Carol’s Blog

You Will Never See Them Again

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Every morning under the intense Egyptian sun they would wake up and see the same cruel faces. They would see the hands that would whip and beat them if they didn’t produce enough bricks. The previous days bruises would still be black and blue. The monotony of the daily cruelty would be as relentless as the searing sun.

Now they were free, fleeing from their oppressors, ahead of them the water, behind the Egyptians chasing them in their chariots and on horseback. They didn’t stand a chance as they accused Moses of leading them to their death. ‘Were there not enough graves in Egypt that you brought us out here to be killed.’ Exodus 14:11.

Again in14:13 Moses said ‘These Egyptians you see here, you will never see again.’ What never see the Egyptian’s eyes full of hate or feel the lash of the whip!? Never have to make another brick out of the straw we’ve collected ourselves!

The words of Moses ‘Do not be afraid,’ apply to us today. Our burden is not building bricks but other circumstances equally frightening. Different circumstances, same God. How often do we read in the scriptures, ‘the God of Abraham, of Isaac and Israel? Now we can add, ‘God of you and you and me.’

Storms

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I stood by the side of the lake, the sandy beach, gritty beneath my toes. The surrounding hills basking in the eastern shores were lush and green. All was calm. The next day I was in the boat bobbing along on the same stretch of water. The sun on my back made me nostalgic. This was my first time by this lake, but Jesus had visited many times. He had been on the same shore and cooked a beautiful breakfast for His disciples.. How delicious that fish must have tasted! His sailing time were not always as calm as mine, just ask Peter! I could see by the position of the hills that it was possible for there to be sudden squalls. I wondered how many fishermen had lost their lives on this otherwise peaceful water.

My life and hopefully yours is relatively peaceful. But it is not always so. Without warning and unexpectedly, storms arise. It could be a struggle with money, a family death or illness of family or friend. When the sailing in our small world become uneasy and our lives are in turmoil, the question is who do we have in our boat. Jesus wants to be by our side. We only have to ask.

If I Can Help Somebody

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This gospel anthem was written by Alma Bazel Androzzo . She was a missionary working in Pittsburgh during the final years of the depression in America Her life would have been surrounded by people needing help.

‘If I can help somebody with a word or song, If I can show somebody they are travelling wrong, then my living has not been in vai’n.’

The song was a favourite of Rev Martin King Junior, who admired it so much that, at his request, it was played at his funeral. It was a sentiment that he adhered to all his life. It was also sung extensively by Harry Secombe.

If I can do my duty as a Christian ought, If I can bring back beauty to a world up-wrought

If I can speak love’s message that the Master taught. Then my living has not been in vain.

” If I can help somebody as I travel along, If I can help somebody with a word or song

If I can help somebody from doing wrong, Then my living shall not be in vain.

I think our world is very ‘up-wrought’ at the moment!

The Psalms

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Can one imagine our Bible being comprised of only sixty-five books, and having no Psalms included? What would our spiritual journey be like if we didn’t have those 150 songs of yearning, enjoyment and praise? If there was no 23rd psalmu our lives would be much the poorer.

These outpourings of the soul written mainly by the shepherd and then king David have lifted many a soul from despair and guided many a weary traveller. Psalms are read at funerals, sung or said every week in some churches and devoured at many a sickbed. Their popularity could be because of the raw emotion they display.. They fit into our worrying moods and how often do we say ‘ That was written just for me.’

We don’t have to be a shepherd, king of even a murderer to appreciate the relativity to our own lives. Even those of the world who never have heard of the psalms, may unwittingly be found quoting them.

May We Not Miss

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Looking after sheep in Biblical times was a full on job. There were lions, wolves and other wild animals that had to be fought. Willful sheep would get themselves into dangerous places and needed to be rescued. The shepherd himself would have to walk miles to find the lost sheep while also keeping his eyes open for those dangerous animals.

Yet when it came to it, Moses was not too busy to see the flaming bush that was not consumed by the flames and went to inspect it. He didn’t say he was too busy and not able to investigate. Maybe he knew he was on holy ground. If he had passed by, the history of the whole of the Israelites would have been very different. Moses said, ‘I will turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush us not burned’ Exodus 2:23.

We can be too busy to hear the cries of the needy or see the pleading look on a child’s face, A task that God has for us will be left undone. The Good Samaritan had time to help and had seeing eyes. Maybe a whisper from God would be enough to ensure that we do not miss.

These days we can be too busy , the world seems to be getting faster and faster, It is easy to say we have not time to turn aside. and listen to God and hear His instructions. But what vital information may we miss.

A Well

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A number of Biblical events happened beside wells. In a land of desert, dust and dryness, the presence of a well is the difference between life and death. No wonder the Bible is full of ‘well’ stories. Physically and often spiritually life is barren and waterles

Having killed a man Moses was in exile. Pharaoh tried to kill him so he fled to Midian. There he sat down beside a well which was the obvious place to be. The seven daughters of Reuel came to feed their flocks but were driven away by shepherds. Moses intervened and the rest is history. Invited to stay at Reuel’s place he married one of his daughters, Zipporah and had a son. Exodus 2:11.

Hagar was running away from Sarah, the wife of Abraham and was sitting by a spring in the desert when God found her and promised her that her son would be a head of a large nation. Genesis 16. Isaac met Rebekah when he was sitting by a well and she came to feed her flocks. Genesis 24. Jacob met Rachel by a well. Genesis 29..

Jesus was tired and while his disciples went into the village to buy bread he sat by a well. There he just happened to encounter a Samaritan woman, forgave her of her sins and through her witness many in the village came to salvation. John 4:11.

Not Alone

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During the period of a few days, every reading of the Bible i read reminded me that ‘man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards.’ Job 5:7. I wondered if some big trouble was coming to me and this was preparing me for it. In the event I wasn’t faced with any extra problems and life went on the same.

But the result was that I was reminded of my many blessings and the protection of God. As on previous occasions I don’t need to list life’s problems and I don’t need to dwell on them , but the result was I was left with many of God’s promises to me. I marvelled and wondered as I listed them. You and I have a God who never leaves us Deuteronomy 31:6. We have a Saviour who has redeemed us. Eph 1:7. and has promised us a great future. Jer 29:11. Wisdom, much needed wisdom is available to us. for the asking as we traverse the tricky road called life. Is 53:6 There is a reward waiting for us at the end.

My expected troubles never arrived but I became more aware of God’s good news.

Chess

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Early in my adult life I discovered that I was no good at the game of chess. I had learned the rules but couldn’t look far enough ahead. I knew I needed to plan ahead and anticipate any traps that my opponent was setting up. It was no good, I just couldn’t play the game.

A game of chess is very much like life. At every cornet there are hidden dangers We can make a certain decision and then find ourselves in trouble. We just don’t see the lurking problems’. I feel sorry for politicians (though of course they choose their vocation) They make decisions which seem good but they are not always able to see the many ramifications where these decisions lead. One could say they need the wisdom of Solomon.

Even if we are a Grandmaster at chess we don’t know the strategies to navigate life. . Only the Lord has that ability. ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, the labourers labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guard watches in vain.’ Ps 127:1.

So often we make plans and never consult our Maker, no wonder our plans come to nothing and we make a mess of life. God is the Grandmaster of the chess of life. May we turn to Him and He will choose the right paths for us and bless them.

Pass It On

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‘If you’ve had a kindness shown, pass it on.’ I’m not quite sure where that phrase came from but my mother was always quoting it to me. Matthew says the same thing in his gospel ‘So in everything do to others what you would have them do to you.’ Matthew 7:12 In our me, me, me society we sometimes forget this attitude.

As a rule of thumb I always try to leave people happier after an encounter with me. It is not as simple as it sounds What about the driver who cuts me up and then hoots at me as if I’m in the wrong? Kindness doesn’t always work . What about my neighbour who complains about the rubbish that is blown into her garden when it is not me who has dropped any rubbish? I don ‘t have any control over the wind.

I’m saddened by the fact that people have less kindness since the pandemic. I go out of my way to speak to shop-keepers and smile at strangers. One day I was reflecting on my interaction with four shop-keepers whose shops I had visited in one day. On each occasion I had had a little laugh with the people involved and temporarily made them feel happier. I had been able to pass on kindness to others.