Citizens of HeavenReading yesterday’s papers on the journey back from Cambridge I noticed an article entitled “Raising the colours”. Apparently there’s a social media campaign encouraging people to fly the Union Jack or St George’s Cross flags. Having been off for weeks looking after 5 grandchildren (3 more on the way) and grabbing some R&R on the Dorset coast I must say I hadn’t noticed. But then driving over to Rawcliffe to pick up the dog from his sitter we saw no less than 4 makeshift St George Cross flags, tied to bridges and lamp posts. Apparently this has divided public opinion, with some saying it’s just harmless patriotism and others fearing racist undertones, given the worries over illegal migrants and the pressures on the NHS, schools, benefits and housing.As Christians, how should we view this? We have an identity which transcends nationality and we are tasked with sharing the Good News about Jesus with all nations, to the ends of the earth. Philippians 3:20 says “but our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…” There’s nothing wrong with expressing loyalty to one’s country, team or organisation, but we have another, higher loyalty which demands that we sometimes put aside our own fears, needs and desires and take up our cross to follow Jesus. My 3 year old grandson finds it hard when his 1 year old sister wrecks his puzzle, or dismantles his Duplo house. But he has to learn to be tolerant and to share, and it’s hard. And sometimes doing what God requires of us is hard too. A few years ago Philip and I took two Ukrainian refugees under our roof. We had to share. We had to sacrifice. It wasn’t always easy, but we knew that we were doing the right thing. It was ours to do. And through it I hope we grew in grace and tolerance. So fly your flag if you want to, but remember whose Kingdom you ultimately belong to. When the Kingdom of God comes in all its fullness, as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, flags and nationalities won’t matter anymore. And meanwhile if we practice these Kingdom values of humility, mercy, love for God and neighbour, forgiveness and reconciliation, Heaven touches earth and we get a glimpse of the heart of God for humanity. Rachel
Divine EncountersThose readers who have been in attendance at one of our ABC Communion Together services will be aware that we have been exploring the theme of ‘Encountering the Divine’. The word of God which we find in the Bible frequently records Diving Encounters, many of which you may be familiar – Moses at the burning Bush, Abraham on a mountain in Moriah when God tests him, through almost sacrificing his only son, and many more. In our weekly services we have explored the encounter of Saul on the road to Damascus, Philip and the Ethiopian and this Sunday, Cornelius on the roof top. My hope is that discovering more about these encounters will encourage you to explore those times when you have had a Divine Encounter on your own faith journey. Such encounters can be very subtle. They can also be dramatic. One thing they all have in common is that they draw us closer to God and deepen our relationship with Him. Perhaps one of the most significant encounter we can experience is when we come to faith in Jesus. That moment when we realise the truth of Jesus and that He wants an ongoing, committed relationship with us. A relationship which is life changing and life enhancing. I do believe that we can have many such encounters that form part of our faith journey and I would encourage you to pause and reflect on those significant moments in your journey. If you can’t actually think of one, ask God in prayer to remind you of such an occasion. The God whom we worship, through Jesus in the power of Holy Spirit wants us to know Him in a real and personal way. That is how we grow deeper in faith and develop an ongoing relationship with God. Of course, this all takes time and a certain amount of initiative on our part, but it is so worth it to be able to live life in the knowledge that we are accompanied on our journey through this life y our creator who cares not just about the bigger picture but the little things. When we are aware of that, we can trust in God more and more through the ups and downs and roundabouts of life. You may be reading this and thinking God doesn’t care that much about me – I won’t have any divine encounters with Him. Well, I would encourage you to stop thinking like that, find a quiet place and ask Him to reveal Himself to you in a significant way. He will and you will be greatly encouraged.May you experience a deepening of your walk with Jesus as you seek Him or indeed when you least expect Him!Geoff
Coming to know the Lord The first two August Sunday 10.30 ABC Communion Services have concentrated on the passage Acts 9:1-18, the story of Saul’s (or Paul’s) conversion on the road to Damascus. As I was reading this passage in preparation for my talk at the service on 10th August, I reflected on that moment of accepting and acknowledging Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Paul’s conversion was as dramatic as can be, and although some can identify with having such extraordinary and vivid moments of first engagement for the majority of us it is far less extraordinary but no less powerful and awe inspiring.As I stopped to reflect the great Charles Wesley hymn came to mind ‘And can it be’ the song I chose for my full immersion baptism all those years ago, and in particular the lines ‘I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth and followed Thee’. In those words it summed up my becoming a Christian in 1991. It wasn’t a Paul moment, but I do remember all of a sudden having a clearer picture of the type of person I needed to be. My journey had started a few years earlier, but I was not listening, however through the prayers of others, Jesus eventually found his way in.So this week’s, thought for the week is both a challenge for those of you who are reading this, and have not yet let the Lord into their lives to take the opportunity to do so, and an encouragement to those praying for others to come to know the Lord.Alan
