Thought for the Day 2024

21st December 2024

Luke 1:35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you. The power of the Most High will cover you. The holy Child you give birth to will be called the Son of God.”

What is Christmas about for you? Lights, decorations, parties, food, family, presents, time off work??? Quite probably a combination of all three. For many, Christmas is a sad time of year remembering those no longer with us. For some it is a lonely time with little or no family to visit. In the midst of all this let’s not forget why we celebrate Christmas. The story of Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, Kings and Baby Jesus, son of God, born in a stable, come to restore humans back to God. Those first visitors didn’t know the story, but they came, Mary did not know the story even as it was unfolding in front of her. But they come and celebrate the Newborn king. Whatever you do this Christmas, in the midst of all the food, the fun, the presents, remember why we have Christmas and remember to say thank you to God for sending Jesus. The first and most important gift of all!

20th December 2024

2 Corinthians 4:8 We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but never in despair.

I grew up with the promoted belief that Nelson Mandela was a terrible criminal. That’s what we were told. Then the world came to recognise how his work against corruption and injustice put him prison. The journey from imprisonment to presidency is a testament to the indomitable human spirit. As a prominent anti-apartheid leader in South Africa, Mandela endured 27 long years of confinement for his unwavering activism against the oppressive apartheid regime. Despite the attempts to silence him, Mandela’s spirit remained unbreakable, serving as a beacon of hope and justice for South Africans and people worldwide. From within Mandela found strength to keep going, he had that hope in what could be achieved when we stand for what is right. Faith that kept going even when the whole world seemed against him. Do we have faith like that? I know I struggle, but it is something to aspire to.

19th December 2024

Luke 1:38 Let it be to me according to your word.

We hear the story of Gabriel's visit to Mary a lot at this time of year. She listens and then says Bring it on! That my paraphrase. Let it happen as you say Lord. Have you ever said that to God? Bring it on, let it happen? Mary, at this point, offers no ifs or buts just whatever you say I am willing. It is not easy. Very quickly the doubts come. Did I? Did God? Is that really what I am called to do? Mary must have wondered through her life, watching Jesus grow, take on His role, head towards death, was this really God’s plan? We will wonder sometimes, we will question and that is okay. God is quite happy to reassure us, to remind us of the kept promises, of the calling on our life. We just need to be willing to say we will rise to the challenge in God’s strength.

18th December 2024

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.

What is your imagination like? Are you a creative person? Our imaginations, our creativity plays a big part in who we are. It allows us to see the bigger picture, to expand our possibilities. Imagination can create mental representations of things not physically present at that moment in time. It allows us to envision a future and explore hypothetical scenarios. Imagination helps us thrive in creative endeavours. We can use imagination to achieve goals. Even Daydreaming is helpful as it is a combination of knowledge and imagination. Thinking about the good, the truth, honesty, lovely things, about joy and excellence helps to boost that God given creative thinking.

17th December 2024

2 Corinthians 4:7 Yet we who have this spiritual treasure are like common clay pots, in order to show that the supreme power belongs to God, not to us.

The human spirit is amazing. People who somehow overcome difficulties to make an impact on others. Helen Keller, born blind, deaf and a female when that alone was a huge draw back. She was easily written off, but Helen would not accept that. Keller learned to communicate and became an influential author, educator, and activist. Keller’s accomplishments, including graduating from Radcliffe College and establishing a charitable organization, continue to inspire countless individuals facing their own challenges today. She found a way because she believed God had a purpose for her. God has a purpose for us and we must seek that out.

16th December 2024

Romans 8:27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

I remember being in a restaurant when a celebrity came in and on being told there was no table at that moment shouted those words, “Do you know who I am?” The self-importance was oozing out of him. Self-knowledge is vital to us no matter who we maybe. Knowing who we are helps us explore self-acceptance and treat ourselves with more compassion and in doing so recognise others need more compassion and empathy from us. A lesson this person needed to learn. We realise no one can ever know everything about someone else or their situation. Knowing who we are helps us to uncover our personal values, what really matters and what motivates our actions. It allows us to stop caring about who others think we should be and motivate ourselves to do what is right. As much as there are common human traits, each of us is an individual, unique in the eyes of God who knows our our hearts and minds.

15th December 2024

Ephesians 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

How much do you value your independence? As we grow older, we gain more and more, as we get very old, we often lose that independence again. As part of this learning to be independent we must also gain wisdom and be aware of revelation, of learning and knowing. Becoming independent is wrapped up with enlightenment, understanding the skills and things we need to be independent. To learn how to live our lives to the fullest in the best way possible. Parents have to allow their children to step out, to learn responsibility and independence. Children need to understand their parents worry and concern when they do that. God wants us to have our independence but to be well enough informed and enlightened that we use our independence well.

14th December 2024

 2 Corinthians 4:11 Throughout our lives we are always in danger for Jesus' sake, in order that his life may be seen in this mortal body of ours.

If I asked you what you have overcome to be where you are today, you might struggle to think of something, and yet there are so many people who have overcome physical, emotional and mental obstacles to be where they are now. We are not defined by any disability, any persecution, any background, any culture. People may try to define us in these ways, but we can overcome any difficulties in God’s strength. The daily battle to overcome what society holds against us happens in God’s strength, with His encouragement and support. The knowledge that we are not alone in anything we face. Knowing that through us others see God at work in our lives making a difference.

13th December 2024

Mark 13: 5 Jesus said to them “Be on your Guard”

What do worry about? What things make you attentive and careful? We need to be watchful, keeping our loved ones, our homes and our money safe. We are always being told to watch out for scammers. Jesus told His Disciples to be on their guard, to be watchful because people will try to mislead them. Jesus encourages them to watch, look, discern the truth. We are encouraged to search out the truth, to consider what is happening and our response to it. We need to trust God and challenge misinformation. People will lie to us, will try to mislead us, even within the church we must be careful, there are those who have operated under cover to mislead people and in doing so have caused huge mistrust of the church and it’s leaders. Even with Jesus, disciples fled at His arrest, Peter lied about knowing Him, but God is in the business of forgiveness time and time again. Keep alert, be watchful, challenge and check!

12th December 2024

Luke 7:20b Are you the one who is to come or are we to wait for another?

Often we ask the questions, is it you? Do you hear me? Do you care? Has it all been worth it? I know I ask these questions of God. John the Baptist is in prison, in fear of his life, and the doubts surface. In his despair he wants reassurance about who Jesus is. John is Jesus' cousin, he baptised Jesus, he prophesied about Jesus but in this difficult time the doubts are there. It is okay to have doubts. It is not a lack of faith to need reassurance. What Jesus does here is to remind John of what He has done, of the miracles, of the teaching. We to need to be reminded of what God has done, is doing and so we can know He will keep doing. We need to look back, see the blessings and be encouraged by them. Much of life is about waiting, not always being sure, Advent is about waiting, waiting for Jesus coming, as we wait, we can look and see what God has, is and so will do and be encouraged and reassured.

11th December 2024

John 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

I have been watching a programme about the renaissance. Learning about what drove the artists, their faith and the evils of those who were supposed to be serving God, which is quite unsettling. The corruption and self-service of those who were supposed to serve God is frightening. Yet we see it around us even today. Those who no longer serve God but serve the organisation of the church and themselves. Where money is the prime driver. Where reputation is preserved at all costs. No wonder people turn from the church. And yet at the ordinary level, in the little parish churches God is at work, people are helped, needs are met and folk find blessing and community. In the midst of feeling let down, unsupported and betrayed by the national church, God is there, God is working and God is challenging the normality as it has become. At this time of Advent, when we should be examining ourselves and our lifestyles, I hope and pray that those in leadership of the national church, whose behaviour has been far short of exemplary, will be challenged by God and act accordingly.

10th December 2024

John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

You may have seen the Childline advert on TV. A little girl with no presents, no one caring for her on Christmas morning. She rings Child Line in her sadness and vulnerability. Christingle services, over the Christmas period, help the Children’s Society provide help for vulnerable children and young people. For some young people they don’t have a lot of hope. Things have happened to them which have left them hurt, scared and vulnerable. These young people hope for safety, warmth, protection and care. Christingle services remind us of the hope of Jesus who brings light into the world. We collect for the Children’s society at these services so they can help as many children and young people as possible, to give them back their hope. 

9th December 2024

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

What is on your Christmas list? Perhaps you have sent a letter to Santa? We hope that the gifts we receive might be those things we hoped for. Do you have stocking? What is usually in it? I remember, sweets, playing cards, pencils, a toy, a torch and at the end of the stocking, an Orange. Oranges were valuable, hard to get hold of, they were a special gift. Oranges have segments, it is easy to share them. Oranges represent the gold St Nicholas dropped into the stockings of the poor. Oranges offer Hope. It is great when we receive a gift we’ve been hoping for. Is there a gift you can give someone to make their hopes come true? People love to receives cards and letters. Could you send a card, a message of love? Is there someone who needs to hear that they are loved and cared for? Someone to whom we can give hope today?

8th December 2024

Romans 8:25 Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

I had a friend who in her late 20’s decided to go and find herself. She disappeared for a year, travelling. We met up after she came back, and I asked her if she had found herself. Her reply was, I already knew who I was, I just needed some time away, some time for me, where I could look inside and recognise that I knew who I was. Sometimes we need time away from the norm, from the everyday to look back into ourselves and recognise who we are and learn a few things about ourselves. Knowing who we are helps us to protect our mental health and wellbeing. We learn the signs that tell us to use the strategies we have, to ask for help, to take time out. Knowing who we are enables us to be aware and thoughtful about how we present ourselves to the world around us. If we are secure in ourselves then we present our true God given persona.

7th December 2024

Psalm 68:1 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the LORD; exult before him!

We often talk about singing someone’s praises when they do good things. Praise is a positive way to acknowledge goodness and helps to encourage us toward being good people. In the Bible the Psalms give us clear pictures of God’s character and nature that we don’t see in other parts of the Bible. Many of the hymns and songs we sing speak of these traits of God as we lift up our voices to praise Him together. Often a Psalm will begin with an exhortation for us to sing or raise our voices in praise. Then in following verses the Psalmist enlarges on their reasons why we should sing to God. We praise God because of all He has done for us, we sing and raise our voices to acknowledge all that is good in our world, all that God created and gave to us.

6th December 2024

Matthew 21:27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

How are you doing opening the doors on your Advent calendar? The word Advent means "coming”. It is a period of time when we look forward to the celebration of Jesus’ birth at Christmas, we get ready, open the doors on the calendar, put up the tree and the decorations, buy the gifts, write to Santa….. BUT we also look forward to Jesus’ return. Jesus promised He would come again, and we look forward to it, just as people 2,000 years ago looked forward to the Saviour being born. No one knows exactly when Jesus will come back. It isn't marked on the calendar, but there are signs, God tells us what to look for, what will happen, and so we watch and wait, expectantly.

5th December 2024

Jeremiah 33:15 In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.

Just over two thousand years ago, there was no TV, radio or newspapers announcing that a child would be born and that He would be the Saviour of the world. When Jesus was born, there were Angels telling shepherds on the hillside and a star showing Kings the way from the East, but very few people in Bethlehem knew about it. BUT, it was an event that God had promised. All through the Old Testament it was foretold by the prophets that the Messiah would come and be born in Bethlehem from the line of King David. Many people had been looking forward to the coming of the Saviour, but they didn't know exactly when He was coming. They needed to watch, look and listen. As we prepare to celebrate the birthday of our Saviour, let's also be sure we are ready for when He comes again. We too, need to watch, look and listen for the coming King.

4th December 2024

Matthew 1:18b This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about…….

We are now in Advent and December. Christmas is coming soon. It’s easy to tell. We see the signs all around us. The shops are full of Christmas gifts and food, we see Christmas decorations on houses; we hear Christmas songs on the radio; we see the commercials on TV, and more. My personal favourite commercial this year is Boots, because at last it has been recognised that to organise such an amazing feat of getting Santa round the world during Christmas night, it takes a woman to organise it! Well done Mrs Claus. But, if we didn't have all of these things to remind us, how would we know that Christmas is coming? Do we know the signs? Do we know what the Bible actually says about Jesus coming that first Christmas. We might think we know the story but perhaps we need to use some time during Advent to remind ourselves of exactly how the birth of Jesus came about.

3rd December 2024

John 6: Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

Last Saturday was St Andrew’s day, the last day of the churches year before Advent begins the new church year. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland with many churches bearing his name including our own. St Andrew is an example of someone who was willing to stand up and be counted even if it meant possible failure. Andrew was quite happy to say, this is me, as I am. He was secure in himself in Jesus. A great example for us. In a situation where 5000 plus people needed feeding Andrew finds one small, packed lunch which he brings to Jesus. I am pretty sure those around him scoffed, laughed and thought he was a failure. Andrew stuck with it and Jesus turns the small lunch into enough food for everyone and more. He takes Andrew’s perceived failure and makes a difference. From small acorns huge oak trees grow. From small things we do which may to others seem stupid, silly or a failure, big things can and do happen. St Andrew went through huge things, challenges, prison, injuries and suffering, eventually being crucified on a saltire, the diagonal cross shape as seen in white on the Scottish flag. What to many seemed like failure enabled Andrew to spread the stories of Jesus worldwide. He was who he was because of the failures, the difficulties and struggles and he used them to share what he had with others.

2nd December 2024

Genesis 21:1 The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised.

Yesterday we remembered the Patriarchs, but what about the Matriarchs, the founding mothers of our faith. The male dominance of religion over the years has meant women have often been forgotten in the story of faith. The Matriarchs are Sarah, Rebecca, Lear and Rachel. The wives of the Patriarchs and they played a vital role in the story. Sarah saves Abraham and is given a son in her old age. Rebecca has a kind and generous heart, marries Isaac and bears the twins Esau and Jacob. Jacob marries Leah and Rachel. Rachel has her own tomb and is a popular role model of faith. These women laid a foundation of faith, believed that God would keep His promises and we would not be where we are without these women of faith who have often been in the shadows praying, working and doing God’s will.

1st December 2024

Deuteronomy1:8 They laid claim to Canaan based on the covenant God made with their first three patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob—to “possess the land”.

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. We light the first candle on the advent wreath for the Patriarchs. It is a candle of hope. The Patriarchs are the founding fathers of our faith they are the fathers of Judaism; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. Abraham is the one with whom God makes the amazing covenant of blessing to all nations. Isaac, his son, knows the promise of God, never sees any of it fulfilled in his life time, but he persists with believing and trusting God. And Jacob, who runs away fearing his brother, and dreams of angels ascending and descending to heaven. He wrestles with God and so wins the name of Israel. As we remember these founders of our faith lets remember to thank God for those who have founded and strengthened our faith. 

30th November 2024

John 16:30b Now we believe that you came from God.

At some time or another most of use those words, “Now I get it. Now I understand” The disciples have seen so much, been taught so much by Jesus and now, not long before His death, they say, now we understand who you are. Jesus seems a little frustrated, who can blame Him, but He also knows that even with this understanding they will still run away, deny Him and hide. He also knows they will go on to change the world even with their faults. He offers them peace, courage and support. So it is with us, we may not always get it, we may think we get it and still mess up. Jesus promises peace, courage and forgiveness. He knows the world is tough, He knows we will get it wrong but He still believes in us, we too can change the world and Jesus does not give up on us. May we not give up on ourselves but allow Him to forgive us and learn to forgive ourselves.

29th November 2024

Proverbs 31:8-9 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

When we look at the world around us who do we see as the most important people? Sadly, it is often the celebrities, the wealthy, those with status, at the top of the pile, who we see as important. The Bible presents a very different picture. Jesus talks about the place of children and the vulnerable in the Kingdom of Heaven, about our responsibility to protect them. We need to put them at the very heart of everything we do. For this to happen we must relinquish our love of status, wealth and position. We need to examine and change our ideas about leadership and how leaders should behave. We must change so that we treat all others with respect, but especially those who are often regarded as less important, those we don’t listen to, those in society that we easily disregard. Particularly at this present time, the vulnerable and those mistreated by the church.

28th November 2024

Luke 4: 16,17a He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him.

Many of us have stood up in church or school and read from the Bible. When we read, we know that it is about God, about Jesus and His followers. Imagine if you stood up to read and found that what you were reading was actually about you. That is what is happening here, Jesus reads a passage all about His coming, a prophecy that is now being fulfilled. Sadly, many are too blind to see or hear, just as they are today. These words are helpful to us to see how we should behave as we follow in Jesus’ footsteps. With His spirit upon us we, too, can bring good news to the poor and vulnerable, bring release of the captives, bring healing, fight oppression and share God’s love. It is a good to do list for us as Christians, one worth remembering and in Jesus’ strength looking to act on it each and every day.

27th November 2024

Psalm 38:18 I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.

How often do we say sorry? How often do we say sorry and really mean it. It is very easy to say sorry in such a way as we put blame on the other for taking offence rather than ourselves for being wrong. The church keeps saying it is sorry to victims and survivors of church related abuse but will not implement the necessary changes needed. We need, as a national church, to apologise to local parish churches who have been faithfully working so hard to keep people safe, while we continue to find that the national leadership of our Church has fallen short. The Makin report reveals so many failings and it is too easy to promise change but not fulfil that promise. If sorry really means sorry then it must bring change, and victims and survivors must be at the centre of this.

26th November 2024

Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Priorities, what are our priorities in life? The priorities of governments seem not to be those in need, the vulnerable or the poor, but instead an economy fixed by the poor rather than the rich. In a good, honest world the priority would be children, the vulnerable, sick and disabled and yet the priority of many is power, status, more money, more resources for me rather than you. There needs to be change, mainly at the top, those who make decisions on behalf of all need to be far more accountable, far more in touch and a lot less selfish. There needs to be a culture shift, a priority change. Only when God takes priority and then sets our priorities will things actually change.

25th November 2024

Mark 13:5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you.”

This is a challenge from Jesus not to put faith in buildings or institutions, not to be led astray by people who would mislead us in the guise of knowing what God wants or what is best for us. There is always a need for accountability at all levels. That means senior Bishops, as well as ordinary clergy and lay people who are currently doing a wonderful job whilst being let down by those in senior positions. As the Bishop of Rochester has stated recently The Church of England is in the midst of probably the biggest crisis it has ever faced over safeguarding. This is a major crisis for the whole Church and especially for its leadership. The Archbishop of Canterbury has taken “personal and institutional responsibility” for the failures revealed so starkly in the Makin Report, but it cannot end there. This must be a watershed moment for the Church of England as a whole, and particularly for the leadership of our Church at the national level.

24th November 2024

Mark 10:45 The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

A recent poll showed that 63% of MP’s are in it for themselves. They are not interested in helping their constituents, only themselves. Quite shocking! MPs are supposed to be public servants! How easily nurses and teachers are written off as vocations and service and therefore not paid as well. Service is vital and for Jesus it was why He came. I’m not going to be king. I’m not going to be wealthy. I’m not planning on being popular. I am going to give my life, on a Roman cross, to pay for the sins of the world. Jesus’ closest friends, that includes us, can so easily become money-grabbing, power-hungry people who are trying to use Jesus to get what we really want. That is something to be ashamed of, to be honest with ourselves about. Something we need to change. Amazingly, Jesus loves selfish people, nonreligious people, He loves those who betray and hurt Him. He deliberately gave His life on the cross that we might be reconciled to God. Wow! Our world is ruled by people who lord their authority over others; imagine a world where people used their authority to serve like Jesus!                           

23rd November 2024

Philippians 4:9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

In thinking about our lives whose footsteps have we followed in? Who, over the years, have we learned from? Who was it who revealed Jesus to us as we were growing up? For many of us this will be parents and family, it will include those who led our Sunday Schools and church youth groups, for some it will be teachers and community leaders. We need to take time to thank God for them and what they have placed in our life. We often have no idea of the long-term impact we are having on those we journey with. We have to trust God to water those seeds we plant, and know many will experience God’s love and peace through our words, actions, love and care. 

22nd November 2024

Psalm 68:6: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Sometimes I think we complicate things a little too much and I have found that one of the best philosophers on life is Winnie the Pooh. When things go wrong Pooh quite simply says “If the string on your balloon breaks, then we try another piece of string.” There are many things in life where we need to try another piece of string. Pooh says “we try” he is not on his own and neither must we be on our own, but rather allow others to support us to find our new piece of string and then be willing and ready to support others when they need to find their new piece of string. Facing life’s difficulties together builds us up together and offers the support needed to keep going in the difficult times. God is always present to help, sometimes through others and sometimes in ways we do not expect, but we do not have to face anything alone.

21st November 2024

Psalm 121:4 The protector of Israel never dozes or sleeps. The Lord will guard you; he is by your side to protect you.

Many famous and not so famous entrepreneurs speak of difficult decisions to get up again after failures and keep going. A previous American president, Barak Obama speaks of how setbacks keep you focussed and give you the opportunity to build back stronger. He also speaks of setbacks as the opportunity for honesty. When we do face setbacks one of the best things we can do is not face them alone. When those difficult things come our way, we need to tell someone, to share our setback and in doing so gain strength from others. Humans were never designed to be alone but to share the load with each other. Resilience is built by each of us being the support when a friend is in need and then being supported by them when we are in need. Knowing we are not alone, knowing others have been there too, gives us hope and strength. Strength to carry on even in the midst of setbacks. 

20th November 2024

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Depending on our confidence our expectations can be high or low. If life has been difficult, and we are struggling, often our expectations are low, we don’t believe things can go well because they haven’t for so long. Others with huge confidence, where life has gone well, they have high expectations and seem to achieve them. Actually, we should all try to have high expectations and believe they will be fulfilled. Many inventors and those who have directed change will tell you that you have to live and work as if your expectations have, are and will be fulfilled. That they say is more than half the battle. We need to live in peace with ourselves as who we are, who God made us to be and live secure in that.

19th November 2024

Colossians 1:11 Be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.

If we look at our lives there will be times when we were able to endure and have great patience. If we look at those times and remember how we responded, then we can bring that experience into our life each day and tap into God’s strength to help us. Looking back can be a positive experience and help us to deal with current events in a better way. No experience is wasted. God uses things in our lives to strengthen us, to build us up, to encourage and bless us. His love is always there to support us and we are strengthened in His might to become more patient people with resilience and endurance.

18th November 2024

Mark 10:41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.

How often do we use that phrase, it’s not fair? How often to we get exercised by someone getting in a request before we do, asking out loud for what we think is rightfully ours? The other 10 disciples were outraged at the brothers. Not because they knew what they were doing was wrong but because they were jealous. They were upset they hadn’t had the idea first. James and John were elbowing their way into first place. What about us? Are we busy telling God, what we think He should do for us? Are we complaining about what we have and have a deadline of yesterday for God to fix it? It is as if we see God as a Fairy Godmother, granting us wishes. That He will just make all our dreams come true. If we are honest, we are pretty selfish as humans. God’s love for us is not conditional on how we behave but we should, in His strength, always try to live up to being the best we can be, not putting ourselves first but looking to help others and love each other as God loves us.

17th November 2024

Colossians 3:17 Everything you do or say, then, should be done to your best and more in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks.

Just over 200 years ago Admiral Lord Nelson issued the statement that England expects every man to do his duty. An expectation of duty to a country in order to protect it from enemies. That phrase became a stock clarion call when we were at war. Expectation! People can put expectations on us to behave in a certain way, to say and do certain things. The most important expectation on us is as Christians, our behaviour towards others, how we treat the vulnerable and poor. God calls us to a style of life; to do our best and more, we are expected to live right but God also knows we are human and that means sometimes we do not live up to the expectation. Thankfully God’s expectation is followed up by His forgiveness.

16th November 2024

Colossians 3:16 Christ's message in all its richness must live in your hearts. Teach and instruct one another with all wisdom.

When you went to a certain school, university or job you had an expectation, what it would be like, what it would do for your education and your future. Every club and society you belong to, every activity you do, you have an expectation of what it will help you with, teach you to do. These expectations are linked to our confidence. If we are confident about doing something, going somewhere, being part of a community then that confidence breeds expectation to become better. As we grow and learn we become wise, we allow God’s love for us, in Jesus, to invade our hearts and live there enabling our wisdom to grow and allowing us to become better people.

15th November 2024

I Samuel 16:7, The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

Because God’s family is worldwide, we don’t necessarily share the same DNA with other members in God’s family. How then will we recognise our brothers and sisters who belong to God’s family? How will I know that someone is my sister or brother in Jesus Christ? We will recognize each other by the many God-like characteristics we have. These characteristics are not physical. In our hearts and minds we will be loving, caring, sharing, forgiving; we love Jesus, help others, praise God, pray, read the Bible; we give and have a grateful spirit. This is how we will recognise our brothers and sisters in Christ and how they will recognise us. In God’s Family we will all look different on the outside, but we will be the same on the inside.

14th November 2024

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery but you have received the Spirit of adoption as children, and so we can cry, “Abba! Father!”

There is a wonderful thing in society called adoption, where parents bring a child into their family who doesn’t look physically like the other members of the family but need a new family because their own family can’t take care of them anymore. Someone I know who is adopted says they were chosen to be part of their family. The Bible tells us that we are adopted into God’s family. We are chosen and precious before God and we are joint heirs with Jesus. We are not 2nd class citizens; we are not 2nd best in the family of God. We are chosen and special, loved unconditionally, a full part of the family of God.

13th November 2024

Matthew 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds He went up onto the mountainside and He began to teach them.

Our worlds laws and choices over what is good and bad are based on the rules and teaching of Holy Books and leaders, particularly God and Jesus. The sermon on the Mount contains Jesus’s teaching on decent, good behaviour. It is full of ideas on how we must behave if we are to fulfil our role as Christians on earth. Jesus teaching on topics such as anger, divorce, adultery, swearing, retaliation and caring for others, challenges how we behave. How can we be Jesus followers if we ignore the plight of the poor and needy, if we rage with anger and selfishness, if we retaliate to score points, if we do not care for our human race or creation. The fact we are human means we do mess up, make mistakes, but God’s forgiveness means we can keep trying and we can become better people by living up to His teaching each day.

12th November 2024

Matthew 26:52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.”

Over the Remembrance weekend we, along with other countries involved in war vow not to do it again. WW1 was called the war to end all wars, it did not. Currently there are several wars in our world. Innocent people are dying in their thousands. In simple terms it is because one group does not like another group, wants to destroy that group and wants to take their land. It comes from the desire to always want more and to take it from anyone we dislike. Collective memories serve to remind us of our mistakes, if we are willing to recognise and admit to those mistakes. God created us to live well together, to do so we must recognise and admit our mistakes. We must accept that each of us is valuable to God and treat each other with complete respect. That is the only way, God’s way.

11th  November 2024

Matthew 5:44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

We are currently witnessing the horrors of the Russia, Ukraine war, the Israel, Gaza war amongst others. Remembrance each year reminds us of the horrors of war, of the endless lives lost, the millions who died in world wars while the leaders who caused it lived very safe lives. The Act of Remembrance each year, reminds us not to go there again…… and yet we do! Sadly, memories can fade, the further away from it we get, and lies are told so that innocent suffering is forgotten or excused. Our freedom did not come free, it cost the lives of so many. We must never forget! The poppy, the two mins silence, these serve as a reminder not to forget, not to let those with power and wealth dictate to us what is really important. We must remember those who died in these wars and not go there again!

10th November 2024

Joshua 1:9 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Can you think of a time when you were hard pressed and perplexed? You could not see why things were happening as they were. How did you feel and what gave you the strength to keep going? This Sunday and tomorrow we will remember those who died in the world wars, who lost loved ones, who gave their life for our freedoms. Sometimes it seems easier to give up on something than fight it. If those we remember had given up, we would not be here today, free to believe and worship. Somehow, we are given strength by God to keep going. A little encouragement here, a small voice there. People around us who give us support. We and they face nothing alone, we are reminded here that we will not be crushed, not be abandoned and therefore we are never destroyed. God is with us.

9th November 2024

1 John 3:1a See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

Have you ever had someone say to you, “you look just like your sister, or your brother, or your mom or dad.”? We often coo over new babies and comment on them having mum’s eyes or dad’s ears etc. People from the same family will often have the same or similar looks, skin colour, eyes, hair, height, shape of the nose, body shape, and many other things. This happens because all these physical characteristics are passed on from one generation to another in our genes or DNA. There is another kind of family that we can all belong to no matter what our last name is. In this family we will not all look like each other, this is God’s family. No matter what your last name is, what you look like, or what country you live in we can be a part of God’s Family.

8th November 2024

John 13: 34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

I was once asked to write an epitaph for myself, a message I want to leave for others. I ended up writing what I was, mother, wife etc. As Jesus predicts His death, He leaves a message of love and hope for the disciples. To love as He loved. So simple but so deep. To love as Jesus did we have to help others, heal the sick, care for the vulnerable, feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, accept people as they are, to do our best for each person, to forgive, to pray, to read and study together….. and so much more. This is such a tall order but wrapped in this statement of love. Our calling is to be like Jesus in everything we do and say. We don’t do this alone, we do it in God’s strength, through the Holy Spirit within us. We look at each situation and ask ourselves what would Jesus do (WWJD) and then go and do the same.

7th November 2024

Psalm 119:164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.

I was blessed recently to visit Tintern Abbey in the Wye Valley. An Amazing place where God has been worshipped and people helped. It was ransacked by Henry VIII when he left the Catholic church and yet centuries later it still stands, strong, beautiful and imposing. As I walked round, I touched the walls almost willing them to let out their secrets. If these walls could speak and tell us of the monks and laity who lived and worked there. Those who were helped in the infirmary, those who daily did seven services, rising in the middle of the night to pray. These were people of such faith, who dedicated their lives to God and others. They are examples to us of living day by day as Christians. We may never know them but they set the future for us to believe, to be part of services and festivals to help and encourage our faith. These are the giants of faith on whose shoulders we stand. May we be the giants on whose shoulders those of the future may stand as we pray and serve our Lord.

6th November 2024

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.

A recent break for a few days started with awful traffic problems. The motorway was closed one way, a tunnel closed the other meaning huge volumes of traffic was being forced through one tunnel and it was chaos. The behaviour of drivers was terrible, people forcing their way in, driving up the hard shoulder, other minor accidents were happening and a twenty-minute trip through the tunnel took 3 hours, what our whole trip should have taken. Sadly, so much could have been done by police and traffic officers but the queues were so bad they couldn’t even get through. Those who were to repair the tunnel could not get there to do the job. We have rules and laws to help and protect and as soon as people get stuck these go out the window for many and thus chaos becomes worse. For those who obeyed the rules, followed traffic advice, their honesty cost them far more than those who acted selfishly and illegally. So it is in life, those who are honest, who have integrity so often face more problems and issues than those who break the rules. It seems unfair, very unfair. As Christians we are required to follow the law, to keep the peace, even if it negatively affects us. I am not always happy about this and yet I know it is the right thing to do before God.

5th November 2024

Galatians 3:26 For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God, part of the family of God through faith.

We are all part of a family, whatever shape it may take. Around Jesus were family and those he shared His life with and they had families too. Mary, Martha and Lazarus were a brother and two sisters. When Lazarus died the family were deeply upset. They saw Jesus as part of their family and themselves as part of His family, they believed that He could have helped had He been there. Jesus knows He can help even now, even as death has taken hold and He does! He weeps for his friend, He weeps for the sisters in their loss, He weeps for the loss of life and then He restores life. He raises the dead. He has the power over death. He weeps for us in our loss and He longs to restore our life if we will let Him.

4th November 2024

Isaiah 25:4a For you have been a stronghold to the poor and vulnerable, a stronghold to the needy in distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.

You may have noticed recently a lot of negativities about the provision for those with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities. (SEND) Councils are trying to do more with less. Provision has to be run at a level that can be afforded and therefore as needs increase, provision becomes less effective. We have so many vulnerable people, born with disabilities, be they physical, neurological or emotional. Covid has left a deep scar on mental health and wellbeing. Those who could see the massive investment needed by Government were relieved of their duties and ignored. We are told in the Bible that we are to protect and care for the most vulnerable in society, not to maltreat them or cut services to them. So many families get little or no help, children are waiting months, even years to be referred. We may not have these people in our families but we can champion fairness and challenge our MP’s and councillors to look after the vulnerable properly.

3rd November 2024

Romans 1:7 to all who are beloved of God, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Over this weekend we have celebrated All Saints; a festival where we remember those people in God’s family who came before us, we often call them saints. They have lived to serve God and are still part of God’s family. We are part of a family across the ages and we remember the family that has gone before us, generations of our family, of saints as we remember them. God wants us to be His children in His family, but we have to make that choice ourselves to accept Him as our Heavenly Father and be a member of His Family. Just as those who came before us are saints, we too, are saints, those who have chosen to serve God.

2nd November 2024

1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

I sit on a number of committees; it comes with my roles and I have always hoped I make a difference. Sadly, often these committees are places where people talk, often beyond their understanding, many waffle in an attempt to look informed and at the end of meetings I often leave feeling we have achieved nothing. As the old adage says, all talk, no action. Making a difference can be hard. Many procedures, build over years, have ensured those in places of authority can pretty much do what they want as long as they say the right things at these meetings. In faith it is often the same. The church has many committees where much is said, little is done and those in authority carry on as before. Being a Christian can be similar, all talk and no action. We can say the right things, look like we are even doing the right things but actually never really act in the way God wants us to. Being a Christian is a life choice, one we need to make daily.

1st November 2024

2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

Across these few days that end October and start November, we remember. We remember the saints and martyrs of the past and we remember those we love but see no longer. Many traditions are rolled into these few days including the wonderful Mexican tradition of the Day of the dead where families take picnics to family graves and remember their dead together. The Disney film Coco is an excellent example of this and the importance of remembering those in our past. There is a belief that over these couple of days the barrier between the heavens and the earth is lifted allowing the souls of the dead to return to their families while they remember. The importance of remembering is vital to this festival however we celebrate it. God has given us the ability to remember, to carry within us those who have been part of our lives even after they have gone from this earth. May we cherish this special tradition of remembering those we love but see no longer.

31st October 2024

Romans 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Today is Halloween, I dislike the darkness and fear of this now popular festival. The encouragement given to children to dress up as ghouls, witches and dark characters as well as go knocking on strangers’ doors to ask for sweets or treats. In the church today is All Hallows Eve, the day before All Saints Day. It is from Hallows Eve we get Halloween. The word Hallow means Holy, today is the eve of a Holy festival when we remember all the Saints and Martyrs of the past and celebrate their Holy service of God. The Eve was a time of fasting and preparation for the feast day itself. In the past as winter came, death became more possible and so fires were lit and people dressed up to warn off the spirits of the dead who they thought might still wander the earth claiming victims. Our Christian faith does not accept the presence of the dead on earth because we believe they are either in Heaven or Hell. Many see today as harmless fun, many see it as celebrating the things of evil. The most important thing is that we prepare to remember those who have faithfully served God through the ages.

30th October 2024

Mark 10:38 You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

We all like a shortcut, a quicker way to get where we are going, an easier way to the top, to pass the test. As Christians we like a religious shortcut. We’ve done our bit, how about a little favour in return. We scratch your back, God, you scratch ours. We can identify with the disciples James and John. We want to sit in glory one day. Basking at the right hand of God in heaven. And sometimes, we’re not afraid to tell God what He should do for us, right now! We want Jesus to give us whatever we want, what we think we deserve. We are more concerned with things than we are God. We become so presumptuous that we believe we deserve God’s blessing. We truly believe that we should get a new car, bigger house, more money because we have been coming to church for a while or we pray now and again. That is not how being a Christian works. It is all about service, about what we can give not what we want to receive. There are no shortcuts to God and Heaven.

29th October 2024

Matthew 5:27 You have heard it said… Thou shall not commit adultery.

Adultery is not really frowned upon much these days. In fact, most folk do not marry now, partly because commitment is seen as a short-term thing. The Humanist society is advocating 5 year contract marriages where both parties can just walk away in 5 years or choose to carry on. Research shows far more women wish to marry and see it as life long, compared to far more men who do not want to be tied down. This is about commitment. How willing are we to commit to someone or something for the long term, through thick and thin? God’s commitment to us has been from everlasting and to everlasting. It does not falter or waver. What about us? How committed are we to Him, to our faith and to each other? Are we willing to ride out the storms as well as enjoy the celebrations? If we choose a life of faith in Jesus then we must be committed to that not just for a few days or weeks but for a lifetime.

28th October 2024

1 Corinthians 10:24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbour.

We sometimes think that to be compassionate and caring we have to lose our drive and ambition; nothing could be further from the truth. No one is asking for us to lose our drive and ambition, but we are being asked to not be selfish with that drive and ambition. To use it for the good of others. Whenever we prioritise wealth and power over people, we are blinding ourselves to the value of all humans and losing our own humanity for selfish greed. When we prioritise others, use what we have for the benefit of others, we are doing what humans were designed to do, help each other, pool our resources and skills for the benefit of everyone, working together for the best outcome for all, not just self.

27th October 2024

Matthew 7:5 You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

The human desire is to say Me, Me, Me first. Front of the queue, top of the pile, build up my stock, thinking how anything we do will benefit self. This is why we are in the mess we are in. The majority of everything owned by just a few, leaving the majority fighting for scraps. Instead of sharing we look for a slice of the pie at the top and we don’t mind who we hurt to get there. We can all look at others, judge them and blame them, but we conveniently forget to look at ourselves. What can I do for others, what can I give, what can I offer to help others have a better life. We are reminded here that once we remove the things blinding us to the value and care of others, we can see clearly how to act and behave in order to put others first.

26th October 2024

1 Corinthians 15:49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

When we find something that we relate to it changes us. Finding faith in Jesus means life must change to reflect that. It becomes faith that manifests itself in living, active, real, love for everyone that always models itself on our loving King of kings. It’s unconditional and self-sacrificing. It persistently prays and works for the well-being of the beloved, that is everyone. This love pays attention not to human labels but to the one label God attaches to every human: image-bearer of the living God. Why not try, this week, to treat everyone as an image bearer of God. See what a real difference it makes.

25th October 2024

Matthew 7:1 Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you, for God will judge you in the same way you judge others, and he will apply to you the same rules you apply to others.

Society needs rules and laws to function safely and fairly for all, we are responsible for playing our part both in school and wider society. All people need to have respect and be responsible for the rule of law and respect others by putting them first. A recent speech by the Prime Minister spoke of those with broad shoulders bearing more of the burden, a recent survey amongst CEO’s suggested they felt they needed to pay more tax, we are also hearing that the Non-Dom policy is being reshaped because a few wealthy folk have thrown their toys out of the pram and are threatening to leave and live elsewhere. Before God the rules apply to everyone. However we treat others we shall be treated that way as well.

24th October 2024

Psalm 121:1 I look to the mountains; where will my help come from? My help will come from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

There is much Talk about resilience these days. The growing ability to cope and keep going when things don’t go well. Let’s face it, at some time or another, things will not go our way. For some folk at this present time, it seems like this almost every day. As young children we are very selfish, it is a preservation technique. Slowly we learn to share, to play nice, to be more patient and we learn that we will be disappointed. As we grow and learn we either build a resilience or we refuse to accept that we have to wait or refuse to accept disappointment, and we can end up with very selfish self-absorbed people often very ambitious and with little or no compassion and empathy. Life, even the fullest, best life, has setbacks. Not getting into the school or college you wanted, not getting a place in a team or a part in a play, a relationship breaking down, even down to the long dark days of winter when getting up in the dark and catching 3 buses becomes a daily setback which has to be faced.

23rd October 2024

Mark 10:35b Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.

Ultimately as Christians we are supposed to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. For the past nine chapters of Mark Jesus has been showing and teaching the disciples that following him is about service and putting others before ourself. They haven’t got it. How long have we been Christians, have we got it yet? James and John certainly hadn’t got it. “whatever we ask of you.” Riches, power, status, celebrity James and John are shrewd, crafty guys. We can be the same. Instead of wanting God, we want what God can give us. We need to look hard at ourselves and see if we asking God what we can do for us or, as it should be, what we can do for Him.

22nd October 2024

Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Putting others first means putting self-second or even further down the list. I may not agree with most of what Bill Gates says but I do agree with his view that any one person can only spend so much and that those with such wealth should share their fortune with those in need. An example is the seat belt which keeps you safe in your car, when it was invented for Volvo cars they gave the technology freely to all manufacturers so lives would be saved. They could have made millions, instead they put others first. We may not have that literal great wealth, but we do have wealth in other areas, our skills and abilities, our knowledge and understanding, our time, our compassion, our empathy which means we can put others first. Let us look at home, in the community and see where we can put others first. Ask yourself in every situation how can I help make this the best for everyone and not just me.

21st October 2024

Mark 8:35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.

When I first became pregnant, I knew I was going to be a mum. Did I know how radically and completely my life was about to change? Of course not. I had no real idea what it meant! As you become a Christian You have no idea what it means. Your whole life changes. It no longer revolves around you. And it’s the best thing in the world. You gain so much more than you could ever have imagined. But only by giving something up. Following Jesus is the best thing in the world. You gain so much more than you ever could have imagined. By taking up your cross, whatever that may be for you, and giving up your life as you know it, and following Jesus.

20th October 2024

John 7:28 Then Jesus called out to them, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but He who sent me is true.

How do we know someone? Living with them, we know our family that we live with, best. We get to know people by spending time with them, communicating, getting to know likes, dislikes, hobbies, desires for the future and so on. The people knew a lot about Jesus, background, family, culture etc. They had seen miracles and signs, that he cared about ordinary people, justice and fairness. They saw that He could be the Messiah. At that point a choice was made, to follow, to believe and support or to turn away, get rid of Him because of the threat to the status quo. The same applies to us, a choice must be made. Either we accept Him for who He is, we believe, we follow and we change or we say no, we turn away, we don’t want our lives to change, or the comfortable situation we have to be lost. The choice of faith is ours. Let me encourage you to really get to know Jesus and make the choice.

19th October 2024

Luke 16:24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

Over the years I have met many entitled people. They believe that because they are wealthy, titled, powerful or popular everyone should do as they say. The rich and powerful throughout history have a reputation for treating the poor and the ordinary as their own personal slaves and servants. Once the rich man dies his wealth counts for nothing. Now in hell, because of the way he behaved, he still wants the poor man, who is heaven, to come and serve him. His cruelty continues even into the afterlife. Jesus’ teaching is clear time and again that we must not put ourselves above others, or threat others badly. To whom much is given, much is expected we are told. Those of us with good educations, good standards of living, wealth, status, power and celebrity are held to much higher account. If we have, then how we use what we have is important. All we are given in life, all we have, we must use it always to the benefit of others.

18th October 2024

Galatians 5:13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

At this time of year, as days get shorter and colder, we might want to become very insular, but we have the opportunity to serve and help others. The chance to give out of our abundance to help those who have very little. We cannot have missed the constant reminders of how many children are now living in poverty. How many schools now run breakfast clubs because children come to school hungry. How the numbers of food banks have increased hugely while the richest people in the country get richer by 2 million a day. This was never God’s intention for the world, and we have the opportunity to make things a little more equal by giving from what we have to help and serve others.

17th October 2024

Hebrews 13:6 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

When we share with others several things happen, it gives us an appreciation of all that we have, it develops trust in others and self, it makes life real, it increases our sense of self-worth and our sense of the value of others. No matter what religion we follow, or if we have no religion, it is what every human is called to do, to care for others, to help where we can. Particularly we need to help the most vulnerable, the elderly, the sick, the hungry, the homeless, the children. Every human has great worth and we all called to uphold that worth by caring for each other as God’s children.

16th October 2024

Colossians 3: 16a Christ's message in all its richness must live in your hearts.

I have to have pockets to carry certain things with me. Many carry a handbag, a shoulder bag, a messenger bag, to carry what they need, be that a pen, notebook, mobile, purse, wallet, tissues etc. What else do we carry? What do we carry in our hearts and minds? Do we carry a rich message of faith, do we carry the wisdom of faith, do we carry the hope of faith? Only as we pray, read our Bibles, grow in our relationship with God, will we carry that wonderful faith in our hearts and minds everywhere we go and let it percolate through everything we do and say.

15th October 2024

Galatians 5:14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”

At this time of year we think about Harvest, churches have their special service and collect produce for the community. We are particularly aware of the cost of living and the global changes and think about our response. Can we share out of our abundance? We are free to decide if we share or not, but we are called to love our neighbour as ourselves. We look after ourselves well, give ourselves treats, good food, nice clothes so let’s look after others too. We can do this by sharing, giving to local foodbanks, helping the homeless, the poor and the hungry.

14th October 2024

Ezra 10:4 Arise! For this matter is your responsibility, but we will be with you; be courageous and act.

Sometimes when we talk of responsibility it is very serious and grave. That is not a bad thing but being responsible also has a positive side. The good news is that when we accept responsibility when things go wrong, it also means we take the credit when things go well. I loved it when my report said I was responsible and I hated it when something went wrong, but there always has to be balance, it is the world we live in. By taking the responsibility, learning and changing when things go wrong, we are able to take the credit and the praise when they go right. Let’s hope that people can see we take responsibility whatever the outcome.

13th October 2024

Matthew 15:23 Jesus gave her no reply, Then, his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said.

How do we treat others? Do we have an attitude that judge’s people without knowing them. Do we use those cultural stereotypes and write people off because of their gender, their education, their life choice? This is the attitude that came from the disciples to the woman in the gospel story, to push her away and ignore the gentile woman. To look at her gender, culture, religion and decide she is not important to God. How dare any of us make that decision. God’s love is universal and we do not decide who is worthy.

12th October 2024

James 2:26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Sometime people are almost absurd in how they portray something because they want to get their point across. James paints a ridiculous picture of what some of the early church people presented the Christian faith as, something lifeless and unattractive. Such faith just doesn’t make any sense. Some of Jesus’ friends, leaders of the early church aren’t just discriminating against those whom God loves, but also favouring those who earn God’s anger. In siding with the oppressors, early Christians had aligned themselves against their fellow Christians, fellow humans and against the very living God of heaven and earth that they supposedly followed. We need to decide whose side we are own, God's or the oppressors, and then we need to make a stand for justice, to do those deeds of faith which God requires of us.

11th October 2024

Mark 8:34 If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

If we are to follow Jesus, our Messiah, there is only one way. We must take up our cross. We must lose our life as we know it, for his sake and for the sake of the gospel. We must put Jesus first, in everything. What does this mean? We don’t find out all at once. We take the first step. We begin to follow. And day by day, little by little, we begin to learn what it means to follow Jesus, to lose our lives for the sake of the gospel, and to gain our lives, and so much more in return. The Messiah must undergo great suffering, and be rejected and be killed, and after three days rise again, defeat death and all for us, to have eternal life.

10th October 2024

Matthew 13:4 As he scattered the seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

The farmer in the story scattered his seed with great abandon. Some here, some there, some everywhere. He could have not bothered thinking that because there were weeds and thorns to choke some of it, because the sun might be too hot, he might as well not bother. It’s too much like hard work and what if I get no reward. It is easy for anyone to think why bother. What if it doesn’t work, what if it goes wrong. If farmers didn’t bother because the crops might sometimes fail, there would be no food for us. If we don’t bother because something might go wrong, or someone else might do it, we risk never changing someone’s life, never making a difference. We all have things to offer our family, friends, schools, communities and we can choose whether to bother or not. I hope you will always try to be generous with what you have to help others.

9th October 2024

John 6:9 There is a boy here who has five loaves of barley bread and two fish. But they will certainly not be enough for all these people.

It is so easy to be selfish, to keep what we have for ourselves. Lots of people keep wanting more and more, they already have plenty but still want more. Lots of rich people have no idea how to live day to day and like to blame others for not working harder. The truth is that most of us have more than we need and most of us want more. The little boy could have kept his picnic and said nothing, he didn’t. He gave what he had so that other people could eat too. If we all shared what we have, only took what we needed and did not always look for the way to take more from our world, it would be so much better. There would be no hungry people, no people without clothes or homes. We have a choice, to be selfish and greedy or to share. If people did not share with us, we would not have anything. May we recognise that we need to share with others because God has given us all enough if we would just share it fairly with one another.

8th October 2024

Matthew 18:7a Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble!

Can you remember the last time you tripped over? For me it was over an uneven pavement, I stumbled and landed on my knees, ouch. Around us are plenty of things which can trip us up literally but also metaphorically. We can be tripped up by desires which then lead to cheating and lying. Others can lead us astray with ideas of it’s just a joke, just for a laugh, no one will get hurt, but they do. We can be led astray and lead others astray by our own bad choices. The things we call jokes, banter, fun, are often hurtful, unpleasant, unjust and cause others to be hurt or to stumble themselves both physically and mentally. We have a responsibility, a God given responsibility to support one another, not to bring each other down. Whatever we do today, any day, lets try to make sure we are not the stumbling block to someone else’s life. We can ask God for the wisdom and strength to be those who raise others up and not cause them to stumble.

7th October 2024

Psalm 65:10 you send abundant rain on the ploughed fields and soak them with water; you soften the soil with showers and cause the young plants to grow.

Eating food is one of the few things common to all human experience. What type of food we consume and how readily available it is to us may vary widely. But we all eat. For us the meals on our table will have been brought there through the contribution of many different people working in a variety of environments. This food chain typically involves farmers or fishermen, processors, retailers and those who purchase and prepare the food to eat. Harvest is an opportunity to offer to God the contribution we make in bringing food to the table; to give thanks and pray for others in the chain upon whom we’re dependent; and above all to praise God who starts off each chain by creating the sun’s radiance and giving life to all living things.

6th October 2024

Psalm 65:11 What a rich harvest your goodness provides! Wherever you go there is plenty.

Harvest has been celebrated ever since human beings first planted seeds, From the Bible stories and festivals of the Old Testament we have our Harvest Festival where we thank God for food and farming. People understood their dependence on a good harvest blessed by God. At the time of Jesus, it is estimated that around 90% of a person’s time would have been spent producing and preparing food. The excellent work of global aid agencies and fair-trade bodies remind us that food production and matters of justice in agriculture are global issues. These appeal to our Christian sense of justice. Harvest is a wonderful opportunity to connect to the growing focus in our society on environment, health and food with God. It is a wonderful opportunity to give thanks for all the wonderful gifts of creation and to reconnect with our place as stewards of that creation.

5th October 2024

Proverbs 22:9 The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.

Yesterday was the feast of St Francis of Assisi. A rich man who, as he saw the plight of the poor and hungry, felt called by God to do something about it. He gave his wealth away to help others, set up a community of people who lived a simple life, dressing in simple tunics and spending their time helping others. This is the Franciscan order which still operates worldwide today. It does so quietly without fuss, feeding and caring for thousands on a daily basis by sharing out of what they have to make the lives of others better. A simple but effective challenge to each of us to play our part in helping others by sharing out of our abundance with those who have little or nothing.

4th October 2024

James 2:24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

Just recently on Twitter, or X, a storm was created when the very wealthy Nadhim Zahawi, previous government minister, tax dodger and who claimed MP’s expenses of £60,000 to heat his stables, took a photo of a homeless man in his rich suburb and complained that homeless people should not be allowed where the wealthy live. Did he help him? No. Did he look for a way to help society with the homeless issue, No. He left the homeless man collapsed on the pavement. This is just like the example James offers, those who dishonour the poor, in doing so dishonour God. That is an easy, obvious example, not me we say, but what do we do when we encounter those in difficulty. Walk by? Be suspicious that they are just a con? Think it isn’t real in my town or my country? These people hold God’s image too. How we treat them reflects on how we treat God.

3rd October 2024

Luke 16:10: Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

Taking responsibility isn’t just about the big things, it matters in the small things. If we can’t be responsible for helping with chores at home, how can we be responsible to run something in school, work or church. If we can’t be responsible enough to pack our own PE kit or the right books in our bag, how can we take responsibility for being captain of the team or being on a church committee. Everyone of us is responsible for ourselves, our behaviour, our actions, our words. Before taking any responsibility in any other things we need to show we are responsible for ourselves. No blaming others, no passing the buck, accepting that I am responsible for me. Responsible for doing the right thing, showing respect, not covering up, not lying, doing the work, being honest and being the best person we can be.

2nd October 2024

James 2:4 Have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

I like to read things in different versions of the Bible because sometimes one version sums something up better than another. This verse in The Message says “Don’t let public opinion influence how you live out your glorious, Christ-originated faith.” We might say that Jesus’ followers don’t let the labels people attach to each other, or even themselves, negatively impact the way we think of and deal with people. While God has chosen to graciously honour people who are materially poor, it seems that some Christians to whom James writes have deliberately dishonoured them. They and perhaps we haven’t just shamed them, we’ve also failed to properly care for and about them the way God does.

1st October 2024

Mark 9:35 Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.

Arguing about who is the best, most popular, most well-known; striving to prove ourselves the best and greatest above others, brings out the worst in us. That may just be the greatest humanitarian crisis in our world today. We are all striving to be the greatest human being instead of bringing out the best in all humanity. We have completely misunderstood what greatness is really about. Jesus reverses everything we thought we knew about greatness? Those who welcome the children, the vulnerable, the innocent, those who put other’s first, That’s how Jesus understands greatness.

30th September 2024

John 8:36 If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Generally speaking, we see ourselves as being free, free to believe, to study, hold opinions, criticise governments, to vote as we want and so on. That is pretty much true in the UK. But with freedom comes responsibility. Our freedom must not come at the cost of someone else’s freedom. Our freedom of belief must not prevent another from their freedom of belief even if we disagree with them. We are free to criticise and challenge but not free to incite and threaten. We are free to question but not to silence others. The freedom Jesus offers is freedom to be who we are in Him. Freedom to believe, have faith, freedom to be supported and to support others. We have the freedom to chose and although we long for others to find that faith too, they also have freedom of choice. God never forces anyone to believe, and neither should we. God’s given freedom to choose is for everyone.

29th September 2024

1 Peter 2:15 For it is God’s will that by doing the right thing you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.

There are many public inquiries and reports asked for by governments. Grenfell has just reported, the Post Office scandal enquiry continues. Virtually every report published says mistakes were made, we will learn from this, and change will happen. Sadly, all to often, the same mistakes are made almost immediately, and no change happens because no one is willing to take responsibility. Doing the right thing, being free but not covering up, showing respect, love and honour. These are all responsible things to do. These are taking responsibility for ourselves and our actions. God gave us the ability to act and the expectation to take responsibility when we do. Ultimately the choice is ours. Are we responsible people?

28th September 2024

Leviticus 19:18 You shall love your neighbour as yourself.

There are various laws that have been around in history in some form or another for centuries. One of these is the “royal law” found in Leviticus 19:18, which commands, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Many times in the Bible this law is mentioned by Jesus, by teachers, by disciples as something that real Christians must do. Jesus’ followers are reminded to treat and view each and every person in the same way. We have to accept that we receive God’s grace in part by viewing each person as an image-bearer of God whom we treat as someone God deeply loves. Quite simply we must see God in everyone, no matter who they are. Not always easy, but faith isn’t easy.

27th September 2024

James 2:6 But you have dishonoured the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?

It can be easy to think that faith and belief is all about following rules, this is what had happened to so many in the Jewish faith and many in the religious groups at the time of Jesus. James, the brother of Jesus reminds us of the power of genuine faith in action. God calls us to treat everyone with equal love and respect, without showing favouritism or prejudice. Our faith is not merely a set of beliefs; it is meant to be lived out in practical ways, showing kindness, compassion, and mercy to those in need. Letting our faith be evident through how we live each and every day.

26th September 2024

Mark 8:33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

It’s no wonder that Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him. He wanted to get Jesus to come to his senses, and get back to Messiah-stuff, like teaching and healing and eventually taking the throne and leading. That is what the Messiah does. Another temptation for Jesus. He rebukes Peter, and famously says to him, “Get behind me, Satan!” Satan, the tempter. Who tempted Jesus in the wilderness. And who is tempting Jesus here. Why not Take the throne. Overthrow Rome. Restore the kingdom of Israel. You don’t have to suffer and die to do that. What good is it to suffer and die? How is that going to help accomplish your mission? But Jesus knew that his path had to lead to the cross. It was the only way to save us.

25th September 2024

Mark 9:34 On the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.

There are times in all our lives when one upmanship rears its ugly head. The need to be seen as better or greater than others. So, it is easy to imagine each disciple making a case for his own greatness and a case against the greatness of the others; being the first disciple, the one who declared Jesus the Messiah, those who saw the Transfiguration. It seems we are always establishing pecking orders of greatness. Look at the pecking orders in our world and country today. They are all around us. We live with and participate in them even if we did not create them. Who are the winners and losers in those pecking orders? In what ways are you and I striving for greatness instead of seeking to serve others? What needs to change?

24th September 2024

James 2:1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism.

If you have ever watched Strictly, you may remember Bruce Forsyth would say, You’re my favourite. It seems that we do like to have favourites, those we prefer over others. The Bible is completely clear that we should honour one another without showing favouritism. Unfortunately, our fallen human nature often leads us to judge others based on physical appearance, wealth, fame, gender, culture, race or social status. This tendency to base judgments on superficial qualities leads to discrimination and inequality. There is a pressing issue that we all need to address, favouritism. We must never show partiality based on social status or wealth.

23rd September 2024

1 Peter 2:16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s holy ones.

We currently see people, particularly people in government or with influence refusing to take responsibility for their actions. Refusing to accept that what they have done or said has caused suffering, injustice, failure and contributed to a cost-of-living crisis and poor public services. The US president Harry S. Truman famously had a sign on his desk which said “The buck stops here”. He recognised that there was no one higher up than him and he was ultimately responsible, whether good or bad. He had no one to pass the buck to. It is very easy to just pass the buck, blame someone else, say it is not our fault when something goes wrong, but really, for a fair, honest society, God asks all of us to be willing to hold our hands up and say, yes it was me, my fault, I am sorry and I will learn from this.

22nd September 2024

Mark 8:31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.

We can get a question right, but not know what the answer actually means and that was the case for Peter, he got the question right. Jesus was and is the Messiah. But, what does it mean that Jesus is the Messiah? Right after Peter’s great confession. Jesus explains what it means: “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering … be killed, and after three days rise again.” What? The Messiah must suffer and die, before being raised from the dead? This is the first time that Jesus has told his disciples this. And it comes as a complete shock to them. This is not what the Messiah would do, suffer and die. The Messiah was supposed to take the throne of David, restore the kingdom of Israel in all its glory. The Messiah is supposed to be very alive, and very powerful. Yet He becomes a servant, vulnerable, in order to save humankind.

21st September 2024

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.

When we go away, I often find myself watching films that I just don’t normally have the time to watch. Surprisingly I found myself watching a teen movie called Mean Girls. The title tells you exactly what its about. Towards the end someone sensible says “Being mean to someone doesn’t make you better, calling someone ugly does not make you beautiful” When we are derogatory, rude or just plain nasty to another we do not make ourselves better, in fact we make ourselves worse. We deepen our own insecurities and embitter ourselves even more deeply as we hurt others. The world is mean enough so it’s important that what we say is encouraging, gives blessing and joy to others as well as ourselves.

20th September 2024

Mark 8:29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”

Do you like asking questions? Children love to know why this and why that. In Mark 8 we encounter one of the most important questions in all of scripture, “Who do you say that I am?” It’s a crucial question, but the answer is the easy part. Who do we say that Jesus is? He is the Messiah, of course. We have faith because we believe Jesus is God’s Son, our Saviour, the long-promised Messiah. That’s the easy part. But what does it mean? That’s the hard part. We can get the answer right about many things, without really knowing what the answer means for us. We need to carefully ask ourselves; who is Jesus to us and exactly what difference has that made to our lives?

19th September 2024

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to use our time well that we might gain a heart of wisdom

I have often heard it said that the most important gift we have and can give is our time. Time is a precious commodity it is limited and we never know when time will end for us. To give our time to another is giving something we can never get back. Giving time shows we value another. We respect and care for another. Time is a precious gift we can give and it is a precious gift that God has given to us to use wisely. As we use that time wisely, we become wiser people, we learn the true value of time and of each other.

18th September 2024

Psalm 147:3 He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.

I am a great fan of musicals; I just love the idea of breaking into song to express our feelings and thoughts. The Greatest Showman has some amazing songs, one of which is called This is Me! It speaks to the scars many of us carry, the things which we hide from others, which society often condemns us for and treats us cruelly. The point of the song is that who we are is nothing to be ashamed of, we should not hide away, not be embarrassed but stand tall and proclaim this is me. That is exactly what God wants for us. He accepts us completely as we are, with all our imperfections, all our scars. He does not turn us away because we do not fit into some worldly concept of beauty, celebrity, skin colour, gender, sexual orientation, religion or culture. God does not judge us for these things and neither must we judge each other. None of us is perfect but all of us are loved and accepted completely by God.

17th September 2024

Psalm 19:6 The sun rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.

I love a sun rise and a sun set. In amongst my many photos you will find many sunsets and a few sunrises, I am always looking for the perfect one. Day after day we never doubt that the sun will come up and we will have light and day. We know the science, orbits, rotations and we do not doubt. In the past before scientific knowledge people worshiped the sun, believing that if they honoured and worshipped the sun it would keep coming up, keep warming the earth, keep giving light. God made it clear from the beginning that the Sun was there to help us, give us light and warmth. It has never failed to rise and never will. I will keep looking for the perfect picture knowing there will always be a sun rise and sunset every day without fail because God created it that way.

16th September 2024

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Jesus ministered to and fed the crowds that God gave to Him to look after. Jesus fed and cared for everyone no matter who they were. He fed and cared for the people that knew Him and those that did not, He fed the people that were baptised and those that were not, He fed the people that knew the Ten Commandments and those that did not. Jesus fed and looked after everyone in the crowds who came to Him. We look around us, we are part of a crowd in church. We are part of the crowd that God gave to Jesus for him to look after; we are part of the crowd that followed and continues to follow Jesus. We have our God given gifts, our rich blessings, we need to thank God for them and offer them up for God to use and then let God do the rest.

15th September 2024

Matthew 17:19 Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why couldn’t we cure the boy?”

It is really easy to blame people when things don’t go our way. We currently live in a blame culture. Even in churches people will blame God or someone’s lack of faith when prayers aren’t answered as they want. Faith is taking a risk, believing that even when you don’t understand everything, you still believe for the best. Faith is very much linked to hope. Having faith and hope in God means we let God know our fears, problems, issues etc and then let Him deal with it. We want instant answers and that does sometimes happen but mostly things happen in the right time, as all things needed for the answer come together. Over years I have seen instant answers but more often that not it has been over weeks and months that things change and often we have forgotten we even took it to God. The disciples hadn’t yet grasped that their job was tell people the gospel, help people, care for them and then let God do the rest. The lesson is the same for us, pray for people, care for them, help them, talk to God and then let Him do the rest. Leaving things in God hands, that is faith.

14th September 2024

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

At this time of year, particularly in schools and universities, change is happening really fast. End of one school year, a future of a new year, a new school, a new class and a new university, college or job. It can be quite daunting, not really knowing what the future will hold. People around you will all tell differing stories of how their futures changed, of how they came to be here. We are all products of changes in our lives. For me and for many the promise of Jeremiah holds security and hope. The promise of a future, of a good future. The promise of God reminding us that wherever we go, whatever our future holds He is with us. He will go with us, stay with us and will be there for us when we call out to Him. Wherever your future lies in the next few months, know that you are not alone. Know that God goes with you, know that you have a future and know that friends and families, as well as God, support you in your future.

13th September 2024

Psalm 118:22 The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.

Just like others reject and hurt us, we can do the same. Sometimes we reject people or laugh at them because they look different to us, because they are not from around here, because they don’t act or speak the same way as we do. No one should be rejected for being different. No one should suffer abuse because of their gender, skin colour, life choices or disabilities. Jesus made it absolutely clear that we are all accepted and loved for who we are. God doesn’t reject those who come to Him. He accepts us for who we are and He calls us to do the same. It is not us who decides who is accepted into God’s kingdom, that is God’s choice alone and He accepts us all just as we are.

12th September 2024

1 Peter 5:7: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Sometimes we feel that people around us just don’t care. People often share with me that they feel like nobody cares about them anymore, they feel worthless and lonely. My reply is that although it seems that way sometimes, God cares completely and utterly for each and every one of us. God is interested in us, He is invested in us, in who we are, our gifts, and what we can offer to the world and each other. Even the smallest thing we can offer, God can use to change the world. God provides for each and every one of us all we need and more.

11th September 2024

Isaiah 38:7 This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that He has spoken.

When you look around you, you will see different types of signs, all around us every day. Around school, we have rooms with names on the doors, letters and numbers, offices, staff rooms. Around our town, we see signs that tell us where things are. Street names, shop names, banks and coffee shops. Road signs tell us the speed we can go, when we must stop, when we give way. I am a huge admirer of those who learn and communicate through sign language. Signs communicate, we rely on them. The Bible is also full of signs, pointers to the coming of Jesus, pointers to the Messiah, signs showing God’s love for us and His desire for us to have a full life. The signs are there for us if we choose to look, to see and to hear what they are clearly telling us about God and His love for us.

10th September 2024

John 6:9 Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?

Within our churches, our groups, our congregations we are the crowds that God gives Jesus to look after in each place and time in history and in the present. Our families, friends, neighbours and colleagues, they are also part of the crowds given to Jesus. When Jesus looked up and saw the crowd that had followed Him, He knew that they were hungry. At that very moment a little boy is brought to Jesus by Andrew and offered up his small child size picnic lunch to help feed the crowd. The boy’s lunch was five small pieces of bread and two small fish. Enough to feed a small boy but how would it feed a large hungry crowd? Each small thing we have is the opportunity to use for God. Who we are, what we have, our God given talents can be used by God. What can we offer? Even the smallest of lunches brought a miracle. The smallest thing we can offer to God can bring a miracle.

9th September 2024

John 6:56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.

The life Jesus calls us to lead is so revolutionary, so different, and yet so rewarding. It offers us eternal life. The disciples, led by Peter, knew that Jesus offers eternal life to everyone who decides to follow him. The disciples knew that they needed to feed on the eternal spiritual food that Jesus offers, just like we need to, just as we do in the form of the bread and wine that we eat and drink during Holy Communion. When we take part in Holy Communion, we draw closer to God, and we allow him to live in us and become better people who are kind, generous, loving, supportive, empathetic, compassionate and are God’s representatives here on earth making it a better place for all.

8th September 2024

John 6:66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

Jesus asks His follows if His teaching offends them? Some of them say it is too hard for them and some of us think that too. Jesus even asks the disciples if they also wish to leave but Peter says to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. Because our world thrives on this treading over others to get what we want, the way of Jesus is not popular. People turn away because they want an easy life, that fits into the pattern dictated to us by the leaders, by the wealthy, by the celebrity, by those who would have us believe strength comes from belittling and hurting the vulnerable. Does Jesus way offend us? Do we find it too difficult to be true Christians in this world? Or do we know there is no other way, that He has the words of eternal life and we must follow our leader to the best of our ability and in His strength. We are no alone in our endeavours. Jesus is always with us as we seek to be the best we can be.

7th September 2024

John 6:11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

When a situation seems difficult, even insurmountable, we tend to get negative, lose hope, allow our vision to be obscured. Our example is Jesus. What did Jesus do in these situations? Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed. He thanked God for all the things that God had given Him. Then Jesus began to feed the hungry crowd. It was a miracle; everyone had enough food to eat and there was still food left over. Jesus did not look at the problem and think of all the reasons why a few loaves and fish couldn’t work, instead He thanked God for what He had given Him and He got on with the job.

My apologies, I have been uploading these each day, saving them, as always and it seems they have not been being saved to the file. Please find them updated again.

6th September 2024

John 6:31 Moses gave our ancestors bread from heaven to eat when they were in the wilderness. Can you do that?

In interviews I have been asked what I would do to improve a situation or to sort something out. People will think about past experiences and previous successes and challenge us as to what we can do that is better. Jesus was challenged like this time and again. In some ways they were interviewing Him for the role of Saviour, Messiah, is He who He says He is? Jesus reminds them that he is exactly who He says He is and He is exactly who their scriptures say that he is. He offers proof, He offers love and compassion, He offers miracles, they and us have to choose whether we believe or not.

5th September 2024

Mark 7:21&22a From the inside, from your heart, come the evil ideas which lead you to do immoral things, to rob, kill, 22 commit adultery, be greedy, and do all sorts of evil things.

We all know that there are rules in place in societies, cultures, religions etc, often about food, so as to help people follow their chosen way. Rules are a good thing unless they completely come to overshadow what really matters and the reasons they were brought in originally. At the time of Jesus the religious folk were so fixated on rules that they had forgotten about God and His call to be people of kindness, goodness, compassion and love. They had forgotten how to treat others well, they spoke unkindly and rudely, treated others with distain. What we say and do really matters, it is the true heart of Christianity. If we obey all the rules but treat others badly, are unkind and rude, spark rumours, tell lies and are selfish then what is our heart does not reflect God and is not the way we are called to live as Christians. Of course we should be careful with what we put in our bodies but even more important is what we have in our hearts and minds, how we behave and what we say. Let me encourage you to guard your heart, to be a good friend and neighbour, to think about what we do and say and how that reflects on God.

4th September 2024

John 6;68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

When we follow Jesus there is a price to pay. He calls us to give up our worldly life and follow a life that will lead to heaven. For most of us, that is not an easy choice to make. We have grown comfortable in our daily lives. They are like a pair of shoes that we have broken in. They feel comfortable and good, and the life we are leading feels so comfortable and good. Most of us don’t like change. We get set in our ways. We get stuck in the rut of daily life, and we don’t want to get out. Being in this comfortable life means we often follow the examples of the world leaders, of the loud voices, of the political commentators, of the celebrities and the daily papers. We must decide if the price we have to pay is too much or if we are prepared to change our lives for God.

3rd September 2024

Mark 6:12 They went out and preached that people should repent.

What kind of witness are you? Do you talk to people about being a Christian, share the love you have found with others, or do you find it hard. Many of us struggle to share our faith. Jesus told His disciples to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth, and He calls us to that role as well. Many people rejected Jesus; they would also reject His disciples. If you and I tell others about Jesus, they might reject us too. They might say, "Who do you think you are? " Jesus told us to tell others about Him, but He said it would not be easy. What He does promise is the strength and grace to share our faith and the support when we are turned away. Jesus knows how it feels to not be listened to but we share it anyway. We do our part and then let God do the rest.

2nd September 2024

John 6:34 Give us that bread! Give it to us every day.

There is nothing like fresh bread and butter! Still one of my favourite things. Bread is a staple food and water is the best drink. These basic food stuffs, those which keep us alive, are used as metaphors for Jesus. Jesus is the living bread, the true bread of God, the One who comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world. The people just don’t get it. They think it’s about being given food every day, saving them money and work. Jesus explains His role as the Bread of Life. Some people today are still asking for some special sign that will prove to them that Jesus was sent from God. But God has given us all the signs we need right here in the Bible. All God wants is for us to believe in the one He sent, Jesus. No excuses, the signs are there we must choose if we are prepared to believe the signs or ignore them.

1st September 2024

John 6:60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

When you were children, did you ever play a game called “Follow the Leader”? First, you choose a leader. Then you follow them wherever they go and do whatever they do. You stomp through puddles, climb over fences, or swing from a tree, all to stay in the game because no one wants to quit. We often play follow the leader in our daily lives. There are always leaders in everything we do, in family, school, church, clubs, quiz teams and so on. In John 6 we see that not everyone who heard Jesus’ teachings wanted to follow him. He lost a lot of his followers because they thought it was too difficult. We have that choice to make, whether we follow Him as our leader or if we quit. It is our choice.

31st August 2024

Colossians 3:12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

There is a teenage film called Mean Girls and it is exactly what you are thinking. Girls in school being mean to those who do not fit their arbitrary popularism. It is led by one very powerful person who no one will stand up to. If she chooses you all well and good, if not your life is a misery. This leader makes life for others awful and those who follow her do the same because they don’t want to miss out on being popular, on being one of the chosen few. As the story resolves, a teacher tries to explain the importance of every individual and treating everyone with respect. She explains that just because you call someone stupid, it does not make you clever. Just because you call someone ugly, it does not make you beautiful. The arbitrary ways we treat others does not make us better people; in fact, it makes us worse people. Unkind, rude, taking pleasure from the hurt we put on others, trying to make our selves feel better by diminishing others. That is no way to live. This is not what Jesus calls us to.

30th August 2024

John 6:26 You came looking for me not because you saw God in my actions, but because I fed you.

Once the people who had been fed realised Jesus had left that place and gone somewhere else, they went looking for Him. They found Him way over on the other side of the lake. They were looking for another free meal. Jesus knows this and reminds them not to be so concerned about these things but instead to be seeking the eternal life that Jesus can give us. The response from them and often from us is show us another miracle, prove it to us again. We will believe if you do one more thing, but that one more thing is never enough. We look for an easy life, for what we can get out of it, instead of having faith we always want more.

29th August 2024

John 6:5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?"

Jesus’ miracles of feeding the five thousand and walking on water in john 6 remind us that Jesus came to save each and every one of us. The care that Jesus has for us and the world is further emphasised by the collection of leftover food after feeding the crowd. Jesus recognised that even the food which was given to Him was a gift from God and He would waste nothing of it. Jesus walked on water to rescue his disciples in a storm, they mattered to Him and He cared for them. His integrity and care for the people and world that God gave Him, goes as far as dying on the cross in our place so that we may have life now and forever. Jesus treasures us, we are important, we matter.

28th August 2024

Mark 6:48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the storm was against them. Shortly before dawn He went out to them, walking on the lake.

Most of us are pretty good at keeping the faith when things go well. Even when the small things are difficult, we tend to keep going. It is in life’s real storms that we are tested, when things are out of our control, God seems far from us and all hope is gone. Like the disciples in this story we are straining at the oars, the storm is carrying us further and further from land and safety, we are exhausted and fearful, and Jesus comes! We often don’t recognise Him because our fear makes us blind to His presence, He hasn’t visibly arrived when we thought He should, but Jesus comes! God is in control of the elements of nature, He created them. He is in control of every situation. Jesus, the Son of God, comes, He is always there but in times of struggle we don’t always see Him. Jesus comes! The disciples finally begin to recognise Jesus as God’s Son, they begin to worship Him to recognise what He has done, is doing and will do. Jesus is always there, Jesus always comes, we just need to open our eyes and see Him for exactly who He is.

27th August 2024

James 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

What brings you joy? I expect you could list many things but I doubt you would list struggles and trials as bringing you joy. The Bible contains several of these oxymorons where the opposite is what we expect. Why and how can struggles and trials bring joy? As we struggle, as we overcome difficulties we learn and grow. We become better people who experience more of its blessings as we develop perseverance. God uses our struggles to work good in our lives, making us patient and complete. Trusting God during these times fills us with a unique joy and prepares us for anything life throws our way. Facing trials head-on can build spiritual endurance. We don’t just get through the hard stuff, this promises that we’ll come out better on the other side if we lean into faith and do not give up.

26th August 2024

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

At this time of year there are many worries and anxieties, about exam results, moving to new places and classes, home life, university futures. They are normal, they are nothing to be ashamed of or to hide away. If you are struggling to deal with any of these, please let someone help you. When we are struggling, we often think we are the only one, let me assure you we are not. We often think others will judge us, well, if they do that is their problem not ours. As Christians we can tell God our worries and put our hope in God, but sometimes that isn’t easy, but it is an option, one of many to help us deal with life’s struggles. Each of us needs to be empathetic and compassionate to those who are struggling, including ourselves. To be supportive and respectful of one another, offering comfort and peace to each other. To allow ourselves and others to be helped.

25th August 2024

Philippians 4:13 I have the strength to face all things through the power that Christ gives me.

I love children’s literature, these days there are wealth of amazing books for all ages. Many of them have a deeper theme within them. A family favourite is Michael Rosen’s We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. In this story each time they meet an obstacle like long wavy grass, a deep cold river, thick oozy mud, a deep dark forest; they say we can’t go over it, we can’t go under it, oh no, we have to go through it. In life we meet obstacles that we cannot avoid, we have no option but to go through them, to keep moving on through. The good news is that we do not have to cope alone, we do not have to face things in our own strength. Instead, God is with us, we have His strength, His love and His support to enable us to keep going even though it is really tough. In the face of difficulty, in the face of pain and suffering, in the face of deep, dark times we have Jesus on our side, we have the strength to face everything with Him.

24th August 2024

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

As children the boys would enact certain stories they loved. Many a time they played Lord of the Rings in the garden or on a holiday hillside. As they played out battles and events there would be bows, arrows, swords and shields. Shields to defend, shields to shield from the arrows and blows of the enemy. This verse reminds us that God, the Lord, is our strength and shield. We are assured that God not only gives us the strength to serve Him but also shields us from the arrows and blows of the evil one and those who would bring us down. He lifts spirits and gives courage to those feeling weak. It inspires trust and brings joy. This verse thanks God for His unfailing protection. Imagine carrying a protective shield everywhere with us, that is exactly what God’s word promises.

23rd August 2024

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

I have a picture I was given years ago where the hand of God holds the hand of a human. It mirrors that wonderful time when a new baby holds the finger of their parent, and as they grow, holding onto the parent’s hand as the parent holds onto theirs. It is an act of love, of protection and care. Isaiah offers us powerful comfort, promising God’s constant presence and unwavering support. Fear slips away knowing He is always by our side, reminds us that even when we stumble, His mighty hand will lift us up, hold us up and give us strength to stand firm. It tells us to hold on tight because help is coming directly from the Lord of peace. In tough times, this promise shines like a beacon in the dark, God has not abandoned or forgotten us. Trusting in Him brings an inner strength that nothing else can match. As we lean on His promises to uphold and strengthen our souls with His righteous right hand we grow up in strength and safety.

22nd August 2024

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

If you ever watched any of the Blackadder series you will know the Character Baldrick always has a cunning plan, but the plan is not cunning and will never work. We all make plans, some work, some don’t. This verse speaks directly to us. It tells us that God has a plan, even when life feels chaotic. This plan will and does work. This verse assures us that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. That means our daily events and any troubles aren’t pointless, they’re actually part of a bigger picture. Believers can find deep comfort here, knowing their struggles may well serve a divine reason, a bigger plan. It’s about growing through them with the certainty of God’s plan. Through every day, every failure and every sin, this promise remains steadfast, we are being shaped and moulded for something greater, for God’s glory and our ultimate good.

21st August 2024

Luke 11: 34 Your eye is the lamp of your whole body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but if it is not healthy, your body is full of darkness.

How do we see ourselves? How do others see us? A good person? Always helpful, caring, hard working or do others see us as loud, uncaring, unhelpful, selfish? People often use that phrase, what you see is what you get, this works on two levels. The no pretence this is who I am level, but also the what you see or look at makes you who you are level. As Christians there should be no pretence, we should be exactly who we are in Jesus, full of light and truth. But if we live life in the shadows and the dark, look at things we should not, allow evil things to go on and watch them happen without making a stand, then that is what we will reflect and we will not be people of the light but of the darkness. Who we are is important, people of honesty, truth, compassion, care and concern. People full of light of peace and love. Yes we will get it wrong sometimes and people will be quick to judge when we do, but who we are is loved completely and utterly by God, and we should make no apologies for who we are in Him. This is me and I am loved completely!

20th August 2024

Acts 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

We often refer to things outside our knowledge as supernatural, outside nature as we know it. As Christians sometimes we may witness miracles of healing, intervention or change because the Holy Spirit is supernatural, outside of nature, because The Spirit is God, is Jesus. The Spirit was there when nature as we know it was created and then came in power to live within us at Pentecost. He is ready and waiting right now for us to allow Him to work, to bring all the things Jesus told us about into our lives. But as always, He will never force himself on us. It is our choice whether to accept the gift of the Spirit into our lives or not. It is our choice whether we confine or release the Spirit to work in us BUT to receive the Spirit all we have to do is ask and we will receive!

19th August 2024

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and brings comfort to those who are crushed in spirit.

Are you a dog lover? Do you have pet dogs? In recent years we have seen the growth of wellbeing dogs, of assistant dogs of companion dogs. These animals have the ability to sense distress or illness, warn of difficult situations, bring calmness into a difficult situation. Dogs tend to want to protect, to love, to help and all they ask in return is love and care from us. I find that people are far more relaxed talking to the dog than me. In fact, I sometimes think people forget I am there. The dog gives a totally different feel to meetings with disgruntled students or employees. The dog will also never betray a trust. They let you unburden yourself in safety. We are still recognising the incredible value of God’s creatures, still learning about all they can do and offer. I have seen the real benefit of dogs in people’s lives and sometimes it’s as if God is right there through the presence of one of His beloved creatures. After all His creation bears the mark of the creator.

18th August 2024

Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

In the past valleys were seen as places of danger, you could be attacked, there was restricted access and exit. To travel through a valley, especially on your own was seen as dangerous. Therefore, valleys became synonymous with darkness, danger, harm, fear and worry. When we walk through the darkest valleys in life, instead of feeling lost and alone Psalm 23 reminds us we are not alone. It tells us that even when we face deep sadness, worry, harm, even death, we don’t have to be scared. Why? Because our Lord walks beside us every step of the way. His rod and staff are like a shield for protection and a stick to guide, help and defend us, these keep us safe and on the right path. This verse has brought peace to many people in tough times. Reassurance that our loving shepherd is always looking out for us!

17th August 2024

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

What makes you feel peaceful? Walks in the country or listening to music maybe. There are things we do to help ourselves when we need to calm down, take a step away. The Bible reminds us that we will find perfect peace if we trust in the Lord. If we Keep our thoughts, our mind and heart on God and not on everything else then we will find peace in our daily living. We are reminded that the secret to staying calm, no matter what happens, is to focus on God. God’s love can keep us steady, keep us calm, keep us peaceful, even when things around us are confusing and difficult. God invites us to let go of our worries, our frustrations, our confusion and rely on Him fully. Focussing on God means we can face anything with a peaceful heart.

16th August 2024

Matthew 11:28&29 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

We all like a good rest. Sometimes we get really tired, as my nan used to say, bone achingly tired, and we need to sleep and just rest for a while. Jesus understood this and told us that when we are tired and even when not, come to Jesus, and we will find rest for our soul. This promise stands out as a beacon of hope for those weighed down and tired out by life’s burdens. He understands our struggles and offers a path to peace that is gentle and kind. His humble heart makes this invitation even more powerful because it feels like we’re being called by someone who truly gets us. Picture a friend with open arms, ready to comfort us after a long, hard day; that’s the kind of comfort Jesus presents here. Tired? Worn out? Jesus says “come.” It’s not just about finding somewhere to sit back; it’s about receiving peace deep within our being, peace that strengthens, soothes, and reassures us no matter what life throws at us.

15th August 2024

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Did you know you can get a sensor that goes off as a dog barking when anyone comes to your door. It has been designed to put off people who might be thinking about scamming you or even breaking in. Research shows that the sound of a loud dog bark will put people off. This verse is a bit like that for Christians. Instead of a dog barking we have the protection of God with us. He is always there to help. We have the best protection ever, God. Many folks find peace just by thinking about these words. They imagine standing strong with God right beside them, strong and ready to face anything! It allows us to have a confidence not in ourselves but in God. It gives us hope that we face nothing alone, that even when things look grim, we do not face them alone but with God by our side, around us, within us, above and below us. Protected and blessed.

14th August 2024

John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.

As we grow and learn what we take in then goes out to others. We are an interactive species. As the Holy Spirit is within us it witnesses to us and then through us, it gives testimony to us and then through us, it brings knowledge to us and then through us. The Spirit will prick our conscience, challenge us about things in our lives, bring change within us but will also renew us, stand by us as a companion and comforter. He offers us direction, leads us, guides us, corrects us. He brings to our mind the scriptures and teaching of Jesus. He offers prophecy, power, inspiration. He enables us to speak up and to pray when we just have no words. To sit with us when we are alone and upset. He reveals things to us we need, brings things into our minds and hearts. He teaches us, brings us understanding and is everything we need from God Father, Son and Holy Spirit to live our lives as effective Christians.

13th August 2024

Psalm 139:7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

We often talk about someone who knows us well. Our family, our partner, someone who knows more about us than most people do. The Holy Spirit really knows the deepest us, knows what we keep hidden, what we really think and feel, our deepest thoughts and fears. This Holy Spirit offers us wisdom and discernment, it allows head knowledge to become heart knowledge. The Spirit within us means we are never alone, never without God’s presence. Even in our deepest, darkest moments the Spirit is right there, with us. There is nothing and nowhere we can hide from the Holy Spirit.

12th August 2024

1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.

When life is difficult, we really appreciate someone who is on our side, standing up for us. Jesus tells us the Holy Spirit is just that, our Advocate. That means the Spirit physically supports us and stands up for us; the Advocate putting the case on our behalf, another word is Parakletos. The Holy Spirit is a defender, a comforter, intercessor, assistant, counsellor, helper, strengthener, supporter. One who pleads our cause to God and God’s cause to us. The Spirit does all this by empowering us with gifts. Gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, courage, knowledge, piety, faith, reverence, authority, awe, comfort, teaching, hospitality. The Spirit adds His voice and presence to ours.

11th August 2024

John 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

What are you like when you are given a present? Do you excitedly rip it open? Do you put it to one side to look at later? Do you never really bother to open it? When God sent the Holy Spirit, it was a gift for everyone, and like any gift we can choose to accept it or not. We can receive it and then do nothing with it, never really engaging with it, or we can receive it and use it to help make our lives and the lives of others better. This Spirit can work in us as a still small voice, a whisper, sometimes gentle, spoken of as a dove in the gospels, and sometimes very powerful, the strong wind, the tongues of fire which can come upon us.

10th August 2024

Galatians 5:22&23a But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Most of us eat fruit in our diet, the fruit that comes from healthy living trees and bushes. It is produced because the tree or bush is strong and healthy and growing well. The Holy Spirit within us also produces fruit. If the Spirit is living within us and we are growing well, then we will exhibit this fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We don’t always show all these things, we are human, we sometimes get it wrong, but with the Spirit in us we are able to tap into His strength to produce these fruits. To be more patient or loving, or peaceful or good, or kind or even more joyful!

9th August 2024

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Some days I hear myself saying I just want some peace. When life is incredibly busy and I haven’t had a moment for myself or the family, I long for some peace and quiet, just to be me. I would suggest this is the same for all of us. Whether it’s that 5-minute cuppa, or that 10-minute prayer time, or a few minutes in the garden. We are reminded that Jesus gives us a special peace unlike anything the world can offer. This peace calms our minds and hearts. Jesus was getting ready to leave his disciples, but He didn’t want them to worry or be scared. So, He promised them and us the kind of peace that lasts forever. A peace that the world can’t offer or understand. We can hold on to this promise too. Even when things get tough, when life seems so busy, we don’t have to be troubled or fearful, we can know that Jesus left us with a gift, His peace. It’s like a lasting legacy for everyone who follows him.

8th August 2024

Genesis 2:2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.

God created us all with internal reserves of physical, emotional and spiritual energy, but we need frequent recharging or we’ll wear ourselves out. The older we are the more this is necessary. After we’ve spent our energy, we must rest and become recharged and renewed. How can we love ourselves and others when we are always going and doing and not pausing for rest? If we aren’t rested and well, how can we do well for the people we serve? The ongoing toil of doing God’s work in our world calls for getting away from time to time to reflect, to renew, and to spend time just being with family, being ourselves and being with God.

7th August 2024

John 6:30 So they said to him, what sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?

Jesus was often asked about signs. Not signs you can touch, but something that would prove to people that Jesus really had come from God. Jesus had just fed 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. That was a clear sign showing that Jesus was from God, but the people totally missed it. As long as they got fed that’s all that mattered. Jesus kept healing people, doing miracles but even that didn’t seem to be enough proof. The people wanted even more signs; even more proof. How much proof do we need? God keeps working, things keep happening but we just don’t want to see. Miracles are around us every day, we need to open our eyes.

6th August 2024

Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Have you ever had need of help, for anything? Of course, we all have. Help to move things, get shopping, fix the car, change the light bulb, finding our way, medication from the doctor. We need one another no matter how independent we are. But when it come to asking for help concerning well being or mental health many of us shy away. We all need help sometimes, no matter who we are. There are relaxation techniques, suggestions on how to shift the tone of feeling by the language we use, ideas on setting aside worry time, worry trees, making plans, focusing on the present, breathing techniques, yoga, mindfulness, meditation, with apps and videos to help. There are also people to talk to, people who won’t judge but will want to help. Because of my faith I often use prayer when I am worried, I also find the positivity of thankfulness for all the good things helps put the worry in perspective. The most important thing is that God does not want us to cope alone. He is there for us and He has given us each other to help one another.

5th August 2024

Mark 6:34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He began teaching them many things.

Even if we take time for a break, sometimes the demands on our time do not cease. The Scottish Poet Robbie Burns said, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.” Once in full time ministry Jesus belonged to the people, and the crowds followed Him wherever He went. Even when He tried to take time away and pray or rest, they would search Him out. Despite His own weariness, Jesus ministered to the needy crowds because He saw they were lost, as sheep without a shepherd. Jesus’ compassion came to the fore, He reached out to the crowd by teaching and organising them, speaking for them and feeding them. BUT, He left them free to choose whether they believed He was the Messiah or just a miracle worker who fed them for free. We are all free to choose whether we believe or not.

4th August 2024

John 6:2 A great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick.

Time and again in the Gospels we meet Jesus ministering to or being followed by a crowd. People that God gave to Jesus for Him to look after. The crowds that followed Jesus were just like any crowd today, there were full of all sorts of people. Women and men, mums and dads, boys and girls, friends and neighbours, visitors from the country or from another country. There were people who knew Jesus and others who didn’t, there were people who were baptised and others who weren’t, some people knew the ten commandments while others had no idea, there were people who were tired, and others who were hungry. Jesus cares for everyone, no ifs no buts, no excuses. All are loved and cared for by Jesus. What a lesson for us.

3rd August 2024

Phil 4:8 whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

These days I hear a lot about journaling. Some courses now require you to journal your thoughts and feelings. Many organisations and helps for depression, anxiety and worry suggest journaling as a way to help balance thoughts and feelings. I have been journaling for years. Using paper to express my feelings and thoughts. To write down my worries and look for ways to work them through. I personally don’t draw but others use pictures as another way to journal. Many of these Thoughts for the Day come from my journaling. Not everyone is comfortable writing or drawing but for those who are it is a way to express how we feel, to tell God what we are struggling with, and to find ways forward because it is in front of us on paper and that makes it a little easier to put into perspective.

2nd August 2024

Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Sometimes we all feel tired, physically, spiritually and mentally. Jesus never allowed His weariness to overwhelm His empathy. He knew He was the last stop for the desperate, pained people. His personal boundaries were less important to Him than His desire to love others. But, as was His example, we are also sent to places where we can get rest and let God heal us and renew us. Then we can go back out again, refreshed, for another chance to be God’s presence in the world. BUT, while it is vitally important for us to do God’s work, it’s also extremely important for us to take time for rest that we might do the work for God in the best way we can. We must take time to rest, in the day, in the week and sometimes with time away.

1st August 2024

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your worries on the Lord for He cares for you.

When someone just flippantly says, “don’t worry, it’ll be fine”, many of us don’t pay it a second thought, but actually life for so many of us is often a place of worry and anxiety. Worry and anxiety can seem irrational to others but for many of us it is a genuine heavy burden we bear. Being worried, being anxious can have negative effects on our relationships, on our self-esteem, on our physical, emotional and spiritual health. Worrying is disruptive to life and cannot just be dismissed. It needs to be recognised and accepted. In society anxiety and worry are now more readily recognised as conditions which need treatment, which debilitate, and thankfully, much more help is available. The first step for many is to acknowledge the problem, recognise we need some help and then to ask. There are leaflets and apps, just talking to a friend, a priest, a mental health first aider can point us in the right direction. God cares about our worries and concerns and He sends others to help us deal with them.

31st July 2024

Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Recently I went to pick up a parcel, surprisingly it had been left at the local pharmacy. The counter staff would not let me have it saying I did not have a code and they could not verify who I was. I had the necessary delivery card and they know exactly who we are. When I politely challenged them for not giving me my parcel, I was accused of being negative, was verbally abused and treated very poorly. I choose to leave as the situation was not a good one. To supplement their income the pharmacy has agreed to become a parcel pick-up point, but they do not have the necessary software in place, they have not been trained in how to do this properly and staff are out of their depth. Pretending to be what we are not, without the training or the background, we are unable to help others, to do the best for them and in stead just alienate and upset them. I did get my parcel in the end but the pharmacy has lost our business because they were so rude and abusive. May others never be turned from God because of our unnecessary rudeness!

30th July 2024

Luke 7:13 When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.”

How Compassionate are you? Be honest, some of us are far more compassionate than others. It is often due to the experiences in our lives. Compassion is not just a feeling inside; it is also something we do. Jesus had to show His followers that compassion is a part of discipleship. We are called to be compassionate. Compassion hits us in the gut and sends us into action for the sake of others. How can we rest when people are homeless, families are starving and children are suffering? We are sent into the world to be the presence of Christ, to be His hands and feet, to show His love and compassion to everyone no matter who they are.

29th July 2024

Proverbs 17:17 True friends love through everything, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.

It is often said that we can choose our friends but we can’t choose our family. That is absolutely true. Family are family whether we like them or not. Can you think of a difficult time in this past year when your friends and family really supported you? Not all families work well but usually they offer love and support when we need it. We need to look around us and think seriously, is there someone, be it friend or family, who needs my support now? Perhaps we have or need to develop strategies for sticking with people through thick and thin, being reminded that it all begins with love. It is love that enables us to stick with it, it is love that means we support one another, it is love that means we do not give up.

28th July 2024

Mark 6:56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

The gospels are full of examples of Jesus’ compassion. Feeding the hungry, healing the sick, helping the lost, it was a powerful part of His ministry to the ordinary people. Today, we also live in a world full of people who are hungry, sick, hurting and in need of God’s love, grace and forgiveness. Our compassion is a powerful part of our ministry. Our kind words, our smile and our help can make all the difference in people’s lives. We can offer a place of refuge from the difficulties of people’s lives just by being compassionate. If compassion is not our strong point, then we need to ask God to help us, to give us that compassion so can we love others as He loves them.

27th July 2024

Ephesians 4:2-3 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.

How good are you at getting on with people? If we are honest some people are just harder to get along with than others. What is it we find hard about getting on with others? That they are not like us or they don’t hold the same values, or we just find them annoying. Based on the requirements of this verse there are things we need to change. We need to be humble, gentle and patient people and that can be a challenge, and we also need to decide if it is worth making the effort and why that might be. It might help us to look at which are our strongest relationships and why they are strong and then work a bit harder at bearing with one another in love.

26th July 2024

Psalm 23:2&3a He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

I expect you have heard of Aesop, the great moral story teller. He would take time to play with the children and tell them stories. Asked why he wasted time with children he responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string and placing it on the ground. Aesop explained, “If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you need it.” All of us need to get away for a break, a rest, from time to time, take time to play, to slacken the grip life has on us. Some people really have a hard time doing that. They think they have to take their phones and laptops so that they can check their voice mail and email, and maybe even catch up on unfinished work. This is not taking a rest! If we do not rest then we will eventually break.

Apologies, loss of internet for a couple of days.

23rd July 2024

Isaiah 32: 15 Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field is considered as a forest.

When you look at your life today, what’s different compared to your life a year ago, three, five, twenty years ago? In what ways have you changed? Have your values changed, the things that guide and direct your life? Are your priorities different? Has your spirituality changed? Your concerns for the world and others? What troubles your soul and breaks your heart these days? What seeds have germinated and taken root in you? What new sprouts are coming up in you? Where is growth taking place and what does that look like? When I look back on my life I can see qualitative changes for the better. My passion for justice, peace, and the wellbeing of others has grown in ways I can’t explain. My guess is that each of you could say similar things about aspects of your life. The important thing is we recognise that God is at work and we have and are changing.

22nd July 2024

Mark 6:31b Jesus said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Jesus recognised that we need to take time off regularly to get caught up on our rest. His disciples had just returned from a long and exhausting ministry trip, so He instructed them to “come aside…and rest awhile”. The disciples needed to centre themselves, to eat a proper home-cooked meal, to be in communion with God and to process. Jesus knew that in order to do this, He and His disciples had to take a break, to take care of themselves if they were going to take care of other people. If you hear nothing else today, hear this; God wants us to come aside and rest a while.

21st July 2024

1 Peter 5:8 Be watchful. Your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist, stay firm in your faith.

I have only ever seen a lion in real life in the zoo. I have several pictures of lions and I think they are majestic creatures. I also like to watch documentaries about them and often see traits in my own domestic cat. In reality I would never want to be anywhere near one, especially when it was on the prowl, hunting and then roaring. We respect that these creatures are wild and will kill for food. They have no concept of why a human is not just meat for the taking. The Bible refers to the enemy as a roaring lion, in other words the enemy must be respected for what they are, recognised for the damage they will inflict if they get their claws into us. The nature of wrongdoing is such that it will inflict terrible injury and even death be that physical or spiritual. We protect ourselves from Lions by not being where they are, by not wandering into their space. So, it is with us and the enemy, don’t go where they are, don’t wander into their space, have respect for what they can do and act accordingly. Remember that holding tight to our faith, to God, we will not wander into those places of danger and if ever we are called to stand firm God will provide the strength and protection we need if we let Him.

20th July 2024

Psalm 139:13 You formed me in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

I was talking to a friend the other day and I said “you cannot ever put a price on life”. It made me stop and think how easily life is taken for granted and how easily it is taken from those society choses to see as expendable and worthless. Thousands dying of starvation across the globe is easily ignored, after all, they are not like us. Thousands dying in conflicts and wars, not really our problem we think. Yet, every human being is precious, formed within our mother’s womb, created and known by God. How do we recognise that preciousness in ourselves and in others? Firstly, by taking better care of them and us. We need to think about how we can take better care of ourselves and others, even more than we do now. Why not note down some things you can do to take better care of your precious self, and precious others, better. When we hear of the deaths of others, unknown to us maybe, but still precious to God, they should be recognised and grieved as God's precious ones by us.

19th July 2024

Mark 4:33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.

The reality, as Jesus describes it in the parables, is that there is a energy about our lives, a spirit moving within us. Every one of us has been seeded and something is growing within us. Sometimes we don’t see it, believe it, or trust it. But it’s there. Sometimes we wait years hoping, looking, and wondering when, and then one day we see the first green blade rise up. Other times we wake up one day and are surprised by what has changed within us. How did that happen, we ask? Jesus uses everyday images from gardening or farming to talk about our lives. His parables are often metaphors for the way God works in our lives. It’s meant to be an encouragement and to offer hope. We may not always see it but God is always at work if we let Him.

18th July 2024

Matthew 9:12 Jesus said “ it is not those who are healthy that need a doctor, but those who are sick”

Today is a very special day, today we attend our son’s graduation followed by the rights of passage at St Paul’s cathedral. His life long desire to become a doctor has come to fruition. When I cradled this little boy, read books with him, said prayers each night, took him to school and watched him grow saying he wanted to be a doctor all we ever hoped and prayed was that he would be happy and safe in God’s care. Today we get to thank God in St Paul’s Cathedral for the story of his life thus far and to commit him into God’s hands as he starts his career caring for all God’s people when they are ill. I don’t think God minds that we are a little proud today. All of us are called in different ways but we are all called to be the best we can be for God in those different callings as we serve others.

17th July 2024

Mark 5:34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

The woman in this passage had tried the best money could buy to be healed and yet was slowly dying in agony. Jairus wanted the best for his seriously ill daughter, of course he did. They had both been misled, lied to, they had lost faith in society and leaders but they found faith in Jesus . Many of us have lost faith in society and leaders, so, maybe we need to ask ourselves what are our priorities? Do they need to change? We want the best for our loved ones, of course we do. Most of us are comfortable, thank God, but where is the balance between our abundance and the need of others, or the abundance of some and the genuine need of many. Fairness for all must be our priority, living well together and fairly. That is God’s priority for us, life in all its fullness for everyone not just the wealthy few.

16th July 2024

2 Corinthians 8:14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.

What I see in my own life and in others is that big events in life like birth, marriage, death, illness, disability cause our priorities to change. The church sees many young parents bring children for baptism to experience what they had. From loving or hating school ourselves we want the best education for our children and grandchildren. We want the best care for our loved ones in times of crisis and we know it can happen. In becoming so fixated on wealth, society and governments lose sight of ordinary people. They become out of touch with ordinary people. Their values and priorities become more selfish. St Paul reminds us that we should each share in the care and provision of one another, that when we have more and share that with those in need, others will share with us in our need when they have more. That way there will be fairness.

15th July 2024

John 7:5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

How do you get along with your family? I often meet families who are angry at each other, don’t talk to one another, siblings who have shunned each other because of various reasons like finance, marriages, arguments and so on. We can’t choose our family; family members can be hard to get along with when they hold differing ideas and values. Yet, we are family and family should look after each other. Sadly Jesus family was also a troubled one. His own brothers did not believe in Him, in fact they tried to get Him into trouble from the word go by making Him a public figure before He was ready. They taunted Him, they questioned His sanity, they tried to stop Him because they did not want to bring embarrassment upon themselves. When families have issues, Jesus knows exactly what we are going through, He’s been there too. We need to remember that even though they treated Him badly He did not do the same to them. Instead He loved and supported them. We too, owe a debt to our families and even in the difficult times we need to ask for patience and love to be a good family member.

14th July 2024

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

As much as we try to push it aside, we all worry. Worry about money, family, illness, job security, mortgages, bills and so it goes on. We all worry to a greater or lesser extent depending on our character and upbringing. The trouble with worry is that it drains us, often pushes us further into more worry and becomes a cycle. Although an element of worry or concern is necessary in life to keep us from doing things that endanger us, the pressures of present-day life have burdened us more and more. When we are told not to worry in the Bible it is not unrealistic but rather about trusting God with the basics of life. Accepting that God provides the necessary for life but we have over complicated it with our structures and bias. God’s provision is there for us daily, it is us who have overcomplicated it by wanting more and more and accepting less as failure and then worrying about it.

13th July 2024

Mark 9:15 When the crowd saw Him they were filled with awe and rushed to him.

When do you rush? When you’re late? When you’re excited to see someone? When you are filled with joy over something? In the Bible this verse tells us that the crowd rushed to Jesus when they saw Him. An argument was happening and they rushed to Jesus, when healing was needed they rushed to Jesus, when food was needed they rushed to Jesus. When Jesus needed them they turned their backs. When we want something Jesus and God are our first port of call. Our prayers easily become shopping lists of wants. We are told to pray and to seek and to ask but we are also called to praise, worship and thank God, to stand up for Him in the world. Of course God is concerned for our needs, He makes that very clear, but our faith and life is also a calling about what we can do for others. As people came to Jesus can they come to us? Will we be God’s voice, God’s love and care, God’s hands to others? Are we the reason others find and come to Jesus?

12th July 2024

Mark 6:3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

At some point in our lives people have made fun of us. Their reasons may be improper, nasty and rude and they may just be bullies, but it hurts. The Bible says some of the people in the synagogue began to make fun of Jesus. Who does He think He is? They ask where does He get this wisdom and the power to do miracles? Then they challenge His parentage, His family and His occupation. Isn't this the carpenter they shout. They were offended by the teachings of Jesus and refused to believe in Him, because He wasn’t like them and they did not like to be shown up. That can happen to us as well. Think of a time when you were rejected, turned away, made fun of. Think about how that made you feel. People will reject us because we are different, or believe different things. They will reject us because we advocate for justice and fairness. God will never reject us as we try to become better people.

11th July 2024

James 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

My family know that I am not always very patient. I do like to see things happening as they should and find it difficult when I am told that these things are testing my faith and making me a better person. James tells us to see our difficult times as chances for joy and strength. These verses push us to stay strong even when life gets tough. Telling us that staying steady, patient and strong through troubles helps us grow. God, it says, uses our struggles to work good in our lives, making us more patient and complete. Perhaps we need to think of challenges like exercise for our faith muscles. Just as lifting weights builds physical strength and muscles, facing trials head-on can build spiritual endurance, spiritual muscles. This verse isn’t just saying we’ll get through the hard times, it’s actually promising that we’ll come out better on the other side if we lean into faith and do not give up. Trusting God during these times fills us with a unique joy, a joy of strength and perseverance, which prepares us for anything life throws our way.

10th July 2024

Mark 6:2a When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

Do you feel welcome when you go to church? I hope so! I hope you have friends to meet with and encourage you. If Jesus were to walk into our churches today, do you think He would feel welcome? Jesus went to the synagogue, the Jewish place of worship, in His hometown. He had already healed many people and even raised a young girl from the dead. On the Sabbath, the holy day of rest, Jesus would always go to the synagogue. There is a lesson here for us about attending church regularly. Jesus began teaching, and many who were there were amazed at what they heard. They didn’t know that Jesus had so much wisdom and power. Do we know how much wisdom and power Jesus has? Do we recognise who Jesus is? He wasn’t welcomed by everyone. Is He welcome in our lives?

9th July 2024

1 Timothy 6:10a For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

St Paul reminds us that the love of money is the root of all evil. Not money itself, but the love of it. When money is the priority evil ensues. The problem is whenever money becomes the narrative then all else is side-lined and cut in order to make the most profit, this means people do not flourish and do not live well or fairly. We are currently witnessing the Post Office Scandal where to maximise profit people’s lives were ruined. Billions have been put into tax havens and no tax paid. Those with wealth hide it away and hang onto it while cutting staff, using zero hours contracts and paying below the minimum wage. We all need money to live but if that is all we want, all we work for, then God is not in us.

8th July 2024

Psalm 34:18 "The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Sometimes we describe ourselves as having a heavy heart. We are burdened by someone or something, we cannot understand why something has happened and we feel lost and down hearted. The Psalms speak often of how God is there for heavy hearted people who are sad and hurting. Life will sometimes bring tough days, or weeks or even months, but this Psalm reminds us we’re not alone. The Lord understands our pain and stands close by, ready to help. He sees every tear we cry and hears when we call for comfort. The Psalms so often picture God as a friend giving a reassuring hug during the hard times. Here it promises that even if our spirits feel crushed, God’s loving presence can lift us up again. Remembering these words can give us peace when everything else seems dark and scary. We find hope knowing the Lord saves those in distress and heals broken hearts with His endless love and compassion.

7th July 2024

Wisdom 1:13 God did not make death, and he does not delight in the destruction of the living.

In the Bible passage about Jairus Daughter, Luke 15, Jairus had it all, the wealth, the power, the status, but his daughter was dying. The sick, reclusive woman had the basics, the rest had been taken by big promises and charlatans and she was constantly ill and considered an outcast. Both would have known the teaching of Solomon that God does not delight in the death of the living, that God did not make death. Both, facing illness and death, have faith in Jesus! Both believe Jesus can work the miracle for them. I am a firm believer in miracles. I have seen a few over the years, witnessed many Godincidences. I am also a believer in God given gifts in order for us to live well and fairly together. Doctors, nurses, carers, teachers, police, corner shop owners, street cleaners, rubbish collectors, gardeners…. When we all use what we have to help one another the biggest miracle occurs. We all benefit and we are all blessed. God does not want anyone to suffer, neither should we.

6th July 2024

Daniel 2:21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.

As we woke up to the election results there was a sense of hope, that at last we might see some of the promised integrity and honesty, some of the compassion and empathy, some of the genuine interest in, and action for, those in need, in poverty, with special needs. Hope is something we long for, it allows us to keep going even when everything seems lost. We are given a renewed strength and energy to keep going. When things begin to change the work is not done, new work begins, promises need to be kept and fulfilled. Whoever you voted for, this new government works for all. Never be frightened to challenge or disagree, never be frightened to express an opposite view but always do so with respect. Democracy is always fragile and must be treated with respect and safeguarded. We had a safe and orderly change of government, may it always be so and may we always fight to protect it, taking seriously our right and responsibility to vote.

5th July 2024

Mark 5:23 Jairus pleaded with Him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.”

What is being rich, wealthy or well off? We will all have our views on this. In Mark 5 Jairus is well off, he has status, he is an important religious leader BUT his daughter’s life is his real wealth. All the rest means nothing. The woman in the story is poor, mistreated, low in society, lied to and misled; for her richness was being healed, just being able to live a normal life. Richness is about what really matters! Not money. The poorest of people can live very rich lives. So, we need to examine what or who really matters to us? Is it family, friends, house, status, health? What are our priorities?

4th July 2024

Matthew 20:13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a fair days wage?”

You may have noticed recently that many wealthy and powerful people have made a lot out of working hard for their money, they make it sound as if the rest of us don’t work hard otherwise we would be rich too. That is rubbish. Most of these people come from money and are completely out of touch with normal people on an average or below wage, paying huge bills and mortgage costs. When a doctor is only earning £15 an hour but these people want £10,000 an hour for consulting, it shows just how out of touch they are. God’s view is that everyone should be living a good life, being paid a fair wage for their work, not trampling on another to gain for themselves; but rather sharing what we have with one another so no one suffers or loses out. Material possessions are great but if that is what is most important to us, if that is our priority, then we are not living as God intended and that needs to change!

3rd July 2024

Mark 4:28 The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.

Jesus often spoke of our lives as being like a garden that has been planted with seeds. It takes time, water and food, and a lot happens underground, hidden within the soil of our lives. There’s a lot of waiting, and then one day something sprouts and begins to grow, “first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain appears.” Something is always going on. Parables give us our work to do. They offer a different lens through which to see ourselves, others, and the world. God uses them to show us things about our life and the world which need our attention. What will we do with what we see? Celebrate and give thanks? Water, fertilize, prune, pull some weeds? Will we make the changes that God is asking us to?

2nd July 2024

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Currently the average teen, early 20’s person prioritises celebrity, status, money, big house, good car, designer clothes, big holidays and a top job. The average 20’s/30’s prioritises home, family, holidays, bills, good job, security. The average 40’s/50’s prioritises family, health, home, bills, helping their children, job security, holidays. Most 60’s up prioritises health, home, family, fair living standard, helping children and grandchildren, a good retirement. In this election people’s main priorities are the NHS, Cost of Living, mortgage costs and bills. God’s priority for all of us is that we have life in all its fulness or abundance. As part of that full life, we should want the best for others not just ourselves. The best is not about wealth or status but about love, life and happiness

1st July 2024

Mark 12:31 Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

One of the joys of being a school chaplain is the diversity of the school, a place where everyone can flourish. All places of education should be places where everyone can flourish and that is central to the Church of England’s Vision for Education. Good, healthy environments are inclusive because we recognise and appreciate more and more the unique and different individuals, we all are. Friendships and relationships are not about rules and societal views but about love, just love. Everyone should be seen for who they are, and each one of us should see, accept and support one another as we are. God made each of us who we are, unique, wonderful and special individuals and we should be proud of who we are. We should not only love ourselves as God loves us but also love one another as we love ourselves. There is nothing greater, nothing better. 

30th June 2024

Mark 12:31 Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

One of the joys of being a school chaplain is the diversity of the school, a place where everyone can flourish. All places of education should be places where everyone can flourish and that is central to the Church of England’s Vision for Education. Good, healthy environments are inclusive because we recognise and appreciate more and more the unique and different individuals we all are. Friendships and relationships are not about rules and societal views but about love, just love. Everyone should be seen for who they are, and each one of us should see, accept and support one another as we are. God made each of us who we are, unique, wonderful and special individuals and we should be proud of who we are. We should not only love ourselves as God loves us but also love one another as we love ourselves. There is nothing greater, nothing better.

29th June 2024

John 5:27 God has given Him authority to execute judgement because He is The Son of Man.

Many of our surnames came about from the jobs our ancestors did or as the name of the son of. My surname came from ab Owen, ab meaning son of Owen which was then shortened to Bowen. Cooper comes from barrel making, Knight from heraldry, Smith from black smiths, and so on. Names are important so when Jesus called himself the Son of Man, this meant something. He uses the term more than 80 times in the 4 Gospels. In it’s simplest form it means human, Jesus is both human and divine. It alludes to Daniel’s prophecy about the Messiah who will save the world. He is born of the divine Spirit and birthed by human Mary. He knows human weakness, compassion and empathy. He is the first born son of God and Mary and the firstborn was redeemed to the priesthood in Judaism. The first born was also the inheritor who would carry on the father’s vision, the work of the father. As Son of Man Jesus shows all that humans were meant to be from creation. Our judgement is impaired by our sinful nature, Jesus judgement is perfect because He was without sin. Fully human, fully divine, He is the ultimate judge who understands what life is like for us.

28th June 2024

John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

We watch our children and then perhaps our grandchildren grow. We see them make mistakes, relationships go wrong, exams and studies work them hard, they chose a life for themselves. We forget that we are also still growing every day. We chose a life for ourselves. Our relationship with God should be one of growth. Often our young ones don’t listen to us and often we do not listen to God BUT we need to listen to God’s voice, to hear Him; growth is needed in that area for us to hear clearly. Communication is the key. God speaks to us as we read the Bible, as we pray and through others. We talk to God as we share our feelings and needs and thank him for all He is doing. We talk and share with one another, in the church, in our Christian family, we give and receive encouragement, we give and receive help. We share that love, compassion and concern shown to us, to others who don’t know Jesus yet. As our lives change through our relationship with God so others see the change in us, they see our genuine, honest love and care for them and may often be curious as to why. As Christians we will want to listen to God, want to respond to Him, want to work with others to share His love through practical and creative ways.

27th June 2024

Mark 4:26 The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground.

“It is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground,” Jesus says. And I wonder, who are those someone’s in your life? Who has scattered seeds on the ground of your life? And what were those seeds? Who are the people that have loved and encouraged you, offered wisdom and guidance for your life, spoken difficult truths that changed your life? Who are the ones that gave you hope, stood by you, helped you find yourself? In what ways did they offer you a place to put down roots, find stability, and get your life in order? Who has awakened you and opened your eyes to see the world, others, and yourself differently? Who has inspired and mentored you? Let me encourage you to think about these people, perhaps a word of thanks, a recognition of their love, support and friendship. That word of thanks may itself be a seed planted in another’s life.

26th June 2024

Deuteronomy 5:13&14a Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God.

In Deuteronomy the people were reminded about the commandments, particularly about keeping the Sabbath holy. It is very clear that everyone, all people whether slaves, servants or free, rich and poor, as well as animals, must be given time to rest, time to be with family and time to worship God. BUT some religious leaders took this law too seriously, so fixated were they on the letter of the law that a person could not do a good thing like healing someone or feeding the hungry because it was the Sabbath. This is not what God meant! It is never wrong to do good, even on the Sabbath. God created humans, God gave the law, Jesus is the Son of God, part of the Trinity, there at creation, therefore Jesus knows exactly what the laws means and how God's first and foremost concern is people, the humans He created.

25th June 2024

Proverbs 18:24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

I like reliability, I like to be early for things, to turn up when I said I would, no excuses. I really struggle with people who don’t. This makes me wonder about how good are my friends? Do they constantly let me down? Not turn up, run late? Sometimes we do need to think about how good are our friends? Do they help us, or is it only us helping them? Do they stick up for us or do they actually get us into trouble? Getting in with the wrong people can ruin our life. Once we are involved and invested with people it is really hard to walk away, and yet if someone is bringing us down, we must think seriously about our friendships, our relationships, are there some we need to challenge or change? Jesus is our truest example of a good friend, may we be more like Him in our friendships and relationships.

24th June 2024

Ezekiel 17:5 Then he took a seed from the land, placed it in fertile soil; a plant by abundant waters, he set it like a willow twig.

Have you ever thought about how you and I can be seed scatterers in the lives of others? When we have put another’s interest before our own. Those who we have encouraged, loved, reached out to in compassion. When we have sat with someone in their grief, and when we have spoken out and worked for justice. You and I have shared with someone else the seed that we are. We may not always recognise it but we do it. Take a look at your life and see the many ways you are being a seed, planting God’s love into the life of another and be encouraged.

23rd June 2024

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
Most of us are happy to walk out in the daytime, most pavements are good and ways from place to place are obvious. If you walk official footpaths, you will know many are now restricted, have been fenced off and are not well kept. How well do you know the paths you take? Are there places where a torch or lamp would be beneficial? Especially at night time. Light allows us to move around in relative safety, even so, many of us do not look where we are going. We assume all is okay and there is no pothole, kerb or lamppost to worry about. Perhaps we need to concentrate more on where we are going and how we get there. God’s word is a guide for our life, a light for our path as we journey on day after day.

22nd June 2024

Luke 6:43 No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.

We grow up knowing that grapes come from vines, apples from apple trees, oranges from orange trees, strawberries from plants etc. We also know that good strong, healthy trees, plants and vines produce good healthy fruit. Jesus often uses nature to show us about faith. Here we learn that when we are good strong, healthy people of faith, when we grow and look after ourselves, then we too will produce good fruit, we will be good people. Sadly, if we are people who do not care, who use others, hurt others and do and say bad things then we will not grow but decline, become diseased and damaged. How we behave and are as people comes from our heart, that is who we truly are. If our heart is God’s then we are good, healthy people. If not then what we do and say comes from a bad place and that needs changing.

21st June 2024

1 Thessalonians 5:24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

As our boys grew up Gareth and I tried to give them all the tools they needed in life. As they learned to drive, voted for the first time, had relationship break ups, worked for exams and went to university, we longed for them to find their place, their happiness and their role. As parents we have a sense of duty, doing what we think will make life the best for them, but they must learn to make their own decisions; not from our telling them but from the example we set them. We cannot and must not force our children to find the right way, but we can support them, model life to them and pray for them. We are very proud of our sons; of the men they have become and are becoming. I see the compassion and honesty we modelled to them. Ultimately, we have to trust God for their growth. As Christians, we entrust ourselves and each other to God, to His work and preparation in lives. We trust the Holy Spirit to model, to support, to strengthen lives into the right way of God. The one who calls us is faithful, we too must be faithful to trust Him with ourselves, our families and each other.

20th June 2024

Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.

In history churches were places of refuge, somewhere a person could go and not be targeted or chased. They were places of safety. In some places of the world this is still the way. Sadly, many do not respect this tradition. For those who need to leave dangerous and abusive relationships there are places called a refuge. Nahum tells us that God is our ultimate refuge. A place of light in dark times God offers peace to all who are troubled. The LORD is the best place to hide when life gets hard. He knows those who lean on Him, and brings them security, comfort and hope. When trouble is brewing like the dark storm clouds on the horizon. We don’t have to face them alone because God is our secure fortress. He sees us seeking shelter and wraps us safely in His powerful, loving protective arms.

19th June 2024

Ezekiel 7:23 On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it, in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit, and become a noble cedar.

If we think of our lives in terms of growth and bearing fruit there must be areas of barren ground that are waiting to be seeded and planted within our lives. Take a few moments to think about what is sprouting and growing in your life today. Let yourself be encouraged by what is flourishing and blossoming in your life and the areas where there is new growth. Maybe your concern for what is happening in our world is being challenged. Maybe there’s a growing compassion for those in need blossoming within you. Maybe you have a new vision for who you are and how you want to live your life for God. God is waiting to bless us, to strengthen and encourage us into growth but we have to be willing for that to happen.

18th June 2024

Isaiah2:4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.

The longest border between countries in our world lies between the USA and Canada. It goes on for over five and a half thousand miles. Along this border trees are cut down and stone markers placed to create a very clear border and people know exactly where they are. This border not only separates land but also culture and government, different freedoms and belief. We hear constantly about controlling our borders, countries go on about sovereignty, leaders try to take land from others through wars, and yet can we imagine a world without division, without conflict? God promises time and again that He will bring unity, He will judge between the nations, He will deal with the disunity across the world and bring peace. It is hard to imagine this when we dispute borders and treat migrants with such disrespect, but Isaiah had a clear vision of a future where God would unite the nations, heal the divisions, stop the wars and gather all together as one. It may be hard to imagine but it is what God promises.

17th June 2024

Isaiah 40:31 "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

I don’t fly, past experiences have kept my feet firmly on the ground, but yet I love aerial photography, seeing incredible land features from the air. One of my favourite books is Tim Peaks “Hello, is this planet Earth?” His photographs taken from the space station. It just put things in perspective. Imagine feeling as strong and free as an eagle soaring in the sky! Nothing holding you back! Seeing everything clearly below you and moving through the sky with ease and confidence. This is how we can feel when we hope and rely on the Lord. We may face storms, we may struggle in daily life, life may well be good, but God’s promise is to carry us through it all. This verse promises us peace and comfort. It tells us that God gives power to the weak and those who trust in Him find fresh energy and strength, helping us to rise above weariness with ease.

16th June 2024

Isaiah 58:10 Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.

We need to take seriously our opportunity to change things, to challenge the unfairness and to challenge the misinformation and lies we are being told. The people who died at Normandy on D Day gave their lives for our freedom, our freedom to choose change, freedom to challenge and expect an honest answer. Freedom from division and hatred. Jesus own death was for our freedom to live honest, caring and compassionate lives and to make sure the hungry are fed, the sick, elderly and disabled are cared for and people have the simple basics they need to live a normal life. Whatever we may think or feel about this coming election we owe it to those who gave their lives for our freedoms to use our vote and use it wisely.

15th June 2024

Romans 16:17: I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

Division, conflict and suffering have been around since the garden of Eden, where humans turned away from God and division crept into everything. This division and inner conflict is a major part of today’s world and each of our lives. The result of nations and people being divided offers us the vitriolic politics we are seeing, and the growing number of wars, taking another people’s land because they are not the same as us, jealousy and hatred ensues. A divided economy has given us poverty, poor health and massive injustice. Once the community is divided it becomes individualistic and tribal, prejudice and aggression abound, anonymous persecution happens through social media. Humanity divided makes sure the few prosper at the cost of the rest. The old phrase divide and conquer still resonates and still works. Lord help us not to be divided but unified in you.

14th June 2024

Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Human history, from before Jesus, through His time on earth and ever since has experienced dictatorships, corrupt governments, rich overlords, where the poor get poorer and the rich get richer. Today our media is run by rich people who will cast any story to make themselves look good and earn them more influence, wealth and power. Those who question and challenge are removed, silenced, discredited. Jesus was killed because He came for the ordinary people. Because He challenged the status Quo. Giving instead of taking, serving instead of ordering, loving instead of hating, always treating the other with respect. That is the real world we should strive for.

13th June 2024

Judges 18:6 “Go in peace,” the priest replied. “For the LORD is watching over your journey.”

When I leave someone or say goodbye to someone, I say God bless; I am wishing God’s love and protection upon them in life and as they journey on. This verse makes it clear that God is watching over each of us as we journey through life and that He wants us to live in peace, without worry. How does it make you feel to know God watches over our journeys? I hope it reassures you and gives you peace. We can ask ourselves how careful and prepared we are for the journeys of life and whether we need to be better prepared. God can help us with our planning. Enable us to make improvements and better choices if we commit ourselves to Him in all of life’s journeys and events.

12th June 2024

Mark 3:21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

We hear a lot about gaslighting these days. The ability that some use to persuade people that they are ill or wrong or not seeing what is really happening and taking their control and freedom. This gaslighting was happening even in Jesus’ time, just as it is now. Gaslighting makes sure people are turned against anyone who might make a difference, who will work to make sure the poor are cared for, the hungry are fed, the sick are looked after. Those with power do not wish to relinquish it, those with money just want more, those in charge want only what benefits them. Those who use gaslighting tactics have convinced us that anyone not like us is a danger, that those who are homeless, disabled, sick or poor have brought it upon themselves. This is quite simply not true! Always challenge, always ask questions, never let anyone tell you that you do not understand or that your opinion is not valid.

11th June 2024

Mark 3:22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.”

We are currently seeing politicians doing anything to discredit each other. A willingness to lie repeatedly, to misinform, to attack rather than deliver their own policy. Jesus experienced this as He sort to bring help to the poor and needy. He experienced His freedoms being taken because they did not suit the powerful, the rich, the religious leaders. They used phraseology we might ourselves use about someone we disagree with, “are you mad”? we say loudly, we cannot allow you to speak, we need to restrain you, put you away, because you don’t represent the status quo. We cannot allow you to challenge, to change, to make a difference, we must keep you quiet, tell lies about you, spread misinformation and even get your own family to turn against you. Jesus own family listened to the liars rather than to Jesus. We need to be on our guard that we are not misled by lies and misinformation.

10th June 2024

Ezekiel 34:18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet?

My son has recently had the experience of visiting the Great Barrier Reef. The pictures I have seen show just how amazing and beautiful this place is. A hive of life and vibrancy. Beautiful colourful species of coral, fish, turtles, a place teaming with life. In recent years our pollution and overworking of the area meant damage and decay to this beautiful place. Yet somehow this wonder of creation is managing to heal itself. God’s creation is made with the ability to heal, we as humans have that ability, skin heals, bone heals, minor cuts heal over and we cannot see a trace. Of course, sometimes regeneration cannot happen, sometimes we damage things so much they cannot heal. God’s creation is regenerative but we are rather good at interfering and spoiling. I am grateful for those who help us heal, who help us recover, who work hard to stop pollution and destruction. God’s world is a wonderful place may we learn to treat it more respectfully and restore it to its rightful glory.

9th June 2024

Proverbs 14:31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honours God.

It has been an emotional week, if you watched any of the coverage from Normandy in the past week you will have seen people who gave everything for the freedom of our country, for the defence of democracy, fighting so everyone could be free. Fighting for the poor, the women, the men, the slaves, the free, the Jews, the Christians, the Hindu’s, the Muslims, the Sikhs, the Roma, the children, fighting for a better life for all, no matter gender, race, colour or religious belief. Democracy is always fragile, it is fragile now, we are charged with making sure we vote on July 4th, and that we vote not to preserve our status quo but vote to help the poorest, the most vulnerable, those whose lives are already worse than ours and who deserve better. In this way we honour God our maker and we honour those who gave their lives to preserve our freedoms.

8th June 2024

John 15:13 Greater love has no human than this, that they lay down their life for their friends.

How far would you go for a friend? Would you risk your life? Would you cover for them? We heard some amazing stories of friendship from the D Day commemorations, people who were willing to give their lives in service of country and friends on the battlefield. Perhaps it would help you to think about or even note down some things you have done for friends, and things friends have done for you. This helps us evaluate if we are a good friend, if others are good friends to us, or if we seriously need to re-evaluate our friendships. True friends are a blessing and an encouragement. May we be true friends, a blessing and encouragement to them. May we be reminded every day how important friends are so we can take time to grow these treasured relationships.

7th June 2024

Mark 2:27 &28 Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Jesus was quite often accused of breaking the laws of Moses, especially the laws regarding the Sabbath. Hungry disciples began to break of some heads of grain to eat. The Pharisees saw it as breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath? They took the law too far. Jesus reminded them, that the Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. Jesus noticed that there was a man who had a deformed hand. Since it was the Sabbath, some of the Pharisees were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath. If so, they would accuse Jesus of working on the Sabbath. Jesus challenged the Pharisees, "Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil?" The Pharisees refused to answer him. They couldn’t. How can it ever be wrong to care for and heal people on any day of the week? Jesus healed him. Immediately the Pharisees left to go and meet with Herod to plot how to kill Jesus. We must remember that every day is a day to do good!

6th June 2024

Romans 1:20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.

One of things we missed during lockdown was not physically being with people, we lost actual physical presence with one another. Jesus returning to the Father at the ascension is actually about Presence. Through the Ascension, Jesus actually becomes more present to us than He ever could before. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he was fully human, Jesus was confined to the rules of this world, he could only be in one place at one time. He was the Son of God, but he was fully human. And so, he couldn’t be everywhere at all times. After Jesus ascended into heaven, he could be present in a new way, through the Holy Spirit, and in fact he could be present everywhere at all times. The Ascension physically takes Jesus away from us, but only so that He can be present with us in a new way, being everywhere present, in a way that He could not do had He remained on earth.

5th June 2024

Mark 2:24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

Sometimes the people who make our laws get a little carried away and pass some very silly laws. There is a city in Arizona where it is illegal to drive a car in reverse. So, how are you supposed to get out of your drive way? In the UK It is illegal to fly a kite in public and it is illegal to carry a plank of wood down the street. I think you will all agree that those are some pretty silly laws, but this is nothing new. Even back when Jesus lived, they had some pretty silly laws, the religious leaders, the Pharisees, were keepers of the law of Moses and they believed that keeping the law was everything. They also believed that their own understanding and teaching about the law was the only correct teaching. There are people like that around us today, they think only they are right and no one else’s ideas count. Jesus knew that people were more important than silly laws, do we?

4th June 2024

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

I subscribe to a group who are trying to return compassion into our politics and on into society as a whole. The blame game has robbed many of compassion for our fellow human beings, giving us instead a society which is all about me and my wealth and power, which is obtained and protected by blaming others and hurting them. God is frequently called a God of Compassion, of mercy and of all comfort. God is always ready to show compassion, to give mercy and love. He comforts us so we can help others who hurt too. His compassion and care reach into our deepest sorrows, lightening even heavy hearts. Think of how a warm hug feels when you’re sad; that’s like God’s compassion and comfort in this verse. He wraps us in peace and gives us strength to face life’s battles. We’re not alone or helpless; we have powerful support from above! Through Christ Jesus, this compassionate comforting presence is always with us, offering unending solace and hope.

3rd June 2024

John 17:11b Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.

When our boys were young, we would sometimes visit places with a maze. Trying to find our way through, getting lost, meeting a dead end so many times and then back tracking to start again. Finding our way through life can sometimes be like finding our way through a maze. Each day we have to make choices and we don’t always know which way to go. Sometimes we even choose the wrong path, and we have to back up and start over again. Jesus knew that life in this world is difficult. That’s why He prayed for His disciples when it was time for Him to leave this world. He prayed for their and our protection. That’s why He goes and sends His Spirit. Life may not be easy, but with Father, Son and Holy Spirit leading the way, we will always find a way to go.

2nd June 2024

2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

We get so bogged down in trying to explain the Trinity when all we need to see is the relationship, the interaction between God Father, Son and Spirit and us. Remember Rublev’s Icon of the Trinity and how there is place for us around that table, how it invites us in. The Father looks forward, raising his hand in blessing, a movement towards the Son. The hand of the Son points on, around the circle, to the Spirit. We see the movement of life towards us, the Father sends the Son, the Son sends the Spirit, the life flows clockwise around the circle and we complete the circle. As the Father sends the Son, as the Son sends the Holy Spirit, so we are invited and sent to complete the circle of the Godhead with our response. The Spirit touches us, and leads us by ways we may not be aware of into the circle. This is exactly what I am talking about. There is a place for us in the relationship, but it is up to us to take the invitation and join in the cosmic dance that is the Trinity.

1st June 2024

Psalm 62:6 Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will not be shaken.

We often use the term solid as a rock, or compare something to being as hard as rock. Rock is considered safe, secure, it is used to make buildings, set foundations, to make safe, stable and secure places to live. Psalms teach us to put all our trust in God. No matter how tough things get, we can lean on Him for security, strength and stability. He is our foundation, our building block. David knew this well when he wrote these words. He faced many enemies who wanted to bring him down. Yet, he stood firm because his hope was not in people or things, it was in the Lord, his rock, and Him alone. Life brings challenges that sometimes feel too big to handle. Sometimes we might feel weighed down and unsure about where to turn. But just like David found peace and security by trusting God, his rock, we can too. Even when our hearts feel heavy with worry or grief, remember that God is a fortress, a rock, a place where we can find security, comfort and rest.

31st May 2024

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

As we approach an election, we will hear a lot about working together to make things better. Many Dioceses now have strap lines about working together. As we are drawn into the relationship of the Trinity we are also drawn into the relationship of the body, the church, together, and then from that communion with each other we are sent back out into the world to call the world back into the relationship with God that was the original idea of creation. This Trinitarian relationship is all about restoring the broken relationship between the Triune Godhead and the people, a way to the New Heaven and Earth of Revelation 21. That is why the final instructions of Christ to us in Matthew 28 are to make disciples of all nations. To bring them back into the relationship. To achieve the human flourishing that God has always wanted us to have.

30th May 2024

Matthew 3:16&17 And when Jesus was baptised, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

As we get older, we do tend to like and strongly defend our own opinion. We become resistant to change and then lose out on the new ideas and theology that are discovered. The approach of seeing the Trinity as a relationship means seeing things differently, seeing God the Father as Being itself, flowing, formless, nothingness, mystery as in the beginning of Genesis and then Christ as the living manifestation of that Being. The Holy Spirit is the Planted Hope, whenever it is missing in us, we are robbed of that inner hope, that life, that joy that keeps us in relationship with the Father. That Spirit cries out in us and draws us into the triune relationship and as such makes us part of the divine nature. We become part of that circle, that wave, that eternal love. We become more like Christ. We become part of the body of Christ on earth all within that relationship.

29th May 2024 (Apologies for a couple of missing days, internet down, now restored)

Romans 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

How good are you at relationships? Let’s face it, we all live in relationship but some are better than others. The Trinity is all about relationship. In simple maths terms one is lonely, two are oppositional, three represent a moving, energetic, and reproductive flow. In the beginning was this relationship, and therein lies our salvation. Father, Son and Spirit were together in Creation, The Son offers himself to keep the relationship intact and with the Spirit draws us into the relationship making us part of the Divine nature and the divine relationship. This is what Jesus is talking to Nicodemus about in John 3 and What St Paul talks of in Romans 8.

28th May 2024

1 john 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

How do you see God? Be honest some of us tend to see God as a stuffy, bearded guy who sits in judgment on us; for others they see God as a kind Santa Claus figure with our personal interests at heart and a bag of goodies for those of us who are good. Many see God as an old-fashioned, irrelevant belief system and some see God as insurance policy just in case the whole God thing turns out to be real. Hedging our bets. What we fail to see is the divine threesome, a life force of everything flowing through us and all creation; a Heavenly Wave that flows through and round us rather than an inert, particle God, who sits somewhere up there and judges us. We need to recognise that the energy in the universe is not in the planets, or in the protons, or neurons, but in the relationship between them. Everything works in balance, in relationship.

27th May2024

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the LORD is one.

In our traditions and belief, we tend to work with the Trinity as a pyramid shape; God is at the top and Jesus and The spirit are below at the other two corners. I would argue, as would a number of theologians, that it is not a triangle but a circle. This circle operates like a dance of the Trinity. Each are part of each other as well as themselves. Movements and operations between them make everything flow and move in time with one another. This divine dance is of loving and being loved. We usually have a static image of God, but actually we need to see God not as the eternal judge, who punishes us when we don’t do what He says but we need to see God as the Supreme Contributor and provider of everything that exists in our lives through Jesus the Son and The Holy Spirit.

26th May 2024

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

As we move through the church’s year the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost completes the Trinity. From Pentecost next we have Trinity Sunday, today. From creation through the Old Testament to Jesus coming for our Salvation and then the Spirit coming as He returns to Heaven; we have the opportunity to contemplate the source of our energy and power and how we might live our lives as we were designed to as those created ones of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Although we tend to think in terms of God or Jesus or Spirit, our faith, our life is dependent on all three, intertwined, working together, flowing around and in between each of us, the world and the universe we are part of.

25th May 2024

John 16:7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

Our understanding of our world depends very much on science and what we have learned over time. We have discovered that things we thought were true have a much bigger story to tell. When we understand things, we do so on a human level. We understand as our mind and experience allows us to. The Spirit of Truth enables understanding within us so we can comprehend and appreciate beyond this physical world. The Holy Spirit was there at creation and throughout the Old Testament but Pentecost brings it all together; The Spirit is now living not just around us but within us. The Spirit gives us the ability to recognise fully who Christ is. Not just human understanding but spiritual understanding.

24th May 2024

Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

In our busy lives we often do not see what is right in front of us. The other morning I walked through an area I rarely go through. I was privileged to meet many hedge birds popping in and out, tweeting away. I met may dogs out for walk with owners, some enthusiastic, some lolloping along and some just plain inquisitive. Then there were the hurrying school students and younger ones with parents. All of this I rarely see. It struck me how much of life goes on and we just don’t know about it, or think about it. We are in our own little worlds. These are all part of God’s creation and it continues day after day whether we see it or not. We humans have caused much problem to our world by our carelessness and greed but yet it keeps going. God has provided such a richness for us but we just don’t see it or appreciate it until it is gone. We are stewards of this world and as such need to be more aware, more caring of that which God has given us.

23rd May 2024

John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

We are told that we are made up of body and soul or spirit. When we die the inner self, who we are, leaves us while the physical body dies and decays. Jesus death on the cross is confirmed by the spear in the side which provides water (Plasma) and blood. Only in shock and then after death does this breakdown begin to happen round the heart and lungs. Jesus is then placed in a tomb, a new tomb, and the body left as Passover was happening and dealing with a dead body was considered unclean. His mother has watched Him slowly die in pain and agony. He had been humiliated. Yet Mary is right there, her care of Him even into His death is paramount. The cry of It is finished, is far from one of defeat, instead it is triumph, it is accomplished, what He came to do has happened. God and humans are reconciled. What seems like failure to the world is success for God and His people.

22nd May 2024

John 19: 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha)

I have never been to the Holy Land, but I have seen pictures of the winding narrow streets called the Via Dolorosa, which translates into Sorrowful way. I am also a huge fan of the song of that name by Sandi Patti. Written about Jesus’ journey through those streets to His crucifixion. During this journey Jesus is initially carrying His cross until He can no longer bear the weight. He is jeered at, taunted, spat upon and falls many times, He has been beaten, whipped, and is very weak, but He keeps going. As an act of derision He is given a crown of thorns to wear upon His head. Once He arrives at Golgotha He is crucified, nailed to a cross, with two actual criminals whose crosses are either side of Him. One taunts Him, the other asks for forgiveness. In life there are two sides, those who taunt and deride faith and belief in God and those who ask for forgiveness. Which side are you on?

21st May 2024

Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

How are you with making and keeping promises? The return of Jesus to Heaven is about a very important promise. Jesus promises that we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes, so that we can be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. The power that Jesus is given in the Ascension is shared with us through the promised Holy Spirit. And that helps us to do what Jesus did while he was on earth. It helps us to continue His mission. If we don’t like what we see, we can do something about it; we are given the ability to make a difference. We are called to be his witnesses, we are called to do what he did: to heal the sick and feed the hungry and fight oppression and evil, and to work for justice and peace, to seek reconciliation, and teach others to do these things, too. In this coming week you will have opportunities to change things, to make life better for others, to make a difference by what you do and say. The promise of The Spirit in you and I mean we can make a difference.

20th May 2024

John 15:26 When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.

As a child I was told about the Whitsun treat, the people of the church would have a special day out to celebrate Whitsun. A church picnic, or visit to a park or even the beach. We are now in Pentecost which is what used to be known as Whitsun or white Sunday, because many new Christians would be baptised on this Sunday wearing white as a symbol of purity as they were baptised into the church. The seventh Sunday after Easter is Pentecost. It celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit as Jesus had promised. The Spirit is described as Advocate, a Spirit of Truth who will come and challenge people about Sin, righteousness and judgement, who will guide us into truth, who will bring glory to Father, Son and Spirit.

19th May 2024

Acts 2: 4a All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit.

We are used to not having promises fulfilled by governments and councils. The promises of more help, better facilities are all soon masked over by policy and money. Jesus made promises and these were fulfilled. He promised the Holy Spirit. Once ascended God the father and Son send the Spirit upon the people. Jesus presence is now not limited to one place, now the Spirit is world wide, God’s presence with and within everyone who wants it, who allow the Spirit to work. That Holy Spirit comes as friend, guide, helper, empowering and challenging us into action. Those prompts in our conscience are the Spirit, ring someone, go visit, send a card, pray. The Spirit also prays with us and for us and we can’t find the words the Spirit can and does. The Spirit gives us gifts as we need them. The Holy Spirit is for everyone! We must never forget He is there, never forget to ask for His help. He will not force himself on us we need to invite Him in. Come Holy Spirit!

18th May 2024

John 20:16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

Within Judaism there is a very beautiful and caring way of preparing a body after someone has died. It is done for every Jewish person and is a last right of passage. For Jesus this too was to be the case, BUT because it was Passover, this last beautiful act was delayed. When Mary finally comes to the tomb instead of Jesus there are Angels. They ask about why she grieves. Her heart is broken, her Lords body is not there and so she cannot perform this last act of love. Through her tears and despair, she does not recognise Jesus. Why would she, she saw Him die. His voice, speaking her name changes everything. She would know that voice anywhere. She wants to hold on, not lose Him again, but now she has another job, not to prepare His body but to proclaim He is risen. Mary is the first evangelist, the one who goes and tells others He is alive. From that first Easter morning that is our job too. Tell the world that He is Risen, He has defeated death. We are to live our lives as those who know death no longer binds us. He has spoken our name, called us to live with Him. This is life in all its fulness!

17th May 2024

Matthew 7:12 In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.

A few years ago, there was a movement called Random Acts of Kindness. People would do nice things for others. People were fed, given gifts and help, anything that showed kindness to others. I wonder if you know about other movements, kindness cards, take what you need bulletin board, kindness cups, kindness rocks and pebbles on beaches, kindness poems and even kindness bingo. These happen round the country in schools and universities in the hope of encouraging people to be kind to each other, not because they have to but because they want to. Those who experience acts of kindness are much more likely to go on and act kindly to others. As it is done to them so they do to others. Jesus called us to do to others as He did for us, loved us, cared for us, compassion and kindness to us, therefore we do those things to others.

16th May 2024

John 16:28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.

We are now in the short period between Ascension Day and Pentecost. 40 days after Easter Jesus is taken up to Heaven in front of the disciples. Before His death and Resurrection, He had prayed for them and us, for Gods protection as we live in this world and seek to serve Him. His ascension now places Jesus back in His rightful place with God. Far from taking Jesus away from us it is how Jesus goes from local to global. How Jesus can now be present with everyone. The disciples did not want Him to physically go but He needed to go so that the Holy Spirit could come and empower us.

15th May 2024

Colossians 3:12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

When we care, when we have compassion, when we are kind it means we do not always put ourselves first. Instead, we see the plight of others, we recognise the unfairness and injustice and we want to do something about it. The Sussex centre for research has been researching kindness as it is linked to well being and relationships. They have already seen that giving to others activates the reward network in our brains. We feel better about ourselves and the world around us. God created us with this desire to help within our brains and hearts, a desire to look after others and improve people’s lives. It is all too easily drowned out by a selfish world that places others behind our own self-importance. Quite simply Christians are called to put others first and to do our best to make life better for all.

14th May 2024

Mark 16:19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.

Among the festivals in the church, we don’t really treat the ascension as that important and yet the Ascension of Jesus reminds us about Christ’s power. Rising from death to life and returning to His rightful place in the Godhead, means that Father, Son and Spirit are in control of our world, not any other rule or authority or power or dominion. Christ is more powerful because He has ascended and sits at the right hand of the very throne of God. Here He intercedes for us. He prays for us. Regardless of what is happening in our lives or in our world we know that our ascended Lord is in control and has not abandoned us. We are invited to trust Him, even when we don’t understand, even when we find it difficult to comprehend. We can talk to him, pray, intercede for others as He intercedes for us.

13th May 2024

John 15:12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

We may not think of service or self-sacrifice being about love, it depends on how we see love, but when you love it means you want the best for someone, you will do what you can to protect and help them. Stepping in when someone is at risk, people fighting off offenders in the streets like at London Bridge, helping people out of the collapsing buildings on 9/11, pulling people out of danger, police and firefighters do it on a daily basis. If we have a love for our fellow humans, for people in need, then we have a compassion, an empathy which prompts us into service of each other, into doing what it takes to help others. That going out of our way to help is self-sacrifice. All of us need to recognise the need to care for each other, to be willing to be sacrificial in our treatment of each other and to recognise that this comes from the love of humanity that each of us has been given and the example offered to us by God through Jesus.

12th May 2024

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

What do think of when someone talks about being kind? It is spoken about many times in the Bible and often comes within verses about love. Kindness and love are intertwined and often it is called loving kindness. To be kind you need love, love promotes and evokes kindness. Sadly, kindness is often seen as quite weak, we tell young ones to be nice or kind and we have forgotten the power that lies behind being kind. Without kindness the world is cold, selfish and right now we have such a selfish world. God has called us to kindness, to be people who care, who are empathetic and who make the world a better place for everyone. Don’t stop being kind.

11th May 2024

Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine, the best of meats and the finest of wines.

I used to climb and walk quite a lot in my younger years. Up Snowden, Old Man Coniston, Scafell Pike to name a few. I loved the climbs, rising above places, the incredible views. As I think about it God and Jesus were quite into mountains as well. In the Old Testament God does all his important work on the tops of mountains; Moses, 10 commandments, Elijah and the still small voice. Jesus preaches his Sermon on the Mount, He feeds 5000 on the mountain side. In Isaiah we are given this picture of a feast where we will experience the best food, the best wines and the best company. Where we are close to God, to Heaven on the mountain top of life with God through Jesus, living our best life on top of the world with God.

10th May 2024

Mark 11:25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Someone I trained with had been in prison, he had changed his life, realised how wrong he had been, found faith in God. It did not entitle him to walk free until he had served his sentence. He accepted his punishment but once he left prison he took a different path. It wasn’t easy, people were suspicious, but he changed his life, he was sorry for what he done and worked hard to be a better person. He trained to be a vicar and is now a prison chaplain and works tirelessly with those in prison to try and help them change their lives. We need to try and find that compassion within us, to try and offer forgiveness where we can, to be willing to accept your own faults and apologise properly, letting it change us. Forgiveness can take a while, for some who have been terribly hurt it may never arrive fully, but all we are asked to do is try, to try in God’s strength to forgive. To try and be better people who respect others and accept our mistakes.

9th May 2024

Mark 16:19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.

Today is Ascension Day, 40 days after Easter it commemorates Jesus being taken up to Heaven after being with the Disciples and followers after His resurrection. It is one of the earliest Christian festivals along with Christmas and Easter and Pentecost. Jesus is taken up from their sight to His rightful place in Heaven, with God. His work of salvation completed, the defeat of death achieved and now He takes His divine place with God as part of the Godhead. We speak of it in our liturgy, in our Eucharistic prayers and creeds. It is an important part of our faith story and yet it will pass today, and many will not know about it. Some of us will celebrate this on Sunday in our services. The going up of Jesus into the clouds is what prompted the understanding that Heaven was up there, above the clouds. We now accept that Heaven is a spiritual place, all around us and within us. For us today we are reminded of what Jesus did on the cross and that we have a place in Heaven because of that. Have a blessed Ascension Day.

8th May 2024

Hebrews 13: 11 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices and love God is pleased.

Self-sacrifice isn’t always about physical harm, it can also be about emotional or spiritual harm. The toll that helping others can have on wellbeing and mental health. Caring for a relative or family member for example, did you know that about 1 in 5 young people are carers, 20% of young people have those responsibilities. Being the parent of a severely disabled child or adult. The worries and stresses of being a good friend, the person others find it easy to talk to, the person who is always there for people. We all make sacrifices regularly, but that self-sacrifice, that giving of ourself to serve others is an amazing part of the human spirit, a God given ability to do our best for others. This verse associates this self-sacrifice with love, we do things out of love for another. The greatest act of love is giving up one’s life for another. For nearly all of us that will never happen, but it is the basis around the Christian faith. The giving of a life to save others.

7th May 2024

John 15:9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.

What is your favourite flavour of sweet? Which ones don’t you like or do you leave in the box? In the chocolate boxes we have at Christmas the Bounty is always left. When I used to have fruit gums, I always left the yellow ones. Let’s face it there are always things we leave out because they are not our favourite. When I was at school, we always had to pick sides, two popular sporty people always had the choice of who were on their teams. I was often left until last because I wasn’t considered good at sport. Sometimes we treat people like those last-to-be-chosen, sweets or team groups. Other times, we leave others out from gatherings, parties, or other activities. Maybe sometimes there are reasons, BUT whatever the reason or excuse we might give, it doesn’t feel good to be left out. We feel sad, we feel unloved, we feel inadequate and a failure. The good news is that we are never on our own at that sad time. We are never inadequate or a failure, Jesus is with us in every situation! Jesus doesn’t want anyone to be left out. His love has no conditions it just is. And Jesus wants us to love others like that, too. There should be no favourites, no one left behind or left out. There is a word in Hawaiian, Ohana, it means family, no one gets left behind. Not just blood family but friends, community. We look after each other, we love each other, no conditions attached. That is loving others as Jesus loves us.

6th May 2024

Psalm 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters.

Sheep are natural followers. They don’t like to be pushed; they prefer to be led. And it is their shepherd who leads them. We have all probably heard that sheep are not very smart animals, but that turns out not to be true. Sheep just want to be led. Sheep trust their shepherd, and go where the shepherd goes. And they let the shepherd go first, to make sure the way is safe, and then to invite them to follow him. And isn’t that what Jesus is asking of us? To be his followers? He’s not going to push us. He’s not going to force us. Instead, Jesus just keeps calling us and inviting us over and over to follow him. He promises to lead us, to protect us, and even to lay down his life for us. And he invites us to trust him. Trust him and follow him.

5th May 2024

Exodus 34:6 “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

Being able to forgive is about compassion. Recognising that another made a mistake, did not really intend to hurt, that someone was lashing out from a place of hurt. It is this compassion that allows God to forgive when we so constantly treat each other and Him with contempt, when we behave badly, when we are selfish and aggressive. We are free people, we have individual liberty, we are free to choose what we do and say, but we also have individual responsibility and accountability. We are constrained by laws and by respect and compassion for one other. I can only be free to express my opinions and ideas if you are free to express yours. True freedom allows all sides of an argument to be aired fairly. I cannot expect to be listened to if I do not listen to others. God’s compassion and forgiveness does not allow people to go unpunished. If we break the rules, disrespect others, misinform, lie, cheat, defraud, then we have to pay the price. We can be forgiven if we are sorry, but we still have to accept our punishment, accept the consequences of our actions, make recompense for what we have caused.

4th May 2024

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

I wonder how you see service, the Service of All. We are all called as Human beings to look after each other, to serve each other. Sometimes that can include self-sacrifice. A real altruism, self-denial, putting others first at risk to oneself. Where this is prevalent is in the armed forces, those who train to fight, hoping that they will not be called to, but being ready when they are. Those who go to other countries to defend peace, support local troops in battles and provide training. The sacrifice of so many ordinary people in our 2 world wars, most of them would not have joined the forces but they were called to by the country. You may in your family have medals, certificates, information about family members who gave their lives. These people gave a sacrifice, their life for the freedom of others. Most of us will never be called on to do this and yet people every day make sacrifices, stepping into dangerous situations at risk of personal harm to help others. They do this because God calls us as humans to be the servant of the other. To care for each other. We are called to serve one another in order to make this world as God designed it to be.

3rd May 2024

John 14: 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Sometimes we feel alone, there isn’t anyone to help or encourage, no one to just give us a hug. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, the Spirit there at creation, actively working throughout the Old Testament and now available to all God’s people. This Spirit is called the Advocate, but also a teacher, encourager, enabler, strengthener, who offers support and blessing. This Spirit who enables us to pray when we don’t feel like it, when we don’t understand. This Spirit gives us strength when all seems lost. He is with us and provides us with the peace Jesus spoke of. We are never alone! God is with us every moment of every day through His Spirit, in us, around us, with us, moment by moment. Sometimes we need to slow down, breathe, give the Spirit space to work, to be in us. It is easy to crowd Him out through business, worry, intent but He is right there, we just need to let Him work. We just need to tap into Him, to allow Him to bless us and in doing so find that promised peace.

2nd May 2024

1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

When I was young, I played side drum in the Girls Brigade Band and in the school Orchestra I played the drums and percussion. Often in Orchestra pieces the percussion part, cymbals, timpani drums, gong etc have a lot of bars rest between playing. It is all to easy to come in at the wrong time and there were times I did just that. The clash of cymbals even a beat out just doesn’t work and can ruin a whole piece. Paul reminds us that life without love is just like this, a mistimed noisy gong or clanging cymbal. All it does is spoil and take away from what is important, love. We are very good at being loud, of proclaiming what is right and how things should be done, unfortunately that comes across as just noise, ineffective and offensive to the ear drums. Paul encourages us to be people who love, who are patient, kind, compassionate, who don’t boast or get angry, who don’t shout about another’s faults, but forgive and bear with each other.

1st May 2024

John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

It turns out that sheep are very good at hearing, and especially at hearing the voice of their shepherd. Shepherds would get all together with lots of sheep, at the watering hole. It was noisy and chaotic, but at the end of the day, the shepherds would call for their sheep. And the sheep would follow their own shepherds to a safe place to sleep. In the midst of all that chaos, and all those competing voices, the sheep would hear their shepherd’s voice and follow their shepherd. And that is, of course, what we are supposed to do, too: Listen to our shepherd, and follow him. There are plenty of competing voices these days, all clamouring for our attention. Voices from our TVs, and computers, our phones and tablets, social media, newspapers, politicians…….. But there is only one voice that truly matters to our soul. And that is the voice of the shepherd, the voice of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Sheep are good at listening to the voice of their shepherd, and we need to be good listeners to our Shepherd too. 

30thApril 2024

Exodus 34:7 The Lord is maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.

Let’s face it, we all want to be forgiven when we get things wrong but we are much less willing to forgive others. We want people to suffer a bit, to be uncomfortable, we want people to be punished. Those are normal and respectable ideas. We need a system where law breaking is punished, that is right and just. This system does not cover the lying, the loss of trust, the dropping someone in it, the gossiping, the trolling, the insults, the betrayals. These are daily occurrences, and it is really difficult to find it within ourselves to forgive. A key to forgiveness is being sorry, recognising our faults, apologising and being different. We are not good at wanting to apologise, we often couch apologies with if, I’m sorry if you…. trying to make the reason for someone’s upset being down to them. That is not an apology, that is not being sorry. God is able to forgive and so must we. We must also be truly sorry when we hurt others. It is not easy but in God’s love and strength it is possible.

29th April 2024

Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

However good we are at something, however good our life might appear to be, we will all have bad days, sometimes even bad weeks and months. We will all struggle sometimes, things might appear to go wrong but we are unique, we are valued and special to God and we are the only ones who can do certain things He has set out for us. Paul reminds us that God will carry on with us, not give up on us, but complete our lives in Him. So, each and every day we need to hang on in there, to keep going, to gain strength and support from one another, family, friends and God as we keep our eyes on the amazing, wonderful, finished product God created us with the potential to be.

28th April 2024

Mark 8:35 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

As humans we are not too keen on talking about death, actually it is good for us to discuss it and even make plans. What I have discovered is that dying is about more than our physical death. We actually die a thousand deaths throughout our lifetime. The loss of a loved one, a relationship, health, opportunities, a dream; all deaths we didn’t want or ask for. In order to live well sometimes there are things we need to let go of, things we cling to that keep us from God; things like fear, anger or resentment, regret and disappointment, guilt, the need to be right, approval. The secret of a good life is the letting go, the emptying, the leaving behind, and the dying that makes space for new life to arise. So, what is the grain of wheat in our life today that needs to fall into the earth and die in order to bring new life.

27th April 2024

Mark 14:29 Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”

Have you ever made promises you can’t keep? Said something you later regret? We all do it. In the heat of the moment we volunteer, speak up, make a promise and then when it becomes reality, it’s hard, it may affect our standing in life, we deny it, try to get out of it… I didn’t really mean……., what I was actually saying was…… excuses, excuses. Our world is full of broken promises, our politicians are the worst, making promises they never fulfil. Peter does this with Jesus, promises even to die for Him and it goes spectacularly wrong. Peter denies knowing Jesus three times, getting more and more angry. He’s frightened, he fails BUT, the great news is that Jesus doesn’t hold it against him. Jesus seeks him out, makes sure Peter knows he is forgiven. It teaches Peter a lot about faith and following Jesus so much that he grows and becomes the first leader of the early church. Jesus understands, He forgives, He loves, and we need to accept that, learn from our mistakes and become better, stronger people in Christ.

26th April 2024

Hebrews 10:25 Do not give up the habit of meeting together as some are doing, but encourage one another.

Sheep are what are known as “flock animals.” They like to be together. They don’t do so well on their own. There is safety and strength in numbers, and sheep seem to know this. So, they tend to spend a lot of time together, and they find a lot of benefit from being together. We, as humans, are “flock animals” too. We like to be together. We like to gather in groups. There is this innate drive to surround ourselves with like-minded people. We are a community that recognises that there are important reasons to be together. Christians need to spend time together. We are not intended to be on our own. That’s why Jesus created the church. That is one of its primary purposes: So that we can come together, support each other, pray together and be kept safe. We are Jesus to each other. Coming together is vital and something we must not stop doing. This group support helps us to get through the difficult times and rejoice together in the good times.

25th April 2024

Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Think about how you feel when you have completed something, an essay, research, a piece of artwork, books, cooking a meal, running a marathon, the next level on a game, a rugby or football match, the next grade in music. When these are completed, we have a sense of accomplishment. We have worked hard, given of ourselves, learned, grown and done our best. We have achieved and finished to that point. God is into creativity and uniqueness. Think about it: every snowflake is different, no two people have the same fingerprints, and each of us has a unique DNA. He created only one “you,” and there will never be anyone else who can do exactly what God prepared for you to do. You and I are unique. On earth, value is often determined by how readily available or how scarce something is. Gold and diamonds are valuable because they are rare. Likewise, since there is no one identical to you, you are rare, unique and irreplaceable. You are of great value! As people of such great value there is investment in making us the best we can be, in achieving the best finished product we can be. But that means practicing, going through stages, working hard, growing, changing. A willingness on our part to keep our eyes on the prize, to keep working at it day after day.

24th April 2024

1 John 3:17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

At times in life we have, as a family, had to access benefits to help us live. When the boys were small holidays were not possible but for family who would put us up and feed us so we could go the beach with the boys. Training for ministry left us with one low income, huge childcare costs and rent and bills to pay. The church has never been that good at looking after those who serve it and I can recall many families who never got through training as they just could not afford to live. Picking on those who need benefits to try and appease right wing fascists is the lowest and most abhorrent move from any government. To tell people who are severely disabled they must work and then to be party to the death of so many by these cruel policies show just how far selfish, wealthy people are willing to go to remain in power and keep their wealth. The Bible is quite clear that our humanity, our goodness is shown by how we treat the least in society. Those who treat them with contempt do not have any real humanity and therefore cannot ever judge how people need to live. If there is no compassion, no humanity there should be no political job!

23rd April 2024

Matthew 25:21 He replied ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share my happiness!’

As I get older, I think a lot about my younger years and whether I made the most of my young life. I wanted so much to set the world alight, to become famous, to have a good life. I wanted to be published, to record an album, to write the song that would win the Eurovision Song Contest. Well, I guess I got half way there. I did record an album; I didn’t write the song contest winner but I have a few little things published. We will never know how what we have said or done has impacted the world, our family and friends, we will never know how much lives have been changed for the better because of us. Perhaps we might see when we arrive in Heaven, I don’t know. But I do know that God sees, He sees everything we do and say, everything and how it affects others. I know I haven’t always got it right but I hope I will one day hear those words “well done you good and faithful servant” I won’t deserve them but God’s grace is all we need and I pray you will hear them too.

22nd April 2024

Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

I wonder if you have ever considered that you are wonderfully made, and that each of us has a potential to fulfil. What we are striving for in our lives is the finished product. One definition of the word “potential” says it is “what you can do but have not yet accomplished.” If we are not careful, we can think that means “reaching our potential is based solely on our own efforts.” This is not true. It is about letting who we are in God be realised. Allowing ourselves to grow and become who we can be in God’s strength with the help of each other. Potential is how far we can go, not alone, but with God and each other working together. When we develop and use what God has given us, we are developing the potential He created in us and heading towards being the finished and completed best version of ourselves. That is never version 1.0 because we grow and change as our potential is realised.

21st April 2024

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

This particular Sunday is known as “Good Shepherd Sunday.” We all know that we need someone to lead us, and to protect us, and to guide us. We are a lot like sheep. And sheep need shepherds. The world, then and now needs someone to lead us. I suspect that is why superhero movies are still popular, and probably always will be. Because our world needs heroes. Our world needs leaders. Our world needs good and faithful shepherds, to take care of us, and to lead us. Jesus is our shepherd, the Good Shepherd, good, loving, faithful. He is the leader that our world needs right now. And we are his sheep. Flocking together, meeting together, sharing together, following Jesus and listening to is voice. May we never give up the habit of meeting together or reminding the world that Jesus is the leader they need to make everything as it should be.

20th April 2024

Ezekiel 18:23 Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “No! rather that they should turn from their ways and live?

I am watching Raiders of the Lost Ark and am reminded of first going to see it with our church youth group. At the part where the Angel of Death comes out and all the Nazi’s are killed, I remember some of the youth group shouting, Go on God, you get them. Of course, we all cheered, we all cheer now when the badies get their comeuppance and yet I feel uneasy. None of us deserve God’s love and I struggle with any God being violent and brutal towards some and not others, particularly when we know that it is always the victors who write history and we do not always know all the facts. I also believe in a God who loves the undeserving and offers grace to all. Do not get me wrong, there are many evil people who have done awful things but there are also many innocents who got caught up in these things and did not deserve what happened to them. Thankfully God is the one who judges fairly, rightly and honestly and will make sure justice is done as and when it should be. His desire is that all should turn from their wicked ways and live.

19th April 2024

John 20:25b Thomas said, "Unless I see the wound in His side and put my finger in the holes where the nails were in His hands, I will not believe it!"

There is a term often used on social media, FOMO, which means fear of missing out. People worry about missing out on things others are doing. Just after Jesus resurrection the disciple Thomas was not with the others when Jesus appeared to them. When they told Thomas, he didn’t believe them. This was his FOMO moment. He had seen Jesus crucified and buried. How could He be alive? He wanted proof, he had missed out and was feeling aggrieved. We do that sometimes, don’t we, unless you do this for me, God, I won’t believe. We want some proof. A week later, the disciples were in the locked room again, and this time, Thomas was with them. Again, Jesus came among the disciples. Jesus said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas fell on his knees and answered Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" We all have our FOMO moments and we all have our moments of disbelief. It is okay to question and okay to not know it all or experience it all. God will enable us to see, experience and grow in faith. We need not fear, God will always be with us even if we think we might be missing out.

18th April 2024

Romans 8:15 The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us adopted children of God. With that Spirit we cry out, “Father.”

Most of us do not know what being adopted really means. A member of our family was adopted and has never felt anything other than part of the family and never treated any different to anyone else. Adoption is at the heart of the gospel, we are chosen in love and adopted into God’s family where we are all treated as equal and full children of God, our father; brothers and sisters of Jesus. The Spirit works in us so that we are no longer slaves to sin and death but are adopted into God’s family as full heirs to His promises as His children. God’s love of us is totally undeserved, we are adopted because of God’s grace, we are treated as family, loved and given everything not because we deserve it but because God chose to adopt us and give us everything. It is because of this that we can call Him Father.

17th April 2024

Proverbs 16:11 The Lord demands fairness in every business deal. He established this principle.

The reputation for fairness counts for a lot. Being honest, being fair is what we want for ourselves, our families and our leaders. Through history some leaders have even had “the fair” added to their name because of their reputation; Edith the fair, King Frederick the fair. What an accolade, to be known as fair. All of us must be fair in your dealings with each other. To get into the habit now of always treating people fairly no matter their background, status, gender, religion and even if we disagree with them. God calls us to be fair, to be honest, to live with integrity and if we start now, we will be fair in all our dealings throughout life, and you never know, we may also be given the title “the fair”.

16th April 2024

John 20:29 Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Sometimes we must see something before we believe it, we use that phrase, Seeing is believing. It was like that for some people in the Bible, too. On the evening of the first Sunday after Jesus had been crucified, His disciples were together in a locked room. They were afraid of those who had crucified Jesus. Suddenly, Jesus appeared there in the locked room with the disciples. It was hard to believe, but they saw Him, and Jesus showed them His wounds in His hands and His side, so they knew it was Him. You and I have never seen Jesus with our own eyes. The question is, will we be one of those who is blessed because we believe, even though we have not seen? We see evidence of God at work everywhere, in our lives, in the lives of people around us, in creation. There are daily miracles we so easily see as normal; we don’t give God credit. We are called to faith, believing because we encounter God through the Bible, prayer and personal experience. We believe because we have seen how much God has done for our world.

15th April 2024

Ruth 1:16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.

For many the reality of life these days is that of being a carer. Many of us care for our elderly parents, many for those undergoing cancer treatments, many for disabled children or partners, many for the terminally ill. We care because we love but that love is often taken for granted by a society that constantly wants to cut benefits to save money. If the government had to pay for the care provided free by so many they would have to cut their money-making schemes to pay for it. They even allow children to care for disabled parents. What a terrible indictment on those with money who rule our country. In the Bible we meet many who care for family and friends. An amazing example is Ruth who gives up her culture, her security and home to care for her mother-in-law, Naomi. She in turn is cared for by the landowner who seeing her example makes sure she is protected and gleans enough food. God uses people to care for His children, He provides the necessary and does not take advantage to feather His own nest. We are called to care for one another, and we are blessed as God cares for us.

14th April 2024

1 Corinthians 11:1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

We are called to be imitators of Jesus, to be like Him. It is only when we begin to imitate our Saviour, when we begin to take the Risen Lord seriously and into our hearts, that we begin to realise that Jesus is a king who serves. He is our example; we are to love and serve just as He did and does. In order to embrace and serve others, we must see them the way Jesus sees them. Rooted deep inside us and half hidden from everyone are the real people that we are. The people of courage, the people of caring, the people who are willing to sacrifice for our families, for our friends, and as Jesus commands, for everyone. So, the next time we see somebody who drives us crazy, and we find it almost impossible to be around them, remember we have to see them as Jesus sees them. Every one worth dying for. Everyone valuable, created and loved completely and utterly by God. And in seeing as Jesus sees, we will learn to love as He loves. And when we learn to love as He loves, the world will be changed.

13th April 2024

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

When we use the word church we have the image of stone buildings in our minds. In the Bible the word church is the Greek translation of ekklesia which means assembly and describes the gathering of Jesus followers together in one place. These gatherings are spoken of as chosen people, a royal priesthood all belonging to God. This was how the chosen of God and the covenant had been spoken of in the Old Testament. Church is not the place we go to worship but the believers coming together, how we care for each other, interact with each other. Those who belong to the family of God are church wherever we are, wherever we meet. We are to offer hospitality to one another, serve each other and love each other deeply. We may meet in a building but we, the people, are the church belonging to God.

12th April 2024

Hebrews 10:25a Let us not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.

We regularly hear that Scandinavia, particularly Denmark, is one of the happiest places to live. Yet they have long dark winters, far worse than ours. They cope with these long darker times by gathering together with friends and family to share food and drink together. The word they use for this type of meeting together is hugge (pronounced hoogah) This gathering together helps them to offset the impact of less sunlight. Coming together around a table with loved ones blesses their hearts. The writer of Hebrews encourages the gathering together as a community. He speaks of difficult days, of challenges which will require God’s people to persevere in faith. That perseverance will be helped and encouraged by us coming together and encouraging each other. Gathering with friends and family blesses us, strengthens us, as we bear up one another in faith. We must never stop meeting together.

11th April 2024

Luke 11:17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.”

We are currently witnessing a huge division of MPs on what constitutes racism and misogyny. Right wing factions have become very populist and powerful. What it is doing is turning a house in on itself. Division, created by leaders is for one reason, to divide and conquer. Satan has been sowing division since the Garden of Eden. Humans have been sowing division since then too. Dictators obtain power and rule by fear and division. Enough angry people on a minor topic, constant threats, fear, create an emergency so laws can be broken to fix and protect. Division comes from lies, throw away statements repeated, reported and so believed. Jesus stood against division. He healed, protected, helped and cared for and was condemned for doing so. You just can’t have someone who works for real justice being popular so let’s discredit, let’s divide. Jesus tells us we are blessed when we hear the word of God and keep it, practice it, and live it! Are we stokers of division or those who hear the word of God and keep it?

10th April 2024

Luke 24:48 From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be expected.

How do we cope when we feel betrayed and maltreated? I know I struggle with those who would purposely hurt another by their disregard of truth and honesty, for their own selfish gain. This behaviour towards us makes us untrusting, unwilling to be vulnerable, unwilling to ask for help in case we are manipulated and once again hurt for being honest. God wants us to be people who can be trusted, who are honest, who will always look for the best in people and give them the benefit of the doubt. When we are given responsibility, more seniority, then we must work even harder to be honest and to look after others, to build trust and allow people to be themselves. Jesus example is one of complete honesty, of being selfless, a servant who did not use others to gain for himself. We have to try, through God’s grace, to forgive, but we also should not be maltreated by the very people who would profess themselves to be God’s chosen ones. To whom much is given, much is expected.

9th April 2024

John 8:51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.

For thousands of years people made sacrifices to please God to try and obtain favour for a better life. These sacrifices were never good enough. Jesus comes as the perfect, full sacrifice. He came speaking truth. Today we talk about my truth, your truth, we have forgotten that God is the only truth. Jesus is the I Am, He was there at the very beginning with God and the Spirit at creation. Humans are very good at talking the talk but not walking the walk. We say we believe in God but our actions and behaviour do not reflect this. Jesus speaks of Eternal Life, others speak only of death. They speak of God but do not actually know Him. The hardest thing at a funeral is reading the words about those who believe in God not dying, because they have. Physical death is still a certainty, it is spiritual death which is now overcome and defeated. The Spirit within us, who we really are, lives on. The truth of Easter is that physical death is happening but through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus we can and will live on forever with God.

8th April 2024

1 Kings 12:31 Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, as he decided, even though they were not Levites.

It has been said that we, as humans, have tried to make God in our image. Rather than listen to God about what is best for us, we try to make Him do what we want. God and Jesus do not mold to our ideas. Think how often we tell God how to do things, if you just do this God then this will happen and I will get what I want and then I will do things for you. Jesus does not bow to our pressure. He knows what needs to be done and when. Jesus was offered shortcuts to the throne, Satan in the wilderness, the people wanting to make Him King when he fed them, Pilate offered Jesus a way out, He was taunted on the cross to save himself. He does not take them, He does not opt out, or look for the easy route. There is only one way to go, to His death on the cross. That obedience to God is what gives us eternal life.

7th April 2024

Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

We sometimes forget that the Bible contains stories about all the things we experience in life. Think about the Bible stories of loss and renewal. Abram left his country and kindred so that he might be made a great nation, renamed Abraham, and be a blessing to all the families of the earth. Jacob lost his old identity and was wounded so that he could become a new man, Israel, with a new life. James and John left their father, boats, and nets to become disciples of Jesus and fishers of people. Jesus taught his disciples that He too would have to die and then rise again to defeat death for us to have life. The Bible shows us a pattern of loss and renewal, dying and rising, letting go and getting back, leaving and return. This pattern is at the core of our baptism and it’s what we declare every Sunday in the Eucharist when we say Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. So, the question for us is what in our lives do we need to let go of? What might we need to leave behind? What needs to die so that something new can arise?

6th April 2024

John 13:34 Love one another as I have loved You.

It took the disciples and Jesus family a long time before they began to put together the puzzle of the resurrection. They knew that he had risen, but had he risen for them? We know Jesus is risen, but is He risen for us? Jesus comes and he dies that we might live. Jesus came to live as we live, to take on the burdens and the joys of our life. He went about doing good for others. He came as a servant, and finally, he had given his own life. Finally, He had defeated death and restored us to life once more. The world that Jesus saw, and taught his disciples and us to see, was where the real life is. Real life is not in the exteriors, the trappings or the ordinariness of every day. Real life is deep down in our hearts and souls where we are the image of God, the heirs of heaven. We are people to be taken seriously and we are people who take each other seriously. For it is in the service of others for God that we find real life.

5th April 2024

Luke 24:16 Jesus himself drew near, but they did not recognise him.

On Easter Sunday we shout with Joy that Christ is risen. A very simple, but powerful phrase that has changed the whole world. But you would never know this if you looked at the Gospel stories immediately after Jesus had risen, because the people who loved Jesus are running back and forth in great confusion. The women came to the grave and they saw that the tomb was already open, the stone rolled back, they looked inside, and they couldn’t see a body. Mary Magdalene ran back to Peter and told him they have taken away the Lord. Peter and John ran to the tomb, and they saw the burial cloths, but nothing else. They all wondered what had happened. They did not know what the Resurrection meant, even though Jesus had said three times that he would rise from the dead. When they do find Him, Jesus will not be the same because He has passed through another door, the door to a different and greater reality. He has passed through and defeated Death.

4th April 2024

James 5:7 Be patient, friends, until the coming of the Lord.

As Jesus died upon the cross He knew God would not leave him alone in the grave. You and I need to know, God will not leave us alone with our struggles. His seeming silence is not His absence, His seeming inactivity is not apathy. Quiet non eventful days have their purpose. They let us feel the full force of God’s strength. Had God raised Jesus fifteen minutes after the death of His son, would we have appreciated the act? Would we even have recognised it? Were He to solve our problems the second they appear; would we appreciate His strength? Would we even notice? Most likely we would give ourselves the credit. For His right and just reasons, God inserts a Saturday or quiet day between our Fridays and Sundays. If today is a silent day for you, be patient. Hang on in there. Be patient because God is working.

3rd April 2024

Acts 2:27 You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

Easter weekend events tend to skip Saturday. Friday and Sunday get the press. The crucifixion and resurrection command our thoughts. But don’t forget the Saturday. Just because there is silence on Saturday does not mean nothing is happening, it is! In the midst of the silence God is working. We often experience these Silent Saturdays. The day between the struggle and the solution; the question and the answer; the offered prayer and the answer. Saturday’s silence torments us. Is God angry? Did I disappoint him? God knows Jesus is in the tomb, why doesn’t He do something? Or, in our case God knows our career is in trouble, our finances are in difficulty, our relationships are in a mess, we are still waiting for that hospital appointment and treatment. Why doesn’t He act? What are we supposed to do until He does? We do what Jesus did. Lie still. Stay silent. Trust God. Jesus knew God had not abandoned Him and He knew that His resurrection would bring life to the world.

2nd April 2024

Matthew 20:34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.

As we have journeyed through Holy week and Easter, I have been struck by the images that speak of the abundance of Christ’s love, so many of them relating to his hands. The hands of Jesus that touched and healed so many people, The hands of Jesus as he washed his disciples’ feet, the hands of Jesus as he blessed the bread and wine, the hands of Jesus as the soldiers drove nails through them, the hands of hope which he showed in the upper room as he said ‘peace be with you.’ Throughout His ministry, Jesus’ hands blessed so many through practical acts of care and compassion. His hands expressed the outpouring of love He had for those He met. The power of touch can be the silent language which says everything, it travels deeper within people than words. A language heard, and felt, today by many through the love and compassion shown by carers, friends and family.

1st April 2024. Easter Monday.

1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

We all struggle with some people, finding them hard to get on with and perhaps very hard to love. Jesus chooses to love everyone. That is the choice before us. We cannot choose to love only those whom we like, whom we deem deserving, for whom we have good feelings, those who look, think, or act like us. It is all or nothing with Jesus. If we do not love all, then we love none. Love, for Jesus, is not about feelings and emotions but about a choice. In Jesus’ teaching if you have feet or hands you get washed, regardless of where those feet and hands have been or where they are going. That is the example and commandment he sets before his disciples and us. The first person the disciples will have to choose to love or not love is Judas, the one who for a time turns away, the one who walks in the night, the one who betrays. That, also, is our first choice. Every one of us has at least one Judas in our life. Every one of us has been Judas to someone else. Sometimes we have been Judas to ourselves. Jesus choses to love everyone, that is the choice before us every day. 

31st March 2024. Easter Sunday.

John 20:16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

Passover delayed the last beautiful act that Mary could do for Jesus. A ceremony of preparing the body for proper burial. As she arrives early in the morning the stone is rolled away, and His body is not there, only angels who ask why she is crying. For Mary this stings, failure to even do the last special thing she could do for her Lord. She is grief stricken and through her tears she does not recognise Jesus. Why would she? She had watched Him die; she saw it for herself. She asks where the body might be, still determined to do what she could for her Lord. It is Jesus speaking her name that brings her to her senses. Speaking her name, Mary, changes everything. When God calls us, speaks our name, it changes everything. From here on in Mary has a new Job, to proclaim He is Risen. To become the first evangelist proclaiming the risen Christ. From Easter morning her new job becomes our new job, to tell the world Jesus is risen. To live our lives as those who know Jesus has defeated death and we are no longer bound by it. This life in all its fulness given freely to us through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

30th March 2024. Holy Saturday.

John 19:34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.

By this time Jesus had hung on the cross for 3 hours. He had suffered humiliation and mocking. His mother and friends were there too, seeing all this and grieving. Even in His pain He cares for His mother, He puts family at the fore. His final cry is one of accomplishment. It is Finished. God and humans are now reconciled. In the worlds view it looks like failure, in God’s view it is a resounding success. Death will be defeated, and Humans are bound for heaven. At His final breath He gives up His spirit. We are all both Physical and Spiritual beings, we have a soul or spirit which lives on. Which is never lost but carried on through loved ones and the mark we have made upon this world. Jesus is dead, his bones are not broken like the others, there is no need. Just to be sure the spear plunges into His side, to the heart where the struggle to breathe, the overworking of the heart and thus shock has caused fluid to gather. This means death, the fluid and blood are proof. From here His body is hurriedly taken down and placed in a new tomb before the Passover and Holy Sabbath begins and no work can be done. A stone is rolled over the entrance. To everyone who witnessed this, Jesus is dead and gone.

29th March 2024. Good Friday.

John 19:17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha)

Jesus carries his cross up the winding streets of the Via Dolorosa, People are jeering and taunting, he is already weak he has been beaten and he falls several times. In the end Simon of Cyrene is forced to carry it for Him. In churches you will often find the Stations of the Cross around the walls, they picture the journey Jesus is making, the falling, the abuse and the people he meets who love Him. At the place of the skull He is crucified, nailed to a cross with two others who actually were criminals. Pilate’s final act of annoyance at those who have forced his hand to punish Jesus, is to put a sign in all common languages that this is the King of the Jews. The leaders and chief priests hate this, they try to remove it, but it remains. One of the criminals, taunts Jesus, accuses Him, while the other humbly asks for forgiveness. Even here, on the cruel cross, Jesus offers forgiveness and hope. He never stops caring for people. Here we have the two sides in life represented, those who taunt and accuse Jesus, and those who look for forgiveness. Which side are we on?

28th March 2024

Proverbs 29:4 By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.

What do you think of when you think of Kings? The old-fashioned crown wearing, sword wielding King or the wealthy monarchs of today? The Jewish People are looking for a warrior King, on horseback, with majesty and power. Horses were war beasts; not donkeys, the king led the charge into battle. A conquering King is wanted, independence from occupation is wanted. But Jesus was all about peace, the Angels declared this at His birth. Prince of Peace. Jesus was not the King they wanted; the peer pressure was there to be a warrior. There was a public expectation but mob rule does not decide what is right or wrong. Jesus does not mould to their ideas, that’s why in just a few days they were calling for His death. If you don’t give us what we want then we don’t want you. Is that how we see Jesus?

27th March 2024

Mark 11:4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it.

The disciples are sent to get a colt, a young male donkey that has never been ridden, this is a link to sacrifice, only that which has never been used can be sacrificed. Jesus rides on this sacrificial donkey as a sacrifice and the prophecy from Zechariah 9v9 is fulfilled, your King comes to you humble and riding a donkey, a colt. Donkey’s work the land, and this could only happen in times of peace and security. Good crops showed God’s favour. Riding a donkey was a symbol of peace, security, of God’s favour on His people. Here is your saviour…… the people see a saviour from Roman occupation. This King is peaceful, caring, humble. The authorities see a threat and want the people and Jesus silenced. He comes on a donkey, no chariot, no pure-bred horse. The Messiah they were waiting for was closely associated with Kingship, but Kingship as God destined it, not as they or we want it. Real Kings are servants of their people. Real Kings do whatever is needed to save their people. Jesus is our real King.

26th March 2024

Mark 11:8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.

Palm Sunday is about Kingship, a kingship of humility and not to be seized. This king will empty Himself, become a servant, a slave and will be obedient to death, to save them and us from death. As He arrives in Jerusalem the people see Jesus the King who will free them from the Romans, Jesus the King who will feed them, provide for them, heal them. The people are looking for a warrior King, on a horse, leading his people into battle. What they get is a King riding on a donkey, humble and obedient. Jesus is King, this is like a coronation, riding in to his people’s adulation. They want a hero king, who comes is a sacrificial king. What type of King are we looking for? One who gives us everything we want here and now? Or a King who saves his people, loves them, fights for justice and peace? What King do we want today?

25th March 2024

Titus 1:8 They must be hospitable, those who loves what is good, who are self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.

The word hospitality comes from being a good host to someone as your guest, caring for them, treating them well. From it comes our word hospital and host. In the Bible hospitality is Philoxenia, including Philo which is brotherly/sisterly love, and xenia which means stranger or foreigner. Being hospitable means caring for, showing love to the stranger, the foreigner. As Christians we should be practicing hospitality to those around us, and those from further afield. Much is currently made of migrants and our treatment of them is, as a country, utterly shameful. We are treating strangers as less than human, restricting their rights and freedoms and in doing so are becoming a xenophobic country, blaming a few for the ills of the many and in that behaviour lies fascism and ethnic cleansing. We are called by God to be lovers of the stranger, of those in need and to be good hosts to all.

24th March 2024

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Today is my 60th Birthday and I admit to feeling conflicted. I don’t want to be 60, I want to be 30 with all the wisdom and experience I have now. With grown up sons looking forward to enjoying them for much longer. I want to have the faith I have now when I was much younger. This verse reminds us of the brevity of life and the importance of using our time wisely. As we grow older, it becomes even more crucial to prioritise our actions and decisions, seeking wisdom and discernment in all that we do. I know I now have much less time than I have already used up and that bothers me, there are some things I would have liked to have done but now I am probably too old to do. I have regrets, I think we all do. I look at the future and know it is in God’s hands and I will try each day to live my best life for Him and pray that I can share the wisdom I have gained. I thank God for these past 60 years and ask Him to bless the next however long He sees fit to keep me here, hoping it will be a long while yet.

23rd March 2024

2 Samuel 8:14b David ruled with fairness over everyone and The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.

In all my years of teaching the accolade I was most proud of was when I was called fair by children and parents. They may disagree with me but I was fair in how I treated everyone. No dispensations, no favouritism, just fairness. The dictionary describes fairness as impartial and just treatment or behaviour without favouritism or discrimination. We may not always agree with someone or their ways but as long as they are fair we can accept it. Currently we are seeing considerable unfairness and discrimination. The treatment of certain humans differently to others because of skin colour, religion, country of origin, gender and degree of wealth. Our politics have become very polarised and people will do anything to be proved right including remove the voice of those who disagree rather than have an honest and fair discussion. King David was not perfect; he got a lot of things wrong in his life but he did have a reputation for fairness. He treated the poorest in society the same as the richest, he applied rules and laws fairly across all people. He made sure power and wealth did not afford you anymore privilege in behaviour or punishment. The same should be true of us.

22nd March 2024

John 12:27 Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.

In life there comes a point when we have to face reality, we may have to do things we do not want to do! At times our calling to live as a Christian will be hard. As Jesus reality of the cross and death loomed, He questions within Himself and God’s voice comes to bless Him, encourage Him. For us that voice can come from the Bible, friends and family, the church. Also, it can come from inside, feelings, thoughts the Godincidences (not coincidences) in our lives, where God uses times, places, situations to speak to us, challenge us and strengthen us. Jesus was about to face something awful, something most of us cannot even comprehend and yet He knows if He does not do this then Humans are lost for eternity. We have a path to walk, sometimes we will query if its right, sometimes we will doubt and struggle but in God’s strength we can walk it and know it will be alright.

21st March 2024

Philippians 3:8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.

All life is made up of loss and gain. Look at the way this pattern is present in our life. When we fall in love and commit our life to another, we let parts of our old life go and something of our single life dies so we can be with that other person. If you are a parent you know that there are sacrifices we make in order for the new life of our child to emerge and grow. Parents are continually letting go of their child so she or he can grow up. If you have ever been a carer for another, parts of your life die so that another might live with dignity, compassion, and love. There are the costs, the losses, we pay for an education or a career. We all chose certain losses and let go of some things so that other things can arise. For every choice we make, every yes, we say, there are losses we accept and bear in Christ.

20th March 2024

Luke 18:7a Will not God bring about justice for His children who cry to Him day and night.

We don’t often call people just these days, we use the term justice for senior judges and to describe what happens when someone pays the right penalty for a crime. God is often referred to as a just God, a righteous God who is always fair. As His children our behaviour should reflect His, we should be people of Justice, of righteousness who are fair in our treatment of others and ourselves. We are called to listen to the voices in our society who are ignored and silenced, to fight for those who our world has let down and mistreated. God’s heart breaks at the injustice In our land, in our world, and our hearts should break too. We are God’s hands and feet, God’s voice so we must learn to do right, to seek and defend justice, to care for and help the oppressed, take up the cause of the widow and orphan, to fight for the rights of those being manipulated by the wealthy and powerful. We need to earn the title of Just once again as Christians.

19th March 2024

John 12:24 Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

For centuries people have been seeking the secret to life. It is actually something we see and experienced over and over again. It’s one of those secrets hidden in plain sight. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit”. There we have it. That’s the secret to life. It’s the pattern of loss and renewal that runs throughout our lives and our world. We live and experience it, sometimes by choice and other times by chance. This same pattern is in nature. We can see it in the changing of the seasons, falling leaves and new blooms, and the setting and rising of the sun. For new things to arise and flourish the old must die away. For us to have eternal life Jesus had to die and rise again. That is the secret of life in all its fulness.

18th March 2024

Mark 12:31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.

At times in our lives, we will be asked what love is, who we love and why? In the Bible Jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment and He replies using words from Deuteronomy that we love God with all our heart and then we love our neighbour as our self. It is a reminder that how we treat our neighbour or any other person is more important than any sacrifice or holy action we might take. Loving our neighbour is not just loving family, close friends, close community, but anyone, anywhere, anytime. We are called to love anyone in need and even our enemies. God has a heart for the vulnerable in society, the orphan, the widow, the other (those from other countries and cultures). God desires that we offer protection, nurture and stability to all. The word for this love is Agape love, love of another because they are human and God’s creation. It’s a choice we have, not dependent on how lovable or not a person is, but choosing to delight in and love someone, advocate for them, care for them no matter what.

17th March 2024

1 Corinthians 12:18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

Some of us are good at DIY and can do some smaller jobs ourselves, but more often than not we all need the help of others to complete tasks and to properly care for ourselves and each other. I can change the tyres on my car, I can paint walls, I can even hang wallpaper but beyond that I need help, proper help, expertise. As we move through life others can often see things differently, more clearly and offer another perspective on something. As they say two heads are better than one, they provide checks and balances. We need each other. We are not all the same, thank goodness, God has given us each different skills and strengths so that as we work together the best outcome happens for everyone.

16th March 2024

John 8:12 I am the light of the world, they who follow me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.

It is so good to be able to leave home at 6am and it be light, also to come home in the evening and it is still light. It lifts our spirits. The days lengthen, from which we get the term Lenten, a season in which we prepare for Easter and the days lengthen as we do. Physically there is always darkness, even in the land of the midnight sun. But there is always the darkness we can feel in our spiritual and mental selves, when we can feel weighed down, and in the darkness of life. The Spirit is able to come alongside to lighten the load, those around us can be agents of the Lord as they offer encouragement and help, there are friends and family, those in our churches who can also help us. There are also organisations which offer support. If we need help, we must ask. Talking and sharing can help bring light into dark places. Jesus is the Light of the world in every sense and is right there with us to lighten the load and give us the light of life.

15th March 2024

1 Corinthians 12:12 Just as a body, has many parts, all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.

Recently I had my car serviced, only 3 days later a letter arrived about a safety recall. I could not ignore it, nor do either job myself. I needed to take it to the garage, I do not have the skills or expertise needed for such jobs. For my safety and the safety of everyone who uses that type of car, I am thankful that someone else does know how to fix it. If I have a water leak, I call a registered plumber If I have a gas leak or boiler problem, I call a registered Gas engineer. When I wrote my will I went to a registered solicitor. When I am Ill, I go to a trained and registered doctor. We cannot be experts in everything. We are all different and have differing strengths and weaknesses. We all need each other. We are part of one body but we each have different God given strengths and skills to use for the good of all.

14th March 2024

Mark 1:9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

People still bring their babies and children for baptism or christening in church. They come as part of a family tradition or because they believe it is right, they also come because it means a party. In the Bible Jesus comes for Baptism by John, his cousin. His public ministry is about to start and he comes, like the people of the time, to nail his colours to the mast as to who He is and why He is here. John feels he is unworthy to do this for Jesus but Jesus reassures him otherwise. It is such an honour to baptise anyone. As this Baptism happens God’s spirit comes down on Jesus as a Dove. This is a symbolic sign of peace, of purity, of love. A sign of God’s approval and blessing. This is a reminder and encouragement for us that God sends His love, His sign of blessing and approval on each of us in that same Holy Spirit, not just at our baptism, but that same Spirit who brings us peace and cares for us every day.

13th March 2024

John 12:4b But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue.

How often do we remain quiet about our faith because of fear? We worry that speaking out about something as a Christian might result in us being teased, laughed at, ostracised so we remain quiet. Fear can so often hold us back from being the people God wants us to be. Belief in Jesus is seen as not cool, but is it, really? Having faith and belief is actually one of the strongest, coolest things we can do because we are not towing the line, following the crowd, but instead we are swimming against the tide, standing up for truth, honesty, integrity, justice. We believe in God because we know there is something more to life. It doesn’t mean we don’t question or challenge sometimes, but we know there is more, we see it, experience it. In that strength of knowledge, we should be willing to speak about what we believe, to admit to faith and bring that faith into every part of our lives, conversations, work, how we treat others and family, how we behave. Faith is both words and actions that back it up.

12th March 2024

1 Corinthians 3:16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

How do you know when it's time to clean? When your feet stick to the floor when you walk through the kitchen. When your mother can't find you when she comes into your room to wake you up in the morning. When there are more dishes in the kitchen sink than there are in the cabinets. There came a time when time Jesus did some house cleaning. When He went to the temple, He couldn't believe what He saw. People were selling cattle, sheep, and doves to be used as sacrifices in the temple. Some men were even charging people to change their money so they could pay their temple taxes. It looked more like a flea market than a place to worship God. Jesus was pretty upset. This was the place to worship God. He drove the cattle, sheep, and those who were selling them out of the temple. He also turned over the money changers’ tables. As we think about Jesus cleaning the temple, we can also be reminded that there is some other cleaning that needs to be done. Our hearts might well need cleaning from selfishness, greed, careless language, rudeness, impatience, laziness, bad thoughts. Time for a life spring clean!

11th March 2024

Proverbs 17:17 A true friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for help in adversity.

Feeling alone, particularly when things are difficult, makes us susceptible to being misled and to thinking bad thoughts about ourselves. We can easily slip into believing we are unloved, neglected and worthless. This is not a safe place to be. We all need friends, family and support, people we can just be ourselves with, who can see when we need a friend, when we are hurting and need support. People who can also celebrate with us when things are good. We are so much better together. There are support networks, organisations, groups who can help and I would encourage anyone to seek help when they need it. But we also need to be good friends as well as have good friends. We need to offer support as well as expect to receive it. We need to include people and not shun them, not make people vulnerable because they don’t fit into our norms. We each have a responsibility to each other, to stand up for each other, to support each other, to never leave anyone behind.

10th March 2024

1 Corinthians 1:4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus.

Appreciating each other is so important, realising the things others do for us day in day out. Today is Mothering Sunday, the opportunity to thank our Mums for all they do. I recently took a funeral where the daughter of the Mum who had died told me it was only now that she appreciated how much her mother had done for her and now it was too late to tell her. It is good to be reminded how much we need each other, rely on each other and how much we need to appreciate each other and be thankful for what we offer each other. I love the old African proverb that for me to be me, I need you to be you. One of the first things said in the Bible is that it is not good for humans to be alone. We were created to be in communion, working and living together, using our gifts and talents for the common good of all. Make sure that today you thank your Mum, appreciate all she has done for you and don’t wait another year before doing that again. Appreciate her and everyone on a daily basis!

9th March 2024

Philippians 1:4 I thank God for the help you gave me while I preached the Good News; help you gave from the first day you believed until now.

Yesterday was international women’s Day, I have mixed feelings about it, I love the fact that we raise the profile of women, celebrate their success and tell their stories but I struggle with the fact that we still need an International Women’s Day because Women are still so poorly treated across our world. The problem we face is that male dominance throughout history has meant that everything, including laws and stereotypes have been created by men, for men. Women are fighting against years of male dominance and male diktats. St Paul spoke about thanking God for those who had helped him in his work. Many of those were women who funded him, looked after him, provided for him as he travelled. Once again much of this has only come to light in recent years as early male leaders took women out of the picture in order to reinforce a male dominated religion. We all need to promote equality and parity, to stand with each other as we all seek to finish what was started with gender equality. We all have the opportunity and the power to change things, but it starts with us.

8th March 2024

Ephesians 4:2 Called with all humility and gentleness, with patience, and bearing with one another in love.

When I was younger I was shown an illustration of how we are stronger together. In those days we had huge telephone directories, it was really easy to rip one page, even a few pages but try to rip the whole thing, impossible unless you were a super strength human with a sneaky way of doing it. The point was as humans we are stronger when we work together. On our own we can be manipulated, ripped, torn, damaged, mislead; but once we are surrounded by others, those who help us, strengthen us, stand up for us, it is really hard to break us. We are stronger together. As Christians part of the role of church and meeting together is to offer that support and strength, that wrap around support which helps the vulnerable to be stronger and grow. There is protection and strength in numbers. When God said it is not good for humans to be alone He was telling us He created us to stand together, to support each other. When we bear with each other and stand together, we are stronger because of it.

7th March 2024

Matthew 4:16: "the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."

During the winter months I really struggle with the dark nights. The current switching off of street lights, particularly on motorways and main roads makes this even worse. It makes the dark even deeper, more threatening. Lights in the darkness are so comforting. The lights from someone’s window, the lights up on houses over Christmas, the light from a torch or a candle. Light brings reassurance, a feeling of safety and protection. Light enables us to see more clearly, to expose any problems and difficulties. In life there are areas of darkness where we can shine our light. Where people are experiencing the darkness of grief, bereavement, illness, poverty, homelessness, loneliness, this is where we can shine the light of love, shine as lights in the darkness as God has enabled us to do. Shine the light and expose wrongdoing, challenge fraud and lies, expose cruelty, expose those who would benefit from the dehumanising and mistreatment of others. We can shine our lights in the world, be the light of Christ to others and expose wrongdoing. Keep shining!!!

6th March 2024

Luke 24:5b Why Do You Look for the Living Among the Dead?

When you go somewhere or are involved in something you will have certain expectations. Sometimes these are spot on and sometimes we get something completely different, the unexpected. When the women go to the Tomb expecting to care for and anoint Jesus dead body, they find a stone rolled away and an empty tomb. They come expecting death and find resurrection, but initially they do not believe. They overthink it. Sometimes so do we. They meet angels but think Jesus is still dead, isn’t He? They have forgotten the words about finding the living among the dead. Had they forgotten or did they just think it was not possible? Do we question if it is really possible? Once the women realise Jesus has risen, they go and tell friends, families, disciples who in turn do not believe them. They had seen the miracles, they had seen Him raise the dead, they heard the witnesses but still they do not believe. Are we like that? Don’t believe even when proof is right in front of us? Finally, Peter realises his error, he remembers Jesus words and actions and He knows Jesus has risen. Do we realise our errors? Do we finally recognise the risen Jesus and live accordingly?

5th March 2024

Matthew 7:11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

None of us is perfect, my family know that I have my issues and foibles. I can get angry, annoyed, I can cry in frustration and hurt, I make mistakes and my family have seen it all. I am not a perfect parent but I don’t really remember the bad times and mistakes. I remember holding them when they were ill, praying for them and with them, reading them stories. I remember the wrapping them in comfort and love, favourite foods, birthdays and Christmases’, being there at the highs and lows. I remember that at every point of hurt, grief and pain I wished I could take it away from them. Picture now, the perfect parent, God, who does not remember the bad, the sin, the wrongdoing, the anger, the hatred but does remember holding us when we are sick and in need, wrapping us in comfort and love, praying with us, being there at the lowest and highest points of our life and everywhere in between. At every point of anguish, grief, hurt, disappointment He is waiting to take it all, if we only let Him. God is all of the good parenting and none of the bad.

4th March 2024

Mark 3: 10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.

In the early parts of the gospels, we see that when Jesus was around things happened. He was really popular because He cared, He healed, He fed people. Lives were made better by Him. By the time we get to the cross there were only a handful of people supporting Him. Sadly, once we get what we want we easily forget those who gave it to us. Once we are alright it is easy not to help others. Today Christians and many organisations make a difference, food banks, warm banks, homeless shelters, access to medical care, things happen but those in leadership whose job it is to protect the vulnerable, to care for the poorest and support them have happily handed that off to the church, to charities because they are fine, they have all they want and more, so to retain power and influence it is easy to spend money on popularity rather than real need. There should be no child poverty, no homelessness, no lack of dental care, no lack of NHS spending but their selfish ambitions mean those in need are always neglected. We are people of action, of love and compassion, we change things like Jesus did, by prayer and by action. We need to hold people to account, our counsellors and politicians. Challenge them, their constant misleading and manipulation of figures and facts. Be truthful and honest. That is what Jesus did and so must we.

3rd March 2024

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Just recently I was listening to a programme tracing the events leading up to the murder of Brianna Ghey. What was so obvious was how the pair who murdered her used individualism, separation from friends and family, trolling on social media, divisive controlling and misinformation to separate this young innocent form those who could support and help her. By the time the two murderers committed their crime they had removed her from her support network, kept her from others who could stand up for her, manipulated her on social media so she felt alone and that they were her only friends. Our wellbeing and the wellbeing of others is vastly increased when we are supported, when we have friends and family who stand up for us, when we do not allow others to be separated from the group and so become vulnerable. When we cut people off, shun them, ostracise them, ignore them we are contributing to their vulnerability. Those who prey on others do so by being divisive, separating someone, making them alone and so susceptible to a manipulative “friend”. God designed humans as sociable, interactive, interdependent beings who need to look after one another. We have a duty of care each to each other. Not allowing anyone to be separated or become vulnerable to those who would cause harm.

2nd March 2024

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. Having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His.”

If you have ever watched a cowboy film you will have seen them brand cattle, put their mark of ownership on the cattle so people know who they belong to. All around us are branded items, we buy Pepsi or Del Monte, Cravendale, Superdry, Adidas or Nike. We purchase favourite brands. Remember Toy Story and how Andy put his name on the foot of Buzz and Woody, all marks of ownership. When we become Christians, we are branded, we carry the mark or seal of the ownership of God. We can physically experience this with the sign of the cross made on our foreheads at our baptism, but whenever we make our declaration of faith in God, from that moment we are branded, marked by God as His children, sealed by the Spirit. We are marked as Christ’s own, bought and paid for by Jesus’ death on the cross, part of the family of God, we carry Him in our hearts and minds for all our life.

1st March 2024

Luke 6:38: Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

I have often been asked, what do you think you are playing at? Or words to that effect. They come from those who believe that acting in the interests of others is upsetting the status quo, might damage their good life. When life goes well for us, we easily forget that what we do or don’t do, can make life different and better for others. Doing and saying the right thing makes life better for all. It benefits us and everyone else. The choice lies with you and me, all of us. When life is going well for us we can easily choose to be those who are selfish, entitled, arrogant, rude, unpleasant, to preserve what we have for ourselves only: or we can choose to be people of goodness, compassion, kindness, to be helpful, to always see the best in others, to not blame but to encourage and bless. This is simple courtesy, treating each other well, as we would like to be treated. Being people who do the right thing by each other and by God in all circumstances. If we are blessed, then we should always fight for others to be blessed as well.

29th February 2024

1 Peter 2:17. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honour all.

How good are you at treating others with respect? Perhaps you feel you do not get the respect you deserve. Treating each other with respect is something we should all do, no matter what we read in papers or get told on social media. I am no better than you, you are no better than me, none of us are any more entitled than another. Even if you are born into or rise to highest ranks of society, you are no better than another who does not. The moment we begin to treat everyone equally, of equal value, then things change. Compassion and dignity become the priorities, not wealth and power. We recognise the value of every life, and we mourn when any life is taken or lost. Many of us have influential and high-powered jobs, we play a huge part in society. We must never forget that we are no better than another, If any of us are fortunate to achieve well we must not forget the other who is not as fortunate and never forget God created us all equal.

28th February 2024

Matthew 7: 9 & 10 Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

How do you feel when someone does something wrong to us or those we love. We feel aggrieved, angry, hurt. But think for a moment, everyone that we hurt, that we dehumanise and maltreat, they feel the same, aggrieved, angry and hurt. None of us have the monopoly on being offended or hurt and it does not justify mistreating others with malice. If we do not want or like things done to us, then others will not like it either. Therefore, we should not do it or say it. We must see those around us as equal and deserving of just as much as we are. None of us are any more entitled than anyone else, no matter who we or they are. We justify our poor actions by dehumanising the other. By making excuses. No one deserves different treatment because of their gender, their religion, their life choice, their culture, their place of birth. Each one is a human being, created by God as equal to one another. None of us chose where we were born, none of us choses our culture and none of us have to right to disregard another because they are different.

27th February 2024

Malachi 3:1b Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come, says the Lord Almighty.

In Malachi we have the prophecy of this event in the Temple, the coming Messiah, BUT that coming means all the issues, problems, evils, injustices and misdirection will be exposed, lit up for all to see. The refiners fire, the fullers soap; only refining, cleansing, changing will bring people back to God. Liars and cheats will be exposed, they cannot stand before God. Those who oppress the poor, who pay insufficient and unfair wages, who cause and support child oppression and poverty, who mistreat and scapegoat the alien and the stranger, who choose wealth and are selfish and unrepentant in their pursuit of it, who choose not to serve but expect others to serve them. These words about treating people properly, fairly and equally exists across all religions and all religions are guilty of pushing these instructions aside in favour of selfish gain, self-importance, superiority, prosperity and domination of others. The blaming of others for our problems, the blaming of the weaker members of society for its issues. The unwillingness to look, listen and learn from our mistakes. We are called to live peaceably, to live together, to work for the flourishing of everyone not just ourselves.

26th February 2024

Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

How good are we at time management? It is often a question on application forms or in interviews. The Bible teaches us a lot about how to handle our own experiences and time? The prophets and Jesus took time away to slow down, to pray, to seek and wait for the mighty hand of God on their lives. This is an example for us to follow. Do we take time to listen, to seek His will, to prepare, to take time out from the world and all its many distractions that usually demand our attention? This time of fasting and prayer was where Jesus was prepared, blessed, challenged and tempted. At the end of it He is ready to begin His ministry, to build the bridge between Humans and God, to open the gate, the door to Heaven. Lent gives the opportunity for us to be prepared, blessed and challenged and we will be tempted. If we use our time well we can be blessed and be a blessing to others and God can and will use us.

25th February 2024

Mark 1:12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness.

Being tempted is an experience we meet every day. Tempted to disobey, to take risks, to lie or bend the truth, to take something not ours, to be unkind, to act up, to walk away. After Jesus’ baptism he was guided into the wilderness. The Holy Spirit led Him into a solitary place with the purpose of making Him rest and prepare for greater events to come and to contemplate and pray, to seek God and His will for the future. It is why people go on retreat before big events in their life, to seek God’s will and refreshment. It gives time to listen and be quiet. Fasting, going without food, allows a person to concentrate more upon God and to seek the way forward. It is a giving up of earthly things so we can concentrate on heavenly things, our relationship and calling. But whenever we seek God and look to prepare ourselves, we will be tempted to turn away, to give up, to not bother. In God’s strength we too can overcome those temptations just as Jesus did.

24th February 2024

Luke 2:49 Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?

I love visiting Cathedrals, seeing the incredible buildings built before all the technology of today, feats of engineering and beauty. I often find these visits are real blessings, things happen, the atmosphere, the holiness and presence of God. In Jesus time the equivalent of a Cathedral was the Temple. The centre of the Jewish religion. Joseph and Mary go to the temple to thank God and what a visit it becomes! Joseph and Mary have had so much happen to them, and it keeps happening. From here the family go home and Jesus grows up. The stage is set! He is wise, has the favour of God on Him. We hear nothing again until he is 12 and returns to the Temple in Jerusalem where He remains behind and mum and dad have to go back and find Him. What does He say about where He is? I am in my father’s house. Where better to be than in our Father’s house, whether it be local church or Cathedral.

23rd February 2024

Luke 2:37b Anna never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.

We meet some interesting people in the Bible, Anna, a prophetess. An early widow who had lived in the Temple for years. She dedicated her life to God, a life of prayer and fasting. What if she had decided after a year or so, that’s enough, I’ve served long enough in the Temple, time to move on, find a new life. Sometimes if we don’t see a quick benefit or an instant success we are tempted to give up, move on and not be patient in our life for God. Patience is something we need as Christians. Anna had been there a long time, then she is there as Jesus comes into the Temple, she speaks out, prophecy, she identifies Jesus as redemption. Her years of prayer and fasting brought to fruition in this moment. We never know what God may have for us, but we could miss a crucial time in our calling if are not patient and listening to God.

22nd February 2024

Isaiah 58:7 To share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself away.

Have you ever wondered why Lent is Forty days? Forty is obviously an important number, it is mentioned 146 times in the Bible and is linked to a time of trial, testing, preparation or probation. Also to God’s grace. Isaiah 58 tells us that during such times we are to pursue justice, set people free, share food with the hungry, house the homeless, and cover the naked. Lent is an opportunity to better use our time in what we do for others and for God. As we approach Easter it reminds us what Easter is really about and that we need to take time to prepare and change whatever is needed in our lives before God. Whether it be forty days or every day, or any period of time, we need to have time to examine ourselves, to look at changing those things in our lives that need changing. The opportunity to give up things which drag us or others down.

21st February 2024

Mark 1:12a Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness.

I wonder whether you have ever been in a wilderness. Literally or figuratively. Wilderness literally translated means wild deer ness, a place where wild animals roam. Somewhere we are not familiar with and feel uncomfortable, threatened, scared and not safe. We cannot see a way through or out. Life here is a struggle. Lent may be an opportunity to take ourselves away from the norm, to prepare and learn but being in the wilderness can happen to us at any time in life. Being cut off from usual life, usual people, usual routines. Every day is like running a gauntlet, fighting just to exist, never mind flourish. Wilderness experiences of illness, poverty, bereavement, hurt, job loss, failure, too much success, can all leave us cut off from our support, friends, family. Here we must navigate new ways through and out. We need to remember that although we may feel alone, we are not. God seeks us out even there when no one else seems to find us. Remember Elijah in a wilderness of fear or Esther in a wilderness of isolation from her family, Mary, Jesus mother and the other Mary and the disciples trapped in a wilderness of grief on that first Good Friday. But God is there, in the midst, the presence of comfort, encouragement and love. In the midst of the wilderness God finds us and holds us as we journey, guiding us step by step, supporting, encouraging. Lent is a time of preparation but can be a time of wilderness, as Jesus was not alone, neither are we. Those Angels are there to help us, strengthen and support us. God is right there with us.

20th February 2024

Luke 4:2 For forty days, being tempted by the devil, and he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.

Looking at how much we have in our homes we find it hard to give things up, to have less, instead we tend to want more. It is a symbol of success and achievement. In today’s society we have a lot more than food to give up during Lent; technology, possessions, money, power, position as well as food. Jesus had a wonderful baptism experience, a mountain top experience followed by forty days of loneliness in the Judean outback away from all the distractions of the world. He gave up everything He had and was to go into the wilderness or valley experience. Many Christians come off social media during Lent and recognise how it has become too negative for them. Some never return. Others take the opportunity to read more, study more. Some give up watching TV, some give up certain foods. There is no hard rule about what we give up or take up. It is the giving of more of ourselves to God that is most important during Lent.

19th February 2024

Mark 1:15 The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

We have arrived in Lent. The next few weeks can be, if we choose, those of fasting, prayer and preparation for Easter. As humans we can never be perfect. It is impossible to keep every rule completely, to not get it wrong sometimes. BUT a change of heart and a belief in Jesus Christ leads us to forgiveness and the right way before God. Jesus, the Son of God, took forty days for time apart to prepare for His earthly mission, how much more do we, ordinary people, need to take the forty days of Lent to prepare and rededicate our lives to God. Take quiet times apart for meditation, fasting and reflection to bring us closer to God to prepare us for the mission set before us. Jesus regularly took time away, to pray, to contemplate, He is our role model, our example, so let us follow our leader and use Lent to prepare, to learn, to be challenged, to seek, serve and follow Jesus.

18th February 2024

Matthew 8:8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

If you wanted Jesus to heal someone, would you want Him to physically come and touch the person? I think I would. We would expect Jesus to come and see what needs to be done. In this story of the Centurion, he is a soldier in command of others and yet he says he is unworthy for Jesus to come to his home to see and heal his servant. He recognises Jesus authority, he sees what the religious leaders could not. How do we see Jesus? Do we have that faith? Do we recognise Jesus authority? The centurion tells Jesus that all He needs to do is say the word and it will happen. Say it, speak it out. The power of God’s word. God spoke and the world was created, God’s word was made flesh in Jesus, Jesus was God’s word spoken to us. Words have power, God’s word can create and heal and change things. God speaks and we should listen. We have the power of words, the power to speak into situations, to heal and hurt, to change things for the better. Jesus spoke and the servant was healed, Lazarus was raised, lepers were cleansed, sight was restored, the lame walked. Words can challenge, can heal, can bless, can encourage but they can also hurt and destroy. As Jesus used His words for good, to speak truth to power, so must we.

17th February 2024

Philippians 3: 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider rubbish for the sake of Christ.

If you were asked to list your achievements, what would you say? What are you most proud of? St Paul lists off many things which make him a Jew of Jews. He reminds them of his zealous pursuits of Christians to put them to death. He speaks to the reasons why he could be proud, more than most, of his Jewish heritage and yet he says all this is rubbish, it doesn’t matter, it counts for nothing before God. Our self confidence in our achievements, culture, practices, beliefs are nothing if we do not know Jesus as Lord. No matter how wonderful we may think we are it is only in Jesus that we can be saved. Only Christ allows us the defeat of death and eternal life. There is nothing wrong with achievements, or being proud of the good things we do, but that pride needs to be in the context of our faith, our life in Christ for which we daily live and strive to do our best.

16th February 2024

Matthew 5:39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.

I expect you are aware of the phrase, the straw that broke the camel’s back, the idea that as the load begins to get heavier, it can be the lightest of things which can finally break us. Being a hardworking, well mannered, good person is something most of us aspire to and do on a daily basis, within that we will have events, situations which make us struggle, but somehow we keep going, we do things to try and make that situation easier, we even take more upon ourselves rather than upset someone else. Eventually we snap, it becomes too much, our self confidence and self-esteem are finally downtrodden, and we react, sometimes seemingly unproportionally to that small thing, but it is a reaction to weeks or months of this finally coming to a head. We may get angry, often upset, feel violated or maltreated. The other person may not even realise the impact they have but our response should, if nothing else, make them question why. Turning the other cheek is an excellent aspiration but it can also be a millstone to our own mental health and wellbeing. There is only so much we can take as humans. God would have us treat each other better, be more ready to be kind than not, be more ready to help than not and to always appreciate that a careless word or action from us could really hurt someone and devalue them. In everything we do and say we need to think first and seek always to bless the other and not to hurt or devalue them.

15th February 2024

Mark 3:14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to proclaim.

Can you remember a time when you were called to do something, or chosen to be part of something? These events make us feel good, that we have been seen as part of something important. The Disciples were called and chosen by Jesus. They then followed Him and His teaching, worked alongside Him as students in training and then were sent out to proclaim Jesus to the world. The word Disciple means follower and/or pupil of a leader or teacher. They were also called Apostles which means emissary, missionary, one who is sent out. We tend to think of these first 12 as the most important and yet we too are called to follow Jesus, we are chosen by God, and we are sent out to proclaim His love. We are Apostles and Disciples; we are called to serve Him and bring others to Him. The list of 12 names we read in Mark soon becomes much longer, it is added to every day across the world and we are part of that list of those called, chosen and sent out.

14th February 2024

1 Corinthians 7:17 Each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.

For some the ordinary is not enough. We like life to be exciting, when things are happening, we want to be in the centre and sometimes we lose sight of the importance of all the ordinary, basic things we do every day. There will be times when we wonder what good can come from the basic, ordinary things that God is calling us to do, but we must do it anyway. Being reliable, supportive, feeding ourselves and others, turning up to things, sharing a cuppa, doing our job. Christ will work through our ordinary, our daily prayers and through our obedience in doing daily things to bring joy and blessing into our own life and into the lives of others; but most of the time this happens in the ordinary things of life. We need to see God in the ordinary, to be willing to do things, however simple they may seem, and that way God will work His miracles through us.

13th February 2024

John 2:9 The master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realise where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.

When wonderful things happen for us, many people do not see it. We and our family and friends may recognise God at work but others will not. The master of the wedding feast does not know that the good wine is a gift from Christ, so he gives credit in the wrong place. Most of the guests went home that day completely unaware of the miracle. They enjoy the best wine, directly from the hand of Christ. But they don’t know where the gift had come from. They enjoy the gift without knowing the giver. Daily we enjoy good gifts from God and do not acknowledge where they come from. We have been greatly blessed. Often the wine is flowing for us. Our troubles are often few and our joys are many. The real problem is that we’re giving credit in the wrong place. We see it as our hard work, our provision but at Cana if it had not been for Jesus all they would have had to show for it would have been six stone pots of water. If it had not been for the blessing of Christ, our life would be just stone pots of water. Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain!

12th February 2024

James 1:17 Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him.

How do you look at your life? Do you accept that there are good things, blessings, that are God given or do you see it all as your right? Actually, every good gift comes from above, from God, the creator. Everything that brings us pleasure and joy. The gifts of music and art, the gifts of work and sport, the gifts of love and family, the gift of health, the gifts of food and shelter, the gifts of peace and joy. We are so blessed and yet we habitually blame God for all that is wrong, and very rarely thank Him for all that is good! We love to take credit for our own success but love to blame God when things are not so good. Life is a blessing from God, it is a wonderful opportunity to serve and bless others, sadly we become more selfish, more self-reliant and like to praise self rather than God. We must begin to accept and realise that all our wonderful blessings come from God and we need to be more thankful and give Him the credit.

11th February 2024

John 2:7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

Sometimes we wonder what is the point in carrying on, why bother, we think, enough is enough. Often in the Bible we see people who play their part in a story because they do what they are asked to do, even when it may appear pointless. Jesus Christ could easily have turned water into wine without any involvement from the servants, but He chose not to. God works with His people. He works as His people pray and as His people are actively involved in His service and in doing as they are asked. God’s blessing came to the wedding guests through the obedience of the servants. Gifts of grace come from the hand of God, but they are received by His people through the prayers and the work of his fellow workers, us! Here’s the principle: God will do what only He can do, and we do what He has called us to do. God wants to use us to bless others but we must be willing to do our part. The gift of the new wine is given as the servants are obedient to all that Christ told them to do. So it needs to be with us!

10th February 2024

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

We sometimes wonder why things happen in our lives, we question “why me” and we try to look for reasons. As Christians we try to trust in God and what He can and will do in our situation. But none of us knows how God will use what is happening in our lives, but we can be sure that God will use every circumstance to work His loving and best purpose for us. This is true of every situation whether illness, heartache, loss, or disappointment. When the difficult times happen, Jesus is already there, He will always be there, He will show His glory; but it is not for us to tell Him how or when. When things are difficult and also when times are good, we need to tell God what is happening, and we need to ask for His help. He is already there but we need to recognise our need and be willing to let Him step in.

9th February 2024

John 2:1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there.

I think we all like a good wedding. Friends and family coming together to share in the joy of a couple. These days people tend not to have a free bar, it is far too expensive; often a couple of bottles of wine are put on the table, any more you want, you pay for. In Jesus time the groom was supposed to provide all the wine. We first encounter Jesus performing a miracle at a wedding in Cana. Mother Mary recognises that that there is a problem and she brings the need to Jesus. What do we do when we see a need? We should always ask for help and the first person we must ask is Jesus Christ. Mary had the ear of Christ, and so do we. Mary gives us a wonderful example to follow. First, she asks for help from Jesus and then she submits the matter and herself to Jesus. May we be willing to do the same, that way miracles can and will happen.

8th February 2024

Luke 18:17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

Within the church generally we are very good at telling people whether they are accepted or not. We love to make people jump through hoops, the criteria we have put in place, when Jesus makes it so clear that God accepts people as they are and with simple childlike faith and belief. Certain people in our churches try to make people follow our rules, our criteria. Often those who are rich and powerful are rewarded and given an easy pass, the success and promotion in worldly things is seen as reason for promotion in the church instead of the simple child like faith that God asks of us. When children accept and believe things that is it, no ifs or buts, they trust and accept. Children feel completely safe with their parents and know that they will do anything to care for and protect them. Children trust completely. Jesus reminds us that this is the type of faith we should have. That acceptance and trust that God will do anything to protect and care for us. A faith that knows we are completely safe with Him. This is the child like faith we are encouraged to have, may I encourage you to see God like this and completely trust Him.

7th February 2024

1 John 3:16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Time and again in the Bible when people encounter God and Jesus the pieces fall into place, people finally recognise God, who He is, they recognise Jesus is the son of God, the King of Kings, the one they have been looking for. Professional success, material wealth and societal prestige, take second place to God. If we want to live our best life now? Stop thinking about OUR life and OUR happiness, OUR preferences, OUR success and OUR accomplishments. It’s not about you, not about me. It’s about God. It’s about this radical message of living life as servants, of turning the world’s view of success on its head. It’s about taking up your cross and following, no matter what the cost, just so we can be one little part of the grand and wonderful work of God to transform this world. For any of us to really and truly have our best life right now is by giving it away to God. It’s not about us. It’s about God. Turn our lives over, give them up and follow Him. We’ll never find a better life.

6th February 2024

Proverbs 17:9 Love prospers when faults are forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.

The church is currently on a supposedly mission orientated drive. Money is being poured into new bid ideas and missional activities while parishes are being starved of support. It seems that many of our church goals, nationally and locally, are all about us! Not God! The mission of the church is, sadly, not about you or me. The mission of the church is about God, about God’s redeeming work in the world, about living that out and making room for others to join us in that living. The world is full of people who are looking for hope, for love, for friendship and compassion. People who are looking for fairness and justice, not gimmicks, not lessons in good behaviour, but forgiveness. The disciples finally figured it out. It took them a while, it took them sorting through the questions of self-importance and self-interest that, up until that point had been the motivating, compelling forces in their quest for success, for the ability to live their best lives and share that love and forgiveness with others.

5th February 2024

James 2:7 Pure and genuine faith in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

We all meet a lot of people in our lives and they are all different with differing ideas, strengths, problems and needs. When Jesus began his ministry he encountered all sorts of folks, people who were not living their best lives, people who needed some hope for the future, something more to believe in. At the end of his ministry Jesus didn’t have thousands of adoring followers lined up to hear him; just a few fearful women at the foot of his cross. Jesus did not flash a smile and promise “Your best life now!” No, He said strange things, like: follow me and I will make you fishers for people or, if anyone wants to be my disciple, they should take up their cross and follow me. Instead of promising relief from the political oppression of Rome, wealth to eliminate the drudgery of day-to-day existence, positions of power and influence to bring success, Jesus spoke about strange new ideas like love and justice, ideas that had very little to do with us as an individual, with our life and our success and our best life now, it was and is to do with God! God’s message of love and reconciliation for the whole world, not just for us. Where we care for the orphans and widows and refuse to let the world corrupt us.

4th February 2024

Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

We have all been told at some time that we should do the right thing! Recently we remembered the horrors of the Holocaust, where the right thing was not done. In the Bible this phrase is used, Do unto others what you would have done to you. If we had applied that phrase to the Holocaust then the Nazi’s too would have been tortured, interred, experimented on, and murdered. But what happened was others were dehumanised, made out to be less than the Nazi race and therefore any punishment was justified and excused. We are still at it today, dehumanising, pretending others are less than we are because we’re male, or of a certain race or colour, or we went to a certain school or university; we dehumanise people because they are disabled or sick or poor. Blaming others for things because we believe we are special and are better than others. This is simply not the case. In God’s eyes all are equal and all are deserving of fairness and justice. Doing unto others as we would want for ourselves is so simple and yet so easily ignored! Following God’s teaching on Doing unto others is the only way we will stop injustice, unfairness, genocide, murder, poverty and hunger.

3rd February 2024

Luke 2:26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

In the temple Joseph and Mary encounter Simeon, a righteous and holy man. He had been promised that he would see the Messiah before he died. I often ask myself and others what if Mary had said no? I also ask what if Simeon had not listened to the Holy Spirit? He was directed to the temple, what if he’d shrugged it off, didn’t pay attention to that thought, that feeling, that prompting. What if we do not pay attention to the Spirit in us, to God’s prompting, that nagging feeling, that call to be made, that gift to be given, that place we should or should not be. Simeon listens to the prompting, he is urged towards the family, to Baby Jesus. He speaks prophecy, he is part of prophecy. He sees the Messiah, holds him in his arms and reminds everyone that this Baby is for Gentiles and for Israel. Light and glory. Simeon blesses them and offers the prophecy of Jesus death and the hurt to come. Mary is warned of the pain and sorrow to come for her so that the world might have the chance to be saved.

2nd February 2024

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

For most of us we want the best for ourselves and family. We want the better job, more money, a bigger car and house. We all long to be those who are comfortable and well off rather than poor. Interestingly church growth across the world, particularly in the west, is very much tied into how we have a successful, happy, abundant, prosperous life. People are sold the story of having our best life now! It’s all about us! This is often called the prosperity doctrine, the misinformation that God wants us to be wealthy and it enables some preachers and church leaders to live as millionaires. That is not servanthood, that is not serving God and people, caring for the poor and sick. If life is all about us, we cannot live our best life as God intended. We have to recognise that life is not all about us but it is all about God. About making God’s world the best for everybody not just us.

1st February 2024

John 1:46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.

Young children love the word why. They go through a stage of replying why to anything we ask them to do. Many of us continue through life to ask why, to question everything and that is not always a bad thing. The calling of Nathaniel by Jesus is someone asking questions, challenging Jesus to find the truth. He questions Philip’s claim to have found the Messiah, who is this person, how can anything good come from Nazareth? Nathaniel is sceptical. He knew what kind of folks lived in Nazareth. What kind of guy from Nazareth could answer the longing in HIS heart, give him the purpose HE needed? Nathaniel then challenges how Jesus knows him. Jesus reply is to speak into his heart, into his mind and personality. Jesus speaks the truth and Nathaniel learns that to live his best life He needs to follow Jesus. Jesus speaks the truth into our lives as well, but we must be prepared to listen and to hear, then we too, can live our best lives in Jesus.

31st January 2024

John 1:48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

Do you ever sit and think or ponder? Sometimes we have a place we like to just sit and think, a favourite chair or room. We first encounter the disciple Nathaniel sitting under a fig tree. A place for pondering, thinking about things, working through some of the issues of his life. What is the meaning of my life? Am I happy? Where do I fit? Am I living the best life I can live? These are questions we ask ourselves. These weeks of Epiphany are the time in the church year when we get to see Jesus starting his ministry, making his way into the lives of all these people offering them the life-transforming opportunity of becoming his followers. Nathaniel finds the answers to his questions in Jesus and becomes a follower. We can also find the answers to our questions if we follow Jesus. When we ponder, when we think Jesus is there with us and offers all we need to find our way forward. What Jesus did for Nathaniel He willingly does for each of us.

30th January 2024

Luke 2:22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.

Do we like doing what we are told? As children and teenagers, we rebel against being told what to do because we believe we know better. Society only functions because most of us do as we are supposed to, we keep laws and rules and enable people to live decent lives. A little after Jesus is born, He is taken by his parents to the Temple. Joseph and Mary do as the law requires. They are people of faith! They bring Jesus and present Him to the Lord. The Lord gave them a son and they offer a sacrifice of turtle doves or pigeons in thanks to God for what He has freely given. Jesus is presented as a symbol of light in the darkness, presented as all children should be in thanks to God. Doing as the law requires sets Jesus as one who is within God’s law, a fulfilment of the Law.

29th January 2024

Luke 12:48 To whom much is given much is expected.

Last Year My husband and I were invited to film for a TV game show. As it has now aired, I am free to talk about it. We had a wonderful day, were treated so well by the runners, junior staff, make up people etc. They were so kind and helpful, nothing too much trouble. Where I struggled was the treatment by the celebrity presenter. You get the impression on the TV that they try to get to know you, are interested, want to have a conversation with you. That was not the case. Apart from a brief wave and general hello at the start, no other interaction happened than what you see on TV. As things were being re shot the presenter was engrossed in their phone, they occasionally talked to the guest presenter, but the contestants didn't really exist. For the sake of a personal introduction, a shake of the hand, a picture with you, the experience would be so much more welcoming. The problem with celebrity, it seems, is that they can see themselves as above others, that they don’t have to make an effort to even just be polite. How sad. This verse reminds us that the more we are given the more is expected of us in how we use it, how we treat others. Simple respect and politeness cost nothing. Yes, being famous means meeting loads of people and that can be tiring, but the wonderful lifestyle they have because of their status is more than enough of a reward. No one is better than another, no one has the right to look down on others, politeness and respect cost nothing and should be freely offered by all to each other no matter our status in society.

28th January 2024

John 6: Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

On a hillside with 5000 hungry people, Andrew speaks up. What he says would be seen by most as silly, pointless; what use is a small picnic to feed 5000 people. But He, as all the disciples have, has seen His confidence grow, he has experienced Jesus encouraging him, supporting him, not criticising his mistakes and failures but using them to help him grow stronger, to be more confident because of his faith and his friendship with Jesus. Are we those supporting friends, encouraging friends, friends that do not criticise and allow others to grow and flourish, learning from mistakes? Everyone of us makes mistakes, we all fail but everyone of us deserves a second, third, fourth and more chance to learn and grow, because God loves us all and God wants each of us to succeed.

27th January 2024

2 Corinthians 4:7 Yet we who have this spiritual treasure are like common clay pots, in order to show that the supreme power belongs to God, not to us.

You may not believe it or even think it, but every one of us can do amazing things. It may not be easy, but in God’s strength it is possible and encouraged. We may need to struggle, to keep going when around us negativity pushes in, but we will find strength from within, strength we never thought we had, strength from God, from our faith. That is the resilience of the God given human spirit, where we are never alone even in our darkest moments, because God is there; with us, around us, supporting us, holding us. In the midst of the hardest, worst times we are never alone. We have resilience from creator God, resilience in the human self that we are. Sometimes we need to look deep within, to dig into those deep resources within ourselves but we do not need to face anything alone.

26th January 2024

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

At times of great turbulence and uncertainty throughout the history of humankind, the Bible has provided a source of comfort, assurance and hope. Her late Majesty the Queen once said “To what greater inspiration and counsel can we turn, than to the imperishable truth to be found in this treasure house, the Bible?”. It’s something Jesus pointed out to his own first followers, that even when everything around us is crumbling, even though, “Heaven and earth will pass away, my words will not pass away”. God’s word will continue throughout famine, war, pestilence, plague and pandemic. And I wonder if this is something we particularly need to hear today? So much of what we thought we knew and the things that we trusted to be there always were upended or taken away by COVID and subsequent issues of war and costs. Hope is something that is in short supply at the moment. BUT, The Bible gives us hope, because it shows us that God’s big story and His ultimate plans for good are there for us all. It gives us hope because we read in its pages that what we see and experience here and now, is not all there is, and that God and His love and His goodness will ultimately prevail.

25th January 2024

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.

Being resilient is a term banded about a lot these days. The Government challenge the resilience of our young people and in my opinion disrespect them. Resilience does not come from being stuck in a place and refusing to move and change, but rather from a willingness to adapt, learn and change when things do not go our way. Something our young people have had to do over the last pandemic years. A determination to succeed still needs people to listen, to learn, to adapt and change. Being resilient means not conforming to the ways of this world which says we push on regardless of the pain and suffering we cause, in order to get our own way and further our own agenda. Instead, we make choices to change, to adapt, in order to offer the best not only for ourselves but for others too. God created us as individuals who need each other. It is not good for humans to be alone. Instead, we grow, learn and change together. We become better people because of who are around us, families, friends, colleagues, neighbours, we all need one another to strengthen and help, together.

24th January 2024

John 6:1 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?"

Empathy is a characteristic that is really lacking in our country and our world. Instead of putting ourselves in the shoes of others we judge harshly, offloading the blame for all our ills on those we can, usually because they are different. We use disability, illness, skin colour, culture or religious belief to mask our own inadequacy and complete lack of empathy. Struggling and failing in areas of our lives can actually help us develop empathy for others. When we experience failure ourselves, we are more likely to be understanding and compassionate towards others who are going through similar struggles. This is what Jesus did when He became human, became as we are, experienced life as we do and still chose to love us, care for us, fight for us. Empathy is a characteristic we need to develop and use more in our ever increasing, intolerant world.

23rd January 2024

2 Corinthians 4:9 There are many enemies, but we are never without a friend; and though badly hurt at times, we are not destroyed.

When life is tough, when things seem not to be going well, do we want to give up, yes, do we, no. Do we feel despair, yes, do we know enemies and feel crushed, yes, do we give up, no! How many of us would take a risk, give up our security, our safety, to rescue someone we love? To walk away from injustice, to stand up and challenge wrongdoing in work, in society, in government? Most of us will never be in that situation and yet daily we do face difficulty, despair, hardship, sometimes physical injury or disability. For some of us every day is a difficulty to be overcome, none of us know what our neighbour is facing, what daily struggles some of us face and yet somehow, with resilience and determination, we take it one step at a time and keep going. The resilience of the God given human spirit is amazing.

22nd January 2024

Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.

We have bad days, but we also have good days. We are human, we get it wrong, but God sees the heart. He sees us in the quiet times, when we are secretive, when we work quietly without a fuss. It is really encouraging to know that God sees it all, the good as well as the bad, but it is also a warning, If we are not that good person, if we pretend to others that we do care when we actually don’t, then we are reminded that God sees the truth, the real us. We may be able to fool friends, colleagues and family but we cannot fool God. Let me encourage you to try and be better, kinder, more caring and try a little harder not to slip into those bad days, not to let them get to us. But, even when they do happen, remember God knows the truth. All God wants from us is for us to try, He would rather we try and fail than never try at all. Remember the good you do, be reminded of how much you care for others, it is not for us to shout about or expect praise for what we do, but it is the whole person that matters, the us that God made us to be and as God sees us for who we really are, let us try to see the best in each other.

21st January 2024

Luke 6: 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

How good are you at being merciful? When someone upsets us, outdoes us, gets more than us, uses us; do we want them to suffer, to be paid back for their insults and more? Do we want our pound of flesh or do we really want revenge? Our practice of mercy comes from our experience of mercy from God. If we got what we deserved, let’s face it, we would not survive, we deserve nothing. Being merciful is a Godly attribute we can have; using our ability, in God’s strength, to forgive others, to show mercy and compassion. To offer a second chance, to work for peace, human rights, economic justice and to transform how society works. Our showing mercy and compassion means we stand with those who suffer, we look for the flourishing of all, we show mercy, even to the undeserving, we act on behalf of God as compassionate, merciful people who promote justice and mercy and try to stop exploitation of our world and all living creatures.

20th January 2024

2 Samuel 7:5 Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in?

Sometimes we feel life is good, we have done well and things are going our way, maybe at last. King David was in this good place and he knew it. Life had been generous to him, not least in providing him with a strong house made from cedar wood. David wanted to be generous to God, as the source of his good fortune, and wanted to build a special house for God. The trouble was David wasn’t actually listening to God who had different ideas. God didn’t want David’s generosity expressed in this way. God wanted to continue being generous to David in establishing the kingship with his offspring forever. How often do we try to force our own ideas on other people, out of a mistaken sense of our own generosity, instead of listening to them? How often do we try to force our ideas on God instead of listening to Him? Instead of giving people and God the things that we think they must want, can we instead offer them the generosity that recognises who they truly are, and be generous with whatever they really need for them to be the people God is calling them to be?

19th January 2024

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

I do love Call The Midwife. Great Sunday night viewing, feel good factor and the triumph of good over evil. The mix of Nun midwives with others is truly wonderful, we see the value of nursing staff in the community, the value of support and of the relationships developed in the community. They tackle many of the issues facing the slums of London and of health amongst ordinary people as development happened, not always for the better. It offers strong female role models, in the midwives and the Nuns. No one predicted how successful it would be but it has caught the imagination of people because it reminds us of how important community is to society. Always help, always someone on our side, always someone to care and fight for the underdog. This is the society God promotes, fairness and justice, care for one another, empathy, compassion, helping the poor and making society better for everyone. Sometimes the church forgets that Community is vital, people working together in the local area, providing needed support, not because we want to force people into church but because we want people to know just how much God loves them and enable them to become part of the wonderful, amazing family of God.

18th January 2024

Isaiah 40:3 But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.

The long dark and cold days and nights of winter are difficult. The older I get the harder it is to get up in the dark, come home in the dark, the cold permeates more and the cost of heating the old vicarage is a lot. Morale is low even in the New Year, because of the short daylight hours and the cold weather. It seems summer is so far away and the change in our seasons shows how we have not been prepared for the very cold or the very hot, the huge amount of rain and storms we now have. God gave us a world to steward and care for, a world with enough resources for everyone to live well but we have chosen to exploit those resources for wealth and power. As a result, too many now live in damp and cold, struggle to eat and heat. So many children live in poverty. As much as I struggle there are far more for whom life is a daily battle. For all of us there is hope, we cling to the hope of a better future, of leaders who will make things better and be true to their promises. I cling to the hope of life in Jesus, to a secure future, to help, provision and compassion from a God who is interested in me and everyone of us. If you need more than that then please do contact someone, ask for help, there are people who will share the load, please do not cope alone.

Samaritans 116 123

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/crisis-services/helplines-listening-services/

17th January 2024

Matthew 11:2 & 3 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

I can honestly say that we all, no matter how strong a faith we have, have moments of doubt. John the Baptist has been put in prison because he has challenged Herod on his adultery, divorce and remarriage. John, the voice crying out in the wilderness, Jesus’ cousin who leapt in his mother’s womb, who baptised Jesus and witnessed the spirit descending and the voice of God, is sitting in prison and has time to think. What is happening to his mission, why is he in prison, why has Jesus not come to help? He sends his disciples to ask Jesus if He is the Messiah. Jesus does not criticise, or challenge John’s doubt, instead he tells them to report to John what they see, the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed. Jesus does the work of God, the miracles, and so reminds John of the continuing mission. We all have doubts, it is okay to have doubts, Jesus does not condemn our doubts but reminds us of all that He has done for us and all that He will continue to do for us, even when we doubt. God never gives up on us, ever.

16th January 2024

Exodus 34:6 The Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands.

Theologian Elizabeth Johnson wrote a book called Abounding in kindness. In it she tries to show us that God’s love is an amazing, incredible mystery that we simply don’t fully understand. She shows how God is Abounding in Kindness. There is no end to His love or His kindness. She points out that we just don’t appreciate this. Yet it so clearly shines out in the Old Testament where they constantly encounter a God of great mercy who abounds in love, kindness and faithfulness. Then in the New Testament Jesus is the very embodiment of this abounding love and kindness all the way to the cross and beyond to defeat death itself. For Johnson, God’s compassion and solidarity for those who are suffering requires us to show the same. If God’s heart is turned in compassion towards this world, as we know it is, then we as His followers should show this abounding love, kindness and compassion to each other. If we do not help our brothers and sisters in need, if we do not try to alleviate the suffering and poverty of the other, if we do not care for our created world, then we are not fulfilling God’s role for us in the world.

15th January 2024

Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God is a God of promises; the promise of an enslaved Egypt to be made free to Moses, the promise to a poor young girl living under oppression in an empire, that she will bear the Messiah. Promises made in the shadow of conflict, oppression, persecution, and uncertainty. Look around right now, so much suffering and oppression. War in Ukraine, in the Holy land, so many places beset by darkness, injustice, ethnic cleansing, poverty, occupation, oppression. Here in UK, so many people lonely, destitute, homeless, in poverty, struggling to just survive. Facing all this we wonder just how we can wait any longer. Advent is a season of waiting, it is almost beyond our abilities to wait, to sit with the pain of this broken world and wait. As another Christmas has come and gone, we must hold fast to the promises of God, promises made to the oppressed, the excluded, the humiliated; made in times of war and occupation, oppression and injustice. The hope is there to be seen, even in the absolute mess of the world, God is at work, He has been at work down the centuries. He is already at the side of the broken and forgotten, already comforting and defending the poor and lowly, the humiliated and those caught up in war and power games. We continue to wait for God’s certain promises to come to fruition as so many have done over the years. We listen for new promises He is making to us day by day; we wait for the peace and justice held for us by Jesus Christ. We wait, we watch, we pray that the Child who came to Bethlehem that first Christmas, who redeemed us, died for us and defeated death for us will come again and restore the world to the perfect Kingship of God and restore us to the people of peace and love that He created us to be. Even so Lord Jesus, Come!

14th January 2024

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

27 years go today I gave birth to my eldest son. He’s just bought house with his partner; he became a teacher and will soon move out. It is amazing to think that that baby became a grown man. This story of life is common to us all. We are born, we grow, we live, we may have children of our own, we grow older and eventually we die. As I grow older, I realise that there have been many things I regret not doing, too much time spent striving for things out of reach and not appreciating what I actually had. God knows us before we are born, God knows the number of hairs on our head, God wants what is best for us, He wants us to succeed and have a wonderful life but we are often so busy trying to get the next best thing that we never live the great best life God wants for us. Before we know it, our children are grown, we are quickly headed to retirement and all that we could have done wasn’t accomplished. God is still wanting the best for us, even now, it is never too late to appreciate what we have and seek to live the best life God wants for us. We just need to recognise it.

13th January 2024

John 20:21 As the Father sent me, so I send you.

What do you think of when anyone talks about being a prophet? Most of us think prophets are of the Old Testament, resigned to history, we forget Jesus was a prophet and we don’t really talk about Jesus in this way. Remember Jesus was interested in us and his followers becoming like him, just like the prophets of old were persecuted and often rejected so am I and so will you be. Jesus’ life and work is prophetic and as we become like Him so do we become prophetic. We do not just read a book and repeat what we learn; but we go deep into ourselves to hear God’s message born in the midst of pain, burden, frustration, suffering and disillusionment. From inside we know we need to find other people who see what we see and do something about it. If we do not challenge the status Quo, no one will. When we are motivated by revolutionary love in the prophetic tradition of Jesus, we recognise the pain of our planet, the agony of the poor, to work for peace and against injustice and racism and hate, so that we can transform a broken world into the community of God.

12th January 2024

1 Peter 2:4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious.

I wonder if you have ever thought about why you are here, in this life, at this time? I know I have. Many people question their existence and role, some even needing help when this brings doubt rather than hope. God reminds us time and again that we all have a purpose, that we are all chosen and precious. In simple terms we are chosen because we have been born. Each of us has been chosen by God, known before we were even in our mother’s womb. We are chosen because we are here, now, and God is waiting for us to just look to Him, that He may bless us. We are keepers of His revelation: people with creative thoughts and ideas, people with gifts and talents, people who are chosen and precious to God. Do not hide away what God has chosen you for, do not ignore His love and His call, do not allow others to stop you answering His call on your life. There are things only you can do, so step out in faith and allow God to work in you.

11th January 2024

Hosea 12:10 I have also spoken to the prophets, and I give numerous visions, and through the prophets I give parables.

Various theologians write and speak about how prophets arise in periods of crisis to chart a message of resilience and hope. Prophets appear firstly as an early warning system, speaking out about what is to come. Then, as it becomes more real, they educate people about what to do to end the suffering and alter the course. Finally, they describe the future and guide people to find it within themselves. Prophets ground their prophecy in the bedrock of spiritual traditions. They recall the ancient stories and covenants between the God and human beings. They reinterpret ancient teachings and retell the old promises; immersed in tradition even as they talk about the need for change. As we begin 2024, I invite you to join me in becoming a prophet. It does not matter what our race or culture may be. It does not matter what age or gender we are. We can all become prophets of our own time. We are all needed and we are human beings living in extraordinary times. We seek a spiritual purpose to our lives. We ask difficult questions, we seek vision. We challenge leaders and politicians; we strive to be common-sense advocates for what will work best to help all people.

10th January 2024

Matthew 2:11b Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The third Epiphany gift given to Jesus is Myrrh. Myrrh is associated with sacrifice and death. Myrrh is a perfumed anointing oil used for burial. This gift is clearly associating Baby Jesus with death. In His future His death would be crucial to His story as both King and priest. The true humanity of Jesus, Son of God, both human and divine is reflected. He can and will die. He will defeat death on our behalf. Who wants to sacrifice themselves? This is something Humans are rarely called to do, occasionally someone will sacrifice themselves. What would you do if you were called to make sacrifices? A challenging question. Jesus is a King and a priest who will offer Himself as a sacrifice to die so that we can have eternal life. All three gifts are linked to Jesus life and ministry. They are a prophetic, foretelling of what Jesus was going to do. It has an impact on our lives, It is a challenge to servanthood, priesthood and calling, to live our lives as best we can for God each and every day.

9th January 2024

Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

The second Epiphany gift to Jesus was Frankincense. Frankincense was an expensive incense, used in worship, used to anoint priests, reserved for those called to serve God and the only incense used at the Altar. So, Frankincense can be associated with the priesthood. Who wants to be a priest? There are some of us who are called to be priests or vicars. Unlike being a king or Queen, this is a lot less popular choice for people. But, if you were a Priest, what would you do? Priests are called to care for God’s people, to lead them in prayer and worship, to be servant leaders, to visit the sick, to pray for God’s people and to stand in the gap. Priests are called by God. Jesus is a priest; He stands in the gap between God and Humans, allowing humans and God to be reunited. He acts as both servant and leader. St Paul calls Him the great High Priest who came to serve and enables us to hold firmly to our faith.

8th January 2024

Isaiah 60:3 Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

We have just celebrated Epiphany when we remember the coming of the Magi or kings to Jesus. They brought several gifts. The first listed is gold. We associate gold and riches with Kings, they are often presented to Kings in worship. Who wants to be a King? At some point in life, we all want to be a king or Queen, but what would we do if we were? Would we want to give generously or take? Be entertained or actually help people? With power comes responsibility and yet it also changes people into more selfish people who want to get the best for themselves. If you can suddenly do pretty much what you want with little or no consequences, what would you do? Early kings often maltreated their people, took everything from them, treated them as slave labour. Many Kings believed they were put there by God so no one could challenge them or say no to them. They were supposed to take care of their people, protect them, and lead troops into battle. The job of a proper King was to lead their people before God. Sadly, kingship meant many forgot all about God and placed themselves in that role. Jesus is a real King, Lord, Son of God, who will and does care for His people and leads them properly and safely, protecting them to eternity with God. This King will have to die and defeat death to achieve this, which He willingly does. Jesus is our true King.

7th January 2024

Matthew 11:29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

The return to work after a holiday can be quite a shock to the system. The lay ins now replaced by very early mornings, the travel to work, the arriving and finding the internet, crucial to work, is not functioning, the keys to necessary rooms not available and the beginning of a new year is not running as smoothly as we might have hoped. The enthusiasm we arrived with soon lessens, the targets for the day are quickly undermined and one begins to feel that the hope and promise of the new year is already waning, if not gone completely. Our faith can also follow this same pattern. Our enthusiasm wanes under pressure, our desire to complete tasks and targets are thwarted by things beyond our control and it is easy to become quickly despondent and lacking in energy. God knows we will daily meet situations beyond our control, that we will struggle to keep our enthusiasm and will easily lose our focus, so all He asks of us is that we commit our day to Him and allow Him to deal with things, to not take it all on ourselves but allow Him to shoulder the burden. That way we will find the strength and rest that we need to serve Him with enthusiasm daily.

6th January 2024

John 1: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

All through the Old Testament the story of our salvation is sown. Jesus comes on that first Christmas to show us that the beginning and the end of all existence is Jesus, the God-man who walks with us today in our hearts just as he did as he was taken up in the arms of his mother on that first Christmas. This is the unbelievable mystery that God is with us. Emmanuel. He has come to stay. He has come to share our humanity. He has wept and suffered. He cries today in the pain and the sorrow of a world that refuses to leave the darkness and move with great love into a new light and into a new life. He does not give up on us, offering unconditional love day after day. From the beginning God has offered us everything, humans have turned away. He is still offering that love each and every day.

5th January 2024

Isaiah 9:2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone.

Jesus was not born in a royal palace but in a humble stable for animals. Jesus was wrapped in common cloth and placed in a manger for his bed. He was welcomed into the world by the poorest of shepherds guarding their sheep at night, the poorest and most lowly people. There was no room for Mary to give birth to her son in any inn. This is hardly the treatment expected for the Birth of the Christ Child. And yet, if the truth be told, it is all too often the way we treat each other. When you think about it our wonder gives way to shame, and it all becomes too painful for us to grasp. And yet when we look at the crib on Christmas day, everything becomes clear, and true, and lovely. God who dwells in inaccessible light, suddenly appears as a weak and helpless infant, hungry to become one of us, to take on flesh and share our humanity. It’s all about love, God’s weakness is His love for us. The Child has come not only to love us, but more important to teach us how to love each other. “Love God with your whole heart, mind and soul, and love one another just as I am always loving you.”

4th January 2024

Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

The Bible gives us hope as well as many other things. Throughout the bible is weaved Hope. The hope of a Saviour weaves through the Old Testament. The hope of all things new and eternal life through the New Testament. The hope of the Jesse tree who comes from David’s line, to be born in Bethlehem. In the gospels there are signs of the future to come and we look about us in the world and think those signs are being fulfilled, we wonder, we pray, we worry, but no one knows or will know the day or hour. All we are called to do is to live as if it is about to happen, not be caught out, live as those waiting but not wasting, to expect the unexpected and live the best we can for Jesus; with honesty, integrity, compassion, servanthood, patience, peace, joy and gentleness. The scriptures offer us hope and patience, comfort and compassion, peace and strength, may we always look to the Bible.

3rd January 2024

John 1:12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

At Christmas, we hopefully become aware that the festival Christmas itself is a gift. It was the first gift. It is God’s gift even today. And when we give gifts to each other at Christmas, this mirrors the gift of God Himself to us on that first Christmas. The gift of Christ himself, freely given to us but along with it comes a challenge to our lives. A realisation that we need each other, that we must reach out to each other, that we must overcome the barriers that separate us from each other, that we must work to understand that it is in true humility and service that we find truth. We walk from darkness into God’s light as we find the lost, heal the broken, feed the hungry, release the prisoner, rebuild the nations, bring peace among people, and live as Jesus calls us to each and every day.

2nd January 2024

John 1:4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

I love singing carols, the story they tell, the message they give, and as we sing them and celebrate, we realise that love is ours, freely given in Jesus, but, it is also a challenge because love has a price. As God becomes one with us in Jesus, we realise that this is the way of peace, this is the way of harmony, this is the way of all reality; the price is the challenge that we must love one another in the same way. As God loves us, freely and unconditionally, we must love, in the weakness, in the need, in the reaching out, and in the gentle feeling of His presence. For God is a God of light and not of darkness, a God of ultimate triumph and not failure. A God who loves us unconditionally and then asks us to do the same through Jesus.

1st January 2024. Happy New Year and God's rich blessings be with you.

2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Happy New Year! Another year has begun, we will spend a few weeks writing the wrong year on the date, we are all older and the time that has gone can never be got back. We make resolutions offering ourselves a new start, a way to change, Dry January or Veganuary, join the gym, go to Weightwatchers, just try to be a better person. This yearly idea that it is never too late to make changes in our lives which are good for us and for others. For many this idea of resolving to change works well, for others it seems to last a very short time before we confess, we have not been able to keep our resolutions. God offers us this new start every day, every part of every day. We do not have to wait for a new year to get a new start. God offers us a new start at any time. All that is required of us is to accept that we are not perfect, realise we need to apologise and try to change to become better people through Jesus. Jesus defeated the hold of death on us because of our wrongdoing and so enabled us to be forgiven and able to make a new start at any time. As you begin a new year remember to make a new start with God and remember you can do this at any time.