The Marriage

Revelation 20:11-21:8

I wrote this quite a few years ago but it was inspired by this passage.

Picture the scene.

The bride is standing in front of the church with her back to the congregation, but we all know that she is looking radiant as she gazes into the eyes of her loved one. Her black curls fall onto her white dress. The dress is covered with embroidery and pearls. It has a long train. One of the most splendid gowns we have seen.

Beside the bride stands the groom. He looks at the bride with eyes full of adoration as he dreams of the life they will share together, of the hours that they can spend in each other's company. He is wearing a suit of the most brilliant white, whiter than the purest snow, for he is Jesus our Lord and King.

The bride vows that she will love and obey for ever, as they believe in the love that lasts into eternity. They know that they will do anything, go anywhere for each other, even unto death. How they look forward to their future life of mutual devotion.

As we expect the honeymoon is wonderful. Hours spent in each others company, with eyes and cares for nobody or anythingelse. Time with the person they have chosen, an intimate and cozy time. The sky is blue and the sun shines, there is nothing to dim the light of their love.

Returning to their home there are presents, chores and bills waiting for them. The life of roses tends to drift from the fragrant and beautiful blooms to the thorny stem of the bush. Unfortunately she does not realise that the pleasing and the uncomfortable are all part of the same plant. She lets her eyes wonder to other lovers, they all take their share of her emotions.

The presents, although they were the best that their friends could give them are not quite good enough, nor do they satisfy all that society thinks that they ought to have. She is not willing to follow her spouse's time scale with regard to increasing thier possessions. She wants him to provide more for her NOW.

Then along come the children, offspring of the divine and the human. She begins to devote herself more to the little things that grow ostensibly in his name. He wants to name the children Praise, Prayer and Charity but she calls them Good Works, Altar Guild, and Church Bazaar. These children come in the name of the Lord, but insidiously cause the wife to turn her eyes away from spouse.

Above all is the desire to live for herself, to be somebody in her own right grows in importance. She glances back at the time before her decision to give herself to him and sees that the old freedom has gone, there is another person to consider as well as herself. She forgets to look forward to the joy which they anticipated, she forgets to gaze again into his ever-loving eyes.

There is more discord when she wants him to be what he is not, to be a visible and powerful king over the whole earth. He wants to take possession of the earth through the growth of their love.

The time comes when the only way out of the situation is for him to allow himself to be taken prisoner for her debts and to pay the price for her sins in the hope that she will see his look of compassion as he gazes at her from his cross. She might then come to him again in their new life together. This time she might rely on him to help her to find the person that she really is.

We, the church are the bride (Ephesians 5:25). It is wonderful that this marriage takes place every day of our lives. New people turn to Christ and announce their love for him and he is able to look forward to another loving relationship. He enters into the relationship even though he knows that we will not be faithful. But we let him down and wonder away from him. He gives his life for us. We can enter into a new marriage with the resurrected Christ. This one will last for ever as long as we keep glancing back at the cross, knowing that he would go through it all again for us.

He is the perfect marriage partner, very much married 'for better, for worse '.

We are such bad partners when we consider our marriage to Jesus Christ that we ought to view our earthly spouse with a slightly more tolerant attitude than is often the case.

Political Party

Isaiah 9:18-10:4

I want more.

I want the attic to be made into a room and I would rather like a new kitchen and doors between the living room and the front door. And when I have finished this list I shall write another, perhaps that one will be for the garden.

Taxes, the less tax I pay the more money I have to spend and therefore it is easier to complete the work on my lists. Maybe the government, particularly in Belgium might use the tax to subsidise public transport and social healthcare. But not if I am avoiding tax and using the money for my own benefit.

What does God want from me? He wants my all. He wants me to come to Him and to be Him to all I meet. That is his tax. Perhaps paying money is easier.

Did they read the message?

click on pic for blinks

Isaiah 7:10-25

How often does somebody send you a message and then later you ask them a question and they say "Didn't you read the message which I sent to you?" It happened to me only this morning. Sometimes it is the other way round. I send an email, or tell somebody something and later they ask me a question which makes it only too obvious that they had not been listening. This is especially common in families. Husbands and wives (that was this morning), parents and children. I am sure my 'children' could give you many examples of my seeming negligence which was totally unintentional on my part- but does that make it any better. I am sorry, I will try to do better in future.

Isaiah spoke to the Jews, he had a message for them. Later God asked them about the message but there were ignorant of the some of the content, they had not been listening properly. It was not intentional, in fact they thought they had been listening but they had missed what seemed an insignificant line which really was the most important part.

¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Immanuel means God with us.

God said he was coming and they were not ready. They claimed they did not know how it would happen.

I suppose we need to keep our eyes and eyes open, attentative to God's message however it may come. We do not know who is our Isaiah.

Mansions and MINE

Isaiah 5:8-12,18-23

Isaiah was written approximately 700 years before Jesus' time, that is almost 3000 years ago; and what is he complaining about- of houses larger than necessary for a few at the expense of any house for the increasing homeless, a countryside depleted of hedgerows and over-cropping with the result of a tired land producing few crops; of exotic banquets and late nights drinking without a care for the morrow.

What has changed over these 3000 years? It always amazes me that people were worrying about the size of their house that long ago. I thought all were primitive and living in caves. But it seems as if they had the same cares as we do today. What house can I afford? How can I make the most from my land? How can I increase my income? And God was not absent from their thoughts.

I am sure they thought that they were members of his chosen ones, they were Jews were they not? The fact they had wealth was a sign that God was on their side. Their focus their well-being and enjoyment. They were being presumptuous about God's gifts, not treating them as something precious and temporary. What I have does not belong to me, it is not mine; I am just the carer.

May my focus be Himself.

Growing

Click on the picture to see the flower grow

2 Peter 3:11-18

Peter exhorts us to continue to grow. Children have growth spurts even if their nourishment is constant. Bad food causes improper growth. I suppose we need to watch what we eat- spiritually. Fast food, the general diet of the generation- the apologies for food which we accept because we are in a hurry to run our own life too busy to take time out to prepare a fully nourishing repast.

What is my fast food, how can I feed myself so that I will grow?

My Grapes

Isaiah 4:2-6

This year the only produce we had from our garden were grapes. I am very proud of them, it was a good crop but they wee too bitter to eat and I did not know how to make wine, what I read made it sound very difficult. Idecided to boil the grapes with sugar then maybe I could make wine later or at least I might eventually find something to do with them. I have. Whenever I cook fruit I use the grape juice as a sweetener, I have even had a little grape and raspberry jelly as a by-product of baking some raspberries in grape juice.

God, I hope is equally proud of the produce of his garden - me. He does not want me to 'go bad' before he uses me. He wants to use me whenever he can to enhance other produce from his garden.

Open the window and you see...

Psalm 17

¹⁵ As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

Hmm really? When I awake from the stress and busyness of Advent which one could think of as a 'night' will I be happy just to see Jesus. Is he really at the top of my list of 'wants'?

Do I wake every morning and say "I want to see Jesus today"?

Perhaps I am opening a window out of my dark room into the light of Christmas by writing this. Every second during the day that we think on Him allows a shaft of His light to shine in our heart. Therefore I hope I keep dwelling on his forthcoming presence.

Note: the window is supposed to be animated and open.

Holy Saturday

Psalm 27

Psalm 27

Of David.

¹ The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

² When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh, ^{a]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]}
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.

³ Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.

⁴ One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.

⁵ For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.

⁶ Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD.

⁷ Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.

⁸ My heart says of you, "Seek his ^{b]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[b]} face!"
Your face, LORD, I will seek.

⁹ Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.

¹⁰ Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.

¹¹ Teach me your way, O LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.

¹² Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence.

¹³ I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

¹⁴ Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

NIV, Gateway Bible

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2027&version=NIV

How can I improve on what David's words.

Wait for the Lord, follow his light and wait for the nudge.

Good Friday

Psalm 22, 40:1-14, 54
Lam. 3:1-9, 19-33

1 Pet. 1:10-20

John 13:36-38

John 19:38-42

Psalm 40:1-14

We shall be worshiping in Canterbury Cathedral on Good Friday.

The first bishop of Canterbury was St Augustine. He arrived in Britain in 597AD. Parts of the current building date from the 12th century. How many people have worshiped in this spot over the 800 years that have passed? Who were these people? Canterbury is a place of pilgrimage - Geoffrey Chaucer told us so.

We shall be joining them, adding our offering to God as we remember Christ's sacrifice.

Note Picture licence

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license

Psalm 102, 142, 143
Lam. 2:10-18

1 Cor. 10:14-17, 11:27-32

Mark 14:12-25

Mark 14:12-25

They asked Jesus a question. He gave a straight answer. They followed his directions. Things turned out as expected. They found the man, the house, the room. They prepared the meal. Friends came. They ate. Then things started to go wrong in the high feast of the year. Jesus added some of his own words. Words that fit but did not fit. Foreboding was introduced into the celebration. Either Jesus was turning tea total or he was talking out of another part of his anatomy or there the unbearable was about to happen.

I wish Jesus gave me straight answers with instructions that are easy to follow and that life was continually hunky-dory but I do have Jesus' example who endured betrayal, trail and death before he came to the resurrection. We are not at the end yet. Until then I shall look for the guy with the water bottle and follow instructions as plainly as I can make them out.

Psalm 55, 74
Lam. 2:1-9

2 Cor. 1:23-2:11

Mark 12:1-11

Mark 12:1-11

You may or may not like the view that I am taking of this parable today. I am being defensive because I know it is off the wall and I know that there are some holes in the argument. Also I am being as brief as possible because of the reduction in the number of fingers available for writing.

God created the world. He planted his vineyard. He made mankind to tend the vineyard. Civilizations develop, abuse themselves or the environment or both and then fizzle away.

Our era seems to be the ultimate in misuse of the world's God given resources. Our husbandry is completely focused on our own selfish goals. We use and abuse the world's mineral and agricultural resources. All is ours and for our use. We are indeed the selfish tenants keeping everything, the whole inheritance for ourselves.

Remember the story of the sand dollar, baby turtle...it has taken many forms as it did its rounds as an email forward. There was a beach littered with stranded sand dollars and one person throwing a few back into the water. When asked why he bothered since he was having such an insignificant effect on the whole situation "But to each one that I put back into the ocean I am giving life." The sum of all our little efforts is great. Today I shall walk, use public transport and carry my shopping in a cotton bag. Aren't I a good girl? Here ends the ecological lesson.

I hope I remember not to disown Jesus by any of my selfish activities. This is the religious and more normal conclusion from this parable.

Note: I have no idea why I took this photograph but it is certainly useful today.

Psalm 6, 12, 94
Lam. 1:17-22

2 Cor. 1:8-22

Mark 11:27-33

Psalm 6, 12, 94

Psalm 6 always reminds me of the anguish which followed Matthew's death. How I awoke every morning to a pillow soaked in tears. Tears that had been involuntarily wept whilst I slept.

And now my bone is in agony though it might be more precise to say that my bone was in agony but the cast is giving a lot of relief. These two thoughts and Psalm 94 provoked me to wonder what God thought as he saw Jesus on the cross. His son in agony. Whilst Matthew was on the life support machine we prayed, our friends prayed, we hoped that he would come back from the dead. God knew the outcome but that did not spare Jesus the pain and agony.

God knew the outcome. He knows our outcome too.

Once there was a fig tree.

Psalm 51:1-18, 69:1-23
Lam. 1:1-2,6-12

2 Cor. 1:1-7

Mark 11:12-25

Mark 11:12-25

I shall miss my fig tree. I enjoyed the occasional fig early when I won the race against the mocking birds to the green gems. In my rush to win the fig I usually ate the fig way before it was at its succulent best. Jesus seemed to have a similar problem - no ripe figs. The poor fig tree gets withered. This seems to be a very human reaction. When things go wrong we swear and curse and call damnation on the offence be it person or object, irrespective of whether our reaction is reasonable.

It seems as if Jesus was human too. Poor old fig tree.

Perhaps I need to be more sincere and genuine in my reactions.

Psalm 24, 29, 103

Zech. 9:9-12;
Zech. 12:9-11,13:1,7-9

1 Tim. 6:12-16

Luke 19:41-48

What do we do in church? Is it prayerful? Does anyone make any profit there? Does everything bring glory to God?

Saturday in the Grand Place

Psalm 22, 95, 141, 143:1-11
Exod. 9:13-35

2 Cor. 4:1-12

Mark 10:32-45

2 Cor. 4:1-12

One of my favourite pastimes in Brussels is to go to the Grand Place for breakfast. A good cup of coffee, the inevitable croissant and for those who like it a delicious pain au chocolate. In fact we choose our restaurant by the quality of the pain au chocolat. On a Saturday there is another criterion-where to get the best view of the brides. Saturday is the day for the obligatory legal wedding ceremony. These take place in the ancient town hall on the Grand Place- quite a spectacular place for a wedding even before you get to the church. I love looking at wedding dresses so saturday morning in the Grand Place is a good place for my indulgence. Formal dress or informal, long or short, veil or no veil. I feast on all the styles.

Through the veil I see but a shadow of the face.

Of course the radiant brides posing with their new spouse on the ancient steps for the photographic ceremony have their face fully exposed, the sunlight lighting up their smiles.

Who took off the veil, maybe the husband, maybe the bride, maybe it was a joint effort but it was the time when they saw each other plainly for that day and could smile into each others hearts.

So it is with us and God.

Goody Two Shoes

Psalm 131, 132,133, 140, 142

Exod. 7:25-8:19

2 Cor. 3:7-18

Mark 10:17-31

Mark 10:17-31

He kept all the commandments down to the letter, did exactly what Mommy and Daddy said and went to church regularly. But he knew there was more to the full story of religion. That is why he came to Jesus.

Now I have enough of a problem getting a piece of thread through the eye of a needle let alone a camel. Just as the thread follows the end through the eye we have to follow Jesus. Where did Jesus go? I would like to say that he moved across the Atlantic Ocean four times, including to a country that did not speak his local language. But I think the real answer is more about the people he kept company with and his attitude to conventional religion.

Chocolate with Lavender

Psalm 119:145-176, 128, 129, 130
Exod. 7:8-24

2 Cor. 2:14-3:6

Mark 10:1-16

2 Cor. 2:14-3:6

That one is really good. I thought it a strange combination but it is simply delicious. I wish I could post some and you could try it. English lavender is difficult to grow in Texas but for quite a few years I had some French lavender planted with cottage pinks. I thought it looked good and the fragrance was almost as good as English lavender, I suppose it was not so strong which might be good as English lavender certainly lets you know when it is around.

Fifty years ago life was more openly competitive. I took the 11+ exam. We had to go to the local grammar school to sit the exam. We were lined up in desks a measured distance apart just as if we were taking A level or Advanced Placement exams. Writing was less of my thing then than now. Part way through the essay writing time I was distracted by fresh bread. Crusty bread with a soft white filling. I knew what it was as I regularly bought bread next to that school. It was the pre-lunchtime bake. The aroma of fresh bread wafted into the hall. How could one possible concentrate on a life-changing essay with fresh bread being tantalizingly baked next door. I could not see that bread but I could certainly taste it.

So it is with God. Unseen but known by the fragrance emanating from those who love him. hope Fresh bread and lavender or even lavender filled chocolate or bad egg?

Psalms 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127
Exod. 5:1-6:1

1 Cor. 14:20-33a,39-40

Mark 9:42-50

I cut off my right hand because I place food, food that I do not need, in my mouth with it and taught my children to do likewise. My left had goes as I write things that should not be written. Both feet disappear when I go to places that I should not when I should be doing something else- I go shopping when I should be visiting. Perhaps that takes care of my legs and eyes too. Setting a bad example is easy. Once the example is followed then I have caused a little one to sin. Sinning is so easy. My tongue is looking at the half eaten bar of chocolate which my waistline knows should stay in the packet. To eat it would be a misuse of the body that God has given me. "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never harm me". Maybe, but I know that my words have shown my children a side of life that is not God centred. The tongue is definitely missing from my body.

What is left? The parts that Jesus saved.

Friends and making them.

Psalm 118, Psalm 145
Exod. 3:16-4:12

Rom. 12:1-21

John 8:46-59

Rom. 12:1-21

Who is your friend? How did you meet them? I met Jeanne when we were delivering food to ladies in our neighborhood who were sick or just given birth. The first time I met Leslie was when I was delivering food from our church to her house as she had just moved into our area. I became friends with Julia when I invited her to stay with us when she was on a job interview at the school where I worked. Pat became my friend when I visited her and she welcomed me into her house- the same with Easter. Friendships are cemented when you share food and space.

I have been less frequent with my writing this week as Becky and a friend are here. Therefore I was glad to see Paul exhorting me to "Practice hospitality" in verse 11 and felt slightly better about not maintaining my Lenten contract. I coerced Mary Ann into my walking space.

Holy Spirit Church has its Foyer groups. We are friends with many people because of the bonds forged in these groups that dine together. One of my special times was spending time with Richard and Claudia just before we left the USA. And this time included sharing a cell phone.

Perhaps sharing food is one of my themes this Lent as I have already mentioned Kate and two or three Brussels friends and their hospitality. God has put many welcoming friends into my life.

"Practice hospitality" is certainly a point on which I agree with St Paul. Actually most of this reading makes good sense. Paul is more eloquent than I am and his English has been perfected by many editors.

I am going to spend some time on my walk this afternoon thanking God for my friends and their hospitality. Maybe I shall also think about to whom I should extend the arm of hospitality to today.

Would you like...?

Psalms 95, 102, 107:1-32

Exod. 2:1-22

1 Cor. 12:27-13:3

Mark 9:2-13

An outward manifestation of love is compassion. Jesus was continually being motivated by compassion- his healings and feedings. As he told one of the teachers of the law in Mark 12:28-34 " ³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.³¹The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'".How do I show my love to myself? Usually I give myself little treat., Maybe, I will stop at a cafe for a cup of coffee which in this country usually come with an excellent little chocolate, or perhaps I will go for an extra long work in the forest or do a crossword puzzle. I know how to treat myself. I don't think God wants me to buy him a cup of coffee as Buddhists do but I could find a lonely person to enjoy coffee with. As strangers in a strange country and without friends people have welcomed us into their homes. The quiet nudge to make a telephone call or send an email, to take a meal, to share a meal. Done because they are needed and with a willing friendly heart. I have been the recipient of all. Now I need to go and do likewise. Worship God, yes, but be motivated by love in all I do.

"The problem of the soul is how to live noble in an animal environment; how to persuade and train the tongue and the senses to behave in agreement with the insights of the soul". From God in Search of Man by Abraham Joshua Heschel.

Notes for now

Psalm 69:1-23, 31-38, Psalm 73
Exod. 1:6-22

1 Cor. 12:12-26

Mark 8:27-9:1

Psalm 69:1-23, 31-38, Psalm 73

Lots of slippery ground and mud.

Exod. 1:6-22

Only two midwives for all those Israelites! Each birth is different and a miracle. Death of a baby, a lost life- lost potential but maybe the total purpose of that life was to be short, an introduction into something new. People I have met and bonds forged because of Matthew's death.

1 Cor. 12:12-26

A church needs each of us. Those with the spectacular gifts and those with the mundane.

Mark 8:27-9:1

Who do I say that Jesus is?

Between the City and the Thin Place

Psalm 101, 109:1-4(5-19)20-30, 119:121-144
Gen. 50:15-26

1 Cor. 12:1-11

Mark 8:11-26

Psalm 101,

1 Cor. 12:1-11

Today is St Patrick's Day. Patrick is probably the most renowned Celtic saints though I would like to think that it is St David of Wales or Columba of Iona. St Cuthbert was also a great guy.

As I walk through the forest each morning and see the sun streaming through the bare branches and alighting on a moss covered tree stump it is easy to converse with God. All creation sings to his glory. Currently this is my 'thin place'. Last week we visited Zoutelande on the dutch coast. An almost empty ocean beach does it to me too, or standing on a cliff edge looking at the swirling waters, breakers hurling themselves against ancient rock- power kept under control; or untrodden snow or one snowflake.

My thin places are not city streets filled with bustling people intent on casting their eyes the other way so I was alarmed to read reference to 'the city of God' as a good place in Psalm 101:8 Also in Revelation God dwells in the New Jerusalem - a city. Should I go to the city to see God?

But we do have the example of Jesus who often went to quiet and secluded places in order to pray. He even spent forty days in the desert. The saintly recluses withdrew from the world to their thin place, including Jesus, as we saw in the miraculous picnics were pursued by those wanted to share and experience the space. People are important. God gives his gifts to people for the edification of all 1 Cor. 12:1-11. Gifts are no good if kept locked away in a cupboard or kept for one's own benefit. Treats are best shared and enjoyed.

The way of life

Psalms 94, 95, 97, 99,100
Gen. 49:29-50:14

1 Cor. 11:17-34

Mark 8:1-10

Mark 8:1-10

I thought I would write about death and the experience of one's parents dying; of the one memory I have of my father which was a few days before his death or the guilt that I have over my mother's death- the fact that I was not with her but many miles away.

But my message is that the way of Jesus is the way of life. Jesus' actions were motivated by compassion and love of God. We had the feeding of many thousands last week. Here is another account. Jesus healed many people on different occasions Mark tells us that he also fed a crowd multiple times.

This time he forestalled their hunger. He took what little there was and transformed it into a feast for all. afterwards there were plenty of leftovers to be shared on the way home.

How aware am I of the needs of those around me? When I do notice them am I motivated to act or do I just follow my own path of apathy?

Telephone calls, friendly emails, spending time drinking coffee or tea are all cheap if I could only be motivated by compassion. My friend Kate invited me to spend hours in her house every week for quite a few years whilst my daughters were at dance class rather than me walk the shops or sit in the car. It must have been very inconvenient for her sometimes. She gave us dinner too.

Seaside and crumbs

Psalm 89
Gen. 49:1-28

1 Cor. 10:14-11:1

Mark 7:24-37

Mark 7:24-37

Jesus went to the seaside. The real seaside this time, the Mediterranean Coast, not the Sea of Galilee. Perhaps he wanted to keep his presence a secret so that he could have a restful time looking out of the ocean. That is what I like to do when I am on vacation. I like the anticipation of vacations almost as much as I enjoy the time away from the normal run of life. I plan trips and books to read, walks to take and cliffs to explore, always bearing in mind that the weather might influence the plans. Arriving and the short while after that might just be the most exciting time- the time when anticipation is realized.

Jesus had just arrived. Probably he had gone into the house to recover from the day's journey. I wonder if he was staying with a friend and had some catching up to do or if he was at a Bed & Breakfast establishment, staying with a welcoming stranger? His plan was no crowds. In comes a female foreigner. When my dogs hover underneath the table they are not necessarily asking for tasty morsel to be donated to them, though that would make life exciting. No they are just hopeful that a little something will accidentally fall their way. They figure that one has to be in place just in case luck will happen. This woman was not asking for much from Jesus but it was a big deal for her and for that she risked a snide comment on disturbing his peace or was it his plans?

I am a planner. I had a little timetable of activities for today but somehow I am behind already. Jesus always seems to be fluid in maintaining his plans, particularly when motivated by compassion. How sensitive am I to the needs of others?

And from the other direction. How determined am I to make my needs known to Jesus?

Note on photograph. How could I disturb him to take a photograph underneath the table?

The world is round

Psalms 19, 46, 66, 67
Gen. 48:8-22

Rom. 8:11-25

John 6:27-40

John 6:27-40

I believe that the world is round. But why would I do such an illogical thing. When I go for a walk the land seems to have ups and downs but no continuous curve to it. The only evidence for a round world is outside my own little world. I have to believe the evidence of those who have travelled further than me. And if the world is round why don't I slip down the side? I am told that something called gravity keeps my feet on 'level' ground. What is the evidence for gravity?

Many people for many years believed that the world is round. New evidence was introduced and we now know that the world is not a plane surface.

Jesus was asked "What miraculous sign will you give that we may see it and believe you?" He had been doing miracles almost non-stop but these people wanted their own special sign, one literally to prove that Jesus is the Son of God. They were not willing to read the signs of compassion and creation.

Believing can be difficult, we have to overcome our prejudice.

From the other side we need to share our stories and actions of Jesus in our life. That is why I am doing this.

Click here for image details

Keeping up with the neighbors

Psalms 87, 90, 136
Genesis 47:27-48:7

1 Cor. 10:1-13

Mark 7:1-23

Mark 7:1-23

Along with Amos' 'fat cows of Bashan' this is one of my favourite soapbox passages. Jesus did not come following the letter of the law. as he said he came to fulfil the law. The which he summarized as "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself."

Our motivation should be love of God and as we know God's greatest love is us. Hence Jesus' little lecture about not using service to church as an excuse for neglecting family.

How much do I follow convention?

Straining at the oars.

Psalms 88, 91, 92
Gen. 47:1-26

1 Cor. 9:16-27

Mark 6:47-56

Mark 6:47-56

The disciples had gone on ahead of Jesus. We do not know why, perhaps they had left him to pray and they were returning to their home port so that they could go to work. Jesus looked and saw that they were having difficulties. He came to their area. Was he just checking on them? They saw him and were scared. They did not recognize him. He spoke. They heard. Took him on board. All was well.

Note that they did not ask Jesus for help, he came of his own volition. All was well when they listened.

I think that currently I am at the stage of seeing Jesus in the distance but have not reached the haven. After months of tempestuous searching for a house we found one and it 'seemed right' to buy it. The house which we are buying is ok but the buying has not been without its problems and we are not in it yet. I am sure that all will be fine and the problems of location and kitchen will be resolved.

Picture Walking on Water, by Ivan Aivazovsky (1888)

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Sharing ( for Thursday)

Psalms 42, 43, 85, 86
Gen. 46:1-7,28-34

1 Cor. 9:1-15

Mark 6:30-46

Mark 6:30-46

I have to admit that when it comes to sharing I am more of a receiver than a giver. I will almost count the crumbs to make sure that nobody has a larger piece of cake than me. A friend who had been given some choice asparagus once insisted on giving me some. I resisted because I knew that in the same situation I would have kept the whole lot and enjoyed every mouthful. She won though with the statement that it is good to share a treat. Now I agree. Have a good piece of Belgian chocolate, eat half, give half to a friend then you can both enjoy the gastronomic delight and talk about the pleasure too. That way you have two treats.

Personally I believe in miracles, that bread and fish materialized from nowhere for 5000 men and some women and children too. However an ungenerous person enjoying sharing is a miracle in itself and if that is what happened on this occasion- those 5000 men led by the example of a little lad getting out their picnics and sharing with their neighbor then so be it.

This blog is early because tomorrow we are going on a day-trip to England, probably to Rye, Winchelsea and of course a grocery store.

Honey and chocolate

Psalm 81, 82, 119:97-120
Genesis 45:16-28

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Mark 6:13-29

Psalm 119:97-120

Last night I took the dogs for a walk well after dark. I walked in the wood on the edge of the park. I am always a little anxious when I go there. I almost tripped on a fallen branch. This led me to thinking about what I think about when I walk. Physical exercise is good for you, even for your mental health. I am sorry I cannot remember the source of this assertion but it has been medically proven. Hence I gave myself a brownie point for going out in the cold for a brisk walk and moved from wood to street.

The sidewalks are very uneven. I got to looking at the cracks and seeing if they followed any pattern. I am not sure if this is a mind stretching activity but i was certainly moving and exercising. This caused me to remember something I had heard when I was a young. A family friend had been on a tour of one of the chocolate factories in York, either Terry's or Rowntree's. He was telling us about talking to the lady in charge of the dark chocolate cherry. Cherry flavoured fondant topped with a morsel of red cherry all encased in dark chocolate. Each filing coming down the belt stopping for a second to put on its molten coat. "Don't you get bored?" "They're all different" She replied. He was a high school senior. You can imagine what he thought about this factory workers reply. Yesterday looking at all those similar cracks in the pavement made me think how much it takes an expert to see differences in the mundane. Most of us go about our own business ignoring the minutia of life, those tiny differences which make the ordinary exquisite.

In Belgium there are whole shops devoted to honey. One of the markets I go to has two stands which only sell honey. Honey from different places, honey from different flowers, honey with differing amounts of wax. I was amazed at the variety. Now I have moved on from just buying generic honey.

God is an expert in all things, that is why I am special to him. And because I am his I hope I can see the specialness in everyone I meet.

Your story

Psalm 78
Genesis 45:1-15

1 Corinthians 7:32-40

Mark 6:1-13

Psalm 78

When Psalm 78 is the psalm of the day I usually groan. It is so long, even if you are only reading the part for morning or evening, and the story is so familiar. Those same old ups and downs of the Israelites. Today it occurred to me that I am just the same. God and I have been knocking around together for a long time. he has been doing the knocking and I do the running.

We first met when I was a teenager on a Christian Camp at Llanmadoc on the Gower Penisnsula in Wales. A beautiful setting. How could anyone not appreciate God and his creation? Towards the end of my high school career I decided that perhaps this was not the way to go. Apart from my faith how did I know there was a God. Also I was forgetting about Jesus party trick at the wedding, yes Jesus is a party animal otherwise he would have done nothing to the water as it was the end of the wedding and so everybody needed to sober up or given poor wine for the same reason. Agnostic, sitting on the fence, seemed to be the way to go. Even so when making the decision as to which college to attend I felt as if my brain was being guided. I did of course find a semi-logical explanation for my mother.

I could go on, just as Psalm 78 but I try to keep my thinking short so that it is easier to dwell on it and take out into the world for the day.

After I had decided that Psalm 78 would be my topic for the day I turned to one of my special books, A Guide to Prayer, which my friend Leslie Williams gave me about 20 years ago. She told me that she used a different color pen each year to make her comments and underlinings. I think it was about this time that I took courage in my hands and started making comments in books. On the eighth March 2002 I wrote "tell of your life with Christ" beside an extract from Henri Nouwen's "Time Enough to Minister". So apt after Psalm 78 though there was really no connection between them other than I read them both today. Our story and experience, the ups and downs, ins and out, and especially the to's and fro's of our relationship with God, his ever presence even in our shady times are our story and we each have one.

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