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When the World Wobbles, Hold Fast

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Dear Friends, 

Does it feel as though we are living in strange days? Uncertainty everywhere. A cost-of-living squeeze. Politics that serves to divide rather than unite. And underneath it all – a quiet weariness. Many have lost trust in leaders, institutions, and sometimes even in each other. 

But here’s the thing: moments like this are exactly when the church comes into its own. The church was born in shaky times. The apostle Peter did not walk in calm waters but stepped out into a raging storm![1]Somehow, amidst it all, those first followers became known as people of hope. 

That’s our calling too. Not to stoke the flames of mistrust and fear, nor to escape uncertainty or hide away from it. Rather, when the world wobbles, we are to hold fast, to courageously stand, and even to walk amidst the storms.  

Perhaps this is the time for a rebirth/a renewal of the church.

Faith that keeps pressing on

The book of Hebrews says faith is ‘confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.’[2]It’s trusting that Jesus hasn’t gone to sleep and stopped working[3], even when we can’t make sense of what’s going on. True faith doesn’t deny the ferocity of the wind, the waves and the circumstances, but it chooses not to focus on them; instead, it re-orients its gaze to look upon the wonder and beauty of our Lord Jesus, who calls us to press onwards. 

That’s the kind of faith the world needs to see modelled right now – Steady. Courageous. Honest. Real. A faith that doesn’t flinch at bad news, but that trusts that Jesus is still Lord, and that His Kingdom is still coming! 

A more wonder-filled story

It’s easy to let the world’s distrust and fear creep into the church. We get over-cautious. We assume the worst. Our differences automatically become divisions. We withdraw. But our life together can tell a more wonder-filled story – when we speak truthfully and graciously, forgive freely, serve humbly and above all fix our eyes on Jesus and let his Spirit guide our life together. Then something beautiful can happen – trust grows again, wounds start to heal, fractured relationships start being woven together, and people step more fully into their identity in Christ. Not because God’s people get everything right, but because the grace and love we share make room for imperfect people to belong. 

Jesus said that the world would recognise us by our love, not our polish.[4]  So, let’s be communities where people can breathe again. What binds us – Jesus and his mission – is stronger than anything that might seek to tear us apart. 

Hope that acts

Christian hope is not wishful thinking – it’s a way of life. We believe in the resurrection, so let’s equip and encourage one another to live every part of our lives in ways that demonstrate that we actually do.  Then, when fear drives people to hoard, we stay generous. When we might be tempted to focus on preserving our own entitlements or freedoms, we might instead prioritise a focus on living out our responsibilities. When outrage fills the headlines, we practise gentleness. When loneliness isolates, we open our doors. For hope takes shape in small, faithful choices like a shared meal, a prayer whispered, an invitation to gossip turned down, a friendship rebuilt.

None of it feels headline-worthy, but that’s exactly how light breaks into the darkness. Every small act of grace, every choice to live as resurrection people, serves to push back the despair and proclaims, ‘The story is not over yet!’

Anchored and advancing

The cross is still our anchor. When everything else feels shaky, the cross reminds us that God can bring victory out of death, healing through pain and a renewed identity through loss. Hope doesn’t deny the wounds – instead, it carries them, just like the risen Christ – and just like the risen Christ, hope keeps on walking. 

Maybe God is using this season – all its uncertainty and humbling – to form a deeper, truer, more Christ-like church. A church less focused on image and more rooted in love. Less anxious about its rights and own survival than it is about its responsibilities toward others and being alive to the life and work of the Holy Spirit. Less concerned with buildings and programmes and more about presence – equipping and sending people to be a light on every street and bring grace and truth into every context and conversation. 

That kind of church can withstand any shaking[5], because its focus and anchor is the rock – Jesus, not the circumstances, however tumultuous, that surround. 

So, here’s my prayer…

That we would be a people of credible hope – looking to Jesus, living in the light and life of the Spirit, faithful in worship, steady in trouble, generous in grace and love.

When trust feels fragile, we might seek to rebuild it 

That we will never respond out of a negative place of fear or defensiveness, but rather that we would respond from a place of love and hope, and our belief in a more wonder-filled way…. the humble way of the cross.

So that if the world grows darker, our light won’t flicker, but instead will shine all the brighter 

Not because we are strong, but because Christ is risen!  

For the sake of Jesus and for the sake of the world! 

Amen! 

‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.’ (Romans 15:13) 

We don’t know what’s ahead, but we know who goes with us. Let’s keep walking – eyes up, full of hope – not in the world, but in Christ Jesus, the one who is more than able to completely save, even in the fiercest of storms.

With much love and prayer, 

Lindsay

[1] Matthew 14:22-33

[2] Hebrews 11:1

[3] Mark 4: 38-40

[4] John 13:35

[5] Hebrews 12:27

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Walking the highway of holiness; the path for renewal

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The dry, sandy desert soil has wide fissures and is hard underfoot. Few insects, birds or animals roam its’ vast expanse.

But, in some places, from time to time, the dark clouds gather, the air humidifies and finally, the clouds burst. Soon, every nook and cranny is filled, the water table rises, streams gush from the ground, pools fill, and the thirsty land is watered. 

Below the surface, unseen latent and dormant seeds and bulbs are reached by the deeply penetrating waters. These germinate, flower, and attract vast numbers of insects, birds and reptiles, seemingly from nowhere.  This phenomenon is called ‘desert bloom.’ 

The landscape hasn’t just changed. It has been transformed…revived! 

In these challenging and often confusing days, I long for that – both in my life and in the life of our churches! If you do too, read on because the words of the prophet Isaiah have much to say to us. 

Through Isaiah, God spoke to a people seeking to negotiate their ‘way in the desert.’ Isaiah Chapter 35, verses 5-10 shows us that God longs to be on the move amongst his people, bringing not just hope and refreshing, but utter transformation. 

‘And when he comes,’ we are told, ‘Springs will gush forth in the wilderness and streams will water the wasteland.  The parched land will become a pool, and Springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived.  And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,and those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. (New Living Translation.) 

During challenging and barren times, it can be tempting to look around for things to quickly satiate our thirst, attract life and make things flourish, both in our personal and church life.

Two phrases at the start of the passage need some explanation to help us grasp their full meaning. 

  1. The words ‘And when he comes’ refer to a genuine and profound encounter with God. 
  2. A more literal meaning of the phrase translated as ‘parched ground’ (NIV and NLT) is ‘mirage’ – a phenomenon caused by the reflection of the hot rays of the sun on the hot ground. 

Are we, I wonder, prepared to do whatever is necessary to truly encounter the living God…or will we run this way and that chasing the latest mirage? How might we discern which is which? 

Verse 8 tells us. If we are to be genuinely discerning and truly encounter God, we need to walk the ‘highway of holiness’ – the great road that passes through that once desert land.  

We cannot seek his gifts without walking in the way of the gift-giver. We cannot expect our lives or that of our churches to flourish unless we are prepared to walk the ‘highway of holiness.’ So where can this highway be found?  

The writer of the New Testament book of John picks up on this in John 14 when Jesus identifies himself with the ‘highway’ saying ‘I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.’

Jesus is the holy highway we are to follow. Following his way enables us to encounter God in our midst; an encounter that will bring renewal, restoration, and utter transformation – not just a tinkering round the edges. I wonder, are we prepared for such a change? 

His highway is reserved for the redeemed who have been made clean and holy. We do not want to step to the left or to the right, for the highway is a place of safety where no wild beasts will be found (Isaiah 35 v 8). His holy highway is also a place of joy: 

“They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (Isaiah 35:10). 

Today’s world can seem confusing, dry and barren. It can seem spiritually hard and with little in the way of abundant life. But….I believe that just below the surface lie unseen latent and dormant seeds and bulbs. 

Whilst I don’t believe we can make revival happen; I do believe that we can help shape a culture where an outpouring of His Spirit is more likely. That will mean committing together to walk the ‘highway of holiness’ and committing to following the One who says, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life.’ 

Then, just maybe the rain clouds will gather, the air humidify and the clouds burst until the Spirit of God is bursting forth, watering a thirsty land, and not just bringing change, but joyful transformation! 

‘Springs will gush forth in the wilderness and streams will water the wasteland.  The parched land will become a pool, and Springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass, reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived.  

If you feel parched and thirsty and want the Holy Spirit to be poured into your life afresh as God’s people, let’s encourage one another! Whilst I certainly can’t promise revival or renewal, wouldn’t it be fantastic if more and more in the church started talking and thinking about ‘preparing the ground’, radical discipleship and the Holy Spirit’s transforming power? 

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Trusting God In The Fog

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fog‘Trust in him at all times, you people;
 pour out your hearts to him,
 for God is our refuge.’
Psalm 62:8

Life has thrown me a few curve balls of late and sometimes it’s hard to know what the next steps should be. I am confused! Sometimes, I confess, it’s hard to stay motivated to make any steps at all, but I know that I must.

Life is often uncertain and unpredictable. We may face major questions about our health, the health or wellbeing of our loved ones, our homes, our livelihoods, our finances or our church.   The certainty is that we cannot avoid uncertainty in this life. We can however respond to it in a way that honours Christ.

Searching For Clarity

The ethicist John Kavanaugh tells of a time in his life when he was searching for direction regarding his future. He left the United States and went to Calcutta to work for three months at “the house of the dying”.  The first morning there, he met Mother Teresa.  She asked, “And what can I do for you?’  Kavanaugh asked her to pray for him.

“What do you want me to pray for?” she asked.  He responded by explaining that he had come thousands of miles to find direction: “Pray that I have clarity.”

She said firmly, “No, I will not do that.”  When asked why, she said, “Clarity is the last thing you are clinging to and must let go of.”  Kavanaugh commented that she always seemed to have the clarity he longed for.  She laughed and said, “I have never had clarity; what I have always had is trust.  So I will pray that you trust God.”
 
Clarity vs. Trust

There is something in all of us that wants clarity.  It is often an expression of our insecurities.  We would rather seek to understand the complexities of the road ahead than seek to become better acquainted with the wonder of God’s character.  Clarity can sometimes be spiritually counterproductive. It short-changes trust, a life of faith and a moment-by-moment dependence on God. Clarity could even become an idol that replaces real trust in God.

In Hebrews 11, we are reminded that trust is strongest when clarity is dim. Noah built an ark whilst waiting 120 years for a deluge.  Sarah was told to trust God for a child in her old age with no comprehension of how it could possibly happen.  The innocent Joseph waited in prison for 2 long years with no sense of when or if he might be released. Abraham went out, “not knowing where he was going”, and then thought he might have to sacrifice his own son without any clarity as to why.  There are many such stories, but they all demonstrate that faith flourishes only when we trust God more than we trust in our need for clarity.

We often want to “chart the course”, but the Bible tells us to walk in the Spirit.  We insist on a strategic plan.  Jesus says, “Follow me.”  We want all the answers.  The Lord tells us to trust Him, because of what we know to be true about His character.

Pray for Faith To Seek & Follow God’s Lead

Do you feel that you are in a fog? I do. Have you been there far too long? Yep! Does the present moment feel shaky while the future is unclear? Indeed it does! I, and perhaps you too need to remember that He is God and that He rewards those who seek after Him (usually without clarity).  Looking behind, we are familiar with His faithfulness and goodness, even when we did not see it at the time.  God’s character has not changed. We can still trust Him, even though the fog is dense. In God’s strength, I will keep moving forward and I hope that you will too, but as I step out, I will do so with my hand placed firmly in the hand of the one who knows exactly where we are going – the hand of Jesus Christ! Sometimes, He might have to drag me, but I know that He is not going to let go!

Perhaps it is time to pray that we will search less for clarity and more for the character of God because…..

‘Faith, not certainty, is the most important ingredient to a life pleasing to God’ (Heb.11:6).

 

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Inaugurating the Kingdom-A City On A Hill?

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Globally, this is a time of uncertainty and disequilibrium. We are currently witnessing, (mostly through the media) a rise in global terrorism that shakes our sense of stability and security to the core. We are observing a growing exodus of forcibly displaced people – a higher number than at any time since the Second World War. It would be surprising if people didn’t find this unsettling!

During times of turbulent change, people often seek refuge in all kinds of fundamentalisms. Fear can make people intolerant of tolerance and disrespectful of differing points of view. Instead of seeking the often complex, hard to understand truth, people look instead for simplistic (post-truth?) answers, soundbites and scapegoats. These scapegoats are often provided by those whose thoughts, behaviours, racial identity or appearance are different from that of the observer. This may affect how the observer acts and how they vote. This sadly permeates the thinking, actions and voting preferences of many within the global church.

Of course Christians can and should have a view about politics and current affairs. Perhaps they have more reason to do so that those of no faith. Personally, I long that followers of Jesus serve in politics at all levels (and in many of the parties) so as to bring something of the values of the Kingdom to their work here on earth. Christianity itself, however, must never be co-opted by Government or ‘the powers’. It is vital that the Church herself maintains an appropriate and critical distance, particularly in these challenging times. If she fails to do so, she will fail to be the much needed prophetic voice that she is called to be!

Sadly, at times in history (and in the present) the Church has been co-opted. God himself, however, cannot be. He is always on the side of the poor, the oppressed and the powerless all over the world. If a person is blessed, that person is called to be a blessing. If a nation is blessed, that nation is called to be a blessing!

You cannot be God’s representative on earth whilst always putting yourself ‘first.’ That is selfish. That is wrong and that is not the godly response of a ‘righteous’ person or a ‘righteous’ nation.

God has a high calling on his people; his church. He is calling her to be shaped by his own ethical, holy character….to reflect his righteousness, justice and mercy to a world filled with evil, oppression and injustice. That is the mission of God’s people. There is no mission without ethics. There is no discipleship without ethics. There is no holiness without ethics. In each case, it must be BOTH AND! Isn’t it time that a Holy Church rediscovers the ethical responsibility of her calling?

Like a ‘city on a hill,’ God’s people/his Church must serve as beacons of hope – standing in solidarity with those whom God would stand with; with those who ‘cannot speak up for themselves.’ A church in alliance with oppressive powers or a church that fails to challenge an unjust status quo is a church that deserves to lose its’ credibility. Worse, it will be a church that is failing to be church on God’s terms and on that basis God may pass his judgement. That, for me, is a sobering thought.

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Jibing At Sea…

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Monique is an accomplished sailor from Brittany. She set out from the Canary Islands over 2 years ago and has since been sailing around the world. She has called in at various ports along the way and during this time has, amongst other things, learned to surf, skateboard and sledge.

The world has too few well known female rôle models, so I am pleased to be able to say that I am in awe of Monique.

I am particularly in awe of her because people said that it wouldn’t work out. After all, she started her journey as an inexperienced sailor on a 39 foot yacht heading out into the vast unknown! People said that she just wasn’t cut out for that sort of journey or that sort of life. They said that she would find it far too stressful and that she would be much better off spending her life doing something ‘normal’ and more in line with her natural talents and abilities.

I know they say that you should never meet your heroes, but I would like to meet Monique…..

because Monique is a chicken…a hero chicken….

….a hero chicken who has been travelling round the world with a human called Guirée Soudée. Soudée has found, contrary to many peoples expectations, that Monique has been the ideal sailor companion for him. Whilst only eating rice and corn (plus the odd fish) she actually provides him with freshly laid eggs at sea. In addition to this, Monique provides him with company, entertainment and, says Soudée, ‘Compared with people, she doesn’t complain at all.’

Sometimes, we box ourselves in. We tell God that he can’t use us in this or that way because we are just not cut out for it. Perhaps we think that we are not experienced enough, gifted enough, eloquent enough, knowledgeable enough, old enough, young enough or whatever. Maybe we think that we are just too shy or perhaps too mouthy!

God can work in and through anyone in any way he likes!

God may assign us a task that is far beyond our power or resources to accomplish. Perhaps only then will we turn to him for the power, the knowledge, the skill and the resources that we need. Let’s stop focusing on our talents, abilities and interests to determine God’s will. Instead, why not seek God himself and just watch and wait as he equips us for whatever assignment He is wanting to accomplish in and through us.

When we tell God what we can’t do, we are actually saying more about our faith in God (or lack of it) than we are about our own abilities. Either God is all powerful or he isn’t. If He is all powerful, then we do not need to question our ability, strength or resources to complete His assignments. He will equip us to accomplish all He calls us to do.

Be like Monique…….I’m sure she never questions the call on her life or her abilities to fulfil the task.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36475672

*Tacking more than 180 degrees to avoid a jibe (usually in harsh conditions) is sometimes referred to as a ‘chicken jibe.’