Author: Carol Purves

Blind or Seeing

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In Mark 10 we read about the rich young ruler who had everything going for him. In two separate chapters we are told he was young, he was rich and he was a ruler. But he wanted to know from Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus said he needed to sell all that he had. Sadly, he couldn’t do that and he walked away unsatisfied.

Later in Mark 10 there is the story of blind Bartimaeus. ‘Jesus Son of God, have mercy on me,’ he cried. ‘What do you want,’ Jesus asked. Obviously he wanted to see, but it soon proved that he wanted to see spiritually as well. While the ruler was running away from Jesus, Bartimaeus was running to him. The seeing man went away blind, while the blind man went away seeing.

The Lost Pen

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Whenever we have any different experience it is amazing how many people want to tell us about their experiences in similar circumstances. When I was packing up to move house, I heard many ‘moving’ stories. One neighbour told me that she numbered every packed box and itemized the contents meticulously. I don’t know if I could have been so concise. Though I was envious when after my move I repeatedly misplaced things. I would put them in a safe place and then forget which safe place I’d used. I now only have three unpacked boxes, mainly because I’ve run out of space to put things.

I have another friend, who on packing before moving, tasked his wife with the job of labeling and sealing the boxes. That was fine until she packed the marker pen in one of the boxes and then sealed it. I never did find out how many boxes she had to open to find the pen but it made me smile. During our spiritual life do we pack away our ‘marker pen?’ The one we use for reading our Bible, the one to connect us to God in prayer and the marker for Christian fellowship?

Home Town

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Where was it that Jesus started His three year mission? Luke 4 tells us that He started in His home town. God didn’t direct Him to far-flung corners of His nation or even to other countries, that would all come later. The start of His ministry was where He had grown up.

I can just imagine the reaction of His listeners, ”Who does He think He is; He’s just the eldest son of Joseph the carpenter, we remember Him when He was in short trousers (or whatever the Jewish equivalent was).

The hardest mission for Jesus and for us is where we have grown up. Someone will remember the faults of our youth, will find it hard to take us seriously, or just ignore us because they recall us when we were only children. For us to talk about the Lord is especially hard for us in these circumstances. But God has planned where He wants us to be. Some are called to distant lands, while others of us are called to be just where we are and there spread the light and love of our Saviour.

Walking in their Shoes

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In the words of an old Chinese saying ‘You cannot understand until you walk a mile in someone’s shoes.’ Mothers will have a special understanding of each other that non-mothers do not have. Prisoners and ex-prisoners will have a bond with those who have been through the same traumas. Does this mean we can never be close to others unless we have had the same experiences?

I think the answer is ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ I cannot imagine what it is like to be a teenager in the 21st century. I have no idea what it is like to be a spouse. What I can sympathize with are bouts of ill-health and periods of loneliness. Does this mean I can’t have empathy with other members of the community. What i can do is listen and then listen some more. Even if I had had the same experiences as my burdened friends, they don’t want to hear about my story, they just want to talk about theirs. We may not be able to walk in another’s shoes but with the help of the Holy Spirit, I believe we can walk alongside them.

Hidden Steps

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It had rained, it had frozen over, then it had snowed again. I really needed to travel to the shops but that was probably unsafe and dangerous. Nevertheless I was stubborn; I wasn’t going to let a little inclement weather stop me. As well as wearing warm clothing, on my back I was carrying my back-pack and walking poles in my hands.

The short walk was not easy. As the snow had covered the ice I walked along grass verges when I could and trudged as close to hedges and fences when I couldn’t. Instead of ten minutes, the journey took twenty-five. It was the same route that I’d always walked, the difference was I couldn’t tell what was under my feet. Each step was dangerous and unknown.

Our walk through life is along uncharted ways, we don’t know whether our steps in the next few days will be along green pastures or perilous precipices. Our footsteps will be along the unknown. We need the firm foundation which only Christ can give.

Stoning

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I wonder how often it happened. It was the law that the punishment for adultery was stoning. It seems as if the Pharisees went out looking for a guilty woman as they acted with no sympathy. They were probably delighted as they thought they had a way of catching Jesus out. I notice that Jesus didn’t rush to act or speak, thereby defusing a very inflammatory situation.

The crowd were baying for the woman’s death so they must have been further annoyed by Jesus’s act. He just knelt down and started writing in the sand. When He stood up everyone would have held their breath. What was He going to say ‘ Stone her,’ or ‘Release her.’ Either way the Pharisees had Him trapped.

‘Let anyone who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ He wasn’t supposed to say that, it wasn’t in the script. We are told that one by one the accusers walked away into the crowd, ‘the older ones first.’ I can imagine the younger ones standing their ground until they realised, oh dear, they were not without sin. Finally there was only one man left, though He is back writing on the ground. As He is the sinless Son of God, He was the only person entitled to stone her.

I wonder how long it would have taken us to leave the crowd of accusers.

What does Your Church Believe?

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What a question! What an opportunity! How we long to have the chance to witness, yet what a surprise when it happens. I was asked this question by a taxi driver when i explained my destination was a particular church in the city centre. I had prayed that during that week I would have the opportunity to share my love of God with someone. I never thought it would be a taxi driver who became my captive audience just 15 minutes

My words for the rest of the journey were controlled by God. It was not my eloquence that was being used but God’s. They were words that this driver needed to hear which couldn’t have been mine, I knew nothing about this woman; God knew everything. Fifteen minutes is not long; i had to be concise. She didn’t need to know about the furnishings of the building, she needed to know that Jesus died for her sins. I now pray for her regularly.

Quizes

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I’ve just taken part in yet another quiz; I love them but I don’t particularly excel. Daytime television relies heavily on them. It is probable that our generation is more knowledgeable than any previous ones. Some people have a deep knowledge about one particular subject while others know many facts of general knowledge.

Quizes are everywhere. Most of our daily newspapers had a large quiz over the New Year. But we have to ask the question, what good is knowledge without wisdom? Where is our plain common sense and knowledge about the important matters of life. Knowledge is a cold, sterile thing while wisdom has a warm Godly glow. Cold knowledge can lead to wars, wisdom will lead to peace.

In the Bible a whole book is devoted to wisdom – Proverbs. The sheer volume of advice that is in these pages mean we sometimes gloss over them. Maybe each one would pay to be studied individually over a period of time. What about starting with ‘the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom?’Proverbs 9:10

Asking

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Does God get tired of hearing requests? So much of our prayers are for healing for sick ones, praying for the souls of unsaved friends or coping with our own small problems. But we are probably thinking of God through our human minds. The Bible tells us, ‘Your ways are not My ways.’ With our friends we are wary not to burden them with our problems, we need to remember they have problems too.

For any friendship to survive we need to have as near a 50\50 relationship as possible. It is so very different with God. He has no problems that we need to share. Philippians 4:6 tells us ‘in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’ I do believe that He wants communication with us, like a friend He loves to talk with us, but I notice the small yet important phrase, ‘with thanksgiving’ As the hymn writer says, ‘thank Him for all that is past and trust Him for all that’s to come.’ Joseph Hart. One of my father’s favourite hymns was ‘Trust and Obey.’

Amazing Mazes

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As adults we will all have led children through mazes made of high bushes or walls. We will be following a certain pathway thinking it is the way out only to discover it is another dead end. Sometimes with our adult logic we wil be able help the bemused child but sometimes we are just as confused as they are.

Mazes sometimes remind me of life. All is going well then we hit a blank wall. Nothing goes right and we don’t know which turning to take. I think of people in the Bible who were perplexed, Abraham, David, the disciples and many more. For them life wasn’t a straight road, it had many twists and turns. Some of my friends are bewildered by unexpected events that have overtaken them. Things are not working out as they had planned.

What we all need is to put our hand into the hand of God. We aren’t wise enough, or tall enough to see the way ahead. God not only knows the way, He is the Way. In His love He will sort out life’s mazes for us. ‘My God knows the way through the wilderness, All I need to do is follow.’Jessica Fortenberry