Four o'clock is just four o'clock whether you are in Madrid, Miami or Jamaica. And whenever the Lord wakes me up at that time and instructs me to write I need to be obedient and not argue. Which is what I did this just now, after a long flight across the Atlantic, yesterday and not much uninterrpted sleep during or after the journey. What's the message about. Obedience.
From Jesus Himself in a meditation I read this morning - God always prepares us if we listen carefully - by Tiegen. And which meditation I was led to read again as I woke up and began my devotions, and as I read I recalled my own deficiencies and was then compelled to write.
SAYING AND DOING FEBRUARY 19
" Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' and not do what I say". Luke 6:46
IN WORD It is a penetrating question . The Lord of all creation has put His finger on the inconsistency that invades all our hearts. There is always a discrepancy between what we say and what we really believe. For some of us it is a slight discrepancy; for orthers it is vast. For all of us, " Lord has not always meant what it should. God has a way of testing His Lordship in our lives..........
From Oswald Chambers whose words of wisdom included in the meditation at the side, is what really touched my heart and made me stop and think about this profound message from the Lord.
" The best measure of a spiritual life is not its ectasies but its obedience".
I thought about us Anglicans and Roman Catholics, and our shared focus on the joy of taking Holy Communion; " Here O Lord I see thee face to face....." wrote the hymnwriter inspired by this most precious act of worship. But how many of us are really obedient to Him whom provides such an ectasy. The same applies to the Pentecostals who revel and find great joy in " speaking in tongues"; or the Seventh Day Adventists who find great joy in being obedient and keeping the Sabbath; or the Baptists and whose rich history of involvment in the nation's history acting on the movement of the Holy Spirit and fiery sermons about social activism has greatly endeared them to many across the world; or the "Evangelicals" who are hungry for the souls of all mankind and place an emphasis on crusades and "seeking the lost". All rewarding and part of the mandate of being a Christian, but ultimately the question arises how obedient have we been to Him who call Lord.
My mind ran also on the many who are " God fearing", and " Christian minded", in our country who often acknowledge the Sovereignity of God and even the reality of the crucified Christ, quote the Bible frequently and like the American Presidents often say " God bless you". But who in the choices they make demonstate their unwillingness to be obedient to the One they call Lord.
So who is not guilty. Not me. Not you. So the Lord who is always preparing us if we would but listen carefully led me on more than one occasion to pray the last verse of a most wonderful and instructive hymn:
Hark my soul it is the Lord
Tis the saviour hear his word
Jesus speaks and speak to thee
Say poor sinner loves thou me........
Lord it is my chief complaint
That my love for you is weak and faint
But I love and adore
O for grace to ( trust and be obedient- my words) love thee more.
So whether we are in Madrid doing the Lord's work, or in Miami, or London, or Jamaica or wherever on God's planet, our goal is not the joys and ectasies and satisfaction of serving God or calling His name, but on being obedient. As He is the only One who really knows what He requires from those whom He has created. To be obedient to His Son Jesus. That's the only way the madness in Jamaica, or in Spain - already I have considered the reality of the Basque separatists - or in Iraq, or in North Korea - developing as we speak -or in Mexico or in London where they killed teenagers last night or......... Amen
Friday, February 20, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
My Jesus is highly recommended: Send these 'daggering' people to the church that they may know Him
This week in Jamaica the entire country was was once again caught up with the debate about "daggerin songs " and "Rampin Shop", two of the type of songs said to contain sexually explicit lyrics, and which were targeted by the Broadcasting Commission to be banned from the public airwaves. It was amazing to hear media personalities, who are quite influential, admitting to their love for what " the uptown middle class people " call slackness, and defending their right to listen to " adult" material". One young man even went so far as to say that songs like Rampin Shop help to unmask the entire society - I can only assume that he was saying that there is a hidden desire in most of us for this kind of material. Well he can speak for himself but certainly not for the vast majority of people whose views I have canvassed.
Many of us have grown tired of repeatedly warning the society of the profound damage we are doing to ourselves and to the next generation by adopting this naive view of the consequences of allowing " garbage " so much access into our minds. All sorts of things now have free access to the sometimes unprepared and non-discriminating minds of both young and old. And so the old order is changing and we live in an increasingly " anything goes " and " if it feels good do it" society. It's very distressing and increasingly frustrating to live in Jamaica now. Sure, there are some "bright lights" which help to lift our spirits every so often but generally speaking the society is becoming more and more course, rude, impatient, violent and uncaring.
So what do we do? Throw up our hands in the air in despair? Join the debate and argue one's point of view forcibly and verbally chastise those who are, in our opinion, leading the society, not just the young people, astray? Keep quiet and mope and pray that the Lord will soon came His world. Run away and head for " greener pastures", wherever that may be in today's troubled world? Examine ourselves and see where we need to change and help to make a difference.
I believe it is the last option about which the Lord spoke to me this week, as I read the Scripture passages in my church for this week, and reflected deeply on a meditation from one of my favourite commentators.
The story which triggered a lot of thoughts in my mind all of this week, 2 Kings 5, is one of the more popular Old Testament stories and which has so much to teach us. Essentially it's a story about a valiant soldier named Namaan who had leprosy and who also had a Jewish slave girl as a servant. This little wisp of a girl recalled the power and goodness of The Holy One of Israel, who had parted the Red Sea and fed her forebears manna in the desert. No doubt she had learnt well from her parents who had been instructed by the Lord to ...." impress these commandments upon your children", and to " Talk about them when you sit up and when you walk along the road '. And therefore she shared with her master Namaan that this God was, in the words of the gospel artist Shirley Cesar, " highly recommended". Namaan took her advice and armed with much money to " buy his salvation", he went on his way but ended up talking to the wrong person - The King who had no power to cure him. Fortunately the right person, a man of God, a prophet, found about about his plight and instructed the King not to be fearful but rather to send Namaan to him so that " he may know that is a prophet in the land of Israel".
To cut a long story short, Namaan is eventually healed, but not before he had to shed his pride and just believe what Elisha the prophet told him to do. Having been obedient to the Lord he now witnesses for himself the power and love of God and he then " declares that there is no other God but the God of Israel. He tries to " pay for his salvation" but Elisha declines the money, and sends him off in peace, no doubt praising the Lord.
And then greed rears its ugly head as his servant Gehazi chases down Namman, concocts a story and eventually gets the money that Elisha had , in his mind, foolishly refused. Of course Elisha finds out what took place and punished Gehazi and his family 'forever' with the curse of leprosy. But not before Elisha utters some of the most profound words in the Old Testament and which cry from the heart has resonance for us here as church in the 21st century.
" Is this the time to take money, to accept clothes........." 5:26 NIV
A number of question coursed through my mind as I read and reflected on this powerful story.
Do we as Christians have a story to tell in the same way that the Jewish slave girl did?
Is our Jesus " highly recommended"? Have we missed any opportunity to " lift up the name of Jesus", remembering that God's eternal Word reminds us that : " But I, when I am lifted up will draw all men to myself". John 12:32. That is, when we tell people the gospel story of how Jesus died for all mankind on the Cross of Calvary, He will, by the power of the Holy Spirit touch the hearts of those who are humble. It means that we by the force and strength of our of argument , like the King of Israel, have no power to heal sinful 'daggering' mankind. But Jesus can. Our role is to tell the Prime Minister to send those Rampin Shop people, to call them our selves, and point them to Jesus, who alone can convict people of sin and shame. So that they may know that there " is balm in Gilead" indeed.
The further question is, are we as guilty as Gehazi, the servant of the prophet, and have compromised ourselves by seeking to prosper materially from spreading the Word of God. Is this the time in Jamaica , when so many 'hurting people' are in need of help, and in their own, oftentimes twisted ways, searching for peace and for God, for Christians to be exercising their
" right" to make millions of dollars from gospel music? What signals are we sending to the potential if not actual Namaans of this 21st century world. Does the free gift of Salvation, of Jesus' death on an old wooden Cross, for the sins of mankind, does it come with material benefits? If so, can we therefore negotiate with God before. " Lord if you prove yourself and provide me with a house and car, and send money by western union to pay my overdue light bill, I will follow you and start going to church". Or are we so much 'in bed' with the power brokers of this world, and the " glitterati", depending on them for the collection plate, attending their parties, featuring with them in the newspapers, that we are compromised and afraid to challenge them in the way they treat the poor and the disadvantaged. Is this really the time to exercise our rights as Christians, and minister only in areas where we are comfortable, speak only to people who " do not stress us too much", and live in circumstances where neighbours are civil and decent? Is this the time to exercise our right to " run away" from the problems of this nation as there is a concern that things can only get worse. Is this the time to be fearful, or is this the time to believe and trust and pray to God for the healing of this nation and point this hurting nation to Jesus.
Then I " happened" upon this meditation in the Classics Devotional Bible.
THE GOOD OR THE BEST? Genesis 13:9
Oswald Chambers
As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and physically gratifying possibilities will open up before you. these things are yours by right, but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise the your rights to waive your rights and let God make your choice for you. God sometimes allows you to get into place of testing where your own welfare would be the appropriate thing to consider, if you were not living the life of faith. But if you are, you will joyfully waive your rights and allow God to make the choice for you. This is the discipline God uses to transform the natural into the spiritual through obedience to His voice.
Whenever our right becomes the guiding factor of our lives, it dulls our spiritual insight. The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. In this passage, it would seem that the wisest thing in the world for Abram to do would be to choose. It was his right, and the people around him would consider him to be a fool for not choosing.
Many of us do not continue to grow spiritually because we prefer to choose on the basis of our rights, instead of relying on God to make the choice for us. We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eyes focused on God, And God says to us, as he did to Abram, .....walk before me.......(Genesis 17:1).
Perhaps Gehazi thought he had a right to receive gifts from those who had benefited from his masters prophetic gifts. Perhaps we too think that we have a right to make the 'intelligent' choices that we do in respect of living in this troubled land and indeed this world. But is that what God wants for us? Is that part of His plan to use us for His own purpose? Is that how He will heal a daggerin nation? Our choice may lead us to the King who has no power to help.
God's choice will always lead us to Jesus - who alone can save Jamaica.
Amen
Many of us have grown tired of repeatedly warning the society of the profound damage we are doing to ourselves and to the next generation by adopting this naive view of the consequences of allowing " garbage " so much access into our minds. All sorts of things now have free access to the sometimes unprepared and non-discriminating minds of both young and old. And so the old order is changing and we live in an increasingly " anything goes " and " if it feels good do it" society. It's very distressing and increasingly frustrating to live in Jamaica now. Sure, there are some "bright lights" which help to lift our spirits every so often but generally speaking the society is becoming more and more course, rude, impatient, violent and uncaring.
So what do we do? Throw up our hands in the air in despair? Join the debate and argue one's point of view forcibly and verbally chastise those who are, in our opinion, leading the society, not just the young people, astray? Keep quiet and mope and pray that the Lord will soon came His world. Run away and head for " greener pastures", wherever that may be in today's troubled world? Examine ourselves and see where we need to change and help to make a difference.
I believe it is the last option about which the Lord spoke to me this week, as I read the Scripture passages in my church for this week, and reflected deeply on a meditation from one of my favourite commentators.
The story which triggered a lot of thoughts in my mind all of this week, 2 Kings 5, is one of the more popular Old Testament stories and which has so much to teach us. Essentially it's a story about a valiant soldier named Namaan who had leprosy and who also had a Jewish slave girl as a servant. This little wisp of a girl recalled the power and goodness of The Holy One of Israel, who had parted the Red Sea and fed her forebears manna in the desert. No doubt she had learnt well from her parents who had been instructed by the Lord to ...." impress these commandments upon your children", and to " Talk about them when you sit up and when you walk along the road '. And therefore she shared with her master Namaan that this God was, in the words of the gospel artist Shirley Cesar, " highly recommended". Namaan took her advice and armed with much money to " buy his salvation", he went on his way but ended up talking to the wrong person - The King who had no power to cure him. Fortunately the right person, a man of God, a prophet, found about about his plight and instructed the King not to be fearful but rather to send Namaan to him so that " he may know that is a prophet in the land of Israel".
To cut a long story short, Namaan is eventually healed, but not before he had to shed his pride and just believe what Elisha the prophet told him to do. Having been obedient to the Lord he now witnesses for himself the power and love of God and he then " declares that there is no other God but the God of Israel. He tries to " pay for his salvation" but Elisha declines the money, and sends him off in peace, no doubt praising the Lord.
And then greed rears its ugly head as his servant Gehazi chases down Namman, concocts a story and eventually gets the money that Elisha had , in his mind, foolishly refused. Of course Elisha finds out what took place and punished Gehazi and his family 'forever' with the curse of leprosy. But not before Elisha utters some of the most profound words in the Old Testament and which cry from the heart has resonance for us here as church in the 21st century.
" Is this the time to take money, to accept clothes........." 5:26 NIV
A number of question coursed through my mind as I read and reflected on this powerful story.
Do we as Christians have a story to tell in the same way that the Jewish slave girl did?
Is our Jesus " highly recommended"? Have we missed any opportunity to " lift up the name of Jesus", remembering that God's eternal Word reminds us that : " But I, when I am lifted up will draw all men to myself". John 12:32. That is, when we tell people the gospel story of how Jesus died for all mankind on the Cross of Calvary, He will, by the power of the Holy Spirit touch the hearts of those who are humble. It means that we by the force and strength of our of argument , like the King of Israel, have no power to heal sinful 'daggering' mankind. But Jesus can. Our role is to tell the Prime Minister to send those Rampin Shop people, to call them our selves, and point them to Jesus, who alone can convict people of sin and shame. So that they may know that there " is balm in Gilead" indeed.
The further question is, are we as guilty as Gehazi, the servant of the prophet, and have compromised ourselves by seeking to prosper materially from spreading the Word of God. Is this the time in Jamaica , when so many 'hurting people' are in need of help, and in their own, oftentimes twisted ways, searching for peace and for God, for Christians to be exercising their
" right" to make millions of dollars from gospel music? What signals are we sending to the potential if not actual Namaans of this 21st century world. Does the free gift of Salvation, of Jesus' death on an old wooden Cross, for the sins of mankind, does it come with material benefits? If so, can we therefore negotiate with God before. " Lord if you prove yourself and provide me with a house and car, and send money by western union to pay my overdue light bill, I will follow you and start going to church". Or are we so much 'in bed' with the power brokers of this world, and the " glitterati", depending on them for the collection plate, attending their parties, featuring with them in the newspapers, that we are compromised and afraid to challenge them in the way they treat the poor and the disadvantaged. Is this really the time to exercise our rights as Christians, and minister only in areas where we are comfortable, speak only to people who " do not stress us too much", and live in circumstances where neighbours are civil and decent? Is this the time to exercise our right to " run away" from the problems of this nation as there is a concern that things can only get worse. Is this the time to be fearful, or is this the time to believe and trust and pray to God for the healing of this nation and point this hurting nation to Jesus.
Then I " happened" upon this meditation in the Classics Devotional Bible.
THE GOOD OR THE BEST? Genesis 13:9
Oswald Chambers
As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and physically gratifying possibilities will open up before you. these things are yours by right, but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise the your rights to waive your rights and let God make your choice for you. God sometimes allows you to get into place of testing where your own welfare would be the appropriate thing to consider, if you were not living the life of faith. But if you are, you will joyfully waive your rights and allow God to make the choice for you. This is the discipline God uses to transform the natural into the spiritual through obedience to His voice.
Whenever our right becomes the guiding factor of our lives, it dulls our spiritual insight. The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. In this passage, it would seem that the wisest thing in the world for Abram to do would be to choose. It was his right, and the people around him would consider him to be a fool for not choosing.
Many of us do not continue to grow spiritually because we prefer to choose on the basis of our rights, instead of relying on God to make the choice for us. We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eyes focused on God, And God says to us, as he did to Abram, .....walk before me.......(Genesis 17:1).
Perhaps Gehazi thought he had a right to receive gifts from those who had benefited from his masters prophetic gifts. Perhaps we too think that we have a right to make the 'intelligent' choices that we do in respect of living in this troubled land and indeed this world. But is that what God wants for us? Is that part of His plan to use us for His own purpose? Is that how He will heal a daggerin nation? Our choice may lead us to the King who has no power to help.
God's choice will always lead us to Jesus - who alone can save Jamaica.
Amen
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Peace in the midst of the Storm
This message is for those of us who, for one reason or another, can identify with " You raise me Up". I heard it too many times over the last two days to ignore it. Heard it again in church this morning. Sang it all the way to May Pen where I was a guest speaker at a Christian function this evening. And the very same song greeted me on arrival.
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
As I write there is much fear and even panic in my country as one of the main planks of the economy - The Bauxite Industry - is under threat. One plant is to be closed within a month. And there are fears that others will follow, triggering widespread job losses and severe hardships for towns that depend on income derived from the ore. The spin off is that there will be less money to finance social programmes, so desperately needed to aid in the reduction of crime and violence among impoverished inner city youths. Only "hard policing" and a focus on " values and attitudes" are viable options left in fighting crime, in the short term, according to one columnist. Meanwhile in the same newspaper - The Daily Gleaner - it was reported that in two years, more people had died violently in Jamaica, than in the forty years of sectarian violence in Ireland. And we are not at war with any enemy - just ourselves. The response of some is to seek to have guns made more easily accessible to law abiding citizens, and some church leaders have backed this call, provoking great controversy in Christian circles. Very few people then in my country aren't suffering from some kind of " downtime" and burdened hearts.
No wonder then at church this morning, when I looked around, persons were in rapt attention as the preacher recounted the story about the Shaunammite woman in Kings 4. How God had granted her a child, following her act of kindness to one of His prophets. How the child died and how the woman responded in faith, in the first instance - not in fear or in distress. How she declared "Shalom", - Peace, it will be alright - in and through God, in the midst of her personal storm. And how in response to her faith the child was brought back to life. So too we should respond when economic or social, or relationship or health troubles come, and our "hearts burdened be". And the Lord who knows the hearts of all of us, and the troubles we face, led me to reflect, many times on the following meditation from one of the Saints of yesteryear. At least five times, I went back to it, and each time appreciated it even more.
UNCEASING DEPENDENCE-CONTINUAL PEACE
CLASSICS DEVOTIONAL BIBLE - DAILY READINGS FROM MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE FAITH INFLUENCED THE WORLD
Francois Fenelon ( 1651-1715)
Leviticus 25:21 " I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years."
Do not dwell on remote events; this anxiety about the future is contrary to a religious state of mind. When God bestows any blessings on you, look only to him in the comfort of that you receive, and take every day of the manna that he sends you, as the Israelites did, without making yourself any provision for the morrow. A life of faith produces two things. First, it enables us to see God in everything. Secondly, it holds the mind in a state of readiness for whatever may be His will. We must trust God for whatever depends upon Him, and only think of being faithful ourselves in the performance of our duties. This continual unceasing dependence , this state of entire peace and acquiescence of the soul in whatever may happen, is the true, silent martyrdom of self. It is so slow and gradual, and internal, they who experience it are hardly conscious of it. When God deprives you of any blessing, he can replace it either by other instruments or by Himself. The very stones can in His hands, become the children of Abraham. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof; the morrow will take care of itself ( Matthew 6: 34). he who has fed you today will take care of you tomorrow. We shall sooner see manna fall from heaven in the desert than the children of God want support.
MEDITATION
I sleep, but my heart waketh.
We sleep in peace in the arms of God when we yield ourselves up to His providence in a delightful consciousness of His tender mercies; no more restless uncertainties; no more anxious desires; no more impatience at the place where we are in; for it is God who has put us there and who holds us in His arms. Can we be unsafe where He has placed us, and where he watches over us as a parent watches a child? This confiding repose, in which earthly care sleeps, is the true vigilance of the heart, yielding itself up to God, with no other support than Him, it thus watches while we sleep. This is the love of Him who will not sleep even in death. Amen.
As I write memories (delightful but entirely unexpected) flood into my mind as I recall how our West Indies Cricket Team thrashed the much vaunted English team by bowling them out for a paltry 51 runs in their second innings, just two days ago. Is the Lord telling those of us who practice " Double Listening", and reminding us how suddenly He can bring change to my country, when he so chooses? And what does this meditation about unceasing dependence on God for everything, with " no other support than Him" say to us about the carrying of arms? Especially to those women of faith in the inner city whose only weapon is to " plead the blood of Jesus" on the gunmen, while the leaders of the flock protect themselves and their families with " nines', " glocks' and ' 38's. This evening I was led to share some thoughts on Christian Maturity with a church group. And reflected on Prayer, Church Unity and Church Doctrine - what kind of God do we believe in? Is He no longer the Almighty God who can raise the dead? Is He no longer the God that promises that " the Angels of the Lord encampeth around those that fear Him"?
Is He no longer the God who promises " not to leave us nor forsake us" in our time of economic, social and personal troubles. He may chose not to intervene in Jamaica's trials right now, and even in our person struggles with health and relationships. Even death may come, as inevitable it will come to all sooner or later, as not everybody's experience is like the Shaunammite woman. But whatever happens Christian Maturity leads us to place our Hope in the fact that " in Christ Jesus", we will all be raised up to new life one day. As long as we continue in Unceasing Dependence on Him and thus find Continual Peace in this world and the next.
Amen.
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
As I write there is much fear and even panic in my country as one of the main planks of the economy - The Bauxite Industry - is under threat. One plant is to be closed within a month. And there are fears that others will follow, triggering widespread job losses and severe hardships for towns that depend on income derived from the ore. The spin off is that there will be less money to finance social programmes, so desperately needed to aid in the reduction of crime and violence among impoverished inner city youths. Only "hard policing" and a focus on " values and attitudes" are viable options left in fighting crime, in the short term, according to one columnist. Meanwhile in the same newspaper - The Daily Gleaner - it was reported that in two years, more people had died violently in Jamaica, than in the forty years of sectarian violence in Ireland. And we are not at war with any enemy - just ourselves. The response of some is to seek to have guns made more easily accessible to law abiding citizens, and some church leaders have backed this call, provoking great controversy in Christian circles. Very few people then in my country aren't suffering from some kind of " downtime" and burdened hearts.
No wonder then at church this morning, when I looked around, persons were in rapt attention as the preacher recounted the story about the Shaunammite woman in Kings 4. How God had granted her a child, following her act of kindness to one of His prophets. How the child died and how the woman responded in faith, in the first instance - not in fear or in distress. How she declared "Shalom", - Peace, it will be alright - in and through God, in the midst of her personal storm. And how in response to her faith the child was brought back to life. So too we should respond when economic or social, or relationship or health troubles come, and our "hearts burdened be". And the Lord who knows the hearts of all of us, and the troubles we face, led me to reflect, many times on the following meditation from one of the Saints of yesteryear. At least five times, I went back to it, and each time appreciated it even more.
UNCEASING DEPENDENCE-CONTINUAL PEACE
CLASSICS DEVOTIONAL BIBLE - DAILY READINGS FROM MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE FAITH INFLUENCED THE WORLD
Francois Fenelon ( 1651-1715)
Leviticus 25:21 " I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years."
Do not dwell on remote events; this anxiety about the future is contrary to a religious state of mind. When God bestows any blessings on you, look only to him in the comfort of that you receive, and take every day of the manna that he sends you, as the Israelites did, without making yourself any provision for the morrow. A life of faith produces two things. First, it enables us to see God in everything. Secondly, it holds the mind in a state of readiness for whatever may be His will. We must trust God for whatever depends upon Him, and only think of being faithful ourselves in the performance of our duties. This continual unceasing dependence , this state of entire peace and acquiescence of the soul in whatever may happen, is the true, silent martyrdom of self. It is so slow and gradual, and internal, they who experience it are hardly conscious of it. When God deprives you of any blessing, he can replace it either by other instruments or by Himself. The very stones can in His hands, become the children of Abraham. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof; the morrow will take care of itself ( Matthew 6: 34). he who has fed you today will take care of you tomorrow. We shall sooner see manna fall from heaven in the desert than the children of God want support.
MEDITATION
I sleep, but my heart waketh.
We sleep in peace in the arms of God when we yield ourselves up to His providence in a delightful consciousness of His tender mercies; no more restless uncertainties; no more anxious desires; no more impatience at the place where we are in; for it is God who has put us there and who holds us in His arms. Can we be unsafe where He has placed us, and where he watches over us as a parent watches a child? This confiding repose, in which earthly care sleeps, is the true vigilance of the heart, yielding itself up to God, with no other support than Him, it thus watches while we sleep. This is the love of Him who will not sleep even in death. Amen.
As I write memories (delightful but entirely unexpected) flood into my mind as I recall how our West Indies Cricket Team thrashed the much vaunted English team by bowling them out for a paltry 51 runs in their second innings, just two days ago. Is the Lord telling those of us who practice " Double Listening", and reminding us how suddenly He can bring change to my country, when he so chooses? And what does this meditation about unceasing dependence on God for everything, with " no other support than Him" say to us about the carrying of arms? Especially to those women of faith in the inner city whose only weapon is to " plead the blood of Jesus" on the gunmen, while the leaders of the flock protect themselves and their families with " nines', " glocks' and ' 38's. This evening I was led to share some thoughts on Christian Maturity with a church group. And reflected on Prayer, Church Unity and Church Doctrine - what kind of God do we believe in? Is He no longer the Almighty God who can raise the dead? Is He no longer the God that promises that " the Angels of the Lord encampeth around those that fear Him"?
Is He no longer the God who promises " not to leave us nor forsake us" in our time of economic, social and personal troubles. He may chose not to intervene in Jamaica's trials right now, and even in our person struggles with health and relationships. Even death may come, as inevitable it will come to all sooner or later, as not everybody's experience is like the Shaunammite woman. But whatever happens Christian Maturity leads us to place our Hope in the fact that " in Christ Jesus", we will all be raised up to new life one day. As long as we continue in Unceasing Dependence on Him and thus find Continual Peace in this world and the next.
Amen.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Cartel:Spice: Murder and The Fear of God
Last week we descended to a new low in the level of wickedness which is abroad in our country. A grandmother was shot and she and her three young grandchildren were burnt to death, by, so far, unknown assailants. Violent death is no longer major news in Jamaica, but this act of evil had the entire country talking. It is clear that our criminals fear neither man nor God anymore. So the killings go on unabated and all of us are wondering when it ever going to stop.But that's not the only kind of evil abound in the land. A principal of one of our leading high schools, writing in The Daily Gleaner today, captured the mood and outrage of all well thinking persons, in an article questioning why our children are being exposed to "filth" masquerading as popular music. She highlighted one song in particular , " Rampin Shop" by Vybz Cartel ( male) and Spice (female) - she claims it won the FAME FM - a local radio station - song of the week recently. Gave an abridged, edited for publication ( two lovers having violent sex and in obscene language describing how it should be done ) version of the song and shared with us results of interviews conducted with young students, examples of which are as follows:
" One night I was singing it loud as I wanted to do what Spice and Vybz Cartel was doing" 8th grade.
" I think I'm becoming addicted to it because its basically everywhere I go. I know that the lyrics are is wrong but it is hard to resist something that's constantly around you". 13th grade.
" In my opinion, Rampin Shop" has a very negative effect on our youths. We have to listen to these sexual lyrics not because we want to, but because it is polluting our communities." 7th grade.
Add to that the problems associated with the downturn in the world economy - loss of jobs, fear of losing your job, loss of hard earned savings, reduction in home values, reduced incomes, taking a pay cut to preserve jobs, a dollar that is rapidly losing value, high interest rates and spiralling cost of living. All of this coming on top of " ordinary everyday" trials of life. Marital problems. Problems with disobedient children and grandchildren. Health problems. Environmental problems. Problems with leadership in our nation. Even in our churches and in our communities. And finally death. That terrible event that robs us of our loved ones. Forever. Sometimes suddenly. Sometimes slowly. But there is no difference. The end result is the same. What is the answer? To whom do we turn? What is the solution to life's many and varied problems? What do we say to that mother, that family, that community that suffered such a tremendous loss. To that principal who is beside herself with rage - directly in particular at those who condone such madness ?
I got an answer this week from one of the readings for the Anglican church for this Sunday.
" The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" Psalm 111:
And a challenge from another reading for this Sunday, and which triggered a text message both to some those who believe and many of those who don't.
:"....yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. But not everybody knows this". 1 Cor. 8:6-7 NIV
And words, again from another reading, this time the gospel, which provoked a deep reflection and also triggered another text message, this time to very powerful men and women in this country who have significant authority:
" Be quiet said Jesus sternly. Come out of him. The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. The people were all amazed....what is this a new teaching and with authority"? mark 1:25-27. With what authority do we speak? Can we fight the kind of evil that is abroad in Jamaica without the assistance of Christ?
This issue of fearing God goes to right the heart of the Christian life. Without which all our "head" knowledge of the "good news" , of God's love for us, of Christ's death on the Cross, of the Creeds and of church doctrine will not bring us any closer to being disciples of Christ, agents of His reconciliation and of His healing power in this land filled with so much evil, problems, sickness and death. As the problem is that it is not only the criminals and "out of order" artistes alone , who do not fear God, many "decent" law abiding citizens, and even some in the church" do not know either".And not just the high profile cases like Ted Haggert et al, but many of us who attend church regularly. Just listen how we are so easily distracted in church and spend much time chatting.How the " flesh " so easily takes over. See how we criticise each other, and other denominations, and are quickly moved to ( righteous) anger. How we spend our spare time, how we spend our money, how earn our money. What we watch! What we read! And where we go and what we do! How we leave and go to another church when we are unhappy or worse, stay home ( were we sent there by God for a reason?) . All of us. We have become too familiar with God and things of God. Perhaps even Holy Communion - "Here O my Lord, I see thee face to face, here faith would touch and handle things unseen" - has become routine and lacking in any meaning.
No doubt all of us would do well to reflect deeply on some words from a hymn which has come to mean so much to me in my understanding of the Christian journey and how much I am in need of God's grace to continue on that road faithfully;
My God how wonderful thou art........
O how I fear thee living God,
With deepest tenderest fears,
And worship thee with trembling hope,
And penitential tears.
Yet I may love thee too,
O Lord,Almighty as thou art,
For thou hast stooped to ask of me
The love of my poor heart.............
Instead ( or perhaps in addition to ) of being critical of the church, the priest, those in authority, when last have we wept " penitential tears? And can we really identify with the hymn writer fearing God with " deepest tenderest fears". As it is then and only then, when we have considered our own wickedness and deficiencies that we will truly appreciate: " yet I may love thee too O Lord...for thou has stooped"....bent down low, in and through Christ Jesus, to sinful mankind to ask for our love. This Almighty God!
My pastor preached a wonderful sermon today about evil and our response to it as church. Reminding us that if we do not share the good news with those who are fast bound with evil, then there is no one else. And that is the basis on which we will all be judged. Not our attendance at church. Not our status in the society. Not our success in business or in sport or in whatever vocation we chose. But rather did we witness by our lives and our deeds to the Christ within us. Such a single minded focus, however, as exhibited by Rafael Nadal's win over Roger Federer in Tennis early this morning, requires that we first fear God - with deepest trembling fears, and with penitential tears.
Then we will be given the authority to drive out evil from Jamaica land we love. Evil music and evil gunmen. Then we will be given the wisdom to provide healing for the sick, comfort the grieving, care for the dying, encourage the downcast and rule over the land with justice and righteousness.A friend, who is not a Christian, but reads these messages, asked me recently, how do we, or specifically I, move from Internet Ministry to making a difference in this country and for our people who we both love. The answer of fearing the one true and ever living God and Jesus Christ His Son first, is not only an answer to my friend's question but equally for those who long for peace, justice and truth, wherever and in whatever circumstance they live. But many do not know this. So we as Christians have much work to do, not only in Jamaica, but in this entire world. Amen
" One night I was singing it loud as I wanted to do what Spice and Vybz Cartel was doing" 8th grade.
" I think I'm becoming addicted to it because its basically everywhere I go. I know that the lyrics are is wrong but it is hard to resist something that's constantly around you". 13th grade.
" In my opinion, Rampin Shop" has a very negative effect on our youths. We have to listen to these sexual lyrics not because we want to, but because it is polluting our communities." 7th grade.
Add to that the problems associated with the downturn in the world economy - loss of jobs, fear of losing your job, loss of hard earned savings, reduction in home values, reduced incomes, taking a pay cut to preserve jobs, a dollar that is rapidly losing value, high interest rates and spiralling cost of living. All of this coming on top of " ordinary everyday" trials of life. Marital problems. Problems with disobedient children and grandchildren. Health problems. Environmental problems. Problems with leadership in our nation. Even in our churches and in our communities. And finally death. That terrible event that robs us of our loved ones. Forever. Sometimes suddenly. Sometimes slowly. But there is no difference. The end result is the same. What is the answer? To whom do we turn? What is the solution to life's many and varied problems? What do we say to that mother, that family, that community that suffered such a tremendous loss. To that principal who is beside herself with rage - directly in particular at those who condone such madness ?
I got an answer this week from one of the readings for the Anglican church for this Sunday.
" The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" Psalm 111:
And a challenge from another reading for this Sunday, and which triggered a text message both to some those who believe and many of those who don't.
:"....yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. But not everybody knows this". 1 Cor. 8:6-7 NIV
And words, again from another reading, this time the gospel, which provoked a deep reflection and also triggered another text message, this time to very powerful men and women in this country who have significant authority:
" Be quiet said Jesus sternly. Come out of him. The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. The people were all amazed....what is this a new teaching and with authority"? mark 1:25-27. With what authority do we speak? Can we fight the kind of evil that is abroad in Jamaica without the assistance of Christ?
This issue of fearing God goes to right the heart of the Christian life. Without which all our "head" knowledge of the "good news" , of God's love for us, of Christ's death on the Cross, of the Creeds and of church doctrine will not bring us any closer to being disciples of Christ, agents of His reconciliation and of His healing power in this land filled with so much evil, problems, sickness and death. As the problem is that it is not only the criminals and "out of order" artistes alone , who do not fear God, many "decent" law abiding citizens, and even some in the church" do not know either".And not just the high profile cases like Ted Haggert et al, but many of us who attend church regularly. Just listen how we are so easily distracted in church and spend much time chatting.How the " flesh " so easily takes over. See how we criticise each other, and other denominations, and are quickly moved to ( righteous) anger. How we spend our spare time, how we spend our money, how earn our money. What we watch! What we read! And where we go and what we do! How we leave and go to another church when we are unhappy or worse, stay home ( were we sent there by God for a reason?) . All of us. We have become too familiar with God and things of God. Perhaps even Holy Communion - "Here O my Lord, I see thee face to face, here faith would touch and handle things unseen" - has become routine and lacking in any meaning.
No doubt all of us would do well to reflect deeply on some words from a hymn which has come to mean so much to me in my understanding of the Christian journey and how much I am in need of God's grace to continue on that road faithfully;
My God how wonderful thou art........
O how I fear thee living God,
With deepest tenderest fears,
And worship thee with trembling hope,
And penitential tears.
Yet I may love thee too,
O Lord,Almighty as thou art,
For thou hast stooped to ask of me
The love of my poor heart.............
Instead ( or perhaps in addition to ) of being critical of the church, the priest, those in authority, when last have we wept " penitential tears? And can we really identify with the hymn writer fearing God with " deepest tenderest fears". As it is then and only then, when we have considered our own wickedness and deficiencies that we will truly appreciate: " yet I may love thee too O Lord...for thou has stooped"....bent down low, in and through Christ Jesus, to sinful mankind to ask for our love. This Almighty God!
My pastor preached a wonderful sermon today about evil and our response to it as church. Reminding us that if we do not share the good news with those who are fast bound with evil, then there is no one else. And that is the basis on which we will all be judged. Not our attendance at church. Not our status in the society. Not our success in business or in sport or in whatever vocation we chose. But rather did we witness by our lives and our deeds to the Christ within us. Such a single minded focus, however, as exhibited by Rafael Nadal's win over Roger Federer in Tennis early this morning, requires that we first fear God - with deepest trembling fears, and with penitential tears.
Then we will be given the authority to drive out evil from Jamaica land we love. Evil music and evil gunmen. Then we will be given the wisdom to provide healing for the sick, comfort the grieving, care for the dying, encourage the downcast and rule over the land with justice and righteousness.A friend, who is not a Christian, but reads these messages, asked me recently, how do we, or specifically I, move from Internet Ministry to making a difference in this country and for our people who we both love. The answer of fearing the one true and ever living God and Jesus Christ His Son first, is not only an answer to my friend's question but equally for those who long for peace, justice and truth, wherever and in whatever circumstance they live. But many do not know this. So we as Christians have much work to do, not only in Jamaica, but in this entire world. Amen
Saturday, January 31, 2009
The Renewal of the Church: Created to be like God - in and through Christ
Over time, I have come to understand that when the Lord wakes me up in the early morning to pray and to read and then to write, usually 4:00 am, although this morning it was 3:30 am, and I was tempted, only briefly, to watch Serena Williams play in the Australian Open finals, it's something more important than at other times. I woke up with two thoughts on my mind, and still fighting sleep, in fact I tried to go back to bed: "now to him who can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine". And the renewal of the church - beginning with me. So I prayed for the renewal of the church : my own Anglican congregation at St. Andrew Parish Church and the wider Anglican church; the Baptist church; the Moravian church; the Methodist church; the United church; the Roman Catholic church; the Seventh Day Adventist church; the church of God churches; the Pentecostal churches and all the Evangelical churches - for renewal, so that the nation may be renewed.
I even prayed for the Jehovah's witnesses and the Mormons who are not part of the body of Christ.
Then I opened the Bible and turned to the book of Ephesians from where the quotation that was in my heart is recorded - still fighting sleep. And read and prayed. And read and prayed. And then I was told to write this.
" As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love, make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism,; one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all............
It was he who gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets and some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of Christ of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the while body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
So, I tell you this, and insist on it, in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
You, however, did not come to know Christ that way......... You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in your attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness............
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up in accordance with their needs that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander along with every form of malice. be kind and compassionate to one another forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly beloved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But among you there must not even be a hint of sexual immorality........
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ( for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is the light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
Wake up , O sleeper
rise from the dead
and Christ will shine on you.
Be very careful, then how you live - not as unwise but as wise making the most of very opportunity, because the times are evil.............speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 4-5:21 NIV
I suppose there is much that I could comment on, but was given no such instructions. The Word of God is sufficient in itself.
I even prayed for the Jehovah's witnesses and the Mormons who are not part of the body of Christ.
Then I opened the Bible and turned to the book of Ephesians from where the quotation that was in my heart is recorded - still fighting sleep. And read and prayed. And read and prayed. And then I was told to write this.
" As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love, make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism,; one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all............
It was he who gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets and some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of Christ of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the while body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
So, I tell you this, and insist on it, in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
You, however, did not come to know Christ that way......... You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in your attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness............
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up in accordance with their needs that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander along with every form of malice. be kind and compassionate to one another forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly beloved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But among you there must not even be a hint of sexual immorality........
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ( for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is the light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
Wake up , O sleeper
rise from the dead
and Christ will shine on you.
Be very careful, then how you live - not as unwise but as wise making the most of very opportunity, because the times are evil.............speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 4-5:21 NIV
I suppose there is much that I could comment on, but was given no such instructions. The Word of God is sufficient in itself.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Bush and Obama. Sin and Jesus
I usually check on with my friend Jean Lowrie-Chin's blog www.lowrie-chin.blogspot.com/ before I start writing on a Sunday night. And if you really wish to see a very moving video, from The Washington Post on what can only be described as, "The Obama Day", visit her blog. Which brings me to the story which I saw online recently. An elderly man came up to the marine guarding The White House and said. " Can I speak with Mr. Bush?" The guard replied and explained, kindly, to this senior citizen, that Mr. Bush no longer lived in The White House. The following day the same gentleman returned and posed the very same question to the guard, and received an unchanged answer. On the next day, when the old man came again asking the same question, the guard by now, quite exasperated, challenged the gentleman why he was behaving in this way - asking the same question time and time again. At which point the old man said simply, "I just love to hear the sound of it" - that George W. Bush no longer lives here.
One of things that struck me in my meditations and "double listening" ( to the world and to God) this week, is that a lot of the excitement about, adoration of, and fascination with, Barrack Obama, has its genesis in the diametrically opposite emotions which Bush provoked in the minds of so many across the US, and indeed the world. For a extremely useful perspective on this issue check out Ian Boyne's article in today's Daily Gleaner in the In Focus section.
http://www.go-jamaica.com/ All well thinking people across the world literally and metaphorically "breathed a sigh of relief" when # 43 left and # 44 assumed office. Never in modern history has a US president been so ill informed, arrogant, perhaps even guilty of lying, and just behaving like a " perfect idiot" like "George W". Which poses the question of how could he ever have been elevated to such a high office, or even come close to it? He was virtually the laughing stock of the world on account of his " Bushspeak", language. Undermined the US foreign policy of working closely with its Europeans allies in pursuing his, dangerous, doctrine of pre-emptive strikes. Presided over the meltdown of the American economy on which the rest of the world depends so heavily. And on his watch, men were guilty of " even inventing ways of doing evil", in Iraq and in " Gitmo".
So, no wonder then , in addition to the powerful message of hope that the ascendancy of a black man to the highest office in previously "Jim Crow " America, and Obama's consummate political skills, that people across America were determined to have their," coronation" on Obama Day.
And to, as one woman said in the Washington Post video, " breathe in the same air that Barack Obama breathed on that day."
In this middle of this orgy of excitement came a word from the Lord, which speaks to the very same issue, of our not being able to appreciate fully His goodness and mercy to us, unless we come to fully understand how wicked we were - inventing ways of doing evil - before being rescued by Jesus' great act of Redemption on the Cross of Calvary. It's a very sobering message as we contemplate how different Obama is from Bush and the potential that this transition has for the US and indeed for the entire world. As one issue is about what can happen if Obama succeeds. The other is what is very sure to happen if we do not listen and understand - God's immutable Word.
This is how the message unfolded:
" A cry is heard on the barren heights,
the weeping and pleading of the children of Israel,
because they have perverted their ways
and have forgotten the Lord their God.
Return, faithless people;
I will cure you of your backsliding."
Jeremiah 3: 21-22 NIV - part of the reading for today in my church.
The question is how did they get there? How could they have forgotten the Lord. This same people who were rescued by miracles by God from bondage in Egypt. What happened?
It continued:
" After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 'The time has come', he said, 'Repent, and believe the good news'."
Mark 1:14-15 NIV Part of the Gospel reading for today.
Then the Spirit of God led me to a passage which is often quoted in the "Christian" argument that homosexuality is an sinful act - in any context. In public or in private. But what many fail to appreciate, is that this passage contains a message which is an indictment against all "unredeemed" humanity. Not just one set of humanity.
This is how Romans 1:18-32 begins.
" The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of all men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen being clearly understood from has been made, so that men are without excuse........."
This morning, my security guard - on the way to church - companion, was able to quote Psalm 19, word for word as we discussed this issue, and he is not baptised, and which Psalm came to mind as I read the first section of Romans 1:13-32.
" The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the word of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth,
Their words to the ends of the world....."
So having declared that mankind had no excuse for not knowing God, for " suppressing the truth", God's Word then addresses, in particular, why men and women have become homosexuals - " God gave them over" . That is, mankind reaped the reward of persistent godlessness and rebellion against a God who had revealed Himself, with power, to all mankind. So it is not that God did evil and allowed people to fall into sin. But rather, that the outcome of persistent rebellion against God leads inevitably to evil - of all kinds. And it is the "all kinds of other evil", that we have all committed, that St. Paul addresses in the less well known and read third section of Romans 1:18-32.
"........Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil, they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do these things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very same things but also approve of those who practice them".
Wow! Makes you wonder if we have been too hard on George W. Bush. As which one of us can claim that we are not represented in this very instructive passage of Scripture? Has our focus on the, admittedly sinful, acts of homosexuals, acted as a distraction from acknowledging our own sins and responding correctly to Jesus' call: " Repent and believe the good news".
Heartless..disobeying their parents....filled with every kind of depravity...insolent...full of murder....inventing ways if doing evil...." Does that not explain fully what is happening in Jamaica? What happened to Bush and his cronies! Why Osama bin Laden acted on 9/11 in the way that he did! Why, " everywhere is war", according to the late Bob Marley? And can such disobedience to parents, inventing ways of doing evil, heartlessness be cured and controlled by teaching people about family life, or by community policing or " hard policing for that matter, or " social interventions"? Is the replacement of Bush by Obama going to change " heartlessness in Israel and in Gaza? Or in Afghanistan or Iraq? Will such change make a difference to the greed and arrogance on Wall Street? Or the wickedness in Zimbabwe and in the DRC? ( Congo)
No, the reality is that, as my new Sunday morning traveling companion friend, who loves reading and quoting the Bible, has discovered, but not yet acted upon, is that unless we understand how wicked we are, we will never come to truly love Jesus. To want to know Him and what He has done for us on Calvary. To have our souls wait on him, " as the watchman waits for the morning", according to the Psalmist ( 130). To abandon every other pursuit in life until we gain this life giving and life sustaining salvation.
But, as the final part of the message indicates, this kind of evaluation of self, is hard for modern man and woman to " stomach". I was so struck by the reflection that it formed the basis of a text message sent out to many on my address book who have, until now, resisted the call to " Repent and believe the good news" - That " God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life " John 3: 16 . The most popular verse in history.
CHRIS TIEGEN JANUARY 19 LIGHT AND TRUTH
" I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness". John 12:46
IN WORD We live in a dark kingdom( Colossians 1: 13). The Bible is very clear and consistent about that. Our understanding was darkened ( Ephesians 4:18); we are surrounded by powers of darkness( Ephesians 6:12); we ourselves have done deeds of darkness( Romans 13:12); our motives are dark( Corinthians4:50 and even when we see god, we see Him very dimly ( 1 Cor. 13:12). In fact, Paul goes so far as to say that we were darkness( Ephesians 5:8).
This is insulting to the human ego, to say the least. We think we're fairly well educated and wise. We even have an intellectual era we refer to as the enlightenment. So when Jesus implies that He has come into the darkness, we might wonder where all this alleged darkness is. Aren't we pretty bright folks?
No, Jesus really is the only light this world has ever seen. We can't find illumination anywhere else. He's the One who through God once said "Let there be light," and there was light. We're the ones who shrouded this planet in a sinful haze of spiritual blindness. He came back into it with all the radiance of a million suns.
IN DEED Plato told an allegory of people who saw each other as shadows. They thought that they could see clearly enough, because shadows were all they knew. Like Plato's cave dwellers, we think we're well informed; and when we encounter light, we feel the pain of of brightness in our maladapted eyes. We turn back to the darkness we're so comfortable with.
Do not dabble in the wisdom of this world. the world no longer has anything to offer you. Its interpretation of life are but shadows; its knowledge is untouched by the light of truth. Do you really want understanding? Open your mind exclusively to Jesus and let Him shine.
Will these words cure us of our "backsliding"? Will they place in proper perspective Obama's role in history? Will we view George W. Bush in a different light? Will we read the book of Romans with a different perspective? Will we be humble enough to obey Jesus and repent and believe the good news? Will we understand better that social interventions in and by themselves cannot never cure mankind of " all kind of evil"? Will we ever appreciate fully that the " good news" is not about Jesus, not about the many messages in the Bible. But Jesus Himself. That only in Him and through Him can we ever be free from God's wrath and remain forever in His love. Thank God for Obama. But O God, we thank you so very much more for Jesus Christ, Son of the living God and our Blessed Redeemer.
One of things that struck me in my meditations and "double listening" ( to the world and to God) this week, is that a lot of the excitement about, adoration of, and fascination with, Barrack Obama, has its genesis in the diametrically opposite emotions which Bush provoked in the minds of so many across the US, and indeed the world. For a extremely useful perspective on this issue check out Ian Boyne's article in today's Daily Gleaner in the In Focus section.
http://www.go-jamaica.com/ All well thinking people across the world literally and metaphorically "breathed a sigh of relief" when # 43 left and # 44 assumed office. Never in modern history has a US president been so ill informed, arrogant, perhaps even guilty of lying, and just behaving like a " perfect idiot" like "George W". Which poses the question of how could he ever have been elevated to such a high office, or even come close to it? He was virtually the laughing stock of the world on account of his " Bushspeak", language. Undermined the US foreign policy of working closely with its Europeans allies in pursuing his, dangerous, doctrine of pre-emptive strikes. Presided over the meltdown of the American economy on which the rest of the world depends so heavily. And on his watch, men were guilty of " even inventing ways of doing evil", in Iraq and in " Gitmo".
So, no wonder then , in addition to the powerful message of hope that the ascendancy of a black man to the highest office in previously "Jim Crow " America, and Obama's consummate political skills, that people across America were determined to have their," coronation" on Obama Day.
And to, as one woman said in the Washington Post video, " breathe in the same air that Barack Obama breathed on that day."
In this middle of this orgy of excitement came a word from the Lord, which speaks to the very same issue, of our not being able to appreciate fully His goodness and mercy to us, unless we come to fully understand how wicked we were - inventing ways of doing evil - before being rescued by Jesus' great act of Redemption on the Cross of Calvary. It's a very sobering message as we contemplate how different Obama is from Bush and the potential that this transition has for the US and indeed for the entire world. As one issue is about what can happen if Obama succeeds. The other is what is very sure to happen if we do not listen and understand - God's immutable Word.
This is how the message unfolded:
" A cry is heard on the barren heights,
the weeping and pleading of the children of Israel,
because they have perverted their ways
and have forgotten the Lord their God.
Return, faithless people;
I will cure you of your backsliding."
Jeremiah 3: 21-22 NIV - part of the reading for today in my church.
The question is how did they get there? How could they have forgotten the Lord. This same people who were rescued by miracles by God from bondage in Egypt. What happened?
It continued:
" After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 'The time has come', he said, 'Repent, and believe the good news'."
Mark 1:14-15 NIV Part of the Gospel reading for today.
Then the Spirit of God led me to a passage which is often quoted in the "Christian" argument that homosexuality is an sinful act - in any context. In public or in private. But what many fail to appreciate, is that this passage contains a message which is an indictment against all "unredeemed" humanity. Not just one set of humanity.
This is how Romans 1:18-32 begins.
" The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of all men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen being clearly understood from has been made, so that men are without excuse........."
This morning, my security guard - on the way to church - companion, was able to quote Psalm 19, word for word as we discussed this issue, and he is not baptised, and which Psalm came to mind as I read the first section of Romans 1:13-32.
" The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the word of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth,
Their words to the ends of the world....."
So having declared that mankind had no excuse for not knowing God, for " suppressing the truth", God's Word then addresses, in particular, why men and women have become homosexuals - " God gave them over" . That is, mankind reaped the reward of persistent godlessness and rebellion against a God who had revealed Himself, with power, to all mankind. So it is not that God did evil and allowed people to fall into sin. But rather, that the outcome of persistent rebellion against God leads inevitably to evil - of all kinds. And it is the "all kinds of other evil", that we have all committed, that St. Paul addresses in the less well known and read third section of Romans 1:18-32.
"........Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil, they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do these things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very same things but also approve of those who practice them".
Wow! Makes you wonder if we have been too hard on George W. Bush. As which one of us can claim that we are not represented in this very instructive passage of Scripture? Has our focus on the, admittedly sinful, acts of homosexuals, acted as a distraction from acknowledging our own sins and responding correctly to Jesus' call: " Repent and believe the good news".
Heartless..disobeying their parents....filled with every kind of depravity...insolent...full of murder....inventing ways if doing evil...." Does that not explain fully what is happening in Jamaica? What happened to Bush and his cronies! Why Osama bin Laden acted on 9/11 in the way that he did! Why, " everywhere is war", according to the late Bob Marley? And can such disobedience to parents, inventing ways of doing evil, heartlessness be cured and controlled by teaching people about family life, or by community policing or " hard policing for that matter, or " social interventions"? Is the replacement of Bush by Obama going to change " heartlessness in Israel and in Gaza? Or in Afghanistan or Iraq? Will such change make a difference to the greed and arrogance on Wall Street? Or the wickedness in Zimbabwe and in the DRC? ( Congo)
No, the reality is that, as my new Sunday morning traveling companion friend, who loves reading and quoting the Bible, has discovered, but not yet acted upon, is that unless we understand how wicked we are, we will never come to truly love Jesus. To want to know Him and what He has done for us on Calvary. To have our souls wait on him, " as the watchman waits for the morning", according to the Psalmist ( 130). To abandon every other pursuit in life until we gain this life giving and life sustaining salvation.
But, as the final part of the message indicates, this kind of evaluation of self, is hard for modern man and woman to " stomach". I was so struck by the reflection that it formed the basis of a text message sent out to many on my address book who have, until now, resisted the call to " Repent and believe the good news" - That " God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life " John 3: 16 . The most popular verse in history.
CHRIS TIEGEN JANUARY 19 LIGHT AND TRUTH
" I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness". John 12:46
IN WORD We live in a dark kingdom( Colossians 1: 13). The Bible is very clear and consistent about that. Our understanding was darkened ( Ephesians 4:18); we are surrounded by powers of darkness( Ephesians 6:12); we ourselves have done deeds of darkness( Romans 13:12); our motives are dark( Corinthians4:50 and even when we see god, we see Him very dimly ( 1 Cor. 13:12). In fact, Paul goes so far as to say that we were darkness( Ephesians 5:8).
This is insulting to the human ego, to say the least. We think we're fairly well educated and wise. We even have an intellectual era we refer to as the enlightenment. So when Jesus implies that He has come into the darkness, we might wonder where all this alleged darkness is. Aren't we pretty bright folks?
No, Jesus really is the only light this world has ever seen. We can't find illumination anywhere else. He's the One who through God once said "Let there be light," and there was light. We're the ones who shrouded this planet in a sinful haze of spiritual blindness. He came back into it with all the radiance of a million suns.
IN DEED Plato told an allegory of people who saw each other as shadows. They thought that they could see clearly enough, because shadows were all they knew. Like Plato's cave dwellers, we think we're well informed; and when we encounter light, we feel the pain of of brightness in our maladapted eyes. We turn back to the darkness we're so comfortable with.
Do not dabble in the wisdom of this world. the world no longer has anything to offer you. Its interpretation of life are but shadows; its knowledge is untouched by the light of truth. Do you really want understanding? Open your mind exclusively to Jesus and let Him shine.
Will these words cure us of our "backsliding"? Will they place in proper perspective Obama's role in history? Will we view George W. Bush in a different light? Will we read the book of Romans with a different perspective? Will we be humble enough to obey Jesus and repent and believe the good news? Will we understand better that social interventions in and by themselves cannot never cure mankind of " all kind of evil"? Will we ever appreciate fully that the " good news" is not about Jesus, not about the many messages in the Bible. But Jesus Himself. That only in Him and through Him can we ever be free from God's wrath and remain forever in His love. Thank God for Obama. But O God, we thank you so very much more for Jesus Christ, Son of the living God and our Blessed Redeemer.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Listening to Obama and listening to God
It's just amazing. For the entire weekend CNN has devoted most of its programming to cover the Obama pre-inauguration activities. Such is the hype surrounding the next President of the USA, as it appears that all of America is waiting with bated breath to hear his utterances, his next words of wisdom and his next inspiring speech. Perhaps they might as well declare Tuesday January 20th a public holiday also, following the one on Monday when Martin Luther King day will be celebrated. In fact, if the reports are accurate, perhaps most of the western world will take time out to listen to Obama's inaugural speech as the next President of the USA. Amazing stuff. In fact I can well recall hearing Obama's speech, played in its entirely on a local radio station, Nationwidenews, when he won his first primary in Iowa. I was driving to work, and tears came to my eyes and goosebumps covered my body as the soaring rhetoric and strong message of hope took hold of me in a way that had not happened for many a year. Such is the power of this man from whom , everybody wants to hear in these troubling times. Apart from Martin Luther King, who touched the souls of so many people around the world, very few modern leaders have been as inspiring as Barack Obama. We had a Prime Minister here in Jamaica many years ago, Michael Manley, who only had to stand and say , " Mr. Chairman" and everybody would go wild. But he was not in the same category as Obama. The point is though, are the American people really listening to what he is saying to them, as, the consistent undergirding theme, is his call for them to make some serious adjustments in their lifestyle? In their stewardship over the environment; in their approach to family life and care of their children; in the way they conduct their politics; in the way the capitalist model of running a economy has gone astray; in how they view and relate to others of different views and ethnic backgrounds within America and in the wider world and in their understanding of self and relationship to neighbour. Have they really been listening!
But as much as Obama's speeches have been closely followed by many, it was another, and much less celebrated woman, whose advice I heard on a local radio station - The Breakfast Club - which stayed with me all week. And whose words I have shared with a few other women this week.
They were discussing relationships and the do's and don't's which women, and men, should be aware of in the early stages, in order to better secure a successful long term union. At which point a local psychologist, with a strong focus on women, declared that , " women ought to learn to listen carefully to what men say in the first two weeks of a relationship. As this is the time that they are most vulnerable and will tell you all you need to know( in order for you to make a sound judgement). So if they turn up late for a date - that's saying something. If they treat the waiter at the restaurant with disrespect - that's saying something also". But, she went on to explain, that in her experience, women do not really listen carefully as they are either too busy chatting, or too emotionally caught up with the moment to listen. As a consequence, signals that a man sends out , and which really ought to raise 'red flags', go undetected , or ignored, and thus form the basis for much pain and grief later in the relationship.
All of this together with the spiritual lessons, which the Lord, who continues to amaze me with His timing, taught me this week, reinforced in my mind the critical importance of listening. Not just to man, but to the Creator of Heaven and Earth and all that is in it. In fact, one of my favourite theologians , from whom I have learnt much, John Stott, speaks clearly about the need for Christians to learn the art of, "Double Listening" - to the world around us and to God. In his own words he states in, " The Contemporary Christian" that ...." We listen to the Word in humble reverence, anxious to understand it, and resolved to believe and obey what we come to understand. We listen to the world with critical alertness, anxious to understand it too, and resolved not necessarily to believe and obey it, but to sympathize with it and to seek grace to discover how the gospel relates to it".
So what did the Lord reveal to me about listening to Him this week, as the Obama hype threatened to drown out God's Word, and my sympathy with, and amazement at, women who do not listen, time and time again, with very sad consequences, occupied much of my thoughts.
First He led me to reflect on the well known story about the prophet Samuel and his first encounter with the Lord. " ........speak Lord for thy servant heareth". 1 Samuel 3:1-8. The OT lesson appointed in the Anglican church for this Sunday.
And how the Lord told Samuel that He was going to judge his master Eli's family "forever", for he had failed to restrain his sons from committing sins and making themselves " comtemptible", even though he knew about their corrupt practices. Then the Spirit of the Lord led me to Ezekiel and to these words.
"He said to me, " Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you..........Son of man I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, " This is what the Sovereign Lord says. And whether they listen or fail to listen - for they are a rebellious house - they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you son of man, do not be afraid of them and or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say, or be terrified by them, though are a rebellious house. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house....."
Ezekiel 2: 1-8 NIV
I have long held the view, and such thoughts are reflected in the prayer for this Internet Ministry, that my country, in particular, will not change for the better until the church is renewed.
" Lord renew thy church beginning with me. Lord renew thy church that the church may renew the nation", is the prayer.
Yes, there are issues of leadership, justice, economic management, family life and the kind of wisdom that we all should seek, as the twin realities of Obama and the unwise woman teach us. Lessons that life teaches us and which help us to hone our social economic and moral skills. But that experience, and those lessons, however well learnt, in and by themselves alone, will never help us to overcome the entrenched evil which is so pervasive in our island home. And manifest in the seemingly unstoppable " shottas" killing off our people and causing so much pain and grief in the nation.
Yes there is a role for the church to challenge the society and especially our political and business leaders as happens in Jamaica on the third Thursday of each New Year, when the church leaders organize a National Prayer Breakfast - whether they listen or fail to listen.
But for me, the key point in this week of lessons on the importance of listening, is the great need for the " New Israel" the present " Body of Christ", the church, to heed the call to repent of its rebellious ways. In the same way that young Samuel, after listening to God, was called to speak to Eli, and Ezekiel, in like manner, to speak to the children of Israel. And therefore the urgent need for us to look deep into our own souls and repent, and also to help one another along this road of repentance - whether they listen of fail to listen.
So it is not only that Jamaica, and indeed Jamaicans - and other countries too- are suffering because we have rebelled, heard but not listened and obeyed, against the ordained Word of God, and sought to follow "idols and gods who our fathers and mothers did not know", but equally so that church of God in Jamaica in need of renewal and cleansing. One of the most perplexing questions that we as Christians have to confront, about others who do not believe and for us who are always going astray and being disobedient is Why? Why do we believe in the Salvation offered on the Cross by the Lord Jesus and others do not - with disastrous consequences for the nation and for the individuals in due course? Why do we, who believe, and claim Christ, are so easily led astray into rank disobedience, time and time again, in little and serious sins - with equally disastrous consequences for the spiritual health of the nation?
And the Lord who knows everything in advance provided a reflection with some answers - this week.
EARS TO HEAR CHRIS TIEGEN JANUARY 15TH
" He who has ears to hear, let him hear". Luke 8:8
IN WORD Jesus uses this imperative fourteen times in the Gospels and Revelation. It is a common but curious command in His teachings. And it raises a lot of questions for us. Why, for example, would the One who was sent to seek and to save us seem so casual about who hears and obeys? Why is He not pleading with the obstinate to repent?
We may never know some of the intricacies of God's salvation --- why some believe while others don't. The reasons are mysterious to us. But one thing is clear: Jesus comes with the expectation that some will be ready to receive His message enthusiastically. And with that clear expectation comes the negative implication: Some will not. There are stubborn hearts in this world, listeners " without ears," and those who will not open themselves to the possibility of the truth of the Gospel. Even among believers, Jesus faced this resistance. many who accepted His claims could not --or simply would not --accept all of His teachings ( see john 6:60-66, for example). Then and now, we see a strange phenomenon --priceless, eternal truth is often not welcome in human hearts.
IN DEED This ability to hear has profound implications for unbelievers. rebellious souls cannot hear the words of Jesus -- really hear them -- until they recognize an acknowledge their won insufficiency. ( One of the great ironies of our age is that those who most often claim open-mindedness and the potentials of human enlightenment have completely shut their eyes to Jesus.) But this concept also has profound applications for us. We, too, must always be on our guard and aware of our insufficiency. Human nature gravitates towards rebellion and its inevitable result --deafness.
Jesus almost always uses this phrase after a difficult message. His hard teachings are often a stumbling block, but we can use them as a true test of the openness of our hearts. When Jesus' word grate against our natural inclinations, we must ask ourselves, " Do I have ears to hear?" How we respond will indicate the condition of our hearts.
Finally as I thought about the lessons for this week, a pastor at my church preached a sermon on " Christian Unity". And how much it is a "scandal" that there is so much division, competitiveness, and strained relationships in the " body of Christ". I thought about how so many churches get caught up in the "hype" of Christianity, listening a lot to songs like, " Jesus is my Redeemer - I love it too - but not being exposed to the deeper truths of the teachings of Christ. And therefore not really listening and not being renewed and not being truly effective disciples of Christ - falling away when temptations and trials come. I thought about all the attention being paid to Obama, "the leader of the free world", and how few are really listening to and being obedient to One God and Creator of all mankind, and whose promises will always come true. And as I write the wonderful words of an old hymn come into my heart:
Hark my soul! it is the Lord
Tis the Saviour, hear his word
Jesus speaks , and speaks to thee,
'Say poor sinner, lov'st thou me
I delivered thee when bound,
And when wounded, healed thy wound
Sought thee wondering, set thee right,
Turned thy darkness into light.......
Lord, it is my chief complaint
That my love is weak and faint;
But I love thee and adore;
O for grace to love thee more
I pray God that Obama will become an outstanding President. That people in America will listen carefully and respond to what he is actually saying. That women may learn to listen to men carefully before committing themselves to an intimate relationship. But most of all, I pray that we who have been created by God in His own image, and Redeemed, reconciled to Him by the blood of His own Son, may listen truly to Him and become obedient to His Son Jesus Christ and find true peace in this troubled world. O for grace to love and obey Him more. Amen
But as much as Obama's speeches have been closely followed by many, it was another, and much less celebrated woman, whose advice I heard on a local radio station - The Breakfast Club - which stayed with me all week. And whose words I have shared with a few other women this week.
They were discussing relationships and the do's and don't's which women, and men, should be aware of in the early stages, in order to better secure a successful long term union. At which point a local psychologist, with a strong focus on women, declared that , " women ought to learn to listen carefully to what men say in the first two weeks of a relationship. As this is the time that they are most vulnerable and will tell you all you need to know( in order for you to make a sound judgement). So if they turn up late for a date - that's saying something. If they treat the waiter at the restaurant with disrespect - that's saying something also". But, she went on to explain, that in her experience, women do not really listen carefully as they are either too busy chatting, or too emotionally caught up with the moment to listen. As a consequence, signals that a man sends out , and which really ought to raise 'red flags', go undetected , or ignored, and thus form the basis for much pain and grief later in the relationship.
All of this together with the spiritual lessons, which the Lord, who continues to amaze me with His timing, taught me this week, reinforced in my mind the critical importance of listening. Not just to man, but to the Creator of Heaven and Earth and all that is in it. In fact, one of my favourite theologians , from whom I have learnt much, John Stott, speaks clearly about the need for Christians to learn the art of, "Double Listening" - to the world around us and to God. In his own words he states in, " The Contemporary Christian" that ...." We listen to the Word in humble reverence, anxious to understand it, and resolved to believe and obey what we come to understand. We listen to the world with critical alertness, anxious to understand it too, and resolved not necessarily to believe and obey it, but to sympathize with it and to seek grace to discover how the gospel relates to it".
So what did the Lord reveal to me about listening to Him this week, as the Obama hype threatened to drown out God's Word, and my sympathy with, and amazement at, women who do not listen, time and time again, with very sad consequences, occupied much of my thoughts.
First He led me to reflect on the well known story about the prophet Samuel and his first encounter with the Lord. " ........speak Lord for thy servant heareth". 1 Samuel 3:1-8. The OT lesson appointed in the Anglican church for this Sunday.
And how the Lord told Samuel that He was going to judge his master Eli's family "forever", for he had failed to restrain his sons from committing sins and making themselves " comtemptible", even though he knew about their corrupt practices. Then the Spirit of the Lord led me to Ezekiel and to these words.
"He said to me, " Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you..........Son of man I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, " This is what the Sovereign Lord says. And whether they listen or fail to listen - for they are a rebellious house - they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you son of man, do not be afraid of them and or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say, or be terrified by them, though are a rebellious house. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house....."
Ezekiel 2: 1-8 NIV
I have long held the view, and such thoughts are reflected in the prayer for this Internet Ministry, that my country, in particular, will not change for the better until the church is renewed.
" Lord renew thy church beginning with me. Lord renew thy church that the church may renew the nation", is the prayer.
Yes, there are issues of leadership, justice, economic management, family life and the kind of wisdom that we all should seek, as the twin realities of Obama and the unwise woman teach us. Lessons that life teaches us and which help us to hone our social economic and moral skills. But that experience, and those lessons, however well learnt, in and by themselves alone, will never help us to overcome the entrenched evil which is so pervasive in our island home. And manifest in the seemingly unstoppable " shottas" killing off our people and causing so much pain and grief in the nation.
Yes there is a role for the church to challenge the society and especially our political and business leaders as happens in Jamaica on the third Thursday of each New Year, when the church leaders organize a National Prayer Breakfast - whether they listen or fail to listen.
But for me, the key point in this week of lessons on the importance of listening, is the great need for the " New Israel" the present " Body of Christ", the church, to heed the call to repent of its rebellious ways. In the same way that young Samuel, after listening to God, was called to speak to Eli, and Ezekiel, in like manner, to speak to the children of Israel. And therefore the urgent need for us to look deep into our own souls and repent, and also to help one another along this road of repentance - whether they listen of fail to listen.
So it is not only that Jamaica, and indeed Jamaicans - and other countries too- are suffering because we have rebelled, heard but not listened and obeyed, against the ordained Word of God, and sought to follow "idols and gods who our fathers and mothers did not know", but equally so that church of God in Jamaica in need of renewal and cleansing. One of the most perplexing questions that we as Christians have to confront, about others who do not believe and for us who are always going astray and being disobedient is Why? Why do we believe in the Salvation offered on the Cross by the Lord Jesus and others do not - with disastrous consequences for the nation and for the individuals in due course? Why do we, who believe, and claim Christ, are so easily led astray into rank disobedience, time and time again, in little and serious sins - with equally disastrous consequences for the spiritual health of the nation?
And the Lord who knows everything in advance provided a reflection with some answers - this week.
EARS TO HEAR CHRIS TIEGEN JANUARY 15TH
" He who has ears to hear, let him hear". Luke 8:8
IN WORD Jesus uses this imperative fourteen times in the Gospels and Revelation. It is a common but curious command in His teachings. And it raises a lot of questions for us. Why, for example, would the One who was sent to seek and to save us seem so casual about who hears and obeys? Why is He not pleading with the obstinate to repent?
We may never know some of the intricacies of God's salvation --- why some believe while others don't. The reasons are mysterious to us. But one thing is clear: Jesus comes with the expectation that some will be ready to receive His message enthusiastically. And with that clear expectation comes the negative implication: Some will not. There are stubborn hearts in this world, listeners " without ears," and those who will not open themselves to the possibility of the truth of the Gospel. Even among believers, Jesus faced this resistance. many who accepted His claims could not --or simply would not --accept all of His teachings ( see john 6:60-66, for example). Then and now, we see a strange phenomenon --priceless, eternal truth is often not welcome in human hearts.
IN DEED This ability to hear has profound implications for unbelievers. rebellious souls cannot hear the words of Jesus -- really hear them -- until they recognize an acknowledge their won insufficiency. ( One of the great ironies of our age is that those who most often claim open-mindedness and the potentials of human enlightenment have completely shut their eyes to Jesus.) But this concept also has profound applications for us. We, too, must always be on our guard and aware of our insufficiency. Human nature gravitates towards rebellion and its inevitable result --deafness.
Jesus almost always uses this phrase after a difficult message. His hard teachings are often a stumbling block, but we can use them as a true test of the openness of our hearts. When Jesus' word grate against our natural inclinations, we must ask ourselves, " Do I have ears to hear?" How we respond will indicate the condition of our hearts.
Finally as I thought about the lessons for this week, a pastor at my church preached a sermon on " Christian Unity". And how much it is a "scandal" that there is so much division, competitiveness, and strained relationships in the " body of Christ". I thought about how so many churches get caught up in the "hype" of Christianity, listening a lot to songs like, " Jesus is my Redeemer - I love it too - but not being exposed to the deeper truths of the teachings of Christ. And therefore not really listening and not being renewed and not being truly effective disciples of Christ - falling away when temptations and trials come. I thought about all the attention being paid to Obama, "the leader of the free world", and how few are really listening to and being obedient to One God and Creator of all mankind, and whose promises will always come true. And as I write the wonderful words of an old hymn come into my heart:
Hark my soul! it is the Lord
Tis the Saviour, hear his word
Jesus speaks , and speaks to thee,
'Say poor sinner, lov'st thou me
I delivered thee when bound,
And when wounded, healed thy wound
Sought thee wondering, set thee right,
Turned thy darkness into light.......
Lord, it is my chief complaint
That my love is weak and faint;
But I love thee and adore;
O for grace to love thee more
I pray God that Obama will become an outstanding President. That people in America will listen carefully and respond to what he is actually saying. That women may learn to listen to men carefully before committing themselves to an intimate relationship. But most of all, I pray that we who have been created by God in His own image, and Redeemed, reconciled to Him by the blood of His own Son, may listen truly to Him and become obedient to His Son Jesus Christ and find true peace in this troubled world. O for grace to love and obey Him more. Amen
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