Photo by...Photo by Louise Sacré on Unsplash
I'm sharing this journal entry from one of our sheep / shepherds for your encouragement and invite you to share your stories to keep us connected David
Thursday April 2, 2020: A journal entry:
JESUS WEPT.
A Morning mist of low cloud wrapped soft around the hills.
I read John 6 and tried to ponder on Jesus the living bread. But the mist beckoned and drew me outside, quickly enfolding me in its clammy embrace.
There was no pausing to choose direction. I headed straight up the hill blanketed in the foggy stillness, only birdcall echoing the inner certainty – she’s coming to pray.
Pray up the hill. I haven’t prayed up there for a while. I’ve prayed. But not there on God’s hill, my place of retreat.
At the summit, as cloud drifted and lifted, it was my heart that rained out its anguished plea, the cry for help with COVID19: LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER. Help us Jesus.
That was it. No wordy waffle. I perched on the rim of the damp bench, poised in grief and need; heart, mind and spirit turned to God, “Yet still do I praise you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Living God.”
A lull then settled over me, like a mute button had been pressed to hush the turmoil of my distressed thoughts and wretched emotions concerning the plight of the world’s people. Wait. Be quiet!
Jesus wept. The words from last Sunday’s reading came to mind loud and clear.
33 When Jesus saw her crying, and the Judaeans who had come with her crying, he was deeply stirred in his spirit, and very troubled. 34 ‘Where have you laid him?’ he asked. ‘Master,’ they said, ‘come and see.’ 35 Jesus burst into tears. (John 11:33-35 NTE)
I too burst into tears, and as I wept, there at the top of the hill, I knew he was weeping with me. Weeping with all the world. Weeping for us all.
Turn to me. And I, turning, vision all awash, could see clearly, he was there. Feed my sheep. To this I shook my head, and thought, I’m no pastor. You are a minister of my word. Therefore, speak my word to others. Speak my word to one another. And suddenly understanding dawned. “You aren’t just saying this to me, are you? It’s your call to all of us: Feed your sheep. The responsibility is ours collectively.” And I pictured the scattered sheep, isolated from one another but belonging together and needing creative new ways of being church and speaking grace and hope to one another and others.
I plunged, then, down the hill, not following the worn paths but winding down the steeper slope, weaving through knee high weeds, around rocky mounds and patches of slippery flattened grass, to emerge at the wider base track.
Now is the time to forge new paths. Jesus is still the Way, the “base track” of my faith remains the same. It’s the network of familiar paths that represent how we have lived out our faith, that have fallen away, not God’s word or his kingdom, or his love.
I am thankful for this love that comes to us where we are: scattered sheep weeping in the mist of uncertainty. I’m thankful that Jesus wept and that his way isn’t set in stone. That he comes and calls us to discover a new and living way, today and tomorrow and the next day. Hallelujah! This is a new day! And the Jesus who weeps with us in our distress will renew us and lead us on beyond COVID19.
JESUS WEPT.
The autumn sun filtered a pale ray through the drifting grey. A reminder that the God who weeps, also sheds light as well as tears.
Confident Hope 15th Day in Lent (Friday) Read: Acts 2:22-32 “David said about him: ‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope… You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” Acts 2:25-26, 28 (NIV)
There are some people who seem to have an eternal optimism. No matter what may be happening in their lives, whatever hardships may come, they seem to be able to shake it all off and know that tomorrow is another day and will be much better. In KYB (Know Your Bible) this last term we studied 1 Samuel. David had confidence that God was there with him when he went against the mighty Goliath with just a sling shot. He was confident that God would save him when a spear was thrown at him by King Saul and had armies sent out to kill him.
David had confidence that God would protect him to do all the things he had promised. And David did become King and was a ‘king after God’s own heart’. There are times when I feel that God is a bit slow on the uptake and maybe I should get in there and help God make all the promises to me come to fruition. But I do need to realise that God doesn’t need my help, He has everything under control and all I need to do is have faith and rest in the hope that God will do all He said He would. In Acts 2, we read that Peter referred to David’s words from Psalm 16:8-11.
Peter was talking to the crowds about Jesus who had died and was risen from the dead. The people of the times would have known the stories of David, so they could relate to what Peter was saying. Peter told them of David’s hope, which in turn had come true through Jesus Christ. We can also relate this to us. We live here on earth, but only for the days that God has given us. Then He has promised that we will be taken to live with our Heavenly Father for ever. This is the hope that we have as Christians, and we can be joyful and be confident like David. Be confident, our eternal hope is secure!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have battled death through your resurrection and won the victory for me. Let me live confidently in this hope of eternal life and be prepared to share this hope with others. Amen.
God Delights in You 13th Day in Lent
Read: Zephaniah 3:14-17, 20 “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
On one occasion, a pastor asked one of his parishioners: “Do you believe in the hereafter?” The parishioner replied: “You bet I do. I often go in a room and say, ‘What am I here after?’” Above the massive front doors of a cathedral these words were inscribed: THE GATE OF HEAVEN. Below was a small sign, which read: PLEASE USE OTHER ENTRANCE. If we were honest with ourselves and each other, we would say that we hope one day to be with God in Heaven. Why do we use this word ‘hope’? Isn’t this a certainty? Haven’t we been told that “Those who believe and are baptised will be saved”? (Mark 16:16a) We all know that Jesus loves us and that we have been saved by grace through our faith, what then makes us doubt God’s promise?
I have a copy of the above verse on the wall of my office. It is there to remind me that God will calm any fear I have and that He is so happy with me that He rejoices over me with songs – He is that happy! It is full of hope and the promise that God will do what He has promised to do. Zephaniah was a prophet in ancient Judah during the time when King Josiah reigned (640–609 BCE). He was there to warn the people that God’s Day of judgement was coming. God’s people had strayed, and they thought that they could enter heaven by other doors – worshipping other gods. Then in verse 17, Zephaniah tells them that even though the people will experience consequences, God will bless His people and take away all the judgements put on them.
God sent Jesus to take the wrath of sin on Himself for all of humankind. Heaven is on earth already… God is here with us! Our hope is in the here and now – not only the hereafter. A little girl promised her daddy a hug when he finished his work.
Suddenly, she ran to him and gave him a bone-crushing hug saying: ‘I just want you to know what to look forward to.’ We can live in the hope and joy promised us every day!
Prayer: Dear God, you love me so much that you rejoice over me with singing, you are that happy to have me in your family. Calm any fears I may have and bring me into the assurance of being with you already. Amen
Hopelessness? 12th Day in Lent (Tuesday) Read: Micah 7:1-7 “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me.” Micah 7:7 (NIV)
Our world seems to be in disarray. Political leaders are vying for more land and beginning wars over this land. People are upset over rights and rally about injustices, our youth run rampant in the streets hurting themselves and others. Can there be any hope for our world? In the reading from Micah 7:1–7, it sounds so much like the world today, but this was written between 750 and 686 BCE. Has nothing changed with a godless society? Micah was lamenting over a decadent society and the godlessness of his generation. In verse 6 we also read of the breakdown of the family unit.
There was hopelessness then as well as now. We see people turn away from their faith and the truth of God. They turn to other gods: property, wealth, holidays, possessions, entertainment and experiences. Our prayer is that families will turn to God, that they will teach their children the truth and that the world will turn to see God and worship Him. That is our hope! Let’s follow the example of Micah and not dwell in the hopelessness that we see, rather, we watch and wait in hope for the Lord. We can also rest securely in this hope.
That God will hear our prayers and that we can make a difference even in our small part of the world and remain faithful to God and His Word. God sending Jesus at Christmas was the greatest gift God could give to a fallen world. This gift paved a new way of living in God’s grace and forgiveness and the hope of a better day. God looked at His sin-diseased world and provided the remedy for that condition in His only Son. We are sinful people, but we are also God’s forgiven people who walk through life with hope. Jesus promises us eternal life as a gift from our Heavenly Father.
The world may be scary, and unrest surrounds us but know that there is hope for all the world for we have a God who loves and cares for His children. Discouraged? Feeling hopeless? Know that God brings hope! Prayer: My God, I know you care for your world. Bring peace and comfort to your people. Help me know that in you only can I find hope and peace for my life and soul. Amen