Back to Basics (Hebrews - Day 13)

Elijah (my son) is 20 months old today! Happy whateveritis!!

He is currently learning new words - and each newly mastered word makes Jen and me squeal with delight as we praise his development.

We won't be so excited if he's still saying "STAR!" on repeat in two year's time. By then I would expect him to have an actual conversation with me...indeed, by the time he's four I would like to think he'll even know the letters that make up the words that he says...his ABC.

In today's passage, Hebrews 5:11-14 we are told that the recipients of the letter, the Hebrews, need to go back to "basic principles"...their ABC.

Imagine that...you've been a Christian for a number of years and someone who you respect turns round and says, "...it's like you've not even learnt how to talk...and you should be teaching others by now". Brutal. Harsh. Honest.

Today's passage is very blunt: there are basics we come to learn about the faith (tomorrow's passage will reveal what these are), and then we move on. Furthermore, once you've mastered the basics teach someone else. This is a simple principle most teachers learn - if you want to learn something: teach someone about it.

I find this incredibly helpful in my witness. When I got asked about Ascension Day, of which I knew relatively little, I committed to going away, reading up, and then trying to 'teach' someone else what I'd learnt. You should try it!

When I talk to people about the cell group I facilitate, it's helpful to divide the group into two...into those who are still infants in the faith (not infantile...I stress!!), as opposed to those who are mature in the faith. Typically, you would expect a mature Christian to be one who has walked with Jesus for a long time - typically, in our cell, from birth. But that's not always the case - some new Christians quickly move to maturity. And this passage explains how.

A mature Christian is one who:
- Has understanding of the basics (again see tomorrow for a definition)
- Teaches others the ABC
- Has skill when dealing with the 'Word of Righteousness' (The Bible), and
- Is able to distinguish between good and evil

This is such a challenge!

Surely the writer is expecting too much?!?

But as ever I don't think this is beyond us. In a sense this simply points to the two elements of our daily walk: the Spirit and the Word.

We HAVE to learn to know, read and study God's word, to listen to sermons, to let the "oracles of God" seep into our thinking. God's word doesn't answer every situation, but it certainly directs my path, and sets before me examples of Holy living that inspire and encourage. (I want to, once again, remind people of the helpful pneumonic I use when studying the Bible: ASPECT. I'll blog about it here. In that approach we are encouraged under letter E, to think about the example in each passage...what can we learn from others). Most chiefly the Bible points us to Jesus!

- Have you stopped and read God's word today - for yourself - even for a few minutes?

- Do you need help learning how to read the Bible? ASK SOMEONE...please!

And then there's the Spirit, which is given to every believer. The Spirit comes into our heart and transforms us. In relation to mature Christians the Spirit gives us the strength to resist temptation, and the awareness to notice when sin is creeping up on us. The Spirit also inspires us when we talk to others. When we 'teach' others we shouldn't think of a teacher in front of a class of unruly teenagers, no! When you think of teaching someone think of how you might show someone how to bake, or sew, or play piano, or better yet...think of the baby you are encouraging to speak!

How many times do we go, "Say...Daddy.....go on.....say 'Daddy'..." etc

We devote time and effort into one person, simply helping them master a task.

- Are you aware that the Spirit is in you - guiding, leading and inspiring you today?

- Who might God be setting before you to whom you can teach the ABCs of the faith?


I encourage you today to commit your life with God to one where you won't ever have someone say to you..."you need to go back to Basics!"

Obedience to God's will

I like it when God speaks very clearly to you in the Bible. Today feels like one of those days.

The three passages for morning prayer today were Psalm 77, Jeremiah 43, and Mark 3:19b-end.
The final passage ends with Jesus stating, "Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother" (Mark 3:35). Knowing God's will can sometimes prove tricky - we pray and seek guidance, hoping that He will make plain his path for us.

However, I think we get rather hung up on the unknowns for shame of our disobedience in the knowns. We are all guilty, me especially, of simply not doing what I know I should.

Jeremiah was faced with a similar situation. The remnant of the people of Judah had watched their puppet king/governor, Gedaliah, assassinated. (I want to write more about the brilliant drama from Jeremiah 35-45 in a later blog) In response to the assassination the ring-leaders of the insurrection come to Jeremiah and ask him to seek God's will. However, they had already decided what God's will should be for them. The Babylonians were bad, and posed an ongoing threat to those who remained in Judah. There was the chance they might come back and take more people away. Therefore, what was more obvious than the need to retreat to Egypt? It makes perfect sense.

"No!" - says Jeremiah. God asked the people to simply stay put, live in the land (Jer 42).

But this is not good enough - say the people. Indeed, they accuse Jeremiah of lying - of inventing the prophecy, which is rank lunacy when you consider how spot on Jeremiah had been up until then.

But isn't this so often the case. We hear the command - we fail to act. And the failure is so often because we don't like the command - it doesn't fit in with our agenda, or our understanding of the situation. It isn't, as we like to think, that we don't know God's will; we do know it, but fail to walk according to it.

I am so often amazed that I behave in this way. And as I read the Psalm this morning I saw a way out of this pitfall:

"I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.
You kept my eyes from closing;
I was too troubled to speak.
I thought about the former days,
the years of long ago;
I remembered my songs in the night.
My heart meditated" (Psalm 77:3-6, TNIV)

Four simply words that we can use to help us discern, and (more importantly) obey God's will. And in the main it involves remembering how he has acted in the past. When I'm asked for evidence of God I can point to the historical reliability of Scripture, but I also point to my personal, real experience of God's activity in my life.

So we firstly remember (v.3). We take time to make a record of our memories. I, for instance, keep a journal, that is a permanent reminder of all that I have done. The sins especially remind me of my need of God, but his faithfulness and the settled pattern of increased holiness is a precious reminder that God is with me. Each day I commit to setting down on paper what has happened to me, the highs and lows. I think it is also important to 'count our blessings' to simply list and number the myriad ways God provides for us: homes, cars, clothes, food, sometimes good food, health, the NHS, education, free schooling, friends, family, husbands, wives, children, brothers and sisters, Doctor Who (LOL), cinema, music, ale, curries, etc, etc...on it goes. When we enter into worship we should always take with us the profound sense that God is for us; not against us.

Next we meditate. Both on God's word, but also our daily lives. I'm not very good at meditating on Scripture, and I think I need to work on it. However, just lately I've found myself writing my diary with greater purpose. I want to see past the facts and try to see what was going on in my heart and soul when I said this, or did that: meditating on life, if you will. And what I find is that God is constantly at work around me. I have found, for instance, that stopping to record what my wife said to me, and reading more closely into the feeling and emotion that surrounded what she said, can lead to some fairly straightforward insight into how my behaviour has affected her. As a result I can ask God, by His Spirit, to heal, to forgive, to guide, and especially strengthen me to remedy bad behaviours. I also see missed opportunities when I meditate - the person I should have simply chatted with to dispel feelings of sadness and loneliness; the new acquaintance who would have welcomed a discussion about God; the neighbour who needs me to be more supportive...on it goes...

Next we call to mind (the RSV uses this phrase in place of the second remember). This implies something more interogative, which for me means re-remembering. I forget LOADS from my recent past. So as well as writing a diary, I need to re-read it, going back years, months, and even days, as a reminder of how I need God and what I need prayer for. My wife is astonished I remember so little of my past, so I need to do this. Now I'm not advocating a navel-gazing introspection that immobilises us. Introspection of this sought drives us into prayer and praise. We also - I think - become more confident in accepting God's will when we see how our lives are shaped when we do or don't.

Finally, I ponder...which reminds me of the hymn lyric, "ponder anew, what the Almighty can do" (from Praise to the Lord, the Almighty). And I think this is about turning our mind to the challenges that face us now. What can we learn of God's previous faithfulness that might inspire greater trust and confidence in his future activity - even when the way seems dim, or dangerous. We also have to ask ourselves - are there any areas of my life where I am knowingly disobeying God - either his revealed will and purpose for my life, or His Word? If there are then we should apply to our resistence to His will our knowledge of all he has done, not least the work of Jesus on the cross, who presents to us, the perfect example of obedience.

Wise and cheerful Hugh

Today is the lesser festival of the intriguing character, Hugh of Lincoln.

There are two excellent (and brief) entries on Hugh on wikipedia and britannia biographies, which shed some light on his story and personality.
One particular excerpt jumped out at me:

"As a bishop he was exemplary, constantly in residence or travelling within his
diocese, generous with his charity, scrupulous in the appointments he made. He raised the quality of education at the cathedral school. Hugh was also prominent in trying to protect the Jews, great numbers of whom lived in Lincoln, in the persecution they suffered at the beginning of Richard I's reign, and he put down popular violence against them in several places."

The articles also alude to his diplomatic tact, allied to his gentle humour, which enabled him to have a close relationship with the English monarch. Indeed, at one point he is recorded to have playfully shook Richard I to thaw a bad temper. With the best will in the world, deference and decorum make me surmise our own archbishop is unlikely to have a similar relationship with our monarch! Hugh is also portrayed as a caring bishop who tended to the young, the sick and the old (and the dead!). He had a fierce sense of justice, which impelled him to risk his own life in the defence of Jews.

Today's readings are supplemented with 1 Timothy 6:11-16, in which Paul adjures Timothy to pursue: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Godliness, God-like-ness, might also be rendered Christ-like-ness. In Christ we are made holy and righteous, and we are to daily pursue this, knowing the condition of our hearts. But we move on from this to our lifestyle and our attitudes. Christ came to serve. I too am called to a life of service - to the rich, the poor, the sick, the imprisoned.

In Hugh we see practical examples of what this might still look like for us. Hugh saw himself as a servant of God's people - not as their Lord. There is, indeed, only one Lord. And Hugh's life points to Jesus: his servant heart. Can I claim similar?
- He honoured his appointments. Do I?
- He gave generously. Do I?
- He cared for the sick. Do I?
- He acted justly. Do I?
- He defended the persecuted. Do I?
- He visited his brethren. Do I?
- He chapioned education. Do I?
- He even laboured in the building of Lincoln Cathedral. Do I labour on God's church, seeking to leave a legacy while also offering worship?
- He was tactful and diplomatic. Am I?
- He was good humoured. Am I?

This day I am grateful for the collect for Hugh, which speaks of Hugh's "wise and cheerful boldness".

May we seek and be granted grace to live like this, day by day.

Journaling

I have been keeping a journal for many years, since I was about 14 years old. It has formed an invaluable place to record events in my life, record my feelings, and reflect on where I'm at. One thing I'm mindful of at present, is the general lack of spiritual content.

At the same time, I have received very little actual advice on how to journal.

To that end I've searched a little online and found a good rubric - SOAP - which has immediately helped me recognise how I should journal as a Christian. In part it is about recording what God has been saying to me, specifically in scripture, but I wonder also the degree to which I should be attentive to the changes in behaviour. Like observational scientists, sometimes it is true that a person who doesn't see themself and especially those 'sin triggers', they are more likely to repeat.

As I step forward with my journaling, I also recognise that there is an inevitable time commitment to recording more than just facts!

Prayer:
Father, I ask that you would help me learn to journal with more of an eye for what you are syaing, what you are doing, and what I am being called to do in service of you and others. I ask that as I journal you would stir me to action, walking each day with a deeper sense of my discipleship. Let me in all things attend to your voice, and may my childlike devotion be pleasing to You, my Lord, My Father, My God. Amen.

Streams of Living Water

Have finally picked up 'Streams of Living Water' by Richard Foster today - a steal from church for 50p. Am delighted to have the chance to read it.

Already I've been challenged.

To what extent, day by day, do I allow my reading and meditation of Jesus' life in the gospels to affect my day-to-day walk:

"We are, to be sure, reconciled to God by Jesus' death, but even more [!], we are 'saved' by his life (Rom. 5:10) - saved in the sense of entering into his eternal kind of life, not just in some distant heaven but right now in the midst of our broken and sorrowful world." [italics original] (Foster 1998, p.3)

One of the formation questions Foster suggests we use is about our encountering Jesus in scripture. I have often thought on the simple song "all of the Bible has Jesus in it" as the framework for this question, but perhaps I am too naive and slow-to-learn to commence answering this question - or seeking to find an answer - without first learning to place a premium on time spent reading the gospels to see what Jesus was like and how I can imitate his life to find freedom in my own. I love this idea that in imitation I can be 'saved' in this life - reminds me of Psalm 103.

As I continue to read this book, I will devote more time to the Lectionary readings that place me in the gospels. And I will ask - how should I shape my life to better imitate Jesus.

REFERENCES
Foster, R. (1998) Streams of Living Water. London: Harper Collins

The presence of the Holy Spirit

This morning's readings continue in Luke (which we'll now continue with until 31 July when we reach the end of chapter 24), but repeats the passage we covered at the annunication.

Yesterday I met with two brothers to pray and used five formation questions taken from Richard Foster's book 'Prayer', which in turn he has taken from Wesley as a means of promoting vital growth. The purpose of the meeting was just this - to promote vital growth.

One of the questions is - What movements of the Holy Spirit have I experienced?

I must confess to finding this a difficult question to answer. Not least because on a day-to-day basis I do not find myself either trusting God for present empowering, but also I do not exercise the spiritual gifts God has given me.

It is interesting that Gabriel informs Mary that "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you" (Luke 1:35). It is the Spirit who will cause Mary to conceive - it is not just that the Spirit will rest on Jesus (thus making Him holy), but that Mary herself will require the empowering presence of God to help knit together this child. The word 'overshadow' has negative connotations. I think of how one might refer to a good performance being overshadowed by either a better performance, or a bad situation.

However, here the idea that Mary's efforts will be overshadowed by God's efforts are cause for celebration.

And yet in my life, day-by-day I cannot say that I am overshadowed by God's presence?

When I think about all that I'm called to do each day, the people I need to serve, the prayers that need praying, the temptations to face, and the raw physical energy demanded - how do I ever think I can continue in my own strength? Why do I not actively seek movements of the Spirit?