Giving

It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts20:35NIV

What a difference a few years makes. It doesn’t seem so long ago that I was the one waiting for the gifts under the tree at Christmas. I can almost taste the excitement it was so palpable. The early morning start, even though I wasn’t a morning person, the festive music playing which was the signal that Christmas Day had started, and Santa had been.

There always were gifts, so I guess I must have been good. Never a disappointment, and I thought things could never get better. Ever! When you are in Primary School your world revolves around getting presents, and comparing them to the ones your friends got. No one was ever unhappy with theirs because, somehow, this magical Santa knew what you needed, and what you wanted. The best part was that he knew the difference!

I can clearly remember my mum and dad, just sitting and watching the excitement. Getting very little, but soaking in the joy of their family as they ripped their way through the wrapping paper. When I was blessed to be a dad myself, I found some of that inner joy while looking on, but I also had my own presents too.

Then, the day of the biggest and best surprise arrived. I had turned into my parents and all I wanted to see was the joy of my now grown children, and grandchildren as they tore off the Christmas wrapping paper to reveal the Christmas surprises. Just as it was with me, they were never bad so they got a year’s worth of goodness in gift form.

Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit, so it should come as no surprise to finally realise, and accept that it really is more blessed to give than to receive. Getting a special gift from that special person is good, but it is supremely better to be the giver of that special gift! Unfortunately, to get to this place, you have to grow up. Happy Christmas everyone!!

Starting Small

Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes. Song of Solomon 2:15

It always starts in a small way. Perhaps unnoticed at the beginning, but slowly grows until it becomes too big to stop. So it is with church, its doctrines and practices.

We have seen the reports of some of the world’s biggest churches, bow to the practice of accepting gay marriage, including blessing them, and officiating in the god-less unions. The Church of Scotland, United Methodists and Episcopalians are just some who have already given in to secular pressure, and reinterpreted Scripture to suit their own political ends.

It started small, with the academics leading the way by suggesting that we need to accept and be an inclusive church. That means not demonising the gay community, and making them feel loved and accepted. It takes just a few small steps for that to grow into full integration and membership of their church congregations. From there, it is another short step to inclusion into the leadership, ministerial and pastoral. At this point it follows that anyone in the gay community can be ‘married’.

The little foxes spoiled the vines, or to put it another way, the little concessions and compromises inevitably led to the end result. The Bible is not up for negotiation to suit our requirements. Yes, we must love everybody. We are all sinners, and stay that way until saved by grace. Wouldn’t it have been better if the first ‘little foxes’ were confronted and discounted before any harm was done? Maybe that’s all too simple for the top minds in our churches, who have one eye on the political situation, and think they will be left behind if they don’t go with the flow.

It comes down to this: As Christians do we accept the Bible as The Word of God, or a book of recommendations and suggestions? The answer determines if you turn a blind eye to the ‘little foxes’, or let them run riot in the chicken coop. That question is equally valid for the Christian in the pew, as it is for our church leaders.

A Prayer

O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

So even to old age and grey hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation….. Psalm 71:17,18

If you had one wish for your life, what would it be? Would it possibly take the form of a prayer like the Psalmist? In our youth, we seldom have time or the desire to think beyond our own needs, or the immediate needs of our family if we are blessed with one. The real question behind my words is, what is most important to you, and what do you want your legacy to be when you are gone?

We all know folks who have walked this life, done good, lived close to their Lord and God, and we relish their memory much more than some others. The reason for this is their quest and zest for life, and for passing something of that enthusiasm down to the rest of us. The way they did that was through their simple, unassuming, uncluttered faith. And we can do the same.

The best way for us to influence others for good is firstly to get old gracefully. We joke about that, but there is a truth underlying the words. There is no better or greater example than one given from a full heart, and a love for God which drives all other loves. When we are close to God, we automatically become closer to our spouse, children and friends and without it being an effort. So while life lasts, at whatever age we are, let us live out the words of the Psalmist when he prays: So even to old age and grey hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation.

The ageing  Apostle of Love, John, puts it so well when he records his own thoughts in 3 John 4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” Amen to that prayer.