Promises, promises

We complete this series of the Promises of God by turning to Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

In June of 2013 news broadcasts featured a little boy named Grayson Clamp doing something he had never done before. The three-year-old was born without the auditory nerves that carry sound to the brain. Attempts to restore his hearing with a cochlear implant were unsuccessful, so doctors at the University of North Carolina tried an experimental procedure to implant an auditory nerve directly into Grayson’s brain. This procedure proved successful, and millions of people enjoyed seeing the look of wonder and joy on the little boy’s face when he heard his father’s voice for the first time.

Today with the technology available communication is instant—but even then it is a delight to hear from a friend or family member who is far away. Just as we respond to those familiar voices with pleasure, God delights in hearing from His children.

Why do we pray? Certainly it is not to inform God of what we need. He already knows everything about our situation, and, far better than we could devise, He knows the answer that will be best for us. Prayer is meant in part to remind us of how dependent on God we truly are. But prayer is not just for our benefit. God enjoys hearing us pray! When we come to Him in faith and make our petitions before His throne of grace, His heart rejoices. He likes hearing our voices. Let us never go long without going to Him in prayer.

Dear Lord,
Forgive me for letting the noise of this world drown out your voice. I’ve felt distant from you, and I long to draw near to my Heavenly Father once again. I know you are here with me now as I pray. Help me sense your loving presence and listen as you speak.

In the busyness of daily life, I sometimes forget to stay connected to you through prayer. Help me align my heart with yours. I choose to find moments throughout my day to spend with you, listening to what you have to say. Help me tune into your voice above all else. Thank you for the peace that comes when I take the time to really listen. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Promises, promises

Matthew 28:20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

A man went out on a starry night and shook his fist at the heavens yelling, "Oh, God, what a lousy, rotten world you’ve made. I could have done much better." Then a voice boomed from the clouds saying, "That’s why I put you there. Get busy."

Count Zinzendorf, the founder of the Moravians, was converted in an art gallery in Dusseldorf while contemplating a painting of Christ on the cross which had the inscription, "I did this for thee. What hast thou done for me?" This picture had been painted by an artist three hundred years before.

When he had finished his first sketch of the face of the Redeemer, this artist called in his landlady’s little daughter and asked her who she thought it was. The girl looked at it and said, "It is a good man." The painter knew that he had failed.

He destroyed the first sketch and, after praying for greater skill, finished a second. Again he called the little girl in and asked her to tell him whom she thought the face represented. This time the girl said that she thought it looked like a great sufferer. Again the painter knew that he had failed, and again he destroyed the sketch he had made.

After meditation and prayer, he made a third sketch. When it was finished, he called the girl in a third time and asked her who it was. Looking at the portrait, the girl exclaimed, "It is the Lord!"

John Wesley was surrounded with his closest friends when he was on his deathbed. He called his friends close to him as he breathed his last words. His final words were “Best of all, God is with us.”

Dear Lord, 
Thank you for being with me in every moment of my life. Thank you that I never have to be alone because You, God love me so much that you are here with me always. May each moment of my day be filled with that life-strengthening truth. I love you, Lord. 
In your name, I pray, Amen

Promises, promises

John 15:5 Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

The Great Vine, of Hampton Court known as Black Hamburg, is now 250 years old and is the largest grape vine in the world. It was planted in 1768 while Lancelot 'Capability' Brown was in charge of the the palace gardens. Lancelot 'Capability' Brown directed the planting of the Great Vine from a cutting taken at Valentines Mansion in Essex.

In 1887 it was already 1.2 metres  around the base and It is now over four metres  around the base and the longest branch measuring 36.5 metres. The average crop of black dessert grapes is about 272 kilograms, however in the autumn of 2001 it was 383 kilograms, the best crop ever. The grapes are ripe after August Bank Holiday and are sold during the first three weeks of September in the palace shop. Although some of the branches are 120 feet from the main root, they still produce fruit.

What  a lovely image Jesus shares. Jesus as the vine, me we as the branches filled with life-giving  sap, stretching along the trelliswork, linking with other branches, drawing nourishment from the sun into my leaves, till we are heavy with sweet purple grapes. When we see the fruit, we may be tempted to imagine we did this by ourselves. If in our encounters with others we bring just ourselves and our own ego, the harvest will be a paltry affair. When we bring Jesus, we bring life. 

The fruits of our Christian life are the work of God. Each of us can see the life and work of God in others - in ministry, in love, in commitment, courage, endurance, and ordinary daily kindness and compassion. Each of us, too, is gifted in some unique way. We can bear fruit for God in a way nobody else can. The tone of the gospel is different in everyone who spreads it. Prayer helps us recognise the fruits, develop them and offer them in the service of God and God's people.

Lord, we would grow with you

New shoots reaching out

Hands stretched upward

Like leaves newly formed 

Soaking up your light and warmth

Lord, we would grow with you

Lord, we would grow with you

In sunshine and rain

In darkness and light

In cold days and summer days

From Springtime to Winter

Lord, we would grow with you

Lord, we would grow with you

And bring forth fruit

That is pleasing to you

Fed by your living water 

Giving sustenance to others

Lord, we would grow with you. Amen

Promises, promises

28/8
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

We have all heard the phrase, “living live to the full”; but so often such a life seems to allude so many of us.

This lovely phrase, found only in John's gospel, that Jesus 'has come so that we might have life and have it to the full', is very attractive. We have here a picture of total freedom, together with total security; really, a New Testament version of Psalm 23, where the sheep wants for absolutely nothing, and who is followed, for its whole life, by goodness and mercy.

Too often people think about their “spiritual lives” as just one more aspect of their existence, alongside and largely separate from their “financial lives” or their “vocational lives.”  Periodically they may try to “get their spiritual lives together” by praying more regularly or trying to master another spiritual discipline.  It is the religious equivalent of going on a diet or trying to stick to a budget.

The truth is that the term spiritual life is simply a way of referring to one’s life – every moment and facet of it – from God’s perspective.  Another way of saying it is this: God is not interested in your “spiritual life.”  God is just interested in your life.  He intends to redeem it.

Jesus talks a lot about giving life and about the fullness of life. It's not just for hereafter. Eternal life is our faith in him, and in his word. His call is to be life-givers - to facilitate the full life of compassion, justice, reconciliation and peace. We are called to be ministers of life, serving the God who loves all life.

Merciful God, 

who is more than we can ever imagine, 

give us a wider vision of the world; 

give us a broader view of justice; 

give us dreams of peace 

that are not defined by boundaries of geography

or race or religion, 

or by the limitations of worldly structures and systems. 

Open our eyes and our ears

that wherever we go, 

we may hear your voice calling us by name; 

calling us to serve, 

calling us to share, 

calling us to praise, 

so that we never give up on the promise of your kingdom, 

where the world is transformed, 

and all can enjoy life in all its fullness. 

Amen.

Promises, promises

26/8

John 14:15-16 “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth.” 

Again today Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit, whom he calls the Spirit of Truth. This is the Spirit who reveals to me the truth of who I am - a child of God within whom God lives. I hold within myself a spark of the Divine! I sit quietly with this thought in the presence of God.

Jesus is aware that the imminent loss of his physical presence will be a big blow for his disciples. He reassures them “‘I will not leave you orphaned”. The loss of his physical presence will be made up to them by the sending of the Holy Spirit, who will be with them permanently. In our changing and increasingly secularised society, one can easily feel a sense of loss and abandonment, but the Holy Spirit continues to guide and inspire us into new and creative forms of communicating the Good News in ways that are relevant to today’s world.

What this verse tells me is that I do not need to rely on my own resources but turn to God who promises to help me, ready to send the Holy Spirit. To be open to the spirit, I must quieten first my body, then my heart. In this time of quiet God teaches me to see my world differently; I don’t act in it alone but am accompanied by God’s ever-present Spirit. 

The great 19th century British preacher, Charles Spurgeon, made a wonderful analogy about the Holy Spirit’s role in leading us into God’s truth:

"Truth may be compared to a cave or grotto, with wondrous stalactites reaching from the roof, and others reaching from the floor, a cavern glittering with spar and abounding in marvels. Before entering the cavern you enquire for a guide, who comes with his lighted torch. He conducts you down to a considerable depth, and you find yourself in the midst of the cave. He leads you through different chambers. Here he points you to a little stream rushing from amid the rocks and indicates its rise and progress. There he points to some peculiar rock and tells you its name, then takes you into a large natural hall, tells you how many persons once feasted in it, and so on.

"Truth is a grand series of caverns, it is our glory to have so great and wise a conductor as the Holy Spirit. Imagine that we are coming to the darkness of it. He is a light shining in the midst of us to guide us. And by the light he shows us wonderful things. He teaches us by suggestion, direction, and illumination."

I wonder how does this knowledge make me feel about yourself? How does it affect your relationships – because within everyone is that same spark of the Divine. How does it affect your relationship with God?

Gracious God, from love we are made and to love we shall return. May our love for one another kindle flames of joy and hope. May the light and warmth of your grace inspire us to follow the Way of Jesus Christ, and serve you in your Kingdom, now and for ever.

Promises, promises

Another well worn teaching of Jesus that needs to be renewed in the disciples heart on mine is John 8:12 I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

On the first day of creation, God flooded the heavens and the earth with divine radiance by uttering the mighty words: “Let there be light”. No matter how dark things may seem, I remind myself that darkness can never overpower light.

This title, Light of the World, is one of the most well-known names for Christ. It’s an image associated with knowledge, truth, righteousness, hope, and life. As Isaiah prophesied, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned”

It has been said that “darkness is the absence of light.” Throughout Scripture, darkness and light are set apart as opposing forces—with darkness representing the forces of sin and evil, and light representing the love, righteousness, and faithfulness of God, revealed ultimately in Jesus Christ.

Think of some distinctive characteristics of light:

Light is silent. No noise, no big splash, no banners—light simply shines. It's like a single lighthouse along a dark, rugged shoreline. All it does is shine.

Light gives direction. No words, no sermon. Jesus says that others "see" a Christian's actions; He says nothing about nonbelievers "hearing" what a believer says.

Light attracts attention. You don't have to ask people to look at you when you turn on a light in a dark room. It happens automatically.

In order for the light of Christ to reach some dark corners of our world it will require us to reflect the light of Christ for in Matthews gospel Jesus also said, “you are the light of the world!”

We pray in the words of St Benedict: "O gracious and Holy Father, give us wisdom to perceive you, diligence to seek you, patience to wait for you, eyes to behold you, a heart to meditate upon you, and a life to proclaim you; through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Promises, promises

John 14:6 Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’

There is a story about a Fox boasting to a Cat about his clever tactics for escaping its enemies. "I have a whole bag of tricks," he said, "which contains a hundred different ways of escaping from my enemies."

"I have only one," said the Cat; "but I can generally manage with that."

Just at that moment they heard a pack of hounds coming towards them, and the Cat immediately scampered up a tree and hid herself in the branches. "This is my plan," said the Cat. "What are you going to do?"

The Fox thought first of one way and then of another. While he was debating and thinking which route to take, it was too late. Meanwhile the cat , who had been looking on, said, "Better one safe and sure way than a hundred on which you cannot reckon."

In one short sentence we have a summary of who Jesus is. He offers us a sure pathway to guide us. When the mist of uncertainties descend on us we can cling to his abiding presence.  We won’t be deceived by living by his teachings, however difficult they may seem, for He is the Truth. And although he asks us to deny ourselves, it is so that that in letting go of our self-centredness we will find life in its fullness.

Part of the problem of this teaching of Jesus is that the words have become almost too familiar and in our hearts and minds is has seemingly lost its impact in our hearts and minds.Following Jesus is a call to be in relationship. Jesus invites me into the very heart of life, the source of goodness; to be with him 'in the Father'.

We learn from the Gospels that it was the close relationship he had with his Father which led Jesus to behave in the ways that he did. The movement of God's spirit within me draws me into the life of Jesus and the Father. It takes a time to recognise and appreciate where God is working around us.

O Lord Jesus Christ,
you have said that you are the way, the truth, and the life.
Do not let us stray from you
who are the way,
nor to distrust you
who are the truth,
nor to rest in anything other than you,
who are the life.

Teach us by your Holy Spirit,
what to believe,
what to do,
and where to take our rest.

We ask it for your own name’s sake. Amen

Promises, promises

We continue by considering the Amazing things Jesus promised. During His time on earth, Jesus made many promises about the peace and hope He offers us. This collection of Jesus’ promises gives us great hope that He truly is the Saviour of the world.  Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

It seems almost counter cultural that something the restricts and is a tool of burden yoke should be used by Jesus as the means of bringing peace and comfort. 

These words of Jesus are in stark contrast to the scribes and Pharisees who laid heavy burdens on people by imposing on them the so-called 'traditions of the elders', rules and regulations not found in the Jewish Scriptures. Jesus scorned these 'traditions.' Instead he urged his followers to take his 'yoke' upon themselves. A yoke provided discipline and direction for an animal at ploughing time. Jesus' yoke is easy because what he teaches, no matter how challenging, gives meaning, direction and peace of soul to a person's life.

The yoke was a wooden frame used to harness together a pair of oxen at their necks so that they could pull a plough or some other load. It was a balancing device. Sometimes a younger ox needed to be taught to work and thus was paired with an animal of more experience. This beautifully illustrates our relationship with Christ. As we walk by his side, sharing the yoke and burden, the load does not disappear but is made lighter.

A preacher had finished his yoke sermon when a good man came to him and said "I wish I had known what you were going to preach about. I could have told you something."

"Well, my friend," the preacher said, "may I have it still?"

"Do you know why His yoke is light, sir?"

"Well, because the good Lord helps us to carry it, I suppose."

"No, sir," said said the man, shaking his head, "I think I know better than that. You see, when I was a boy at home, I used to drive the oxen, and the yoke was never made to balance as you said. Father's yokes were always made heavier on one side than the other. Then, you see, we would put a weak bullock in alongside a strong bullock; the light end would come on the weak ox, the heavier end on the stronger one. That's why the yoke is easy and the burden is light, because the Lord's yoke is made after the same pattern, and the heavy end is upon His shoulder."

You call it a yoke, Lord; and indeed it rests on my shoulders. 

Yet it fits me as though I was made for it. 

In times of weakness and hour of need,

yours is the strength by which we carry on,

the shoulder we rest our head upon.

When our load is heavy and too much to bear,

yours are the arms stretched out to help us

the grace that we depend on.

In times of weakness and hour of need,

your voice is heard,

‘Come… find rest.’

This is grace divine,

the path we tread to wholeness

of body and spirit,

the path that leads to you,

and for which we offer our offering of praise. Amen

Promises, promises

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

In the Old Testament there is part or a saying to Abram that speaks of being a blessed to be a blessing.

The Greek word Paul uses in this verse is autarkeia, which is found in classical Greek, meaning “independently wealthy, needing nothing.”

Not only is God more than able, He is willing to provide for us what we need in abundance. He is not the God of poverty or lack. He is not the God of just enough, He is the God of more than enough!

“May the God who is more than enough grant you mercy and favour.” Genesis 43:14

The truth is, God loves to take care of us, bless us and provide what we need. This is a truth we must allow to set in our hearts and permeate our minds. Instead of going through life passive with a half-hearted shrug of hope saying, “Hopefully God pulls through…” or “Hopefully God takes care of me…” we should lean into His promises and truly believe what it is that He says He will do!

When we choose to fully surrender to trusting in Him, it lifts our spirits, removes burdens, and causes us to rejoice in fresh faith birthed within us!

Allowing the truth of God’s promises and the truth of who He is to penetrate our hearts and minds will enable it to also go deep into the recesses of our souls.

We will be able to joyfully and effortlessly declare all He will do in faith-filled confidence! 

God promises to give us everything we need in our daily lives. What’s more, He also calls us to show that love and care to others. 

Transforming God,

we cannot sow our seed with clenched fists.

Help us to open our hands, to let go of grasping,

that we too may scatter with hope and generosity

our seeds of justice, peace and joy.

So may the fruits of our harvest

be for the sharing of the earth

and the blessing of your love.

Amen