Ladies' Night!

The pressure of preparation, at the moment, combined with the ongoing work in house and garden, led to me spending a lot less time on the social network Facebook than had previously been the case. With more than a week since my last post here, I am realising that the blog is also being neglected. Such are the joys of "retirement" when one is a disciple of Jesus. I was told - a long time before it applied to me! - that, in the Kingdom of God, there is neither retirement nor redundancy! There is always "a work for Jesus" for those who are willing and who make themselves available.

Anyway, last night my wife was at a "Ladies' Night" organised by some of the young women in the French Fellowship of which we are members. As it was quite a distance away, I was the designated chauffeur for her, and one of the younger ladies who was travelling with us. I took my laptop, and fully intended getting some preparation done for a meeting next week, and preparing a post for the blog. However, the young man of the house in which we met, and with whom I was sharing the study (he also had work to do), and I started talking! Already, in this post, I have typed almost as much as I managed to type last evening.

I had a splendid evening (by the way, so did my wife and the other ladies involved!) chatting with this young man. Our topics of conversation ranged over a wide spectrum - from foreign exchange rates, to politics, to DIY and, of course, to matters Biblical and theological. We shared our thoughts on how to respond to certain questions that are regularly asked of disciples of Jesus - especially questions concerning the existence of God; and the creation of all that is. We discussed the possibilities for overt evangelism in the French culture. It was wonderful - and I realised that I miss such discussions!

A couple of Scripture texts came to my mind. I thought of Proverbs 27:17 - "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." This was not me lecturing or preaching (although I confess that I did do most of the talking!!), but two brothers in the Lord Jesus sharing their thoughts with one another, and each learning something from the other.

I thought of the words of Psalm 133:1 - "Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" We were not always fully in agreement - but we were (and are!) brothers in Jesus, and so could agree to differ on matters that are not of the substance of the faith.

The evening was a reminder of how much we need one another. The Bible knows nothing of a "solitary Christian" - although there are obviously situations and circumstances in which one may be cut off from any form of Christian fellowship. I think, of course, especially of those who are incarcerated for their faith; and those who are the only believer in their locality.

However, even as I type, I am reminded of some words of the Lord Jesus, shortly before His arrest, passion, and crucifixion: "The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave Me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me." (John 16:32). However dark the day; even if denied the joy of human company; the disciple of Jesus need never be "alone" - for He is always with us. He is the One Who, even as He commanded: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you;" promised "and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." (Matt.28:19-20; emphasis added).

Do you know that Presence? He is only a prayer away!

Alone, yet not alone!

It was one of my former pupils who had the words posted on Facebook as a poster (which she had not written).  I have taken the liberty of correcting the various grammatical mistakes!   It reads:

"I've been stabbed in the back by those I needed most;  I've been lied to by those I love; and I have felt alone when I couldn't afford to be.  But at the end of the day I had to learn to be my own best friend, because there are going to be days when no-one is going to be there for me but myself."

I found such words to be very sad, especially as I was reading them just a few hours after the evening fellowship time at Wishaw Baptist Church.  We are seeking to find ways of impacting the local community, and one of the points made was how lonely many people are in our contemporary society.

It has been claimed that two of the greatest problems in our contemporary Western culture are forgiveness, and loneliness.  I may deal with the former in a subsequent post but, in this one, I want to share a few thoughts about loneliness.   Even the Lord Jesus, in His humanity, understood loneliness.  He said to His disciples, as recorded in John 16:32, that "The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave Me alone ; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me."   "... alone; yet ... not alone,"!

Most folk are aware that loneliness is not the same as isolation.  I may be in the middle of a large city - and be completely alone.  Conversely, I may be in the middle of the Sahara desert - and not be alone!  Jesus gave us the clue - "... for the Father is with Me."

As a disciple of Jesus, I believe, firmly, that my Father God is omnipresent.  That simply means that He is everywhere, simultaneously!  It doesn't make logical sense to us - but He is God, and that is enough.

Jesus, Himself, said to His disciples "... lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." (Matt.28:20).   In the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, we find the Psalmist asking "Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?  If I ascend to heaven, Thou art there! If I make my bed in Sheol, Thou art there!  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Thy hand shall lead me,and Thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Let only darkness cover me,and the light about me be night," even the darkness is not dark to Thee,the night is bright as the day;for darkness is as light with Thee." (Ps. 139:7-12).

Could this be the real answer to loneliness?  Not depending on myself, but enjoying the constant company of a loving heavenly Father - always, and everywhere!  Of course, He has to be my Father - and that is only possible as I come to the Son, the Lord Jesus, in repentance and faith, and submit myself to Him, as I receive the promised presence of God the Holy Spirit Who will make me more like Jesus.

"Are you lonesome tonight?", as the late Elvis Presley used to sing.  Then I commend my wonderful God to you - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  He will not only assure you of His constant presence, but will also never 'stab you in the back', nor 'lie to you'.

Solitude v. Loneliness

An intermittent connection has meant that I have been unable to post for a couple of days.  However, the connection is steady at the moment, and so I am 'making the most of the time'. (see Eph.5:16; RSV).

It is, of course, Sunday and, normally, I would be at a worship sevice somewhere - either as a part of the gathered congregation in LCC, or leading the service elsewhere.  It was earlier this morning that I received a message from a dear Christian friend who is a GLO missionary here in France - unforunately, in physical terms, almost as far away from me as it is possible to be while still in this country!  She mentioned that she had been thinking about me, and had realised that she had never asked me what I have been doing on a Sunday.  She probably realised that there is no evangelical witness here in L'Isle - nor, as far as I can find out, in the immediately surrounding area.  I am, to all intents and purposes, in 'Christian solitude'!   

But I am not alone!  As I thought about my friend's loving concern, I recalled an incident from my days in the British Merchant Navy.  Although still a very young, and immature, disciple of Jesus, I wanted to provide some sort of witness.  Part of that was my attendance at the weekly 'Divine Service' on board the ship - open to both passengers and crew-members.  However, when we were in port on a Sunday, that activity didn't take place, and I took the opportunity to attend a local service of worship.  On some occasions, I was able to pick and choose from a number of possibilities but, on others, the constraints of time meant that I had to go to the closest place of worship to where the ship was berthed.  

One of the latter occasions was in Melbourne, Australia, and the church in question was of the Episcopal persuasion.  The building, as I recall, was a magnificent red sandstone edifice in Gothic style, with high, arching ceiling, and beautiful stained glass windows.  It was much larger than the building in which I worshipped at home, and could probably have seated some seven to eight hundred worshippers.  My attendance was certainly noticed - all by myself, that Sunday morning, I managed to increase the size of the total numbers present by 50%!  Yes, apart from me, there was the vicar, and the vicar's wife!

In those far-off days, I knew nothing about Episcopal liturgy, and Collects (set, daily, prayers) - although I have since made use of some of them in leading congregations in worship.  We came to the communion, and it was then that I had a moment of revelation, as that dear man uttered words with which he and his wife were presumably so familiar, but that came as a ray of light and understanding to their young visitor.  "Therefore, with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify Thy glorious Name; evermore praising Thee, and saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory: Glory be to Thee, O Lord most High"

I realised, at that moment, that even although there were only three human bodies in that vast sanctuary, we were not alone.  Because we were surrounded by, and one with, an unseen host who, in a dimension that we were (and are) incapable of comprehending, were worshipping the same Triune God - and doing so with a purity of heart and purpose to which we could do no more than aspire!

So, as I sit here in L'Isle-sur-le-Doubs this Sunday morning, I am in solitude - but I am not alone.  As I read God's Word, and as I pray; as I listen to "the songs of Zion", and join in with those whose voices have been recorded; I am joined by angels and archangels, and all the company of heaven, in praising and magnifying His glorious Name.  And, of course, I have the constancy of His own presence Who has promised: "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." (Heb.13:5).

Solitude - it's not so bad, if one is not alone!

Being apart!

Amazingly, I am now into my third week of separation from my wee wife - and am missing her terribly. :-( However, some news this morning helped me to put my personal situation into perspective!

A group of 33 Chilean miners have already spent 18 days, trapped some 2,300 feet underground - and may have to remain there for another four months! Makes my few weeks seem like nothing, by comparison. They are in a 500 sq.ft. chamber in a tunnel in the rock - about 15 sq.ft. per man. I have more than ten times that space all to myself in the caravan - and I am above ground, with the trees and the river; the sky and the sun (some days!); people moving about; a whole town around which to walk. They have survived on two mouthsful of tuna fish and a half-cup of milk each, once every other day. I have a stock of food and drink that, if necessary, would keep me going for the rest of the week - and shops within walking distance, where I may purchase more food as I need it! They have, now, limited communication with their families; I have the advatage of Skype, that allows me to speak with my wife, and my daughters (and a couple of friends!) at any time that is mutually convenient.

I am reminded of the old Persian (or, perhaps, Russian!) proverb: "I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet."

However, my uppermost thought is of the words of Jesus, to the eleven, as recorded in John 16:32 - "... the time is coming—indeed it's here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving Me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with Me."

It is, above all, the living Presence of that same Father God that is sustaining me during these days. I recall the old chorus that was often sung in my days in Christian Endeavour:
"No, never alone, no never alone.
He promised never to leave me,
Never to leave me alone." (and repeated!)

It's promise that He has kept, and continues to keep. I trust that at least some of those Chilean miners are aware of that Presence. I trust that you are, too!