Your Move!

When a fellow high school student taught me to play chess, I became really attracted to this 'king of games' with all it's infinite variations. I think I lacked the necessary enduring concentration to be really good, but the fascination continued into adulthood. I even played in a tournament once, where I was soundly thrashed by an eleven year old.

I sometimes think that the Christian life is like a game of chess.

The basic requirement is to have a knowledge of the function of each piece and the unique way it moves. It may seem complicated at first, but it soon becomes second nature. Before each game you need a strategy. You need to know where you are going, but at the same time be flexible and be prepared for surprises.

A good opening game is vital, this is where games can be won or lost. The way has to be opened up for the attacking pieces to have full access to the board, at the same time ensuring that your king is secure and protected. At this stage, your opponent may try to catch you unawares with some early attacking moves. So think very carefully before you make a move and have no fear, his premature moves will usually have no substance, so hold your ground.

Now we come to the middle game. It’s no good just staying on the defensive, doing nothing is not an option, as this is not a passive game. Wait for the appropriate time to go on the attack and seize the opportunity. You may feel vulnerable as you step out and wonder if there is something you have missed, but don't be put off. Be bold and have the conviction of what you know.

I used to have a good opening game, my middle game was - err middling and my end game often not so good. Nowadays I am learning perseverance and patience. You don't win them all - think about it, there would be no ‘game’ if you won every time - but you learn from your mistakes for next time.

“If a king goes out with ten thousand men to fight another king who comes against him with twenty thousand men, he will sit down first and decide if he is strong enough to face that other king.” Luke 14:31 Good News Bible

“Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12 The Message Bible

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On Retreat - 4

We go on retreat for different reasons. Maybe we want to withdraw for a while from the pressures of everyday life, to get things in perspective. Perhaps to find some hideaway, where we can experience peace and quiet, get closer to God and seek new direction. Whatever our reasons, if it is a Christian retreat, then to get the full benefit of course, we need to mean business with God, so in that respect it is serious.

There were certainly important, even pressing and painful issues that surfaced during our retreat. These weren't all solved of course, but I was given fresh purpose and direction, with plenty of stuff to work through with Jesus back home.

We arrived feeling somewhat battered and because I was expectant and eager to push in and get out all I could of the time, I was a little tense. Our retreat guide sensed this and saw my need to relax and just give God the freedom to move. It was even suggested I needed more fun in my life, starting there and then.

I spent an hour or so in the art studio playing with paint. Looking at this piece of work you wouldn't think that I am an accomplished artist. I just let myself go, dipped my fingers in and smudged and smeared and splodged and flicked to my heart's content. It may seem a bit of nonsense, but with hindsight it does make sense. It's all there - pain, tears, joy, laughter and God's creation. I let the child in me come to the fore, allowing myself to break all the rules and walk over the floor with dirty shoes. It was very satisfying and freeing - and God was smiling with me.

Some of you may be thinking that you already have plenty of fun and we need to be more serious. Others may say that as a Christian there's no place for such nonsense, with the world in the state it's in. But I would say that we need to be in touch with this side of us, especially at this time. I'm sure Jesus had His smiley moments!

The sun is out this afternoon and we are going to have some fun.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Mark 10:15 New International Version

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On Retreat - 3

It was the third day of our retreat and I decided to spend some time in the library. I had the room to myself and chose to sit at a large polished mahogany desk right in the window. I was on a journey this week and didn't want to miss out on what God had for me.

As I gazed at the panoramic view before me, I was totally taken in, from the morning sun highlighting the green-topped cliffs, to the inviting sea, to the sky with all the colours of the rainbow. It was breathtakingly beautiful - heart-stopping. It was like having a ringside seat on heaven. I just gazed, transfixed. It was touching something deep inside and I could have stayed there all morning.

In my observation I became aware of two things. Firstly, there was the separateness. I was in the warmth and comfort of the building, but this heavenly vision was outside. I then felt the closeness of Father, almost like He had His hand upon my shoulder, urging me to consider.

It was as if God was reminding me, that although as Christians we are heavenward bound, heaven is also to be experienced in the here and now. That He doesn't just want us to be observers, but partakers of the abundant life and that all we need is within us.

"The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:20-21

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From a Brass-bound Stump

Because of her disability, my wife 'brings her garden inside' and is a dab hand with house plants. I never cease to marvel how she can grow beautiful plants from just a piece of leaf. One of her pride and joys is a magnificent maidenhair. With it's feathery green fronds, it has centre stage in our living room.

That is, until we returned home from a few days away, to find that some of it's leaves were turning brown. She realised if it continued like that, it could whither away and die, so drastic action was called for. She had to be cruel to be kind.

The stems were cut down to within an inch of the pot and the whole thing repotted in new soil. It must have been very uncomfortable for that plant to start with, as nothing seemed to be happening. I wondered if it was dead, but my wife knew better. Several weeks later, a tiny green shoot appeared and now we have the makings of a brand new maidenhair, looking fresher, greener and livelier than ever.

When we experience loss, we can be catapulted into a potentially painful scenario. Whether the loss of employment or health, bereavement, an accident, financial difficulty or whatever, it can leave us bewildered, even devastated. We may feel the whole situation is out of our control and that part of us is dying. Initially we may be in disbelief and want to escape from the situation and get back to what was. But as we adjust to the different 'soil' and yield to God and allow the Gardener to gently tend us, we begin to see the opportunities for growth and new life.

We may not be like King Nebuchadnezzar who suffered a period of mental anguish, before God restored him, but we may feel we have been cut back to a 'brass-bound stump.' However, we can be assured that as we look to God, we will come through. Things won't be the same, part of our life may have died, but there will be a new flow of God's life in us.

"Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field." Daniel 4:14-15 New International Version

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The Hidden Life - 1

I used to be centre stage,
on the front line for all to see.
I felt wanted, stimulated, fulfilled
and even, dare I say - successful.
After all, I had letters of thanks and praise
and a lapel badge displaying my role.
So you'd be right in thinking.
I was just a touch proud.

Then came a long painful transition --

I'm still on the front line of battle.
But now I go mainly unnoticed, unseen and
except for the occasional lingering backward glance,
it doesn't matter anymore,
because He sees all.
He is where we belong.
He is where we find satisfaction.
He is all we need.
That's all that matters.
I'm learning that all we need is Him.
Something inside is dying so that I may live.

"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:3 New International Version

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God's Creation In Our Lives

Our garden is semi-wild, with views of countryside and sea and is a real delight to us. It's not always been that way though. When we first arrived we had to work long and hard to construct terraces and plant it out. However, because it is steep and takes the brunt of the salt-laden south westerlies from the Atlantic, it's a hostile environment and many of the plants didn't survive.

Not to be put off, I cleared one of the largest beds and started over again. First of all I weeded it thoroughly before preparing the soil by digging deep and raking it over. Because the winter was much wetter than usual, I wasn't able to do any more to it until spring. It was then that we found a variety of plants shooting up. Intrigued, we decided to wait and see what developed. Several weeks later we had a splendid display of unusual wild flowers, some of which we had never seen or even heard of before. Majestic foxgloves, tall fluffy Mullein Verbascum thapsus Scrophulariaceae, the delicate Solomon's SealPolygonatum officinale Liliaceae, wild strawberries and of course primroses.

The seeds had been there all the time, waiting for the right moment. Just think, all that was created without us having to do anything, other than prepare the soil! God knew better than us what would thrive in the environment of our garden.

God is the great Creator. If we are yielded to God and allow Him to cleanse and prepare the soil of our lives, we will experience His working in our lives in ways that we never thought possible and with the minimum of effort and stress.

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." Colossians 1:16 New International Version

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Whose Voice are we Listening to?

We have had so many intrusive calls from tele sales, that we signed up to a national scheme to stop them. It has really worked on the whole, but some still get through the net.

The other day we had a call from an insurance company we hadn't dealt with before. The salesman launched into his spiel, saying that our home cover was due and he could offer us a better deal. After giving him a fair hearing, I said that we were happy with our current firm, so weren't interested. Undeterred, he continued in full flow. I tried again, but he was aggressively trying to get his point over. I asked him where he had obtained our details and would he please remove us from his database. He rang off. The next day another salesman from the same firm phoned and it all started over. We went through the same process again before he rang off. The day after, yet another of their salesmen called. As he gathered momentum I stopped him and said we were quite satisfied and I was not interested. Undeterred, he said I needed to hear what he had to say. I broke in and told him that he just wasn't listening to me and I didn't want to hear from him again. He eventually gave up and rang off.

The salesman was so blinkered and focussed upon his own agenda, that he was unable to take in anything else or even consider what his potential customer really wanted. This made me wonder if we can be like this?

Is it possible to be so wrapped up in our own agenda and patterns of behaviour, that we miss what God is saying to us? If so, we can be in danger of filtering out the voices, so that we hear only what we want to hear. This means we are open to be swayed by what the world and the enemy are saying. The world for example, speaks to our 'addictions' and says "that's OK, you are only human!" This viewpoint can be bolstered even more, if we are also surrounded by those of the same mind.

If we make sure all areas of our lives are yielded to God - and He usually only has His finger on one thing at a time - and come to him open-handed, with a clean sheet, He will not disappoint us. We may be in for some surprises and could do things that buck the trend, but we will be living. Only God's Word brings life.

"He who has ears, let him hear." Matthew 13:9 New International Version

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The Father's Love

The Father's love comforts
us when all seems dark and hopeless

The Father's love heals
us when we are hurting and wounded

The Father's love befriends
us when we are lonely

The Father's love accepts
us just as we are

The Father's love carries
us when we don't know which way to turn

The Father's love empowers
us to live beyond ourselves

The Father's love invites
us to follow Him into the unknown

The Father's love transforms
us into the person he made us to be

The Father's love encourages
us to fulfil the desires he put there

The Father's love waits
for our response

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you." John 15:9 New International Version

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Tradition or Life?

A friend of ours has constructed what she calls an Easter Garden on a terrace at the top of her steep garden. For several years we have gathered there before breakfast on Easter Sunday, for the breaking of bread, to celebrate the Risen Lord Jesus. Last year particularly, was an unforgettable experience. As we prayed and sang, the sun rose above the trees across the valley and the birds sang their hearts out. We planned to do the same this year.

We were mindful that Easter falls very early this year and half the country is in the grips of snow-laden northerlies. Nevertheless we believed it was right to go and trusted it would work out. After all, God can look after a mere detail like the weather? We woke early - and I mean early - to the encouragement of a clear sky and still air. Dressed in layers of thermal clothing and fleeces we set out, but as we drove up the hill the sky suddenly darkened and the rain came down in torrents. It was even worse when we arrived, so reluctantly we had to abandon our plan. Instead, around twenty of us squeezed inside our friend's cottage sitting room.

What followed was precious and intimate. We made our communion which was followed by breakfast together and a time of sharing what God is doing in our lives. We missed the surroundings of the garden of course, but instead we experienced what really matters, abiding in the presence of Jesus. we were blessed in a way that we didn't expect.

This reminds me of the dangers of following tradition. Tradition can be saying, "This is the way we have always done things and always will," even when God has moved on to something new. There is nothing wrong with tradition as such, but if that is all there is, then it is death and not life. Jesus always did what He saw His Father doing and so should we, if we don't want to miss out.

"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!" Matthew 15:2 New International Version

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If We Believe ...

When we become Christian believers, followers of Jesus Christ, we start a journey of coming to know God. As we enter into the discovery of who He really is to us and live in the realisation of that truth, there is the potential to transform our lives.

God created the heavens and the earth, the whole universe
God is Almighty, all Powerful, all Knowing
He is to be exalted as the King of Kings
and is high and lifted up in heaven
but He bends right the way down
to hear our every whisper
even more than that
He is with us,
really for us
alongside
More -
He's within us
He lives inside us
just ponder on that
God living within us!
it's utterly mind-boggling
Feeling our every feeling
absolutely life-transforming
and it gives us a whole new perspective
of walking through a sometimes troublesome life with Father

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. -- "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." John 14:16-23 New International Version

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In Times of Special Need

I remember when we visited a famous stately home with friends. It was a hot summer's day and I was not feeling well. Also, my mind was elsewhere as I felt anxious, wondering how we were going to get through the coming months. As we walked through the extensive informal gardens, I was very uncomfortable in the heat and only vaguely aware of the beauty all around me. I tried to join in the conversation, but it was mostly floating over my head. I had looked forward to enjoying the day, but in reality I wanted to be somewhere else.

After a while I excused myself and took time apart. I made for a large ornamental pool. Water flowed into it from a cascade that tumbled down the steep gardens from a large lake high up on the hilltop. In the middle of the pool a massive fountain reached for the sky. It was a beautiful refreshing sight. I sat by the water's edge and took in this healing scene. I could have stayed there all day. I reached out to God and as I pondered, a sudden warm breeze fanned spray from the fountain over me. As the droplets splashed my face it felt almost as if Father was caressing my cheek and reassuring me that everything was going to be fine. The words came to me, "I will not let you down!"

When we are in great need or when things seem hopeless, I believe God is present and available to us in a special way. We reach out from our heart to His and although it may seem a feeble approach, He comes to us in a way that is just right for us. He brings His Word into our situation that results in life and changes our outlook in an instant.

"To him who thirsts I will give of the fountain of the Water of Life freely." Revelation 21:6 Modern King James Version

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The Fear of Dying

Sadly, a distant relation of my wife died last month. We were told it was difficult for him in the last days because he was afraid of going to sleep in case he didn't wake up.

I can understand and identify with this. Several years ago, when I was recovering from an operation, I was overcome with anxiety and had extreme difficulty getting off to sleep. I was afraid I might die or more exactly I was afraid of the feelings involved in dying. The thought of being all alone, totally abandoned, filled me with utter dread. I know that when eventually my time comes, I will be with Jesus for ever, but deep down I feared the process. I was hanging onto control by my finger nails. Father knew what was in my heart of course and slowly over the months, as I looked to Him as never before, as I felt the feelings with Him, He melted this fear away with His love.

Seemingly the Christian walk is full of paradoxes. We have a God-given desire to live life to the full, but are asked to hand our lives over to God, so that we may live. If we have a fear of death or dying, we will have difficulty in yielding to God and living a Holy Spirit controlled life. We will miss out on the abundant life.

When we belong to God, we need not fear death, for Jesus came to set us free from the fear of death. If this is an issue for you, then talk to Jesus about it, rather now than later.

"If you're not ready to die, then you're not ready to live. Make certain of your eternal destiny; then you will be free to serve—devoting your life to what really counts, without fear of death." (Life Application Study Bible notes)

"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." Hebrews 2:14-15 New International Version

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Real Satisfaction

The January sales are on with a vengeance. The other evening, television news showed scenes outside a large department store. As soon as the doors opened there was a mad headlong stampede towards the bargains, sweeping all aside in it's wake. A fight broke out with one of the attendants who was trying to keep some sort of order. There was a life and death struggle at one of the counters and a woman emerged from the scrum clutching several designer handbags.

We may smile, but could this be an illustration of what it's like in the world today? A headlong hedonistic pursuit of pleasure, trying to find satisfaction in material things and anything else to gratify the inner longing. I'm reminded of the old Rolling Stones smash hit, "I can't get no, I can't get no, I can't get no satisfaction, no satisfaction, no satisfaction, no satisfaction." The truth is, that without Jesus, we will be dissatisfied deep down.

It's often when our dissatisfaction bubbles to the surface, when we've tried everything else, that we turn to Jesus. It's then that we discover there is absolutely nothing to compare with this love relationship that satisfies our deepest need. This is the start of a lifelong relationship where both sides have a growing desire to draw closer to each other. However, it's not long before the world comes knocking at the door of our minds, with the temptation to be taken over with the love of material things and pleasure-seeking that gets in the way of intimacy with Him.

Let us thank God for all the good that we enjoy, but ensure that our real satisfaction always comes from knowing Jesus.

"Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35 Jeremiah 9:23-24 New International Version

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The River of Life

Watching our grandchildren cavorting about in the swimming pool or ocean, reminds me how from an early age, water has fascinated me. I was never happier than when I was paddling, fishing, rowing or sailing or just messing about in the water.

I have never been a strong swimmer, so usually keep a toe on the bottom to feel secure. One beautiful sunny day however, I was tempted way out of my depth and was so enjoying myself that I hadn't realised how cold I'd become. Hypothermia began to set in, strength was draining from my limbs and I started to lose consciousness. I felt I was going to drown, so in desperation I called out to God. To this day I can't explain how it happened, but as I surrendered I was somehow carried back to the shore by the currents. He loved me too much to let me drown.

In Ezekiel chapter 47 we hear of the River of Life, the abundant life and blessings that flow from Jesus. In verse 6 we are asked to note and seemingly ponder on what we have been shown, so I offer my considerations:

Shallow water: When we first start to respond to hearing the Gospel we may stick a tentative toe in the water, before making up our mind to enter with both feet. This is the start of a life-changing love relationship, with much splashing around in the shallows, revelling in the delight of belonging to Jesus. It's also a time to drink in the living water of His Word.

Deeper water: Eventually the honeymoon begins to fade. We may try to relive or revive the experience or seek fulfilment in some activity, but it doesn't satisfy the longing for more. God does not force us out of the shallows, but as He sees the desire in our hearts He draws us and beckons us to go deeper. As we respond and move deeper, we are challenged, but also thrilled at the answers we receive from our prayers and so move into a closer walk with God.

Out of our depth: Sooner or later we may find ourselves in a situation where we are completely out of our depth. Perhaps because we have stepped out in faith on some project or because God has allowed circumstances that are beyond our control. Either way we come to en end of our human resources, where we either sink or swim. This can be terrifying, but as we surrender to God we experience absolute succour. This is where He wants us, totally immersed in His love and dependant upon him.

Let's get into the flow for the abundant life.

"- and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. He asked me, "Son of man, do you see this?" Ezekiel 47 but especially verses 3-6 New International Version

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More Risky Living

In talking with my wife as we started the day together, we debated whether we were afraid of taking risks. Not that the last few years have been easy, far from it. At times it's been real hard and seemingly risky, like living on the edge. We can look back and see how far we have come, but we don't want to get stuck in a rut.

Each time we have stepped out in faith on something God has put on our hearts, we have been amazed at God's provision. Things that have seemed downright impossible have all worked out. It felt like His angels had gone before and prepared the way and removed all the obstacles as we moved forward.

But that was yesterday. God is always moving on to a new thing and if we want God's best for us we have to move with Him! There's a great deal more that I am longing for, desires that I believe God has planted. But moving out on those could be risky. If you are like me you want to have things planned with God's provision in place before you launch out from your position of comfort. But it doesn't work like that. We have to step out first, then God moves in with his provision. Sometimes it feels like stepping into the unknown, without a full map of where we are going - scary! God does things differently to us and it's difficult to understand some times, so we have to stick close to Him and trust.

But where's the risk, when God will move heaven and earth with all His mighty power to make His will happen for us. Nothing and nobody can stand in His way. Yes, there will be many twists and turns on the journey and it will feel scary at times, but that's the excitement of the adventure.

We know we can trust Him - exercising our faith is life itself - so what are we waiting for?

"I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron." Isaiah 45:2 New International Version

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The Sword

I love watching those very old swashbuckling movies, that always end in a sword-flashing duel. The action keeps me on the edge of my seat as the dashing hero and villain chase each other, leaping from balconies, swinging from chandeliers and crashing through windows. You wonder who will win, but always the villain finally gets his come-uppance, ending up on his knees with the hero's sword pointing at his heart. He's given the choice; death or surrender and meet the consequences.

It reminds me how it is with the Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God.

A couple of years ago my wife and I attended a retreat which involved a long tiring journey from home. I was expectant, but after a teaching session on the first morning, I felt very drowsy and snuggled down in my comfy armchair. It had been decided to slip in an extra unplanned talk before lunch.

Hoping I wouldn't be noticed, I half closed my eyes, but kept an ear cocked just in case there was something for me. The talk drifted over me until suddenly I was alert and wide awake. The speaker referred to something from scripture in a way I hadn't heard before. Startled, I asked her to repeat it and explain. Something stirred within. It felt like God's spotlight was on me and was revealing where I was not. A period of painful soul searching and repentance followed, but eventually resulted in healing and freedom and a new moving forward with God. It was exactly what I needed.

Then there have been those countless times when I've found myself in difficult or seemingly impossible circumstances. Each time I reached out to Father in my desperate need and His answer came with a Word dropped into my mind. His Word that brought light into the darkness, fresh understanding and destroyed the doubts and fears knocking at my door.

The Word of God brings truth and life into every situation. Falsehood and evil cannot stand against it. It is God's gift to us, a very powerful and life-giving weapon.

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 New International Version

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Living your Dream

"To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of:" Ephesians 3:20 Good News Bible

"... because God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey his own purpose." Philippians 2:13 Good News Bible

We have just returned from a short break in the countryside, a delayed birthday treat. Because my wife has a disability and my energy is limited, we had to lean heavily on God for his enabling. We saw it as an adventure. He didn't disappoint us, as we were blessed on every turn, far more than we could have imagined. Also, being relaxed and away from routine, we were particularly open to what God might show us.

I found a children's book on the hotel bookshelves. It was a fascinating story about a family who had an unfulfilled dream. The loss of the father's job acted as a catalyst for their decision to buy a boat and sail around the world. They embarked on an adventure into the unknown, that was to change their lives for ever.

It really spoke to me and touched in on my own sense of adventure. I want to be open to all the opportunities God puts my way and saw this as a prompt from God, to check things out with Him.

These are my thoughts today:

As Christians, we say that all we want is to do God's will, but surely we need to discover what that means for us. He wants us to get in touch with our own hearts and discover our desires, the longings he has put there.

We could start by asking ourselves: "What do I really want to do or be, more than anything else in the whole world? What do I have a passion for?" The answer may link to yearnings that have been hidden away since childhood and stifled by life's pressures and burdens.

Moving out on a dream, going for 'gold,' may be risky, but if God put the desires there, He will provide all that is necessary for them to come about. It may be a choice of staying in a comfortable rut or living life to the full. There may be a time of waiting patiently upon God, until the time comes to make the first step. That takes courage, but even that comes from Him.

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