And can it be? A song that expresses the power of Good Friday

In the moving hymn And Can It Be? written by Charles Wesley, we find expression of the power, joy, mystery, grace, mercy and invitation of the cross. May these words be a blessing for you on the day we remember Jesus' ultimate revelation of love.

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?

Refrain:
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!

He left His Father's throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race;
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me. [Refrain]

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee. [Refrain]

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own. [Refrain]

John 13:12-13 - This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.

Living in Grace

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The art of holding on

C.S. Lewis once wrote, "Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods."

We all experience ups and downs in life, and these situations can have a marked impact on our faith. C.S. Lewis challenges us to hold onto the promises of God, despite what our moods may be doing. In theory, this makes a lot of sense, but in reality, I still need a lot of practice to get this right.

This quote also reminds me of the question that Jesus put to his disciples when they were watching many others desert Jesus. 

"From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve." - John 6:66-67

Thoughts: Has there been a time in your faith journey where you have felt like giving up? What helped you to hang on?

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What do you want?

The question that Jesus asked Andrew and John immediately cut to the heart of the matter. Jesus certainly puts them in a spot, but it is a question that echoes throughout the ages. What do we really want?

 "Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them." - John 1:38

It is a question that invites self-examination, and I don’t believe that Jesus asked it in a condescending tone at all. Some translations have put the question as “what are you looking for?” or "what are you seeking?"

Let us try and picture the scene for a moment – the two disciples have moved away from John the Baptist (their teacher) and for a moment they are caught in no-man's land. Should they follow the 'Lamb of God' or should they stay with John?

Jesus senses they are edging closer to him, and he gets to the heart of the matter: 

What do you guys really want? What is going on in your heart? What are you searching for?

In truth, many disciples followed their teachers or leaders for any number of reasons: Were these two guys looking for a new career. Or a military Saviour? A security blanket? A person to debate with and do a little theological sparring?

Or was there a deeper desire that drove them to seek Jesus out?

And what about us? How do you answer that question today? 

What are we wanting from Jesus?

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P.S. If you missed out on listening to the sermon based on this Question, you are welcome to click on this link. 

What good is it?

There is something special about LENT. I truly believe that being intentional about our preparation for Easter makes a massive difference in our spiritual lives and I wonder if you feel the same way? 

Over the course of the next 6 weeks, I am going to be reflecting on a number of questions that Jesus asks his followers. One would be surprised at home many questions Jesus actually asks of us and each one of them is equally profound.

At our Ash Wednesday service, I reminded us of the question that Jesus posed to his followers (in Mark 8:36):

"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"

This deeply challenging question slowly opens up our hearts to divulge where we are spending all our time and energy at the moment. What is getting us up in the morning? 

Am I spending my life in pursuit of "things" at the expense of nurturing my spiritual life? 

If I aim to gain the world and stand on top of the mountain with my arms in triumphant victory, who else will be standing alongside me?

Where is God in my plans and life at the moment?

If you would like to listen to a short audio Bible Study on this question, you are welcome to listen on this link.

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?

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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!”

If you could ask God for one thing...

If you could ask God for anything, what would you ask for? Listen to the thoughts of a young soldier, who is credited with this beautiful reflection:

"I asked God for strength that I might achieve.
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked God for health that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy.
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for--but everything I had hoped for...
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed." - An unknown Confederate soldier.

Question: If you answered my first question (above), would you consider changing your answer after having read this poem?

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Having Hope

“Live in faith and hope, though it be in darkness, for in this darkness God protects the soul. Cast your care upon God for you are His and He will not forget you. Do not think that He is leaving you alone, for that would be to wrong Him.” - John of the Cross

The first week of Advent invites us to focus on the word HOPE. It is remarkable that even though we have a working understanding of 'Hope', this can take on a deeper meaning when we reflect on what it truly means for us. 

Hope is what gets us up in the morning. 

Hope is what enables us to lift our heads, when all seems lost. 

Hope enables us to push our disappointments aside for a moment and to trust in something better. 

Hope teaches us to hold out our hands to Christ.

“To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the HOPE of glory.” – Colossians 1:27

Questions:

1. What does "Hope" mean for you this week?

2. Where does your Hope lie?

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God hears us

As we found out yesterday, God speaks to us in many different ways. However, it is also very important to remember that God also hears us when we cry out to him. In today's reading we will see how the writer of Genesis makes this very point:

7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. 8 The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

“I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied.

9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.” 10 Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.”

11 And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. (Genesis 16:7-11)

Reflection:

1. How does the knowledge that 'God hears' make you feel today?

2. Did you notice the other questions that the angel asks Hagar (in verse 8)?

3. How would you answer those questions?

"There is indeed a God that hears and sees whate'er we do." - Plautus

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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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Probing questions

When a rich young man came to Jesus to seek his advice, Jesus didn’t hide from his challenging questions, but he also didn’t make it easy for him. In an ironic twist, Jesus knew what this young man was hiding in his heart and so Jesus challenged him to give that "idol" up. 

Even when the young man refused Jesus' challenge, we note Jesus' response:

"Jesus looked at him and loved him." - Mark 10:21

If God asks us probing questions it is not to be malicious in any way, but rather to get us to see what God already sees. If there are issues in my life that prevent me from living an 'abundant life' then I would want a gracious God to speak into my life.

What about you?

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Taking Stock

Many of the devotions you will be reading over the next few weeks have been written by members of our Church community in Fish Hoek. As we are celebrating our Church Centenary in 2021, I asked people to share part of their own faith experience by reflecting on this Season in our Christian calendar. I am sure you will be as blessed as I have been, in reading these devotions. 

Matthew 4:1-2. Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

 

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, a word that does not appear in the Bible. The Afrikaans word for Spring is “Lente” which is connected to an Old English word “Lencten” meaning the season of Spring. The Old English word really meant “Lengthen” because in the Northern Hemisphere at this time it was Spring and the days started to get longer. 

Lent as we know it in the church, came into being about the 4^th century as a time of preparation for Easter. It originally consisted of 36 days of prayer and fasting but by the 7^th century it was lengthened to 40 days to correspond to Jesus’ fasting and temptation in the wilderness. 

In every commercial undertaking there comes time for the annual stock take. It really is a time of reassessment. Lent is the time when we ought to be taking stock of our lives. Perhaps the most important question we should ask; 

“Where am I in my walk with God?” 

It was William Sangster who suggested we ask these questions of ourselves;

“Am I really a converted person? 

Am I known as a Christian in the circles where I move? 

Who is Jesus to me?” 

These questions are very personal and only you can answer them.

 

Most Gracious Lord, at the beginning of this season of Lent, help me as I examine my relation with You and forgive me for my shortcomings. Despite my failures I do love you with all my heart. I pray this in Jesus Name. Amen

(Thanks to Rev. Ralph Thornley for his lovely devotion today.)

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Trying to figure God out

I had a stranger pop past the church today asking a few deep questions. One of their genuine struggles was trying to figure out why God would allow certain things to happen in our lives. I didn't really have a neat, short answer for them, but tried my best to help them figure out where God was in the mystery of life. As 'God-incidence' would have it, our key verse from Ecclesiastes 11 alludes to something along similar lines:

"Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things." - Ecclesiastes 11:5

The part of the reading that says 'the mystery of the tiny baby in a mother's womb' also relates to the miracle of how breath enters into the body of a baby inside a mothers womb. Some translations actually say as much. 

In truth, we just have to realise that there are too many things that we can't understand and may never figure out. Such is life! As we head further into 2021, I know that I will not figure God out, but I can get to know God more and more. 

Knowing who God is helps me to trust in the uncertainty of the events that unfold all around me.

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Great question!

The writer of Ecclesiastes asks such a brilliant question today: 

^"What do people gain from all their labours at which they toil under the sun?" - v.3

This is a question which has plagued people for thousands of years. What do we get from all the years of work? What purpose is there in working our hearts out in order to 'survive' and then die? It seems a little dramatic, but as he came to the end of his life, he was wondering what the purpose of his life had been? And then in order to try and begin to answer the question he looks around at the world and muses...

 ⁴ Generations come and generations go,
    but the earth remains forever.
⁵ The sun rises and the sun sets,
    and hurries back to where it rises.
⁶ The wind blows to the south
    and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
    ever returning on its course.
⁷ All streams flow into the sea,
    yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
    there they return again.

My 5 cents worth today is this:  Life will be monotonous and will lack direction unless we surrender to the will and purpose of God. I believe that God allowed me to be born and that God wants me to live my life for his glory and purpose. This doesn't make me a puppet, but rather a willing part of God's grand creation. I will not live forever, but I can testify to the Grandeur of a gracious God and trust my future days into his hands.

In some way the routine and ritual of the rising and setting sun, as well as the wind and streams around us, can be a calming reassurance that God's ways are purposeful and refreshing.

What do you think of these verses today?

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20 - Lord, have mercy

 

<sup>I believe it is vital for us to remain focused on the mercy and grace of Jesus during these unprecedented times. Our liturgical season of Lent teaches us to remember our sins, our brokenness and human frailty, BUT also to know that we are Redeemed and Rescued by God. There is a clear shifted from death to life; pain to healing; sin to salvation. 

In our reflection in Matthew today we see the blind men begging Jesus for mercy and even as they call out to him others are trying to shut them up. Let us be reassured that Jesus hears our calls for mercy at this time. 

29</sup> As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. ³⁰ Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
³¹ The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
³² Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
³³ “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
³⁴ Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him." - Matthew 20:29-34

Perhaps the request of the blind men could be our spiritual question too?
Lord please open our eyes in these days to see as you would see and to love like you loved.

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Seven

Have you noticed any planks in your eyes lately? Well, if not planks, then how about some small blocks of wood? Or a few tiny pieces of off-cuts from your garage floor? Any Sawdust?

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." - Matthew 7:3-5

Lent teaches us to look inward at our personal journey with Jesus and to ask ourselves the honest (but hard) questions. 

Do I notice the sin in the lives of others very quickly and then leniently overlook my own sins?
What could "the plank" represent in my own life?
Am I fairly judging those around me?

“Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating. By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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Five

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose." - Matthew 5:17

Ask a bunch of Christians to explain why Jesus died on the Cross and you will probably get an answer that makes some sense. However, on other issues of faith and Jesus's teachings you will find a divergent collection of opinions. In trying to explain His purpose to his followers Jesus wanted them to fully understand and not to become confused by all the frivalous talk. 

For this reason he uses the following words before each teaching in the Sermon on the Mount:

"You have heard the Law says...."

"But I say..." 

Tom Wright said of the Sermon on the Mount - "It's a royal announcement that God is turning the world upside down - or, rather, the right way up."

During Lent it is important for us to do our own studies of the Scriptures to get to the heart of the Gospel. We know that Jesus accomplishes his purpose through the Cross and empty Tomb, but we would do well to truly comprehend what this means for each one of us.

Questions to ponder:
1. Do we understand why Jesus came?
2. What does this mean for you?

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Answer me

There is nothing more frustrating that sending a message to someone and not getting a reply! I know that we all have done this sometimes, mostly because we are so busy and we forget to reply or it is not a convenient time to send a message back. However, sometimes we just stubbornly refuse to say anything in response to a message.

This is God's big complaint against the Israelites:

“My people, what have I done to you?
    How have I burdened you? Answer me. 
 I brought you up out of Egypt
    and redeemed you from the land of slavery.
I sent Moses to lead you,
    also Aaron and Miriam." - Micah 6:3-4

They just don't want to answer God's questions?

As we close out another year, let us ask ourselves if we have responded to all that God has asked of us. Have we responded to God's message of love and grace?

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Live a life worthy of the call

 

^"So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honoured because of the way you live, and you will be honoured along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ." - 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

These words from Paul to the church in Thessalonica are inspiring. He tells them that they will always be in his prayers and that he will pray for them to LIVE a LIFE worthy of the call. This prayer is for all believers, not just leaders of the church - we all have a call to respond to and when we live a life that is worthy of that call we honour God.

The other amazing thing is that God promises to give us the power and strength to accomplish all this things - we don't need to do it in our own strength.

A few questions to ponder:
1. What has God called you to do?
2. Are you fulfilling that calling? 
3. And whose strength are you relying on?

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Who do you belong to?

^"Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?” - Ruth 2:5

It was a sign of the times that a woman was always under the authority of her male family members, which is why Boaz asks Ruth this question in v.5 - Who do you belong to?
 
It was assumed that a woman belonged to her husband, father, uncle, brother etc. Thankfully, we have moved away from this kind of language nowadays, but I want to pick up on the spiritual connotation of this question: "Who do you belong to?"


I don't need to be attached to any human relative to answer this question, because if I have chosen to follow Jesus Christ, then I can say: "I belong to Christ!" Jesus has brought me with a price and I am under his covering.

Mark 9:41 -  "Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward."

Question:  "Who do I belong to?"

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Who am I?

In a haunting poem, written from his prison cell, Dietrich Bonhoeffer reflects on an eternal question... Who am I? Part of the poem goes like this:

Who am I? They also tell me
I would bear the days of misfortune
Equably, smilingly, proudly,
like one accustomed to win.

Am I then really all that which other men tell of?
Or am I only what I know of myself?

In the concluding words Bonhoeffer comes to this conclusion, which I believe is the answer most of us wish to hear.
 
Who am I?
They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.
Whoever I am, thou knowest, O God, I am Thine! 

Even if the world tries to answer the question for you (Who are you?), remember that in the final breath it is only God's answer that will satisfy. Let us be content to hear the words of God today:
We are His!

Living in Grace
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