[Friday's Devotional] - Passing on the Baton

Among the highlights of the Olympics are the relays.

In 2004, the USA should have won the 4x100m women's relay. Marion Jones, fresh from missing out on a medal in the long jump, could not catch Lauryn Williams and despite repeated attempts to thrust the baton into her hand, Marion held onto the baton for too long and ran out of track. So they were disqualified.

In 2008, the USA were disqualified with a dropped baton.

No matter the skill of the runners in running, the baton must be properly passed on.

One of the saddest verses in the Bible is in Judges 2:

 

“After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.” Judges 2:10 [NIV]

The way one generation will not hear about the incredible works of God is if we drop baton - the baton of faith that needs to be handed to the next generation

Hebrews 12 encourages us to keep our eyes on Jesus, living our lives in his presence.

 

So What?

Pray for the passing on of the baton of faith to the next generation.

Pray for younger people you know as they take up the baton of faith.

Tim Norman

[Thursday's Devotional] - Cheered On

“Thousands of people in Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, have cheered on a 16-year-old boy with one leg who hopes to compete in the Paralympics.

 

Ben Fox, a wheelchair basketball player, was applauded for his tenacity in covering the 300m.” (BBC news, 23 May 2012)

The applause helped Ben to keep going.

In a similar way, the heroes of our faith cheer us on:

 

 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3 [NIV]

 

We may be cheered on by reading their life stories, and being inspired by God’s work in and through them.

We may be cheered on by the way they prayed, and worshipped God.

We are cheered on by heroes of the faith, both past and present - let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Tim Norman

[Wednesday's Devotional] - God's Heroes

Standing on an Olympic podium as thousands of people cheer must be one of the greatest moments, the culmination of years of preparation and discipline. Heroes come into the limelight, and inspire others to live heroically. There are lists of the greats, the heroes of the games.

God’s people have heroes too, Hebrews 11 has a roll call of the greats:

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for…

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”
Hebrews 11:1-8 [NIV]

The list is a long one, and makes clear that it is not just the headliners who matter.

In the race of life, God remembers how we lived. There is only one measure: Did we trust in God and live a life of faith?

Tim Norman

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Greater than Gold

An Olympic Gold medal is the greatest prize in many sports, and only one person can win it in each event. But what next?

Sugar Ray Leonard said this:

“Although it was a great accomplishment to win a gold medal, as soon as they put it on you, that's it; your career is over.”

For Christians, the prize in the race of life is much Greater than Gold, as Paul writes:

^“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 [NIV]

 

Tim Norman

[Monday's Devotional] - Running to Win the Prize

The Olympics are just round the corner now, and we will see the greatest competitors in the world doing their utmost to win the prize.

For Christians the prize is ahead of us, as Paul writes:

 

“I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-18 [NIV]

 

Paul has no question that he is doing his utmost to win the prize. He has left the past behind and is putting his all into living for Christ.

 

To Reflect:

Think about Paul’s words.

How do they make you feel?

What do you want to do about it?

Put your thoughts and feelings into words in prayer.

Tim Norman

[Friday's Devotional] - Leaving a legacy

Recently we holidayed in the North East of England and this allowed a little bit of exploration of ancestors by visiting areas where they had lived (coincidentally on both sides of our family). It was possible to find a few gravestones and to visit places which would have meant much to our ancestors – but not much detail is available on record for people who were born in the 1800s. The advent of the digital age, and the possibility to Google your name (go on, admit it, you have done it several times?), gives us a glimpse of how researchers in 2112 will look back on our lives (unless of course Jesus returns before then…). I imagine that Facebook will give them an insight into our lives, by documenting some events we attended, people we met, collecting together conveniently tagged photos….

I wonder what they will think of us, those visitors from the future? I am not suggesting that we sanitise our online activity and try to put on a mask of how we would like to be seen – rather I am thinking that comments made in the heat of the moment might not be things we want to be remembered for ever.

The ongoing Leverson enquiry has shown that politicians' texts may be read out years later. I am also reminded of the careless racist comment on Twitter which landed the person posting it in jail. What we think of as disposable or throw-away, may last longer than we think. Words have a very longlasting effect, and the internet gives them a permanence and reach beyond our imagination.

How much of your profile would you like immortalised on your tombstone?

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4: 8-9 [NIV]

Amen to that.

Dave MacLellan

[Thursday's Devotional] - Facebook friends

One of my friends from school, replied to an e-mail I sent a few years ago where I had described a mutual friend as a "Facebook friend". He replied: "What's a Facebook friend? I am obviously behind the times".

I am this week tempted to reflect on his question. What is a Facebook friend? If I look up my own Facebook friends, I see that some are relatives, some I have known at school, some are from church and a few are from work. Some I know really well, and see every day – others I haven't seen for over 10 years. Some are perhaps acquaintances – people I don't know that well, but I know who they are and have spoken to them. Facebook is a wonderful tool to spread information, to share experiences, to keep in touch with people who live large distances away, to discuss hot topics and to support our friends in difficult times. It is also a way in which we can be a witness to those who don't have a relationship with Jesus.

Take the opportunity to "set the tone" in your online posting today – try to be more like Jesus who saw the good in everyone and didn't lose his temper without just reason.

Anger is not an attractive quality in a friendship - Proverbs has lots to say about friends, here is an interesting one for today:

Don't make friends with anyone who has a bad temper. You might turn out like them and get caught in a trap.
Proverbs 22: 24-25 [NIV]

Lord Jesus, help us to follow your example in everything we say and everything we do. Amen.

Dave MacLellan

[Wednesday's Devotional] - What's your status?

In common with most social networking platforms, Facebook offers a means for you to share your "status" – how you are feeling, what you are doing, where you are…etc.

I have been dismayed at the way in which this has been used by so many people (even by close friends and family) to be negative or condemning of others or situations – sometimes forgetting, perhaps, the size of their audience. Comments can be encouraging, uplifting, comforting and loving – I have seen this, where people can be offered support from friends who are on-hand to say a kind word. Too often, however, I have seen comments which are damning, belittling, upsetting and spiteful. The fact is that even when we are on an emotional rollercoaster of ups and downs, the basic truths of who we are and where we stand in our important relationships are not so variable as they would appear.

As a Christian, I have two perspectives – how I feel in the eyes of the world (sometimes good, sometimes bad) and how I stand in the eyes of God (never changing in spite of how it might feel).

In Paul's letter to the Philippians, he encourages them to be joyful even when circumstances look terrible. If Paul had used Facebook, I am sure his status updates would always have been joyful and upbeat:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 4-7 [NIV]

Before you write anything on your personal profile, consider the following:

Is it precise or ambiguous? Is it positive or negative? Is it humble or boastful? Is it selfish or unselfish?

As an observer, I am encouraged by the use of humour and the way in which good causes can go "viral" and engage with people all over the world within 24 – 48 hours. I recently heard the story of 9 year old Martha Payne and her blog NeverSeconds, if you have time take a look here. Over 5 million people have visited her blog and she has raised over £81,000 for the charity mary's meals.

I recently discovered this quote attributed to John Wesley, which I think is a good message for today:

"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can to all the people you can, as long as ever you can"

Lord, help me not to be conformed to the value system of the world, but rather to do all that I can to share your love with all those I come into contact with. Amen.

Dave MacLellan

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Your precious identity

Who are you? This is a question about what makes us unique and different (special too!) from everyone else. It looks at our Identity and our history – it encroaches on our confidentiality. Facebook is often criticised for changes to security settings which can lead people to reveal what they would rather be hidden. If our lives were more transparent and accountable, perhaps this would not be so much of a problem – but then there is the safety and protection of the vulnerable and younger members which would mean that most parents would understandably like a higher level of security and confidentiality. Even now many members are under the legal minimum age of 13 and have therefore needed to lie to open their account.

We also live in complicated times of political correctness and excessive legalism. I guess that more than 99% of people just tick the box which says "I have read and agree to the terms and conditions". Practically, this is the only option for most of us – since the Google terms and conditions now run to more words than Shakespeare's Hamlet (and certainly would be very boring if put on the stage in Stratford!). This was underlined to me by a salutary story - the terms and conditions of Gamestation were modified on April Fools Day 2010 to include an immortal soul clause "you agree to grant us a non-transferable option to claim, for now and for ever more, your immortal soul" – needless to say it was a joke, but 88% of the 7,500 people ordering on their site that day ticked the box proving that they don't read the small print – fortunately Gamestation renounced their claim immediately!

I often forget that there is one person we can't hide from and one friend that will never let us down. He also never sleeps and is "always on" but never too busy to be there for us.

Lord, help me to see the bigger picture and not to be so taken up with things of the world that I don't have time for you. Thank you for being my true friend and Father. Amen.

Dave MacLellan

[Monday's Devotional] - The Facebook Factor

Facebook has recently been in the news after it was floated on the US stock market at a valuation around US$100 billion (that is a 1 and 11 zeros, in case you are confused – or $14 from every human being on the planet). Many of you will know the history of Mark Zuckerberg, the 28 year old founder (now a billionaire), from the mainly factual film "The Social Network" (2010), or you can read the Wikipedia entry for Facebook here. The growth of the website/company is a textbook example of successfully maximising the potential of an idea into a global business.

The most popular website in the world, Facebook has transformed the way in which the internet is used and has done much to connect together and build the relationship networks of its 900 million users. In the UK, Facebook usage is having a huge social impact.

But what does this mean to us? Just another time-sink in our busy lives? Like every aspect of the Internet, Facebook and other social networking sites can be used to enrich or impoverish the user. For every positive consequence (support networks, sharing memories, interaction with friends and relatives) there are negative consequences (rioting co-ordination, conflict magnification, stress increase, reduction in our time for God). Humankind is mostly made up of unkind humans, so the odds are that the average Facebook user sees more negatives than positives from their frequent interactions online.

The past 20 years have seen the pace of the world accelerate and our "always on" lives powered by pocket-sized smart phones mean that we are often to be found working at times traditionally viewed as recreation or rest. What I think is needed is a pause to reflect on our priorities – and to make sure that we continue to build relationships face-to-face and not purely online. To misquote Rob Parsons, I don't think many people will say on their deathbed, "I wish I had spent more time on Facebook". And I have more than enough evidence of Facebook-fuelled conflicts to know that whenever the tongue (or the keyboard) is used in anger, much hurt and damage to relationships can follow.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. James 3: 9-10 [NIV]

I am not suggesting that you abandon Facebook or condemn it as something to be avoided – rather I just want to encourage perspective and common sense – value the time you have – remember that people are eternal and things are temporary. Let us refrain from hurting others.

Lord, you have given us all 24 hours in the day – help us to use them to your glory. Amen.

Dave MacLellan

[Friday's Devotional] - Memories

After big events, we all have memories of how great they were. People reminisce about the highlights, and many people link times of their lives with particular events taking place. Many people can recall where they were when Kennedy was shot or the Twin Towers came down.

In our Christian lives, we also have memories of significant points in time. Those times may be celebration, they may be times of suffering or hardship. But they are all part of the journey.

This week we have looked at the journey associated with celebrating something – and we have the opportunity again in a few weeks time as the Olympics starts at the end of July. It is unlikely to take place in this country again for many years – it is a unique opportunity to be part of something that is recognized the world over and celebrates competition amongst people, but unity in taking part.

From a Christian perspective, memories are quite a challenge. The early disciples had their memories of Jesus and the great commission they were given to go out and make disciples of all men. It was a huge challenge for them and had never been done before, but with the benefit of hindsight, they were well prepared in that they knew they had to trust in God, and He delivered.

As this week comes to a close, can I encourage you to carry on enjoying the events of this summer (including all the rain!), to be able to focus on God through all the things you have planned and not forget what He may have planned for you.

Have a great weekend

Richard Mason

[Thursday's Devotional] - Celebration

So, having waited, expected and planned, the big day arrives. The long bank holiday weekend a couple of weekends ago was a long anticipated event with a big build-up. With many street parties and jubilee events planned, there comes a point where all the planning comes to fruition with a great celebration. That weekend seemed to be full of celebrations with the flotilla, the concert, street parties and may other things.

As usual, the British weather turned up, but things carried on regardless. There was music, dancing fireworks and many other things to celebrate the jubilee.

And yet, on the Tuesday morning, there was a service of thanksgiving for the Queen's Jubilee – a celebration before God and a thanksgiving for all that he has given us.

All too often, we celebrate something and yet manage to leave God out of it, when surely God in most if not all instances should be the central theme. The Queen has been a great example to us all who in her own way has kept her faith at the centre of her life. Almost every year she mentions her faith in her Christmas message.

Like her, are we a living example of our faith, do we celebrate it in a way that others will see, is that a challenge we should be addressing today?

Have a great day.

Richard Mason

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Planning

Part of the build-up to a big event is the planning. The Olympics has been many years in the planning - the submission of the bid, the waiting and expectation around the bid decision, the awarding of the Olympics and then all the work that has taken place since then in delivering the venues.

God has a plan for us that He knows in minute detail - what will happen when, the points when we will stray from that plan, the highs and lows, the happy times and the bad times. Waiting and expectation all form part of that plan because it is not something God unveils to us at a proper sit down presentation with a hand book and a map (well, not usually anyway!)

There have been many times in my life and I know in many others lives where it has not been clear what God's plan has been, either in the small things or the big things in life.

But I guess that the issue is that if we knew God's plan, would we try and avoid it? A good example of this is Jonah, God revealed his plan to him and he ran in the other direction, so God challenges us to trust Him in His plans for us.

Today, be confident in the plans that God has for you, Jeremiah 29 v 11 says

For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you to give you hope and a future

Enjoy Wednesday, whatever your plans are.

Richard Mason

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Expectation

Part of the waiting process is having an expectation that the waiting will come to an end. Building an air of expectation is something that happens more and more the closer we get to an event.

Take the Olympics. At the point of this devotional (12 June) there are 45 days until the opening ceremony on 27th July. The country has moved from a phase of waiting to expectation with the arrival of the Olympic torch in May.

People attending Olympic events now have tickets and passes, venues have been completed, pre-Olympic trial events have taken place. There is much going on that says that soon, the event will begin.

We talked yesterday about waiting. Expectation is defined in some dictionaries as 'eager anticipation' and is a phase beyond waiting. Whether it is the Olympics we are waiting for, a family anniversary, a birthday or exam results, the tension increases as we get nearer to the event.

Think about children at Christmas and as they go to bed on Christmas Eve, how excited they are that tomorrow when they wake up, Father Christmas will have been with their presents.

After talking about waiting on God yesterday, today, think about how we can expect God to be there and deliver with a perfect sense of time and an impeccable level of understanding.

Richard Mason

[Monday's Devotional] - Waiting

Why wait? Well, waiting is one of those things. At some point, we have all experienced that frustration of waiting for something special, be it a birthday, a wedding or other special event.

I don't know whether waiting gets any easier as you get older. Oscar has just had his 8th birthday a couple of weeks ago and the 'waiting' phase started at Christmas last year. In the last couple of weeks, the countdown updates were more and more regular. I find that waiting for things has got shorter as I have got older…..

As a nation, we have been waiting for a number of things happening this summer. We have just had the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Today, England play France in Euros 2012 (some of you may not have been waiting for that) and next month the Olympics start, we have been waiting for many years for that to take place.

And yet waiting can be very frustrating. This is a world of instant gratification, where much is made about having things now, no need to wait. It is a culture shift that has to a certain extent changed the way society thinks and operates.

Waiting on God is also a challenge. Nothing tries our faith in God greater than waiting for answers to prayer. David was a very good 'waiter' for God. In 2 Samuel 7 we read that God was his confidence and he trusted him with every aspect of his life.

'Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, O Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant. Is this your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign Lord?' 2 Samuel 7:18-19

All the way through Psalms, there is continuing evidence of this.

Waiting is not necessarily resignation from all activity, it is waiting for God's better idea.

Today, think about how we wait upon God, I am reminded of the line from the song – "strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord".

Richard Mason

[Friday's Devotional] - Jubilee for Others

The Jubilee was a time for releasing slaves, returning loans and giving back land that had been sold from their birth-right. So it is a time for people to be magnanimous to others, to give without counting the cost. It is hardly surprising that these practices of Jubilee did not survive the passage of time and now they seem to be unheard of. But the idea is very much in the spirit of Jesus (I nearly said Christmas – and maybe I'm right!). It is often within our power to grant those sorts of liberty to others.

For we as Christians have a responsibility toward others, and especially to the poor. I am saddened by the way many better-off people regard the poor, saying they should get off their backsides and get to work, without thinking that maybe they are poor because they lack the talent or opportunity that we could provide.

Jesus fell under a similar scorn from the Pharisees when he read these verses in Isaiah and said they applied to him:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour." Luke 4: 18-19 [NIV]

It was many years before I as a Christian dared to think that my Lord might want me to say those words of my own ministry. But when I did I found the wonderful thrill of offering Jubilee to others.

Maybe as we celebrate the Jubilee this week we could ponder how we might continue that "blast of liberty" to others.


Alan Cartwright

[Thursday's Devotional] - Our Jubilee

God's Jubilee constitutes an offer. It seems strange to say that – it seems strange that Almighty God should even conceive such a thing, and even stranger that He is prepared for us to turn down the offer. But he does, and we can!

Our Jubilee is the freedom of our souls and bodies from the effects of those things that we have done or said that wreck our relationship with God. This is sin! And it affects us not only when we are not a Christian, but unfortunately it also affects us afterwards too. We remain vulnerable even in his Kingdom. Although he is there for us and will not let us fall completely we can still stray from him in this life and need those times of Jubilee.

So how do we get that liberty that is our Jubilee? A similar question was asked of Jesus in John 8 and this is his reply in verse 31

"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." [NIV]

Jesus goes on,

"I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8: 34-36 [NIV]

Even as a Christian we can live in slavery to our own chosen lifestyle. You may have trusted your life to him; you may have received the gift of Jubilee, but you kind of forgot to open it. Look again at what Jesus is teaching and see what true freedom looks like. Jubilee really is a time of celebration it we let God's Holy Spirit transform us to live the new life Jesus promised.


Alan Cartwright

[Wednesday's Devotional] - God's Jubilee

Jubilee in the bible is a symbol. As is so often the case with God, he communicates deep truths about the relationship between us and himself in ways that we can easily understand. God's Jubilee was first seen in the deliverance of the Israelites. As he says in Exodus 6:6

"Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you" [NIV]

This is God's Jubilee; as I mentioned on Monday Jubilee means "a trumpet blast of liberty". The Israelites were freed from slavery in a literal sense, but God uses this to illustrate the freedom that he offers us from the slavery created by our love of ourselves that leads into all kinds of trouble. The Psalmist says

In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free.
Psalm 118:5 [NIV]

The freedom he gives us is to free us from ourselves to allow that friendship he wants with us to flourish. And that is the wonder of the Resurrection – a light shining in darkness as John puts it: in the darkness of our own misunderstanding of what God wants of us. God wants our friendship but we insist on attributing all kinds of wrong motives to him.

But on the Diamond Jubilee let us credit God with what he most desires! I could only find one mention of diamond in this context, and it is in the Message version and reads like this

God's Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You'll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries.
Psalm 19:10

What a wonderful way of seeing God and his word. Let us not be afraid today, but reflect on the sheer wonderful goodness of God to us – to me, and to you.


Alan Cartwright

[Tuesday's Devotional] - The Queen's Jubilee

No Christian who has listened to Her Majesty's Christmas Broadcast in recent years could have missed the fervent faith that the Queen has – a faith that we shall probably miss very much in her successors. It is a real joy that she gives such a consistent example in the way she behaves and talks. It reminds us very much of the words of the Psalm set for this day – Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;

This psalm is often misunderstood as saying that the psalmist is looking to the hills for help from God, but in fact it is the opposite that is being said. The idol worshippers of his time looked to their idol shrines on the high hills for help; the psalmist mocks them by looking at the hills and pointing out that real help comes from the Lord who actually made those very hills. And unlike the idols, the Lord watches over you always.

Given the things that people today put their trust in this is a signal truth. Think of the trust in money (lottery ticket buying actually goes up in recession), or sex (men have perhaps never been as promiscuous as today, unconsciously wanting to protect their seed) or power (how much lying and cheating seems to go on in this area).

The Queen clearly knows where her help comes from and we do well to follow her example. We wish her health and happiness in the years to come and celebrate with her the wonderful achievement of her Diamond Jubilee. Maybe this year will really herald a time of liberty to those idol captives.


Alan Cartwright

[Monday's Devotional] - The Jubilee

This week marks the Diamond Jubilee, or 60 years since the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne, so our devotionals this week will be reflections on Jubilee.

In my trip to Israel last year I bought, after some bargaining, a shofar, an instrument made from twisted ram's horn that is blown to announce the Jubilee year. It makes such a wonderful sound (when you blow it right!) that I can really imagine it would have caused the walls of Jericho to fall down when blown by hundreds of players at once!

The significance of this blast on the shofar is that the Hebrew for Jubilee means "a trumpet blast of liberty". It announces the year of celebration that first began 7 times 7 years since the occupation of Canaan by the Israelites – usually rounded to the 50^th year for every Jubilee since.

During the year of Jubilee there are celebrations, and a time of liberty for slaves and a general release of debt for any who were so bound, and a return of any lands that were bought over the preceding years. The rules are found in Leviticus 25 if you are curious – and speak of a leasehold practice of land-holding. It was that impulse that drove the Jubilee project in the year 2000 to publicise the problems of 3^rd world debt poverty. My guess is that such a Jubilee might just be what is needed to solve the current debt crisis across the western world!

But more immediately, the Jubilee celebrations this year might be an opportunity for us to think of how our lifestyle might impact on others. Have you lent money that you expect back? Have you given favours that you think "ought" to be returned? Have you had some hurt in your life that causes you to be resentful of someone? Do you need to forgive, to give, to celebrate the Jubilee by releasing others of debt, or from the chains of unforgiveness, or starting again with a clean sheet? It is a release that brings joy not just to the recipients, but to us too! That is Jubilee – so why not give a big blast on the shofar and go for it!

Alan Cartwright

[Friday's Devotional] - When you DO know the end of the story...

There are some films I won't watch unless I know the end of the story. I don't need to know how exactly how it ends; I just need to know it's a sad ending or a happy ending. If I know it's a happy ending I feel I can tolerate an emotional rollercoaster along the way.

Astonishingly, given his time and circumstances Job still had a vision of good ending.

Let's carry on our conversation with him,

'O that my words were written down!

O that they were inscribed in a book! ('They have been Job!)

'O that with an iron pen and with lead

They were engraved on a rock forever! ('Better than a rock Job, they are in the world's best selling book of all time')

'For I know that my Redeemer lives,

And that at the last will stand upon the Earth

And after my skin has been thus destroyed

Then in my flesh I shall see God'

(Job 19:23-25)

These declarations by Job are truly amazing. Job's voice from almost a pre-history time throws itself forward into the far distant future and speaks of 'at the last'. Job takes us right into the vision of Revelation, a new Heaven and a new Earth. God reigning and ruling, everything is being made right, nations being healed, tears being wiped away. He states two facts: his Redeemer will stand on the Earth, and he himself will see God in a body after his own body has died. 'I believe in the Resurrection of Body and the Life Everlasting' says the Creed. We say we believe it and so did Job.

Only when we get a grip on that future can we find the courage to live today as this prayer by Archbishop George Appleton so beautifully expresses.

Open my eyes O Lord, that I may see,

The Chariots of Fire,

The Crowd of watching

Angels and Saints,

The Four Living Creatures of Creation,

The Host of the Redeemed from Every Nation

And every Generation,

And Thyself,

Standing in the place of power

Directing thy Kingdom

And strengthening every struggling follower.

So, seeing thee,

May I be held, quiet and unafraid,

Ready and daring, to be and do and bear

All that thy loving wisdom allows or wills,

O Beloved author and finisher of my faith.

Sheila Bridge