. And that’s the good news of our faith. God our Heavenly Father is not content to leave us in this plight. His deep love moved him to provide a way out of our helpless situation. He reaches into the timeline of humanity and through the cross he provides the only way and the only hope we have to correct this uncorrectable plight.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8
For God the Father, the Cross means the rescue and hope out of spiritual and eternal death. The next time you see a cross somewhere, stop, ponder, remind yourself of what it represents. The compassion of our Heavenly Father to rescue us because we cannot rescue ourselves from the impact and penalty of our sin. And then offer your heart to Jesus, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”1 Corinthians 1:18
This morning is a deeper question – thinking about how things are going with God – It’s a question that’s good to ask from time to time.
Perhaps all is going well, perhaps like any relationship its ‘stuck in a rut’ or maybe its just non-existent.
Taking time to honestly think what needs to be done is important – and Lent is a great time to do this.
There are many, many resources that can help – but perhaps a great place to start is Mark’s Gospel – its the shortest of the 4 and serves as a great reminder of the stories of Jesus.
Taking time to pray, to write stuff down.
Down through the centuries Christians have had great moments with God but also difficult ‘wilderness’ times
It has been my experience over the years that it does ebb and flow sometimes but through it all no matter what I’m feeling God’s love is always there.
As the lockdown continues it can seem like it will continue for longer and longer … but it will pass.
I do find at some points wondering what it will be like – but remembering the things we’re looking forward to important.
For me it will be thing like getting together with friends and family, walking along the beach, having in person worship services again. The things that we might have taken for granted before.
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