Dear Friends,
A sign outside a shop in Broadway said that “good friends help you find what you have lost —your smiles, your hopes, your courage!”
I must admit, some people have made me lose my temper, lose my faith (in humanity), lose hope for the future, lose my sense of humour and lose my direction, but a phone call or encounter with a friend has restored sanity. Oh yes, forgot to mention, I have lost my head and some people have questioned whether I have ever found that!
Dear Friends,
The best way to describe Trinity Sunday — the celebration of Father, Son and Spirit — is to recall how someone in the village thought the people at the church up the road didn’t only know their bible or read it, but live it!
That’s fine for people who have faith and believe that if they believe in the Father and the Son they can receive the Spirit, but last night I heard a voice telling me to think again and not limit God to believers.
Dear Friends,
I have had a message of encouragement every day for the last 194 days from one of my best friends. I admit, I haven’t read them all, but God has a way of making sure I am reminded when I need to read a particular one. It is one of those amazing spiritual connections I have with a few friends who know when I need prayer and I know when they need it.
Dear Friends,
My Pentecost hangover!
I hope someone else is suffering from a spiritual hangover today after a Pentecost celebration in which we were filled with the Spirit. People will think you are drunk if you are sharing crazy visions, impossible dreams and prophesying future happenings — but, don’t worry, it will be the Spirit that has been poured into you.
Dear Friends,
“Oh no, that’s another fine mess I’ve gotten everyone into so I’m going to stop doing anything!”
Some people begin to believe what they are told when they hear the Laurel and Hardy catchphrase spoken about them: “That’s another fine mess you’ve got me into!”
Dear Friends,
There was a time when people would look so different at church in their Sunday best that you could be forgiven for not recognising them. We should always look our best for God, but isn’t it wonderful that Jesus accepts us at our worst!
For some people what they wear during the week is all they have to wear so it could be intimidating to go to church and be among people all dressed up in their Sunday best. The scruffy jumper, worn shirt and creased up trousers could be the best the least among us have to wear, but that’s how Jesus could be dressed!
Dear Friends,
One door leads to another in God’s big house….
John 14: 1-7
I feel as though God opened a front door and let us into a house where there was a warm welcome, but more doors to open before we could find the purpose of the invitation. I am so grateful, and privileged, that the front door opened and we have been able to spend time in the hallway before being shown to the next door to a room where we will find something new!
Dear Friends,
Voting for someone to turn the world upside down!
Luke 19: 42-48
The one person who could make a positive difference in the world would get very few votes at a local, or general, election. I wonder whether he would even be nominated as an Elder in the Church!
Dear Friends,
This week I have been reminded of a reflection I shared a year ago about how we can lean on our Gate in prayer to find a new life waiting for us from John 10 verses 1-10….
We have talked about having to knock on doors in recent months, but we also continue to lean on our Gate as we pray about the future! To get to the door we have to go through a gate!
Dear Friends,
Unmute the muted!
As a Zoom host I have the power to silence people and, if they refuse to be muted, I can dismiss them to a waiting room until they calm down. What power!
Such power is disturbing though because it can be evident in daily life as people have their voice taken away and they are denied the opportunity to tell their story.