Home Comforts

What is it about getting back home after you've been away. The words, "Ah it's great to be home," used to come off my folks' lips every time we returned from a holiday as I grew up and I can remember often thinking, "no it isn't I loved being on holiday in South Africa where you can get real sweets and awesome toys." Now I can fully identify with the root emotion that expressed those words all those years ago.

The LJ family have just returned from a simply lovely holiday in Brittany, France at a place called Moulin Begasse, near Meslan (click here for website). We were truly blessed to get the time away in a peaceful and idyllic setting encountering very little other than God's revelation of Himself both in nature and in personal communion (more on that in future blogs). But we're back and it is simply marvelous to be so. I don't fully get it but I felt it in a pronounced way as I prepared my morning cup of coffee.

As many know, and say, to my face actually, I am a rumoured 'coffee snob' - in other words I don't drink instant coffee and love to prepare filter coffee in a french press. Well I have a special and particular process of doing that which involves a particular mug, a defined amount of time heating that mug in the microwave prior to placing within the mug a certain number of sugar grains (I jest, but almost) and then after a well-worked-out-through-trial-and-error amount of time within my overused french press plunging the press and pouring the coffee. Yes, while doing this today I felt a surge of, "Ah it's great to be home."

I am sure there is something spiritual to it, and I would be the first to shout that I am a citizen of heaven and this is not my true home, but God seems to have instilled within us a longing for 'our place' where we know we are his definite 'under-shepherds' of that minimal, even minute, slice of His glorious creation.

Good to be back.

Simon

It's about global redemption

Last night I got caught up in a prayer for our weekend sponsored run event - the X1:1000. Let me explain. We are intending to run 1000 laps of our local running track in order to raise funds for a charity called Friends of Tariro (the pioneer of the charity attends X1) which seeks to bring hope and resource to the widows and orphans of rural villages in Zimbabwe. It's going to be a fun, but crazy afternoon cause not too many of us are, let's just say, able runners. But we're in and we want to be a part of this!

What struck me last night while praying was this: We are a part of something global in this silly afternoon of running. We are a part of investing in that one thing out of all other things we are a part of now that will last after time ends - The Kingdom of God. That's what this run is about, it's about bringing the Kingdom of God into those villages. The rule, the reign, the hope and purpose of God into those villages that are now only victims of drought, oppression, and hopelessness.
It's strikes you when you think that your small fellowship on the outskirts of London England is part of the Global Redemption, reconciliation, rescue plan of the mighty God of all. Then you can get excited about putting running shoes on that you've not worn for ages, then you can get up early Sunday by Sunday to serve the mission of the local church!

I'm running Saturday, why, cause I'm silly and will regret it for the next week, but also, and this is ultimately why, because I want the Kingdom of God to come to those widows, orphans, and churches in Kazingizi Zimbabwe - that's why!

Simon

'Day-to-Day' Prompts

Taken an unnecessary break from this Bloggage recently. Laziness probably, and maybe even an underestimation of it's role in anyone's life (hey I don't say that for an encouraging 'don't stop' (if you wanted to) that's what this particular blog's about). Just as I'd been carrying that, most of yesterday at least, as Mondays are days I like to update things, God brings a significant individual in your life to 'prompt.'

Today I met by chance with a couple that God has brought into our 'arena' as a church for reasons neither they or I know at this time. In the course of our instantaneously meaningful conversation (you got people in your life with whom that happens?) the gentleman mentioned how meaningful these blogs were for getting to taste the heart of his new pastor (sounds crazy that, good but crazy) from a distance. Well there you go, as you can see I am on the blogging trail again as the sole purpose of these words are that maybe just maybe they will be used of our glorious gracious King to be a benefit to your life in someway.

Thanks to that gentleman, yeah you know who you are, and hey thanks Lord for prompting us as you do in the very normal 'day-to-day' of life (it appears that is not enough for some people).

Simon

Changing Nappies, God & Us

Just partaken (one of a huge number of times now) in the changing of my beautiful little girl's nappy. How do I expose the need that this had to take place for her good other than to say she was a bit of a 'stink-bug' to say the least.
What often happens when you are blessed to invest in this exercise is that the child in question, Madison in this case, wriggles like a crazy caterpillar in order to be released from your grip. The desired goal is that she will be brought to a place of more comfort, greater joy and 'release' for her but all she knows in the moment is the holding back, the strong 'resisting' grip of DAD and she wants 'freedom' as she knows it.

Makes me think of my Father that does. So, so often I am wriggling free of circumstances, confrontations, challenges that He is using to 'take me somewhere' freshen my 'aroma' as a living sacrifice. Why? Well cause I know best don't I; I want what ever Godliness is, whatever comfort is at my pace and probably, more often than not, in my way. Truth is - He does, and O how much more does He know what freedom and peace is for us that we do even for ourselves.

By the way, my beautiful one is singing, purring and smiling now - she'll wriggle again tho'!

Simon

Johnny Cash on 'the sting.'

After yesterday's provocative post on death and it's sting, I thought I would let the great Johnny Cash drive it home with a force that makes it even more real. Listen to this man who knew God, ran away from Him and then realizes in 'the latter years' that there is so so much more to life than having 'it all.'





Simon

Exquisite Breakdown of Anti-Theological Mindset

Christianity is attacked from within and without in one area most certainly. It is the area of Theology. Bring it up and almost everyone has some presupposed reaction to it. It tends to lead to a very airy-fairy faith within the church and a blatant, "This is anti-tolerance" (the God of the Age) response from outside.

Michael Green in the book I am reading (The Empty Cross) gives a fantastic breakdown of this cultural milieu (in the context of Theological Study) and I thought I'd share it

"The modern theologian is not exempt from the pressures of ordinary modern society. There is a great tendency towards universalism in a world that makes God in its own tolerant image. There is a tendency towards syncretism in a world that has shrunk to a global multi-faith village. There is a tendency towards secularism: with both the historic faith and future hope soft-pedaled in so much modern theology, Christianity is frequently presented in terms of love alone. And finally, there is an ever growing tendency towards indifferentism.
Alongside a shrinking world, a shrinking hold on biblical revelation, a growing ecumenism, goes a declining interest in doctrine. It derives, as we have seen, from the philosophical question of the absolute and contradiction. Truth is relative. The black I see and the white you see are no longer contradictory: they are complementary. Heaven and hell are all one, for truth is no longer objective. Doctrine is arrived at, both in politics and religion, largely by head counts: norms have degenerated into what most people of good sense and good will approve."

Simon

Father or Judge

I was struck while bringing my sermon to a conclusion this past Sunday morning by the concept of meeting God as your Father or as your Judge on the final day.
What struck me was linking it with my ongoing prayers about my little boy Malachi.
Something I often pray is that our relationship will always be one if intimacy and Father-Sonship. Let me explain.

What I do not want to happen is my son starting to live in a way that I cannot, as a follower of Jesus, support or champion. This does not mean I stop loving him at all, but it will mean that our relationship will know a different context. He will know me as someone who is not only his father but as someone that has a desire for a level of morality within him that is not being fulfilled and he may be destroying his (and others) life.

I long that in many years time when he is out of the house far more than he is in it, he will return to the door every time aware of our impending embrace and reunion. I do not want it to be very different where he actually returns to the door carrying the consciousness that I can neither condone or embrace his activity as a man. I hope you get my point.

Now I consider this scenario magnified to an infinite degree when each of us meets the Father. How will I meet Him? How will you meet Him? What will be the overwhelmingly all-encompassing consciousness within your heart? Will He be Father or Judge?

Simon

A church with a View

It appears God still works with non-church organizations and leadership in the same way as the days of old with Nehemiah, Ezra, & Daniel. If you look at each of those three books of Scripture you will find stunning little relations between these men of God and the 'Secular Powers that Be' where God has totally worked on these 'powers' beforehand and used them to provide astonishing things for the people of God.

Well God is still at it, and He has done it for the little church that God has called the wife and I to lead.
It is pretty amazing.

We have thought long and hard about our response as a church leadership to the certain calling upon us to be a visible witness, a 'RADIANT CITY WITHIN THE CITY" as a church. Out of this has come interactions with various organizations, one of which we thought would simply never happen as it would all be simply to phenomenal if it worked out as it would be too plum to relate in this brief blog.
Well after a meeting last Monday with said organization, where it appeared the phrase most often mentioned by them was, "What else can we do for you," or "Why don't you try this as well?" the door has flung open for us to meet in an amazing location.

Why, cause we're special? Heck no, because God is ultimately sovereign over all.
Basically, we're absolutely pumped by all that He's doing.

Have faith.

SImon

'The Splendour of His Holiness'

Struck by a phrase in Psalm 96 this morning, "Worship the Lord in the Splendour of His Holiness; tremble before Him all the earth."
WOW!! When was the last time you walked away from a worship service at your local contemporary church hearing people remark with wonder, "I was struck today by the splendour of the Holiness of God!" No no no, more than likely there will only be conversation about the quality of the music heard and the quality of emotion felt during any modern-day worship session.

Can this be right? Do we EVER TREMBLE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD ANYMORE? I fear not, and if this is the case surely we should be alarmed. If the Psalmist is telling us this is how we should worship, why then is this such a foreign, even alien, experience in the life of a modern 'worshiper'? Well the answer is simple-- WE WORSHIP A DIFFERENT GOD, A MAN MADE GOD. And made not by the outworking of our tumbling into a secularly dominated culture, but by us as Christians ourselves. We have made this new God, this God of love devoid of Holiness. A God who must love us, a God who needs us, a God itching to grant us our multitude of wishes BUT IN NO WAY THE GOD OF DAVID AS REVEALED IN PSALM 96.

Please, my friends start crying out to God that He would show you more of who He is. Are you bold enough, are you humble enough?
For I will say these words that I spoke to our student group two years ago

“Our understanding and belief in what the Holiness of God means will define every other thing in life.”
“No other thing is more important for Xtians and Xtianity today than a God-given understanding of His holiness.”

Believe it, its true.

Simon

God in History

"Most of us have a difficult time understanding history with God as the major and definitive presence. We have grown up getting our sense of history from so-called historians, scholars, and journalists for whom God is not germane or present in what they study and write. We are thoroughly trained by our schools, daily papers, and telecasts to read history solely in terms of politics and economics, human interest and environmental conditions, military operations and diplomatic intrigue. If we have a mind for it, we can go ahead and fit God in somewhere or other. But the biblical writers do it the other way around; they fit us into the history in which God is the primary reality."- Eugene Peterson

Been reading a brilliant book by Eugene Peterson over the past weeks reassuring myself of God's wonderful work in this world (most perfectly displayed in the life, death and resurrection of Christ). One of the things most 'reassuring' about Peterson's marvelous insight is the reminder he gives that God is fully at work in our every-day run of the mill lives. God does not need to work distinct from our reality He loves to be fully alive in us as we do whatever we do for most of the day.

The powerful words I have quoted above are a poignant challenge to not only secular society, but to Christians who are being won over by the views of said secular society.

Here is the call folks: If we are immersed in the information overload offered by those who will not include God (and I assure you He is not awaiting an invitation He is everywhere present) we will lose sight of God for ourselves.

Peterson calls believers to return the notion of sabbath, to rest in awe and wonder at the person of God and His work in creation. We must remove ourselves from 'history' sometimes and look fully and humbly at all that God is and has done. When we do not do this, when we do not stop and wonder, we will lose our connection to God, we will forget Him and be defined by secularity.

His word, silent meditation, and getting away to a place where we are confronted by the naked beauty of God's creation shouting forth the glory of God are all means of seeing God again, feeling Him, loving Him, dreaming Him, knowing Him and above all worshiping Him.

Please let us not be defined by those who for now have removed God from 'history' because at the end of this section of 'history' they too will bow the knee and confess that "Jesus is King!"

Genesis

Life seems to be all about beginnings. This is a beginning for me- the beginning of presenting my thoughts to a world that really may not want to know. This seems to be a risk that very few fear today. It may be that they think a lot of their musings, a kind of 'Of course the world wants to know' attitude. There are thoughts that count, thoughts that really count and then there are the thoughts of the one who really counts.
These are the thoughts of the one who thought before the word thought came into existence. In fact it was the speaking out of His thoughts that was Genesis- The Beginning. This is the one who possesses being within His very essence, unlike all of us who throw our thoughts on to this internet thingy who are all created, all with our own beginnings and ends while Him who lives without a Genesis of His own will have no end.
Anyway, there has been another beginning for me and this one of the most glorious ones I could ever be a part of. The beginning of fatherhood. Unto me a son was born some 6 Weeks ago- Malachi Jude a little 'Warrior prophet.'
This is something that I want to blog on often. For now the brith itself...
This may be one of the only remaining truly sublime experiences left to us as mankind. There are a lot of false ones, those presented by our modern consumeristic world, but they all fall short of this one that stands with purity in a category known as miraculous.
What a wonderful thing, a range of emotions that virtually leave you shattered, without anything 'left in the tank' so to speak. The joy, sorrow, pain, anger, frustration, wonder, excitement, love, concern, desire, expectation, and so much more. There is a thorough immersing in the event but also a radical disconnect as you do not get to be fully involved until that moment that the little one appears. Fragility, life, weakness, need, beauty, person appears and the heart is extended so to speak it gives birth itself to a whole new realm of love, an overpowering one as you and your beloved have a whole new avenue of expression as a couple extended towards this life that is from you. What a truly marvelous Genesis. Beginnings, rooted in Him who has no beginning. What a joy to participate and live life within His glorious reality and have beginnings of our own submitted to His glory and given by His startling grace!