Dr J P Hunter’s third Meditation on Faith in time of Crisis

Artwork “More than Conquers” by Rev’d Paul Collings

Job 6: 1-3 Then Job replied: “If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales! It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—

Short mediation: 

Our tendency, like Job’s, is to cry out when the going gets tough.

To trust God in good times is commendable, but to trust him during difficult times tests us and our faith to their limits. In our struggles, trust that God is in control and that he will take care of you, in all things. The next short Bible verse supports that.  

Romans 8: 28 More than conquerors.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose.

God works “in all things” for our good. This does not mean that all that happens to us is easy or good. It means that God is able and willing to turn every circumstance around for our long term good. This promise is not for everybody, it can be claimed by those who are called to his purpose, who have faith in God and do love Him. Therefore, trust in Him.

Songs of Fellowship 41 – Anonymous.

Be still and know that I am God

Be still and know that I am God,

Be still and know that I am God.

I am the Lord that health thee,

I am the Lord that health thee,

I am the Lord that health thee.

In thee, O Lord do I put my trust,

In thee, O Lord do I put my trust,

In thee, O Lord do I put my trust.

Symbols of The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Day 6

Artwork and Verse by Rev’d Paul Collings

The Paschal Candle

Jesus, Lord of yesterday and today, you are my beginning and my end, the Alpha and Omega. To you be glory and honour for ever. May the light of your rising, dispel the darkness my heart and mind this day. Amen

Sacred flame of Easter Glory

Light the darkness of each heart.

Burn afresh, inspire and cleanse us

Resurrection life impart.

Alpha beacon of the morning

Omega lantern of the night

Shine just now, life giving Jesus

End our darkness, dawn new light.

Light the path you would us journey,

Beam your guidance, show us where

We can see your risen presence

And in seeing, meet you there.

Set our lives aflame, burn in us

Light heart’s kindling with your glow

Of that glorious Easter rising

And your risen presence know.

The Easter Lily

Symbols of The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Day 5

Artwork and Verse by Rev’d Paul Collings

Lord, as you blossomed like the Lily and provided dew to refresh the earth, so revive the garden of my heart that I may see the beauty of your rising and live for ever in your presence. Amen (Based upon Hosea 14:5 )

In the beauty of the lilies, 

so the battle hymn relates,

That the risen Christ brings glory

Resurrected life to take.

How He died to make us holy, 

That he lives to set us free

By this glorious Easter Morning

Renewing life, he intercedes.

As the pure white of the lily

Blooms, its grandeur here to share,

So may life in all its fulness

Its own beauty in us bear.

Lord, you say “My peace be with you,

Trouble not your weary hearts.

Remain here, keep on praying,

Wait ‘til Spirit’s power imparts.”

For the coming of your Spirit

Pentecostal fire, new start

For the words to speak, to utter

Through each other’s tongues impart.

Lord we ask now for your blessing

For your gift of power we ask

For a purity of living

Make us ready for the task.

Empty Cross

Symbols of The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Day 4

Artwork and Verse by Rev’d Paul Collings

O Saviour of the World, 

by your cross and precious blood you have redeemed us.

Save us and help us, we humbly beseech you, O Lord.

A crucifix, an empty cross

Are both a sign of God’s good grace.

Each speaks of the unfolding plan,

A rainbow love for us to trace

How God in Christ makes all things new

Restores, redeems the human race.

One speaks of love’s amazing grace

And how death  conquers to redeem.

The other tells of life for all

Of fulness, joy, eternal theme.

Each stands as one to witness here

How for our sake love rules supreme.

 

Symbols of The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Day 3

Artwork and Verse by Rev’d Paul Collings

Angus Dei*

Lamb of God, so true so pure,

You take away the sin and cure

The world of all its sins, so pray,

have mercy, Lord, and with us stay.

Lamb of God, divine Dear Son,

You take away the sin, atone

For all the world, we deeply pray

have mercy, Lord, and with us stay.

Lamb of God, who with us lives,

You take away the sin, forgive

The world of all its sins - we pray

have mercy, Lord, and with us stay.

*Agnus Dei, is Latin, and in English means Lamb of God, a title given to Jesus and used for centuries in Christian worship. It is based on the saying of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). This in turn forms part of many liturgies: “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us! Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us! Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace!” It comes between the Lord’s Prayer  and the Communion and sounds the themes of sacrifice and of adoration. As such it unites the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross as the Lamb of God and calls to mind the sacrifice of the lamb in the seen within the Old Testament. But perhaps of great consolation is the reminder that Christ’s sacrifice culminates in peace; his peace.

Symbols of The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus - Day 2 

King of the Jews  

King of the Jews that’s what they said

Written above his sacred head

Meant to defame to cause him shame

This lowly prince of peace who came, 

Came as a servant suffering

To reign as love’s blessed Royal King.

And as I gaze upon the cross 

Earth’s roughest throne - made at what cost?

I see a beauty, strange to tell

Of grace beyond all parallels 

O Lord of Lords, King of all Kings, 

 To your cross, I simply cling?

This cruciform, this gibbet rare,

This torturous implement that dares

To take a life so freely given,

Now blessed through death, and speaks of heaven?

Hold now the cross before my eyes

I see my Saviour for me dies.

Lord, when with cross I make the sign

I see again your death and mine

To all that would your will frustrate

And for my resurrection wait.

Redeeming one, call me apart,

Create a throne within my heart.

Today we start the third in our series of Easter Reflections

Symbols of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection

Cruel Nails and Crown of Thorns

Nails so cruel and thorny crown

Are the marks of his renown

Majesty, ne’er was there shown

As our death he dies, alone.

Those implements of death define

Our sin, the sentence and the crime

Not of this innocence divine

Who out of love hangs here for mine.

Lord of the cross and thorny crown

Your nail pierced hands, stretched to atone

Call me to take my cross and own

Your way to follow, yours alone.

I ask for strength your way to take

And if I falter or forsake,

Lord, touch my soul, me re-awake

And guide the journey I must make.

Artwork and Verse by Rev’d Paul Collings

Today’s Meditation comes for Dr J P Hunter

Present Weakness and Resurrection Life

2 Corinthians 4:7-9 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Meditation

Though we are weak, God uses us to spread his Good News and he gives us the power to do his work. Knowing that the power is his, not ours, motivates us to keep daily in contact with God, our power source. That knowledge carries the responsibility to let other people see God through us.

Paul had faced sufferings, trials and distress as he preached the Good News. But he knew that they would one day be over and he would receive God’s rest. As we face great troubles, it is easy to focus on the sorrow and pain rather than on our ultimate goal. 

No matter what happens to us, we have the hope and assurance of eternal life when all suffering will end and all sorrow fall away.

SINGING THE FAITH 642

When I’m feeling down and sad,

nothing much to make me glad,

help me to remember,

you are there for me.

When things seem so different, and

very hard to understand,

help me to remember, 

you are close to me.

When I’m crying deep inside,

harder than I’ve ever cried,

help me to remember,

you are loving me.

Glory to you, O Christ:
by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Jesus appears to Saul of Tarsus – 

The one who became Apostle to the nations

Risen Lord, though we have fled from you a hundred times and caused pain to those who love you – lead us into the city where we will find you and open our eyes to the glory of your presence.

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

1 Another road of heart break see

A man intent on bringing hell

Into the lives of Jesus folk.

This Saul of Tarsus, who can tell

What’s in his heart, what moves him so

With cruel vindictive hate to crow.

2 Intent on hate he stumbles falls

And light so forceful to him calls

 Yet in his blindness, hears quite clear.

‘Why me, you persecute, why jeer

With voice outspoken, why you sneer

And want me silenced - do you fear.”

3 “Who are you, Lord,” Saul questions why

“The one you torture Jesus Christ.

Go to the town, get up arise

And there await, the reason why.

You will be told what you should do

Rise up I tell you, walk, now go.”

4 The men with Saul amazed guide him

To city street and three days dim,

No sight of eye nor light of day

Brings him relief or sunshine’s ray.

Yet in that darkness comes new sight

Far brighter than the brightest light.

5 Lord in my darkness, may I see

The blessing of your royal decree

Of dying, death and resurrection 

Of Easter glory’s sweet reflection.

Lord, when I fall help me to know

And show the way that I should go.

Jesus appears to James, his brother – 

The one who witnessed with his death

Glory to you, O Christ:

by your death you have destroyed death and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Risen Lord, though we are surrounded by testimonies to your love both in life and in death - help us when it is hard to witness within our families and when it is difficult to speak about you in our communities.

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

A brother’s love, a kinship shared.

From childhood into older years

Leaves its own mark upon the heart

Surpassing trivial frets the fears.

Such tenderness and kindness trace

A deeper sense of lasting grace.

And so to sibling James appears

His brother Christ, so loved, so dear.

And from that moment here we find

Servant of Christ, of selfless kind.

Glory to you, O Christ:
by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Jesus appears to the Seven by the Lake – 

The ones who had caught nothing

Risen Lord, though we long to be labourers in your harvest and partners in your mission - reveal to us the strategies of your kingdom and the accents of your love.

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

1 We fished all night, and nothing caught;

Relentless toil, with nothing brought

Into our boat upon the sea

Not one mere morsel, payment, fee.

2 Then on the distant shore we saw

A mystery, a shape, a lure

Of one who called for us to cast

Our nets and pull to shore and moor.

3 Our rope did strain, our nets did bulge

With gunnels topped we gapped amazed.

Then Peter, with a shout did yell,

It is the Lord, praise him he’s raised.

4 So shoreward bound we made our way

And found a charcoal fire ablaze.

There with the master we  partook

And ate a heart felt meal with praise.

5 Lord, at each meal each table spread

May I your living presence know; 

And in the joy of being fed

See love and mercy over flow.

Glory to you, O Christ:
by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Jesus appears to Thomas the Twin a week later 

The one who needed proof

Risen Lord, though you reveal yourself in the lives others, we long for you to reveal yourself just as truly to us, that we too may share the good news of your living presence.

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

1 I am he, I’m the doubter, 

the one wanting proof

Of what they had told me

I need truth foolproof.

2 I can not believe it,

I cannot conceive,

How Jesus of Nazareth

Dead! Oh how I grieve.

3 Until I see clearly 

The marks in his side

Where cruel armed soldiers

Made sure he had died.

4 Unless I can touch him

The scared wounds to press

With my hands; what anger

I feel, nothing less. 

5 “Oh Thomas my peace know,

Come, here is my side

Reach out, come and touch me

Don’t doubt nor truth hide.

6 Believe now through seeing

Bless those who abide

Who haven’t yet seen me

Without sight to guide.”

7 “My Lord and my Master,

My God” I replied

His peace fills my being

All doubts thrown aside.”

Glory to you, O Christ:

by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Jesus appears to the Two on the Road to Emmaus 

 The ones whose eyes were opened 

Risen Lord, though we have listened to the stories of your resurrection many times - walk with us on our journey and reveal yourself afresh in the fellowship of word and table.

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

1 The Highway of heartbreak 

The dirt track of doubt

The weight of each foot step

What is this about?

2 We’d followed the master

Hung on each sweet word

And now its disaster,

“Yet haven’t you heard?”

3 We’re joined by a stranger

Who seemed not to know

Of all that had happened

How we’d been brought low.

4 With wisdom relating

The stranger foretold

Of scriptures revealing

Of truths deep rich gold.

5 Our journey now over

Had come to an end.

The stranger made ready

His own way to wend.

6 We pressed him to join us

Our table to share

A morsel of comfort

Some modest affair.

7 He took bread in blessing

Our hearts then did stir.

It’s him, our dear Master

Our eyes now unblurred.

8 With that he now left us

Our joy now complete

We couldn’t run faster

Disciples to greet.