Category: Uncategorized

Bearly Upright- Look, See, Pray

This is me, after preaching this morning. Fuzzy, a bit cross-eyed, with a blank long-distance stare- a fine upstanding figure of a bear with little brain. I dozed off after lunch so the roast beef will now be dinner tomorrow… the substitute fishcakes were quite tasty though, and MUCH quicker to cook.

Now I’m retired, I don’t preach as often: and it takes more out of me than it used to. But it is still a special calling, and a remarkable privilege and honour to explore Scripture and apply truth to life. Today we looked at Psalm 51 and the rather shabby story of David’s greatest calamity as king.

Summing up 2 Samuel 11 as “When you’re in a hole, stop digging” we looked at the shameful and tragic mixture of lust, deception, adultery and murder. Even the best of human beings is capable of dreadful sin and failure.

“You’re Nicked” is the title for 2 Samuel 12. Nathan, a true prophet, confronts David- read the two chapters for the full account- and helps bring David back to his senses and to God.

So, on to Psalm 51. Written out of guilt and heartbreak, David takes responsibility and pleads for forgiveness. Any believer who has ever sinned against God (that’s all of us!) will benefit from reading this as a prayer and a penance. Our faults may not be same as those of King David- but as a model for honest and sincere repentance, it is deeply helpful.

Sin always has consequences- but forgiveness is the gift of our Merciful Father. A clean slate and a new beginning is ours when we truly desire to change direction and become obedient.

Grace and mercy await. This Psalm has many familiar verses- read it and see how many you recognise.

Reflect on this short extract from Psalm 51: “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin… and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again. You have broken me- now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.” (From Psalm 51 v1-2, & v7-9)

So, a serious, even heavy, message to deliver. Like every preacher, I speak to myself as well as a congregation. Preaching should never be a stick to beat on others. Rather, it is a message centred in the truth of God’s self-revelation that the preacher must “live in” even as the Word is shared.

“Lord, have mercy on me; and have mercy on those who had to listen. May the seed of Your Word grow in us all- and may Your mercy grant us joy in our salvation. May we have a holy life and a message of hope to share this week, and always. AMEN.”

I Spy… Look, See, Pray

Today I visited a wetland trust site near Arundel; I was hoping to spot kingfishers and dragonflies and perhaps take a stunning photo of these beauties. I saw one kingfisher, a streak of electric blue as it whizzed past- no picture. Too fast and too small. I saw loads of dragonflies- no picture, because they stayed out of range of my macro and telephoto lens. Some were also blue, I could tell that much.

Unexpectedly, the site was blessed with and abundance of wildflowers. So I took about 200 photos of those.

To be brutally honest, many of those are “nice-but-mildly boring” flower shots. Splendid in their own way, but not obviously shouting â€śLook at me! I’m deep and profound!”

Then I spotted an unusual detail. A “floaty seed” of thistle or more likely Rosebay Willowherb had become trapped on a reed-stem. Despite the strong breeze, it stayed put, with its fluffy-feathery arms entwined with the reed.

This is my job- to look hard enough to SEE what a casual glance would ignore. How many photographers took a picture of this today? I’m guessing, but I reckon it is only one. Here it is, shared with you! Isn’t the structure of the seed fascinating? Geometric precision, tiny lightweight strands of fluff that act as a natural paraglider. Yet it exists not for the flight, but to carry the seed. And the seed contains all the DNA necessary to grow a new plant, a perfect copy of the parent. Without the “feathery bits” the seed would fall to the ground and overcrowd the existing plant site. Seeds are to carry far away, spread the “good news” of viable DNA, and guarantee the survival of the species. That’s what a seed is for.

I spy with my little eye, a flyable seed… something beginning with hope.

John 3 v8 says â€śThe wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit of God.”

A wind-borne seed, a resting place, and the expectation of new life. Many years earlier, Isaiah the prophet proclaimed these wonderful words: â€śAs the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” â€“ Isaiah 55 v10-11

Today I looked and saw an unexpected messenger that reminded me that God can’t be controlled by us- and that this God who has SPOKEN does not waste His Breath. The seed goes out, and God’s will is done. The Word speaks, and new life and new hope come into being.

I looked; I saw. Now my reflection on this becomes a prayer of thanksgiving and comfort. I hope it may also become yours.

(First posted to Reflectionary.org on 30 July 2026)

Voice of the Tiger- Look, See, Pray

It’s “International Tiger Day” so here’s the tiger from Whipsnade Zoo (taken a few years ago).

The tiger- a perfect predator? Amazing beauty, stunning agility and strength, and a powerful hunter. To stare into the eyes of a tiger sends shivers down the spine; the temptation to think of them as a bigger version of a domestic kitten is to be resisted. Unconquerable wildness dwells in the spirit of a tiger. They are to be admired (from a safe place!) and feared.

I remember Disney’s “Jungle Book” and scary Shere Khan- brilliantly voiced by George Sanders. I was quite young and impressionable (it’s still one of my favourite films!) and the cartoon voices of Kaa, Baloo, Shere Khan, and the Scouser vultures have stayed in my mind ever since. Such voices… especially the tiger…

“George Sanders provided the main speaking voice (of Shere Khan), giving the character a suave, baritone tone that emphasized his charm and menace” (Wikipedia)

Current conservation projects with tigers are doing a great job; yet tigers are endangered in the wild. Mostly, this is due to human encroachment on their habitats. Sadly, modern economics leaves little space for wildlife to flourish.

Theologically, the Genesis introduction to the world clearly indicates that humanity has a responsibility to be “Stewards” of Creation. To watch carelessly as the planet is abused and exploited is a grievous dismissal of accountability.

Celebrating the wonders all round us should be our decision. To praise the Creator and care for His masterpieces is our privilege not a burden!

Psalm 8
Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens.
Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold
against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?
You have made them
a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honour.
You made them rulers over
the works of your hands;
you put everything under their feet:
all flocks and herds,
and the animals of the wild,
the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Star of Wonder! Look, See, Pray

Much too hot to do anything today… now sitting here in the cooler evening air, room-fan blasting away, and filing “forgotten” photos. This unidentified beauty was photographed in mid-December, in a local seafront garden. It took me by surprise: most of the garden was dormant, so discovering this flower was a real bonus.

A star-shaped gem! Golden-throated, white petals with delicate pink veins, it “glows” against its sombre foliage.

I think people start to get old when they lose their sense of wonder.

Young children live for the next wonderful surprise. Anything from a falling leaf to a fire engine is greeted with joyful squeals. “Old” folks can walk past a troupe of performing spaniels and not notice! (“Old” isn’t age as such- it’s an attitude).

I hope I don’t get that kind of “old.” My ideal is to bounce along through the years getting excited by everything that comes my way. Greeting my wonderful wife with a smile, not a grunt, and cooking her breakfast… listening to music, being thrilled by colours, enjoying books and words and jokes and good conversations… excited by the green woodpecker on my lawn last week and the golden-throated flower on a winter’s morning. Glorious wonder!

This is the feeling I get when I read the opening verses of John’s Gospel. Sheer excitement rooted in the Beginning of Beginnings, the Holy Dance of the Trinity, and the personal witness of the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” Here are the first five verses as translated in the “Message”- I hope it makes YOUR heart sing!

The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
in readiness for God from day one.
Everything was created through him;
nothing- not one thing!-
came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn’t put it out.

(John 1:1-5, Message)

On the Brink- Look, See, Pray

Balanced on the brink… two Canada geese on the weir-step of the River Wye in Bakewell. They have mastered the art. The top of the weir is narrow, slippery, and the current flows quite strongly- any person trying to cross would be odds-on for a cold bath. Kids sometimes try this sort of stunt, much to the alarm of watching adults. That’s because the adults recognise the risks.

Watching the river water cascade down the step is fascinating. Every now and again a duck will use the weir as a “down escalator” by lifting its webbed feet and sliding on the current and over the edge. I never saw any geese trying the same trick- but who knows?

It all reminds me of the perilous politics of brinkmanship. The Middle East is aflame (again) as a result of extreme leaders on both sides daring each other to “have a go.” Balanced on a slippery platform,

I don’t have expertise in international power-politics. All I will say about that is my concern for the innocents caught up in another war. That leads me to urge prayer for peace and justice; without God’s intervention the prospect of peace is vanishingly small. Do our prayers make a difference? I believe so.

This morning a phrase came to mind as we prayed at church. “We are the antibiotics sent by God to address the fever of the world.”

Christians who pray and act on their prayers achieve more than we realise. Our union with Christ makes us part of the Kingdom of God, and our words and actions are an expression of Jesus lived into the world. We pray out of compassion, and, if we’re honest, out of fear. But also out of duty: for our faith means we take an active position as peacemakers. Sharing the heart of God in the face of violence and tragedy, we intercede for all sides and trust that the Lord can in some way use our prayerful concern.

Out of chaos, order. Out of disaster, hope. Perhaps, even, out of the dis-ease of violence there can emerge a just peace.

We are not standing on the brink for the thrill of the ride! But we are here in the Name and authority of Jesus, Prince of Peace. Lord, in your mercy, heal our world. Amen.

Dreaming of Summer- Look, See, Pray

It’s apparently the time of year when British people book their main holidays… the murk and chill of January makes us long for sun, sea, and comfort.

Let’s face it, on a bone-chillingly freezing day on a Sussex salt-marsh, the appeal of the colour and glamour and luxury of an Italian gem like Portofino is simply ENORMOUS. Warm summer sun, warm summer sea, warm oranges and ochre shades on the buildings… the idea of a zippy launch or technicolour sailboat… the prospect of dolphins skipping through crystal waves… Am I selling the idea? Who wants to book tonight? Send me 10% as an inspiration fee!

Portofino residents are probably NOT thinking about booking a fortnight in Littlehampton. Hmmph.

Our minds yearn for a bit of indulgence, our bank balance winces, and we still have to do the laundry, cook dinner, and earn a living.

If only… Two powerful motivational words!

Can we harness the power of imagination for the other 50 weeks of the year? Holidays are fabulous, if we can afford them, and will do us good. What if… Another pair of powerful words. What if we put our energies, creativity, compassion and resources into transforming our local community? Or into volunteering to help a charity or relief project, or helping kids learn to read, or caring about the shut-ins and lonely…

Life can be about making a difference, or working for justice, or being compassionate. Now imagine what local communities of faith, prayer, and love can achieve wherever they are; or in partnership with other agencies and churches.

It puts feet onto the prayer Jesus taught us… “May God’s Will be done on Earth as it is in heaven.”

I’m not saying we should have holiday dreams. I’m saying we shouldn’t JUST have holiday dreams…………….

God’s inspiring imagination has bigger dreams for us to grasp!

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.

Viennese Whirl? Look, See, Pray

The iconic Ferris Wheel in Vienna should have been demolished in 1916- but the Empire couldn’t afford it. Since then it has become a famous landmark, and appeared in the film “The Third Man” and also in a Bond film, “The Living Daylights.”

A local saying is that if you ride the wheel and see the whole of Vienna from there, you will love the city forever.

On our visit to Vienna, we didn’t have time to queue for tickets, so we only saw the Ferris Wheel from the tour bus. The effect worked at least partially- I’d love to go back and spend more time in Vienna- a city of beautiful architecture and great culture.

But apart from the classic engineering and the stunning view, the wheel has little value. It goes round, the cars rise, crest, and descend- and that’s it.

Is that how most of us see life? A treadmill with a good view?

Repetitive behaviour is part of life. We sleep, wake, eat, work, eat, and sleep. Assuming we are fortunate enough to get more than meal a day.

A Ferris wheel is essentially an entertainment. Life is a journey with purpose- or should be. Western society is in danger of being entertained to death! There must be more to life than this.

I am reminded of the experience of Zaccheus in Luke 19:1-10. He was a tax officer of dubious ethics- the basic way of tax collecting for the Roman provinces was to raise whatever the Governor told you to collect: and anything else you could extort was yours to keep. To say they were unpopular is a major understatement.

Yet Zaccheus realised his life was a failure. Having heard that Jesus was nearby, Zaccheus (a short bloke) climbed into a tree to listen. Imagine his shock when Jesus (against all custom and religious purity) invited himself to Zac’s place for a meal and chat! Everyone else was horrified- didn’t Jesus realise this was a SINNER, traitor, collaborator, tax collector!!!

Of course Jesus did. Upshot- Jesus was unpopular with the self-righteous snobs, Zac’s life was turned around, and the people who’d been ripped off were generously compensated. The Kingdom of God moved in, and turned the world upside down.

Jesus said that He was here to do what the Heavenly Father required. His call to Zaccheus (and us today) is to follow that way- to walk alongside Jesus, and do what God wants done.

It’s riskier, but it sure beats a Ferris wheel ride!