"Who's afraid of the..."

He was young and inexperienced.  Those who knew him best had no confidence in him, and mocked him.  To everyone else it looked an impossibility.  What he was up against was an enormous challenge.  It was a threatening situation, and no one else was willing to face it.  But the main thing he had going for him was that he trusted in God.

Many of those who regularly read what I write come from small churches facing difficulties and challenges.  There is little to encourage us humanly.  It is easy to be gripped by a fear of failing, so often we have low expectations and endeavour far too little.  We dream of what it might be like if only our congregation was twice the size it is and the average age two decades younger.  We are all too aware of what we lack when we consider the challenges that face us and the task before us.

You may have heard it said that if you think that you or your church are too small to be significant, then you probably have never spent a night in a room with a mosquito!

Did you realise who I was writing about in the opening paragraph? It was David, while still a young man.  Day after day, Goliath had shouted out his challenge, taunting the army of Israel.  Day after day, the strongest and best in Israel’s army shrank back from the challenge.  Perhaps this was personal fear of coming against such a huge man with such an arsenal of weapons.  Perhaps it was fear of failure.  Perhaps it was the awfulness of the consequences of failure.  Whatever it was it immobilised them.

Actually, apart from his confidence in God’s enabling him, David had several things going for him.  For a start, he was young and agile.  As long as he kept out of range he could probably avoid being hit by a spear.  He certainly was never going to put himself in range of Goliath’s sword.  Beside his spear, Goliath only had a short-range weapon, while David had a deadly medium range weapon which he could use with precision.  If it was an uneven contest, it was tilted in David’s favour.  Shepherds had plenty of time to hone their skill with a sling.  A typical stone might be the size and weight of a cricket ball, and would leave the sling at around 100 miles per hour.

David also had experience of past victories.  David testifies to past victories that encourage him to take on this latest challenge.  He had proved God to be faithful in past difficult times.

David was concerned for the honour of God’s name, and it was this that motivated him to volunteer.  David also had confidence in the power of God’s name, and it was in that name that he approached Goliath.  Frankly, Goliath never stood a chance!

Some years ago, I had the privilege of being one of two people representing churches in Europe in a conference on evangelism run by the World Council on Mission mainly for churches in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. During the week, each representative informed the others of their activities and outcomes.  We heard amazing things where Christians and churches experienced political opposition and oppression or where they were a minority faith surrounding by majority faith which sometimes were aggressive.  Despite all that opposed them they were bold in their witness of Jesus and were seeing conversions regularly.  My colleague from Holland and I were ashamed to share our story, where the only significant problem was to a post-Christian culture, but where apathy meant that so little was done by the churches to engage in evangelism.

Are we like the army of Israel; frozen in fear?  In these days when our faith is often ridiculed and few take us seriously, are we concerned for the honour of God’s name and therefore motivated to engage in Christian witness and missional activity.  Is it embarrassment or fear of failure that cause us to do so little?  Or could it possibly be that we have no confidence in God?

There is not one church that does not have the opportunity to do more for God.  In my experience, God piles these up faster than we could grasp them.  But surely, we could grasp at least one a week!  A man called David Wiiley wrote, “Too often, we miss out on opportunities in this life because we were too busy waiting for them to fall into our lap that we missed them tapping on our shoulder.”

Why not take some time each day this week to read afresh 1Samuel 17: 1-51, then, with the story fresh in your mind say, “And David’s God is my God”, then set yourself a missional task.

From the Diary

Last Sunday (13^th), Doreen and I went to Newark in Nottinghamshire where I took the morning meeting for London Road Congregational Church.  Several testified to God’s blessing that morning.

Monday to Friday (14^th – 18^th), I helped to lead “Holiday at Home” for the churches in Market Harborough.  This involved four half days of activities and more for older people in the community, many of whom would not normally have a decent holiday.  Those who came were effusive in their expressions of appreciation.  It is not an overtly evangelistic programme but another member of the team and I led a God spot each day and made clear why the programme had been arranged, and we shared the gospel on each occasion.

Saturday 19^th, I shared in a team meeting offering mission support for 32 churches in the East Midlands.  It was good to be able to share encouraging news and build plans for the future.

Sunday 20^th, Welby Lane Evangelical Church, Melton Mowbray.

Monday 21^st, I will share in a meeting in Market Harborough exploring how to make church more inviting.  Afterwards I plan to go to Leicester for a workshop on crowd-funding.

Tuesday 22^nd, HMP Gartree.  Please pray for the men I will meet with, and that my security clearance will be updated soon.

Thursday 24^th, I will be chairing a meeting for a small rural church with a historic building with a thatched roof in urgent need of repair.

25^th to 27^th – A free weekend!

Please keep praying.  Each day I am likely to be involved in writing or responding to phone calls to support rural evangelism.  Please pray for our financial needs in Rural Mission Solutions as recent changes to our bank have disrupted our already limited income.  Rural Mission is certainly a forgotten mission field, and we urgently need to grow our prayer base and supporter network.

Finally, if you find these Prayer & Praise News helpful in any way, please drop me a line at barry@ruralmissions.org.uk or post to The Centre for Rural Mission, 4 Clarence Street, Market Harborough, LE16 7NE.  Recently, some postings have led to people asking if they can use what I write in the context of their own ministry.  The answer is, “Of course”, but it is encouraging to know that it is valued by the readers.

Thanks for reading this.  Remember, David’s God is your God too.

Barry

19th August 2017

Not what I expected!

Recently, 250,000 people attended the IAAF World Athletics Championships hoping to see Usain Bolt break the record for the 100m or at least finish ahead of the pack.  But it was not what they expected.  Bolt came in third.  The race was won by a man who had twice been banned because of using drugs to enhance his performance.  Many in that crowd gave expression to their feelings by booing Justin Gattin.  It was not what they expected.

If you read fiction or watch drama programmes, do you find yourself automatically making presumptions about the final outcome?  Doreen and I certainly do that, and derive pleasure when we have guessed correctly.

When God offers us his love and mercy, and invites us to become followers of Jesus, it is easy to presume how the journey of faith will develop.  The same often happens in various chapters of our lives, as we pass through new or challenging experiences.  Too often we second-guess God, only to discover we got it wrong.  Sometimes we anticipate difficulties, only to find that God has smoothed the way. At other times, we expect an easy journey, only to find a time of trial.  As the writer of Ecclesiastes states, “The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.”

Pondering on surprising outcomes, I found myself thinking about two Old Testament characters, whose stories have a surprising twist.

The first of these is Jacob, who fleeing from the understandable wrath of his brother Esau, whom he had cheated out of an important blessing, encountered God through a dream (See Genesis 28).  I guess that was not what he expected.  God makes a gracious promise to Jacob, to which he responds with a promise to honour God in the future.  Arriving at his intended destination, he meets and falls in love with beautiful Rachel.  His uncle Laban is willing to reward Jacob for his labour as a shepherd, but when Jacob asks for the hand of Rachel, he discovers that his uncle sets the price at seven years unpaid service.  But when the seven years are up, and the morning after the wedding feast, Jacob awakens to discover that he has slept not with beautiful Rachel, but her somewhat less attractive older sister.

Laban makes him work another seven years for Rachel.  Then for the next six years as his uncle changes his wages detrimentally ten times.  It seems that everything that Jacob strives for is met with disappointment and challenge.  I wonder, did he question where was the promise of God being fulfilled?  It was probably not what he was expecting.

The irony of devious Jacob suffering at the hand of a devious uncle is not lost to the reader.  And at the end, Jacob returns and finds, not an angry vindictive Esau, but a welcoming brother.  That was not what he expected.

Through all the disappointments and trials, two things happened.  Jacob was being made to be the man God wanted.  He also became the father of eleven sons and a daughter. A twelfth son was added later.  One of those sons was Joseph (Jacob’s favourite).  As a young man of 17 God gave him two dreams, indicating one day, his parents and older brothers would bow down to him.  But it was 22 years before God’s promise was fulfilled.  Over those years he was rejected by his brothers out of jealousy, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused of rape, cast into prison for around thirteen years, and let down by a fellow prisoner.  I suspect that was not what he expected!

But by the time his brothers came, seeking to buy corn, Joseph had been released from prison and been elevated to the second most important person in Egypt.  Consequently, his brothers failed to recognise him.  Finally, after some crafty manipulation Joseph managed to get his whole family to Egypt, causing him to weep uncontrollably as God’s gracious promise was fulfilled in God’s time and in God’s way.

They could never have expected that God’s purpose revealed to Joseph at 17 would turn out for their blessing when he was 39.  It was not what they expected.  Later, after Jacob had died, his brothers feared for their safety.  Joseph put their minds at rest by pointing out that although their actions had evil intent, God meant it for good (Genesis 50:20).

Many of us treasure the statement in Romans 8:28, “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”.  I would like to hope that those reading this, not only know Jesus as Saviour, but have also made him Lord.  When we surrender to his will and invite him to work out his purposes in our lives, it will not always be what we expect.  We might meet unexpected blessing or unexpected trials, but as Jacob and Joseph found out God’s way is best.  A David wrote in his song, “As for God, his way is perfect:  the Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.” (2 Samuel 22:31)

From the Diary

This past Sunday I was asked if I could cover the service at the prison for an Anglican Chaplain who was off sick.  It happened that I was free, and valued the opportunity for a second service after the previous week which had been marked with much blessing.

Last Saturday, Gordon Banks and I conducted the online seminar.  Much of the week had been spent in preparation.  All but one person declared this to be helpful, with most describing it as “very helpful”.  Similarly, all but one indicated they would be happy to recommend the webinars to others, most would do so enthusiastically.  We work hard to make these webinars useful to rural Christians and rural churches.  But probably 90% of those who receive these Praise & Prayer News have yet to discover their value.

To help us understand why this might be, we are asking you to complete a simple and short survey.  You can do so anonymously if you wish.  Please do help us make the webinar programme more effective.  The survey looks at various aspects and will only take a few moments of your time. 

Please click this link to go to the survey.

Tuesday 8^th August – HMP Gartree

Wednesday 9^th to Friday 11^th – Doreen will be on a short break with relatives in Kent while I travel on to East Sussex for some important meetings and a short break too.

Sunday 13^th – Newark Congregational Church, Nottinghamshire

Monday 14th to Friday 18^th – “Holiday at Home” outreach, Market Harborough

Saturday 19^th – East Midlands Mission Support Group Meeting

Sunday 20^th – Welby Lane Mission, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

Thank you.

Barry

Life Sometimes Hurts

We were singing John Wimber’s short hymn, “O let the Son of God enfold you with is Spirit and his love” and were partly through the second verse which has the lines, “O give him all your tears and sadness, give him all your years of pain”, when I suddenly felt there was someone with a special need in the meeting.  It was a Sunday evening and I was leading a meeting in a church hall.  There were no more than 24, and possibly less, in attendance and all of them I knew quite well. What I felt was that there was someone there who was deeply hurt, so much so that their soul felt as if it was one large bruise, too tender to touch.

I couldn’t think who it might be. It didn’t seem to fit anyone, as far as I was aware.  Was it my imagination, or could it have been a revelation from God.  If it was, then that sort of thing was not a common experience for me.  As we stopped singing, I plucked up courage, and spoke.  “I’m not sure if God has revealed something to me, but I think there might be someone here tonight who has suffered a deep hurt, like a very painful bruise.  Now you feel so bruised that you dare not even allow God to touch you in case it brings more pain.  If you recognise what I am saying, please know that the Holy Spirit moves very gently.  Let him touch you and heal the pain as we sing the song once again.”  We sang the song again and the service moved on.

I half hoped someone would speak to me after the meeting, and put me at ease.  But no one did and I went home feeling a little stupid.  The next morning, I found an envelope had been pushed through our letterbox.  On opening it I found a beautiful poem, written as a testimony by Anna.  I had called her family the previous day.  They were relaxing and Anna was sitting on a settee with her feet up.  But there was nothing to alert me to what she had just gone through.  I was to learn that she had just come home from hospital following an operation to terminate an ectopic pregnancy.  A little life had been developing in one of her fallopian tubes instead of the womb.  A surgical procedure had been urgently required, bringing an end to the pain, but also to the life within her.  But one pain had been replaced with another pain, for which there was no easy cure.

While I was ignorant of all Anna had gone through, and the hurt she felt that Sunday evening, God knew, and longed to touch her soul, if only she would let him.  Here is Anna’s poem, written on arriving home that evening.

Empty arms are painful,

Empty arms they hurt,

Empty arms – they tear

At the strings of my heart

I long to hold my baby

I long to call his name

I long to whisper, “I love you”

And caress that delicate frame.

His creation was so special

He was to be our third

The love that was his making –

Beauty – unseen – unheard.

A longed for little brother

A longed for little son

Excitement becomes a nightmare

As death threatens the little one.

Foetus – the medics called him

Pregnancy products his name

Ectopic was my condition

Surgery the cure for the pain.

I got caught up in all their mechanics

The stitches, the scar and the pills.

But the hurt – it just continued

Grief the cause of my ills.

My babe got lost in the jargon –

The jargon of hospital care.

He wasn’t a baby, he wasn’t a child,

Just an “it” no longer there.

Reality was dulled by this tactic;

It even worked for a while.

“Try for another to replace it”

Well-meaning advice with a smile.

It wasn’t another baby I needed

As a remedy – feelings to numb;

I had to work through the turmoil

The sadness of losing my son.

I was angry with God for a short time

“I don’t understand” was my cry.

“I want my baby – I WANT MY BABY”.

“I love you” came His reply.

God was longing to heal me.

This I knew deep down from the start

But I was scared to let him touch me

Scared of more pain in my heart.

He said, “Remember, I lost my baby –

Gave up my precious Son,

Watched him suffer and die in the worst way

For you, my beloved one.

I cry with you as you’re weeping;

I feel with you as you hurt;

Let me love you, walk with you, care for you,

Embrace you and bring you comfort.”

“The Holy Spirit works gently”

I heard somebody say

Like warm ointment He flowed in to heal me,

And soothed all the pain away.

Anna Wilson 

(Included here with permission.  Please do not reproduce in any form without permission)

Over the years since that day, I have shared Anna’s beautiful poem on occasions.  Often it has been used alongside one of my favourite solos, “All I ever do is love you” by Marilyn Baker.  I have always felt a special anointing when singing that song, and God has used it so many times to touch hearts.  I   had planned at the start of last week to incorporate John Winber’s hymn and Anna’s poem into the service at Gartree Prison yesterday.  When that decision was made I was not to know that little Charlie Gard would be allowed to die at the end of the week.  Nor was I aware until after the service, that several of the prisoners had wept over the loss of their own baby.  After the service, some prisoners testified to weeping as sang John Wimber’s song.  Another prisoner told me how his mother had experienced a traumatic ectopic pregnancy, and that he had been conceived not long after that.  Sadly, faith in Christ had been replaced by anger towards God for his mother.  Two prisoners have asked for copies of the poem to send back to their families.

Whatever your opinion regarding the battle fought by Charlie’s parents, as they resisted the advice of the specialist at the hospital, I know his passing will have caused them deep sadness.  Emotions might include anger at this time.  But I know too that God loves them and that he is what they need.  Occasionally, pastoral issues have challenged me enormously.  One such occasion was on the second successive cot death for two friends of mine.  Another occasion was hearing a colleague, who was a hospital chaplain, speak about the frightening number of services he conducted in a year following still births or other infant mortality situations.  I’m not sure that I could have done his job.  Sharing the pain of parents on the loss of a child is far from easy.

Jesus wept at the graveside of a friend.  I feel sure that the heart of God the Father was torn as he watched his Son endure the cross.  Whatever painful experience we might pass through in our lives, God knows what we might seek to hide from others, or even deny to ourselves.  He knows, he loves, and he cares.  If you are not familiar with the hymn it is 502 in Mission Praise, if you use that book.  I would also be happy to send the words if anyone has difficulty in tracking it down.

From the Diary

Saturday 5^th August – The Webinar (see below).  Please make sure that you have booked in.

Sunday 6^th – Weldon Congregational Church, Rutland

9^th to 11^th – I will be working in East Sussex on a difficult project.

Sunday 13^th – Newark Congregational Church, Nottinghamshire

14 – 18 “Holiday at Home” outreach to older people in Market Harborough.

Saturday 19^th – East Midlands Mission Support Group Meeting

Sunday 20^th – Welby Lane Mission, Melton Mowbray.

The trustees of Rural Mission Solutions determined to close a bank account and have opened an account elsewhere.  Unfortunately, this has not gone smoothly, and we operate with a limited income for that ministry.  Please pray that existing supporters will not be lost through this process.

Please pray for Christian friends at Dunks Green, near Tonbridge.  I am a trustee of the Chapel there, and we are seeking permission from the Charity Commission to transfer it to a new charity that the members have set up.  Please pray that this will not be hindered any more than it has been already.

I am a trustee under a Will which includes a large and run-down property in East Sussex.  My fellow trustee and I would like to re-accommodate the elderly lady who lives in this house and provide her with a regular income. But she is very attached and has resisted this. She now needs a fairly high level of care.  While we do not wish to cause her stress, we feel that we have no alternative to our plan.  Please pray.

Please pray for a church in Hastings, where I was surprised to find I was still a trustee some 29 years after leaving this church!  I have been trying to point this church in the best direction for resolving governance issues they have.

Finally, lease pray for new additional appropriate people to come and share in our ministry to the rural churches of the UK.  A ‘Joshua’ is needed, not to mention a Timothy and John Mark!

Thank you for standing with us.

Barry