Fairtrade Reflections

A couple of years ago, Burger King ran an advertising campaign with the slogan:“You like your friends, but you love the whopper”, and invited people to sacrifice ten friends and get a free burger. The friends it referred to were those on the social networking site Facebook. What they wanted users to do was erase 10 people from their contacts list – defriending them – so as to claim a free flame-grilled Whopper. Losing a so-called friend that we have never seen and hardly know, does not seem, to me, to be much of a sacrifice. During Lent we often sacrifice something – well actually we give something up for 40 days. It’s not really a sacrifice. It’s not like using our wealth to bring about positive change to help millions of our neighbours around the globe who toil in conditions we can’t even imagine, for wages that fail to provide any measure of stability or security.

If we can tithe or part with any of our resources, without a grudge, then perhaps we’ve embraced something of the spirit of sacrifice. One small step is to identify with the poor and shop for goods that have been fairly traded. Ok so Fairtrade is not in the same league as the abolition of slavery – but it is transforming the lives of those who can’t stand up for justice against the power of consumerism and exploitation. And it some ways it is about trusting in a bigger vision, bringing about the transformation we read in the psalm: “The poor will eat and be satisfied…all the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord…all the rich will feast and worship…future generations will proclaim His righteousness.” (Ps.22:26-31). In a world where poverty kills 30,000 children every day, many simply long for their children to have a future, and when we buy Fairtrade products we are campaigning for justice.

In the larger scheme of things we may feel our efforts count for nothing. How can we possibly make a difference?

A boy is on a beach throwing starfish back into the sea as they will die in the roasting sun before the tide comes back in. A cynic sees him doing this and criticises him for wasting his time as there are too many starfish for him to possibly make a difference. The boy picks up a starfish and as he throws it back into the sea says, “I can make a difference to this one.”

Sometimes it’s easier to “pick up starfish”, rather than look for larger causes. Fairtrade restores dignity and respect. It’s not about charity. With every packet of biscuits, or bunch of bananas purchased, it’s providing opportunity and hope for the future in making a better world. It’s something at the heart of our faith as well. Let’s say these verses together:“What good is it if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (Js.2:14-17).

We manifest our faith in our conduct. True faith transforms our conduct as well as the way we think about things. It’s not being self-righteous, which Jesus spoke against, it’s about serving God and serving our neighbours – locally and globally. This text is saying that our faith won’t do anyone any good if we don’t live it out. Encouraging others gives them strength.

On average we consume 10-12lb of chocolate every year. Do you ever stop to think about where all this chocolate comes from? Ghana is one of the world’s largest cocoa producers. But there is a dark secret. Thousands of children are illegally trafficked to harvest cocoa beans. Taken from their homes they become slaves forced to work on the farms. They are given dangerous tools and they live under a constant threat of violence. Most of them have never even tasted chocolate made from the same cocoa beans they are made to harvest. They are growing up without a childhood. But there are ways to help.

Shopping is a complex matter as we have so much choice! Nonetheless, despite its complexity we can all do something — and it can start with something as simple as bar of chocolate (but only on a Sunday if you’ve given it up for Lent!!). We may have to pay a bit more, but the cost is minimal compared to the benefits to farmers and workers and children at the other end. It can put a smile on the faces of many making their lives bearable.

Many cotton farms in Mali, West Africa belong to co-operatives that are Fairtrade certified. One farmer writes:- 

Cotton prices were going down and down until they were below the cost of production. People were demotivated and it was very depressing. But now, because of Fairtrade, we can make a sustainable living. My family can eat and we have better health. In the past, my children had to walk 10km to go to school, so really it was impossible. We have now been able to build a school. At first it had two classrooms. When we had more money and wanted to expand, we challenged the government to match our investment. Now there are five classrooms in total, and every child in the village can go to school. Pregnant women had no access to healthcare. Many died in childbirth and there were high rates of infant mortality. Now we have built a maternity centre. We have also built a food storage facility so that we can have a year-round food supply, and we have installed a pump for drinking water. We have built a new road, enabling us to travel further than 5km outside of the village without difficulty. Fairtrade standards called for better agricultural practices. Before, empty pesticide containers would be used as water carriers. In some cases this led to death and disease. Now, we dispose of waste properly. We don’t burn bushes any more, we prevent soil erosion and we have effective irrigation. I thank God as Fairtrade has really changed the life of my community. I feel as though I have a future, which I didn’t before. My wife is pregnant with our first child – this is how optimistic we are! I encourage everyone to buy more Fairtrade products if they want to make an impact on millions of lives.

The world is filled with hurting people who are just trying to make it day to day. Many of these people are our brothers and sisters in Christ. If God values them, we have to think about what that means for us. We cannot just tell them “It’ll be ok” – without doing what we can to help them. So let’s ask Jesus to show us how to be brave enough to stand up for what is right and fair. To give us the courage to change the things we know are wrong – so to make the world a fairer place for each and everyone. Let’s petition Him now sharing these verses from Ps.82:“Lord God, defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy, deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Amen.” (vs.3-4).

Humble Prayer – Amen To That!

As I got up this morning, God hoped I would talk to Him: just a few words of adoration and thanksgiving. But I was too busy trying to work out what to wear. I ran round the house getting ready and although I sat down for a few minutes with nothing to do, I was too busy to pray. But who knows perhaps later today I might stop and give God some time! Do you ever have AMs like this? I do. I know my prayer life is the one aspect in my walk with God that I can always improve. We should desire to grow spiritually. Yet we can’t do that unless we know the significance of a healthy prayer life. But prayer is a real challenge. Especially when, as our Gospel passage shows, the stress is on simplicity, confession and humility.

Jesus was brilliant at taking everyday characters and occasions and using them to make a point. The emphasis, in this case, is humble prayer and honesty before the Lord: “Have pity on me a sinner” (v.13) – words which remind us how far we have fallen short of the glory and character of God. The tax collector hits the nail on the head. He “goes up to the Temple to pray” (v.10) – steps out of his busy day – not even knowing where to start – not even able to look up to heaven (v.13), and simply says sorry to God. There’s the lesson. And long before Christ, Jeremiah makes the same point that covenant people are great at saying sorry without really meaning it – and often don’t even pray. At the time of the prophet there was severe drought, not caused by natural disaster, but by divine judgement upon wayward people – and the Lord instructs His spokesman not even to pray for them. They were not sincere in confession and dishonourned the Holy One.

When we read the parable we find ourselves thanking God that we’re not like the Pharisee. But actually I want to suggest – that we may not be all that different! He goes to the Temple: “God I thank you” (v.11) – his prayer starts out well enough, however it’s not genuine. In fact it’s not really a prayer at all! He’s congratulating himself on being so faithful, considering everyone else to be wretched. Regularly too our prayers are self-centred – focusing on our own goodness rather than on human need, grace and mercy. Sometimes, I think it’s easy for us, like the Pharisee, to fall into this trap of trying to make ourselves holy – looking at things that are wrong with others whilst ignoring the things that are wrong with us! I could have started my sermon this way:-

Friends, I got up this AM and didn’t run round the house. I stopped and talked to God. I thanked Him that I’m a nice and ordinary person who reads the Bible. I mentioned with gratitude that I’m not like some people I know. I praised the Lord that I have no secrets to be ashamed of. God I thank you that you did not make me self-righteous! But where’s my honesty? Where’s yours? We can all be smug at times. Coming to church shows wonderful commitment, but it doesn’t remove the iniquities that testify against us. Jeremiah’s people though that Yahweh would rescue them because they came to the Temple sacrificing burnt offerings. He warns them that unless they stop sinning – it’s just empty hollow worship. It’s a tricky message – but it’s certainly consistent for hypocrites like us today.

NT tax collectors weren’t by any means perfect. They bled their own people dry by greed and collaboration with the Romans. They were hated in society. But in the parable he prays: “God be merciful to me a sinner” – and it’s so genuine, so heartfelt that Jesus says, “he went home made right with God.” (v.13-14). Humilty and repentance shows what we’re really like. The Lord is far more concerned with our hearts than our outward appearance and behaviour. We all have secrets. Nobody is perfect and self-acknowledgement is a vital aspect of our prayer life. Instead of praising ourselves we need to praise our awesome God for His goodness, grace, holiness, mercy, love, might, power and dominion. Even when we don’t have the words, be assured that the genuine prayer of our heart is underwritten by the Holy Spirit.

What’s the last word in the Bible? Revelation 22:21: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all God’s people. AMEN.” As insurance companies have underwriters – heartfelt prayer is underwritten with this Hebrew word, which is more than just a religious full stop! When we say “AMEN” it’s not the Bugs Bunny equivalent of saying – “That’s all Folks!” It’s actually confirming, “So be it. Let it be. Your will be done”. It’s admitting that we know that we can change from one degree of glory to another with the help of the Holy Spirit. And all the people said: “AMEN!”

There’s the story of a man who once bought a donkey from a preacher. He told the man that this donkey had been trained in a very unique way. The only way to make the donkey go, is to say, “Hallelujah!” The only way to make the donkey stop is to say, “Amen!” The man was pleased with his purchase and immediately got on the animal to try out the preacher’s instructions.  “Hallelujah” – the donkey trotted off. “Amen” – the donkey stopped. “This is great!” said the man. And with a “Hallelujah”, he rode off very proud of his new purchase. He travelled for a long time through some mountains. Soon he was heading towards a cliff. He couldn’t remember the word to make the donkey stop. ”Stop,” said the man. “Halt!” he cried. The donkey just kept going. ”Oh, no ’Bible Church! …Please Stop!!,” shouted the man. The donkey just began to trot faster. He was getting closer and closer to the cliff edge…Finally, in desperation, the man said a prayer…”Please, dear Lord. Please make this donkey stop before I go off the end of this mountain. AMEN.” The donkey came to an abrupt stop just one step from the edge of the cliff. “Phew”, sweated the man, “HALLELUJAH!”

Seriously though saying “AMEN” expresses our dependence on God and stops us in our tracks. Long have we sinned and cried for repentance. “I know my sins they haunt me day and night. Create in me a clean heart” – says David in Psalm 51.The story of the Pharisee and the tax collector points out that it is God’s compassion which flows for those who humble themselves and recognise the need for forgiveness. “Pride ends in destruction; humility ends in honour”, says Proverbs chapter 18, verse 12.

So in humble prayer hearts of stone are transformed into hearts of flesh. The “Amen” is felt within and new life in Jesus Christ is able to keep us from falling, is able to do more than we can even begin to think or imagine. Approaching the throne of grace, in humility, will satisfy the righteousness demanded by the Holy Eternal God.

So be it. Amen.

Where’s faith when you need it?

Romans 10:17 – “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” I could tell you about countless difficult and drawn out circumstances over which I have tried to stand firmly in faith until they finally came to pass. Sometimes I made it and sometimes I was weak and began to doubt. But God mercifully came through for me on most of these things, despite my lack of strength to stay faithful.

There are some things in our lives that take a lot of prayer and a lot of faith to overcome. But why is it so hard sometimes to stand in faith for those things?
The American evangelist and preacher D.L. Moody spent many hours praying for faith. He once said, “If all the time I have spent praying for faith was put together, it would be months. I thought that someday faith was going to come down and strike me like lightening. But faith did not come. Then one day I read in the 10th chapter of Romans, ‘So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.’ I now opened my Bible and began to read God’s Word and faith has been growing ever since.”



Much of what we believers describe as ‘faith’ has nothing to do with Biblical faith. Our faith must not be based on emotion, or want, and not on the latest exciting ideas or revival. But it must be centered on God’s Word, on Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection, His salvation. The Living Word is the everlasting love of God that has been poured out upon our lives. Let’s read, hear, apply and live the Word today, and we will grow strong in faith!

“Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.” (2 John 1:9).

SCHOOL – 1950 vs. 2012

Scenario :
Johnny and Mark get into a fight after school.

1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends.

2011 - Police called, arrests Johnny and Mark.. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it. Both children go to anger management programs for 3 months. School governors hold meeting to implement bullying prevention programmes

Scenario :
Robbie won’t sit still in class, disrupts other students.

1957 - Robbie sent to office and given 6 of the best by the Headmaster. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2011 - Robbie given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADHD. Robbie’s parents get fortnightly disability payments and School gets extra funding from government because Robbie has a disability.

Scenario :
Billy breaks a window in his neighbour’s car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes university, and becomes a successful businessman.

2011 - Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. 

Scenario :
Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1957 - Mark gets glass of water from teacher to take aspirin with.

2011 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug taking. Car searched for drugs and weapons. 

Scenario :
Johnny takes apart leftover fireworks from Guy Fawkes night, puts them in a paint tin & blows up a wasp’s nest.

1957 - Wasps die.

2011- Police & Anti-Terrorism Squad called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, investigate parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated. Johnny’s Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario :
Johnny falls while running during morning break and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary . Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2011 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

East of Eden – Envy Leads Us Away From God

The question  “What does love mean?” was asked to some 8 year-olds. The answers they gave were quite profound:-

• When my nan got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails. So grandad did it for her, even though he’s got arthritis in his hands too. That’s love.
• Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My mum and dad are like that. They look gross when they kiss though!

The most fundamental answer was this:“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with someone you hate.”

The sibling rivalry of the Bible’ first family was severe: “Am I supposed to take care of my brother?” says Cain with his younger brother’s blood fresh on his hands (Gen.4:9). Jealousy led to murder and heavenly rejection as Cain was banished to live as a homeless wanderer, away from God’s presence, east of Eden. The title is well known as a James Dean film adapted from John Steinbeck’s classic novel of two brother’s rivalry for their father’s attention. It’s no coincidence that Steinbeck names his central characters – Cal and Arron. That there father is called Adam and one son has a dark side whilst the other shields himself from the corruption of the world. It’s a superb allegory of the Bible story where Cain is the farmer (the man of the earth) and Abel the shepherd (the spiritual man). There were no other career choices back then – you either grew and harvested crops or raised animals. Cain’s fruit and vegetables provided food. Abel’s sheep provided clothing.  Man was not allowed to eat animals until after the Flood, so our ancestors were all vegetarians.

On the God appointed day for worship – the Sabbath Day – both brothers brought an offering. Abel sacrificed the very finest from his flock: a firstborn lamb, while Cain provided some crops – fruits of the soil of average quality. However, a sacrifice that involved the shedding of blood was how one should approach God to make ‘atonement’ – to make reconciliation possible. After their parents’ rebellion an animal had been killed by God to make clothes for Adam and Eve. Blood, therefore, was the mandate for sacrifice. It continues to be like this until Jesus Christ became the ultimate sacrifice, the Lamb of God, who shed His blood on the cross to take away the sin of the world and to make that final atonement on behalf of us all (Jn.1:29).

But God’s grace always looks to the holiness of the heart. The Lord would have accepted Cain’s harvest if his motivation and attitude had been better. The giving is important not the gift. Cain’s heart was not right and he offered his gift carelessly and selfishly. This relates directly to us. We can’t just worship any old way we want to, and offer whatever sacrifice is pleasing to us. In order for our worship to be acceptable, it must be pleasing to God. Abel gave the best because he recognised that all provision comes from above and everything belongs to God. We read in Hebrews of his great faith: “It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. God accepted Abel’s offering to show that he was a righteous man.” (11:4). Cain, though, kept the best for himself, and even what he did offer was done with a grudge. Paul writing to the Corinthians says: “If the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.” (2 Cor.8:12).

What matters is the willingness. What we read at the start of the Bible must influence our understanding of acceptable worship today. Beware of the way of Cain! In Jude it says: “What sorrow awaits them when they follow in the footsteps of Cain…” (v.11). It’s easy to play the part of religion without being religious. God’s rejection of Cain’s offering made him very jealous and furious. He lures his brother into a field and murders him. “If you want to learn to love better, you should start with someone you hate.” Cain has no reason to hate his brother. Neither has he reason to be angry with God who warns him, and I paraphrase, that “sin wants to rule you, but if you’re like Abel you’ll be smiling…you will overcome sin and your offering is acceptable.” (Gen.4:5-8). Can you see what the actual message is here? It’s the Gospel. God is actually saying to Cain: “Repent, turn away from sin, change your heart attitude and you will be accepted, your sin shall be pardoned.” However, the tragedy is well known. Abel’s murder is shocking as it was pre-mediated. Sin had turned man against man and Cain is now cocooned in its spidery web. In his sins he is punished, driven off the land – away from God’s presence – east of Eden.

Envy / jealousy is the silent sin. It is often overlooked. It’s fed by pride, the root of our fallen nature. Pride leads to boasting, usually about possessions or achievements. Envy, though, hides within our hearts like “sin crouching at the door.” (Gen.4:7). It’s saying, like Cain, that God has no right to bless someone else more than you.

According to an ancient Greek legend, a certain athlete ran well but came second in the race. The winner was showered with praise, and eventually a statue was erected in his honour. Envy ate away at the man who came second. He resented the winner, and he could think of little else. Eventually he decided to destroy the statue. Night after night, he went to the statue, chiseling away at the base to weaken the foundation. But one night as he chiseled in violent anger, he went too far. The heavy marble statue teetered on its base and crashed down on the disgruntled athlete. He died beneath the weight of the marble replica of the man he had grown to hate. His own envy had destroyed him.

Wonderful illustration isn’t it of the lethal nature of envy – a deadly sin – the jaundice of the soul. If we are envious of other people’s fortunes, health or their success then we’re heading “east of Eden” in rebellion against God. We need His grace to help us desire to take away envy. Otherwise we’re like crabs in a basket. Fishermen know that one never needs to shut the top. If one of the crabs starts to climb up the side of the basket, the other crabs will reach up and pull it back down. Sometimes we’re just like that. We’re envious friends to those we should love. And we need to pray daily to God to conquer our feelings.

What we learn from Cain is that the forgiveness of God is stronger than the evils of man. We also learn that every one of us can choose our own moral destiny. Remember Cain was given a choice: “If you respond in the right way you will be accepted. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” (Gen.4:7).

Knowing and being confident in God’s Word is imperative for righteousness. When my children and I play a board game – if it’s one we’ve not played regularly  – we often disagree about the rules. After arguing for a bit we get out the rules that came with game and follow them. It’s the only chance of having a fair and successful time. Similarly without God’s Word nourishing and sustaining us we simply do what’s right in our own eyes. Without His written Word to follow and no one to guide us, we wander from God’s way and follow our own rules and remain “east of Eden” in the wider world of wandering and emptiness with our own blood on our hands.

We deal with envy everyday. No, it probably won’t drive us to murder, but it will start eating away at us like a silent cancer: “Oh look the neighbour’s got a new car!”; “So-in-so’s having another holiday!” It’s far more destructive than we might think. SEnvy even has a colour. We say someone is “green with envy” because that comes from the colour of sickness and nausea. But God has never forsaken the sick human race and He does not abandon us either. As we read Scripture and open ourselves to the Holy Spirit, He guides us back to the “way that leads to life everlasting.” (Mt.7:14).

So let’s meet God in His Word and do what’s right in His eyes. Sin is overcome by confession and submitting to the grace of God in Christ. So let’s be faithful so to please Him in our sacrifice of praise.

Prayer – Work – Rest

There’s a great deal to be said about having rhythm. Musicians are keenly aware how vital rhythm is if a piece of music is to sound anything like the composer intended it. Golfers need good rhythm to hit that annoying little white ball properly. Rhythm is everywhere. From ocean waves to walking and speaking and all sorts of things we do. Your first experience of rhythm was that of your mother’s heartbeat. Of course an irregular heartbeat will alert our doctor to suggest a trip to hospital. Also, those of us who need our beauty sleep are certainly aware of how much we’re affected by a break in sleeping habits. Ask any parents of a new-born.

So we need things in our lives occurring at regular intervals. And for our spiritual well-being rhythm is equally essential. We see it hinted at as Jesus’ ministry begins. What an exhausting day He had. He heals Peter’s mother-in-law. By sunset, word was out, and the sick from miles around had gathered outside the house hoping for a cure. And many went away with lives restored. As Jesus was fully human it wouldn’t be unreasonable for Him to have collapsed into bed that night feeling quite shattered. He knew He needed to rest. Often we need to rest – but there’s always some other activity we need to do (or think we need to do). It could be late at night. Worse it could even be on a Sunday – the Day of Rest – that God has given us for our mind and body’s health, jam-packed with the wrong priorities. Foolishly on Monday morning we’re exhausted before getting up for work. Even if you’re retired this can still happen! We’re excessively busy all the time.

Sometimes it’s legitimate, bills have to be paid, and it’s the way things are in this world. But it isn’t supposed to be. Frequently we could, and should, put off whatever it is and rest. Look at Jesus in this Gospel passage. Once rested, He woke revitalised before anyone else in the house, and took Himself off in the early morning silence to pray in solitude. This becomes His pattern. The rhythm of life for Jesus is: prayer, work and rest. If God’s Son wasn’t able to spend every hour working, and even His Father rested on the seventh day, then it would be worse than arrogant for us to think we could do so. Monks recognized this rhythm. It was Benedict who imposed his ‘rule’ in the sixth century. Different prayer times throughout the day (Matins, Vespers, Compline et.al) – where those in the monastery would stop work and pray.

Remember the old advert: “A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play.” I think in order to remember the Biblical rhythm for life we need to sing this: “With God it’s best – He gives you prayer, work and rest!” This pattern even in these increasingly pressurized times, when we’re so easily distracted is the routine we need to develop. We don’t need to wear cassocks and have a funny haircut. We don’t need to become monks or nuns! But we do need to try and be imitators of Christ. What a valuable lesson we glean from this text about time management.

Before clocks were invented, before we divided a day into nice hourly segments, people viewed time differently. They rose with the sun and stopped working at dusk. People didn’t hurry all the time or weren’t pressured thinking “there’s not enough hours in the day!” Today things are different: we live by schedules, emails and appointments. We try to manage time and save time and we suffer pressure if we don’t make it on time. Yet the point I’m trying to make today is that rest is an essential part of our spirituality that we should NOT ignore. Time sweeps us along. We don’t have time to pray, time to think, time to go out into nature and reflect about creation or time to remember to thank God for His goodness. What better way to rest than in prayer and God’s Word? Psalm 90 says: “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” (vs.12). And time can be redeemed. If we get into the rhythm – God will grant proper sleep to those He loves, and the ability to lay cares and concerns aside (Ps.127:2). How often we go to bed worried and end up having a bad night!

Today is the third Sunday before Lent. Now this is a time in the ecclesiastical calendar with a twofold purpose: (1) To lead us towards the Cross and the meaning of Easter; (2) To give us a little more space from the daily bombardment of modern-living. What you do during Lent is up to you. At the very least, as good Christian souls, I hope prayer is top of your list – for without it we’re a lost cause. Prayer gives perspective to everything we do. It helps us re-adjust to the right rhythm. Ok so prayer won’t get the ironing done, or the grass cut, or pay the bills – but it will lower your blood pressure! Lent courses are running in this church and across our ecumenical partner churches. So if you haven’t done one before, or for a while, consider making these 40 days really valuable in your precious time. It will help overall with the transforming power of prayer, work and rest. Giving chocolate up for Lent doesn’t really help with life’s daily demands. If you’re being drained, or losing hope, or failing to see what the point of it all is – remember where there is fuel for our tanks. It’s not about Weight Watchers but about Jesus Christ. His Spirit fills us providing hope for our hearts and rest for our souls.

Each year billions of pounds are spent on pills that claim to make you feel happier, sleep better and improve all aspects of your life. These may work, but as Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law – I want to suggest that the touch of His hand, suggests a tenderness and sympathy that drugs, vitamins and minerals won’t give. His Word and rhythm of prayer, work and rest brings healing and wholeness to us. So let the Bible speak for itself as we hear it proclaimed now…

READ – Isaiah 40:28-31

Even with His compassion and desire to help others, Jesus also needed time to withdraw by Himself in prayer. Setting aside time for quiet meditation draws our attention away from the hustle and bustle, the distractions and interruptions of life. It was Jesus’ rich life of quiet prayer and tender intimacy with God as Father that was the source of His love, wisdom, and power. He had rhythm in what He did. And in the way He did it shows us that when we ignore this rhythm in our lives we actually become much less productive, creative and content. Our stress level rises, our patience declines and fatigue threatens our faith.

So cultivate the rhythm of Jesus. Re-engage with prayer, work and rest. And have the peace that passes all human understanding.

For the record: Pastoral Care

We have a good record of pastoral care within our church. We are blessed to have good pastoral care coordinators who make sure that all members are under a pastoral carer. I feel it is important to state that it’s not just me ‘the Minister’ who does pastoral care – it’s a team effort and we have lots of pastoral visitors within the church and communication is improving all the time.

My first priority, especially as I minister within a joint pastorate, is to be available for and to respond to the life-crisis events; accidents, acute ill-health, bereavement, hospitalisation, faith issues as well as spiritual and relationship crisis. I visit regular members and indeed those who have a tenuous connection with the church – as these are the times when they need us, and indeed when they turn to the church with certain expectations. I don’t meet every need, but I strive to do my best.

I am not a “tea and cake” and pop round for a casual chat minister. I’m too busy for that! Also, more importantly I’m called to minister the Word and Sacraments. Thus, I offer care to those in residential homes and periodic home visiting to those who are no longer able to attend worship, particularly through the provision of home Communion. However, I recognise that there are times when a call from the Minister is the most appropriate way of expressing pastoral care by the church, but this does not invalidate the care given by other pastoral carers/visitors in the name of the church (or actually in the name of Jesus Christ).

Lastly, as Christians we live out our faith by the way we care for each other. That’s especially true in times of sickness and in joy, sorrow and celebration and I appreciate the many ways in which care and concern for others is shown by members of our church. We’re in this together for we are all commanded to pray for each other and carry one another’s burdens.