40 day challenge day 38: Romans 12

I was reading some writing I had done a few years ago. I found a bit of writing about Romans 12. It is based on a particular verse that I found encouraging then, amd I still find encouraging now. I’ve been taught to read verses in context, so I looked up the test of the chapter too.

I found that the whole chapter was encouraging to me, speaking personally to my heart. If you have the time and the space, read through the whole chapter a couple of times, and then maybe focus in on a verse or two that is highlighted to you. Maybe God wants to encourage you or speak to you in some way, or maybe there’s something of a reminder there. I’ve found it’s a good way of spending time with God and ‘hearing’ from him. Sometimes a verse sticks out, sometimes a specific word. Sometimes none of it seems particularly relevant, but time with God is never wasted.

Just a quick paraphrase, Paul is talking about not conforming to the world and not comparing to others. We should see ourselves as we are, each with a part to play. And we should love one another, whether we agree with them or not. We should act out of kindness and fight evil with good. (Seriously, that doesn’t do proper justice to the beautiful message. Paul puts it much better than me, read Romans 12)

The verse that first hooked me, verse 12 is Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. There’s never a bad time for this verse. Hang in there, keep going, God hears you.

And then I got side-tracked by verse 2.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Sometimes, what is happening around us isn’t God’s will. Sometimes it’s bad choices from others. And we have a choice; either we conform and copy what we see and hear, or we choose to behave differently or speak out. And the more we focus on what God says and not what the world says, the more we will know what is closer to God’s will and be able to make good choices. A good place to start is with God’s commandments. The 2 most important (as told by Jesus) are to love God and love neighbour. That’s not always what the world says. That’s not always what world leaders show us. But it’s what God asks of us – to show love to the people around us, no questions asked. That means not acting on subconscious judgments, not joining in with gossip, but just offering that unconditional hand of friendship. Easier said than done!

But to bring it back to that first verse, the one that started this delve into the book of Romans, I don’t always understand what’s going on or why it is happening. But I do trust God. And so I will be joyful where I can as I keep the flame of hope alight. I will be patient and keep persevering. And I will keep praying. When I don’t have much else to offer, I can always pray.

40 day challenge day 37: You are not lame

One of the messages I am constantly trying to share with people is that they are fab. I have never met a person who was ‘lame’, although I have met some people who would call themselves that.

God never calls anyone lame. In the bible, Jesus goes out of his way to make people feel seen and loved, especially those who society tended to ignore. In different parts of the bible, we are called many things – loved, chosen, adopted, brave, precious, treasured, unique… the list goes on. But ‘lame’ is not on the list (nor is any similar label).

I also like to find current cultural references to help with these kinds of messages. So imagine my delight when Marvel delivered in Spiderman: No Way Home. Fair warning, some spoilers ahead. Most of the secrets have been leaked (and the film did come out about 4 months ago), but if you haven’t seen it, maybe don’t read the rest of this post if you want to avoid any spoilers.

A lot of the time, when we label ourselves negatively it is because of comparison, either consciously or unconsciously. Yes, there are other reasons for negative labels (some explored in previous posts), but comparison is a big one. And that’s another thing that never comes up in the bible. Or at least, not from God. He doesn’t call his children lame, and he doesn’t compare them to each other. We are each unique, comparison isn’t valid in that way.

So, Spiderman… In the film, we end up with three Spidermen working together. In a brief lull before the big fight, they start comparing stories with each other. Tobey Maguire’s Spiderman fought an alien made out of black goo. Tom Holland’s Spiderman fought an alien on earth and in space (and he was purple). Andrew Garfield’s Spiderman…. in his own words, “I’m lame, compared to you, I fought a Russian guy in a rhino suit.”

The instant he says that, TM’s face scowls and he jumps in with “You are not lame”. He quite passionately debunks the self talk and replaces it with “You are amazing, just take it in for a minute” and gets AG to repeat that, or tries to at least. Its a great scene where even a mighty hero finds self doubt by comparing himself to others. And when a different hero tries to combat that inner enemy.

How often do we compare what we’ve done with what others have done and come up short? How often do we look at what others offer and think we don’t offer as much? How often do we let that little voice of doubt hold us back or keep us down?

Now, I’m aware we don’t have friends who are Spiderman, but at that point it is Peter Parker talking. And we all need at least one (if not more) of those type people in our lives. The ones who will pick us up on the negative self talk and make us hear the positive. And, if its your belief, to remind us what God says about us (Hint: he doesn’t say your lame!)

God made people to be in relationship with one another. In Genesis, after making Adam, God says, “it isn’t good for man to be alone.” We are meant to live life with each other. But we are not meant to compare ourselves. We are meant to build each other up, we are allowed to stick up for each other even if we are speaking against the inner negative voices. Because, speaking from experience, sometimes we need an external voice to cut through the internal dialogue. And that is part of living in relationship, which was God’s plan all along.

So maybe the next time you have an inner voice saying your lame (or similar), picture a friendly neighbourhood Spiderman (or a very good friend) sitting next to you saying, “You are not lame. You are amazing.” Because it’s true. You may not always believe it, but God thinks you’re a precious child. He knows us all intimately, and he never compares us.

You are amazing, just take that in for a minute.

https://youtu.be/Y-a9Xirtd6s

40 day challenge day 36: Held

When talking about God, we often talk about a Father. And that is how Jesus refers to God when praying, as his Father. But there are also places where God is compared to a mother. In Isaiah there are 2 places where God uses a mother comparison, talking about comforting like a mother comforts, or having compassion like a mother. And later, in both Matthew and Luke, Jesus uses a mother hen gathering her chicks as an analogy for talking about Jerusalem.

I’m not about to try and get into a theological debate God and gender. I’m not sure there’s an answer to that one. But I think it’s important to remember the motherly aspects of God as well as the fatherly ones. It’s been on my heart recently; out of concern for some people I have been praying in Guildford Cathedral and there is a wooden carving of a mother and child.

It’s in the Lady Chapel, and it’s probably meant to be Mary with baby Jesus. The baby figure isn’t just held in her arms, it’s held inside the cloak, right next to her chest. The baby is held secure, hugged close, being given heat and protection by the mother’s arms and cloak. Its a simple carving, no detailed faces, but smooth shapes and curves. It’s beautiful to look at. And as I’ve been looking at it, I’ve had a sense that God is like that mother and we are like the child. And as I’ve been praying for those individuals, I’ve looked up and seen that figure and been reassured.

It was then that those verses in Isaiah came to mind:

Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

Isaiah 49: 15


As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 66: 13

God has that compassion for all of us. The words are a promise for us all. But in this instance, it’s the visual that helps me more. That image of a child held so close, loved and cherished. Of a mother gazing down, holding the child close. I know that pain, hurt and disappointment still happen. But those loving arms that hold us close, that heart filled with compassion, they are assured. They are promised by God, and God’s promises are sure. So for those people I care about, that I am praying for, I can trust in God’s love and care for them. And for myself when disappointment strikes or pain comes my way, I can rely on those arms to hold me close too.

I love a hug, and so for me that image of being held close by loving arms is a huge comfort. And it gets better knowing that the bible backs that image up.

40 day challenge Sunday bonus: Holy Week play list

As we enter the final week before Easter, the church packs a lot in. But it also comes with some great music. So I’ve put together a list of some of my favourite hymns/songs just right for this week.

First: Love is His Word. Simple melody, good words, covers the whole week

https://youtu.be/tcQaiYRoa5A

Second: Brother, Sister (The Servant Song). I grew up singing this one at Maundy Thursday. Not strictly Holy Week, but does fit the story and I like it.

There is some great Good Friday music. I couldn’t narrow it down, so here’s 3

First, possibly one of my favourite hymns (it’s definitely in my top three…). My Song is Love Unknown

Second is more recent, but still worth a place on this playlist. Come and See by Graham Kendrick

And thirdly, a timeless song. Were you there.

And finally, 2 for Easter Sunday. One is a must for Easter Sunday, Thine Be The Glory. Its a cracking sing, and it doesn’t feel like Easter without it (in my opinion). The other is See What A Morning. Another great sing, just right for the joyous celebration on Easter day

So there’s a short Holy Week play list for those who enjoy music and find it a good way to engage with the season.

40 day challenge day 35: Finding David

In yesterday’s post about God equipping the called, I mentioned David, the man after God’s own heart. David makes for an interesting character study. He is known as the shepherd boy, the slayer of Goliath, Saul’s court musician, a warrior, an outlaw, a King, an adulterer, and the man who conquered Jerusalem. He wrote a large number of the psalms. He wasn’t perfect, but he listened to God and was obedient. He didn’t kill Saul (God’s annointed) despite having the opportunity to when Saul was trying to kill him. Yes, he had an affair and tried to cover it up by having the woman’s husband sent to the front line where he would be killed, but he also repented and accepted the consequences of that.

But it’s his start in life I want to look at here. David was the 8th son of Jesse. When looking for the next King of the Israelites, God sends Samuel to look at the sons of Jesse. Jesse lines up his first 7 sons, with David out in the field looking after the flock. Samuel looks at the outward appearance, and thinks the oldest son looks the part, but God looks at the heart, and the heart that he chooses is David, who isn’t even there. So David is chosen to be the next king when Saul dies.

Fast forward a bit and Saul’s army is facing the Phillistine army. Every day a giant Phillistine comes out and taunts the Israelites, saying that if any warrior can take him on in single combat and win, the Phillistines will surrender.

David is not part of the army, but his brothers are. Jesse sens David to find out how his brothers are doing and deliver some food. While David is there he hears the challenge. David doesn’t seem impressed. In fact, he seems affronted that anyone should defy the armies of God’s people. Condensing the story slightly, he offers to slay the giant.

Remember, he is destined to become king, although I’m not sure how many people knew that at this point. He is destined to become king, but spends his time either looking after sheep or playing the lyre in Saul’s court. Neither suggest an experienced warrior…

But David knows God. Its almost like he wants to defend God’s honour. And he knows that, when looking after the flock, he can take on wolves and bears. That’s an important piece of information for me. A hired hand wouldn’t risk their life for a sheep, but David does. Any time a sheep gets carried off, David rescues it. He cares for them all.

When David offers to fight Goliath, Saul originally dresses David in his armour. But David isn’t as tall as Saul so it doesn’t fit. And David doesn’t fight like Saul so it isn’t really a good idea. David trusts his own skills and God’s guidance. He chooses 5 stones for his sling and approaches the giant. And claiming victory in the name of the Lord, he loads one stone into his sling and kills Goliath.

I think this is an important point too. David is the courageous hero who fights in God’s name, and the whole army has seen that. Until then, he was a shepherd boy and a musician. God had to provide the opportunity for others to see who David was and what he brought to the table.

God calls people and equips them, but they also have some skills already. And sometimes those skills are not obvious until God gives them the opportunity to shine. Is God calling you into something that others can’t see yet? Because if that’s the case, you need to trust that call and step up and meet your (hopefully not literal) Goliath. David wasn’t perfect, he changed and evolved and God equipped him at each stage of his life. But David had to be prepared to offer what he did have at each stage, even when all he had was 5 stones, a sling, decent accuracy and a whole lot of faith. What have you got to offer? You may not think it much, but God can use it to slay giants if you let him.

40 day challenge day 34: Equipping the Called

I was looking through some pictures I’d saved to my phone. (I go through Facebook and save pictures that make me smile, so that they can make me smile again in the future). I came across a picture (well, it’s actually words saved as an image…) which had a phrase that jumped out at me. It’s a phrase that really spoke to me about 5 years ago when I felt unqualified for the role I was in. And it’s sort of a phrase that has never stopped being important to me.

The phrase is ‘God doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called’. Sometimes we won’t feel like we’re equipped to handle a situation we find ourselves in, but if God has put us there, he will also equip us to handle it. The problem here is that sometimes it’s not God that has called us into a position, we have just made a mistake or some questionable choices, and it’s not always easy to know the difference. It requires discernment and (sometimes) patience, and, if that’s is your way, prayer and listening to God.

But I want to back that up. And this is why I like the image so much. We see all through the bible of God calling unlikely people and equipping them to fulfill that calling. God doesn’t set people up to fail. I’ve already written about Gideon, the new leader of his people who was uncertain and scared. We’ve looked briefly at Peter, the impulsive and brash man who spoke before thinking, and who ended up being one of the most influential figures in the spread of the early church. We’ve looked at Moses, the mouthpiece of God who didn’t trust his own voice (although I don’t think I mentioned that he had a stammer). We’ve looked at Paul who started out as a a murderer and who became a passionate evangelist for Jesus. What a out David, the ‘man after God’s own heart’? He had an affair and tried to hide it. Jacob, the Father of Nations? He lied and cheated to get what he wanted. Jonah, one of God’s messengers, ran away. There are more (the image is at the end of this post).

The point is that if God calls us somewhere, not matter how unqualified we might feel or how illogical it might seem, God will also give us the skills and the opportunities to learn in order to see that calling through. God doesn’t look for perfect people to use, he looks for real people with potential (which is all of us) and helps them to grow. All those bible characters we admire (with the exception of Jesus) started as imperfect people and made mistakes along the way. And yet God’s plan was not thwarted.

So that phrase, backed up with knowing the stories of those people in the bible, remind me that I don’t need to feel ready to step out. I just need to be ready to learn, because God will give me those opportunities.

40 day challenge day 33: The Power of Belonging

When I’m not writing this blog, baking cakes or fawning over ducks, I also run a community choir. It’s an informal group who enjoy singing together. We welcome anyone that would like to be part of the choir, no prior experience needed. We don’t audition people, we aim to accept people as they are and help them to grow a little. Or at least, be a space where they can feel welcome, where they can belong and, most importantly, have fun.

I wasn’t a founding member of this choir, I joined when it was a few months old. That was in 2014. We are still going. We must be doing something right because people keep coming back! And we have grown. I am reliably informed that when they started, there was a handful of people sitting in a circle singing ‘Three Blind Mice’. Before the pandemic, we had around 40 people, and we were singing ‘The Rhythm of Life’ and ‘Happy’. We restarted properly in January, sang a concert at Guildford Cathedral in February, and are now learning some new songs.

What’s the point of this? We run a no pressure policy. The concerts are an added extra, a bonus to give us something to work to. But the focus is on being a place where people can come on a Thursday, and leave feeling better. There’s no pressure to do performances if you don’t want to. There’s no pressure to come every week. You can turn up when you want/need to and know you will be welcome. We sing a mixture of songs, some everyone will know and be able to sing along with, and some that will stretch the singers and give us a sense of achievement when we master it.

And there we reach the point. At tonight’s rehearsal, we were able to welcome someone back we haven’t seen for a while. And they were welcomed back. Smiles, waves, general catch-up questions… It is a privilege to stand up front of that wonderful bunch of people.

Feeling like you belong is a powerful thing. It shows you that you aren’t alone, that there is somewhere you can go and be accepted for who you are. It gives you a refuge in hard times, somewhere to celebrate in good times and a group of people who will be glad to see you, no matter how much time has passed.

I struggled with this, I’ve written about that before (I think). But the bible has something to say about this.

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd

John 10: 14-16

What I observe with the choir, the way people welcome and accept each other, is what I interpret God’s flock to be like. There is a personal choice to come or not, but as we’ve explored before in the prodigal son parable, making the choice to come back will equal a welcome from God. And knowing it is there, knowing there is somewhere we belong, is a comfort, at least to me. Loneliness and isolation are only fleeting, because God’s flock is forever and we will always belong there.

The wonderful Rhythm of Life Community Choir

40 day challenge day 32: Writers block

Have you ever put so much pressure on yourself that what you do can never be good enough? Have you ever set the expectation bar so high that you set yourself up for failure? Have you ever set perfection as the goal, to the extent that its easier not to even start because your scared you won’t succeed?

Just me?

I’ve got a piece of work to do and the deadline is fast approaching. I need to write a couple of sides of A4 for someone I’ve never met as a kind of introduction. I don’t want to give a bad impression before they’ve even met me! And it’s for something that is important to me, something that I’ve given a lot of time in prayer to, so I really, really don’t want to screw it up. So I have started writing, read it back and deleted it. And repeated. Multiple times…

Except that’s not the point, is it? To get it perfect? I’ve written before about perfection. However, it isn’t aiming for perfection that is causing me to stumble, it’s fear of messing it up. But God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear (also written about that recently).

I can think of someone in the bible who was held back by fear (amongst other things).

Moses was a miracle child. By rights, he should have been killed at birth because that is what Pharaoah had decreed: all Hebrew boys were to be killed so the Hebrew slaves wouldn’t overthrow the Egyptians. But Moses was hidden in plain sight. He was left in the Nile and found by Pharaoah’s daughter, then raised in the Palace as royalty. As a young man, he stood up for his people. He saw a slave being mistreated and confronted the Egyptian guard, killing him. He got it a bit wrong…

Moses then had to run for his life. He fled to the desert, where he met Jethro and married his daughter. Years later, while he is moving Jethro’s flock, he stumbles across a burning bush. God uses that bush to get Moses’ attention, then tells him to go back to Egypt to save the Hebrews, the task that he was saved for.

Big pressure! Big expectations! And Moses got it wrong before. So instead of looking at the burning bush that wasn’t burning up, or trusting the voice of God, or the subsequent miracles that God shows him, Moses sees the pressure, the opportunity to fail (again) and makes excuse after excuse about why he can’t go back, why God should choose someone else. Because if Moses fails, the consequences don’t bear thinking about! Maybe it was a fear of failure, a fear of messing up, that made Moses ignore what was right in front of him and instead hesitate.

But God doesn’t set us up for failure. And although it took a while, Moses did succeed. Or, more accurately, God succeeded, using Moses as his mouthpiece. Because essentially that is what Moses did. He passed in messages and warnings from God to Pharaoah. And God made sure no harm came to Moses.

OK, my writers block is very much less serious. No one gets hurt if I mess this up. But there is a lesson in Moses’ story, for all of us. Moses messed up as a young man. He was supposed to save the Hebrews and instead ended up fleeing for his life. His timing was off, or he went about it in the wrong way. But that mistake did not derail God’s plan. His mistake in the past did not dictate how his future would pan out. It wasn’t a case of one (very) bad choice and God could no longer use him. And if God can still use Moses after a serious mistake like that, he can still use us even after the mistakes that we make.

So fear of messing up (again) shouldn’t be enough to cause us to freeze. Or stop us from trying. And instead of hitting a brick wall (or writers block in my case), what we really need to do is stop and remember what it’s for. And who it’s for. God finds a way, despite our mistakes. It’s not really up to us. God loves people who make mistakes, he doesn’t count them out. So tomorrow I’m going to try again. I’m going to lower the bar and remember that a little rough around the edges is OK. I’m going to choose to trust that God will do his bit if I do mine. And I’m going to remember that God’s love for me doesn’t end if I don’t achieve perfection.

40 day challenge day 31: Be more Barnabus

You can tell something about a person by their favourite characters. Whether that’s their favourite character from a book or a film, or a real person they admire, there’s often something about that character that is similar to the person themselves, a quality that they share or a value they both hold.

I once did an experiment in church to find out other people’s favourite bible characters. It almost back-fired when someone said Balaam’s donkey…. However, on closer look it also fitted the example. Both were super reliable and both were obedient to God. Turns out, even when people are trying to throw a spanner in the works, my point still stands!

Anyway, the point of that waffle is to say that my favourite bible character is Barnabus. He is not often mentioned and yet has a lot of influence. He firsts gets mentioned in the book of Acts. He is the one that convinces the apostles (Jesus’ original 12 disciples) to give Saul (renowned persecutor of the early church, later changed his name to Paul) a chance to say his piece. On the road to Damascus, Jesus spoke to Saul and converted him from someone who hunted down Christians into someone who would spread the gospel. But he needed to approval of Peter and friends, and it was Barnabas who convinced them to hear him out.

Barnabus was also the one who took Paul along on his missionary trips. When they first travel, you find the pair called Barnabas and Saul, and then along the way they become Paul and Barnabas. He brings Paul along, gives him an opportunity to learn and grow, then steps aside and let’s him tale the lead.

Later, Barnabus and Paul set off on different missionary trips, and this time Barnabas takes with him John Mark. Earlier in Acts, John Mark starts a trip with Paul and Barnabus but for some reason pulls out and Paul won’t trust him to go on a trip again. But Barnabus gives him another chance.

Barnabus isn’t his actually name. His real name was Joseph. But his nickname was Barnabus, which means Son of Encouragement. And I think that’s an amazing nickname. Barnabus must have a good standing with the early Christians in Jerusalem because he convinces them to hear Saul (Paul) out. Barnabus is the one who gives Saul (Paul) his chance to spread the gospel. Barnabus is the one who doesn’t need the credit, but willing steps aside to let Paul fulf his calling. Barnabus is the one who sees past John Mark’s mistake and gives him another chance.

So there you have it, my favourite bible characters. Read into that what you want about me. I love to be an encourager, building other people up. I love to believe in people and give them another chance. I like to think that I can graciously step aside as I see someone else growing and give them the room to achieve their potential. And I know that I will speak up for someone I think is being unfairly treated.

The last 2 posts have spoken about thinking about using our gifts. I believe that one of my gifts is to be an encourager. I take joy in seeing others succeed, and I will build people up and encourage them whenever I see the opportunity (or I try to at least – I do make mistakes and miss opportunities to do that…)

So maybe have a think about your favourite character and what that says about who you are or who you want to be. And while your at it (just for fun), what would your nickname be if you were named after a defining characteristic? I think mine would have something to do with perseverance…

One final point about Barnabus (and this is something I admire but doubt will ever be able to emulate). Paul (probably) wrote most of the letters in the New Testament. John Mark (probably) went on to right Mark’s Gospel. Both were given the opportunity to grow and achieve by Barnabus. So, in a round about way, Barnabus enabled around 2/3 of the New Testament to be written. Not bad for someone who is only mentioned in 28 verses!

40 day challenge day 30: Timothy

There are a number of letters written by Paul (and others) in the bible. Some are written to whole cities/churches, and others are written to individuals. I want to take a quick look at one written to Timothy, a young man that Paul was imparting advice to so that he could lead with confidence and assurance.

Paul writes 2 letters to Timothy (or at least, there are 2 letters to Timothy in the bible. There may have been more, but only 2 have survived with enough credibility to be included). The bit I want to look at is at the beginning of the second letter.

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.’ (2 Timothy 1: 5-7)

First point: the people around us are important. As I’ve said previously, they don’t get to label us or dictate who we are (that’s God’s job) but they do get to set and example to us. I have had a number of good people around me who have pointed and continue to point me to God, who encourage me to trust and let faith speak louder than fear, and who patiently teach a (sometimes stubborn) student what it means to live and grow in Christ. The people around us are a legitimate part of the journey. They will walk alongside, pray, give advice and encourage.

Second point: even back in the day, people needed encouragement. Ever doubted yourself? Ever looked at the people around you and thought they had more to offer than you? Ever been hesitant to offer what skills and talents you have for any reason? So did Timothy. He had great role models, and still needed some extra encouragement to step out and use what he had. So if that’s you too, you’re not alone. But as Paul says to Timothy, the Spirit does not make us timid, but instead gives us the ability to be bold and use those gifts.

God’s gifts are not meant to be hidden, but neither are we supposed to step out alone. God promises to always be with us. Jesus says that God will send his Spirit to us. When we trust in that Spirit, we can use the gifts without fear. And when we are in doubt of that, those trusted people around us can help point us back to God.

“Fan into flame the gift of God” – what gifts has God given to you?