The Battle is on!

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The fight against coronavirus continues unabated, and the war may not be over for some time yet. Everyone who is contributing to it deserves our sincere thanks and needs a place in our daily prayers. We have our part to play too, of course, obeying the rules to stop the spread of infection, and doing what we can to help, alongside what others are doing in a big way, devotedly and sacrificially.

 

We remember NHS staff risking their lives on the front line for the sake of those who are ill. Sadly this week more doctors and nurses working in UK hospitals have died, as have many more across the world. Words often quoted from the Bible come to mind: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lays down his life for his friends.” 

Isolation

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We are getting more used to self-isolation, strange though it is! And, sadly, it looks as if it could be getting worse again. We hope and pray that it does limit the spread of this dreadful disease, still at large almost everywhere.
 
I am always glad of a friendly voice to chat with, or a message to read or listen to, so here is something to think about - about people in the Bible who were isolated, not on government instructions, but on God’s instructions. If you want to read about them again, the relevant chapters, from the Bible, for each of them are in brackets. 

Be still . . .

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“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46.10)

 

Our valued NHS staff can’t relax and be still just now, run off their feet caring for people. Many others are busy keeping our food supplies going. We thank them for their courage, and pray for their safety. For most of us though, everything is strangely quiet, the streets are empty such as we’ve never seen before. We have the opportunity to “Be still”.  

 

Sometimes we are too busy to settle down, to quieten our thoughts, to focus on the most important things in life. Whatever else may be important to us, nothing is more important for us all just now than listening to God, and speaking to Him about whatever concerns us. As we listen to Him in the stillness, He listens to us as we pray.

 

You could read Psalm 46 where our key verse comes from. It describes in graphic language situations which seem out of control, threatening and upsetting, like what is facing people all over the world right now.

 

Notice first v.5 – God is right there, and He promises to help, to keep us steady, to calm our fears: “therefore we will not fear” (v.2). We read this also in Hebrews 13.5-6: “He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you, so we may boldy say ... I will not fear”. Also in Psalm 23, even in the valley of the shadow of death “I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” So for now and for always, let us “trust and not be afraid” (Isaiah 12.2).

 

Now notice v.10: “Be still ...” He wants us to know that He is GOD.

We should “Sit still”- waiting for a promise to come true (Ruth 3.18).

Then three times in the Bible we read that we should “Stand still “ -  

·       In Exodus 14.13  - to trust the great power of God to save us.

·       In 1 Samuel 9.27 - to listen to the good Word of God to guide us.

·       In Job 37.14 - to consider the wondrous works of God all around us, to lift our spirits to worship Him who made them all. 

 

If you want to sing something about being still, try this one 

(tune Finlandia)

 

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake

To guide the future, as He has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

 

Here is another one, one from Sunday School days 

(tune What a friend we have in Jesus)

 

Said the robin to the sparrow, “Friend I’d really like to know

Why those anxious human beings rush about and worry so!”

Said the sparrow to the robin, “Friend I think that it must be

That they have no heavenly Father, such as cares for you and me!”

 

So the robin and the sparrow sang their chorus, O so sweet:

“Don’t you know that Jesus loves you, come and gather round HIs feet.

He who cares for robin redbreast, He who marks the sparrow’s fall

Is the One who died to save you, for He loves you, one and all”

Written and used by kind permission of Bert Cargill, Scotland 

What is the point of resting?

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I would like to share some thoughts on resting with you today.

“There just are not enough hours in the day” would suggest that maybe you are not managing time effectively or that your ‘things to do’ list is too ambitious. There is  nothing wrong with aspirational targets, so says the school teacher!

To have a break or rest is so very vital to our well being and health; that is physical health, emotional health and mental health. These seem to be a very real issue for all kinds of people these days and from all age backgrounds.

Let’s face it, there is nothing better than looking forward to a long deserved holiday. It is very much a break from normal life and day-to-day stresses. If it is a long weekend, a 4 day 3 night break, a week, 10 days, a fortnight, 3 weeks, a month or more, it is a well earned opportunity to laze by a pool, sunbathe on a beach, visit places of interest and relax.

What do your clothes say about you?

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I am sure that many have had their favourite clothes. Whether it is because they are fashionable, comfortable or have been gifted to us, one problem with such items is their tendency to be outdated, outgrown, damaged or eventually worn out. A shirt I had some years ago ticked nearly all the boxes: it was stylish, comfortable and I bought it for my wedding day.  Regrettably, I had only worn it a few times when it caught on a door handle and it was left with a large tear. More recently, a favourite jacket suffered the same ‘door handle’ treatment, but thankfully, a few stitches was enough to put it right. Sadly, the shirt was beyond repair.

What can you learn from Coventry City?

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It was my privilege to live for a number of years in the city of Coventry which is a large city near Birmingham.  Coventry was famous for its football team which once won the FA Cup in 1987 and the fountains of the city gushed out blue water as the football team was known as the ‘Skyblues'.  It was also well known as one of the great manufacturing centres for vehicles including a number of famous car making firms. This is what caused it to grow enormously quickly after the Second World War. It was also in Coventry that the story of Lady Godiva and Peeping Tom originated.

What can happen in a minute?

 

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A lot can happen in just a minute. 

It is reported, that in sixty seconds: 255 babies are born, a healthy adult takes 12–20 breaths and their heart beats, on average 72 times. Google processes over 3.8 million search queries. This message has contributed to 3.3 million Facebook posts and 29 million WhatsApp messages sent.

What if you could discover the true meaning of life?

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I want to ask you today the same question that the James (one of the writers of the New Testament in the Bible) asked nearly 2000 years ago - "What is your life?". What's it all about? Songs have been written about it; films have been produced about it.  For many, there is no greater question to be answered and yet most people believe that they probably will never ever find the true answer.

What if there is a virus that is more virulent than COVID-19?

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The outbreak and spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) has brought about a large measure of panic throughout the world. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the first case was recorded in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and since then it has rapidly extended to multiple other countries worldwide, and been declared a global pandemic. It is predicted to have implications upon medical, economical, societal, political and educational spheres on an unprecedented and unparalleled scale.

What if God really does care?

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DOES GOD CARE?

Do you ever wonder why a God of love could allow all the tragedies that occur in the world? Does it anger you that so many people seem to suffer for no apparent reason?

 

95–98% of the population can sing passably!

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Did you know that 95-98% of the population can sing passably? You say well I'm one of the 2-5%. I am sure you are not. It is amazing how many of us sing and the effect it has on our attitude and health. 

The summer has gone autumn has gone, winter is coming. We were just getting out and about and then things changed again. One of the COVID-19 rules is the recommendation not to sing in public gatherings. Singing is good for the soul. It lifts your spirits and creates a sense of community and kinship. I, for one, have missed community singing. Music and songs create passion in our hearts and evoke vivid memories. 

Did you know God cares?

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Unknown to anyone the lady left the church service feeling quite troubled, deeply restless in her spirit.  She did not register any of those feelings on her face as she said ‘Good night’ to the preacher and all the others from the congregation.  Sadly, for the next two weeks a sort of unsettled feeling had come over her.  She found it difficult to concentrate and tried to shrug off those feelings as she energetically did her housework, but nothing seemed to deal with the deep feelings within her heart.  It was a sense that she did not know God in any meaningful way and that there must be more to life than she had.

A change of perspective!

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I can remember on a flight I was looking out of the window at the white cotton clouds below, scattered over a mountain range. This is a perspective only seen maybe a few times each year. Looking down I could pick out villages & hamlets. I began to wonder where they were, who lived there, what did they do and what problems did they have. I glanced out of the window again, of course, the scene had changed. The cloud was more plentiful, I could make out a wooded area and in the distance a larger town. I did not know where it was, what size its population was and I certainly knew nothing of the very real problems that many people were facing that day.

Remembrance Sunday

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Today is Remembrance Sunday and throughout the UK the now familiar ceremony of the two minutes silence is being observed just as it is every year. 

This year perhaps it has been a little less well attended due to circumstances, but there is still the call to remember as people wear poppies in support of those who have served in armed conflict.

As we reflect upon past conflicts it is true to say that such conflicts often bring out the best and the worst in people. There are many tales which tell of terrible atrocities and others which speak of great heroism. One such heroic tale that has emerged from the Second Word War is that of two young men called Bob and Jack. 

God still speaks today!

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Image courtesy of Unsplash

Image courtesy of Unsplash

The fact that you are reading this indicates to me that you have some interest or at least fascination with what the bible teaches.

I like reading biographies or watching films about history or people’s experiences. But I’m particularly interested reading about people who studied the Bible. There is a fascinating passage in the Bible about a man who trusted God from his teenage years. He was always learning and seeking to trust God, and living his life in a way that is pleasing to God.

Language

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It is estimated that there are between 5,000 and 7,000 languages throughout the world. Each language has its own alphabet, the majority of them have 26 letters in their alphabet but there are some that differ for example, Hebrew has 22, Arabic has 28, Scandinavian languages have 29, Russian has 33 and so on. As children in primary school we were taught the alphabet of our native tongue but most children have the ability to speak their native language before they go to school.

At the United Nations the representatives for each nation sit at their desks in the debating chamber.  There is a room overlooking the chamber that houses the interpreters who can translate what is being said into the language of their representative country. This reveals to us the importance of having the correct understanding of any communication being made, accuracy is of prime importance. The two main languages spoken in the United Nations building are English and French. Most notices around the building are written in these two languages.