A Reflection on Nehemiah

Nehemiah : Faith Builds Faith.

a reflection on how Nehemiah’s faith rebuilt the Walls of Jerusalem

 and the Jewish People.

by @minidvr 10 April 2014

image courtesy of http://daleblogging.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/on-nehemiahs-wall.html

The story of Nehemiah is of a Jew in exile who gained a powerful position in the Court of King Artaxerxes of Babylon. Previously in Ezra we heard how the Jews were freed to return to Israel and how the Temple was rebuilt. Nehemiah hears of the plight of his brother Jews in Israel, how they are exploited by officials and bandits and have no security, as the walls of Jerusalem are in ruins. Nehemiah is so moved by this and pleads with the King to release him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He was taking a huge risk in this and also giving up a lifestyle of power and privilege to go to the aid of the people of Israel.

Nehemiah’s prayer before meeting the King is one of great faith, contrition on behalf of his people and hope in God’s love which will free his people. In my mind it displays a strength of faith in God’s merciful bounty that is an inspiration to me and hopefully to you (Nehemiah 1:4-10).

⁴ When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. ⁵ Then I said:

“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, ⁶ let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. ⁷ We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

⁸ “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, ⁹ but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

¹⁰ “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.¹¹ Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favour in the presence of this man.”

God’s Response:

God’s response is real and profound. Nehemiah is granted his wish and more. He is made Governor of Judah and given the power and freedom to proceed as he requested. His influence with the King is part of this, but his faith and belief that his prayers would and were answered speaks volumes for his powers of persuasion.

But this is only a first step, he will need all of God’s strength and power alongside him in the journey and work before him. The confidence with which he approaches the daunting tasks facing him and the Jewish people demonstrates again, the strength of that faith that shines through and is transmitted to those who he deals with. It’s transformative and restorative in its power and direction and brings about a strength and determination among the whole Jewish people to work and to persevere and to succeed in the face of all obstacles including warlike threats and plots of violence to complete the rebuilding and in doing so, rebuilds the Jewish nation. The way that Nehemiah transmitted his faith through prayer and example holds real lessons for us today.

Nehemiah helps the poor:

Nehemiah found that all wasn’t well among the Jews themselves. Since their return they had been exploited by the governors and rich powerful, who’d profited from them in many ways through taxations, lending on mortgages which charged interest (contrary to God’s law) and they had in many cases become slaves to these people. (Nehemiah 5:1-13).

Nehemiah challenges and scolds those responsible for exploiting their fellow Jews and the power of his persuasion causes a change of heart and resentence and renewal of faith and prayer:

⁶ When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. ⁷ I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them ⁸ and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.

⁹ So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? ¹⁰ I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! ¹¹ Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”

¹² “We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”

Here I see Nehemiah’s faith and belief in God’s power causing the conversion of people from greed and self interest to one of a sharing and community building. What an example that sets for our world and communities today? Working for a shared, mutual benefit gives power and dignity to people who have a living wage and are not living enslaved to debt or in the power of the lenders or unfriendly governments.

What do I learn from Nehemiah?

For the me, and hopefully for others, the key message of that ‘leap of faith’ which banishes doubt and empowers us through God’s grace to do more than might seem possible. Jesus said “What is impossible for man is possible for God” (Mark 10:27). Nehemiah sets us an example of faith which knows no bounds and a trust, hope and confidence in God’s power that will remove all barriers to his love and grace. A faith that by achieving within us, helps us to achieve with others, making disciples. Our faith will shine out like a light and light attracts light. God be praised.

 This post originally featured on the www.bigbible.org/digidisciple web site on 10th April 2014

A Reflection on Esther

Esther

A Story of Love, Manipulation and Cruelty

a Reflection for #digidisciple

10^th May 2014 by @minidvr

Esther is Crowned by King Xerxes

Reading the Book of Esther is like reading a fantasy of murder, hatred, jealousy, revenge, a naive King, manipulation by evil people, but ultimately one great faith by Mordecai, of love, familial relationships and the saving of the Jewish people from annihilation at the hands of a spurned royal official.

The Main players are King Xerxes who rules the empire of the Persian and Medes between 519-465 BC. Vashti the queen that was deposed after she refused to visit the King in a fit of pique (v1:12). Mordecai a Jewish man who with his family had been carried into exile by the Babylonians. Esther the beautiful young, virgin daughter of Mordecai’s cousin Hadassah, adopted by Mordecai, who became first a concubine, but later an influential Queen to Xerxes. Haman a courtier who gained Xerxes favour and was elevated to the highest position in power after the King.

After Vashti was deposed, Xerxes consults his nobles who advise that he bring the most beautiful virgins to the palace to please the King. This is done, and Esther is one of those chosen and taken to the palace to be a concubine. Mordecai feels the shame of this and daily visits the gates of the citadel and sits in sorrow praying for Esther’s welfare and safety. Esther had concealed her Jewish identity from the King as Mordecai had instructed her as there was prejudice against the Jewish people among some at court, including Haman.

While sitting at the gate, Mordecai refuses to bow to Haman as he passes through as all others did. Haman takes severe umbrage at this and decides that he needs to do something about the Jews because of Mordecai’s insolence. In the meantime, Mordecai overhears two royal officials against Xerxes’s life and confides in Esther, who tells the King - the plot is overturned and the plotters executed. Esther is raised in the King’s esteem and he trusts her more. The King is unaware that Mordecai was responsible for uncovering the plot, although the facts had been recorded in court documents.

In the meantime, Haman’s intentions are clear. He persuades the King that killing the Jews throughout the Kingdom was a good idea due to their difference, their refusal to adopt the ways of the Kingdom - the King signs a decree that on a certain date and time all Jews, man, woman and child are to be killed.

Mordecai discovers this decree and beseeches Esther to go to the King and plead the cause of the Jewish people. She does, despite disobeying the custom to only approach the King on his summons. Such is the King’s love for her, that he ignores her breach of etiquette and allows her into his presence. Esther manipulates the King expertly to allow her to hold a banquet where Haman would be guest a few days later. In the meantime the King discovers that Mordecai had been the one who uncovered the plot against him and orders Haman to honour Mordecai. Haman having done this, knows that his goose is cooked. When Xerxes attends Esther’s banquet, she manipulates him again to bring about the salvation of the Jews and implicates Haman as the guilty party, plotting to kill her people. The resulting rage of the King see’s Haman and all of his ten sons put to death. The King takes on Mordecai and gives permission for the Jewish people throughout the Kingdom to take revenge on their enemies - this results in much blood shed and thousands are killed by vengeful Jews, while Mordecai becomes the most powerful advisor to the King. A win, win situation for the Jews at the Court and throughout the empire.

What is the point of all of this?

First is the faithful witness of Mordecai, whose example is one of a stern, upright faith in God and that God will make things right to save the Jewish people. His refusal to bow to the Haman might have been regarded as stiff necked pride, but somewhere I find a grudging admiration for his stance, which seems to me to have been based on his righteous indignation at the treatment of Esther, but perhaps also his experience of discrimination against the Jewish people and the ostentatious flaunting of wealth and power over people from Haman. He was evidently a man of courage in the face of adversity - and he face it head on. Eventually, although God isn’t mentioned by name anywhere in the book - it’s obvious that Mordecai’s persistence and perseverance overcomes all to save the Jewish people. Mordecai believed that God had made Esther queen. So Mordecai believed that God could use her to save the Jews. But even if Esther did not speak on their behalf, God would still save the Jews. Mordecai believed this also (v 4:12-14).

Second, Esther is a loyal and loving adopted daughter. Very aware of her role, but also submissive and obedient to the discipline of the situation that she found herself in, but with the wisdom and courage to adhere to her principles and to use her influence with the King. The telling thing for me is that she seemed to be convinced that God would save the Jewish people even without her intervention, but obeyed Mordecai’s request for her intervention. Esther knew that she was risking her life. But she also knew that God was in control. God helped Esther to please the king. The king promised to give her almost anything that she wanted (v 5:1-3).

Third. God comes through in this situation. His intervention brings about the situations that saved the Jews. His influence through Mordecai and Esther and their actions were directly inspired through their faith and loyalty to him. Even though he isn’t mentioned directly, the actions in the story of both Mordecai and Esther speak for him loudly and clearly.

Fourth. There is evidence that God had a plan for this situation. He brought our Mordecai and Esther. Esther is made Xerxes’s Queen (V. 2:17). Mordecai got Haman’s situation and Haman got the punishment he’d wanted for the Jews (v .7.5-10). Mordecai’s law allowed the Jew’s to defend themselves (v. 9.1-4).

Fifth. The feast of Purim (v. 9:20-22) was created where Jews commemorated when God saved them through his power over the situation.

I found it difficult to take anything good from this book, apart from the obvious ones here. I find the old testament issues of the inate cruelty evidenced in ways of killing people, taking vengeance as something alien to how I’m formed. It’s a good story of a different time, context and culture than ours, but sometimes when I look at the things going on in our world I wonder if we’ve ever learned any lesons from history or scriptural evidence about our actions. 

This post originally appeared on the www.bigbible.org/digidisciple sit on 10 May 2014

A Reflecton on Job 19:26-29

Bring it on Lord! I can take it!! - I hope!

a reflection on Job 19:26-29

by @minidvr for #digidisciple 10^th June 2014

The #Bigbible website lists Job as a book of ‘Wisdom’, which was a surprise to me as I thought that it was a book of ‘Lament’ it certainly reads like one. Job is the victim in the story. An upright and steadfast man, who ‘fears God’ a term which speaks of his faith, belief and hope in God’s mercy and mankind’s ultimate redemption from sin and wickedness. But also smacks of an element of self righteousness

Job is set up for Satan by God. My interpretation is a test of God’s power over Satan, rather than a deliberate persecution of Job. Somehow this speaks volumes for God’s faith in Job’s steadfast faith, and perhaps above all hope that despite whatever befalls him, God’s bountiful mercy will prevail.

Satan arranges for Job to lose everything, sons, daughters, animals, possessions, servants. Job laments, but remains steadfastly committed to God. Satan next attacks Job’s health and

 sends painful, unsightly disease on Job. Job is on the very edge and even his wife turns on him and tells him to curse and scapegoat God ^(V2.9) but Job refuses ^(V.2:20) and continues to praise God.

Next, Satan sends Job’s friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite ^(V2:11). Job’s friends at first attempt to console him, than, perhaps provoked by Satan turn on him and condemn him Job responds with cursing his life, and wishing that he’d never been born ^{(Job 3)}. But God responds and answers all Job’s questions and complaints, thoroughly in the form of a correction ^{(Job 5)} ending in  ”You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, as a shock of grain comes up to the threshing-floor in its season. See, we have searched this out; it is true.   Hear, and know it for yourself”.^{(Job 5:26-27)}.

The verses from the whole book that jump out to me are: Job19:26-29 - where Job accepts his lot, and reflecting on the Lord’s words, expresses great faith and hope in God’s redemptive power:

²⁵ For I know that my Redeemer lives,    and that at the last he will stand upon the earth;
²⁶ and after my skin has been thus destroyed,    then in my flesh I shall see God,
²⁷ whom I shall see on my side,
    and my eyes shall behold, and not another.    My heart faints within me!²⁸ If you say, “How we will persecute him!”    and, “The root of the matter is found in him”;²⁹ be afraid of the sword,    for wrath brings the punishment of the sword,    so that you may know there is a judgment’

But Job still goes on to justify his right to complain against what he perceives God permitting his suffering at the hands of Satan, ^{(Job 6)}. He reflects and rails against his suffering ^{(Job 7)}. Job rejects Bildad’s contention that he should repent ^{(Job 8),} Job saying that there’s no umpire between him and God, and that God knows that he fears him and has done no wrong. And the story proceeds through many chapters, where wisdom is given and Job eventually relents that he has been justifying himself and not God. God relents and restores Job’s fortunes two fold ^{(Job 42:10-17).}

So what is this all about?

It seems to me that the whole book is about the nature of God, a God who has made himself known to us through creation and throughout the history of mankind in so many ways. But is still a mystery beyond our pure, limited understanding. But it’s also about our inability to recognise that the nature of God is infinite and inestimable. We can seek to comprehend it in words, pictures or actions, but our comprehension as St Paul says “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” ^{(1 Cor:13:12)}. It also speaks to me about suffering and how it’s borne.

Rev Pam Smith in her introduction to Job writes

“We may find it harder that Job does to accept that the answer to ‘Why does God allow suffering?’ is simply‘That’s God’s business’”. 

I have thought long and hard about suffering. My own father departed this life after a long illness, impatiently borne. He professed a belief in God, but his actions betrayed that the belief he held was much like a superstition, rather than one founded on a deep faith and trust and love for God, which might have sustained him in his illness. His life ended with great pain and ongoing operations to remove gangrenous parts of his body, until it could no longer function and he succumbed to toximia and pneumonia.

My father’s life and and death had a profound effect on my own life. For many years it drove me away from the God who I perceived as merciless and cruel - in fact, I couldn’t believe that a God who was supposed to be love, would allow such suffering. I turned away, unlike Job, who at least stayed and complained and I ignored God completely.

I can’t say that I still get suffering. Once I found God once more, my personal experience of his love and mercy in my life and the peace and reconciliation is profound. It comes from allowing his presence in your life in a spirit of hope, faith, love and trust. This has been a blessed gift. It has shown me that suffering can be borne in hope. Suffering is shared with that of Jesus on the Cross, who suffered and died for our redemption. Suffering may be laid at the foot of the Cross and the spiritual healing and peace that flows from that can restore balance into any life, not just mine. It’s not a cure or a promise of a cure, but a consolation worth more if we are able to accept it.

I know that I have shouted at God at times. I know that I have asked him the Why! question often, and somehow, like Job, the answer has become clear, sometimes through my own actions, but more often from the actions or words of others whose witness through faith has shone out to me so many time. I can’t claim that God spoke directly to me as he did to Job, but I know that trust and hope have been given to me through his actions in a way that I can have no doubt about.

I don’t have any smart conclusions - Job is to big for that, but I leave you to reflect on the words of Job 42:1-7:

42 Then Job answered the Lord:

² ‘I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.³ “Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?” Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,  things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.⁴ “Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you declare to me.”⁵ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;⁶ therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.’

 This post originally posted at www.bigbible.org/digidisciple on 10th June 2014

Was the Old Testament God a forgiving or vengeful God?

originally posted at the #Bigbible Project 10 Sep 2013

Was the Old Testament God a forgiving or vengeful God?

reflection on 1 Samuel 3:14 (ESV)

by @minidvr for #digidisciple 10^th Sep 2013

William de Brailes [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AWilliam_de_Brailes_-_Top_-_Eli's_Sons_Commit_Sacrilege_(1_Samuel_2_-13-17)_-_Walters_W10617V_-_Full_Page.jpg

^“So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings”. (1 Samuel 3:14 (ESV)).

Wow, where is the Merciful God of forgiveness in this?

Eli was a Levite (the Priestly caste) and was the Chief Priest. He had judged Israel for 40 years. His role was to look after ‘The Ark of the Covenant” at Shiloh, which he did for the whole of his life.

But, he was human and weak and allowed his sons to commit blasphemy by their desecration of sacrifices being offered by those faithful Jews who travelled to Shiloh to worship. Sacrifices were normally burnt offerings of Bulls, calves, goats or sheep.

Eli’s sons in their arrogance stole part of these sacrifices, sometimes by force, for their own consumption. Eli blustered against them, threatening eternal damnation, but made no physical effort to stop what they were doing. In fact, the passage remarks that Eli grew fat on the food that they provided.

This blasphemy angered God, who prophesied through Samuel that he would “punish Eli and his house for ever, because of the iniquity that he knew, of his sons were blaspheming God^”..

So, God is not only promising vengeance and punishment on Eli’s house and descendants for ever? He delivers it. Eli accepts that the punishment will be done, by his remark to Samuel “It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him”. Fatalistic? or an acknowledgement that he had sinned and deserved whatever was coming to him? Ultimately as Samuel prophesied, Eli’s sons were killed in the Battle with the Philistine’s, where the Ark of the Covenant was also captured by them. Eli on hearing the news falls, breaks his neck and dies. God chose members of a different branch of the Levites to take look after the Ark of the Covenant when it was returned from the Philistines.

So, God is a Vengeful God on this evidence - Right?

Wrong?

There is ample evidence that God is a forgiving God if the sinner repents. The key is that God, being divine is sinless, but won’t forgive sin for those who are not repentant:

“and also for the innocent blood that he had shed. For he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord would not pardon”. (2 Kings 24:4)

“We have transgressed and rebelled, and you have not forgiven”. (Lamentations 3:42)

“But because of your hard and un-penitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed”. (Romans 2:5).

1 Samuel gives us some idea of how God’s forgiveness works. Because God knows what’s in men’s hearts, as Samuel found out when he, following God’s guidance, was seeking a Man as a King for Israel:

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

In this God spells out that it’s not the exterior self that we present to the world that count, it’s what is internalised in our heart and mind that shows and dictate how we think and act. A false demonstration of repentance on our lips is not enough, we need to be truly and fully repentant for the sheer love of God and to be prepared to make recompense for our actions when needed, but also to “go and sin no more”.

In the context of Eli, while he seemingly accepted God’s judgment, he seemed unwilling or incapable of the level of repentance to make amends and to stop his sons in their blasphemy or even to stop taking advantage of it by eating the food they stole from sacrifices. That’s a powerful thing to read - someone whose heart is hardened so much that they can’t conceive of acting in any other way. I can’t judge Eli, but the evidence is that he was content to leave things as they were because God had prophesied through Samuel of his future.

The God of forgiveness and love.

If we come to the New Testament, we find in Jesus’ ministry the physical evidence through word and action that God’s forgiveness is eternal, always available, as long as we are truly repentant. Part of that also seems to me that we are also required to forgive others as God forgives us, bearing a grudge against another is sinful as we are not obeying Jesus’ new commandment to love each other as he had loved us (John 13:34). This love requires us to forgive as Jesus forgives us.

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”. (Matthew 6:14-15)

“Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”  Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times”. (Matthew 18:21-22)

Jesus forgave people their sins many times during his ministry. The Samaritan women at the Well (John 4) or Zachaeus the tax collector (Luke 19). There are many other examples but these two stick in my mind. Both repented and both were forgiven unequivocally.

One other prominent example is the adulteress in John 8:11, where Jesus tells here to “Go and Sin no More”. In a nutshell, repentance and forgiveness and revision of how we live after forgiveness.

Conclusion:

Despite strong evidence for a vengeful God in many parts of the old testament, this evidence is contradicted by many other instances of forgiveness, particularly in Exodus where the Jews in the wilderness, continually challenged and defied God, but Moses interventions prevented them being totally destroyed.

Finally, the incarnational nature of Jesus’ sacrifice is the ultimate redemptive evidence that we could ever need, God allowed his only Son to die for our sins, but to rise again in that new resurrection promised for us.

How wonderful that God was, is and ever will be a forgiving God, whose love for us is so great that he only ever wants the best for us, and all that he asks is a penitent heart.

Puzzled by God's Will? I am!!

A Parish Priest I know died suddenly this week, following a major stroke which, if he had lived, would have left him incapacitated.  

Merciful you might say, and I know that his spouse and parishioners are taking as comfort that in the midst of their 'afflictions' that they can pray with faith and love the General Thanks giving1 from the BCP.

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we thine unworthy servants
do give thee most humble and hearty thanks
for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men;
[particularly to those who desire now to offer up their praises
and thanksgivings for thy late mercies vouchsafed unto them.]
We bless thee for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for thine inestimable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ,
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies,
that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful,
and that we shew forth thy praise, not only with our lips,
but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to thy service,
and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness
all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost
be all honour and glory, world without end.
Amen.

I'm wondering can I share their faith in that unquestioning way?  Can I not feel puzzled, confused, hurt or angry that God's will seems to removed someone in the prime of his life and ministry, suddenly and unexpectedly from his family, friends and congregation who loved his powerful, prayerful, pastoral ministry at a crucial time for the parish in it's development of a new project to improve how it serves the wider community.  The deceased was a prime mover in this project and provided much of the vision, action and doing of those working to bring this about.

Why are they not shouting at God in anger and frustration?   Powerful emotions I know that surged through me, once I'd gotten over the initial shock of being told of the circumstances when I visited the parish for a Regular mid-week communion service today.

Last week, he had been there, restored from a recent sabbatical, preaching powerfully and determined to reinvigorate the spiritual, scriptural, liturgical and musical development of the parishioners and to take it out of the church, into the community as outreach.   This was MISSION in capitals and surely God's will?  If not, what is?  What now for that vision now he has gone?

While this isn't my home parish, I seem to be sharing the hurt, puzzlement and questions of many I've met and talked and prayed with this evening, but the thing I can't seem to share is their seeming 'acceptance' that God's will has been shown?  This is all part of God's plan, and a new way will be found once the mourning is done and someone else will come forward or be brought in to complete the brilliant legacy of work and ministry that he left.  

If this is God's will, is it that of the Old Testament God, The one who seemed to vent his wrath, surely not, because the Parish firmly believes that the spirit was guiding the Parish Priest and them in their vision and work.

Is this the God of who the Psalmist writes: Ps139.3-5

You see me, whether I am working or resting;
you know all my actions.
4 Even before I speak,
you already know what I will say.
5 You are all around me on every side;
you protect me with your power

I wonder - not a lot of protection going on here!!

I suspect that this situation is one I need to take more time to reflect and pray on, because at the moment I'm inwardly raging at God for taking such a Holy Man from us and with all of the hurt, pain and grief and uncertainty is causes not just for his family, but the wider community that he ministered to.   My lack of understanding is perhaps due to a lack of humility, but while he wasn't my parish priest, I knew and respected him, had on occasion confided in him and he had unconditionally offered me pastoral care if I needed it.

Lord, I pray that you bring peace and understanding to me and the many who are confused tonight by your will, which we pray for so often to be made clear, but has been made clear in a way which is so hard to bear.  I ask this, in Jesus' name, Amen.


References:
1. http://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/worship/texts/psalter,-collects-and-other-resources/litprayr/prayers.aspx

Discipleship and its Cost

This post was originally posted at #Bigbible Project on 10th Apr 2013

http://bigbible.org.uk/2013/04/discipleship-and-its-cost-minidvr/

Discipleship and its Cost (@minidvr)

APRIL 10, 2013POSTED IN: BIGBIBLE

http://www.seedresources.com/view/images/fishing-nets

Having recently completed a course on ‘Deepening Discipleship and Pastoral Care I had cause to reflect on ’ Discipleship and its cost’.

We are all called to be disciples – aren’t we?  Mark 1:14-17 (NIV) points us to Jesus’ first call to his disciples;

¹⁴ After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee,proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”  ¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people. “

I see this in the context of Proclamation of the Kingdom of God.   ‘Follow Me’ represents the institution of God’s Kingdom here on earth through Jesus.  And, the foundation of the Church, his body on earth.

It seems to me that the call ‘to follow him’ supersedes all other earthly calls, it’s from God the highest authority and overtakes any call of humanity, although it complements those human calls that are in accordance with God’s plan and intention for his world.

Being a disciple means surrender of self to God, its requires dying to yourself and rising in Christ  (Romans 6:8).  Paul gives us the idea of applying the patterns of Christ’s life to our own through Baptism.   He draws this out more in 6:10-12 (NIV).

“For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts”. 

What does this mean?[1] 

ŸTo learn to go deeper in trusting Christ’s superior wisdom.

ŸCall to go beyond our wordly experience, tried and trusted routine and comfort zone.

ŸWhen we are at our worst – Jesus appears and invites us to try again, trusting his superior wisdom.

ŸChoosing to be naïve.

ŸDo it again, one more time, comes to people, who have lost their innocence and are defeated.

ŸDeep water – when we are most  vulnerable, events go beyond our control.

ŸEvery call is to enter back into the paradoxical wisdom of the cross.

Where does discipleship come from?[2]

Discipleship springs from Grace and is nourished in God’s grace.

ŸGrace without Jesus and the Cross is ‘cheap grace’.

ŸDiscipleship means ‘counting the cost of Grace’.

We can do nothing without Grace and need to seek it again and again.

We need to trust and learn to expect more from God’s overwhelming grace.

Early on, Jesus demonstrated the Grace and power that flowed from God through him: (Luke 5:1-11(NIV)).

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰ and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.  Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” ¹¹ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him”.

Discipleship:[3]

A lifelong way of honouring the God, we love, celebrated in lifelong worship.

Grace leaves us awe struck!

ŸBeing a disciple is to learn to venture further on his sovereign authority!

We hear the sovereign voice of Jesus   “DON’T BE AFRAID”!

ŸTrusting a superior wisdom is the way of discipleship!

ŸWe will be catching men!

Discipleship can be costly:[4]

The early disciples paid with their lives for following Christ (Peter & Paul to name two).  You are called to make that same sacrifice if needed.

ŸBeing called means giving up all earthly ambition and desires and submitting ourselves to that of God while we seek the Kingdom of God here and now.

ŸLiving in God’s love and humility in a self sacrificial servanthood to others.

Why bother?

This is the question that we probably ask ourselves time and again, as we struggle to get through our daily lives.  Surely it’s easier to just ‘let go’ and accept that the here and now of our existence has to be enough and to make the best of it?

But, it seems to me that we are more than that.  We are uniquely created each person has integrity and is of value.  It’s our reliance on human, secular values that has allowed the world to become a troubled, place of conflict, poverty, and social injustice.   There is within us that sense of ‘otherness’ of something greater than ourselves.  Surely, we shouldn’t settle for the norm, but we should be seekin that spiritual nourishment and grace, which is only available from God.  It’s not actually case of we’re all in it together’ rather one of ‘God is in it with us’ and if we acknowledge that, we are hearing the call to be his disciple.

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[1]based on CWR Discipleship Lecture, Wk 6, Pastoral Care in the local church,  Oct 09

[2]based on CWR Discipleship Lecture, Wk 6, Pastoral Care in the local church,  Oct 09

[3]based on CWR Discipleship Lecture, Wk 6, Pastoral Care in the local church,  Oct 09

[4]based on CWR Discipleship Lecture, Wk 6, Pastoral Care in the local church,  Oct 09

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Being Immersed in Ephesians #digidisciple

Being immersed in Ephesians (@minidvr)

BY 

ERNIE FEASEY

 – FEBRUARY 10, 2013POSTED IN: BIGBIBLE

http://www.seedresources.com/view/images/pauls_letter_to_the_ephesians

I am currently engaged with a Course being run at @CWR at Farnham the foundation of which is Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. This letter is a powerful one and is being used to highlight how pastoral care is directly derived and founded in scripture, the Gospels and the teaching of the Apostles, particularly Paul.

Being immersed in any part of the bible can be fascinating and productive, particularly as we seek to reinterpret it’s message in the context of our lives and of those around us. When we are doing it for a purpose where we know that our application of this learning will change our outlook and our way of doing things, in this case, pastoral care,  it becomes something of beauty and awe founded in Love.

The theologian teaching sharing their insights and inviting us to share our own ideas and insights stretches our imagination. We seek to place ourselves in those situations or to reflect on situations we have experienced where having this foundation would have had a significant impact on decisions we made at the time.

So, what about Ephesians?

“Ephesians is about the Christian formation of human character”.[1][2]

This bold statement is made by CWR, and from evidence of other sources I have looked at, seems to me to be one that is true. Of course, many of Paul’s letters can be cross referenced with each other, the Gospels and the Old Testament, because Paul is nothing if not consistent in his teaching. He draws together historic threads  of scripture of God’s working with the world which predicted Jesus’ Incarnation and all that flowed from it.

I read Ephesians from the KJV, which seemed to me to express the letter, without to many later translations and interpretations to confuse (or enlighten) me.  Four things that I wrote on my copy were ‘Identity,  Calling, Vocationand Walking’.

Identity: It seemed to me that Paul’s intention was evident.   He is ‘clearly identifying how Christians are formed and called by Jesus’ teaching to their vocation from Baptism which imprints an indelible ‘Christian Identity’ on them, which needs to be carefully nurtured to enable it to grow and to empower them as part of the ‘Priest Hood of Believers’ [3]

Calling: In this context, calling seems to reflect that individuals in the early church heard the word of God and the Gospels and teaching were called to become members of the body of Christ.   John the Baptist baptised with Water, while Jesus was baptised with water and the Holy Spirit[4]. This is the baptism of all believers. which imprints the calling upon all who are baptised.  Baptism gives to us ‘the spirit of wisdom and revelation to the knowledge of him  ‘The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.  Far above all principality, and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come”[5].  This teaching echoes Psalm 8[6].

Vocation:  For me that calling confirms a Vocation as a Christian to discipleship.  Discipleship being to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.  Walking in his footsteps is perhaps the metaphor that I see in this.  By walking in the footsteps of Christ and the disciples we are formed to become Christlike, which is what our Christian character is destined to be.  “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children. And  in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and have given himself for an offering and a sacrifice to ‘God for a sweet smelling savour[7]” and, “See that ye walk circumspectly (in Christ*), not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil[8]”. 

* (my paraphrase)

How does this Christian vocation relate to Pastoral Care?

It seems quite clear to me that our Christian Identity, Calling, Vocation and Walking in the footsteps of Christ is directly related  through his love for us all, our love and compassion for each other, to the health of the body of Christ, the Church and all of it’s members.

While not specifically spelt out in Ephesians, there are numerous references in scripture which form the basis for Paul’s teaching:

ŸWe are all made in the image of God. Every human being has dignity and deserves to be treated with the greatest respect[9]

We are relational beings. We have a responsibility to others, their good as well as for ours.[10]

Pastoral care is an expression of the presence and working of the Kingdom of God. [11]

Pastoral care directly reflects the Glory of God through the care given. [12]

Pastoral care is directly related to Jesus’ second greatest commandment to love our neighbour as ourselves.[13]

Paul’s letters reflected this, particularly 1 Corinthians.

²¹ And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. ²² Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: ²³ And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. ²⁴ For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked. ²⁵ That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. ²⁶ And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.[14]

Conclusion:

Ephesians as a base document for Pastoral Care is clear.  There is many more verses I could quote, but I’m still in the process of learning about the depth and breadth of the related teaching.   I will return to this another time when the course is ended. 

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[1]CWR Introduction to Ephesians as a Pastoral Care Document – December 2012.

[2]http://www.presbyterianireland.org/pdfs/CT_Biblical_Basis_for_Pastoral_Care.pdf accessed 26 Jan 2013

[3]http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2010/10/priesthood-of-believers, Peter Leithart, 29 Oct 2010, accessed 26 Jan 2013.

[4] 1 Cor: 12-13. KJV.

[5]Eph 17-21 KJV

[6]http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+8&version=KJV accessed 26 Jan 2012.

[7]Eph 5:1-2. KVJ.

[8]Eph 5:15-16, KJV

[9]Gen 1:26-27, Psalm 8, KJV.

[10]James 1:26:27; 2:14-17, KJV

[11]Matt 10:1-10, KJV

[12]1 Peter 4:7-11, KJV

[13]Matt 22:36-40, KJV

[14]I Cor 12:21-26, KJV

Originally Published at the #bigbible #digidisciple project on 10 Feb 2013

http://bigbible.org.uk/2013/02/being-immersed-in-ephesians-minidvr/