Reflections

These reflections are published most Sundays on the front page of our parish newsletter.

8 January 2012
15 January 2012
22 January 2012
29 January 2012

5 February 2012

Earlier reflections may be found here (2011) here (2010) here (2009) here (2008) here (2007) here (2006), here (2005), here (2004), here (2003) and here (2002).

5 February 2012

At a recent cell group leaders meeting we discussed the definition of a healthy church, which was suggested to be “the movement of people towards Christ, toward deep love for God and genuine love for others”. We talked about how, particularly in a group situation, we could encourage this movement more.

Over the years I have been a member of several groups, in some the members have related on rather a superficial level, but in others, as with my present cell group, I have felt accepted, secure, loved, supported, and most importantly fed spiritually. I have experienced evenings when the Holy Spirit has been so tangible and moved with such power that I have lost all sense of time or surroundings and known that I have gone to a place, together with others, from where I have never wanted to come back.

I would say the key is to be real and transparent with each other. Life can be tough for everyone, and through its ups and downs, twists and turns we just don’t know what life will throw at us next. Nobody is excluded from this, and yet some just don’t allow others into their pain or to share their burdens, for various reasons; it might be pride, vulnerability, fear of showing emotion, or maybe fear of rejection, so we never really get to know the real person on the inside. Some people appear to have it all sorted, a wonderful life, no probs! If your successes or achievements are all you can talk about then it can make others feel that they are failing in some way and so they clam up, keep you at arms length and superficial, unreal relationships develop.

In my experience, it is in the groups where people share at a deep personal level that somehow gives you the ‘permission’ to do the same. When you realize you have been trusted with someone’s innermost thoughts and needs, then you know you can trust them too. It is then that Christ is experienced the most, he comes in and ministers at that point of need, through others. When one needs help and support it is there, but the person in need will always change. We need to have equal measures of compassion and empathy, to those of honesty and transparency. Unfortunately suffering is part of our job description as Christians; just as Jesus learnt obedience through his suffering, he promises that we will too! But he will be with us in it, and how much easier if we are in it together. I would encourage anyone at all not in a small group in St Luke’s to join one, the benefits are unique and amazing.

Shirley Wallin

29 January 2012

Its great to be back at St Luke's after my study leave on pneumatology. This is a branch of theology concerned with the Holy Spirit. It has been said that theologians during the 20th century concentrated on Jesus and that during the 21st they will concentrate on the Holy Spirit.

When Irenaeus, in the 2nd century, wrote about the Holy Spirit and Jesus he referred to them as 'the two hands of God' working both creation and redemption. Belief in the Trinity means that each Person of the Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are equal.

Romans 8 has been called the Bible's 'Everest'. As the world's highest peak requires a lot of effort to reach the top, the view from the summit is amazing! In the same way, if we could understand this great chapter better, we would be able to get a better perspective on the rest of the Bible.

St Paul writes: For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father". The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children (Romans 8.15).

As Christians we need to remember that the Spirit that enabled Jesus to fulfil God’s purposes and plan is the same Spirit that we have received. We are directly linked with Jesus who teaches us to pray: ‘Our Father…’ Our relationships ought to be transformed: with God, with ourselves, with one another and with creation.

If you have been watching Call the Midwife on Sunday evenings, you will know all about labour pains and childbirth! Paul uses this image to remind the Christians in Rome that though being a Christian is often a struggle and there are things they don’t understand, the best is yet to come!! The whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time … but we have the first fruits of the Spirit and groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as children, the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8.22-3).

Let us never think that what we have now, know now or experience now is all there is. Elsewhere Paul writes: He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to the power that is at work within us (Ephesians 4.20).

Pete Spiers

22 January 2012

As a cell group we have been exploring the book of Revelation.

As we come to the final scenes in Chapter 19 we find that the great city of Babylon, speaking of earthly wealth and power, and the great whore of Babylon speaking of the world’s ideology and message are destroyed.

John lived in days when the church was severely tested and oppressed but the vision he received from Jesus brought comfort and hope. Today we live in times when the church is again misunderstood and often derided, but the next scene in Revelation is a glorious one.

After the complex and devious ways of the great whore we find a simple description of the Bride of Christ. She is clothed in fine linen, bright and pure (Revelation 19.9). The fine linen is the righteous deeds of the Saints. She has laboured for these clothes but they are given her by Jesus.

‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb’ John is told.

He is overcome and falls in worship. Along with believers of all ages we are invited to the wedding feast as a bride and a beautiful one at that. Maybe you are struggling today with opposition or even derision but Jesus promises us a glorious future when along with the angels we will worship him. Meanwhile we are speak out God’s message to the society which we find ourselves part of.

Alan Lewney

15 January 2012

"No one can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending" (Unknown). Here we are again at the beginning of another year. Often we think that the key to a successful year is to do more, give more and be more, but these expectations usually place an unrealistic amount of pressure on us. As we continually fail to live up to our aspirations, a year of hope can quickly turn into a year of regret and frustration.

As Christians, it’s not really about saying I will do this and I won't do that, it's more about asking the Lord to help us each day, to fall deeper and deeper in love with him.

If we were to make a New Year resolution that had any meaning, it would be to have a deeper commitment, a deeper love, and a deeper worship for the Lord.

As we enter into a new year, it’s a good time for us to reflect on the past year and then direct our attention toward the new one. If we are totally honest, maybe our walk with the Lord was less than it should have been. Perhaps we have not allowed God to be first in all things in our lives. Maybe we have become complacent toward him, or lack the desire for a personal relationship with him as he requires of us or maybe, in the day to day busyness of life, we just didn’t have time and he was just left out. Then maybe this year, instead of doing more, we actually need to do less, and to spend some time each day to draw near to him, to pray and read his word and as we do God will speak to us and reveal himself to us in ways we can’t imagine, we will be more conscious of his peace, his love and his guidance. It’s just impossible for us to have a personal relationship with someone we don’t know or understand. If we don’t talk with God as we would talk to a close friend, or listen to what he has to say through the scriptures, then a relationship with him simply cannot exist.

Remember the story of Mary and Martha, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and just wanted to ‘be’ with him, whilst her older sister Martha busied herself with the affairs of the home and just wanted to ‘do’ for him. It was Jesus who said that Mary had ‘done the better thing’.

Shirley Wallin

8 January 2012

I have always been fascinated by the night sky. The many myriads of stars, planets and systems that are a part of our universe, trying to imagine what lies beyond that which we can see with the naked eye or through the most powerful telescope.

What must it have been like for the wise men who first saw the star “rising” foretelling the birth of a new King, and why, if a star which shone so brightly that it outshone all the other stars in heaven, didn’t other people follow it? Was it only the wise men who were aware of its significance?

People would have known from ancient times that a new star appeared at the time of a new king’s birth, so the wise men “seeing his star” would not have surprised anyone. The BBC Nativity Story shown again over Christmas, used the belief of some scholars that the conjunction of Jupiter, Saturn and Mars which happened in 6 BC, gave rise to a very bright star.
The obvious place to go when a new king is born is the palace. But neither Herod nor his advisers, who would have included the chief priests and rabbis of the day, had heard about a new baby prince being born.

When the wise men arrived at the stable they brought with them gifts to symbolise the Messiah. Gold for royalty - a gift for a king. Incense for priesthood and prayer - a gift for deity, God himself. Myrrh a burial spice - for the future suffering and death of Jesus. After this the wise men returned home by a different way and we hear nothing more about them in the New Testament and the gifts are never mentioned again.

The lives of the wise men changed forever when they first noticed the star. I wonder if they knew the journey they would take would place them in great danger and test their stamina and courage.

Finding Jesus means that life changes. When we follow God's guidance we can sometimes get it wrong but God never, ever gives up on us. As we enter 2012 are you prepared for your life to take a different direction, one that is responsive and obedient to God's Word? Then learn our bible verse for this year: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” [Joshua 1:9]

Barbara Chambers

this page was last modified on 3 February 2012.