Here is a meditation I wrote whilst leading a retreat form a group from Singapore on the Indonesian island of Batam.
In the distance a lone swimmer
Gliding effortlessly through the China Sea
At one with the ocean, an oriental mermaid
Relaxed, confident, at ease.
The rhythm of her arms carries her forward,
Left, then right; left, then right,
Hardly a splash, barely a ripple
Gracefully moving on her way.
Suddenly she stops and flips over on her back
And comes to rest,
Head leaning back, legs outstretched, body still,
Suspended, held by the ocean’s strength
Bobbing and swaying in the gentle waves
Buoyant like a cork, floating on the ocean’s skin.
No frantic flaying of her arms to stay afloat,
No desperate kicking of her legs to keep from drowning;
But trust
That she is held and will not sink.
And what of me, dear Lord,
A swimmer in the ocean of your love,
Afloat upon a sea of grace, immense
In length, and breadth, and depth?
Dare I relax in you, and know that I am held?
Give up my frenzied efforts to achieve, to please,
To stay afloat myself?
Lay back my head, find rest at last,
And trust myself to you?
Friday 2 November 2012
Wednesday 4 April 2012
Easter Delights
Without doubt Easter is my favourite time of year. I love the fact that for us in the northern hemisphere our celebration of Easter coincides with Spring and we have the sense of things coming alive again after the harshness of winter. It seems that nature itself is bearing witness to the miracle of resurrection, and the brightening of the evenings fills us with hope and optimism.
This Easter Sunday I will be preaching in my home church, Ackworth Community Church. At the moment I am thinking of simply sharing the five key truths (‘delights’) we celebrate as a result of the Easter event - the combination of Good Friday and Easter Morning. Here they are:
(1) Love has been revealed. It was because God loved the world that he sent his Son to be our Saviour (John 3:16), and the Son himself showed his love by dying for us – ‘greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends’ (John 15:13). We need be in no doubt that God is kindly disposed towards this fallen world, or that we are the objects of his affection. The cross has demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt that God loves us, even in our sin and rebellion (Romans 5:8). That is amazing!
(2) Sin has been dealt with. The cross was not an accident or a tragic mistake but the way God chose to deal with sin. There, in the mystery of what we call the atonement, the sin of the world was laid upon the sinless Son of God. There, as our substitute, he willingly bore the just punishment for our sin, offering himself as a once-for-all time sacrifice. Now through repentance and faith we can experience a total forgiveness, be reconciled to God, and be released from guilt and shame. That is staggering!
(3) Satan has been vanquished. Yes, there is a malevolent force at work in the world, but at the cross he was disarmed, defeated and rendered ineffective (Colossians 1:15). Although he did his best to destroy Jesus he failed, and the resurrection proved that Jesus had the victory. Now we share in his triumph, and while we must never treat the powers of darkness lightly, we no longer need to be afraid of them. We share his authority over them. That is mind-blowing!
(4) Death has been defeated. The greatest enemy of all is death. No-one can avoid it, however rich or famous we may be, however strong or resilient we appear. The resurrection of Jesus, however, provides us with the assurance that we who believe shall likewise be raised. The sting of death (fear) has been taken out for it is not the end, only a beginning (1Corinthians 15:54-57). The One who is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25) is the guarantee that though we die, yet shall we live. That is fantastic!
(5) Heaven has been opened. Here is the final joy of Easter – the prospect of spending eternity with our Saviour, and with the Father. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, and either through death or at his second coming, he will come to take us to be with him, so that where he is we may be also (John 14:1-3). Heaven will be perfect bliss.... no sorrow, no pain, no more crying, no mourning ; only continual rejoicing in the presence of God (Revelation 21:3-4). That is comforting!
Very simply this is what Easter means to me. Sometimes we drift away from the basics of our faith, and everything gets very complicated. This Easter let’s remember the words of the apostle Paul:
‘For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve (1Corinthians 15:3-5).’
That’s it in a nutshell folks. Let’s take hold of these ‘delights’ anew this Easter with all our heart.
This Easter Sunday I will be preaching in my home church, Ackworth Community Church. At the moment I am thinking of simply sharing the five key truths (‘delights’) we celebrate as a result of the Easter event - the combination of Good Friday and Easter Morning. Here they are:
(1) Love has been revealed. It was because God loved the world that he sent his Son to be our Saviour (John 3:16), and the Son himself showed his love by dying for us – ‘greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends’ (John 15:13). We need be in no doubt that God is kindly disposed towards this fallen world, or that we are the objects of his affection. The cross has demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt that God loves us, even in our sin and rebellion (Romans 5:8). That is amazing!
(2) Sin has been dealt with. The cross was not an accident or a tragic mistake but the way God chose to deal with sin. There, in the mystery of what we call the atonement, the sin of the world was laid upon the sinless Son of God. There, as our substitute, he willingly bore the just punishment for our sin, offering himself as a once-for-all time sacrifice. Now through repentance and faith we can experience a total forgiveness, be reconciled to God, and be released from guilt and shame. That is staggering!
(3) Satan has been vanquished. Yes, there is a malevolent force at work in the world, but at the cross he was disarmed, defeated and rendered ineffective (Colossians 1:15). Although he did his best to destroy Jesus he failed, and the resurrection proved that Jesus had the victory. Now we share in his triumph, and while we must never treat the powers of darkness lightly, we no longer need to be afraid of them. We share his authority over them. That is mind-blowing!
(4) Death has been defeated. The greatest enemy of all is death. No-one can avoid it, however rich or famous we may be, however strong or resilient we appear. The resurrection of Jesus, however, provides us with the assurance that we who believe shall likewise be raised. The sting of death (fear) has been taken out for it is not the end, only a beginning (1Corinthians 15:54-57). The One who is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25) is the guarantee that though we die, yet shall we live. That is fantastic!
(5) Heaven has been opened. Here is the final joy of Easter – the prospect of spending eternity with our Saviour, and with the Father. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, and either through death or at his second coming, he will come to take us to be with him, so that where he is we may be also (John 14:1-3). Heaven will be perfect bliss.... no sorrow, no pain, no more crying, no mourning ; only continual rejoicing in the presence of God (Revelation 21:3-4). That is comforting!
Very simply this is what Easter means to me. Sometimes we drift away from the basics of our faith, and everything gets very complicated. This Easter let’s remember the words of the apostle Paul:
‘For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve (1Corinthians 15:3-5).’
That’s it in a nutshell folks. Let’s take hold of these ‘delights’ anew this Easter with all our heart.
Friday 10 February 2012
Hope for the downcast
The death of the Wales football manager Gary Speed in November 2011 shocked everyone, even those with no interest in football. The fact that it seems to have been related to depression enabled other men (especially sports people) to acknowledge that they also struggle with what Churchill called his ‘black dog’, and brought the subject of depression into open discussion.
It is said that 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience some form of the illness during their lifetime. I remember vividly in my teenage years watching my father struggle with depression after he was made redundant, and I have friends for whom depression has been a constant, if unwelcome, visitor throughout their lives. One of the reasons I love Psalm 42 is that it deals with this common human affliction, albeit from a slightly unusual angle – that of spiritual depression.
Spiritual depression occurs when we lose our sense of God’s presence and experience a loss of enthusiasm for the disciplines that normally sustain our relationship with God, like prayer, Bible reading and fellowship. It is an extremely common problem in Christian discipleship, highlighted in 1965 with the publication of Spiritual Depression, its causes and cures, the substance of a series of sermons preached at Westminster Chapel, London, by the minister Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
The anonymous writer of Psalm 42 appears to have been a highly committed and talented believer, probably a temple singer or musician. The context suggests this person has been exiled from Jerusalem (perhaps to Babylon?) and can no longer take part in the communal worship as before (42:4). He carries within him a deep sense of disappointment in God for allowing Jerusalem to fall to its enemies, and the taunts that God has deserted Israel exacerbates his melancholia (42:3,10). A deep sadness engulfs him and he weeps constantly (42:3). It seems as if God is to blame for his misfortune (42:7); eventually his health begins to suffer (42:10).
The opening verses of the Psalm are amongst the most well-known in Scripture and capture the essence of his desperate longing: ‘As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God (42:1-2)?’ He feels like a deer running for its life, harried and exhausted by the chase, desperate for refreshment and safety. Spiritually he is parched and dry. He knows that only God can satisfy his soul, but how can that happen when he is far away from the Promised Land?
Then it is that faith begins to rise within him; slowly and gradually light and truth dawn upon his troubled soul. The Psalm’s chorus, repeated three times (42:5,11 and 43:5) represents his fight back, and the way in which his prayer is answered: ‘Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.’
There are no magic formulas for lifting depression, and the fact that the Psalmist has to listen to his own advice repeatedly suggests that relief is likely to come gradually, but the flow of the Psalm (which continues into Psalm 43) shows a growing hopefulness and a sufficient lifting of the gloomy cloud to hearten anyone battling with a similar malaise. What then can we learn from his struggle?
Firstly, be honest. It is better not to pretend that things are better than they are. If you are downcast, admit it, at least to a trusted few. There is no shame in battling with depression, and we need not feel guilty because we feel overwhelmed or that we can’t cope. No-one can help us if we hide our symptoms and mask our true feelings.
Secondly, ask questions, especially of yourself. Why am downcast? Is there a reason for my feelings? This is one of the key insights of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. It helps us to see the connection between our thoughts and our feelings, and that wrong thinking leads to negative emotions, and eventually depression. Whilst not all depression has its source in a wrong belief system, spiritual depression often does, and it is worth exploring with a counsellor or wise friend our thought patterns. It is easy to see, for example, that if the Psalmist was thinking God had been defeated he would inevitably feel downcast. In fact God had not been defeated, and there was another explanation for the fall of Jerusalem, the discipline of God.
Thirdly, have faith. It is easy to allow self-pity to overwhelm us and sometimes we have to take ourselves in hand and speak faith to our troubled souls. This was one factor that Lloyd-Jones emphasised: ‘We must talk to ourselves, instead of allowing ‘ourselves’ to talk to us. Most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself rather than talking to yourself.’ Faith has to be exercised, and in dark times we must remind ourselves of the truth that God has given us and believe that we will again praise God. Weeping may tarry for the night but joy will come with the morning (Psalm 30:5).
Fourthly, lean hard. The Psalmist is connected to God in a deeply personal way. He speaks of my God and my Saviour. Here is a moment to remember that it is God’s hold upon us that matters, not so much our hold upon him. He has taken hold of us and will never let us go, no matter how we feel. We are held in the grip of grace. We can lean our full weight upon his faithfulness, allowing him to take the strain and trust that we will sing again (43:4).
This does not mean that recovery will be easy or quick, but it does mean there is hope. However dark it is now daybreak will come and we will find once more the streams of living water.
It is said that 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience some form of the illness during their lifetime. I remember vividly in my teenage years watching my father struggle with depression after he was made redundant, and I have friends for whom depression has been a constant, if unwelcome, visitor throughout their lives. One of the reasons I love Psalm 42 is that it deals with this common human affliction, albeit from a slightly unusual angle – that of spiritual depression.
Spiritual depression occurs when we lose our sense of God’s presence and experience a loss of enthusiasm for the disciplines that normally sustain our relationship with God, like prayer, Bible reading and fellowship. It is an extremely common problem in Christian discipleship, highlighted in 1965 with the publication of Spiritual Depression, its causes and cures, the substance of a series of sermons preached at Westminster Chapel, London, by the minister Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
The anonymous writer of Psalm 42 appears to have been a highly committed and talented believer, probably a temple singer or musician. The context suggests this person has been exiled from Jerusalem (perhaps to Babylon?) and can no longer take part in the communal worship as before (42:4). He carries within him a deep sense of disappointment in God for allowing Jerusalem to fall to its enemies, and the taunts that God has deserted Israel exacerbates his melancholia (42:3,10). A deep sadness engulfs him and he weeps constantly (42:3). It seems as if God is to blame for his misfortune (42:7); eventually his health begins to suffer (42:10).
The opening verses of the Psalm are amongst the most well-known in Scripture and capture the essence of his desperate longing: ‘As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God (42:1-2)?’ He feels like a deer running for its life, harried and exhausted by the chase, desperate for refreshment and safety. Spiritually he is parched and dry. He knows that only God can satisfy his soul, but how can that happen when he is far away from the Promised Land?
Then it is that faith begins to rise within him; slowly and gradually light and truth dawn upon his troubled soul. The Psalm’s chorus, repeated three times (42:5,11 and 43:5) represents his fight back, and the way in which his prayer is answered: ‘Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.’
There are no magic formulas for lifting depression, and the fact that the Psalmist has to listen to his own advice repeatedly suggests that relief is likely to come gradually, but the flow of the Psalm (which continues into Psalm 43) shows a growing hopefulness and a sufficient lifting of the gloomy cloud to hearten anyone battling with a similar malaise. What then can we learn from his struggle?
Firstly, be honest. It is better not to pretend that things are better than they are. If you are downcast, admit it, at least to a trusted few. There is no shame in battling with depression, and we need not feel guilty because we feel overwhelmed or that we can’t cope. No-one can help us if we hide our symptoms and mask our true feelings.
Secondly, ask questions, especially of yourself. Why am downcast? Is there a reason for my feelings? This is one of the key insights of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. It helps us to see the connection between our thoughts and our feelings, and that wrong thinking leads to negative emotions, and eventually depression. Whilst not all depression has its source in a wrong belief system, spiritual depression often does, and it is worth exploring with a counsellor or wise friend our thought patterns. It is easy to see, for example, that if the Psalmist was thinking God had been defeated he would inevitably feel downcast. In fact God had not been defeated, and there was another explanation for the fall of Jerusalem, the discipline of God.
Thirdly, have faith. It is easy to allow self-pity to overwhelm us and sometimes we have to take ourselves in hand and speak faith to our troubled souls. This was one factor that Lloyd-Jones emphasised: ‘We must talk to ourselves, instead of allowing ‘ourselves’ to talk to us. Most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself rather than talking to yourself.’ Faith has to be exercised, and in dark times we must remind ourselves of the truth that God has given us and believe that we will again praise God. Weeping may tarry for the night but joy will come with the morning (Psalm 30:5).
Fourthly, lean hard. The Psalmist is connected to God in a deeply personal way. He speaks of my God and my Saviour. Here is a moment to remember that it is God’s hold upon us that matters, not so much our hold upon him. He has taken hold of us and will never let us go, no matter how we feel. We are held in the grip of grace. We can lean our full weight upon his faithfulness, allowing him to take the strain and trust that we will sing again (43:4).
This does not mean that recovery will be easy or quick, but it does mean there is hope. However dark it is now daybreak will come and we will find once more the streams of living water.
Saturday 7 January 2012
The little light of mine...
‘John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.’ John 5:35
John was a man who was sent from God with a specific mission – to prepare the way for the Messiah. He was in the mould of the Old Testament prophets and his ministry attracted a great following, even though it was fiery and focussed on repentance, but John never lost sight of the fact that he was not the Christ. He was happy to point away from himself to Jesus: ‘Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29 and 36)!’ Success did not go to his head, and when the time came for some of his disciples to leave him and attach themselves to his cousin he accepted it with good grace: ‘He must become greater; I must become less (John 3:30).’
Every follower of Jesus is called to be a witness, and like John to shine brightly in the world. There is, however, a cost to shining. The kind of light that Jesus refers to here is either a candle, or more likely, an oil lamp. Either way, the light only shines because something burns and is consumed in the process. It reminds us that if we are to have a good testimony we will have to die to self, particularly to selfish ambition or the desire to be noticed, in order to point away from ourselves to Jesus. Our aim is not to draw attention to ourselves, but to help people to see Jesus.
As a young preacher I gave one of my first talks in a local Methodist chapel. In the pulpit, positioned to catch the eye of the preacher, was a small brass plaque with these words: SIR, WE WOULD SEE JESUS. In forty years of preaching I have never forgotten that golden rule.
Christian ministry, in whatever way it is expressed, is about giving glory to God. Christian witness, however it is demonstrated, puts the attention on Jesus and lets people know how wonderful he is. Wherever he has placed us, our calling is to be like John, a lamp that shines brightly.
Reflection : don’t light a lamp and hide it away; put it on a stand so it gives light all around (Matthew 5:15).
John was a man who was sent from God with a specific mission – to prepare the way for the Messiah. He was in the mould of the Old Testament prophets and his ministry attracted a great following, even though it was fiery and focussed on repentance, but John never lost sight of the fact that he was not the Christ. He was happy to point away from himself to Jesus: ‘Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29 and 36)!’ Success did not go to his head, and when the time came for some of his disciples to leave him and attach themselves to his cousin he accepted it with good grace: ‘He must become greater; I must become less (John 3:30).’
Every follower of Jesus is called to be a witness, and like John to shine brightly in the world. There is, however, a cost to shining. The kind of light that Jesus refers to here is either a candle, or more likely, an oil lamp. Either way, the light only shines because something burns and is consumed in the process. It reminds us that if we are to have a good testimony we will have to die to self, particularly to selfish ambition or the desire to be noticed, in order to point away from ourselves to Jesus. Our aim is not to draw attention to ourselves, but to help people to see Jesus.
As a young preacher I gave one of my first talks in a local Methodist chapel. In the pulpit, positioned to catch the eye of the preacher, was a small brass plaque with these words: SIR, WE WOULD SEE JESUS. In forty years of preaching I have never forgotten that golden rule.
Christian ministry, in whatever way it is expressed, is about giving glory to God. Christian witness, however it is demonstrated, puts the attention on Jesus and lets people know how wonderful he is. Wherever he has placed us, our calling is to be like John, a lamp that shines brightly.
Reflection : don’t light a lamp and hide it away; put it on a stand so it gives light all around (Matthew 5:15).
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