Frosted Clarity- Look, See, Pray

Frost has outlined these little beauties. Rims and veins have attracted icy crystals which accentuate the shapes and forms of flower, berry and leaf. It makes for a nice picture!

You may be surprised to know it can help us do theology too.

Theology is “God Knowledge/Thinking.” The information we have, the principles we hold to, and the interpretation of God’s revelation enable us to begin to comprehend God. We debate, discuss, argue, theorise, and write BIG books! (Wouldn’t it be helpful sometimes to have a simpler explanation, a short book or cartoon instead? If so, read on about the frosty rose!)

Christians have prepared summaries of what we believe: we call them Creeds. “I believe in God the Father…” is the beginning of the Apostles’ Creed (one of the mainstream standards). These Creeds have been agreed by many believers over many years, and are often familiar to most churchgoers.

Each Creed sets out statements of faith; the things we agree on as “standard” for Christianity. They set out a “map” of faith, rather like the frost on the rose petals. We see where each one fits, what’s “in” as a part of normal faith. (There are, of course, differences of emphasis and nuance between the churches! But bear with me on the main principle.)

We cannot fully comprehend God- but one central Christian belief is that God has been and is self-revealing. We can see the Divine in Creation itself- through beauty and awe. The Bible is a written collection of the history of God’s interaction with humanity, inspired by God and amazingly effective at teaching us about God and His Ways.

I suppose we could write different doctrines on every petal to make it even clearer. For example: the nature of God; Creation; Salvation; Bible; Ethics, etc., etc.

Theology is the whole rose- but the parts can be looked at separately. We can always discover and experience more of God; so our study is open-ended, and there are “mysteries” as well as plain and obvious truths. But even if the rose is a symbol for theology, God is above and beyond it- the Gardener who is greater than the rose (or the whole garden).

Do you get the idea? Just as the frost has highlighted nature’s beauty, so choosing particular aspects of faith to study helps to make sense of the bigger picture.

The best starting place?

The life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus. As set out in the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we are introduced to the best self-revelation of God.

As Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” (John 14 v9)

Start here: GO.

Now we wait… Look, See, Pray

It is all over, they think. The Romans, who are VERY good at killing. And the religious authorities- they found their traitor, rigged a trial, and persuaded Governor Pilate to do their dirty work.

Those in the crowds believed it is a “fait accompli”– some with sadness, others with patriotic pride. Rabbi Jesus is past tense.

Scattered to the four winds to hide, most of his special friends and followers are grieved, despairing that the cryptic words Jesus had spoken now have a HUGE cross-shaped full stop ending the sentence. Even the ones who actually buried Jesus were thinking of doing a “proper” anointing of the corpse after the Sabbath. A final farewell, instead of the rushed job of the Friday evening.

Now we wait.

Today WE wait in impatient expectation, ‘cos WE have read the ending of the Gospels. THEY wait in grief (or satisfaction) for the world to be “normal” again.

Perhaps Lazarus, raised from death by Jesus, had a tiny seed of hope? Perhaps also fearing the mob will come for him too…

We have no clue what the Hosts of Heaven thought or knew. Had they seen the plan? Do angels wait with bated breath?

Saturday will be weird as we wait.

And about 2,000 years forward from THEIR day of sorrows, a bright preacher is saying “It’s Friday- but Sunday’s coming!”

It is Written- Look, See, Pray

Before computers, typewriters. Before that, paper & pen; earlier still it was engraving stones or using papyrus. Humans love to write things down! An aid to memory, a splash of propaganda, and expression of the soul, a way to define facts and truth. Often, writing tells our stories, the values that we hold most dear.

We interpret things in Nature as “writing” or symbols or facts.

A crab leg left on the sand at low tide. Is your imagination at work? Relic left by a fisherman? The result of a crab squabble, or a seagull raid? Has our coastline been visited by seals, otters, sharks, or rays? A helpless remnant, pincers defiantly ready- but too weak or too late?

One hour later, and the inrushing tide will erase the story and the evidence. The crab leg will be gone, who knows where.

Now, if Jesus wrote stuff down, we’d want to know what He meant. But the only incident where Jesus wrote anything down was rather odd.

People trying to condemn Jesus as a breaker of the Law of Moses captured a woman engaged in a sexual relationship. Hoping to catch Jesus out, they demanded He tell them what to do with her… either Jesus would condemn her to be stoned to death (which would cause BIG trouble with the Romans who didn’t allow the Jews to kill their “sinners”) OR Jesus would be forgiving and therefore in breach of the letter of the Law (meaning He would be condemned as a denier of the Law).

Jesus said nothing. Then stooped to write something in the sand with His finger. AND WE DON’T KNOW WHAT HE WROTE! Aargh! How frustrating… Written in the sand, and blown away by the wind.

Then Jesus spoke. “Let the one without sin throw the first stone.”

Gradually the crowd disappeared- none of them was sinless. THEN Jesus said to her “I don’t condemn you- but change the way you live! Don’t do it again.” ^{(Read the full story in John 8:1-11.)}

Written in the sand, yet justice and mercy were lovingly engraved on that woman’s heart. And His words were ALSO written in letters of fire on the conscience of the crowd!

It is written. Pay heed to the Teacher lest we lose sight of Truth.

Light and Dark- Look, See, Pray

Two aspects of Light: the first photo is taken inside Linz Cathedral, showing the colours from the stained glass windows on the stone wall. It reminds the worshipper that God is Light, the Saviour who brings freedom and forgiveness. The cathedral is clean, peaceful, and beautiful.

Second: a memorial Cross made from the timber of the old barracks in Mauthausen Concentration Camp, a few miles up the road. What is left of the camp has been turned into a Memorial Centre which tells the stories of some of the 90,000 prisoners who died there. It is a place of grief and remorse- but the Christ who was crucified understands suffering. That cross belongs there.

So close together- a building designed for worship, and another building built for mass murder.

This is the human dilemma in a nutshell. We are capable of love- and also capable of immense cruelty. Some would prefer to have a faith without a Cross- others would like to cover up the evidence of brutality. Without these reminders, we could ignore the chilled conscience and say “I didn’t do it, I didn’t know, I’m not to blame.”

Jesus shines Light into the darkness, invites our response, and says “I have come to bring LIFE in all its fullness.” (John 10:10)

When we come to the Cross, we begin to walk in the Light.

Decisions! – Look, See, Pray

All the garden suppliers are sending their catalogues and special offers. It’s making me yearn for the glorious colours of summer! Shall I plant more gladioli? What about the older lavender bushes- time for a change? Is there room for another rose? Or two?

Decisions, decisions. And of course those marvellous offers involve spending money (no gardener ever has trouble doing that!!!) but some of them are offering enough quantities to fill Kew Gardens. If only they could see the restricted space available… where could I put 120 dahlias anyway? With the flowering cherry “designed for small gardens” which is tempting me? Or a dwarf crab apple, perhaps?

One decision is made. I would like a passion flower to climb along the rear fence. The old rambling rose already there only flowers for a couple of weeks- and I’d like more colour for longer.

Once the local water table drops a bit I’ll be “at it” tidying and designing… I’d say “watch this space” but there isn’t any yet.

If only I found it as easy to plan my spiritual growth! Questions like “how have I matured since last year” and “what about reducing that pile of books to read by READING some more” are very niggly. It is of course quite normal to have six or seven books on the go at once… isn’t it? Please say yes…

Jesus talked about us being part of the Vine and being fruitful. The process isn’t straightforward. Pruning gets mentioned… Gulp… And then Jesus says this:

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit- fruit that will last- and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.”
(John 15 v12-17)

Writing with Light- Look, See, Pray

Enshrined in bronze… meet the Press. How astonished a Press photographer from the Fifties would be if they were given a modern camera. If that new camera were digital instead of film, I don’t think they’d believe it was real.

Old but beautifully machined; accurate shutters, decent lenses, lovely leather bellows for focussing. And that flash unit! Explosive combustion of glass bulbs- one blast of light which might singe your eyebrows. Then having taken a photo on light-sensitive plates or sheets of film, off to a lab for chemical processing and hard-won wizardry to produce expensive prints or glass slides.

Modern technology and engineering has changed the process of photography beyond measure.

Yet the goal is the same: to capture the “decisive moment” of an action or object, recording it for posterity. Photography aids our memories, records moments of history or newsworthy events; it preserves beauty and can tell a powerful story of life events and relationships.

OR the photographer may cut off the head or feet of the subject, blur or shake the image, or just take mind-numbingly boring pictures that no-one else wants to see! (Taking a photo of a statue of a paparazzi taking a photo, for example…)

Photo = light, graphy = writing… Writing with light. Isn’t it a shame that photography hadn’t been invented when God started “writing with Light” at the incarnation of Jesus, the Light of the world!

To see pictures of Mary & Joseph, scruffy shepherds, assorted Wise Men, and a sulky Herod? To record forever the angels who told of the Blessed Child, and then gathered the legions of Heaven to rejoice over Bethlehem… and, of course, the baby pictures of Jesus at birth, one day old, a week, a month. If only.

If Jerusalem had newspapers and a horde of reporters… has God missed a trick? If Jesus were born today, the news would be all round the globe as soon as the broadband was switched on!

But since the media frenzy has the attention span of a gnat, the story would be dumped by Tuesday. Instead, Almighty God sent a messenger with Good News and a promise. Luke 2:37 says “For no word from God will ever fail.”

Two thousand years later, the story is still current. “In the beginning was the Word… and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” is how John’s Gospel begins.

No photos- but a Living Word.

Justice! Look, See, Pray

Screwed to a tree, long enough ago for the bark to start covering it, this sign proudly states “Community Payback- Offenders working for the community.”

Hasn’t worked too well- some objectionable oicks have tried to vandalise the sign. At least they didn’t damage the tree any further.

“Oh if only there was some justice!

Someone to punish!

Bring back the stocks!

Let’s transport someone to Australia…” (or Rwanda?)

How quick the cry for justice. Especially when it affects “our” safe life. Someone ought to be made to pay for my stress and loss.

Now, fair do, society needs rules that can protect the innocent and punish-or-reform the offenders. At least this sign speaks of the offenders having to make good on their crime: and perhaps it helps the miscreants to reflect on choices and attitudes for the future.

But the heart of the human problem is…… the human heart.

Who or what can remake our hearts? Or teach us to take responsibility for our actions, and so learn to have compassion and respect for others?

Willpower can go so far. Self-help courses may work for some. Prison may allow us to feel safer because “they” are locked up. All these have some virtue. Yet I am more and more convinced that humans need an encounter with God if we are to “live right.”

Jesus faced a challenge when a crowd brought an adulterous woman “caught in the act” (Funny they didn’t bring the bloke as well. How’s that for a double standard.) You can read the whole story in John 8 v1-11.

Two statements by Jesus are worth reflecting on.

“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” The accusers shamefacedly walked away.

So He said: “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Being eager for “justice” or vengeance is natural- as long as we are just. But where is the mercy or grace that can bring forgiveness and a fresh beginning? I only know One person who does that freely.

Love casts out fear. Light drives away darkness. Jesus gives Life.

Shame in Tears? Look, See, Pray

Overnight rain has passed, memories of the storm still rumbling through our senses, and leaving teardrops caught in the alchemilla leaves.

Sparkling like crystals, these tears are for the passing of summer. It was the first of a wave of storms heading our way- and weakened by the drought, trees have fallen and the leaves of the survivors have been persecuted to the point of giving up. Autumn will seem short this year.

Many of us work hard to conceal our struggles and try to “be brave” by bottling up our feelings. Yet tears are a safety valve; crying is a reflex to help us process strong emotion, grief, and pain.

Charles Dickens makes this point: “Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried, than before–more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle.” ― Great Expectations

We are improved by our tears! The apostle Paul made another point about the way our crying may help us let others know how much they are loved: “I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you.” – 2 Corinthians 2:4

Tears can even be a form of prayer. Having run out of words, having reached rock bottom, facing problems and sadness… what better way to express ourselves and communicate with God? There is even a verse in Psalms (Ps. 56 v8) that says the Lord “treasures” our tears as a keepsake of love.

Even Jesus wept at the passing of a friend. (John 11:35) After His tears came a miracle…

I wonder how the Lord values- and could use- OUR tears?

A Dying Rose- Look, See, Pray

Dying rose… “Raspberry Ripple” is melting away. Should I be sad?

Just one flower. It lived its life, shared its beautiful colour, and promises more roses next summer.

It’s unusual to post a photo of an imperfect failing flower. Yet many of us in Britain and beyond have been impacted by the passing of Queen Elizabeth- and Death is something we are thinking of and talking about. Hence a tragic rose…

Gardening gives frequent reminders of mortality! We do our best to tend our plants, experiment with new ones, and enjoy successes. The flip side is losing plants to pests, accident, old age, or frost. Our attempts to “control” a garden are destined to (at least) partial failure: and some of us provide the kiss of death to any green growth!

Death is the gateway at the end of a season or a life. It may be delayed, but cannot be cheated. But it can be overcome; and the fear of death need not hold us in its grip.

It is coming up for three years since I was diagnosed with cancer. The horrible moment when the doctor breaks the bad news and explains what (if any) treatment is possible… Then the haste to perform surgery. My surgeon walked me down to the operating theatre, meeting the highly competent team- and I wasn’t feeling scared. That day I fully understood the promise of Jesus of “a peace that passes human understanding.” I now have a nice big physical scar- but not emotional/spiritual ones.

Somewhen in the next two months I will be going for scans to check my health and (hopefully) confirm the cancer is gone. Watch this space…

There will be a day when time runs out for my body, one way or another! God’s promises will still hold good. “He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 25 v8)

In Revelation 21:4 is a vision of a perfect existence with God when the fears and tears of death will have lost all their power: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Our rose is dead- long live the Rose!

The final Word is from Jesus Himself: John 11:25-26

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?“

It is truly a life-or-death question.

What’s the Catch? Look, See, Pray

This guy is a serious fisherman: he is passionate about his sport, has invested in the correct equipment, and studied his subject.

On top of that, he has the patience necessary to get results.

I find it fascinating that Jesus chose fishermen to be the first disciples. Used to a tough life, skilled at their trade, and unafraid of patient hard work- and obviously with an open heart, willing to listen. They hoped that God might do a new thing in their day, and encountering Jesus changed their lives forever.

Others listened to Jesus- up to the point where “following” was proving difficult, disappointing, and dangerous. Jesus even asked if his closest followers wanted to leave as well.

Peter answered on their behalf: “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68-69 The Message Translation)

Having such commitment and determination meant that those disciples would live at great risk- for a great vision, a purpose worthy of life and death. Many of them died violently.

Such obedient faith is much more than believing some facts about Jesus. It is be willing to go to great lengths in the expectation of world-transforming results: putting trust in the words of real eternal life spoken by Christ. Jesus went to a terrible execution so that all things might be reconciled to God. Another of the extraordinary followers of Jesus described Him in these terms:

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (Colossians 1 v17-20)

So, what is there that I will believe in, put into practice, and expect God to do through my life and passionate discipleship? The way I answer that question sums up what I might achieve through the presence and power of Jesus!