let's lament

a verse or two

Dear folk of St. David’s, we gather shoulder to shoulder numb and sad and say to God how long, how long must we sing the song of Psalm 40....

11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, LORD; may your love and faithfulness always protect me. 12 For troubles without number surround me…” Psalm 40

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Don't tell me why!

At this service today may we have the courage to not speak in platitudes or give pat answers as to the why of this past week. Instead may we weep and be honest as to the death and destruction that has happened. And may we cry out to God – even if seems God is deaf as a door nail.

To Ponder and Pray: EVEN ON SUCH A DAY by Walter Brueggemann

We prattle about your sovereignty … especially we Calvinists;
all about all things working together for good,
all about your watchful care and your severe mercies.
And then we are drawn up short;
by terror that strikes us, in our privilege, as insane;
by violence that shatters our illusions of well-being;
by death that reminds us of our at-risk mortality;
by smoke and fire that have the recurring smell of ovens.
We are bewildered, undone, frightened,
and then intrude the cadences of these old poets:
the cadences of fidelity and righteousness;
the sounds of justice and judgment;
the images of Sodom and Gomorrah;
the imperatives of widows and orphans.
Even on such a day we are not minded to yield on your sovereignty,
We are, we confess, sobered, put off, placed in dread,
that you are lord as well as friend,
that you are hidden as well as visible,
that you are silent as well as reassuring.
You are our God. That is enough for us … but just barely.
We pray in the name of the wounded flesh of Jesus. Amen.

[while reading Isaiah 1]

A prayer for Good Friday 1991 by Walter Brueggemann.
THE TERRIBLE SILENCING WE CANNOT MASTER

Holy God who hovers daily round us in fidelity and compassion,
this day we are mindful of another, dread-filled hovering,
that of the power of death before which we stand thin and needful.

All our days, we are mindful of the pieces of our lives <
and the parts of your world
that are on the loose in destructive ways.

We notice that wildness midst our fear and our anger unresolved.
We mark it in a world of brutality and poverty and hunger all around us.

We notice all our days.
But on this day of all days,
that great threat looms so large and powerful.
It is not for nothing
that we tremble at these three hours of darkness
and the raging earthquake.
It is not for nothing
that we have a sense of our helplessness before the dread power of death that has broken loose and that struts against our interest and even against our will.

Our whole life is not unlike the playground in the village,
lovely and delightful and
filled with squeals unafraid,
and then we remember the silencing of all those squeals in death, and we remember the legions of Kristy’s Cantabrians that are swept away in a riddle too deep for knowing.

Our whole life is like that playground and on this dread-filled Friday we pause before the terrible silencing we cannot master.

So we come in our helpless candor this day … remembering, giving thanks,
celebrating …
but not for one instant unmindful of dangers too ominous and powers too sturdy and threats well beyond us.
We turn eventually from our hurt for children lost.
We turn finally from all our unresolved losses
to the cosmic grief at the loss of Jesus.
We recall and relive that wrenching Friday when the hurt cut to your heart.
We see in that terrible hurt, our losses and your fill embrace of loss and defeat.

We dare pray while the darkness descends and the earthquake trembles,
we dare pray for eyes to see fully and mouths to speak fully the power of death all around,
we dare pray for a capacity to notice unflinching that in our happy playgrounds other children die, and grow silent,
we pray more for your notice and your promise and your healing.

Our only urging on Friday is that you live this as we must
impacted but not destroyed,
dimmed but not quenched.
For your great staying power
and your promise of newness we praise you.
It is in your power and your promise that we take our stand this day.
We dare trust that Friday is never the last day, so we watch for the new day of life.
Hear our prayer and be your full self toward us.
Amen

Fasting

a verse or two

"Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” Mark 2:18.

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Fasting.

Jesus did not condemn fasting. He himself fasted for forty days (Matthew 4:2). Fasting—going without food in order to spend time in prayer—is both worthwhile and difficult. It gives us time to pray that we would otherwise use to eat and talk with others. It teaches self-discipline and reminds us that we can do with a lot less food. Jesus wants us to discipline ourselves quietly and sincerely, not for show. Hunger reinforces our need for dependence on God, and some feel it clears the mind to seek God's will. Whether or not we choose to go with less food or no food for short periods of time, we all need to find ways to devote ourselves to prayer. [from LABC]

Something to do: Give Lent a try.

Lent is a form of fasting within the church tradition, a giving up of something in order to come closer to God. Ash Wednesday this year is the 9th March. It will mark the beginning of Lent – the forty days leading to Easter Sunday. Why not give up something you like for the 40 days of Lent? It does not have to be meat! It could be TV, or coffee, or Internet, or something else. It is not about trying to earn bonus points with God. It’s about reminding us of what Jesus Christ went through at the first Easter so that our lives could be full. Each time someone reaches for that coffee and remembers how they decided to give up coffee for Lent – they are reminded of God dying on the cross to give them the deepest peace. Each time we go without, we remember that Easter is coming. It reminds us of Jesus, what he did and the cost of what he did!

To Ponder and Pray: What shall I give up?

Dear Lord.........what shall I give up for Lent in 2011...
........and Lord.........who shall I share the good news...
of you with this year.........talk to me Lord.........

The serious business of salvation

a verse or two

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. Mark 1: 14

Spiritual Walk and Musings: : The serious business of salvation

This is going to sound blunt – I guess it is – but then again I’m just saying it as it is. Some things that God ordains, plans, stuff God puts into action, has dire and sad consequences from a human perspective. In order for God to achieve his plan, at times there is a direct effect on human life including good people’s lives being cut short. And in our politically correct world, in the cocooned top of the south, in our minds and lives we struggle with this kind of information. And when calamity strikes we understandably cry “God-is-love, how could this happen”. Yet look at John the Baptist and his life; put in prison for preaching (Mark 1) and then it was cut short (Mark 6). Jesus said of him “among those born of women there is no one greater than John” (Luke 7: 28). The span of years we live, having wealth, health, prosperity and plenty of offspring, are not what God values but a life lived in obedience to him.

Think about the meaning of life from John the Baptist’s perspective – did it have any meaning, was it fair this young guy died at the hand of a spoilt little brat? Here is John preaching in the desert, being faithful to God and then Herod’s daughter gets his head brought in on a tray, and John is dead. It’s not fair. Yet for Jesus to go forward, John had to decline. For God’s plan of salvation to happen – tragedy had to occur. So, do we say “hey…God is cruel and mean”? Or do we realise the very costly and serious nature of salvation. That events involved in the implementing of God’s salvation plan are far more important than we understand. And that while some people try to explain what happened as results of the culture of the day – God was actually working hard to bring to pass his plan of salvation and this cost human life.

With all the political correctness and bending-over-to-always-be-nice that is around us, there is a risk we undermine what God is trying to achieve, and in turn we risk denying the seriousness of salvation and the fact people need to know the good news. The good news is ‘there is salvation’, but both Jesus and John the Baptist preached ‘repent and turn from sin’ as well as ‘the kingdom is near’ – the repenting and turning from sin was part of the good news, that is part of salvation. Selfishness and sin not only wrecks lives in the here-and-now but also in the hereafter.

Something to do: We’ve got to tell people the good news.

We can’t just go on living innocent nice lives and not tell people the good news. We can’t just go on doing nice things for people in the name of Jesus; we also need to share the good news with them. We need to lead folk to Jesus Christ – and this includes a repenting and turning from sin. Early church tradition states all the disciples except John, died for their faith – so serious was the telling out of their message it cost them their lives. We’ve got to get serious as well (and it might mean being uncomfortable for the sake of the good news). The thing to do this week – decide who you will pray for, so that later in the year you will introduce them to Jesus Christ the Saviour.

To Ponder and Pray: Who will you pray for?

Who is it this year you will tell of the good news of God’s love for them. Who is it you will tell the good news, of how Jesus Christ won for them forgiveness of sin, life eternal and relationship with God. Pray for that person(s).

know any "Marks"

a verse or two

“This is where the good news starts — the good news of Jesus the Messiah, God's son.” Mark 1.1 (translation by Tom Wright)

Spiritual Walk and Musings: The Hard Parts of Mark.

It is good to be back.

This year we will explore some of the more difficult-to-read sections in the Gospel according to Mark. I want to do this because so often we read only the easy sections and yet perhaps it’s the hardest-to-get-our-head-around parts that might speak to us afresh the most. Scattered through the year I’ll chose a hard part of Mark from each chapter for us to explore. But first up, who was the author of this book of the Bible?

The book of Mark names no one as author. Since the second century A.D. however, church leaders and scholars have accepted John Mark as the one who wrote this Gospel. (John is his Jewish name and Mark, Marcus, his Roman name.) Mark was a cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10) and close friend of Peter (1 Peter 5:13). The early church fathers unanimously accepted Mark's authorship. Papias (A.D. 110) makes the earliest statement to this effect:

“Mark, who was the interpreter of Peter; wrote down accurately all that he remembered, whether of sayings or doings of Christ, but not in order. For he was neither a hearer nor a companion of the Lord; but afterwards, as I have said, he accompanied Peter; who adapted his instruction as necessity required, not as though he were making a compilation of the Lord's oracles. So then Mark made no mistake when he wrote down thus some things as he remembered them, for he concentrated on this alone—not to omit anything that he had heard, nor to include any false statement among them.” (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History III, p. 39) [Adapted from LABC]

Something to do – it won't take long.

Why not this week sit down for a couple of hours and read the whole of Mark – it will only take an hour or two at the most. Read it in a version you understand. I’m finding it good to get back to the sources of our faith because we live in a world of so many voices – rereading Mark helps me refocus on the most essential voice – that of Jesus Christ .

To Ponder and Pray: Do you know any "Marks"?

John Mark provides a good example of how a young Christian can grow and mature. Perhaps basking in the attention of the spiritual giants Paul and Barnabas, and excited by the prospect of reaching the world with the gospel, he had sailed to Cyprus on the first missionary journey. A short time later, however, when the going got tough, Mark returned home. Whatever Mark's reason for leaving, Paul didn't approve; in fact, he wanted nothing to do with Mark after the incident. Yet fifteen years later, Mark was serving as a ministry companion to both Peter and Paul, and later he wrote the Gospel bearing his name. Little is known about Mark during those years, except that Barnabas took personal interest in him, encouraging Mark by continuing to work with him in ministry.

Do you know any "Marks"—young, Christian diamonds in the rough? What can you do to be their `Barnabas"? Do pray for them. [Adapted from LABC]

Just a thought - the rain an early Christmas Present

(written mid Dec 2010) It’s pretty sweet looking out the window at the moment, just over a week out from Christmas day and I’m watching an early Christmas present fall from the sky. I bet there are plenty of farmers rejoicing. We had just on two inches by 8 this morning and by the middle of the day nearly three - brilliant. (Typically I’m now thinking that is enough rain for the moment – we farming types are hard to please). The rain is money falling from the sky. I’m not sure of the value of the rain in dollar terms, but it would be a lot of money. For sure some of our blueberries have split; I guess that’s part of the mystery of “blessing”.

Anyway, I was thinking about the rain as an early Christmas present, and how as a gift, it is really helping our district so much. And perhaps some people don’t realise the value of that gift. The rain has been desperately needed. Just think for a second if it had not rained a week out from Christmas, and what if it had not rained until next autumn – things would become a real mess.

This has caused me to think of Jesus. The ultimate in gifts, the original gift, the one in whom all people can walk and talk with God. If it wasn’t for Jesus we’d be stuffed, we’d be in a real mess. Death would be the destroyer of us all. We wouldn’t know what God is like. We wouldn’t be able to pray without some kind of ritual. But because of Jesus coming at the first Christmas (and living and dying and rising), we can talk to God anywhere, anytime, anyhow – no problems. (And we don’t even need to go through the palaver Julia Roberts’ character did in the movie Eat Pray Love. We can talk to God right where we are without getting all spiritual or guru like). Sadly, just as some people underestimate the value of the rain to our district, too many people underestimate the value of the first Christmas gift, of Jesus Christ, of God become human. But as the words of U2’s song “City of Blinding Lights” say, “Blessings are not just for the ones who kneel... luckily.” We might not know it, but the life of Jesus Christ impacts us all, we are incredibly blessed.

And so, knowing that for some people 2010 was not a good year, and for others it was, on behalf of all priests, pastors, ministers and church leaders in our district, with the full implication of the following words even if you don’t believe them, May God Bless you richly this Christmas and in 2011.

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6: 24 – 26)

Some Christmas thoughts

I was walking Gypsy our Border Collie along Paton Road the other morning and at one stage smelt one of those delightful summertime smells – (I think it was honeysuckle). It brought back memories of times in the past.

I guess zooming through the years in my mind made me think about life and about being human and the enjoyment and pleasure we all have in this world. All of us have smiled and laughed in the last wee while.

Life – yes it has it downsides but oh life is good – there are so many more upsides. Working in the garden, going for a stroll, listening to the water flow down a stream falling over rock, watching a mother care for her toddler at the mall or in the park, the smell of a baby’s head, the sweet flavour of a creamy boysenberry gelato – life has so many blessings.

And what is more, we in Christ have the added bonus knowing that there is more to life that meets the eye. We have this knowledge that the giver of life also has given us peace with Him. The shackles of the fear of death or the uncertainty of being considered of value or loved have been blown apart by what God did at Christmas. There is no need to be burdened by the fears that too many people experience. In Christ there is a level of freedom, of contentment and of fulfilment that can only come from God. A gift – freely and all knowingly given – God’s wonderful grace.

As I walked along the road this morning I marvelled at the grace of God. With God being all knowing (and all the other omni’s), and therefore ahead of time foreknew what I (what we, what humanity) would be like with our amazing ability to be selfish and whatnot, it makes God’s Christmas actions all the more astounding.

Knowingly God the Son put aside his crown and glory and “being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2: 6-8).

This Bible verse speaks of both Christmas and Easter – but lets focus on the Christmas side that Christ “taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” So that we can enjoy life to a deeper and fuller level, not only enjoy that which is around us but also experiencing peace with God, experiencing hearing that small still voice. Oh Blessed Be God. Think to the song we sing sometimes in church - He has brought us this far by His grace.

V1 He has brought us this far by His grace
He has led by fire and by cloud
He will bring us to Zion
to look on His face
O blessed, O blessed be God…
Blessed be God, blessed be God
O blessed, O blessed be God


V2 He has sheltered us under His wings
And He planned every path that we’ve trod
To bring us to Zion, His praises to sing
O blessed, O blessed be God…
Blessed be God, blessed be God
O blessed, O blessed be God.
[By Bonnie Low, © 1977]

May God be with all St. David’s folk and your families this season of Christmas and summer holidays.

From Vivienne, the children and I – thank you so much for your prayers, love and support. May you know the deep peace of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as you live and move and have your being. God Bless, Jon.

let us pray

a verse or two
“Are any among you in trouble? They should pray…are any among you sick? They should send for the church elders … prayer made in faith will heal the sick…the prayer of a good person has a powerful effect.” James 5:13ff

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Lets Pray.
We end our journey through the letter of James—and James directs us to prayer. And right now in NZ, prayer is something needed. I’m thinking of the miners, their families and the rescuers. Be encouraged to pray as it does work. 

"More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of.
Wherefore, let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for me night and day.
For what are men better than sheep or goats
That nourish a blind life within the brain,
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer
Both for themselves and those who call them friend?
For so the whole round earth is every way
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God." [Tennyson]

There are many folk within our church family facing difficulty. Do pray for them. As James says in the reading above – the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

To Ponder and Pray: A prayer by Richard Foster.

Dear Jesus, how desperately I need to learn to pray. And yet, when I am honest I know that I often do not even want to pray. 
I am distracted!
   I am stubborn! 
        I am self-centred! 
In your mercy, Jesus, bring my ‘want-er’ more in line with my ‘need-er’ so that I can come to want what I need.
In your name and for your sake, I pray. Amen