Psalm 62

As if life wasn't enough to beat you up and get you up against the ropes at occasions, Christian ministry can add the final knock out punches at times. Life throws an assortment of things through us as we take its pre-set journey. I would not need to search too far to find some of those journeys riddled with pain and heartbreak at almost unbearable levels.
How Christian ministry adds to this is that you take the role of a servant, the role of a giver, one who loves and gives not necessarily ever receiving- this leads to extreme vulnerability! When the proverbial 'stuff' hits the fan within ministry it is over, above, and added to the pursuit of life with its bits and pieces.

It is in moments like these that the depth and beauty of some Scriptures are arresting in their affects, consoling and encouraging with amazing ability. Psalm 62 is such a Scripture and I will share just a few bits to encourage you:

1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken...

5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah

Bless you all
Simon

The 'Sting' of Death

There is a biblical phrase that refers to the 'sting' of death. Having grown up in Zimbabwe and encountered African Bees on many occasions (real bees, not like their puny British cousins) I have a vivid sensory picture of what is meant by the word sting. The word refers to that which is painful, striking, certain, eye-opening in one sense. There is no way, when stung, that you can avoid the fact.

In our church over the past 4 weeks there has been two deaths that have deeply stung people that are dear to us as a congregation. I do not mean those who have been taken from this life, 'fallen asleep' as Paul would say as I am sure both were followers of Jesus, but those who are left behind.
Searching, aching, asking, longing, dreaming, feeling, hurting, STINGING!
I certainly feel words are pointless at times like this, more often than not people offer words that do nothing more than add to the sting, not bring relief.

Death is removed from our direct sight as modern people. Oh of course all our young people are killing thousands on video games every day, and there is not a thrilling box office hit without blood and guts and death strewn across the script. But not real death, not the death that STINGS. We have become desensitized to the power and hurt of death. We humans seem to do everything in our power to distance ourselves from what God's divine revelation is pointing us to.

Over the course of 24 hours my wife and I spent time with the two individuals most poignantly affected by death at this time within our church. It is heart-wrenching as you realize the scarring and tearing that has taken place emotionally, spiritually and psychologically. It, death, is the last great reminder of our frailty and finiteness. It is where we great conquerors of all are conquered. It is so final so absolute.

Certainly, if it were not for Christ's & Paul's beautifully reassuring words littered through the pages of the New Testament for those of us who have put their faith in Christ, death would be the ultimate thief and the rightful destroyer of any possible hope. (For those who do not believe, it is... isn't it?) But we do have these words, we must be reassured, we are certain of the great inheritance of those who have trusted in Christ. My hope is for those now suffering from the sting in our midst, and the many many more we will encounter as pastors here, they will receive from the Holy Spirit of God the marvelous assurance of life eternal for those who have gone 'to be with Christ' which 'is better by far!'

Simon

Entwined Stories

I had the great privilege of sharing at our (Church of Christ the King Watford) Christmas Service on the evening of last Sunday. It is always a difficult message to prepare as a Pastor because it seems that you need to make it fresh, or new, each and every year, even though it is obviously the same theme. Christmas is the only time of the year that there is a 'retained' inclination within the people of the UK to actually attend a church service, so it is important that each of us as leaders uses it as an opportunity to bring the gospel to the ears of those who do attend.

The theme that struck me this year was to highlight how the stories of Santa and Christ intertwine at this time of year in a way that actually muddies the water and destroys any clarity about what may be true and what is fantasy. The story of Santa is a fun one, even a good one. It is one that is meant to bring smiles, and expose us to a season of peace and goodwill, so that must be a good thing. But the joy does not last, in fact 'Experts' say that the last Tuesday of the month of January is typically the saddest day of the year. So you have 5 weeks to enjoy any good feeling that may have come with the Christmas rush.

The Christmas story of a Saviour born as a child is riddled with reports of peace to all men and goodwill. In Isaiah chapter 9 where the birth of Christ is foretold over 700 years before the event, we see some stunning phrases about the eternal reign of Christ, the peace that will last forever as the 'government' rests upon His (Christ that little baby) shoulders. This is the essential point of departure for the two stories. In fact, the way to see the difference is to imagine a world without either of the two stories.
A world without the story of Santa and his industrious elves leads to quite a mundane, even if less chaotic, end of the year without the hope of receiving that 'super gift.'
A world without the story of Christ... well that is a world without a hope; it is a world where the horrors of the World Wars; traumatizing stories like the murder of Baby P (see story) have no conclusion; and where there is nothing to deliver us from our own passion for genocide.

Think about it...

Simon

Father's Love

Spent all day with my beautiful son today. He is 8 weeks old and an absolute gem of a dude. I can glance at him repeatedly and each time be captivated by his person. I don't think it is his beauty and obviously it is not because he returns the stare with questions on the state of my soul, it is just because! This 'just because' may be father's love, I cannot really ascertain as this is my first go at this fatherhood thing, but it is all-encompassing.
I delight to rush into his bedroom every morning and wake him up to this world that is all so very new to him. Any response to my attentions causes such delight in my heart and I am sure I am just a bit goofy at times, really lost in the seeming perfection of my progeny who is a recipient of my 'nothing restrained' love. Cliches like, "I would do anything for him," or "I love him with an undying love," actually seem inappropriate as verbalisations of something that probably remains best unsaid.
A good friend (there is that word again) mentioned the relationship between me and my son on Saturday morning as we languished in the sweet, sweet sunshine sipping coffee and talking 'deep talk.' He was alluding to another relationship between father and son.
He is reading The Pleasures of God by John Piper and one of the major discussions in that book is the love of God the Father for His son Jesus Christ. What my friend was alluding to is the infinite magnitude of all that I have described for my son both in perfection and purity that God the Father must have for His son! This side of heaven I can only begin to glimpse ever so slightly into the exuberent exquisite excellencies of the love shared between two perfect beings that are perfectly related. Every time my tongue attempts to declare the beauty of such love I must be attempting language unspeakable.
The astounding thing as we muse upon such love is the immensity of sacrifice and intention there must have been behind the death of Christ so central to the Christian story of hope, redemption and meaning. Both Father and Son must have counted fully the cost of such a sovereignly 'outlandish' (humanly incomprehensible) plan.
Thus, every time I peer upon my son, there is twin delight:
Firstly, I am favoured immensely to know father's love and
Secondly, how delightful it is that I am caught up in the love of the Almighty Father's love for His Son Jesus.
Oh how I am to reflect this divine love somehow if I want to love my son somewhat acceptably!