Wednesday Worship

It is ages since I wrote anything here. Far too busy. I have begun a house church at the request of locals which is proving to be a grea t blessing.. Sadly the village church ( Anglican) is under threat of redundancy after 913 years, possibly longer as it is likely to have been built on the site of an earlier wooden structure. Here is a taste of our worshoip this week. Wednesday 3rd October You raise me up When I am down, and oh my soul so weary When troubles come and heart burdened be Then I am still and wait here in the silence Until you come and sit awhile with me. You raise me up so I can stand on mountains You raise me up to walk on stormy seas I am strong when I am on your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be. There is no life, no life without its hunger Each restless heart beats so imperfectly And when you come and I am filled with wonder Sometimes I think I glimpse eternity You raise me up so I can stand on mountains You raise me up to walk on stormy seas I am strong when I am on your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be. You raise me up so I can stand on mountains You raise me up to walk on stormy seas I am strong when I am on your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be. You raise me up to more than I can be. As we come together may the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight Oh Lord. Prayer - Gladly we come together Gladly O God we come together here in this place to seek your deeper presence in the silence. We bring you our wounds and our weariness from the journey. Together we look with hopeful expectation to your presence among us. Thankfully we come forward to receive the glory of your presence We are humbled before you, and you are more real than we could imagine. The Call Exodus 8 v 19-21 Sometimes God asks us to get up and deal with a situation – no excuse. Get up and get on with it. Judges 7 v 14 – 16 ‘He called out ‘Get UP! Sometimes we need to remind others of what God is asking of them. In chapter 6 we are told that Gideon was hiding from the Midianites 6 v 11,12 The presence of the Lord made the difference. Matthew 9 v 1-8 esp v 6 . Very different story. Here it was the man’s friends who had brought him to Christ. Brought him to the position where, when Christ commanded him, he could get up, he could obey. The important thing is that we really must meet him face to face. Then we listen to what he has to say. I am doing a communication course. This week it was about listening. We considered the difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is a physiological thing. No Choice. Listening is an act of deliberate will. And then we have to move on to the next step - to obey. Story of the bishop’s wife in a wheel chair. She had been in the chair sinc ethe age of 14. Then , in her early 30's she was miraculously cured. She knew she wasa cured. She felt the power back in her limbs.However she stayed in th ewheek=l chair for three more months. Beign cured would mean taking on responsibiliites, everythign from cooking a meal to earning a living. It took time to adjust to this new challenge. But eventuallyy she stood up and then remet her healer - her future husband Think back to the paralysed man. He was helpless – and then Christ spoke and he obeyed, This meant more than standing up. He had relied upon others – now he could be independent - could stand up for himself – that is what Christ asks of us. Acts 26 v 12-18 Paul tells King Agrippa his story . v 16 ‘Now get up[ and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. Link with John 15 v 14 -16 Rev 3 v 20. Judith Gass Listen to the knocking at the door of your heart . It is only faint because you have not answered. You have fooled yourself with preparations Time left laughing while you considered possibilities Wake up, you have slept long enough Wake up , tomorrow may be too late. When you finally open the door your life will begin arriving. John 10 v 1-4. Deb has caller i.d When someone phones she knows who it is. If someone knocks at your door what will you do? Open the door. You want to hear what the person has to say. But if is Christ at the door – Christ who is saying ‘Come on , I’m, calling you.’ Do you obey that call? Isaiah 43 v 1-2, 10-12. Dear Lord we ask you to remind us to listen more than we speak. To be open to receive more than we can give. Inspire us on our journey with a vision of what you would have us be. To bring light to the world and to gladden hearts of those we meet. We ask that the breath of the Spirit fill us, keeping us ever ready, ever able , to see visions, to dream dreams. May we rejoice in the tasks which are before us. Walk beside us Lord though our darkness, so that in you we will not fail.

The Meaning of Life

I am listening to a BBC interview with the former art teacher of Damien Hurst the Yorkshire artist. The teacher once asked Damien 'What is the meaning of life?' to which the immediate reply was 'To get to the other side.' I never thought for one moment that I'd get to agree with Damien Hurst about anything.

Heavy thoughts.

I have been listening to a report on the position of women in Afghanistan, a place I haven't visited, although I did get to the border and looked across to barren rocks and sands and not even one blade of grass. God laid on my heart that I could perhaps achieve more for his kingdom by going to a place where the church hierachy is weaker and I would have freedom to operate as the Spirit leads. My immediate reaction -I'm too old. Then 'How old was Mother Theresa? although of course I cannot compare myself to her. Then I turned to a book of prayers and read these words:-

O God we remember your apostle St James, the first of the twelve to die as a martyr in the name of Christ , and we pray that you will give to the leaders of your church that Spirit of undenying service which is the hallmark of true auhtority among your people. What a challenge!

My Christian life

I had to describe myself and my Christian life today. Note the word Christian – not Baptist, Salvationist or Catholic, although in any one week I do attend meetings /services that include all of these – mass, worship, support groups, learning , Bible study etc..
On Sunday the sermon included advice about using time well, including spending quality time with God. My daughter’s comment was ‘I don’t think you and Dad have to worry about that.’ Yet there is always room for more. A new trick is to deliberately have a Bible and an inspirational book at hand when I’m on the computer - so as to better use my time when that page doesn’t download or things are slow. It has to be better than Freecell.
There is a prayer book close at hand and I've just
opened it randomly on a page for the induction of a new minister. It asks :-
Do you engage in the strength and spirit of Jesus Chrsit faithfully to discharge all parts of the Christian ministry entrusted to you amongst this people, ot the building up of the church and the spread of the Kingdom of God - My answer in 'As far as my abilities allow and as far as I am able.'

God has already done it!

Today someone wrote to me ‘God has already done it.’ I know in which area of my life I applied those words. I leave it to you to prayerfully consider what they mean for you and your life of faith.

Bridget Mary

http://bridgetmarys.blogspot.com/2011/11/god-s-kindom-today-means-living.html?spref=fb

What God Expects

We cultivate a very small field for Christ, but we love it, knowing that God does not require great achievements but a heart that holds nothing back for self.” —St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
This cuts out the guilt we often feel when we see problems in the world. We are where God has placed us and can do our best, wholeehartedly, right where we are - that is what is required.