Spring cleaning

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Spring cleaning the soul:

Spring Flower Sunday last year the theme was a play on “spring cleaning” – about spring cleaning the soul. Well – how are things with your soul? How is the feeding of it going? Remember last year three elders shared things they do to feed their soul. Well…….what is it you are doing to feed your soul? What vehicle, what tools are you using to help with this. This week I took my Honda motorbike into be serviced. Picking it up afterwards I noticed things were working properly again that I didn’t even realise needed attention. Things I’d put up with thinking they were normal – after the servicing – were now much better.

It’s the same with the way we feed our soul – over time methods and things get a little corroded. We need to tune things up now and then, refresh things, oil the things that are getting dry. And because there are plenty of different tools we can use to feed the soul, if what you are doing is not working – try something fresh and new. Perhaps the most important thing is that we do feed the soul – even if at times the method seems dry.

God Bless
Jon

To Ponder and Pray: Time with God

As you go around and enjoy the beauty of spring—let your senses inspire you to sing and whisper praise to God. Look at the beauty of God’s handy work. Enjoy the scent of the flowers and the feeling of fresh grass between the toes, or warmer winds on the face. 

Oh my soul does rejoice and delight
in the wonder of Gods handiwork.
For he made you and me and delights
in the wonder of His handiwork.

The goal is soul

a verse or two

"Your eyes are windows into your body....” Matthew 6:22

Spiritual Walk and Musings: The goal is soul:

They say the eyes are the window into the soul. To add to that I wonder if the tongue is the soulometer? It would seem that when the soul is disturbed, when we are under pressure (say things go wrong), it affects the very core of our being till our soul starts to feel crushed and suddenly our tongue unleashes a volley of whatever – and so the old soulometer indicates we need to feed the soul. An awareness of our soulometer is a healthy thing.

In a world that says “I” ought to be the goal. I would beg to differ, in life the goal is soul. The soul is different to “I”. “I” is individualistic, it is self absorbed, and self obsessed. On the other hand, a healthy soul is connected to the “other”, as well as the “I”, as well as the Father Son and Holy Spirit. Feed the soul, and when the soulometer indicates the soul needs feeding – feed it some more.

God Bless
Jon

To Ponder and Pray: Verse 1 of “Be Still My Soul” by Katharina Von Schlegel 1752

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In every change, he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul:
your best, your heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Too busy?

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Too Busy?



I muse………….do we get ourselves too busy?

I wonder………...do we do too much?

Could it be…………...for a healthy soul

We do less…………………..and be more.



To Ponder and Pray: Something to pray

Dear Lord,
help me
to do less
and be more.

Amen

Oh….and Lord….thank you….thank you for
the new buds
the smell of spring,
the feel of warmer air,
the taste of fresh produce
and the sound of the bird song.
Thank you for letting us be…..in the here and now.

Why I still go to church

With all the negative press the churches worldwide have been getting lately some people might wonder why I still go to church. All too often people in church do wrong things; you do not need to be a rocket scientist to know that church is not perfect. One of the reasons it’s imperfect is because I go to it. You might have heard it said that when searching for the perfect church, if a person finds it they should not join it as it will no longer be perfect. We all bring baggage to church. 

So why do I still go to church? Well, there is the social side. It’s a good group of folk who care for one another and also gather to help others in the community. Yet obviously I could join a service club to cover my social and community work quota.

There is the spirituality; I find church a good place to zen out, feed the soul and grow spiritually. It’s a place of teaching and of learning how to connect what is known in the head and in the heart with the whole of self so hopefully actions become more Christ like. Yet obviously there are a multitude of options out there for some form of spiritual growth stuff – so why choose a Christian church?

And why go to church regularly Sunday after Sunday when life is so hectic and there are plenty of other things to do at that time. Why not just chill out at a cafe or on the beach on a Sunday morning?

I go to church because of Jesus Christ and because of what he did on that first Easter Sunday. That historical event is so far-reaching it demands a relook at what is real and the meaning of life. Plenty of people have died...but how many have risen from the dead never to die again? This Easter it felt like a lot of Nelsonians had forgotten the historical fact (and good news) that just over 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ claimed he was God, was executed on the Friday morning, confirmed dead by a trained executioner and that evening buried in a tomb. On the following Sunday several women went to place spices on his body to find he had risen from the dead and over the next 40 days over 500 people saw him, heard him, some ate with him.

I still go to church because Jesus Christ rose from the dead and this historical event requires a complete change in how I view life and perceive reality. It gives empirical evidence that God exists and His love for us is deeper than we perceive. Local churches will have books in their libraries written by atheists who set out to disprove the resurrection only to end up discovering it really did happen. Allow yourself some space to check out this claim by Jesus to be God and how this shows God’s love for you.

God Bless
Jon

Unity

a verse or two

Then I heard all beings in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and in the sea offer praise. Together, all of them were saying, "Praise, honour, glory, and strength forever and ever to the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!" Rev 5:13 CEV

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Christian unity in our community.

The revelation the apostle John received on the isle of Patmos paints a picture of all creatures worshiping God the Father and Son in unity (Rev 5:13). Great multitudes that no one can count from every nation, tribe, people and language standing before God unified in worship (Rev 7:9 – 11). In 2007 Vivienne and I were in Bali singing Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs of praise at the first ever global gathering of all the Council for World Mission (CWM) missionaries; it was to celebrate 40 years of CWM. It was a great feeling – being with people of other cultures together worshiping God. It was a time of unity, gathered together in Christ to worship Father Son and Holy Spirit. 

There is a depth and richness that comes from true Christian unity. There is encouragement and growth when in solidarity we share our stories of faith. There is learning and objectivity of faith that can’t happen when one remains a lone ranger. There is high level of humility and teachableness when one is willing to listen and learn from people who are different yet have faith stories to share.

A question I have for you is what would unity of the churches in Richmond Waimea look like? On the back page of this parish news is a copy of the statement the local Richmond Waimea church leaders agree to each year. It’s a great statement of unity of the churches in our district. What other things can the churches of Richmond Waimea do in unity? Why not muse on this and share your ideas with others.

To Ponder and Pray: Christian Love - Selfless & Giving Love.

Jesus said, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). Part of Christian love is giving to others those things that you would want them to give you if you were in their situation – and it's doing so even if they can't pay you back. In fact, it's doing so especially if they can't pay you back! Christian love is respect for others. It's mercy. It's charity. God's Love is unselfish and unconditional. It is which we all need to strive toward.

God Bless, Jon.

Letting God into our boring bits

a verse or two

“Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Letting God into our boring bits.

You might have heard me say in the past that faith can be spelt RISK – suggesting if we remain comfortable in our own lives taking no risks, we won’t need God in our lives (life is pretty cruisy in NZ). The implication is we need to take risks in life – to step off the cliff so to speak – so our faith builds up. I’m having second thoughts on this idea. 

Perhaps it would be better for us to let God into our everyday normal lives, into all we do including the boring bits. Yep, including the boring stuff that we think God would not be interested in. Where we think the action is so mundane and straightforward no faith in God is required for that part of our life. I say this because if we practice the presence of God with us at all times, if we could be aware of God’s friendship with us in normal everyday life; then, when the mud hits the fan we would be aware of God still being with us in that particular difficult time.

It would be natural to talk to him, and not some “freaking out” time of uncertainty, hoping like crazy God..."might listen....but...I'm not really sure".

If we learn to be aware of God’s presence in the normal, it will be normal for God’s presence to be with us in the un-normal. Then we could pass the test and receive the crown.

God Bless, Jon.

To Ponder and Pray: A quote by Brother Lawrence (c. 1614 – 12 February 1691) 

"There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God. Those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it."

Letting God into our boring bits

a verse or two

“Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Letting God into our boring bits.

You might have heard me say in the past that faith can be spelt RISK – suggesting if we remain comfortable in our own lives taking no risks, we won’t need God in our lives (life is pretty cruisy in NZ). The implication is we need to take risks in life – to step off the cliff so to speak – so our faith builds up. I’m having second thoughts on this idea. 

Perhaps it would be better for us to let God into our everyday normal lives, into all we do including the boring bits. Yep, including the boring stuff that we think God would not be interested in. Where we think the action is so mundane and straightforward no faith in God is required for that part of our life. I say this because if we practice the presence of God with us at all times, if we could be aware of God’s friendship with us in normal everyday life; then, when the mud hits the fan we would be aware of God still being with us in that particular difficult time.

It would be natural to talk to him, and not some “freaking out” time of uncertainty, hoping like crazy God..."might listen....but...I'm not really sure".

If we learn to be aware of God’s presence in the normal, it will be normal for God’s presence to be with us in the un-normal. Then we could pass the test and receive the crown.

God Bless, Jon.

To Ponder and Pray: A quote by Brother Lawrence (c. 1614 – 12 February 1691) 

"There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God. Those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it."