October 2020
Under the Shadow of His Wings: finding peace in God’s loving presence
How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 36.7)
When our son was four years old he was having disturbed nights. We had just moved to Papua New Guinea – a country where people were very aware of the spiritual realities surrounding them. A dear friend suggested that we pray the priestly (or Aaronic) blessing from Numbers 6.24-26 over our children every night as they went to bed. This was not superstition. It was relying on the one and only true God who is sovereign over all. And it worked! Peace and quiet with restful sleep reigned in our children’s bedroom from then on. And we never stopped saying that prayer for them. Now that they are adults living away from us in their own homes, they gratefully remember that nightly prayer, and sometimes still ask for it:
‘The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.’
There is no doubt that the world in 2020 often feels like a disturbed place. And we need this prayer more than ever. We need to find rest in prayer, becoming one with the heart of God, that unique place of refuge. The regular interruptions in our daily lives that make us aware of God’s presence with us and in us become that prayer of the spirit uniting itself with God. That is what always assures us that we are safe because we are loved. God welcomes us! Psalm 36.5-7 tells us:
Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains
Your justice like the great deep.
O Lord, you preserve both people and animals.
How priceless is your unfailing love!
Both highborn and low find refuge in the shadow of your wings!
I love that last phrase: ‘Both highborn and low find refuge in the shadow of your wings!’ There is no favouritism with God!
I’d like to keep this month’s reflection simple – simply leaving you with some verses from the Bible to help you imagine the reality of how you are daily and nightly protected by God – with the image of wings:
Exodus 19.4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.’
Ruth 2.12 ‘May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.’
Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 57:1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.
Psalm 61:4 I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Psalm 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Luke 13:34 ‘…how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…’
May we, like Jesus, gather together with us all those whom God has called us to protect under His loving wings.
September 2020
The Joy of the Lord
‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Nehemiah 8.10).
At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, many people were, in effect, exiled. They had gone to another country for a holiday in many cases, and then found that when they wanted to go home, it was well-nigh impossible to do so. In my case, I had gone to Australia to visit our son and his family for two weeks at the beginning of March and ended up wondering when I would get back to Spain – home to my husband John. The feeling of being exiled – of lacking the freedom to travel home, of being ‘imprisoned’ where one doesn’t really belong – gave some of us a tiny indication of what it must have felt like for the Jewish people exiled in Babylon for 70 years.
Read Nehemiah 8 bearing the following in mind:
Context – the exiles are back from Babylon, where many believe that our Old Testament scriptures had been compiled into a canon (a book specially edited for teaching about God). The wall around Jerusalem had been completed. The exiles who had returned were gathered together and they asked Ezra the priest (also named ‘scribe’ in v.1 meaning simply ‘someone who writes’) to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses.
V.3 – he read it to ‘the men, women and others who could understand’
V.7 – ‘the Levites…instructed the people in the Law…They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.’
V.9 – Why do you suppose the people were weeping?
V.10 – They were to celebrate! Enjoy hospitality! They were in a safe place now! This was to be a day set aside as sacred/holy…and that didn’t mean being sombre!! Quite the opposite! Nehemiah – that wonderful man who is known as a great encourager – someone to encourage us to be encouragers, says, ‘THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH!’ This is one of my favourite verses in the whole Bible. We cannot love well without being full of joy, because the Joy of the Lord is what makes us strong to love. It is that amazing sense that came to the people then that God had fulfilled His promise to bring them back home – that He really loved them, despite their rejection of Him! The Joy of the Lord comes when we realise everything that a relationship with God means as we watch Him bring things to pass – not forcing anything or trying to ‘make’ things happen. It’s the joy of watching with wonder all that God has in store for us. SO… love and joy go together…because it’s God’s love that produces joy in us, and it is that joy that produces God’s love in us to share with others. It is a hugely dynamic process.
Joy is like a river that bursts its banks. It spreads out to others, sharing the waters that fill the river – sharing all that God has given us – because it is the Joy of THE LORD! And we do need His joy to have the strength to love sometimes – because not everyone is naturally loveable and no one is always naturally loveable and we don’t always have it in us naturally to love anyway!!
The end result of hearing God’s Word read freely again, back home in Jerusalem, was JOY! Read your Bibles daily and encourage everyone you know to do the same – so that you know God. So that you know how wonderful He is. So that you are saturated with that river of LIFE that is full of JOY – a joy that no one can ever take away from you. And, as Mothers’ Union members, share that joy with those who are still exiled among you and around you, whether because of war, political conviction, religious belief or reasons of personal safety. AMEN.
August 2020
He will do it!
2 Samuel 7.1-11, 16-17 [see Psalm 89.1-2, 19-29, Luke 1.67-79]
Just because God is with us does not mean that any idea that comes into our head comes from him and should be acted upon accordingly (see 2 Samuel 7.3). God always has a bigger plan, which he may or may not share with us, for very good reasons.
2 Samuel 7.1-11 begins with King David feeling bad because he is aware that his living conditions are better than God’s. So, he shares his feelings with Nathan the prophet (v.2).
- Nathan responds (wrongly) in the light of his own wisdom and his prior knowledge of David’s relationship with God: ‘”Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.” (v.3).’
- After hearing directly from God in response to the same issue, ‘Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.’ (v.17)
- God says, (paraphrase) ‘As if I have ever lived in a house!’ (vv.6-7)
- After reminding David of what he, God has done for him (see vv.8-11, where God’s ‘I’ appears seven times), God turns the tables on David, thus showing David who is really in charge! God says, I ‘will establish a house for you!’ (v.11b) Talk about a grand and humbling reversal. Can any of us really do anything for God, if even King David was thrown into a tailspin?
We need to always beware of those ideas that are about us feeling good because we are doing something wonderful for God. Obedience is key, so that we become a part of God’s much bigger plan. We need to fit in with his initiative – that is, with what he is already doing, or we end up making him into our image rather than acknowledging that the truth is the other way around. And we consequently end up making our God far too small, diminishing ourselves (made in his image) in the process.
God will always do much more than we ask or think (Ephesians 3.20) for us, through us and beyond the span of our own lives – as we now know to be the case with David. The generations following David did not offer much human hope for the fulfilment of God’s prophetic word through Nathan! And yet it was done – not with kingly pomp and rich importance, but through many and diverse people; the genealogy of David, with all of its imperfections; his family tree; all the way to Jesus – God revealing to us a better way – a humble way. And David did not live to see it! (Luke 1.67-79 – v.69: ‘He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David!’)
David could have said, ‘Give me a break, Nathan! We know God is with me, you endorsed my plan accordingly, and NOW you’ve come back to tell me God has said something else to you!?’
David did not. Rather, because God really was with him, he recognised God’s voice when he heard it through Nathan, and he humbly accepted Nathan’s prophetic word (read David’s response in prayer in vv.18-29).
We can be comforted by the fact that we, too, can hear God’s voice clearly because God is with us. But let’s not rush in with any idea that occurs to us just because we know he’s with us. God may have a better plan that fits in perfectly with his own bigger idea. And it may look nothing like what we would expect it to look like!
I wonder what God’s idea is for the worldwide Mothers’ Union at this time of worldwide uncertainty? It will certainly include confidence in God as we pray, ‘Your Kingdom come, your will be done!’
July 2020
A Tale of Two Women
I Kings 21.1-21 (total of 19 verses in three Bible books); Luke 7.36-50
– One woman was arrogant and proud, and would do anything to get what she and her family (in this case, her husband) wanted – Jezebel
– The other was humble and loving – willing to make a fool of herself to show how much she loved Jesus – in response to his loving forgiveness of her sin, which she did not try to hide – she was authentic – REAL…the ‘sinful woman’.
I wonder what kind of woman YOU would choose? It is important who a man marries!! And we should start training our children in the wisdom of the Lord – including making the right friends – from a very early age – from the day they’re born! HOW? By example more than anything. Who do WE choose as our friends? How do we treat the person who is our marriage partner – the one who should be our BEST friend?
What is a friend?
Jesus said in John 15.15 … ‘I no longer call you servants, because servants do not know their master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.’ A friend is someone we can trust to know everything about us – someone with whom we can be transparent, without fear. That’s the risk Jesus took with his disciples. And we know from the Luke passage today that Jesus had many women friends, not just the ‘sinful woman’. In Luke 8.2-3 we are told about ‘Mary (called Magdalene)…Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. There women were helping to support the disciples out of their own means.’
King Ahab might have said that Jezebel was his best friend – after all, she did everything to get him everything he wanted! But he was in bad company. She was a manipulative destroyer who lied and murdered in order to give her husband something he coveted – and neither of them considered that there would be any consequences to her action.
Elijah, speaking for God, makes Ahab answerable for what his wife has done on his behalf. And the punishment is equal to the crime. Naboth says at the beginning of the story: ‘The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.’ V.3 The land that was his was a family benefit, to be passed on to his children and his children’s children – so that they would not starve, among other things. V.4 tells us about how Ahab dwells on Naboth’s statement – though in his thoughts he changes the exact words and leaves out the bit at the beginning: ‘The Lord forbid…’ Ahab would rather not even think of the evil he was considering as being wrong before God. He wants to avoid God – leaving Him entirely out of it. In Ahab’s mind, Naboth has said, ‘I will NOT give you the inheritance of my ancestors.’ V.4
By the time it gets to Ahab telling his wife Jezebel what Naboth has said, the account has changed even more. Now he leaves out the important reference to the ‘inheritance of my ancestors’ v.3b and simply tells her that Naboth has said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’ V.6b An inheritance was sacred – just as the family was sacred in Jewish society – the bonds were not to be broken. ‘What God has joined, let no man put asunder,’ we say in the Church of England marriage service.
What was the consequence of breaking the sacred bonds of family provision? Elijah tells Ahab: ‘…because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, I am going to bring disaster on you.’ What is that disaster? ‘I will consume your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel – slave or free.’ Vv.20-21 Ahab’s own inheritance – the legacy of his family – will be non-existent. And ALL this because of a woman! Though it might be said that Jezebel’s desire was to please her husband by fulfilling his every desire! ‘Jezebel his wife had said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” V.7
Neither of the two women were perfect – but one was repentant. We are not told what her sin or sins were, but we are told that she loved Jesus much and therefore her sins were forgiven. We are also told that she loved much because her sins were forgiven. The Bible reminds us of both women – but one is despised by God and the other is honoured. Jezebel’s untimely end included being devoured by dogs by the wall of Jezreel. The sinful woman on the other hand, was told by Jesus, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’ Luke 7.50
The Mother’s Union Identity Statement says: Mothers’ Union is a global, women-led, volunteer movement. United in our diversity and living out our faith, we support individuals and families to transform their lives. Embedded in the Church and community, we have unprecedented reach that gives a voice to the stigmatised and vulnerable around the world.
Which of the two women in our reflection do you think would feel ‘at home’ as a member of the Mothers’ Union? Why? How do you yourself support individuals and families as you are able? What does being a friend mean to you? We don’t need to be perfect women – being a repentant, humble woman will do! Your sins will be forgiven and you will be blessed and bring blessing to others from God Himself. AMEN.
June 2020
Made of Living Stones
I Peter 2.4-6/Isaiah 28.16; Isaiah 40.29-31; Acts 2.1
Pentecost 2020…at a distance! Contrast that with Acts 2.1 where it says, ´When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.´ But we are nevertheless still united in our love for God and for one another, though for the moment, we are unable to be close to each other as before.
Where I live, in Catalunya, Spain, one of the traditional expressions of community is the public display of the building of human castles, called castells. Regions, towns and villages gather people of all ages to practice building the castell with the highest number of levels of human beings. Their practice is with a view to vying with other teams at major celebrations, all hoping to build the highest and sturdiest castell of all. But – as is usual for any building – the foundation is the most important part. Get that wrong, and the whole building wobbles and people begin to fall down the levels, ending up at the bottom again! With COVID-19 castells are impossible, because people have to bunch together closer than in a rugby scrum! I find it a good analogy for the Church – and in this case, for Mothers´ Union.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has said of the Mothers´ Union, `Mothers´ Union are the heart and love of the Church.´ Castells show us what that love may mean in practice.
Castells MCastells – all together in one place…
The strongest at the bottom
Holding up the rest
But oh! The back is aching –
It puts one to the test
Sometimes hearts pang
Fit to breaking as they hold.
The mouth held tight while the rest sang,
Clenched in effort unseen, unnoticed
As the youngest and smallest climbed
To the top.
Is this a parable?
Is it Jesus´ word?
Consistently – and now again –
Bolstering up the herd?
The foundation that keeps the castell sturdy.
The ones on whom the rest depend.
Like Jesus, put in place by God.
hat right have we to bend…
And break beneath the load?
This is life, this is calling
This is how it must be.
Serving others at the bottom –
Help us do it joyfully!
Our Mothers´ Union prayer life is an integral part of the strong foundation of the Church – it´s the `glue´ that holds us together. Sometimes our prayers are what hold the whole edifice up, standing with Jesus Christ, the cornerstone, living stones together.
I don´t know about you, but for me the MU prayer diary has recently felt prophetic in so many ways, beginning with the 2020 Theme: Building Hope and Confidence (see Isaiah 40.31 …those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.) We need God´s Holy Spirit strength, in order to be the `heart and love of the Church´ that holds the edifice up and keeps it from toppling down. We are weak, but He is strong!
April/May 2020
This reflection has been written by Rev Deborah. we give thanks that she has at last been able to return home safely to Spain, at the end of April. Thank you Lor
March 2020
Adam and Eve listen to the wrong voice
Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100.3).
Brothers, divine Scripture calls to us saying: Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted (Luke 14:11; 18:14) (Rule of Benedict 7.1).
In Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg, The Beginning of Desire, 1995, p.3, Lev Shestov writes: ‘We live surrounded by an endless multitude of mysteries. But no matter how enigmatic may be the mysteries which surround being, what is most enigmatic and disturbing is that mystery in general exists and that we are somehow definitely and forever cut off from the sources and beginnings of life.’
The Christian faith does indeed deal with mystery at its core, but at that core is the belief that we are most certainly not ‘definitely and forever cut off from the sources and beginnings of life’. The Bible account begins in Genesis and moves forward to Jesus. There, He is central to the reconnection with eternal life in relationship with the triune God in whom Christians believe and in whom they are baptized. From the beginning of all things, eternal life was intended to be essential to the being of humankind.
To say ‘yes’ to God requires a choice. Before Adam and Eve disobeyed God, there was only one choice, and that was whether to obey Him or not in just one area of life in the garden – whether to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or not. Life was simple and life was very good. I don’t suppose it had even entered their minds that there was a choice, that they could say anything but ‘yes’ to God. After Adam and Eve disobeyed (in what has come to be known as ‘The Fall’) life became a multitude of choices, each one more complex than the one before, and the difficulty of discerning God’s will in order to say ‘yes’ to Him became ever more difficult.
The serpent was the first to complicate Adam and Eve’s thinking:
Exaggeration – ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden.”?’ (Genesis 3.1b) This question makes God out to be mean, when what God actually said was much more positive: ‘“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die”’ (Genesis 2.16b-17). God’s intention was for people to live, not to die.
Second hand information – The serpent spoke to Eve, though God had told Adam about the prohibition before he set about creating the woman (Genesis 2.18). It was Adam’s responsibility then to communicate God’s prohibition to Eve, and he did that, as Eve’s response to the serpent indicates: “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden…’ (Genesis 3.3). The serpent goes behind Adam’s back to one who would more easily doubt because she had not been in on the initial conversation with God. The serpent wants to sow doubt in her mind in order to encourage her to disobey.
Distortion of the truth – Eve adds, ‘…and you must not touch it, or you will die’ (Genesis 3.3b). God did not say that death would come to Adam and Eve if they touched the tree, but that it would come to them if they ate the fruit of the tree. Adam and Eve had yet to say their ‘yes’ to God.
- Think about conversations in your own life. How has someone’s exaggeration, the uncertainty about information because it is second hand information or distortion of the truth affected your relationships – either at work, at home or in the church, for example?
- How could you ensure that what you are thinking about and acting on is really the truth?
- Have you yourself ever succumbed to any of these verbal temptations? What could you do to set things right?
As Mothers’ Union focuses on the family, we acknowledge that some of the greatest relational disasters – rooted in temptations associated with exaggeration, second hand information and distortion of the truth – take place in families. As we journey through Lent in 2020, let’s agree to the discipline of resisting these temptations in our own lives, so that we become examples for others to follow.
February 2020
What was the promise Anna and Simeon were waiting for?
Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life (Psalm 39.4).
Yearn for everlasting life with holy desire. Day by day remind yourself that you are going to die. Hour by hour keep careful watch over all you do, aware that God’s gaze is upon you, wherever you may be (Rule of Benedict 4.46-49).
So what was the promise? Like many TV programmes, we need to flash back in time, about 400 hundred years, when the message of Malachi was recorded. Then, God promised that a special person would come, a person whose coming would have a serious purpose, which, according to Malachi, would be related to purification.
- ‘He will be like a refiner’s fire’
- ‘He will be like…a launderer’s soap’
- ‘He will sit as a refiner and purifier…’.
God’s question to us through Malachi is: ‘Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?’ (Malachi 3.2-3a). In other words, who can face this messenger who is going to do all these painful, purifying things?
So there is a good reason for the traditional readings for the final Sunday of the Epiphany season, when the presentation of Christ in the Temple is celebrated. Psalm 24 pictures the Messenger entering as the gates of the Temple are opened to the King of Glory, the baby Jesus. The Psalm answers the question, ‘Who may stand in his holy place?’ (24.3b). It is those with hearts open to God, those who seek the Lord, who ‘have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to an idol or swear by what is false’ (Psalm 24.4). The same Psalm also asks, ‘Who is this King of Glory?’ (24.8a), and describes the King of Glory coming in through the temple gates (vv.7, 9). Just as Anna and Simeon saw the baby Jesus enter the temple, we too are invited to see Him.
The letter to the Hebrews describes Jesus as a High Priest (2.17b), and the temple was the place of service for the High Priest. The temple the baby Jesus entered. Just as the High Priest represented the people before God, as part of his service to God, so the sinless Jesus represents us before God. What love He has for us, sharing our humanity and suffering as a human being in order to:
- ‘Destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil’
- ‘Free those…held in slavery by their fear of death’
- ‘Become a merciful and faithful High Priest in service to God’
- ‘Make atonement for the sins of the people’ (Hebrews 2.14-17).
How is Jesus able to do this? ‘Because He himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted’ (Hebrews 2.18). He understands, so we are comforted; He overcomes, so we can overcome in Him. And this loving service Jesus offered is for all, both those who are in – ‘Glory to your people Israel’ (Luke 2.32b) – and those who are out – ‘a light for revelation to the Gentiles’ (Luke 2.32a).
So we come to the words that define Epiphany, ‘light’ and ‘revelation’. Simeon and Anna spent their time in the temple seeking and desiring to know the salvation of the Lord. And Simeon, described as ‘righteous and devout’ (Luke 2.25a), saw the salvation of the Lord with his own eyes (2.30), as God had promised him. Anna, 84 years old, who ‘never left the temple, but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying’ (2.37b) knew God well enough to recognise Him in Jesus when she saw Him. Both of them understood that salvation is not a concept or an issue, theological or otherwise. Salvation is a person, a Promised Person!
As we, the Mothers’ Union in the Diocese in Europe, serve human beings, endeavouring to give them a better chance of living life to the full as Jesus promised (John 10.10), let’s do it with the same humility that is God’s greatest gift to us – God made a human being in Jesus among us.
January 2020
A New Year of 20/20 Vision
What is the reality of today’s world? That’s what we have to work with as we serve God. We need to see
things as they really are and not through our comfortable illusions of what we would like them to be. The
post Christian culture of 21 st century Europe may make Christians feel like their contribution to society is
like our pond in France, getting smaller and smaller as the summer drought of 2019 went on and on…
The Water’s Edge
The sun and wind pull the water’s level down.
But still it lives and gives
LIFE to all that come:
Come and drink of the waters of life!
Two frogs are hopping through the mud;
every effort of their strong back legs
intent on squelchingly reaching the pond’s water –
a puddle of concentrated movement.
While overhead…
The swallows have come back!
They swoop and dart, skimming the water for something –
Is it fish?
Is it insects?
Or are they simply washing their hands?
One has come
as close to me as possible
before swerving away.
Then suddenly they disappear,
to come back another way.
Where is the mysterious place they’ve disappeared to? I note that one is different. Every swallow has a white belly and a long tail –except for one.
Its gentle salmon tint is like the sunset come early,
warmly radiating the last of its heat.
It keeps up with the others, and I wonder…
Does it know just how different it is?
I am pained by the possibility of exclusion,
should the difference be noted.
The frogs are a mess, but they’re in it together.
That swallow and I are in it together, too.
ALONE – together.
MON-astic.
MU Chaplain’s Reflection: 20/20 Vision Deborah Chapman January 2020
Different – together.
Bringing that special shade of life to the world
at a time of meagre pickings.
Whether we are few and struggling to survive, like the frogs; or different, like the salmon breasted
swallow; or both – we can make a difference in 2020. Here are some excerpts from the Bible to reflect on
today and to strengthen us in our purpose of providing Christian care for families:
Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; – Isaiah 55.
Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.– Exodus 17
Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the water flows – Ezekiel 47
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is
thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of
living water flowing from within.” – John 7.37-38
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let those who hear say, “Come!” Let those who are thirsty
come; and let all who wish take the free gift of the water of life. – Revelation 22.17
May this be our reality and our 20/20 vision. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
———————————————————————–
December 2019
Challenge and Change – A NEW YEAR!
Here are some excerpts from today’s (1 December 2019 – Advent 1) readings – challenges for each one of
us, as members of Mothers’ Union entering a new year of following Jesus…until He comes again.
Let us walk in the light of the Lord – Isaiah 2.
Let us go to the house of the Lord – Psalm 122
Put on the armour of light – Romans 13
Be ready! The Day and the Hour are unknown – Matthew 24.36-44
The French call the beginning of a new academic year ‘La Rentrée’. It’s quite an event! Advent is our
‘rentrée’ – and we begin with a challenge to live the way that God wants us to live, which may well involve
change…challenge and change…
The Christians in the area of France we call ‘home’ had challenge and change for their ‘rentrée’ this year:
La rentrée
The return…?
Entering in…to something new?
There were just a few at church today.
The streets were quiet, albeit 11am.
There’d been the annual shindig
the day before
so no doubt their heads were sore.
But it was Père Pierre’s [names changed] Birthday
and he was happy.
His first time in the pulpit
and he was encouraged to make it snappy!
Père Paul’s pastoral heart had made him (habitually) late.
The people loved him, but on Sundays it would irritate
that he was always rushing from clocher to clocher
but still couldn’t manage to make it punctual –
to begin
as the bells began to ring.
His own rentrée is to a place apart
with a brand new car to put mileage on
(courtesy of a hefty farewell gift);
he’s taken the car and now he’s gone.
The big man has left some huge shoes
for little Pierre to fill!
Still…
Pierre’s word was good on humility and listening attentively. And his singing voice was magnificent!
Everything he said and did was done enthusiastically; His public manner charismatic;his personal touch more awkward
and withdrawn.
MU Chaplain’s Reflection: A NEW YEAR! Deborah Chapman December 2019
It was GOOD to worship you today.
To feel ‘at rest’;
to wake up joyous to be your child; to enter in to a glorious glimpse of all that we have in you; now and on your ‘rentrée’.
November 2019
The Mark We Make
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. Psalm 84.5-7
Can those whom we serve truthfully say that, ‘As [we] pass through the Valley of Baka, [we] make it a place of springs’? Are we people who encourage everything we touch to flourish? What are the telltale signs of our presence that we leave behind?
I wondered that this summer as I wrote the following poem during a drought:
They leave their mark
The herons are no longer there,
But it´s probable they´ll come again.
Their marks are clear –
Huge, in fact –
Like forks with three straight prongs
Looking ready to spear a fish,
Except it’s beaks, not feet,
That get that done.
As the pond shrinks,
Even as the mud shrinks,
The fork-like marks are always
Near the edge.
The day will come when there
Will be no edge.
All the mud will have become hard.
And marks, like forks, will no longer show
That the real presence of the herons is still
A daily, and hopeful, ‘there’.
The woodpeckers left their marks
On a rotten tree
And worked so hard they weakened the trunk
And a whole chunk
Fell down.
All the round holes pecked through the bark…
It´s beautiful!
I saw it fallen in the ditch at night,
But try as I might
I couldn´t get my sandalled feet
To miss the nettles.
So I came back tonight,
With an empty bag and feet well shod
To clamour down and rescue
The holey sculpture –
Before it rains and gets washed away
Or decomposed.
My own mark is not nearly so predictable.
I leave no footprints to reveal
My daily foraging
At the blackberry bush.
Though the missing berries might tell
That I have been present…or somebody else.
I have no habitual activity – like pecking –
That results in something obviously
Made by me.
Every day is an adventure.
A series of endless choices.
Dependent on demands
Of schedule,
State of mind,
Interruptions,
Urgencies,
Physical possibilities (or impossibilities) –
Endless choices that leave their mark on me!
Is that the way it´s meant to be?
May each of our Mothers´ Union branches leave a mark that reveals the joy with which each person fulfils their commitments – so that the places where God has put us flourish because of our presence there – like springs in the desert. AMEN.
October 2019
As you read this reflection, please keep Rev Deborah in your prayers.
…be rich towards God. (Luke 12.21b)
Read Genesis 45
Hello! I’m back after a sabbatical that wasn’t what it was planned to be. How do you respond when your ‘to do’ list gets thrown out the window? It’s hard sometimes. But in my case, it was easy. My father had a severe
allergic reaction that put him in hospital with deep and painful burns inside and out. So I went to him and
helped my siblings care for him. It was a very special time with him and with my brothers and sisters. He
recovered enough to go back to his own town, and we thought that he would go home. And ‘home’ he went, on 24 July – to be with the Lord. Setting aside all of my own plans in order to be with him was a ‘no-brainer’. But it’s not always so easy!
In the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12.13-21), Jesus tells us of a man who had big plans. He’s had such a good
harvest that he planned to expand and build bigger barns to store all of his grain. You can just imagine the
smile on his face as he dreamed of the expansion and of how it would allow him to live a pleasant life for many
years! ‘But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.”’ This man was not
stupid. He was a fool because he was thinking of all that he would achieve, but was not ‘rich towards God.’
Now contrast this parable with the story of Joseph in the Old Testament. He did exactly what the fool
dreamed of doing for himself (Genesis 41.46-49). In fact, he did much more! We are told that ‘Joseph stored
up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it
was beyond measure.’ BUT Joseph was not a fool! He was rich towards God. His motivation for storing so
much grain was a trust in God that compelled him to obey Him, knowing that good would come out of that
obedience. He was not self-serving. When his brothers came to Egypt in great need during the seven years of
famine, he was compassionate and forgiving towards them, despite the wrong they’d done to him. Joseph had
changed from a cocky young upstart to a mature young man who realized that God was at work even in the
distressing circumstances of his life. He was rich towards God. He opened his heart to his brothers in love:
‘And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save
lives that God sent me ahead of you…. [He] sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and
to save your lives by a great deliverance…. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.’ (Genesis 45.5,
7, 8a)
I thank God that Mothers’ Union has so many successful projects – big and small – throughout the world. Butthe most important aspect of our lives, individually and corporately, is to be ‘rich towards God.’ THIS is what
makes us resilient when our plans come to nothing. THIS is what enables God to work out His plans in us and
through us. AMEN.
August/September 2019
Our thanks to Rev. John Sweatman for this month’s Reflection.
Samuel’s story – called to serve
The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy.
1 Samuel 3: 8
When I joined the Army as a chaplain, alongside others from various professions we had to spend some time training in military matters, including how to march. One of my fellow sufferers persistently managed to turn the opposite way to that ordered, and the drill sergeant eventually tired of this, and asked him (reasonably politely!) what his profession was – to which he replied that he was a surgeon. The response from the sergeant was along the lines of hoping that he wasn’t a brain surgeon!
The reality was of course, that his calling was to be a surgeon, and the marching was something to be endured for a short while, and probably hardly ever used again.
So how do we decide about what God is calling us to do or be? It is easy to be flattered by people who may say to us “You’d be good at that” when in fact they are simply looking for an easy way to fill a vacancy of some sort.
It wasn’t until the keen young Samuel came to Eli for the third time that Eli recognised what was going on – that the Lord was calling to Samuel – but he only gave him one piece of advice – to say “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening “
Samuel went on to be a prophet, judge, and a wise leader – which may not be what the Lord has in mind for any of us, but it can be tempting not to listen for long enough when people suggest that we might be called to do something different for the Lord. Through Eli, the Lord reached out to Samuel three times before making clear what he wanted of Samuel, and it is not a bad guide for any of us to think that we need to hear the same promptings two or three times before deciding that the Lord has a change of direction in mind for us.
Even if we do get to that stage, Eli’s advice is still worth taking – “If he calls you, then you must say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening””
All this applies equally if we happen to be in the position of Eli, rather than of Samuel – if we are the one giving the advice, rather than the one who may be being called.
Mothers’ Union provides opportunity for people to take on roles that they might not have normally considered, some may be more high profile than others, but any role can also be an opportunity for growth and development in our own lives.
At a recent Ordination service I attended, the following question was asked of those to be ordained:
“Will you work with your fellow servants in the Gospel for the sake of the kingdom of God?” to which those to be ordained reply “By the help of God, I will”
If we can say this with them, it is a good starting point for us as members of the Mothers’ Union, whatever our calling may be.
We pray for Rev Deborah Chapman and her husband as they are way on Sabbatical.
June 2019
This is a Chaplain’s Reflection on going ‘on sabbatical’ – a time to be apart with God and hear His voice – cutting out as many busy parts of life as possible to enable a focus that is more exclusively on Him!
And so I leave you for June – September 2019, with the expectation that I will have many new reflections to share with you when I am ‘back from’ sabbatical.
And I leave you with a challenge. It’s a challenge that I hope will re-vision, encourage and strengthen you more than any reflection possibly could. Something to ‘munch’ on, mull over, ponder, pray about and endeavour to apply to the call that God has for your own life, in your own place, and specifically as people who are a small part of Mothers’ Union world-wide.
My challenge is for you to somehow get a copy of Eric Metaxas’ book Seven Women and read it thoughtfully and prayerfully. And in reading it, may my sabbatical turn into a blessing for you, too, as I remember you in prayer!
May 2019
Joseph’s Story – A Story of Justice and Righteousness
All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” – which means, “God with us.” Micah 5.2 quoted in Matthew 1.22-23
Jeremiah 23.5-8 [see Psalm 72.1-2, 12-13, 18-end and Matthew 1.18-24]
What is your story? Most of us like to know that we are not alone in this world – that we have some sort of connection with people who have gone before us, and that perhaps, God willing, we will leave a strong legacy when we ourselves have ‘passed from this mortal coil’ – to quote Shakespeare’s Hamlet. [Wikipedia explains that ‘Mortal coil is a poetic term for the troubles of daily life and the strife and suffering of the world. It is used in the sense of a burden to be carried or abandoned.’]
Some of us might prefer not to know what – or who – has gone before us. It might explain too much! In the Bible, the connections are explicitly and honestly made, and there is no getting away from them.
From Abraham, through Judah to David, then David to Joseph – this is Joseph’s story. With Joseph, we come to the end of the line – King David’s line, that is – continuing with the genealogy of Jesus through his father, Joseph, where David is the pivot of the whole story, symbolizing a particular kind of royal rule (Matthew 1.1, 6b, 17). It’s a story of grace. It’s a story about things not being what they seem, and about not making our own judgments of other people – particularly women, who are honoured by God as co-inheritors of God’s grace. It’s about God ‘ruling’ in a different way from what we expect. ‘Joseph was a righteous man’ (v.19) so when the ‘angel of the Lord appeared to him’ (v.20), appealing to his royal lineage (‘son of David’ – v.20b), he paid attention! Rather than divorcing Mary, he took her home (comforting word) as his wife, where both, no doubt eagerly, waited for the birth of Jesus (‘Saviour’ – v.21b) – Immanuel (‘God with us’! – v.23c).
Psalm 72 is the last of David’s Psalms. Perhaps his eyes were growing dim with age…but his vision of what would come in an uncertain future was no less acute. Justice and righteousness are central to that vision…but for whom? Verse 12:
-
- for the needy who cry out
- for the afflicted who have no-one to help.
We are once again reminded that God is on the side of those who have no one else to appeal to.
David lived before Jeremiah, but Jeremiah was still singing the same song about a future kingly rule, and that in the uncertainty facing the southern kingdom of Judah with the ascendancy of the Babylonian empire. Jeremiah 23.6b:
…He will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.
This will be his proper name, describing his primary characteristic, which is defined within a personal relationship of ownership – our righteousness. He makes things ‘right’ for us, so that, like Judah we ‘will be saved’; like Israel, we ‘will live in safety’ (v.6). We will sleep well at night, and wake refreshed!
This is the victory of the cross. This is the story of Easter! This is our story!!
April 2019
Freely you have received, freely give (Matthew 10.8b)
“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he shall be given over to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1.27-28a
1 Samuel 1.24-end [see Psalm 113, Luke 1.46-56]
Most of us long for something. It’s a strong desire that will not go away. And so, before you read on, I want to ask you – ‘Do you have such a longing? And if so, what is it?’
Maybe your own longing is not as mundane as mine was! Being a ‘third culture kid’ who grew up bi-lingual, moving every 1, 2, 3 years or so had its advantages. But having a place called ‘home’ to go back to was not one of them, after I married someone from Scotland! My parents had such a place – an A-frame cottage on a lake in the woods of northern Wisconsin – no running water and no electricity, so only for summer use really – but a place that was where my father had learnt to fish as a boy. A place where our neighbours on one side were family (his aunt, uncle and cousins who lived next door to him and his grandparents in town) and on the other, his grand-dad’s best friend who had taught him to fish and who sold my father the property before he died so that he could build there. It’s still there and my father (at 87) still goes there to be with friends and family to just ‘be’ and fish. It’s a place with roots – a family history. I longed for a place like that!
The story of how it eventually came to pass that we got a place ‘like that’ in central France, in 1999, when we had no money for it (though it only cost £10,500), is the story of God’s loving gift to all of us – and the story of his response to my own longing in particular. It’s a story of blessing as we acknowledge the gift and share it. It’s a place we call ‘home’. It’s a story that parallels Hannah’s in 1 Samuel 1.
Hannah longed for a child with that aching that always accompanies longing. The deep love of her husband was not enough for her. When God answered her prayer, as only He is able to, she conceived, and having given birth to a boy, she named him Samuel – ‘heard of God.’ The one who faithfully listens to all our prayers had heard Hannah’s and lovingly responded to her longing, taking the ache away.
‘Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.’ (1 Chronicles 29.14b) is a prayer often offered to God when our gifts of money are presented at the altar during Sunday worship (see also Romans 11.36, 2 Peter 1.3). Each child, each place we call ‘home’ is a gift. When the child Samuel was weaned, Hannah took ‘him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh’ (v.24b). She said, “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he shall be given over to the Lord” (vv.27-28a). God did not ask this of her. Hannah’s free giving back to God what was not hers anyway resulted in a fresh outpouring of blessing for many through Samuel’s prophetic ministry.
For us, the blessing of a ‘home’ in France has multiplied many times over as we remind ourselves that it is not ours but God’s. When your own longing is fulfilled, will you, like Hannah, be able to relinquish it to God at the proper time? Relinquishing something God-given is an act of trust in his goodness. An act of trust that will inevitably bear much fruit.
March 2019
Prepare for the Glory!
…they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honour and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power…” Revelation 4.8b-11a
[Read Isaiah 40.1-11 and see Psalm 96 and Luke 8.22-25]
It is a tradition, not to say a habit, in our family to prepare well for Thanksgiving Day – the 4th Thursday in November (usually celebrated on the next day due to residence in non-USA countries!). I begin by making a list of all the ingredients needed, based on our family’s traditional recipes for that day, so that no one is disappointed by the lack of something they’d expected. Others’ expectations, based on the knowledge of what I have always done, drive my pursuit of the right ingredients, or something close enough so that no one can tell the difference! Preparation is important in order to achieve the desired result, be it cooking, painting, or writing this reflection – whatever!
We need to prepare for the second coming of our Lord Jesus in the same way, so that the very best of our expectations can be fulfilled. John the Baptist’s calling at Jesus’ first coming echoes Isaiah 40.3-5 and the prophet Malachi 3.1 (see also Matthew 3.3 and 11.10, Mark 1.1-3 and John 1.23). He is declared to be ‘the voice of one calling in the desert, “Prepare the way of the Lord!”’ That preparation means being real about who we are – that we fall short of God’s expectations for us by sinning and thus becoming less than what He created each one of us to be.
Isaiah puts things in their right perspective by a comparison. While I have heard it said that ‘comparisons are odious’ this comparison between the glory of God and the glory of human beings serves to put us in our place. And that is GOOD NEWS!
God’s glory (vv.1-5) is not like our glory (vv.6-8). The ‘word of our God stands for ever’ (v.8b). What is this ‘for ever’ God like? Verses 1 and 11 describe a God of comfort, who approaches his people with tenderness that includes dealing with their sin(s) himself – making it easy for us! (v.4) Like a shepherd carrying lambs close to his heart, he will not let us go (see also Matthew 18.12-14). Our human glory, on the other hand, is beautiful but frail, like the grass or the flowers of the field. We last for a very, very short time!
We tend to think of ‘glory’ in conjunction with power. Though this is true of God, it is not the primary way in which he wants us to know him. For human beings, God’s glory is best revealed in his goodness. Moses discovered this when God fulfilled his desire to see God’s glory (Exodus 33.12-23, especially vv.18-23). God responded by saying, ‘I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence (v.19).’ This good-ness is good-news (v.9)!! This aspect of God’s glory we can experience now. The rest, reserved for Jesus’ second coming, is what we need to prepare for now.
By receiving all of his goodness and basking in it now we prepare for a glorious future with the God of all glory! As we serve through Mothers’ Union in so many good and loving ways, let’s not forget to share this message of God’s glory, which is for ALL peoples!! “…for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Revelations 4.11b
February 2019
Hope in the Lord – His yoke is easy and His burden is light
She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2.37b-38
Read Isaiah 40.25-end [see Psalm 40 and Matthew 11.28-end]
Anna waited… Whether she waited until she was 84 years old or waited for 84 years is neither here not there. She waited a long time! And she waited in HOPE. Her worship, prayer and fasting ensured that after all those years of waiting she immediately recognised her Lord and Saviour when Jesus’ parents brought him to the temple to be presented as a baby.
On 3 February, our chaplaincy will be celebrating what is traditionally called ‘Candlemas’ – the presentation of Christ in the Temple. And our new Mothers’ Union branch will have its members enrolled and officers commissioned by Tonie Chandler, our Diocesan President for the Diocese in Europe. We have waited…but only for about seven months…as we gathered together those who were being called to be a part of this new branch. And we are still waiting! We are praying and listening to God for His will for our branch. MULOA (Mothers’ Union Listens, Observes, Acts), means that we have made a commitment to listen first, so that we don’t run ahead of God’s will for our branch. We are getting to know one another and love one another – praying fervently for each other – before reaching out in the service that is God’s call for us as a branch. This kind of patience can be very difficult, but it is what God desires for us – to put Him first! Listening to Him and obeying Him promptly when we hear Him is always His good will for us. And He doesn’t leave us alone in this effort!
There are some biblical passages that are simply best to memorize and hold dear – promises that encourage us to exceed our capacities with the strength that God alone can give us as we hope in him. Isaiah 40. 29-31 is exclusively for ‘those who hope in [this incomparable]…Lord.’ v.31a
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
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.
And Matthew 11.28-end reminds us that this One who gives strength is the same One who sets us free to rest. Jesus said:
‘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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’
I wonder which is harder for you – strength to carry on or the capacity to rest? Whichever, God is able to give it to you as you hope in him. As MULOA we need both, so that we can serve God according to HIS will, in this city where He has placed each one of us…for NOW.
JANUARY 2019
The Journey Begins!
From my birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb, I will ever praise you. Psalm 71.6….Read Judges 13.2-7, 24-end and Luke 1.5-25
‘You’ve come a long way, baby!’ (Virginia Slims cigarettes’ slogan, introduced in 1968 for marketing to young professional women) Women have come a long way in terms of people’s appreciation of their capacity to be much more than child-bearers. And yet…the Bible makes it clear that that aspect of a woman is still very important – so important that one of the fundamental kernels of God’s revelation revolves around his concern and interest in performing miracles around childlessness. He sometimes steps in and performs a special creative act in women – with a particular glorious purpose in mind.
I had always wanted numerous children, having been the eldest of 5 and enjoying it very much. In the end I could not (for various reasons) have more than two. But there was a time when I wondered whether I would ever have more than one. As I spent every morning in prayer and Bible reading, One day a verse jumped out at me and I felt it was a word from the Lord for me personally, originally spoken to a Shunammite (non-Israelite) through Elijah the prophet:
About this time next year…you will hold a [child] in your arms. 2 Kings 4.16a
Nine and a half months later, this promise was proved true, though we had to hold tight to that promise when I was miraculously healed of placenta previa during pregnancy and our daughter was in an incubator after birth!
This kind of interaction with women is not uncommon in the Bible:
- Sarah – Genesis 18.10
- Rebekah – Genesis 25.21
- Leah – Genesis 29.31
- Rachel – Genesis 30.22
- Samson’s mother the wife of Manoah – Judges 13.3
- Hannah – 1 Samuel 1.17
- The Shunammite – 2 Kings 4.16
- Elizabeth – Luke 1.7
In both of the passages that I have suggested for reading (above), the miraculous conception of a child to childless women is announced by an angel. The first is to a woman who remains nameless. She is blessed, but her own blessing is not the point of this story. She gives birth to Samson, who would ‘begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines’ (Judges 13.5b). Her miracle is only a small part of a much bigger story – however amazing it must have seemed to her and to her husband at the time. But at least she believed the angel!
Not so Zechariah! You would have thought that with his position of spiritual leadership and with a godly wife like Elizabeth, he would have embraced the message of the angel (Luke 1.11-17). But, like many of us, he questions God’s creative power (v.18). And because he is unable to believe God without proof…the miracle does not come to pass? NO!! God still follows through with his plan (it does not depend on us believing him), but he humbles Zechariah. Zechariah is unable to openly share the joy of what he should have known would come to pass. When Elizabeth becomes pregnant, though she must remember that this child will be born for a special purpose, she revels in what God has done for her personally (v.25). There is nothing wrong with this – but let’s not forget that God is the God of both the small things and the big things, of the Old Testament and the New Testament, of his original creation and with a capacity to re-create in both the micro and the macro, and particularly in each one of us so that we become a grateful part of the much bigger picture of his endless glory (Psalm 71.6 and 8). He is a both/and God!
Our Mothers’ Union Branch includes a woman who has never had a biological child, but who nevertheless counts a number of people as her own ‘children’. The journey begins when we accept God’s call to nurture the person/s that He calls us to accept as our own. As we begin another year, at the threshold of 2019, let us pray for God to enable us to see what He is doing and to accept the part He wants us to play in nurturing others – becoming a small part of a much bigger story.
DECEMBER 2018
Go for the best!
This is what the Lord says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. Isaiah 48.17
Read Isaiah 48.17-19, Psalm 1 and Matthew 11.16-19
It’s a choice. It’s about whether we’ll risk accepting God’s best, with its occasional uncertainties, but with its guaranteed short term peace and righteousness (Isaiah 48.18) and its long term fruitfulness (v.19) or whether we’ll opt for a lesser life that we know gives us the opportunity to control what happens to us and those around us as much as possible…for now. Where what actually happens doesn’t matter, as long as we can ‘call the shots’ and be ‘boss’. Where our desired end justifies the means (of maintaining a princedom – from the Prince – Machiavelli).
This vision of a world where they lacked control, of a life given over to delighting ‘in the law of the Lord’ (Psalm 1.2), is what irked the people who challenged Jesus the most. So Jesus compares them to children providing a tune that they expect everyone to respond to by fitting in with it (Matthew 11.17):
‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
We sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’
For those who love to control, whether they are self-aware enough to know of that tendency in themselves or not; for those who aim to be the centre of their own lives and to ‘pull the strings’ of other peoples lives, anyone, like John or Jesus, who crosses their path and suggests anything that challenges their hegemony will be accused of behaving unsuitably or worse (Matthew 11.18-19):
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man [Jesus] came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners”.’
John’s and Jesus’ right actions, as they behaved freely in accordance with God’s unique call on each of their lives, are irrelevant to those who want to control. Those who perceive that they’re losing it (control, that is) will ascribe the worst to the best. Their judgments will be superficial and negative. They have chosen the way that will perish (Psalm 1.6b)!
In our own lives, which may seem insignificant compared to so many others’ lives, we may nevertheless fall into the temptation of making the same types of judgments that were made of both Jesus and John. The Mothers’ Union theme for 2019: Listen, observe, act – in step with God, encourages us to move beyond our comfort/control zones into God’s zone, moving forward into the future with a desire for HIS best!
NOVEMBER 2018
Taste and See that the Lord is Good (Psalm 34.8a)
The sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces… Isaiah 25.8b
Read Isaiah 25.6-10a [see Psalm 23]
In Isaiah 25, verses 6-8 contain a future vision described by God Himself, while verse 9 is the people’s response looking back on the fulfilment of that vision, describing it as ‘salvation’. For questioning people, this passage in Isaiah 25 is full of answers:
Where?
‘On this mountain’ – vv.6 and 7 and v.10 – comes at both the beginning and the end of the vision. This will take place at the heart of worship – the place where people gather to draw near to God. ‘Up’ the mountain = closer to God. The mountain is also a place of distance from other things – a place to see more clearly, a place to put on ‘God’s glasses’ and see the way He sees things. It’s a place of vision!
What is this vision? What will happen?
It’s a promise, from someone who can be trusted, of what will happen. The vision is all about what God, active on our behalf, will do for us. He will:
Prepare a feast v.6b
Destroy the shroud that enfolds all people v.7b i.e. all that is bad
How?
By swallowing up death v.8a
By wiping away tears v.8b
By removing the disgrace of His people v.8c
Who will do this?
The Lord Almighty v.6a (powerful)
The Sovereign Lord v.8b (He rules)
Who is this for?
ALL peoples vv. 6b and 7b
ALL nations v.7c
ALL faces v.8b
ALL the earth v.8c
How long for?
FOREVER!! v.8a
When God describes the feast that he prepares, he qualifies it with words like ‘rich’ v.6b, ‘best’ v.6c and ‘finest’ v.6c. God wants the best and only the best for God’s people. He wants us to give up our small ambitions. He wants us to trust Him in order to receive this best that He has prepared for us. He wants ALL of us to have the best!
When?
‘In that day’ – v.9. That is, biblical shorthand for ‘when everything will be put right’.
When this happens, God will be recognised as God and as very personal.
SO…is this LOVE?
The ‘love’ word isn’t mentioned directly. Can we read love into God’s actions on our behalf? WHY?…that most common of questions, is not answered directly…
But we know for sure that ‘In that day…’, at that time, the ‘trust’ (repeated twice in verse 9) we have placed in God will prove not to have been mis-placed. Our God belongs to us because He has given Himself to us and for us. He has ‘saved’ us (also repeated twice in verse 9). There can be no real love without a foundation of trust. And God says, ‘I can be trusted. When I save you, you will know beyond a shadow of a doubt how much I can be trusted.’
Love also desires to bless. The place of worship – ‘on this mountain’ v.6a – is the place where we meet with God to receive His blessing – the primary action of ‘the hand of the Lord’ (v.10a). This blessing will remain with God’s people, gathered at that place – His hand will ‘rest’ v.10a. He will never abandon us. God’s many actions on our behalf will have reached their natural conclusion in a relationship of restful trust in His presence. On All Saints’ Day, as we remember our loved ones who have died before us, this is the best comfort.
SEPTEMBER 2018
Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22.6
MULOA – Mothers’ Union Listening, Observing and Acting
When I was growing up in Latin America, the academic year went from March-December. Here in the Northern hemisphere that I write from, we are about to launch into another academic year in September. And I wonder: What are our desires for our children?
Do we want them to be smart, work hard, and be successful, popular, evidence leadership capability? (for example… ) None of these are bad desires, and being any of these things can be rather useful! BUT…do they match God’s best desires for each and every child (person) – even you and me?
A friend of mine has recently joined our fledgling MU branch. At our last meeting she shared that she had taken a big risk in inviting all of the Mums from her daughter’s class at school to join her for a day of prayer this week – the week before classes are to start up again. Two Mums agreed and they had a wonderful, peaceful time together, focussing on what’s really important in life. One of the prayers was that they should have ‘loving and gentle friendships’ rather than the divisive competitive splitting into factions that end up bullying one another, as is sometimes the case. They also prayed for Mums/Dads to have the right support from other Mums/Dads, the same desires for God’s good will, and that this should be passed on to their children.
As I contributed my own bit in prayer alongside these mothers, I reflected on how well their commitment to set aside time together before God on behalf of their children fits in with our own stated aims and objectives as Mothers’ Union, particularly the first two:
To encourage parents in their role to develop the faith of their children
To maintain a worldwide fellowship of Christians united in prayer, worship and service
We prayed not just for the children of the Mums represented, but also for those who might be considered ‘enemies’ – girls who had given others a hard time. Jesus said, “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Matthew 6.27-36
As Mothers’ Union listening, observing and acting, we need to hear Jesus’ words ‘to you who are listening…’ Are we really listening? The above passage in Matthew is a challenge to be the best – to be what God wants us to be! And that is very different from what the world expects of humanity. It is potentially revolutionary i.e. it can turn things around by changing the world into a much better place.
The daughter of friends of ours was severely handicapped. Everyone loved her because, though she could not speak, whenever she was present in a room with other people, everyone felt the love, peace and joy that her simple presence brought with it. And as a result everyone behaved differently towards one another, too! When she died, her funeral overflowed with hundreds of people who would miss her presence.
I hope that is what you desire for yourself and for every one of our children!
AUGUST 2018
Jesus told them, “The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right.” John 7.6
MULOA – Mothers’ Union Listening, Observing and Acting – John 7.1-13
Secrets are one of the ways we may exercise the wisdom of that ‘time to keep silent’ referred to in our reflection for last month – Ecclesiastes 3.7b. Secrets are interesting just because they are secrets! Being trusted with a secret makes us feel privileged – a bit special. And it’s not nice to feel left out. Or it may feel like a burden. In the Gospels we often read of how Jesus kept either his movements or his miraculous actions a secret (or at least tried to!).
What is a secret? Something that should not be made public – at least, maybe not yet. Why? It might be dangerous for people to know…it might bring you or someone you know shame or dishonour…it may be something that we fear will happen, but we aren’t sure. Our fears often remain our own secrets.
Why would you want to keep something secret? Perhaps in order to keep your own or someone else’s good reputation…national safety…if you like someone (as a child) or love someone (as an adult), it might be best to keep quiet about it, at least for a while – otherwise it could be very embarrassing!
What kinds of things would you keep secret? For example: Things that you’ve done wrong?…even though you don’t do them anymore?! Where someone is hiding – such as in wartime, when people are looking for those who are hiding in order to kill them.
What happens when someone tells others your secret? Usually you don’t trust that person again…
BUT sometimes it can be liberating for a secret to be revealed! The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery is about two people – each one with their very own secret:
The first is an 11 year old girl who is a badly misunderstood genius – her secret is that on her 12th birthday she plans to set her home on fire and kill herself in the process. She is preparing for her death by writing a journal of her thoughts.
The second is the concierge in the building where the girl lives. Her secret is that she is incredibly intelligent – something not acceptable in a concierge! She reads academic books on philosophy, history and theology, and loves the arts and music, regularly going to museums. But she feels that she has to hide this from everyone. She has no one to share any of her hidden life with – and that hidden life is her REAL life!
One day a kind, wealthy and educated retired Japanese businessman moves into the block of flats when one of the owners dies. He alone sees the concierge for who she really is – and he discovers that her secret has been unmasked by the little girl as well – they both see her (and people in general) as they really are. They make friends with the concierge, who feels liberated for the first time in her life. The secret is out – and she is ‘free to be me’!
Jesus wants us to see him for who he really is, too. But sometimes he didn’t trust people enough to reveal himself to them (just yet). John 7 tells us that ‘his own brothers did not believe in him’ v.5. They encouraged him to go to the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem because “No-one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” V.4. They were egging him on in a cynical way, knowing that ‘the Jews there were waiting to take his life’ v.1b. The reason was NOT that Jesus was afraid, but rather, in his own words, ‘The right time for me has not yet come….the right time has not yet come’ vv.6b and 8b. ‘However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret’ v.10
Do YOU have a secret? What are YOUR reasons for not sharing it? Maybe you’re afraid of dying…maybe you don’t really know if Jesus hears your prayers…maybe you’re not sure that you know who Jesus really is!? ANYTHING! Pray about whether you should share it…and ask God to show you the right time to do so. If Mothers’ Union is MULOA – Mothers’ Union Listening, Observing and Acting – then there should be someone that you can trust to accept you as you really are, loving you in Christ and enabling you to grow in Him so that you too can listen, observe and act on behalf of others. AMEN.
earlier posts.
