Lode Chapel

Phenology, anyone?

2005-08-12T18:15:00.000+01:00

One of my abiding interests is wildlife, and in particular birds and butterflies. Since moving to Lode six years ago I have kept a record of the number of different birds and butterflies I have seen in the parish. The overall total of different bird species currently stands at 75, and for butterflies it is 20.

The thing I love is the wonderful variety of size, shape, colour and character of the birds around us from the majesty of a heron in flight to the tiny goldcrest; from the regal plumage of the peacock who strolls around Lode like the lord of the manor, to the subtle browns and greys of the humble sparrow. For me, as a Christian, it is a constant reminder of the wonderful beauty and variety of Gods creation.

Being an artist I am fascinated by the boundless creativity the pattern and design which is to be enjoyed all around us. Sunsets and butterfly wings; the colour of ripe sloes; teasels and oak trees.

The BBC and the Woodland Trust are currently doing surveys to track the changing seasons and it was through these that I learned a new word PHENOLOGY which is the study of the timing of natural, seasonal events, especially in relation to climate. It is recording when you saw your first bumblebee in spring or first ripe blackberries in autumn. This can then be compared with other records.

(Find out more at http://recording.phenology.org.uk/autumnwatch/ )

One indicator of seasonal changes is the timing of the migration of birds, and the AutumnWatch survey is studying when the last sightings of swifts are made as they begin their long journey south for the winter. How is climate change affecting the traditional times of migration? Are the birds leaving earlier, or staying longer? And what will be the consequences of that? In Lode we have a colony of swifts which can be seen and heard screaming up and down Mill Road on summer evenings in July and early August. As I write this article they have left, with the exception of a few stragglers, and all is quiet again.

It amazes me when I realise they have been coming and going like this for countless generations, so perhaps I shouldnt have been surprised to find the following verse in the Bible, written by the prophet Jeremiah some 2,600 years ago Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migrations. [Jeremiah 8:7]

Jeremiahs verse continues with these words But my people do not know the requirements of the Lord.

The change of climate in our society in recent times means that many people have now lost contact with God. They neither know nor care about Him, or what He requires of them.

But although times and seasons may change Gods word to us does not. God is patient in waiting for us to turn back to him and receive all the blessings he offers. Continuing to ignore Him, as the seasons roll on for each of us, carries a consequence which is stated simply and graphically by Jeremiah The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved. [Jeremiah 8:20]

Harvest time is a good opportunity to reflect on the beauty and bounty of God and to turn to Him with thanksgiving and praise. There will be Harvest Celebrations in all our local churches in the next few weeks. Why not come along and help to change the climate again?

The Politics of Hate

2005-07-13T12:19:00.000+01:00

The arrival of suicide bombers on British soil has brought into focus the corrosive and destructive power of hatred. It is not difficult for most people whatever religious, political, cultural or ethnic group they belong to, or identify with - to recognise such acts as unspeakably evil. Also evil are the random acts of retaliation aimed at places of worship, or individuals of a particular ethnic or religious group.

Currently being debated in Parliament is a new Bill which sets out to curb the excesses of religious intolerance. It is called the Incitement to Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. Whilst the aims of this bill are worthy, there are serious concerns about its effect and the way it may be misused if it becomes law. At the simplest level, many see it as a serious blow to the freedom of speech which we have long cherished and enjoyed in this country. Will our freedom to criticise or challenge the beliefs of others be curtailed? Will preachers or evangelists run the risk of a seven year prison sentence because their words have caused offence to someone of a different faith? What exactly constitutes incitement to religious hatred?

Evidence from Australia, where similar legislation has been passed, suggests that tensions between certain religious groups have increased, rather than diminishing, as a result.

Religion has always been flashpoint in human relations and the more passionately a belief is held the more tragic are the consequences of any resulting conflict. However, I am not convinced that religious passion can, or should, be controlled by government legislation. We already have laws which cover incitement to violence or criminal damage any new laws, which may well muzzle our rights to voice our opinions, seem unnecessary at best and potentially dangerous at worst.

The Founder of my faith proclaims a life based on love as opposed to hate; on reconciliation as opposed to retaliation; on forgiveness as opposed to vengeance. He teaches his followers to - Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. [Gospel of Luke 6:27-28]

Jesus deliberately replaces the politics of hate with the politics of love. This was, and is, and always will be, hard and radical teaching, and it cost Him His life. If only we had the courage and will to embrace it we could transform the world.

Wilson, Bruce and God Almighty

2005-07-12T17:14:00.000+01:00

Just recently I watched two films on consecutive days. One was Cast Away with Tom Hanks, the other was Bruce Almighty with Jim Carrey. Both had as their central character a man who was lost.

Tom Hanks was the sole survivor of an plane crash in the Pacific Ocean. He was thrown back entirely on his own resources for his survival. Completely alone, he painted a face on a football with his own blood, and then used to talk to it. When the football, Wilson, was washed away in the sea Hanks was distraught grieving as though he had lost a real friend.

In the second film Jim Carreys character, Bruce, was lost in a very different way. Completely self-centred he was constantly dissatisfied with his life, blaming God for everything that went wrong. Eventually, Bruce got an appointment to meet God interestingly portrayed as a black caretaker in a huge, empty building. As a result of their conversation, God decided to take a holiday and handed over all his power and resources to Bruce, with the one proviso that he must not interfere with anyones free will. Bruce had a great time using his power to gratify his own desires and to get revenge on his business rivals. However, there were serious problems with having unlimited power. When he moved the moon closer to create a romantic backdrop to an evening with his wife he caused a tsunami in Asia, of which he seemed quite unaware. He began to hear hundreds of clamouring voices in his head, which he discovered were people praying. He used his power to download the prayers onto his computer, but when he tried to answer them they were coming in faster than he could reply, even typing at supernatural speed! Eventually, he solved the problem by answering Yes to all the prayers. The result was chaos! So many of the prayers were for a win on the lottery that the payout was in pence rather than pounds and the disgruntled winners were rioting in the streets!

These two films seem to reflect aspects of our human condition. Some of us see ourselves as cast away, totally alone, with only our own resources to rely on, adrift in a fathomless universe with no one to talk to. Others of us have a notion that maybe there is Someone, or Something, out there Somewhere but, if so, we havent really had a very good deal. Or God is only a caretaker, aimlessly polishing floors while the world gets on with its own life without him. Some of us expect God to answer all our prayers with a yes, however self-centred or self-gratifying they may be.

Those of us who put our faith, hope and trust in Jesus Christ know that we are not alone and that we have a God who is intimately concerned and involved in every aspect of our lives. A God who doesnt always answer yes, because he sees a bigger picture and he knows what is best for our ultimate and eternal well-being.

Tom Hanks was rescued from his island but went back to a world where everything had moved on without him. Bruce handed the power and responsibility back to God and was more content with his lot in life. Both men were profoundly changed by their experience.

For me, coming to faith in God, through Jesus Christ, has also been a profoundly life-changing experience. Gods offer of hope in a hopeless world is open to everyone who is willing to look in the right place. The Bible tells us that those who hope in the Lord will not be disappointed.

Put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore. [Psalm 131:3]

A useless faith?

2005-06-09T13:31:00.000+01:00

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.6.6 - Release Date: 08/06/2005

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Christian fellowship in Corinth, written about 55AD, only 25 years after the Resurrection, wrote these words If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. [1 Corinthians 15:14 &19]

This seems to me to be a very honest and realistic assessment of the Christian faith.

Paul had started out as an implacable opponent of the infant Christian church, hunting down believers and handing them over to imprisonment or death. So what happened to transform him from being a fanatical enemy of Jesus into His greatest champion? He himself saw the Risen Christ!

Paul, along with all the other New Testament writers, wrote with the absolute conviction that Jesus actually had risen from the dead that he had conquered death - a fact with eternal consequences for every one of us, believer or not. He cites in his letter numerous occasions when Jesus appeared to his followers after the Crucifixion, including one appearance to a gathering of more than five hundred people. Most of those witnesses were still living at the time Paul was writing.

In the March edition of the village magazine, Rev. David Lewis referred to Frank Morisons book, Who Move the Stone. Morison was not the only sceptic to have set out to refute the evidence for the Resurrection only to end up believing it to be true. Another writer, Josh McDowell, also began studying the evidence as an unbeliever and has since spent many years writing and preaching from a deep faith in Christ. Perhaps his best known book is called Evidence that demands a verdict. Many other books are available which detail the case for the historical truth of the Resurrection of Jesus.

My own personal testimony is that until almost exactly thirty years ago I would have called myself an atheist. At the age of 35 I felt I had everything I needed out of life. Then I was persuaded to read

a book which included a chapter detailing the evidence for the Resurrection. As I read this, and then studied it further, I too found the evidence convincing and I became a Christian. Nothing I have heard or read since has shaken my belief in the truth of the New Testament record.

No historical documents have been subjected to more rigorous scrutiny than those which make up the New Testament. If they are studied using the same criteria as applied to other ancient texts their historical reliability is unquestionable. We routinely accept things by faith on far less convincing evidence

My challenge to anyone who doesnt believe is to read the New Testament accounts with an open mind, to study the evidence, to read one of the many books by Christian scholars which make the case. But be prepared, what you discover may change your life forever!

Tsunami and Suffering

2005-03-16T23:28:00.000Z

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.7.3 - Release Date: 15/03/2005

I write this in response to the sentiments expressed by John Humphreys in the February 2005 issue of the Bottisham Cresset. He is not alone in raising the question and there are no easy answers to the problem of suffering. Nor does the space available allow a full discussion. There is much about our omnipotent Creator God which must remain a mystery to us. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. [Isaiah 55:8-9]

Nowhere does the Bible teach us that we can expect to avoid suffering. Indeed, it affects a large part of human existence for many, and is an inevitable experience for all of us at some point in our lives. Pain, grief, loss and bereavement are an inescapable part of what it is to be human. Ever since the Fall the whole of creation has been subject to the laws of death and decay. [See Romans 8:21]

The planet on which we live is subject to laws which are beyond human control. Some are a source of blessing, others, such as earthquakes and typhoons cause chaos and terror. We should then speak of natural catastrophes rather than acts of God.

When disaster hits on such a sudden and massive scale as the Asian tsunami everyone sits up and takes notice, but we need to remember that there is the equivalent of a tsunami every few weeks in Africa as people suffer and die through AIDS, famine or religious or ethnic persecution. There are at present 13 million children orphaned by Aids, worldwide. This isnt a one-off event, it is a continuously growing disaster. Where is the public outcry and the massive injection of funds from rich nations to tackle this? Much of the worlds suffering could be eradicated if we had the compassion, will and determination to tackle it.

People of faith always have to balance the fact of suffering with their experience of a God who is loving. Christians are required by God to mourn with those who mourn, to meet the suffering of others with love, compassion and practical help; and to face their own suffering with perseverance and faith.

Many people find that their own experience of suffering is made bearable by their faith in a God who is close and personal and who loves and understands them. Many have come to faith through meeting God in their suffering.

The uniqueness of Jesus Christ is that He, as God in human form, came Himself into this suffering world to share in that suffering by His death on the cross. God understands our suffering, and through Jesus Christ has given a lifeline to those who will grasp it by faith.

Beyond the pain of the Crucifixion lies the joy of the Resurrection.

Jesus Himself spoke of wars, famines and earthquakes; persecution; false prophets deceiving many people; an increase in wickedness and the love of most growing cold - all as signs of the approaching end, when He will return in judgement. [Matthew 24:6-14]

I know that it will be considered a cop-out by those who do not believe, but the message of the Christian faith is that this physical world in which we live is not everything, and that beyond it, for those who believe, there is a continuing realm of reality and life in which God Himself will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. [Revelation 21:4] Suffering does not have to have the last word!

The Agony and the Ecstasy

2004-10-08T18:23:00.000+01:00

At the Olympic Games two British women athletes made the headlines. Kelly
Holmes, with her great achievement in winning two gold medals, and Paula
Radcliffe, whose Olympic dreams were shattered when she failed even to
complete either of her two races.

One overjoyed and elated; the other dejected and defeated.

We had come to expect so much from Paula, believing her to be almost
invincible and, when she failed to deliver, many people were quick to
criticize. She showed great courage when she appeared live on TV the day
after failing to complete the Olympic marathon. She acknowledged her sense
of letting down everyone who had put such faith in her but, even more
importantly, she had failed to live up her own incredibly high standards and
expectations.

Thankfully most of us don't have to live out our failures, or even our
successes, under the spotlight of world-wide TV coverage or on the front
page of the newspapers.

Nevertheless, we do have hopes and dreams; we do set ourselves standards.
For some of us the standards we set are not high enough and we fail to
achieve our full potential. Others may set standards which are impossibly
high, leaving us permanently frustrated and dissatisfied.

How we deal with those times of disappointment and dejection says a lot
about our character. I am sure that Paula Radcliffe will deal with her
disappointment and find the way back. She will run again and win again and
will probably be stronger, mentally and physically for the experience.

Simon Peter was Jesus' right-hand man. Before Jesus was crucified Peter had
vowed that he was ready to go with Jesus to prison, or even to death. Jesus
said, 'Actually, Peter, you will deny that you even know me.' Jesus was
right. When the pressure came Peter was so afraid he pretended he had never
known Jesus. Afterwards, he was distraught and wept bitterly. He had
failed to finish the race - he hadn't gone all the way with Jesus. He had
let down his Lord, his friends and himself. But that wasn't the end for
Peter. He went away and re-grouped. After Jesus rose from the dead, Peter
met with him and received full forgiveness and reconciliation. He became a
bold and fearless leader among the first Christians, facing beatings,
imprisonment and eventually death, rather than ever again denying his faith
in the Risen Jesus. We too can know that same full forgiveness and
reconciliation when we put our trust in Jesus.

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.670 / Virus Database: 432 - Release Date: 27/04/04

Dried leaves, gold or glory?

2004-09-21T22:22:00.000+01:00

'Everyone who competes in the Games goes into strict training.'

Not a comment referring to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, but words from the New Testament in a letter written by St. Paul about 54 AD - only 24 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Athletic contests like the Olympic Games were the 'Premiership' of the ancient Greek world, and the Olympics were not the only major games. Paul was writing to new Christian converts in Corinth, where the Isthmian Games were held every two years. He wrote to encourage them to persevere in their new-found faith in Jesus.

In those days, instead of a gold medal, the winner would receive a crown made of leaves. You will no doubt have seen such wreaths being given out at the medal ceremonies in Athens. At the Isthmian Games the crown was made from the fronds of a pine tree. Paul's letter continues -

'They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.' [1 Corinthians 9:25]

Possibly, Paul was writing to his Corinthian friends at a time when the Isthmian Games were actually taking place and he used them to illustrate his point.

But what exactly was his point? The image he gives is of life being like a race. So what is the prize we are running for? The Bible calls the prize 'the crown of life'. This crown is given to all those who finish their race having believed in Jesus. Peter, the disciple of Jesus, also wrote about 'the crown of glory that will never fade away.' [1 Peter 5:4]

Another passage in the New Testament has these words - 'Let us run with determination the race that lies before us. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, in whom our faith depends.' [Hebrews 12:1-2]

Jesus, the Son of God, has run the race before us. Not only through a fully human life, but also through the pain and separation brought about by death. Jesus shows us that death is not the end for those who are willing to follow him. He overcame the power of death when he was raised to life again on the third day. The crown of life is the prize of eternal life which God promises to all who believe in His Son.

'For God loved the world so much that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.' [John 3:16]

Maybe your dreams of ever winning an Olympic Gold have faded, but the 'crown of life' is still within your grasp. Is it just 'Pie in the sky' or is Jesus true? Only you can choose - but your choice has eternal consequences! A crown of leaves which will crumble and decay . or a crown of glory that will never fade? Choose life!

Triffids Rule, OK?

2004-09-21T22:19:00.000+01:00

Recently I re-read the classic science fiction book 'The Day of the Triffids'. Written way back in 1951 by John Wyndham, and called by him a 'logical fantasy', the basic premise of the book is how the survivors would cope if the whole structure of civilised society collapsed, literally overnight. Maybe it is highly unlikely to happen, but imagine, for instance, the rapid spread of an unknown virus - such as influenza, SARS or AIDS, with a massive, world-wide death toll - combined with a computer virus or worm which actually took out permanently all of the global computer networks.

How would we cope if we were suddenly pushed back into a 'survival of the fittest' scenario? In 'The Day of the Triffids' small groups of people got together and tried to work out strategies, not just for their own immediate survival, but for the future of the human race. Their ideas on ethics and morals varied. Some saw an opportunity to be rid of some of the values of their old way of life.

If we were going to re-build our society more or less from scratch what would we want to get rid of, and what would we need to keep? Could we improve on what we have at present?

Many hundreds of years ago, in a very different environment, a set of guidelines were given for living in society which have never been improved on, or superseded. A few simple rules, based on respect for God, respect for other people and for their property. Even if you would prefer to leave God out of the equation, as sadly many people do today, these rules still form the basis for our society and our legal system.

These simple rules, which can be found in the Bible in the book of Exodus, we know as the Ten Commandments. They are designed to protect our lives, our family relationships and our marriages. They suggest that our world will run better if we don't murder one another, if we don't steal from one another, if we don't tell lies about one another. They acknowledge the fact that we are not simply physical beings but that we have spiritual needs as well, needs which can only be met by showing proper respect for God. Jesus summed up these rules of God very simply, in the New Testament, as 'Love God and love your neighbour' [Matthew 22:38] and 'Do to others what you would have them do to you.' [Matthew 7:12]

Some people see rules as restrictive and annoying, but in fact we cannot be really free without them. If 'anything goes' was our only rule, no one would be safe. If you had to create a new, ideal society from scratch, could you come up with a better set of guidelines than those God has already given us? If we all set out to keep them our society could be transformed overnight.

A text message from God?

2004-09-21T22:14:00.000+01:00

A recent poster on the notice board outside Lode Chapel has caused much comment and discussion. It was written in text messaging language. 'TAst n C dat da Lord Is G%d.'

Irreverent? Amusing? Unintelligible? (For the benefit of the over 20's it translates as 'Taste and see that the Lord is good.'! Psalm 34:8) Or a serious effort to present the timeless truths of the Bible in contemporary language?

For many people the Bible means the Authorised Version, which was first published in 1611. It is ranked alongside the works of Shakespeare as great English literature. Some of its most beautiful phrases have become part of our linguistic culture and heritage. But that was certainly not the intention of the translators. The 1611 Bible was translated to make the word of God accessible to everyone in their own language. It was intended to be up-to-date.

For most of the Middle Ages the Bible was only known in Latin, but in the 14th Century John Wycliffe made a translation of the whole Bible into English. Wycliffe believed that even a plough-boy should know more of the Scriptures than the average parish priest of his day. This brought him into conflict with the established church and in 1408 the English Bible was banned.

The invention of the printing press was a leap forward in Information Technology which had an impact in the 16th Century similar to the World Wide Web today. William Tyndale recognised the potential of the printing revolution. He published his English translation of the New Testament in 1525, but he had to do it abroad because it was not safe to do so in England. Before he was able to complete the Old Testament he was betrayed and arrested in Brussels and was burned at the stake in 1536. Miles Coverdale's English translation of the whole Bible was published in 1535.

Today one can choose from dozens of different translations or paraphrases of the Bible. Some are scholarly, accurate translations using all available modern scholarship to get as close as possible to the meanings of the original texts; others are paraphrases which convey the meaning in a looser, more contemporary way. For example, there is a Scouse Bible; a Cockney Bible; and 'The Street Bible' which is written with contemporary youth in view.

The point is that in every age and every culture God speaks to people directly through His Word. The Word, written and preached, is His chosen means of communication. If we want to know God and to hear what He has to say to us we need to read His messages in a language we can understand. The Bible is like a letter, an email or a text message 2 U frm Him. Don't leave it unopened or unread.

'In the beginning was the Word.' [John 1:1]

D-Day Blues

2004-09-21T22:13:00.000+01:00

Heroism and sacrifice was the main theme of many programmes on TV during the run-up to the 60th anniversary of D-Day. Young men and women, mostly in their teens and early twenties, fighting for freedom from tyranny and oppression. It seemed deeply ironic that on the night of D-Day, after a stirring programme about the Normandy landings, the BBC screened a 'Panorama' programme about a very different battleground.

Our city centres are invaded every weekend by armies of young people in their teens and early twenties. Drinking to excess; collapsing in the streets; urinating on cars and in shop doorways; being sick; and, of course, fighting. The police and the emergency medical services are seriously overburdened and increasingly disillusioned.
The only winners in this war are the drinks industry and, through taxation, the government. The government solution to the problem is a proposal to remove licensing restrictions altogether so that pubs and clubs can remain open 24 hours a day.
Sixty years ago our young people were welcomed into Europe as liberators. Now, when they go on holiday or to watch football, they are feared and hated for their anti-social behaviour. Is this the freedom their grandparents fought for?

Something seems to have gone wrong at the heart of our nation.

The Bible has a lot to say about the heart. In the Biblical sense, the heart is the deep centre of our life. 'Your heart is you. The deepest, truest you.' As someone once said, 'At the heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.' That works for us as individuals and as a society.

Our heart is designed to beat in time with the heart of God. St. Augustine put it this way - '[Lord] You stir man to take pleasure in praising you, because you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.' [St. Augustine 'Confessions'. Book 1i.]

When we turn away from God and seek our pleasures elsewhere then our hearts are restless. The Bible says, 'Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.' [Proverbs 4:23]

Some of us have not guarded our hearts. They have become hard, or heavy, sick or sad, aching or broken. We need a change of heart - a heart transplant - and only God can do that for us.
The great King David of Israel was known as 'a man after God's own heart' and yet at one time he was guilty of deceit, adultery and murder. His prayer at that time was - 'Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.' [Psalm 51:10]
God answered David's prayer - and he can do the same for you and me.
How is your heart today?