First Footing

There is a Scottish/Northern English New Year's tradition called 'First Footing' which we take part in every year.

The first foot across the threshold in the New Year must bring several gifts, all of which symbolise good things for the year to come: money (financial security), bread (food for the year), coal (heating and warmth), salt (flavour) and alcohol (good cheer).

It's a lovely symbol and makes us stop and think for a short while about what we allow into our homes - on this first day of the year, and throughout the year to come.

It made me think about what I allow into my heart and my mind too. Do I just accept anything that wanders in, or do I think about my thoughts and only allow those things in which will bring health and wellbeing?

It's easy to get caught up in negative and destructive thought patterns, but the Bible advises,

"I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse."

[Philippians 4:8 MSG]

These are good things to fill my mind with, both on the first day of this new year and for the rest of the year.

Perhaps I need to give myself a mental 'First-Footing' and decide what thoughts I want to allow into my mind for the year to come.

Peace And Quiet

As a child, every year, at our village church Carol service, I would read the passage from Isaiah which foretold Jesus’ birth.
 

This year, I am back by popular demand.

 

It is one of my favourite Christmas passages and I probably know it off by heart. In fact, I even mentioned it on this blog just over a week ago.

 

       “The people walking in darkness

       have seen a great light;

       on those living in the land of the shadow of death

       a light has dawned […]

       For to us a child is born,

       to us a son is given,

       and the government will be on his shoulders.

       And he will be called

       Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,

       Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

       [Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 NIV]

 

Last night, we were discussing this verse in detail and were considering the different names given to Jesus.  In particular, we considered what the title Prince of Peace meant.

 

When we think of ‘Peace’, we tend to think of it as being partnered with ‘Quiet’.  We enjoy a moment  of ‘Peace and Quiet’.  Peace is lying in the bath, relaxing with a glass of wine.  Peace is passive and still and tranquil.*

 

Or is it?

 

If we think of Peace in a war-torn land, or Peace between two fighting families, we find that Peace is something immensely valuable.  Peace is something worth fighting for.  Peace is the absence of conflict, it’s the end of a struggle.  Peace takes effort and sacrifice and intervention.  Peace doesn’t just happen.

 

Jesus came to bring Peace to men on earth.  Peace between men and Peace between man and God.  He came to bring wholeness and completion.  And He fought for it on the cross, until it was won.

 

Now, if we want it, we can have true, deep, lasting Peace, through a relationship with Jesus.  In the same way that a city can sleep peacefully because it knows its watchmen are vigilantly guarding the walls, we can have peace because Jesus is vigilantly watching over us.

 

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

 

[Philippians 4:7 NIV] 

 

 

* Or Peace is, as the 70s would have it, all-embracing, all-accepting, totally awesome.

 

What Do I Really Want?

I always find it difficult compiling a list of suggested presents for my birthday or Christmas.  Not because I can't think of things, but because I can think of too many things and I feel the need to narrow the list down, so as not to look too greedy.

 

It is easy to make a long list of all sorts of frivolous things that I would like. Things which would feel like a treat, because I don't really need them but they're pretty. Or things which I do need, but can't really afford.

 

I find myself asking What do I really want?  

 

Jesus asks us the same thing.

 

John recounts how John the Baptist's followers saw Jesus one day and started following him.

 

"Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, 'What do you want?'”

[John 1:38 NIV]

 

And He asks us the same thing.  What do you want?

To know He exists?  To know He cares?  To know forgiveness?  To be able to forgive?  To feel loved?  To have a new job, or a new car, or a new house?  To have more money?  To move beyond just surviving?

 

Often, we don't know what we really want.  Or we don't want to admit what we really want.  Especially as Christians - sometimes our 'wants' can seem not 'Christian' enough. 

But Jesus sees into the heart of things and He wants us to share our dreams and our desires with Him, regardless of how 'Christian' they might seem.

 

Paul urges us to share our whole hearts with God:

 

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."

[Philippians 4:6 NLT]

 

So, what do you really want?

 

 

 

Breakfast in Bed

The problem with breakfast in bed is that it usually results in crumbs in bed.  And the problem with crumbs in bed is that they are too small to spot and you only notice them when they dig in and poke and scratch when you get into bed again at night.

 

It's incredible how something so small can cause such irritation. 

 

It's the same in life: sometimes something seemingly small can cause great irritation or frustration.  The frustration is completely disproportionate to the cause.

 

Thinking about all of this reminded me of pearls and the way that they are created: pearls are formed inside an oyster or other mollusk as a defence mechanism.  When a parasite  or other irritant enters the shell, the mollusk creates what is called a 'pearl sac' to seal off the irritation.  It does this by depositing layer upon layer of calcium carbonate over the irritant, until it is completely covered. 

 

What was a potential threat becomes a harmless, smooth pearl.

 

And what is more, these pearls [especially when formed naturally, as opposed to being harvested] are both beautiful and highly valuable. 

 

When we encounter irritants or potential threats, we can worry about them and let them scratch at us and hurt us.  Or we can take them to God and ask Him to cover them with layer upon layer of His peace, until they are no longer harmful.

 

We can ask Him to cover us with His peace and to protect us from the things that threaten us.

 

The Bible says,

 

         "Say this: 'God, you’re my refuge.
         I trust in you and I’m safe!”
         That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps,
         shields you from deadly hazards.
         His huge outstretched arms protect you—
         under them you’re perfectly safe;
         his arms fend off all harm."

 

        [Psalm 91:2-4 MSG]

 

God is our shield; He protects us and covers us from harm and He soothes the things that hurt our souls. 

 

We are safe under His outstretched arms.

 

And what is more, something that once caused us pain and distress, something which irritated and frustrated and hurt us, can be transformed into something beautiful and precious when we let God cover it with His grace and peace and love.

 

So when we face potential threats or irritating circumstances, when things 'invade' our peaceful lives, we need not fear.  Instead, we can ask God to cover the situation with His peace, and to guard our hearts and our minds in Him:

"The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

[Philippians 4:7 NIV]

 

As for the crumbs in bed situation, perhaps I should switch to cereal.

 

 

 

Storms and Tempests

Yesterday, I went to watch a production of The Tempest. 

 

It was quite fitting as we had had heavy thunder and rain all day.  In fact, I don't remember ever hearing thunder that loud before.  It sounded both like gunfire (although I'm not sure I've ever actually heard gunfire before, apart from on TV, so what I imagine gunfire sounds like), and someone hammering a sheet of metal.

 

It was noisy and powerful and overwhelming.  And once I got back to my flat, it was exciting.

 

But being caught in the middle of a storm - whether literal or emotional or spiritual - can be terrifying.  We feel out of control.  Powerless.  We are reminded of how small and vulnerable we are and it scares us.

 

The disciples experienced this powerlessness and fear:

"One day Jesus said to his disciples, 'Let's cross to the other side of the lake.'  So they got into a boat and started out.  As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap.  But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake.  The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.

The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, 'Master, Master, we're going to drown!'  When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves.  Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm.  Then he asked them, 'Where is your faith?'"

[Luke 8:22-24 NLT]

 

When we face storms in our own lives, it can often feel like God is taking a nap.  We wonder how He can be sleeping through it all.  We listen for His voice and look for His fingerprints on the situation and are met with silence. 

 

I listened to someone talk on this passage recently who said, "Like the disciples, we want to shake Jesus awake and say, 'Don't you know what I'm going through?  Don't you care?'" 

 

Don't you care, God?

 

Yes. 

 

Our God cares.

 

The God we cry out to in our storms is the same God to whom the disciples cried out on the lake.  He cares as much about our storms and tempests and trials and troubles as He did about those of the disciples.  And He is longing to calm them for us.

 

Often, in my experience, I have noticed that He will calm us and give us His perfect peace [Philippians 4:8], rather than getting rid of the storm itself.  He enables us to endure the situation - we can weather the storm.

 

In his song, 'You Never Let Go', Matt Redman writes -

 

Even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life

I won't turn back, I know you are near.

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

 

When the storms come, we can ask ourselves, as Jesus asked the disciples - Where is your faith?  Is it in the changeable, stormy circumstances?  Or is it in the One who can quieten and calm the storms with His voice?