O Lord, we enter into your steadfast love, asking that you will respond to our prayers; we trust in your abundant mercy and ask that you will come to us. O Lord, make your presence known to us; draw near to us; redeem us, set us free; for we seek to be your faithful disciples. Amen. I follow this with some words from: Tides & Seasons by David Adam The Weaver I weave into my life this day The presence of God upon my way, I weave into my life this hour The mighty God and all his power. I weave into my sore distress His peace and calm and no less. I weave into my step so lame Healing and helping of His name. I weave into the darkness of night Strands of God shining bright, I weave into each deed done Joy and hope of the Risen Son. I have started writing the blog for the 21st June on Monday 8th June, while going for my morning walk I listened to Father Brian D’Arcy on Radio 2 giving his pause for thought I won’t dwell on the actual pause for thought but was impressed with his description of what a pencil is, how it is made up and most importantly how that translated into his pause for thought, it was very clever. How do you think a pencil could relate to our own faith, the lead in the pencil could be our inner faith, when we use the pencil are we writing our faith in the way we live our lives, if we have to sharpen the pencil is that a way of reminding us to always look at ourselves and finally if we do make a mistake while writing we can use an eraser to remove the incorrect message, I think that’s what Jesus does for us, the preceding thoughts about the pencil are partly mine but are mostly Brian’s – how would you describe yourself if you were a pencil?
© ROOTS for Churches Ltd www.rootsontheweb.com Reproduced with permission
0 Comments
Notes from an address preached by the Rev. Ronald M. Ward, B.D. Originally published in the April 1951 issue of Progress, the monthly magazine for Romford Congregational Church. "Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray Him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein." - John XII, 4-6
Judas protested at the lovely action of Mary, who anointed the feet of Jesus with costly ointment and wiped them with her hair. He protested in the name of charity, in the name of the needy, and the destitute and he protested in the presence of One who had said "Blessed are the poor," and, to the lawyer who heard the story of the Good Samaritan, "Go, and do thou likewise." Now generosity is a Christian virtue, but the generosity of Judas, so Christian in appearance, is nevertheless only a mask for his own greed. Perhaps he himself is not aware of this. Possibly his voice has a ring of sincere conviction in it when he condemns useless extravagance. But, nevertheless, the Evangelist is at pains to tell us, the sentiment does not move from a Christian centre. There are other stories in the New Testament which show how Christian virtue can be a mask, behind which Christ recognises an enemy. No doubt Peter felt within himself that he was moved by pure friendship when he rebuked Jesus for speaking of His approaching passion and death. "Be it far from Thee Lord; this shall not be unto Thee." Love, the supreme Christian value, seems to prompt him, and one can almost imagine the disciple slipping an affectionate hand through his Master's arm as he speaks. "But He turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offence unto Me." Evidently Peter's "love" was very painful to our Lord at this moment. Christian in appearance it concealed a refusal to accept the Cross. So it was a mask on the face of an enemy. On the night of Christ's betrayal and arrest, however, Peter finds the courage to draw a sword and wound a servant of the High Priest. Not always did he feel so brave. But with his Master by his side he does not fear to risk his life. Courage is a Christian quality. Most of us fail sadly for lack of it from time to time. Nevertheless our Lord again rebukes Peter. Perhaps He sees behind the mask of courage the face of hatred and fear. It is by love that Christ must conquer or not at all. You will remember the story of the Prodigal son, and how the elder brother complains that he has been unfairly treated. Is it just, he says, that one who has served faithfully for so long should be treated with less favour than a reckless, pleasure-loving lad, who has "wasted his living with harlots?" If this is a plea for justice and fair play, a protest against privilege and favouritism, it has a Christian ring about it. But the father in the story knows his son. He recognises, behind the mask of justice, the face of envy. He gently chides him: "It was meet that we should make merry and be glad; for this thy brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found." Were the disciples pleased with themselves, I wonder, when John reported to the Master, "We saw one casting out devils in Thy name, and he followeth not with us: and we forbad him because he followeth not us." They were trying to express their loyalty to Christ by this action, and loyalty is a Christian virtue. But on this occasion our Lord does not accept it. "Forbid him not ... he that is not against us is on our part." May it be that behind the mask of loyalty is the face of jealousy? Did the disciples secretly resent the success of this unorthodox stranger who "followeth not with us"? Perhaps a measure of our denominational zeal hides the same sin. A good deal of apparently Christian behaviour fails to be Christian became it does not find its source in Christ. It was not devotion to Christ which moved Judas to advocate the Christian grace of charity; nor was it Christ who inspired Peter's courage in the garden of Agony. We must not identify Christianity too easily with an appearance of Christian virtue. Christianity points beyond virtue, beyond all morality even. The Gospel bids us look behind behaviour to the source of inspiration before we decide what belongs to Christ and what does not. Is Mary, wastefully anointing the feet of the Lord, a better symbol for Christianity than are the benefits of a Welfare State? Perhaps. Certainly the mask of Christian virtue may conceal hostility to the true purpose of Christ. One can be virtuous without being good. One can be religious without having faith. It may be that the best refuge from faith is a religion, and the best refuge from Christ a Christian ideal. Religion itself can conceal atheism, like a blind drawn in an empty house. What would you grab if your house was at risk from fire or flood – what is most important to you? That question works for possessions, physical items, but what else do we hold onto with determined loyalty whatever the cost? Our family and friends? What about our job? In times past a job was the stable basis of most people’s lives, something that identified who you were and seldom changed. John the postman. Gill the baker. We knew who and what people were. Has anyone of you ever been known in this way? What about Dave/Anne the Christian? Is our faith one of the ways that we are identified? I have been retired now for seven years, if I had been still working how stressful would it have been, Covid-19 the Pandemic has altered and changed so many lives, so many jobs lost, so much concern for peoples mental health, the massive increase in the use of Food Banks, the list of worries goes on and on. But amid all the mayhem there have been many stories of hope and kindness to others across all communities and faith groups, this has been uplifting to see. Society had moved on: making new life choices is now common even advisable (in the current climate some of those choices were not what those people wanted to make). Being in the same role for 20 years is a reason to change, not to stay.” I think I touched on this a few weeks ago, I was a production director for a garment manufacturer, when I became aware that I was very likely going to be made redundant, I spoke to the director of the employment agency I used when I needed new staff, he was good at his job, but advised me that I had spread myself too thinly and that only having had one job was in fact a disadvantage. I wonder what those early followers of Jesus felt when he called them from their jobs – fishing and tax collecting – to send them out with the good news of the kingdom. And to people who might reject and persecute them! It doesn’t seem like a good career move. I think I may have mentioned this in another Blog, I remember as if it were yesterday the first sermon I took back in 2009, I was so far outside my comfort zone, but I had leant one very big lesson, when I left the clothing trade for a new job as a compliance auditor I doubted myself, but my friend who asked me to work for him knew a few things, I was honest & hardworking & most importantly could transfer my skills into this new job, it was not easy . But the fisherman & all went anyway, they trusted Jesus, just as we must trust him. In our risk-averse age we like our comfort and security, and we are told not to do certain things (e.g. run in the corridors, participate in very dangerous pursuits – does anyone have other examples?). If faced with difficulties, are we more likely to give up than to deal with them? But the disciples went. Why do you think they were able to do that? How might that apply to and help us, today? I am very proud to be a volunteer at my local Library, and at Upminster Windmill, these have their rewards, meeting & interacting with different people, reminding myself of my duty as a Christian not to hide away, to take on the task however hard it may be.” You have received without paying, so give without being paid”. Look back at the picture at the beginning of the Blog: Part 1
Prayers in difficult times A prayer reflection It's difficult to live with uncertainty. However bad a situation, knowing what you have to face means that you can start coming to terms with it, facing your fears, planning your strategy. When the 'big picture' is too big or too blurred and indistinct, it's easier to focus on small details, to try to control what you can. The world has changed, how does that affect our living in the meantime? How do I need to change? How do I want to change? Is it possible to live each day as a new opportunity, while knowing that it feels the same as yesterday? I need your help, God, to listen for you in the clamour of voices calling for my attention, to focus on you in the midst of competing priorities, to trust you in this time of uncertainty. Amen Extracts taken from Roots with permission. All prayers are © ROOTS for Churches Ltd (www.rootsontheweb.com) 2002-2020. Gospel Matthew 9.35–10.8, (9-23)
“Matthew has previously introduced a block of teaching with a summary of the mighty acts Jesus performed (4.23-25, which is followed by the Sermon on the Mount). Here (9.35-38), Matthew follows the same pattern but uses the focus on Jesus’ compassion as an explanation of his subsequent summons and instructions to the disciples. They are given Jesus’ authority to cast out unclean spirits and heal, and they are sent out. (10.2 is the only place where Matthew refers to any of the disciples as ‘apostles’, that is ‘sent-out ones’.)” Jesus regards the people of Israel as ‘sheep’ (9.36; 10.6). This is common biblical picture language for the people of God, along with the image of God as their shepherd (e.g. Psalm 23; Ezekiel 34; Psalm 100.3). Similarly, the idea of them needing, or being without, a shepherd to care for and guide them is found in various Old Testament texts (Numbers 27.17; 2 Chronicles 18.16; Ezekiel 34.6). Here and elsewhere, Matthew’s Gospel pictures Jesus as a shepherd (25.31. 26.31) who has compassion for his sheep. Similarly, ‘harvest’ (9.37) is being used as picture language to refer to God judging and dealing with the world’s sin (cf. Jeremiah 51.33; Hosea 6.11; Revelation 14.14-20; Matthew 13). Harvest is portrayed as a time when sin will be separated from what belongs in God’s kingdom (see 13.26-30, 36-43). Elsewhere, Matthew clearly anticipates the gospel being preached to non-Jews (28.19-20), but here Jesus sends the apostles only to the Israelites, to tell them that ‘the kingdom has come near’ (10.6-7). This claim will be supported by their doing the same wondrous deeds as Jesus. They are not to charge for their work but are to be as dependent as possible on the support of those to whom they go. Some of the instructions seem extreme – who would go on a journey without sandals or staff? Since the parallel account in Mark (6.8-9) allows both, it seems likely that the sense is for them not to take spares. In a culture where hospitality was hugely important, their situation of dependence would then provoke responses, good or bad, from those to whom they went. The extended reading (vv.9-23) indicates that some will respond negatively towards the disciples and will face consequences for this on the day of judgement (Sodom and Gomorrah were used as classic examples of generally sinful behaviour as outlined in Ezekiel 16.49-50). The teaching goes on to indicate that there will be persecution of those who spread the gospel, and family divisions will result; but the ‘sent ones’ are to know that the Spirit of their Father will speak through them. Extracts taken from Roots with permission. All prayers are © ROOTS for Churches Ltd (www.rootsontheweb.com) 2002-2020. You will need to read part 3 to find out why this image has been included.
A gathering prayer Loving Lord, your grace draws us to your presence Loving Lord, your grace draws us to your presence; your peace unites us in your love; your hope inspires us to praise your glory. May our worship be worthy of you. Amen. As I write this blog, we are all aware of the changing world we are living in, its Monday June 1st, I need to explain why I mention the date, I normally set aside every Wednesday for the writing of said Blog, but this week is going to be different for me & I assume many others out there, I have attempted over the last ten weeks to follow the rules, we, that is my wife & I have not had any face to face contact with our daughter, that may change this week, respecting all the social distancing measures. I had built up a weekly routine, it was quite easy to manage, but now as we slowly come out of lockdown we are presented with new problems, I for one have two online formal meetings this week, as well as other tasks which will I know test me over the next few weeks, one of those meetings is on Wednesday I need a clear head so hence me writing my blog today. Some of my friends say I natter too much, but I thought it was worth giving you a sense of where I am at this moment. “We are all drawn to your presence Lord” or are we? I have been going for a walk each morning and use that time to pray as I walk, this is something I have done all my life, in my car on a train, I think the quietness of the recent weeks has for me made praying easier, notice I said easier, not easy, I have so much to be grateful for, but also am very aware at this time of how many people & places we have to pray for. “May our worship be worthy of you” BBC Points of View yesterday reflected on the services that have been provided during this time, the novel ways of presenting Songs of Praise, we as a Church have been very grateful that we have been able to read or in my case listen (via Sound Cloud) to fantastic services each Sunday, distributed with family news by John. “Your peace does unite is in love”! Power of God Eye of God look upon me See me in your grace Hand of God grasp me Keep me in my place Heart of God love me Help me to survive Powers of God surround me As with life I strive. Tides & Seasons by David Adam Extracts taken from Roots with permission. All prayers are © ROOTS for Churches Ltd (www.rootsontheweb.com) 2002-2020. Notes from an address preached by the Rev. Ronald M. Ward, B.D. Originally published in the January 1951 issue of Progress, the monthly magazine for Romford Congregational Church. "What I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I." - Romans 7:15 Looking out on this world of ours it is difficult to escape the feeling that we are living in a mad house. Are the forces which appear to govern the international situation rational forces? Surely not. And if they are irrational the future is unpredictable and ominously dangerous. If we could put the question to the whole world, governments and peoples alike, and receive an honest answer, the vast majority would say that they do not want a war. The statement needs qualification, perhaps, because for some oppressed peoples a third war must seem the only possible hope of breaking open their prison. But speaking generally, and including almost certainly the Government of the U.S.S.R., we can say that nobody wants a war. And if the affairs of men were really controlled by reason, as some people naively think, all the energies of mankind would be devoted to avoiding war. But no - to our alarm and astonishment - we find the reverse is the case. Every day something is said or done which brings war nearer. It seems impossible to cease preparing ourselves for suicide. Atomic bombs fill us with horror and disgust. Yet we have to go on making them as fast as we can. What perverse spirit is it which hurries the world along paths not of our own choosing? We remember St. Paul's words: "What I hate, that do I." Of course the simple orthodox answer to this question is to blame the Russians for everything. Their obstinacy and cunning is responsible for it all. But while there is, of course, a large element of truth in this, as a complete explanation it is far from adequate. Russians don't enjoy wars any more than we do. And remember that not so long ago we attributed all the world's ill to the Germans; and the Italians; and the Japanese: With General Franco thrown in to make weight. It is smug to look across the world from our island home and condemn the deliberate malice of "foreigners" for the sorrows of this terrible century. Nowadays we even tend to include the Americans in the general censure, blaming them for hasty diplomacy, blaming General MacArthur for taking too many decisions on his own account, and so on, All our criticisms may be justified as far as they go, but is everyone on earth out of step except us? Surely the human dilemma, expressed by St. Paul in our text must lie deeper than that. As we read St. Paul's letters we find that from time to time he breaks out into paradoxical statements as though struggling for words with which to express an insolvable contradiction. (The sixth chapter of II Corinthians, for example, speaks of the Christian ministry in terms of violent contradiction: "As deceivers, yet true; as unknown, yet well known; as dying, and behold we live.") I think this is because he clearly recognises the tension of opposing forces rooted in human nature itself. Life is not made up of a simple pattern of things good and bad, true and false. Experience is more complex than that. Things can be good and bad, true and false, at the same time. We may at once want and not want a thing. We may be both attracted and repelled but it is a single response. And that is why reason alone is often powerless to grapple with reality. We fondly suppose that any problem of relationships should yield to common sense. But that is not so. The contradiction n the affairs of men is due to a contradiction in the heart of Man. How strange, we say, are the German people. They produce beautiful art and lofty philosophy, and also concentration camps. How odd that a sentimental people, a kindly and hospital people, even, are at the same time capable of such brutality. How does it come about that the land of the Moonlight Sonata is also the land of the Twilight of the Gods? But contradictions of one sort or another are not unique to the German people. Every nation, just like every person, presents us with a puzzling paradox when we come to know it. Nicholas Berdayev in his book, "The Russian Idea," points out that there are two opposing states of consciousness within the Russian people. There is an elemental pagan wildness and enthusiasms that we can clearly discern in Russian songs and dances which seem to surge out of the earth itself. But at the same time there is a strong tendency towards the very opposite for this - esceticism, sacrifice, patient suffering, almost a monastic ideal of self denial. And it is indeed a mysterious paradox that the Russian people. one of the most profoundly religious and even mystical in the world, should at the moment be engaged in a crusade for Marxist materialism and atheism. Examine some of the goals towards which human beings strive, and also some of the dangers and disasters from which they shrink, and you will find that it is sometimes only in thought as opposed to experience, that pleasant and unpleasant things can be rigidly divided. In life they often overlap. Freedom, for example, is a greatly desired thing but it is also greatly dreaded. Men will make tremendous sacrifices to achieve it, but they will fly in horror from the loveliness of personal responsibility which freedom means. The most primitive dread is that of death. But psychology has classified a strange truth - always known to men of insight - that life itself may be a thing from which we flee, and death has a power to attract as well as repel us. This does not apply only in a limited sense to abnormal persons with a suicidal tendency. It applies to everybody. There is a death wish as well as life wish within us; and thus we are pulled at the same time towards annihilation and nothingness. and towards creation and joy in existence. Similarly, it would seem absurd to say that suffering can be attractive. Yet there is a condition of mind in which people enjoy submitting to suffering. And, conversely, it is possible to enjoy inflicting pain, not only on an enemy but on someone you love. It is extraordinary, but true, that cruelty can conceal love. And kindness can be a mask for terrible cruelty. An everyday example of the contradiction in human nature is provided by those people who, after quarrelling with one another consistently for a long time, suddenly amaze us by going off and getting married. On the other hand, bosom friends may abruptly reveal themselves as deadly enemies. Nothing is more expressive of the paradox of life than the relationship between the sexes. This is not the place to examine the question in detail, but it is surely obvious that the sexual impulse is one of the most powerful of all attractive forces, and at the same time something which repels and horrifies. Both these feelings are present deep down in all of us. And so it is that the relationship of marriage, when it is wholly natural and unredeemed, is one of conflict as well as comradeship. Some wives love their husbands and nag them unmercifully! We have all met husbands and wives who seem to find it impossible to avoid quarrelling with one another. They even seem to enjoy it! By so doing they illustrate the strange truth that the sexes are at war with one another as well as in alliance. Do you know these verses by Stephen Phillips? "My dead love came to me and said, God gives me one hour's rest, To spend upon the earth with thee, How shall we spend it best? Why as of old, I said, and so We quarrelled, as of old. But when I turned to make my peace That one short hour was told." There is, therefore, in the deep places of human nature, a tension set up by the conflict of opposing principles. Reason alone cannot resolve this conflict. If you have ever tried to settle a quarrel with somebody by means of an argument you will know well what I mean. Our emotions remain divided even when the mind is persuaded that they are irrational. The intellect alone cannot unify personality. The tragedy of human life is that man is at war with himself.
There is, however, a power in the world which is strong enough to produce harmony between our most violently conflicting impulses. And that is the power of Love. If, for example, communist and capitalist powers were truly inspired by a love for humanity, many of the difference between them could become opportunities for a fruitful alliance, to the benefit of everybody. The fact that such a possibility belongs to the realm of idle fancy shows the measure of our spiritual poverty. There is no lack of intelligence in the world. Enlightened self interest would have brought in the Golden Age long ago had it been able. But without love, and the sanity which it brings, irrational passions make wreck of all out careful plans. It is extremely unrealistic to ignore this fact. To appeal to the power of love is to be laughed out of court. For love seems a weak thing compared with firm, manly, common sense. Nevertheless, human nature is so divided against itself that unless we can find love in it it is powerless to do anything but pursue its own ruin. The Christian Church knows that the source of divine love is outside the human mind, in God. It knows also that this Love has entered the world in Christ, and is available for everyone through faith. Faith, therefore, is love's firm foundation, By means of it the human heart finds peace which the world cannot give. Opposing forces within us, and within our relationships, can transcend themselves in a new harmony. This is indeed the only way of Salvation. Therefore the task of evangelising Christ is of supreme importance. But unless His love moves in our own hearts we labour in vain to open His Kingdom. It is His Spirit, not His Name, which saves. And without His Spirit this universe of ours becomes totally irrational. “That God is omnipotent is easily said, but it nonetheless requires amazing power to create a whole world or universe from a ‘formless void’. Was this process a myriad of loud bangs, crashing sounds and flashing lights – something like an unimaginable thunderstorm? Imagine being present as this was taking place. Do you think you would have the vocabulary to describe what you were seeing? Would you be scared? While the disciples worshipped Jesus when on the mountain, Matthew’s Gospel says that even at this late stage some doubted – they could not quite believe what they were seeing. Yet, Jesus still commissioned them to make disciples of all nations. Is it comforting to know that Jesus can work with the ‘unfinished article’? That we are all spiritual ‘works in progress’ – and perfection can only be achieved when we are promoted to glory? That, like the disciples, we do not have to be perfect for God to use us? How might that help us in the ongoing work – now passed on to us – of witness and making disciples?” We definitely don’t need to be perfect, in fact none of us are we are all the “unfinished article” we can witness in so many ways, there have over the last ten weeks been a myriad of examples of kindness, different novel ways of sharing a message through voice and music, by video link, Zoom, WhatsApp – the simple phone call – how lucky are we to have our phones whether they be land line or mobile – we can share Gods love in so many ways! ”In the Gospels, Jesus is often referred to as one who ‘taught with authority’. When the 11 disciples gathered on the unnamed mountain, Jesus openly declared that authority: ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’ This authority, or power, is closely related to that which created the world he came to save. Jesus – the Word made flesh, the Word that was with God at the very beginning, the Word through whom everything came into being – was asking his followers to continue the work of transforming the world he created. As followers of Jesus, how are we to take up his command and carry out this redemptive work today?” The above question is even more relevant today, the new normal for our Church has not been written yet, but we are all still active Christians, so even without a building to worship in, we do have the authority given to us to spread the word. “There is little doubt that some Christians feel uncomfortable with the idea of sharing their faith, arguing, perhaps, that it is the preserve of those who are specifically called to this work. However, could it be that when Jesus said he would always be with us, this was a specific nod to times when we are – or should be – sharing our faith with others? It is certainly at such times that we need the Lord’s presence.” The above says it all for me, we have a duty to share our faith with others. I am now going to quote an extract from Justin Welby’s article in the Sunday Times (24thMay 2020) “ It is my prayer that these tough circumstances might draw us together and help us write a new social contract with one another that says every person is vital, that every life has meaning, value & beauty.” “Then we can rebuild a society founded on kindness, on truly loving our neighbour, on relationship & community.” I say amen to that, don’t let it be like my friend from Jaeger – spread the word! “Worship & Witness” May the grace of the Father be with you; may the love of the Son enfold you; and may the peace of the Spirit comfort you, today & always. Amen Extracts from Roots taken with permission.
The Bible reading I will be looking at today is taken from Mathew 28: 16-20
(The other lectionary readings are as follows: Genesis 1: 1-2,4a – Psalm 8 – 2 Corinthians 13: 11-13) Gospel: Matthew 28.16-20 “Jesus has summoned the disciples to this farewell meeting on a mountain in Galilee. The phrase ‘they worshipped him; but some doubted’ is a little misleading, as it suggests that some did one thing (worship), while others did another (doubt). The Greek words are both participles – that is, ‘worshipping’ and ‘doubting’ – so it could be that the same disciples are doing both actions. The words of Jesus that all authority has been given to him echo the kind of cosmic picture in passages such as Daniel 7.13-14, yet the idea of authority itself has been comprehensively unpacked throughout Matthew’s Gospel, whereby the power of Jesus to effect change is often contrasted unfavourably with the institutional authority of the Jewish leaders (Matthew 7.29; 9.5-6; 21.23; 23.3). The authority of Jesus is the real deal, conferred by God, who created the heavens and the earth and who can therefore grant this authority. It forms the firm foundation from which it is possible to go to all the nations. Matthew is often described as a Gospel with a narrowly Jewish focus, but here we see his wider concerns. It is Matthew who tells us about the Magi at the opening of his Gospel, and it is Matthew who gives us this command about ‘all nations’ at the end. Every ethnicity and culture is included. The strong verb in this command is not ‘go’ but ‘make’ – that is, ‘in going and baptizing, make disciples’. The Trinitarian formula – ‘of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit’ – has become a very familiar part of our ritual, but in this context is surely saying something both universal and inclusive: the whole of God for the whole of the world. Equally, Jesus commands his disciples to pass on everything that he has taught them. The mission passes into their hands, and into ours.” How do we pass on everything we have learnt, or do we sometimes keep what we have learnt to ourselves feeling somehow that it is our alone, it reminds me of a true story from my days in Clothing manufacture, a good friend worked as a pattern cutter for Jaeger tailoring he was very good at what he did, but decided he wanted a change – dramatically he decided to move with his young family and became a farm hand, this was pre the mobile access we have today, about a year later we got a phone call at home, it was my friend he was back at Yeager tailoring, he had loved the first few months but soon realised the older farm hands were not willing to share their knowledge, he stayed in this job for many years, but I have often wondered what would have happened if they had shared their knowledge, I think, no I know that that is what our task is, as Christians the mission is in our hands, it’s are task to make sure that message reaches as many people as possible. The format may change but our duty does not. Dear Lord, we gather in the name of Jesus Dear Lord, we gather in the name of Jesus and in the power of the Spirit to worship you. We bring gifts of speaking, of listening, of music, of prayerfulness, of knowledge, and of wisdom. May our gifts be united to honour you and may each of us receive from you that which we need. Amen. The Gathering Prayer from Roots was most likely written prior to Lockdown, but its sentiments remain the same, if one or more are gathered in my name? I am following this up with another prayer from David Adam –Tides & Seasons. Unending Peace Take me, Lord, from my busy-ness To the place of quietness From the tumult without cease Into your great unending peace. Help me then, my Lord, to see What I am and ought to be. God of life God of peace God of wonders That will not cease God eternal Trinity God everlasting Come to me. This week’s blog was written on the 27th May 2020, I have included both the opening prayers in some small way as a reflection of my own state of mind on this day. Over the last few days a lot of our Church friends have pooled our knowledge to help make certain decisions, it is by the power of the words in the gathering prayer “May our gifts be united to honour you and may each of us receive from you that which we need.” “Take me, Lord, from my busy-ness To the place of quietness” I had settled into a routine as most of us have over the last ten weeks, for me I have had to forgo many of the activities I had in place prior to lockdown, but the last few days have reminded me of our place in the real world, the URC has given some guidelines too how the new normal might be, but I am reminded once again of the line. “If one or more are gathered in my name?” Extracts from Roots taken with permission.
Notes from an address preached by the Rev. Ronald M. Ward, B.D. Originally published in the October 1950 issue of Progress, the monthly magazine for Romford Congregational Church. The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose ... the glowing sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water. - Isaiah 35 Hilaire Belloc, in his book, "The Battle Ground," relates the events of the Gospel to the structure of the land in which they happened, in a highly dramatic and interesting way. The book is not in every way to be commended, but in this respect it is extremely valuable. At least, I found it so, and I propose to use it freely for the purpose of this address.
Belloc paints an imaginary picture of a little boat exploring the Mediterranean, ages ago. Such a boat, sailing east past the island of Cyprus, would have found itself heading into a wide gulf. Forced to turn south, almost at right angles, and proceeding down the coast of what is now Syria, the sailors would have recognised at last that they were following the wall of an inland sea which has no means of egress. The coast is regular, and not very long, continuing for about 400 miles. Here and there its line is broken by an island, like that which became the city of Tyre, or a short, jutting peninsula, like that which was one day to provide a foundation for Sidon. The whole coast is followed by a line of mountains, descending to mere hills in the south, where also the line recedes to give room for a wider coastal plain. Such is the most important coastline in the world. Suppose that these explorers left their boat and climbed the mountains lying close to the coast towards the north. Gradually they would leave the fertile growth on the lower slopes behind, until the summit, when it was reached, would prove to be bleak and barren and covered with a thin layer of snow. (These are the heights of Lebanon.) Looking over the top they would have seen the mountains plunging down for thousands of feet, and giving way to a green belt of beautiful and fertile country. But not a very wide belt. Some 40 miles away another range of mountains, the Anti-Lebanon, tower up into the sky. Crossing the fertile land between, and the streams rushing through the centre of it, the sailors might have climbed these other mountains. These, too, at the summit, would prove barren of life. But beyond them they would've been astonished, and perhaps awed, to see nothing but desert, stretching away into hazy distance. This imaginary adventure adequately describes the shape of Syria, or rather of that part of it in which settled life is possible. Syria and Palestine make a wedge of green between the desert and the sea. A tiny area of life lying between vast areas of death. In the whole of this part of the world water is of first importance. Go down into Egypt, and you will find the most extraordinary river in the world. The Nile flows for thousands of miles through the worst of deserts, and snatches from it a ribbon of life which nurtured a great civilisation. Go east into Mesopotamia (the word means "in the midst of the rivers"), and you will find another great river, the Euphrates, and also the Tigris, which provided not only physical nourishment, but also a highway for ideas to pass between ancient Syria and the once powerful civilisations which lay beyond. In Syria there is no single great river. But a series of rivers run down the centre, between lakes which occur from place to place. In Palestine the mountains have shrunk to hills. But even here the essential shape of Syria - a kind of trough dug out between heights - is preserved by the strange character of the river Jordan. For this river flows beneath the level of the sea. Plunging downward from the sea of Galilee it eventually loses itself in the well-named Dead Sea, which in one place finds its bed as much as half a mile below the surface of the earth. If you look at the map you will have the feeling that the desert ought to have stretched right down to the coast. It is as though Syria has no natural right to be there. But the hills and mountains capture enough rain to make life possible, and their porous nature, together with the snows on the highest of them, store water sufficient to feed the essential streams. And so Syria exists, a tiny place on the edge of a much vaster desert. It is a workshop in which many ideas essential to our civilisation were hammered out. These facts, underlined by Belloc in his book, seem sufficiently striking. But they suggest a still more significant image. Throughout the Bible, the figure of water constantly recurs to represent the life of the spirit. "Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters ..." We can hear the tinkling of a stream or the strong sweep of a river flowing through the poetry of prophecy and psalm. And this is natural in a people who must always remember the wilderness at the door. But there is perhaps another reason. For just as the life of Syria seems poised precariously between the desert and the sea, so it was with the waters of life, with the great revealed truths concerning God and man which the people of Israel alone possessed. The life of the spirit is precarious, too. The desert is at its door waiting to absorb it if it can. Th most exciting story in the world is that which tells how God spoke to a little community in a tiny land. And how that community, possessed of a divine truth, and developing it, preserved it through the centuries like a man carrying a cup of precious water through a hostile crowd. The religious genius of Israel might have been overwhelmed again and again by alien cultures and religions. The worship of the true God was threatened from the beginning by the worship of false gods, many of them foul and base, little more than projections of human lusts and fears. His shrine was surrounded by a spiritual desert. The Old Testament contains a clear account of the difficulties which the early leaders of Israel encountered in striving to keep the people free from contamination. And the same struggle persist right through their history. Great world powers, emerging one by one as the ages passed, rolled over the little nation yet proved powerless to obliterate it. Assyria, Persia, Greece, Rome, each had a contribution to offer to the process of civilising mankind, yet each lacked anything like the seeds of a great religion. From the spiritual point of view they represent the desert, while to Israel, politically of no consequence, belong the green pastures. This does not mean that everything in the religion of Israel was always good, or that it did not need to develop and enlarge its concepts, or that it was quite insensible to outside influences. But it does mean that the Word of God committed to it persisted through every change, and was never utterly forgotten. The river of life did not lose itself in sandy wastes. All this is due to the providence of and power of God. He who preserved Syria between the desert and the sea by the gift of water, also preserved the soul of Israel in the midst of false religions by the gift of grace. And all was for a purpose. All led to a climax in Christ, who said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink." But when we speak of the providence of God we tend too easily to picture a situation in which man needs to do nothing. This is not so. God gives the water. But man must cultivate the land. God preserved Israel. But her people had to struggle to keep their faith. And so it always must be. For the coming of Christianity, even the apparent victory of the fifth century, for example, when it seemed that the whole world would by captured for Christ, a storm suddenly arose in the desert, utterly unexpected, and devastating in its effects. Just when all seemed secure, when men had almost forgotten that the wilderness was there, the horsemen of Islam rode in to conquer and to destroy. This was only the beginning of a gigantic disaster. Islam ate its way into the heart of Europe before, at last it was checked and turned back, and even so it wrought a permanent and unhappy change in the East. At one time it must have seemed to many that the very existence of Christianity would prove uncertain in the face of the world-conquering religion of Mohammed, just as to-day people think fearfully of the world-conquering religion of Marx. All this is a symbol and a warning for us all. Do not imagine for one instant that because our country is called Christian, Christianity can be left to look after itself. Or that because Christ promised to preserve the Church we need to do nothing in its defence. In Christ's community the rivers of life are flowing. But remember the desert at the door. One day the wilderness will blossom as the rose. But many a battle must be fought, and many a sacrifice offered to God, before that. In the meanwhile let us look to our precious faith: Be vigilant. Be loyal. And be strong. |