Let us remember

"God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob." - Exodus 2:24

In a week that focuses on 'Remembrance', (both the call to mark Remembrance Day, as well as some people choose to remember Guy Fawkes), it is important for us to note that God always remembers his people, and so we are challenged to remember Jesus and his call on our lives.

Luke 24:8 - Then they remembered his words.

Acts 20:35 - In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ 

Living in Grace

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Seeing but not noticing

 

As I was reading Genesis 42 this week, the following words left an impression on me:

"Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him." - Genesis 42:8

And I wondered, WHY? 

Why did they not recognize him? Had he changed so much in 13 years? Or were they just not expecting to see him at all, so there was no expectation that he would be standing in front of them?

This led me to some verses in the New Testament, where people didn't recognize Jesus either. Some of them did eventually have their 'aha' moments, but others still couldn't see him.

Luke 24:31 - Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

John 1:10 - He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

Thought: How do we recognize Christ in our everyday lives? Do we truly have eyes to see him? What gifts of God are right in front of us, but we refuse to notice them?

Living in Grace

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Ascension Day reflection

As the global Church marks Ascension Day today, it is worthwhile spending some time reflecting on the significance of this occasion for each of us. Here are a few of my thoughts (but not exhaustive) on this momentous moment. But, before I share my thoughts, let's remind ourselves of what the Bible says about Ascension.

Luke 24:50-53 - "Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God."

1. Jesus blesses his followers before he goes!

2. The disciple's despair is changed to joy when they receive the blessing.

3. The disciples keep asking Jesus questions that show they haven't understood his mission. However, Jesus keeps steering them back to the point.

4. Jesus promises them the 'power' of God to help them fulfil their mission.

5. The Ascension is both and ending and a beginning. It is the end of Jesus' physical presence on earth, but it is the beginning of disciple's new mission. 

Thought: What does Ascension Day mean for you?

Living in Grace

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Acts 1:6-11 - "So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

Out of the blue

The saying, 'out of the blue', was first recorded in print in the mid 1800's and has always referred to some event that happens unexpectedly, like a bolt of lightning coming from blue skies. Most of us have enough life experience to realise that these kinds of things happen to us - we have a certain amount of control over events in our lives, but there are also some things that 'come out of the blue!'

I guess the real question is how we handle these moments - how prepared are we for these things? The early Christians experienced similar occurrences and they had to rely on God's grace and strength to get them through their challenges. 

1 Peter 4:12 - "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you."

Luke 24:4 - "While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them."

Question: How do you handle these events that happen 'out of the blue?'

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The Camino de Santiago

The idea of walking the Camino has been in my mind for a while now and I am so excited to have the opportunity to fulfil this dream. This week is the week that we get to tick 'The Camino' off our bucket list.

In truth, I can't tell you exactly when I first heard about the Camino de Santiago, but the very idea of going on this pilgrimage has remained in my heart for ages. Every person I have spoken to, who has walked a part of the Way, has beamed when relating their own experiences and I hope to be one of those people in the future.

For those of you who may not know too much about El Camino, it is quite simply a pilgrimage (usually walking) that ends up in the city of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. This is the place where the remains of James (Jesus' disciple, the son of Zebedee) are supposedly buried.  When translated, the name Santiago de Compostela means 'Saint James, in the field of stars.'

Sounds simple hey? Well, not exactly ....

In order to officially complete the pilgrimage, you need to walk a minimum of 100km's on any of the official routes and end up in Santiago. We will be walking on the Camino Primitivo route, which is the original pilgrim route in Northern part of Spain, and we should be covering a distance of close on 250km's. 

For us, the idea is to walk, to pray, to contemplate, to listen and to connect with God again. I know that one doesn't have to travel half-way around the world to do these things, but there is something special about doing it in the footsteps of millions of others. 

I will try and write a little more in the next few days, before we leave, but I would appreciate your prayers as we head out into this great adventure. It is my prayer that we would have our own Emmaus Road encounter (Luke 24) - and meet Christ as we walk and reflect. 

In 1604, Sir Walter Raleigh wrote: 

"Give me my scallop of quiet,
my staff of faith to walk upon,
my scrip of joy, immortal diet,
my bottle of salvation,
my gown of glory, hope's true gage,
and thus I'll take my pilgrimage."

Living in Grace

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Christ recognizes you!

"That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was." - Luke 24:13-16 (The Message) 

Frederick Buechner writes an interesting response to this encounter. He says, “I believe that although the two disciples did not recognize Jesus on the road to Emmaus, Jesus recognized them, that He saw them as if they were the only two people in the world. And I believe that the reason why the resurrection is more than just an extraordinary event that took place some two thousand years ago and then was over and done with is that, even as I speak these words and you listen to them, He also sees each of us like that.”

What better news is there? We may not 'see' Christ in the midst of our chaotic lives, but he sees us.

May you have a blessed week. 

Living in Grace

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Lord of the unexpected

"Lord of every pilgrim heart,
you are beside me and before me on the way,
surprising me through your Spirit
at every turning on the path.
Yet, like your disciples
on the Emmaus Road,
I often fail to recognise my companion.
In this morning hour,
and in whatever the day may hold,
open my eyes to see your presence,
that I may celebrate with you
the gift of the morning,
O Lord of the unexpected." - Prayer from Iona

"That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles[c] from Jerusalem. As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him." - Luke 24:13-16 

“Earth is crammed with heaven And every bush aflame with God But only those who see take off their shoes. —ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING”

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Hard questions

Author and speak, Dr. Larry Crabb writes as if Jesus is speaking to each one of us:

“Face the hard questions that life requires you to ask. Gather with other travellers on the narrow road, pilgrims who acknowledge their confusion and feel their fears. Then, together, live those questions in My Presence.”

This is what it means to be in a church. To gather with fellow believers; to share our joys and sorrows; to help each other find Jesus in the midst of the brokenness. Remember that Jesus is never afraid of our hard questions. In fact, he joins us on the road, for the very purpose of listening to our deepest longings.

"Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.

He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” - Luke 24:13-17

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Radical implications

There are so many radical implications of Jesus' resurrection, for his disciples, but these are the vital paradigm shifts that take place following Jesus' appearances. 

He changes their fear to courage.

He challenges their doubts in order to move them deeper into faith.

He reveals the truth of his bodily appearance in order to remind them that He has not abandoned them.

He reminds them of their call to mission.

He empowers them with the gifts of 'peace' and the 'Spirit.'

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. (Luke 24)

As we reflect on these implications how many of these are still vital for us in our own personal faith?

I would guess that they are ALL necessary for us.

What do you think?

Living in Grace

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Nostalgia

Have you ever caught yourself dreaming of the 'old days', when life seemed a lot more simple and a great deal less stressful? I think nostalgia is a natural thing for all of us, and remarkably time seems to blur the searing pain of our traumatic memories. I guess the trouble with nostalgia is if we end up getting 'stuck' in the past - we are then not free to embrace the opportunities of our present circumstances. 

If we take a look at the example of Disciples for a moment - if they had remained stuck in the past (nostalgia), they would have missed the chance to change the future. Jesus had been preparing them for some amazing adventures in the future, which they would have completely missed if their heads had remained turned to the past.

Luke 24:18-24 - "One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

“What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

May the Spirit of Christ help us to look to the future with renewed hope and a thankfulness for the lessons of the past. 

Living in Grace

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Feeding your mind

It is safe to say that most people recognise that our minds are incredibly powerful instruments. We can use our minds for great good or sadly for destructive purposes. What is important for Christians is what we are feeding our minds. If we feed ourselves a diet of negativity and criticism, then we will begin to live like this. However, if we choose to feed our minds with godly things, then we will reap a spiritual harvest.

 

Luke 24:38 - He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?

Jesus dealt with the doubts that arose in the minds of the disciples and when he shared the scriptures with them he was helping them understand all that they had learnt.

Luke 24:45 - Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

 

Allow the Spirit to feed your mind with godly things so that your life will be led by the things of Jesus.

 

Living in Grace

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Another Ascension Moment

⁵⁰ Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. ⁵¹ While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. ⁵² So they worshipped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. ⁵³ And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God." - Luke 24:50-53

We usually focus our Ascension Day messages around Acts 1:1-11 and there is nothing wrong with this. However, Luke also mentions the Ascension of Jesus in his Gospel and it is an interesting take on this glorious moment. 

The significance of Jesus going back to his father is complex and equally crucial for the Church to understand. But just for today I want us to pause on this truth - one of the last things that Jesus did before he left the earth was BLESS his followers. It was while he was blessing them that he was taken into heaven. 

This is such a powerful image for us to hold onto. Jesus' ascension was not the father "ripping" Jesus away from a timid group of people, but rather a planned moment of implying great trust in the disciples. A moment where God willingly hands over the mantle to us.

May we know Christ's blessing upon our lives as we serve the risen, ascended Lord.

Living in Grace

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Let me do what I can

I often feel helpless when I see what is happening in the world around me. I long for justice to be seen and for leaders to be true servants. I long for people to get along with one another and for Hope to be revealed in my country. Most of these things are beyond my control, as an individual, but I need to realise that I am not entirely powerless! I can do something to make this world a little better.

I can treat you with respect.
I can look you in the eye and say "I see you!"
I can treat others with dignity.
I can listen to your story.
I can offer you hope, just as you can encourage me.
I can share the love of Christ with my neighbour.
I can speak well of you.
I can give you a second chance, just like I would love to be given another chance.
I can smile.

These small things may not bring down corrupt politicians and self-gratifying presidents, but they can impact my family, my church, my community, my city, my nation. And so I will resolve to do what I CAN, instead of lamenting those things that I can't change.

Luke 24:46-49 - He said, “You can see now how it is written that the Messiah suffers, rises from the dead on the third day, and then a total life-change through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name to all nations—starting from here, from Jerusalem! You’re the first to hear and see it. You’re the witnesses. What comes next is very important: I am sending what my Father promised to you, so stay here in the city until he arrives, until you’re equipped with power from on high.” (Message)

"Do what you can,
With what you have,
Where you are." - Theodore Roosevelt


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Rubbing your nose in it

We know the saying well - "To rub your nose in it!" It has to do with making someone feel even worse about their predicament or failure. To mock them and remind them of the mess they have made. And I am sure that we have all had someone do this too us at some stage. It is not great at all. It is embarrassing and belittling.

Psalm 44:15 - "Every day I’m up against it,
    my nose rubbed in my shame—"

I am thankful that God doesn't delight in rubbing my nose in the messes of my life. God is not like that. It is God's desire to help us clean up the mess and to make things right.

Luke 24:47 -  ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’

Prayer: Thank you Lord for forgiving my mistakes and for not taking pleasure in my failures. Teach me to love others in the same way and to help them overcome their mistakes instead of rubbing their noses in it. Amen.

Living in Grace
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