How Long?

My soul is in deep anguish.

How long, Lord, how long?

Psalm 6:3

How long, Lord, how long?

How long will I have to wait?

How long will you delay?

Will it be days or months, could it be years or decades?

Will it be a brief, passing moment?

Or will I have to get used to a new paradigm?

I continue to cry out to you, so I must believe that you are listening

But am I confident that you will not just listen, but answer?

That you will act on my behalf

I wonder what the tipping point of my rescue will be

Will it come suddenly, like an unexpected windfall?

Or will it be slow, barely recognisable, as the changing of seasons?

The question, how long, begins to evolve into other questions 

Why haven't you answered?

Why do you seem to help others and not me?

Am I kidding myself that you are real?

Is this all my own fault?

And the worst accusation of all, do you not care?

Will these questions cause me to give up before your help comes?

Will I have decided that the cost is too high?

Will I simply forget you and seek help elsewhere?

But for the moment, I return to the question

How long, Lord, how long?

For my soul is in deep anguish 

Truth

I speak words, but are they true?

Do they reveal an inner reality or an outward lie?

Are they expressed integrity or hidden duplicity?

Maybe the real question is not are my words true, but are they truly me?

I smile, but has the look on my face made my feelings known?

Or have my facial muscles been dragged into a game of cover up?

Is the smile an overflow of heart, or a decision of will?

Is my heart smiling or is it only my face?

The question comes as it always does, 'How are you?'

I always wonder what answer they want or expect

Do they really want a truthful response?

What will I say?

Part of me wants to simply answer as normal, 'fine thank you'

But I really want to be honest, to be vulnerable 

However, I am concerned that they will look down on me

That I will diminish in their eyes

So, the key questions that I keep dragging into my consciousness:

Who am I?

What am I doing?

What is important?

I want to be provoked to think more, to think clearer, to think deeper

To be unsatisfied with unsatisfactory answers 

To refuse to accept the unacceptable 

To be unwilling to compromise with the compromised

You desire truth in the inner parts, in my inner parts 

Not just an acknowledgment of truth but truth rooted deep within me

That overflows to be a blessing to others 

And brings glory to the King of Truth

Satisfied?

Mankind is 'the only animal whose desires increase as they are fed; the only animal that is never satisfied.' (Henry George, nineteenth century American economist)

We are the only animal, whether born or whether bred

Whose desire for satisfaction increase as we are fed

We long for real contentment, we always yearn and crave

But our longing does not satisfy, it is us that they enslave

The urges deep within us are never satisfied 

They only stop afflicting us the day when we have died

To have passion is not the problem, our focus is the key

What are we working hard to find, what is it that we see?

We seek out compensation for the challenges that we face

A little bit of happiness along the road we have to race

But joy seems but impossible, it never stays or lasts

A small measure of hopefulness in a world that seems so vast

Some realise quite early, others never seem to know

That things and stuff and goals and cash aim high but hit too low

How could our own possessions, or adverts on TV

Succeed in bringing peace and calm to any real degree?

So, seek the master's kingdom and all his righteousness 

Your hopes and dreams and all you need will be the Father's 'yes'

So, as we pursue his glory, the great exchange occurs

I lay my soul before him, on me his life confers 

Holding the future

Whatever the future holds, I know who holds the future
Whatever I will have to face, I know who has faced it before

Whatever temptations I will need to overcome, I know who has been tempted before me

He has been where I am going

He has felt what I will feel

He has heard what I will hear

He has seen what I will see

Nothing that I will have to deal with, has not already been dealt with

No challenges

No confrontations 

No demands

No threats

Have not already been experienced by the master

My way may seem dim and faintly lit to me

But is clearly visible to him

My experience may be like working with a broken sat-nav

He knows where he is going and which road to take

I can be so focused on the destination that I forget to enjoy the journey 

He lives in the moment every step of the way

I need to be still, to be quiet, to cease the constant activity

To be confident that I will be able to run my race, at the right pace and at the right time

And as I cross the finishing line hear him say 'well done"

Regret

He passed away, to no one's regret

2 Chronicles 21:20

He passed away

He ceased to breathe

His body now empty of all but flesh

The way of all the world had come his way

He had caused so much death, but now it had arrived on his doorstep 

In life as in death

Lonely and alone

No one cared

Not friend or child, not wife or lover

No one would miss him

People that had bowed at his footstool 

We're now glad that he had gone

His bucket had been truly kicked

He was dead and deadened 

He had been raised up but was now erased 

He had decreased and was now deceased 

He had gone off the rails and was now gone for good

He had no honour

No help in his affliction

No support in his misery 

He showed no remorse

No penitence

No apology

No admission of guilt

What then was his legacy?

He opposed the purpose of God

There would be no burial with the kings 

No one regretted his demise 

Fully human

For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way

Hebrews 2:17

What does it mean to be fully human? Each society has to grapple with that question as it seeks to mould its various communities in an acceptable way. The answer to this question, whether explicitly or implicitly considered, will impact how societies develop. We only need to consider Nazi Germany in the thirties to realise that your view of what it is to be human can have profound and fundamental consequences.

The writer to the Hebrews says that Jesus 'had' to be like us and that he was 'fully human in every way.' So, Jesus is fully God and fully human, we are not fully God, but we are fully human. There was no other option for Jesus to pursue, he became human, not for a short period but for all eternity, to fulfil his father's will

To be human is to:

• Exist in one place at one time
• Be made of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, etc
• Be unable to cause yourself to come into existence 
• Be created from the DNA of a father and a mother
• Have various needs
• Oxygen
• Food
• Water
• Rest 
• Light
• Shelter
• Be loved by God
• Have intrinsic moral value
• Be part of a family / community
• To love and to love

To answer the question 'What is a Human Being?', has also been answered in various other ways

"An intelligence served by organs." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

"But breath and shadow, nothing more." (Sophocles)

"The only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are, and what they ought to be." (William Hazlitt)

"The only animal that contemplates death, and also the only animal that shows any sign of doubt of its finality." (William Ernest Hocking)

"The only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve." (Erich Fromm)

"The only animal whose desires increase as they are fed; the only animal that is never satisfied." (Henry George)

If we want to know what it is to be human, the best way is to look at and learn from Jesus

Job

One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were ploughing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:

Job1:13-20

The big question after all of Job's troubles was 'what would he say?' How would he respond to the calamity? What would be the overflow of his life in the midst of tragedy? The pain of loss would open his heart, what would seep out?

“Naked I came from my mother's womb,

and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;

may the name of the Lord be praised.”

Job 1:20,21

His response came from a humble heart, one that had been shaped by his desire to walk with God in wholehearted devotion. Job does not dance around the difficult issues; he faces them head on. His faith is not a crutch to lean on, his faith points him to a person to lean on. We all need something to lean on, something to trust in difficult times, but rather than trust our faith we are to trust God. 

Still walking with God?

I met an old friend a few days ago, we were both attending a celebration service for a mutual friend who had died suddenly. I had not seen Rob for around twenty years; then he was quite an intense character who always spoke what was on his mind. He clearly hadn't changed much in this regard, with no preamble he dived straight in, "are you still walking with God?" It was a great question, one that got right to the crux of what he wanted to know. 

I met many other old friends that day, all asked about our family, where we were living, jobs and our church situation. Only Rob raised this most important topic, it wasn't that other things were unimportant to him, but he wanted to know the answer to this burning question. As I talked with Rob, he explained some of the background to his question. In recent years a number of Christians, including some leaders who he had deeply respected and admired had given up on their faith and had walked away from the church. Rob struggled to understand how this could happen and he was concerned that I had gone down the same route 

As we discussed this phenomenon, a number of others came to mind. One had been a gifted young leader who provoked the whole church to share their faith with others, he now no longer walked with God. Another had led the church in worship as a skilled and sensitive musician, his marriage had broken up and he no longer walked with God. A third led a dynamic mission organisation in south-east Asia, he left the Christian faith and embraced other religions, he died no longer walking with God

I answered Rob's question as honestly as I could, "yes, I am still trying to follow Jesus."  I Sometimes feel I am only just hanging on by my fingertips, but I continue to try to orientate my life around his. I could see that my answer encouraged Rob, he had feared the worst, but I had been able to give him the answer that he had hoped for

Look carefully, listen closely and give attention

Look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything I tell you.

Ezekiel 44:5

Peer and view carefully 

Survey and gaze attentively 

Behold and glimpse meticulously 

Observe and watch thoroughly 

Regard and scrutinise thoughtfully 

Hear and concentrate

Give heed and tune in

Hang on his words and take notice

Lend an ear and listen 

For God is imminent and adjacent 

So, don't just look, don't just listen, give careful attention

Consider and deliberate

Contemplate and ponder

Immerse and be engrossed 

Be diligent in your thoughtfulness 

As your eyes see and your ears hear

As you allow image and sound to illuminate your mind

As you focus clearly on what is said

You will have the understanding and clarity to respond

To speak with wisdom and authority 

You cannot give out that which hasn't been taken in

You cannot describe something that you haven't seen

Or explain if you are yet to hear

But when your attention is fully given

You will see and hear more than you ever thought possible 

Theological layers

Can the various, awful terrorist events over the past years be theologically explained by 'layers?'

1. People decide to do wicked things due to the fallenness of humanity. The implications are a random cycle of pain and heartache with no real explanation 
2. God is sovereign and will 'work all things together for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose.'
3. Everything that happens is according to God's great plan, which is to bring glory to himself and to display his good nature in all of creation

All of these are 'true' at different levels of understanding and different layers of revelation. We do not need to pick which one we believe and discard the others because they seem to disagree. We can trust God in the seeming contradiction of these truths, knowing that one day 'we shall know fully even as we are fully known.' (1Cor 13:12) If this verse is true then we move from knowing in part to knowing fully as we see God face to face. An understanding of God's purpose in the world comes from a deepening revelation of God himself

A Bruised Reed

Here is my servant, whom I uphold,

my chosen one in whom I delight;

I will put my Spirit on him,

and he will bring justice to the nations.

He will not shout or cry out,

or raise his voice in the streets.

A bruised reed he will not break,

and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.

In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;

he will not falter or be discouraged

till he establishes justice on earth.

In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”

Isaiah 42 1-4

Bruised reed, delayed shoot 

Broken branch, spoiled fruit

Trampled hope, discouraged dream

Damaged faith, low esteem 

Image cracked, false start

Blemished record, imperfect heart

Wounded feelings, clouded view

Mirror darkened; truth untrue 

Love unfounded, hopeless desire 

Prayer unanswered, burned up fire

Crushed and injured, marked and smashed

Oppressed and flawed, shattered and dashed

He will not shout or cry aloud

Or raise his voice before the crowd

A bruised reed he will not break

A smouldering wick he won't forsake 

In faithfulness he will be just

In him alone we put our trust

His kingdom now will come to birth

His peace will reign at last on earth

The Soldier

The soldier walked slowly towards the boarded-up church; the thick clouds prevented any light from illuminating the scene. There were no street lights, there hadn't been any working in that city district for many weeks. Andrei carried his rifle over his shoulder feeling the strap rub his already sore skin. He felt a deep disillusionment inside, just like the cold winter, effecting every part of him. The government had promised so much but delivered so little. The hope that had once lifted his spirit and given him a reason to live, had been replaced by a deep and bitter lethargy

And yet this slumber had been disturbed by one of the men in his barracks. His new comrade had been transferred from a rural area and the two of them had become close friends. Vaslav was a quiet, softly spoken man who had the rough hands of a farmer. But it wasn't his great size or his peasant accent that impacted Andrei, it was his indomitable and optimistic spirit. Vaslav was different than the other soldiers, everyone said so, but no one could really make out the reason why. Whenever one of the other soldiers tried to pry into his life, Vaslav would quickly and expertly turn the conversation on to another, safer topic 

Andrei wasn't sure what he would find that evening but one of his contacts had told him about the possibility of a small group of Christians meeting secretly in the crypt of the church. Once a proud structure, with its gothic architecture boasting over the city, it was now nearly derelict unable to hold its head high. Years of the state's atheistic policy had suffocated its life and now all that was left was a battered shell. He walked around the derelict building looking for a way to get inside, hidden by some low trees he found a door that had been prised open. He carefully pushed the door trying not to make any noise and stepped inside

Andrei had tried to find out more about Vaslav, he had asked the women in the admin office if she knew anything about him. All she could say was what he already knew, that he was a farmer from a small village a few miles north of the city. Andrei let the matter rest and focused on getting through each day. Keeping warm, dry and well fed were his main aims, only securing some homemade vodka from one of his contacts had a higher priority. But one night the truth began to come out. Andrei woke suddenly from a dream and lay still in his barracks bed, he glanced at Vaslav's bed and was surprised to see it empty. He climbed out of the bed and slowly crept to the bathroom at the end of corridor, his bladder felt full and needed emptying. 

He opened the bathroom door and stopped in his tracks, there sat on some low hot water pipes, with an old book in his hands, was Vaslav. His friend turned in shock and his face stared back, his eyes looking frightened. Vaslav stood up, put the book in his pocket and quickly hurried back to his bed. Over the next few days Vaslav confessed to Andrei that he was one of the secret Christians, he implored Andrei not to tell their sergeant. Believers who were discovered would often lose their job or houses or in some cases were shipped east to be 're-trained.' However, for soldiers, being found practicing a banned religion, it could lead to imprisonment and death

Andrei started to become intrigued with his friend's faith, whenever they had the opportunity Vaslav would talk about the impact that Jesus of Nazareth had on his life. He spoke and revealed an immense gratitude to God and a simple desire to live his life in harmony with his creator. Andrei began to realise that this was what his life was missing, he longed for a deep-rooted peace that would chase away the darkness that he felt. Lying in bed one night he made his decision, he knew that this could be a dangerous and costly path to take but he felt willing to face the dangers. He woke suddenly in the early hours of the next morning, he could hear heavy boots on the concrete floor and heard shouts getting louder. Six fully armed soldiers piled into the barracks and grabbed Vaslav and dragged him out into the corridor and then out into the darkness. Andrei looked around at his bewildered comrades, none of them seemed to have a clue at what was happening. Only Andrei realised what was happening, he closed his eyes and prayed silently for his friend

Andrei moved quietly across the broken floor of the church towards some steps in a corner. In the darkness of the night he could see a flickering glow of candles at the bottom of the steps and to his surprise a sound of people singing. He took his gun from his shoulder and slowly began to descend the staircase, in the dim light he struggled to find his footing. Desperate not to announce his presence he crept closer and closer to the source of the light. He glanced around a large pillar that was holding up the main floor of the building. He could see a small congregation of around ten men and women, standing with their eyes closed, some with their hands raised, quietly singing a simple song

All my heart I give to Jesus

And with joyful song proclaim

I am satisfied with you Lord

Captured by your lovely name

They sang it over and over again, Andrei was captivated. The singing was simple, the tune quite ordinary but the beauty of the atmosphere was almost overwhelming. There was no musical accompaniment, their voices were all that was needed. These people seemed to have received what Vaslav had, they didn't sing about Jesus they sang to him. 

The singing suddenly stopped as Andrei walked into the room, pointing his gun at the simple choir. "How can we help you friend?" One of the men stepped forward, his friendly face seemed to be trying to hide a fear of what might happen next. Andrei didn't respond, he looked at the simple congregation and tried to decide what he should do. How could he know if he could trust all of the group? The state had infiltrated many of these underground churches looking for people that could be useful to the cause. How could he know if one of the small group might be a spy who would report him to the state?

Finally, he spoke, his low, serious voice gave a clear command. "I am here to arrest any true believers, leave now if you are not a real Christian."  Two men and a woman looked around terrified and ran back up the stairs and were gone. Andrei laid his gun carefully in the floor and embraced the man who had spoken. With tears in his eyes he looked into the man's face and said quietly, "my family."

Flags

I won’t be here to see the flags come down

They fall on the day of departure

They stay low for a time until the gathered come to say farewell

I will still exist 

I will still breathe 

I will still think 

I will still remember 

I just won’t be here

I will be going through what everyone will face one day

My mortal body will no longer function as before 

I will have to face a new future

One chapter is finished, and my story now moves in a new direction

Many will drive-by and see the flags at half-mast and wonder who it is this time

The village has marked each death in this way for many years 

It connects life with death

Will I be able to see the flags from where I am going?

Will I have eyes that can see through time and space?

Will I know what is going on in my former community?

I do not know but I trust the one who does

I will leave behind those who understand my certainty

I will leave behind others who are not sure

I have lived my life knowing that this day would one day take place 

I have tried to be prepared

In some ways I have looked forward to this day

I will see more clearly

Understand more deeply 

Appreciate with greater clarity

And all the questions that I have longed to be answered will no longer seem important 

A God who sings

The Lord your God is with you,

He is mighty to save

He will take great delight in you;

He will quiet you with his love

And rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah 3:17

God is with us

Not only within, but among 

Not just close, but joined

Not simply present, but intimately connected 

The colossal God defending his children 

How immense is his liberation power 

The extraordinary one releasing the shackles

The mighty master who brings salvation 

But how can the immortal delight in the mortal?

How can the everlasting find joy in the never-lasting?

Is God's pleasure a response to us, or a sharing with us?

Is there anything in me in which he can delight?

But he will quiet us with his love

He will hush us with his grace

He will bring a stillness to our frantic lives

He will mute the noise battering our senses 

And then a heavenly hymn, a sacred song

Will draw all ears, attract all attentions 

Not an angelic chorus, but the creator himself

The God of heaven rejoicing in his image in man

The notes will rise and fall

The melody taking music to a place that it has never before been

The creator God using his breath and vocal cords to emit sounds

The result is a song

This song is an expression

An overflow of the heart of God 

Rejoicing being transmitted 

A present God singing over us 

Liberation

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Romans 8:19-21

The wind blows and clouds form in the blue sky, below River continues its flow towards the ocean. River and Cloud look so different but are in fact made of the same material. This common formation shared between water and vapour mean that they both understand things in a similar way, they have a mutual appreciation of each other. River communicates and Cloud understands clearly, Cloud has felt this same yearning for as long as it could remember.  They both know that their existence, whilst beautiful in so many ways, is not yet as the Originator intended. Deep within them both, is the promise that one day they will be joyously liberated into a new way of existing

River and Cloud don't know how they know, but they do. They have never had eyes so cannot see, no ears so cannot hear. Yet somehow, ever since the Originator first created them, they knew of the liberation promise. For millennia they have known what it is to decay, they understand that their molecular structure is corroding and crumbling. The destructive power of the universe in which they exist is causing them to degrade inside. How long they can continue in this vein they do not know, although frustrating, they have learned to wait. Their very being is focused on the Originator, eagerly anticipating his culmination plan

It was the Originator's plan to leave River and Cloud, and the rest of creation, in a state of unfulfillment. Not because he didn't care but because he saw a better way. This was a mark of supreme self-sacrifice, to hold all of creation in bondage until the magnificent liberty that was to come. The Originator would bring forth the mortal kind, his mortal kind, at the cost of his son. The result of this sublime and monstrous act would be the glorious freedom of mortal and formation. Daughter and Son joining with River and Cloud, Mountain and Bird, Rock and Galaxy, Flower and Sun all celebrating the wonder of the new creation

River and Cloud would face the future together. They did not know when the promise would be fulfilled, but they had confidence in the Originator. He had made them a commitment and they believed he could be trusted. So, River continued flowing to the sea and Cloud was blown around in the sky before releasing its water onto the earth. Both accepting their frustration, knowing that the liberation promise would one day change everything 

The Father's Heart

The Father's heart, the Father's heart

I long to know the Father's heart

For I am his and he is mine

A life of hope he will define

The Father's word, the Father's word

I long to hear the Father's word

To listen well and know his voice

Obey his sound, I've made my choice

The Father's strength, the Father's strength 

I long to have the Father's strength

His grace ensures that I belong

When I am weak, then I am strong

The Father's mind, the Father's mind

I long to grasp the Father's mind

The wisdom shown by God on high

He always knows when, how and why

The Father's life, the Father's life

I long to live the Father's life

We all will fully see one day

Then bow the knee and simply say

The Father's heart, the Father's heart

I long to know the Father's heart

The Father's heart, the Father's heart

I long to know the Father's heart

I'm a Twerp

I'm a twerp, I'm a twit

I'm a fool, I'm a nit

I'm a dork, I'm a fool

I'm a dunce, I'm not cool

I'm a clown, I'm a clod

I'm an oaf, I'm quite odd

I'm a nerd, I can't cope

I'm a goon, I'm a dope

I'm a stupid, moron, brain dead

I'm a cretin, numskull, bonehead

I'm a buffoon, dumbbell, dimwit

I'm a looser, bruiser, halfwit

I try all I can but it's futile 

And often I get things so wrong

But God's power is made perfect in weakness

And I know when I'm weak I am strong

Auschwitz

Over twelve years ago a work colleague and I were driving through Poland, when we popped into Auschwitz, the former concentration camp for a look round. The fact that we could 'pop' in to the sight of one of the ugliest chapters in human history seems rather strange in itself. We wondered sound the huts, looked at the gas chambers, most of the time my colleague was speaking on his mobile trying to clinch a deal to sell soft drinks to someone or other. 

The ordinariness of a mobile phone conversation in the context of an extermination camp seemed bazaar to say the least. The most poignant moment for me was to see a display board with a photograph of, soon to be gassed Jews, disembarking from a railway carriage onto a platform. There in front of us was the very platform where they had stood

My colleague Slavomir, who was Polish, had a different perspective on Auschwitz than I did. I found it hard to know how to respond, how to act, wanting to behave 'properly' in this concentration camp. Slavomir continued to be the person that he was, not trying to fit in with others' expectation, but carrying on his normal life in this abnormal place

Work

If there is a protestant work ethic, is there a catholic shirk effort?

The Rain Came

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Matthew 7:24-29

He was so blessed that he had such a beautiful family, how could he now face the prospect of losing his youngest daughter to cancer? The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house

Many people responded to the minister as he preached the Gospel, but their new-found faith did not last and they gradually slipped away. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house

He made his debut at age seventeen, one of the brightest prospects around. His career was put on hold when he suffered a serious leg injury. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house

A man approaching retirement sees the financial crash have such an impact on his future income that he has to continue working for the foreseeable future. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house

A woman looking to the future with the man she loves, is suddenly told that he is leaving her. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house

Needing three A's to get into her first-choice university, she opens the envelop with not an A in sight. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house

Less than a week before they would exchange contract on their dream home, the solicitor rings to say that the purchase has fallen through. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house

Their son sits down to tell his parents that he has racked up thousands of pounds worth of debt through online gambling. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house

Half way through college, she started a tech company that found a niche in the market. Within five years she was a multi-millionaire before the dot com bubble burst. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house

The rain will always come, there is nothing you can do to prevent it. Having good foundations or bad does not change the reality that the rain will come. The clouds do not move across the sky looking for buildings built on poor foundations. They do not hold back their rain when the see good foundations established. The clouds are arbitrary, the rain will fall where it falls. As has been said, there is nothing you can do to prevent the rain, but there is everything you can do to prepare for it. It is too late to think of your foundations when the storm starts to break, nothing can be done. 

The time to think about foundations is before the beginning of the construction. Foundations are by their very nature, below ground. They cannot be seen from far away, they are not considered in the same way as the rest of the building. Other parts of the building are treated in various ways to be more appealing. They are painted, tiled, plastered, whilst the foundations are purely functional. For any building to remain through the storm, it will require a good foundation 

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

Stone

If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), do not yield to them or listen to them. Show them no pity. Do not spare them or shield them. You must certainly put them to death. Your hand must be the first in putting them to death, and then the hands of all the people. Stone them to death, because they tried to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.

Deuteronomy 13:6-11

Samuel bent and picked up the stone, he looked at it through sad eyes uncertainty of what would happen next. All around him his friends and neighbours did the same, the act of moving around caused dust to rise. The sun became increasingly hazy as the particles rose into the air. He had chosen the largest stone he could find, for he would be the first one to aim and throw. He prayed that the missile would be accurate, and the resulting blow would knock the woman unconscious before the volley that was to come. He never seen, let alone participated in a stoning before, although he had heard about them from the exotic travellers passing through. But now he faced the awful reality that he was the reason for the coming execution

It was twenty years since they had crossed into the promised land. Moses was dead and the people were now led by Joshua. Even though Moses was no longer physically with them, his impact was still huge. He had motivated, organised and taught them how to be God's chosen people, and because of that they had to live a different way. Samuel had grown to love God and he found his life fulfilled in his prayers, his sacrifices, and in his obedience to the words of Moses. He did not always understand the reasons for the Lord's instructions, but deep inside him he knew that by being obedient to the God of heaven he would know peace

He looked at the woman standing by the city gate, just a few yards from him. The Levitical priests were tying her to a post to ensure that she could not get away. Her brown eyes and complexion seemed darker than usual, all hope had gone, there was no future to look forward to. Everything in him wanted to run to her, untie her arms and legs and flee away with her, but he knew that he could not. He knew the words by heart, 'Show them no pity. Do not spare them or shield them. You must certainly put them to death.' But his heart went out to Sarah his wife and the mother of his children, to the woman who had shared his life for the past two decades. 

Samuel had known that something was wrong only a few months after their wedding. She had started to ask him questions about Moses, about the law, about God and how he could be known. They started off as honest questions, she was seeking real answers to deep questions of faith, but she had a stubborn streak and she refused to accept his answers. He told her to listen to the priests and to follow the law, he encouraged her to pray and ask God to make things clear to her. As the months turned into years, Sarah stopped asking her questions. She internalised the conflict and spoke no more of her doubts, she focused on her children and life continued in a normal way

The priest stood before the crowd and motioned for them to listen. He read out the charge against her, that she had encouraged her husband to forsake the God of Israel and worship other gods. This most serious of crimes had only one penalty, death by stoning. The evil was to be purged from amongst the people, God wanted his people to be holy. Samuel looked at the stone in his hand and then back to the priest. Here he was in front of his wife, ready to lead the people in their violent act. The charge against her was accurate, she was guilty, and she had to die. But he was torn, his love for Sarah was strong, it had kept them going through times of difficulty and of great pain. And yet, he loved God and believed that Moses words had to be kept. How could he satisfy his love? His heart was divided, but he knew what he must do

As their marriage continued, they seemed happy until the dreadful day came. Their youngest daughter, who was only five at the time, woke with a splitting headache feeling drowsy. The pain got worse and it seemed as if she was not going to last the day. The parents were frantic, they called the priest to come and pray and tell them what could be done. He was a kind man and spent the whole day with them. At nightfall he said they would simply have to wait and see if the child recovered. The following day, after much more prayer, the child died. The burial and the period of mourning were excruciating, and gradually Sarah lost all interest in anything or anyone 

That was five years ago, and Samuel knew that the current situation was rooted in that period. It was only two weeks ago that he had found Sarah breaking the law of Moses. He had been away on a trip and had got back late at night, the day before he was due. As he entered the door, he could see her on her knees looking out of the window at the full moon. It hung in a cloudless sky and he could hear her invoking the spirit of the moon as she gazed up. Samuel was horrified at what he saw and shouted at her to stop. She turned around and looked at her devastated husband and without thinking she asked him to kneel with her

So much had happened in the days that followed, Samuel in his devotion to God had told the priests what had happened. And after a careful investigation they had pronounced the death penalty. Sarah begged for her life but to no avail, but there was no one to plead her cause

It was time, Samuel lifted the stone and flung it at his wife, praying for accuracy. But this was yet another prayer that had fallen on deaf ears. The stone hit the pole where his wife was tied and fell harmlessly to the ground. He could not allow Sarah to face a slow and painful death, he loved her too much for that. He ran to her, picked up the large stone and smashed it down on her head. She blacked out and Samuel stepped back to allow the other stones to do their job

The evil was purged from amongst them

Be Still

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God"

Psalm 46:10

When the world is screaming and its sound is overwhelming

"Be still"

When the sharp voice pierces your skin and penetrates your head

"Be still"

When the importance of the decisions that need to be made blunts the heart

"Be still"

Slow your thoughts, slow your eyes and ears, slow your imagination 

Let your eye lids close and your breathing become quiet

Do not look forward into the future, neither glance back to try to understand the past

Linger in the moment

"Be still"

Allow your heart beat to gradually become more measured

Relax as you sit and rest

Recognise, for the time being, that your hopes and fears are out of place and do not need to be given space

Your gifts and calling, your role and responsibilities, your passions and desires all need to be left in storage behind a locked door

Embrace inactivity, welcome inertia as a friend

Do not fill this waking moment

But do not empty your mind, rather allow your thoughts to focus clearly

"Be still and know that I am God"

Words not spoken from Earth but spoken from heaven 

Mountain

Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the Lord showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.” And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. 

Deuteronomy 34:1-5

Moses looked up at the mountain ahead of him. He knew it was his last journey, the final mountain that he would climb. His end was coming close but the new phase of life for the people was only just beginning. All he had now was to look back, to remember the past, whilst the people had a future as well as a past to consider

Moses stopped for a brief rest, he took a drink and sat on a hard rock. He glanced back down to the valley where he could make out the vast numbers of tents. A new generation on the brink of their inheritance, a people about to fulfil their destiny. And he wasn't going to be part of it. There was not much further to go before he reached the summit, and the summit was his final destination. He set off again and climbed higher, the wind got up and the clouds charged along, seemingly out of control

As he rounded some rocks, he could see the mountain top. A few minutes later he stood just below the highest point, waiting. Over the years he had become sensitive to God, knowing when the Creator was going to reveal himself. If anyone had asked, he wouldn't be able to explain how he knew, he just did. But no one ever raised the question. Moses had spent years meeting with God, it had become a regular occurrence, a 'normal' part of his life. But he never took it for granted, he never became complacent, he never got used to it. He cried out to God daily that he, as the leader of the people, would remain humble, remain teachable

As he waited near the mountain top, he remembered some of the times that God had drawn near. The burning bush in the wilderness, the confrontations with Pharaoh in Egypt, the Exodus, the crossing of the Dead Sea. These were the highlights, the events that would be remembered. But Moses focused on the ordinary days when God had visited him and spoken to him. Sometimes it was words of instruction for the nation, other times it was as a father who simply wanted to talk with a son

Moses knew that shortly God would show him the promised land, part of him longed for that view, but he also felt the depth of disappointment. His arrogant disobedience at the rock meant that God had refused to let him enter the land. He had pleaded with the almighty, but he had been crushed with the words, “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter."

God began to approach, whether in a cloud or in fire was impossible to know. Moses felt the awful presence as a crushing weight, a terrifying breathlessness, a hole in the centre of his being. These feelings soon developed into a depth of peace that could not be explained. Moses knew that whatever happened he was safe in the hands of the God of heaven

Slowly Moses felt the Lord taking him by the hand and leading him the last few steps to the mountain top. Gradually everything came into view and his eyes at last could see. There the Lord showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. Moses gazed out seeking to see clearly what he looked at, trying to comprehend the beauty of what he saw. He looked west and north and south and east, he looked at the land with his own eyes, he breathed in the air of promise. He was shown the land of the covenant by the God of the covenant, that was enough

Moses turned to walk back down the mountain, he started to feel the heaviness of God's presence lift, but this was different from normal. He was used to this change as for many years after meeting the Lord, Moses knew the withdrawal of God's presence. However, this time not only did God seem to depart but his own life began to slip away. He had experienced the former, but the latter was a new reality. Moses sat on the ground as his life ebbed and flowed. He laid down and rested his head as his breath became shallow. God looked on as his beloved friend breathed his last, soon they would be separated no longer. For the moment the Lord drew close again, not in heaviness but in an intimate connection with the mortal man. Death was the end of the earthly journey for Moses but the start of a new chapter

God lifted Moses and took him to the burial site, one that he prepared earlier. With great love and tenderness, the human frame was laid into the grave and covered with stony earth. The Lord made sure that the site would not be found, he didn't want the people to honour dead bones but the living words that Moses had spoken

God knew that the next time that Moses would feel his feet on a mountain top there would be another Son, one who didn't just speak the word but who was the living embodiment of the word. The Messiah would meet with Moses and Elijah and talk about the things of God

God looked up from the grave and his eyes sought out another. There by the tent of meeting was Joshua son of Nun, it would be him who would lead the people into the next chapter of the story

Indestructible

And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life

Hebrews 7:15-16

He cannot expire, he is unperishable

He cannot be spoilt, he is incorruptible 

He cannot be changed, he is immutable 

He cannot be fractured, he is unbreakable

He cannot be restricted, he is uncontainable 

He cannot be defined, he is indescribable

He cannot be captured, he is ungraspable  

He cannot be split, he is indivisible 

He cannot be described, he is invisible

He cannot be destroyed, he is indestructible 

Thoughts

His mouth was dry, and he wanted a drink, he reached with his hand to the glass on the small coffee table and lifted it to his lips. At ten years of age he had done this many times before, yet it was still a remarkable achievement. For God to create the heavens and the earth he had to speak, for the boy to reach out to get a drink he simply had to think. His brain was activated, his neurons burst into life sending electrical signals to his muscles. The result was that his hand moved perfectly into place

But getting his hand to pick up the glass was only the first part, the second part involved a complex combination of moving the cup to his mouth, opening his mouth and swallowing at exactly the right time. When he was younger the boy had failed in this task many times, the drink had ended on the carpet, on the sofa or down the front of his tee-shirt. But this time his training helped him accomplish the task perfectly. The same neurons went to work again but this time they were joined by others in a cacophony of electrical impulses. Hand and mouth and the swallow reflex combined to ensure that the liquid entered the body in an appropriate way. Gradually the thirst was quenched

The brilliance of thought is often overlooked. We take it for granted, although even taking something for granted cannot be done without thinking. Every achievement in every land in every time started with a thought. Thinking can create, thinking can awaken possibilities, thinking can ensure that things do not stay the same. Minds have designed worlds, painted cerebral pictures, placed words together in new ways, the thoughts generated in the grey matter really do matter!

Every action of every human being throughout history has been initiated by thinking, we cannot act unless we first think. In the creation account in Genesis we read that God said, 'let there be light.' Those first words were preceded by God's thoughts, 'the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.' Hebrews 11:3

God thought and then he spoke, these commands then formed the universe