A Delightful Inheritance

My wife and I have just returned from a delightful week in a cottage shared with friends. We were in the heart of the Herefordshire countryside, which in my opinion is rural England at it’s very best. However, I’m biased as this was also the area where my family originated, going back to the 1600's and earlier.

The amazing thing is that in some ways the countryside has changed little since those days. The country lanes, often lined with ancient oaks, on the whole are the same, except the dirt surface has been replaced with tarmac. Some old farm buildings are still standing including timber-framed houses in various states of repair and even older churches.


It was a really good feeling to soak in these pastoral scenes, including cattle and sheep grazing in lush green meadows by the side of a meandering river, all bathed in brilliant sunlight. It was idyllic, but don’t be deceived. That was the rural setting then, but the realities of living in those times for most were hard and come the industrial revolution the working conditions were often appalling. My ancestors were God-fearing, hard working, stoical artisans, but life was hard and they were used to ever-present poverty and grief. I am thankful for and welcome the former inheritance - which, together with my upbringing has helped shape me - but have sought freedom through Jesus from the latter.

It’s good to look back and be thankful, but I was reminded that as Christians we have an incredibly delightful inheritance. We have a new home with Father that is as old as the hills, but lasts for ever. What’s more we don’t have to wait for our inheritance, we can experience this life-changing ‘gift’ right now, giving us a taste of what is to come. There have been difficult times when I have thought my lot was far from being a ‘pleasant place’, but am learning that God only allows what He can use to bring us closer to Him and prepare us for our everlasting future with Him.

I find that just to think and meditate on this touches me to the core.

“Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” Psalm 16:5-6 New International Version

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If My People - 2

We’ve just had a day out at a country estate with our grandchildren. In one of the gardens there was an old solid oak door that caught my attention. What I felt was very significant was the network of small branches that crisscrossed the door, barring the way and partly obscuring it. Also the small handle was very rusty with lack of use. I felt that with some careful pruning, these obstructions could be removed to allow access to the hidden delights beyond.

In my post If “My People -1” I referred to the world being in a dire state., but I’ll confine these comments now to the state of the nation in Britain. I love my country - I hasten to add that this is in the right way after God - and it hurts to see that it has lost it’s way and no one seems to have the answer. However, this must be as nothing compared with how it must pain God to see what is happening.

The Gospel remains largely hidden from view and the media - apart from some notable exceptions - portray Christianity as irrelevant and a butt for comedians. We now have a second generation of children, the majority of whom are ignorant of the Gospel. Christianity as a living relationship with Jesus is rarely taught in schools. Many organisations are afraid to be seen giving deference to Christianity incase they offend followers of other religions. For example employees are wished a ‘happy holiday’ at Christmas. The gap between the rich and the poor grows larger, as the ‘haves’ are in a headlong hedonist pursuit of pleasure and financial security to fill the aching void within. The Christian moral foundations are in decline and the financial and manufacturing fabric of the country is in disarray.

What can the Christian response be? I don’t think that as Christians we can wash our hands of all this, saying it’s not our fault?

This poses questions for me such as: Am I following Jesus with every fibre in my body? Am I in the centre of His will? In my complacency and indifference, have I somehow been complicit in allowing all this to happen? Have I been a witness to the hope that is within me in whatever way is right for me? Have I spoken up against injustice? Am I caught up with the materialism around me? What am I about? And what about prayer?

How do we pray? I’m not sure I can repent for someone else? In the New testament Jesus shows the way to an individual relationship with God; however the theme of corporate and communal responsibility runs all the way through the Bible. When something is wrong with one part of the body, the whole body is affected!

Some of us may be called to be intercessors, but all Christians are exhorted to pray - continually.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2Chronicles 7:14

Perhaps you would like to have a look at state of the nation ?

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Another String to My Bow

I have another string to my bow, another arrow in my quiver. I've started another blog Wayfarerjon's Photo Reflections it's somewhere to display my photos of some of the 'secret' places in Britain - especially Devon and Cornwall - where I feel close to God. I have added my brief thoughts and reflections together with God's Word as appropriate.

Thought you might like to have a look.

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