Carol Purves

I recently heard the story, whether apocryphal or true I don’t know, about a vicar of a country church. He was very diligent and every Thursday and Friday he spent the days preparing for his sermons for Sunday. On this particular week he seemed unable to come up with a theme, let alone write a sermon. However how hard he tried nothing would come. Thursday passed without a theme, Friday passed without the sermons. During Friday night he had a heart attack and now being in hospital, he wouldn’t be needing any sermons. God knew, he didn’t.

Man proposes and God disposes, I was told as a young person. In the past it used to be common after outlining plans to say D.V. (Deo Volen – God willing) It still applies today. God knows the future, we don’t.

‘Tomorrow, we will go to this and that ……………………………..Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow…………….If it is the Lord’s will we will do this and that. James 4:13 onwards.

How often do we have the courage to witness to others about our God? And how often do we miss simple opportunities?

I was sitting on the bus the other day and the only other passenger was another lady who I didn’t know. We started to talk about the brief snow storm we had both witnessed that morning. Then the talk moved on, as alway,s to covid. She was on her way to the hospital and had taken a lateral flow test that morning. I had just left the dentist and had also done a test that morning. Almost without thinking, I then said, ‘I only now take a test if I’m going to a medical appointment or going to church.’ It turned out she also was was a Christian and we spent the next five minutes having a most fruitful Christian conversation.

I hadn’t gone out to witness; it was no big deal I was only having a normal conversation. ‘Do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you..

Every year I despair of my garden. In February, the month of storms, the days are short, the weather wet and my garden a mess. Then in March it is dotted with snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils. In the drabness of February I forget the delights of March and the approaching summer.

My Christian life can be the same. When sadness, disaster and pain come into my life, I see only blackness and bleakness. I forget God’s blessings in the past and His promises for the future.

‘Don’t forget in the darkness what you have learned in the light.’ Joseph Bayly.

Having stolen his brother’s birthright, Jacob has to flee from the family home, until the setting sun forces him to stop. Lonely, frightened and uncertain, sleep does not come easily. He finds a smooth stone on which he can rest his head and then sleep and dreaming comes. to him. In his dream he sees a stairway from heaven to earth and angels of God ascending and descending. On waking he knows this is a holy place.

It was no mistake that he should sleep at just this place and use just this smooth stone. God had prepared it all. As Jacob sets up a pillar and names the place Bethel, House of God, he receives a promise from God.

I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you. ‘Genesis 28:15

The story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well is fairly much known most of us but I discovered something new when I read John 4:6 again. New revelations are always coming to us from the Bible. We will never exhaust it.

‘Jacob’s well was there and Jesus, tired as He was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. ‘

He didn’t approach the well and find the woman there, Jesus was there first. Then the Samaritan woman came along to draw her water from the well. Being God He knew that the woman would be coming along.

In our lives we find that Jesus is there first, intentionally. He is waiting for us to show up. That gives me confidence.

My friend’s daughter has had a baby boy just before Christmas and I was delighted to be invited to the christening. Jason lay in his mother’s arms gently cooing and sometimes bawling. Doting aunts and uncles, especially aunts, tickled his cheek or stroked his tiny outstretched fingers. The relatives resorted to the usual ‘baby talk’ which was unintelligible to everyone, especially the baby.

Their love was unconditional. At this stage in his life it wasn’t known whether he would grow up to be a pillar of society living in high places or a difficult citizen living mostly in prisons or borstals. The strange thing was he had never done anything to deserve the love that was being bestowed on him. He hadn’t been clever, gained degrees or helped the poor. He was loved for just who he was.

That is exactly like our relationship with God. We have not and cannot do anything to deserve God’s love. No good works, sacrifice or deprivation can earn that love. He has loved us from the beginning of time and will continue to love us for all eternity. God’s love is not given as a result of our good works or else we would become boastful. There is absolutely nothing for us to do. All we can do is accept His love and redemption with gratitude.

The caves in California are so deep and extensive that many of them have never been explored. When a guide takes a group of visitors from cave to cave explaining the rock structure they huddle together. The caves are a scary place. Then the guide turns off the electric light which has been illuminating the chamber. The darkness is total. After a minute of this intense blackout, the guide lights a candle. Although the candle is small and the area large, the whole chamber is filled with light. Such a tiny illumination gives so much light.

Jesus said ‘You are the light of the world,’ Matthew 5:14. In our world there is much suffering and sadness, but the spark of the light of God in us can dispel the darkness. Sometimes our light is very small and insignificant but we are never too small to shine for Christ.

Darkness can never extinguish light.

Ronald was on the ground floor and wanted to use the lift to go up to the second floor. After the doors closed he pressed the lift and waited. Nothing happened. He pressed the button again; same non-result. Then he realised he’d pressed the ‘G’ instead of ‘2’. Mistake rectified and the second floor was reached safely. He had remained too near to where he had got in.

Are we like that? Are we too near to where we had got in? In our Christian life are we still feeding on the ‘milk’ of the Word, instead of the ‘meat?’

‘As dawn appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered round Him, and He sat down to teach them.’ John 8:2

I read this passage early in the morning with out my glasses on. Instead of ‘teach’ them, I read REACH them. and considered that before God can teach me, He needs to reach me. He sometimes has a hard time doing this. I am so pre-occupied with the things of this world; and my mind wanders on to earthly things. We are asked to pray continually; I often don’t think about God at all. He has much He wants to teach me and so much I need to learn. God often has to wait until the middle of the night when my mind is less cluttered.

I can only pray that He will reach me and then teach me.

‘God of rescue and restoration, You are my ever-present help in times of trouble.’ Ps 46:1

The worries of this day seem overwhelming, so today I trust in You and ask ‘ Lord, teach me to pray.’ Lk 11:1

‘Those who live in the shelter of the Hot High will find shelter in the shadow of the Almighty.’ Ps 91:1

‘He will cover you with His feathers . He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are are your armour and protection.’ Ps 91:4

Amen