A day that ends in fire and prayer

This day has ended in fire, O Lord,

and we trust You for tomorrow.

We do not know what shall be;

understanding today has been hard enough.

We hold to the words of Jesus our Saviour,

who told us to live one day at a time.

Each and every day will have troubles enough,

as well as the blessings and joy life brings.

We pray tonight for those whose fear

will keep them from sleep,

whose anxiety makes faith harder.

We pray for all who live in unquiet countries

where tomorrow is not under guarantee.

We ask for justice and mercy for those in need.

O Lord, may the rising sun bring a better day,

and may hope rise anew in their hearts.

Thank you, our Heavenly Father,

for being faithful and for being here and now.

Our day has not gone unnoticed

in the high halls of heaven’s vaults.

With gratitude we offer praise and worship,

more than mere words or habitual noise.

Our hearts and souls and minds are touched

so our body shall kneel in humble love.

This day has ended in fire, O Lord.

May Righteousness rise in hope tomorrow.

Father, Son, and Spirit rise

to bless and save this world.

Amen.

Words & Photograph (c) Richard Starling, 2018.

Time like a River

Until the twentieth century, most of the tallest buildings in Europe were churches and cathedrals. According to sociologist O.F.G. Sitwell (1981), society expresses value and importance in how we build. Large and tall structures are a metaphor- the tallest are the most important. Back then, the tallest were spires on religious structures. Christian faith shaped and centred society, and pointed symbolically upwards.

Things have changed. This photograph of Tower Bridge on the River Thames was taken from the incredibly high tower which now dominates the London skyline- the Shard. Architecturally and from an engineering point of view, the Shard is amazing and dramatic. Sociologically and theologically it suggests that our priorities have changed. Human achievements and business take centre stage. It’s an important symbol of our age. Britain is still influential and VERY wealthy, even though recent austerity politics have increased the gap between the rich and poor- wealth is unfairly distributed.

Looking over the River Thames from such a height is fascinating. As the river winds through the city, time unfolds. Buildings from several centuries tell the story of a changing world. We can’t turn the clock back, but we can learn from our history.

Tower Bridge is impressive and imposing (more so from ground level!) and the trip across the top corridor between the twin towers is really worthwhile. Docks have been here since at least Roman times: many are now converted for residential or leisure use, many were destroyed in the Blitz during the Second World War. Life, commerce, leisure, travel- all have left their mark. Untold thousands of people live, laugh, work, and suffer in these buildings. Immense wealth and abject poverty sit within spitting distance.

History matters. If we ignore it, we tend to repeat the mistakes of the past. We should celebrate human achievements and abilities- but not past the point where we become proud and self-important.

You might like to use the photo as a focus for meditation on social values and how Christian faith communicates today. What does God say about life priorities?

In Genesis 11 there is the story of another Tower, symbolising the arrogance and assertiveness on humankind. We do reach for the heavens. Whether or not we understand what we reach for is another question. I dream of a society of humility, faith, and compassion. I wonder what that would look like… and what legacy we might leave when the next generations try to answer the same eternal question. Why are we here?

The odd one out…

Swans on the Thames at Windsor… with an odd one out. A single Canada Goose mingling with the majestic and elegant swans.

I was a stranger Being the odd one out can be very uncomfortable, even threatening. God’s instruction is clear: those who claim to follow Him have a duty to care for the strangers, the refugees, the elderly, the orphans. The Old Testament reasoning was straightforward: care for the stranger, because YOU were once a slave in Egypt. As they were liberated, so they were to be liberators and welcome the “others.”

Jesus upped the stakes. Every time you give water to the thirsty… you are doing it to ME. The exiles, the suffering, the poor, hungry, prisoner… the odd one out.

Strangers need to be welcomed, accepted, and loved. It’s what Jesus would do.

Challenging, isn’t it.

Matthew 25:35 (NLT)
“For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.”

Reaching for the sky!

“Reaching for the sky…” using a wide-angle lens at ground level, pointing straight up. A different view of the trees: they become abstract forms of line and colour, and the tree-tops seem so much higher.

Trees grow upwards to seek the sunlight. They compete for light because light gives life. It sets off the chemical “factories” in the leaves; we call this process photosynthesis. Leaves receive energy from the light, triggering the absorption of water & carbon dioxide; producing glucose and releasing oxygen. The tree “feeds” on light as well as the earth-minerals gathered by the roots.

I want to be a tree! (Sorry, I just remembered early drama at primary school.)

More seriously, our human life in a sense should be like the trees. We are earth-bound, yet we have high aspirations. We need the physical “food” but also the “energy” of true Light. God is Light – and we reach for the light. We are both physical and spiritual beings. Our bodily needs must be met, or we die. Our spiritual needs likewise. We must be rooted AND reach out to the non-physical. A verse in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes always grabs my attention… “God has planted eternity in our hearts…” It’s why humans cannot ultimately be satisfied with physical treasures and experiences. We aspire to something higher. Humans ask the question “Why do I exist?”

This is why. We have a hunger, a need, a desire, to be significant. God designed us this way so we don’t settle for what is good, but press on to that which is BEST. We have an inner homing beacon tuned in to God. Go on, reach for the sky… the stars… and beyond.

“God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT)

Every day is a gift

Every day is a gift.
Every day is an adventure.

Help me, O Lord, to grasp the new day with courage and faith.

Open my heart as well as my eyes so I may recognise You.

May every new moment, new sight, new friendship, excite me.

May my soul rejoice and worship, because You are with me.

Should the gift feel heavy, or the adventure seem too frightening,
Remind me that You will ALWAYS be with us,
on good days and the difficult ones too.

Come, O Holy Spirit, touch my life and my lips
so I may praise God my Father wholeheartedly,
and love my fellow pilgrims as Christ has loved me.

This gift is what I can give to You:
the obedience of love and the trust of my heart,
the thoughtfulness of my mind,
the determination of my will to subject myself to You.
For You are my everything since You gave all for me.

Such grace, mercy, and joy lead me always back to You
even when I have wandered and strayed.
As a prodigal child, I seek Your faithful forgiveness,
As a wayward one who should know better
I place my life into Your welcoming arms.

Bless the Name of the Holy Three-in-One,
the True and Living God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Unfolding Promises

Slightly warmer weather, some sunshine, and the twittering of tiny beaks. One week after Easter and the British are donning their gauntlets and sharpening the mowers. Gardening has started.

Seeing the daffodils out in full splendour is the cue for the Next Big Step of the year. Garden Centres and plant nurseries.

Ornamental cherries are glowing with Nesquik pink. Some early apples and nectarine trees are showing blossom. This flatters to deceive… those trees have been in warm glasshouses for the winter, and anyone planting them out now will be disappointed when the flowers drop and no fruit sets. It’s still too early in the year. Patience is required, and if planted at the right time, success will follow.

It struck me that this parallels the experience of the early followers of Jesus. Witnesses to the Resurrection, there are signs of hope and confidence- yet still Jesus waits with them. Appearing to different individuals and groups, sharing food with some, and the word begins to circulate. Jesus is back. What happens next? WAITING.

There is so much waiting in the Bible! I like to jump in and get the ball rolling. Jesus takes his time, and waits for the RIGHT time. I wonder who knows best?

Acts 1:3-4 (NLT) During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before.”

The Promised Gift is the available Presence of Holy Spirit within the Church and the world. Pentecost will mark the giving. Power will fill the believers to be effective and fruitful witnesses.

I love the springtime, the flowers, the colours, the warmth. They promise much. Later comes the season of summer growth, then the cascade of flowers that set seed for the future and bring fruit to the world. The apple blossom in the garden centre promises luscious fruit: the tangy juiciness, the crisp crunchiness of a perfect English apple. Fruit can’t be rushed. There is waiting to be done before the feasting can begin.

How will we use these waiting days?

Feed your soul with the certainty of the Resurrection. Jesus spent 40 days teaching about the Kingdom- he appeared several times, and they became more sure that this was True truth.

Seek the Lord– pray for the promises to be unfolded again, so that Pentecost this year will remind us of the Power and Presence of Jesus Christ, so that we will be effective witnesses and bold believers. Our lives can be fruitful as our characters become transformed- more like Jesus- and we display the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT): “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

Learning to wait is an important skill for a Christian to learn. God unfolds His promises at just the right time. Be patient- but not passive. Be passionate about the Kingdom and its King.

Of course it’s safe… he’s sleeping

“Is that wise?” followed by “Are you sure it’s safe?” mark interesting conversations between people who take very different views on risk.

This tiger was safely penned in at London Zoo. He seemed perfectly relaxed and fast asleep; regular deep breathing with a hint of a snore-like rumble. His paws don’t seem quite so relaxed though… those look distinctly like claws to me. A little part of me would have loved to stroke that handsome head, run my fingers through that thick fur- to experience a tiger like an oversized kitten. Every now and then news breaks of someone who foolishly enters animal enclosures- bad endings. The zoo helpfully had signs up pointing out that the tigers viewed the spectators as food- just meat on feet.

Danger has an appeal. Risk is enticing- the thrill of successfully negotiating the hazards and getting an adrenaline rush. It’s why the big cats are so popular, it’s why theme parks have terrifying rides, it’s why white-water rafting sells tickets.

It’s why maniacs like this bloke paraglide from mountains in Austria! The thrill is a huge reward.

We’re equipped with mental and physiological tools for assessing risk: and for weighing up the balance of fright to euphoria. My brain says “Do NOT jump off mountains- EVER.” But a little bit of me would love to know what it would feel like.

After the Resurrection of Jesus, lots of people were assessing risks. The authorities hoped Jesus was still dead. The disciples were being challenged by His re-appearance. Risks require response and (ideally) reward.

If Peter and John and the others saw only the risks, it would be madness to follow Christ. Unless, of course, HE really WAS alive. In that event, the rewards outweighed the risks… One of the best proofs of the truth of the Resurrection is the changed character of the disciples. Even at risk of death (several were martyred) they believed that Jesus had changed everything. Therefore Jesus was worth every risk. They changed the world.

Today, we seem to want to turn Jesus into a sleeping tiger instead of a roaring lion. If He sleeps, he is safe to approach, safe to follow. (Actually if Jesus sleeps, in other words stayed dead, it would be safe to follow Him- but pointless.)

Living, glorified, triumphant: this Jesus is not tame, nor dull, nor powerless. A living Christ who has won the victory over death and who brings the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth, this Jesus is worth every risk, every obedience, every decision to love.

Easter may be finished in the shops. It never finishes wherever there is one person, one church, one community, willing to take the risk of saying YES to Jesus.

Do you settle for a tame, safe tiger? Or get all your thrills in theme parks, wild sports, cheap relationships, horror movies, computer games, addictions and selfishness.

Get a life! Make a difference. Look for the Risen Jesus, and take a risk on Him.

At just the right time

At just the right time…

Bank Holiday Monday… and it’s raining. How very British of the weather! So I can’t get out in the garden, I can’t gloat over the shed I built which is still standing despite the weather. I can’t – er, won’t – go out for a bike ride. So I’m looking at photos.

I thought this picture was a “noble failure.” I caught the wave breaking at just the right time- but the horizon wasn’t level and the colours were muted. But five minutes in an editing program and I like the end result. Just at the right time.

Yesterday was Easter Sunday- Resurrection Day. I had a really good morning worshipping with our new church family, all about the “Really, really Good News.” That’s what Easter is all about- the amazing lengths to which God will go in order to love and be reconciled to human beings. Paul, the great theologian of the Early Church, summed this up rather well.

This is the REALLY Good News for all of us- at just the right time. That’s NOW. Please don’t throw Easter away with the boxes of the eggs. As nice as it is (was?) chocolate is not the best bit of Easter.

Romans 5:6-11 (NLT)

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

A Dream of New Beginnings

I had a dream last night- one of those slightly strange mixtures of people from the past combined with a feeling of something that needed to be done. I’m sure psychologists could draw meaning out of that… but no need for their expertise. This dream resolved, just as I began to wake up.

The dream involved inventing a game to help employees understand their role in the business. It was quite a good game, wish I could remember the details! But behind the scenes was a bloke I used to work for- nice chap, but Frank liked things done his way, and could be very obstinate about introducing any change he hadn’t decided on himself. (He was the boss, so he could do that! Fair enough.)

It was quite a frustrating job, doing the same things in the same way, when I was reaching an age where I wanted to stretch my wings. So the dream became a little bit annoying because my ideas were being frustrated.

Then it struck me. I DON’T WORK FOR HIM ANY LONGER. He has no authority to spoil MY dream. My dream suddenly became much more fun, and Frank slipped out of the picture. Then I woke up.

I remembered the photo I took last year of new leaves and shoots sprouting from an old tree trunk. Fresh and delicate, they boldly pushed their way out into the world. The tree gave a strong foundation to the new life; and they expressed a joyful new life as they celebrated Spring by growing swiftly.

New beginnings, new ideas, new opportunities. This dream has encouraged me as I think about being “me” in a new stage of life. The past gives strength and influences me now- but I can also stretch my wings. Sounds fun!

Very appropriate for Easter, too. Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesus spoke about new life springing out of the old. Today is Easter Saturday- the “waiting room” of the whole narrative. Yesterday was the crucifixion. Tomorrow will bring joy and celebration in Resurrection. New life will emerge, unshackled by the past. Lessons are learnt from the past: and life goes in a new and even better direction. That sounds quite exciting…

Isaiah 11:1-2 (NLT)
Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

Good Friday- Look, See, Pray

Eyewitnesses are always in demand. We want to know what happened, and when, where, and why. People who were present at the event find a ready audience.

On Good Friday there were many witnesses. The crowds, the soldiers, the authorities… and the mother of the Man named Jesus. There are good reasons to believe that some of the material recorded in Luke’s Gospel came from the memories of Mary, just as Mark’s account is based closely on the preaching of Peter.

I’d like to focus on one of the least reputable witnesses. Luke 23 v32-43 tells us of two criminals executed with Jesus. One mocked Him, the other pleaded for mercy. “Remember me when you come into your Kingdom….”

The words on the photo are from a song I wrote from the perspective of this condemned rogue- who found Light even in the Darkness of his execution. There is hope, even on Good Friday.