10,000 Years and then for Evermore

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Do you remember when you were young and waiting for Father Christmas to come? You were told it was five more sleeps and then four sleeps. Time never stands still. So much of our lives are spent counting down time – weeks until we leave school, months until we move or retire.

If our whole lives were condensed into a year, then I would definitely be in December, maybe you would be in October or November. Counting our lives away can be both sad and joyful, getting over the bad things, anticipating the good things. But we won’t always be living in time. Once we reach heaven time will be no more. Elijah and Moses will have no more time in heaven than you or I. They and we are no nearer the end. We creatures of time just can’t imagine what that means.

When I used to visit my friend and her young son, he would always immediately say ‘When are you leaving?’ There is no question like that in heaven. There is no departing. We can’t imagine what ten thousand years is like, let alone ‘evermore.’ It does make our trials and troubles here melt into insignificance. Our problems seem to go on for ever, but of course they don’t. Only one thing goes on for ever – our time in heaven.

Missing Child

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Only a parent can understand the horror of missing a child. Even if the event only lasts for a few minutes in a crowded supermarket. Thousands of terrible thoughts go chasing through mind in just a few seconds. Blind panic takes over and no logical thought is possible.

Therefore how terrible it must have been for the parents of Jesus, travelling a whole day thinking he was in the care of relatives only to find he was not travelling with them at all. At twelve he was nearly a man in that culture, but not quite. So he must still be in Jerusalem. The day travelling back was not quite so cheerful. Where could he be, what had happened to him? They would probably start by looking at the previous lodgings but with no success. It took three days before they looked in the temple. In their relief no wonder they spoke sharply to him. ‘Son, why have you treated us like this?’

If Jesus wanted to know more about his father, surely I can want to know more about God.

The Homeless

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As I sit in my comfortable home, I think of those who have no home of their own, who sleep in tents or shop doorways and those who sofa-surf. I am blessed to belong to a church who try to help these people. Once a week we provide a meal for them. That is not all, we give them medical attention from professionals and financial direction for those who need it. Many of our visitors sit and play chess and other games.

To talk with these people can be an eye-opener. Many have had difficult starts in life and then turned to drugs or drink to ease their pain. They have never really had a good start. There has been no-one on hand to point them in the right direction or give them advice. To undo the years of harm and hardship is nearly impossible. We make it clear that everything we do is because of our love for God. Many have never known love. Whenever we cook a meal, serve it, give medical help or financial advice, we we do it all in the name of Jesus.

Sleep and Prayer

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As I have a health condition which causes me to sleep a lot, I have to make sure that the rest of my lie is used profitably. When I used to go to work I always got up at 6.00 am as I had a long journey. Although well retired now I still get up at the same time, it has become a habit. It could be so easy to lie in bed for another half an hour.

Then what about my phone? I could easily spend an hour or more just scrolling. Nowadays there are very few messages which need an immediate reply Television! There is a great deal of rubbish and harmful things on the telly. I only need to see the headlines of the news not watch it three times a day. And some programmes are positively harmful for Christians.

So what should I do with the time I’m not wasting? Pray is a good answer, there can never be too much prayer. It is something that can be done in a short space of time or slow, deliberate and lengthy. God always to hear from us and there is never a shortage of things to pray for. As Paul urges us, ‘Pray without ceasing.’

Breadless in the Boat

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Jesus and His disciples only had one loaf of bread with them in the boat, which caused concern among the men until Jesus pulled them up sharp. ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand?’ How they have already forgotten the miracles of feeding the four thousand and five thousand?

Hundreds, thousands of people hungry and away from their homes, how could the disciples forget what had happened? Not only was everyone fed satisfactorily, but there were twelve baskets and seven baskets of crumbs left over. These were miracles witnessed by so many which would be talked about throughout the neighbourhood for many weeks.

Yet the disciples were bemoaning the fact that they had only loaf between thirteen of them. What had happened to their memories? But we can’t be too hard on the disciples. What about us? Throughout our lives God has never once let us down and yet we worry about the future. If things have not gone our way, sometimes He has something even better prepared for us. Our God is a God we can trust. ‘His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning. Lamentations 3:23

This is the Way

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When recently I had a big decision to make it was almost as if I actually heard God saying to me. ‘This is the way, walk in it.’ This feeling was so strong and when I acted on it promptly, it did indeed prove to be the right way. But it is so easy to stop listening to God’s voice. Life seems to be conspiring against us. In fact it is because the voice of the devil gets in the way. He doesn’t want us to obey God so he tries to make it difficult for us.

One way of keeping in touch with God is by reading His word. In fact it was the words from the Bible which directed me in this occasion. Isaiah 30:21 ‘Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hears a voice behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it.’ It is amazing how often we read the right words for just the right occasion. No, it isn’t amazing, it’s God directed.

Another way of keeping in touch with God is by talking to Him and listening to Him. As we are told, ‘more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.’ The hymn writer James Montgomery says, ‘Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, uttered or unexpressed.’ And finally Christian fellowship can be a help to us. When we have Christian fellowship, we also have fellowship with God. No wonder fellow Christians thoughts and ideas are of benefit to us. Such communion is a way of walking with Him and pleasing Him.

Music and Faith

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Music has always been important to our faith both in the Bible and in modern worship. ‘Amazing grace,’ is the most recorded song ever. (Yes, it even beats ‘I’m dreaming of a white Christmas.) I didn’t know this but it features in Star Trek II, the Wrath of Khan and also the TV Simpson’s series. It has been quoted by many famous people, including President Barak Obama.

Another loved and well-known hymn is ‘Abide with Me.’ Even i have been know to have tears running down my face at football matches (though this might have been to do with the forthcoming football match rather than my faith!)

Handel’s ‘Messiah’ is an example of where music and words of scripture are blended together. To hear this being played and sung at the Royal Albert Hall in London by thousands of people is something which stirs the soul. Then we mustn’t forget one of the most prolific song writers of all time, King David with his psalms, so many of which are recorded for us in the Bible. It is easy to imagine David sitting or walking with his sheep along the hill-side, composing and writing to the glory of God. Our faith would certainly be the poorer without the Psalms.

The Mark of Cain

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In Genesis we read of Adam and Eve being banished from the Garden of Eden and then in Genesis we read of Cain being banished by God for the killing of his brother. Abel. What a sad state of affairs; because sin made a swift and terrible entry into the world, strife, exiles and murder followed. As you turn over page after page in the Old Testaments you read of one atrocity after another. Even the terrible things that happen in the world today, probably also appeared somewhere in the Bible. It doesn’t make pleasant reading.

But the good news is that this is not the end of the story. The pages of the New Testament make happier reading, even though the stories of the early church in Acts tell us that the early Christians had their problems.. Death has now been conquered, sin has been banished.There is hope on every page. In the New Jerusalem the wrongs will be righted., justice will be done. In spite of our waywardness and the efforts of the devil, our story has a happy ending.

A Place to Meet with God

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While on earth Jesus met His disciples and friends in various places. He met with them in the noise and bustle of the market place and on the mountain tops amid the quietness and solitude. He met with His disciples in the Upper Room for the Last Supper and in the agony of Gethsemane. On the road to Emmaus and at the empty tomb was He was also found.

We do not need a special place to meet and pray with God but many of us have marked out a special chair or room where we find communion with Him easier. Recently I have been using the comfortable chair in my living-room gazing out at the ever-changing sky and a group of trees framing the scene. In a few weeks time my place of pray will change as I move house. I don’t know yet where I will meditate and pray. One thing I do know is that God will be there, in fact He is already there before me. He will give me somewhere where I will be comfortable and relaxed. But like the disciples, I can equally meet with Him in the market place, mountain top, Emmaus or Gethsemane. He will remain with me.

Full English

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As I was at the hospital for an early appointment I decided to visit the restaurant for breakfast. I had become tired of cooking my same meals and this was a treat. Sausage, bacon, hash, baked beans, scrambled egg, mushrooms and black pudding. This was something I would never prepare for myself at home and it was also served by a most pleasant young lady.

I ended up giving thanks for my many blessings. I thought of the staff who cooked the meals so that visitors like myself and hospital staff could have enjoyable meals. I gave God praise that I could afford the meal and that I had a healthy appetite. I was grateful for a pleasant place to eat with the hum of other diners around me. I gave thought to those who couldn’t have this pleasure, the patients who couldn’t eat for health reasons. I also thought about those suffering in famine. SoI was able to give many thanks for my full English breakfast.