Helensburgh Parish Church - Meditative Reflections

Then he prayed, O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Genesis 24:12 The major emphasis of this passage is centered on what we might call the cooperation of the Spirit. This is the missing note in much personal evangelism. Many men and women have heard the command of God, Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation (Mark 16:15). They have recognized this is a command, but then they go out, acting as though it all depends upon them. This is where the grim-faced, fever-eyed fanatic comes from, on the one hand and, on the other, the timid, blushing, flustered Christian who hardly ever dares to utter a word. There is a failure to recognize that not only has God commanded us to do this, but he has also provided the Spirit by which to do it. This is what we see as the story progresses. Here is a man expecting God to work. He does not go into this land and say to himself, Well now...

4  Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice!  5  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  6  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  7  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.     An expectant life is not lived by denying fear, but by choosing where to place our attention. Paul writes from prison, yet his words overflow with joy, gentleness, prayer, and peace.  Paul offers a quiet guide for those learning to live expectantly. Rejoice even before circumstances change, pray instead of surrendering to anxiety, and trust that God is nearer than we realise. Expectation grows whenever gratitude and trust are practised daily. It is t...

Luke 14: 7-14 (NIV)   7  When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable:  8  "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited.  9  If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this person your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.  10  But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests.  11  For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." 12  Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be...

God your Son shared stories with us and for this we thank you. You know us well. It is wonderful to be so known and loved by love itself. This story is so precious and in it I know you have hidden seeds of hope.   God I feel so lost sometimes and looking out on the world we live in I know I am just one among millions who feel lost and cry out for a way to turn. I pray that you will find a way to plant seeds of hope in each one of our lives. Whether it is through this story or another, through people or through nature. God you have so many ways of speaking to us across time and space, we are so lucky even if we do not always feel it.   God your arms are gathering arms, like a farmer gathers the crops they have grown you will gather us all, no matter how lost, into your arms and into your peace. Thank you that you are such a God.   Amen

When we discover a new hobby we often turn to mentors and teachers who can guide us: in person, from the page, or on a screen. A good teacher begins by gaining our trust. A good teacher meets us where we are and takes us where we want to go, one step at a time. Whether or not we excel, the mentor's experience will guide us to find enjoyment in our new hobby. Psalm 25 reflects the wonderful growth of the person who seeks God's help. The essential first step in the journey of prayer is trust, and that is how the psalm begins: "In you, Lord my God, I put my trust." Prayer is not solely a list of requests, or even thanksgiving, or confession, though all of those things are important aspects of prayer. Before all of these, prayer is, at its heart, bringing our lives to God, because all of life depends on God: "I trust in you". Having established this relationship of trust, the psalm next addresses the requests of the person at prayer. These initial requests are s...

A couple of weeks ago my grandson Alfie and I planted courgette seeds in a tray, watered them, then covered them with clingfilm before finally putting them on my kitchen windowsill. There were few signs of growth over the coming days. I then went on holiday for a long weekend and to my surprise upon my return the seeds had not just sprouted but amazingly were growing abundant and strong. They were so strong and large that I was able to pot them on and put them outside in the greenhouse! Sometimes we don't see or understand the work God is doing in our lives. But if we are consistently reading God's word, spending time with God in prayer, cultivating our relationship with God and our fellow believers then we will experience spiritual growth. Sometimes our growth might seemingly be slower than others but if we are consistent then we will experience times of abundant growth and fruitfulness — blessing not just us but God's Kingdom.    Prayer:   Creator God, Fill us with a desi...

Manna from heaven. Wouldn't that be handy! No trip to the supermarket, no trolley, no loading, unloading, putting away – just gather it up and eat it. The original fast food. But it is weird. The Israelites' journey is full of surprises. Pillars of fire and cloud. The Red Sea parted to make a dry path. Bitter water made sweet. Now there are quails and manna falling from heaven. Every day, something new, something fresh.   Prayer:   God of the journey, One more step along the world we go, every day something new, something fresh. What will today bring? I have looked at my diary, and I have a plan for the day. But you may have something else for me. Probably not quails for dinner, but something equally surprising? Then again, why should I be surprised? You have my life's journey in your plan. I may miss a turning, or persist on a long shortcut, but you know better. God of my journey, give me grace to trust your plan, and to look forward to each new fresh morning. AMEN

JOHN 14: 15-17 (NRSVA)   15  'If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.  16  And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.  17  This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, because He abides with you, and He will be in you. Sparks of encouragement fly as Jesus introduces the disciples to the Holy Spirit. He says, "You know Him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you."   Prayer:   Holy Spirit, old friend, thank you for helping me to put into words to put into action to put into motion the grace of God.   Thank you for nudging me Thank you for cajoling me Thank you for pulling my leg.   You remind me, constantly, of the central truth that each one of us matters and is worthy and that I should act like that is the case.   Amen.

When was the last time that you were stopped in your tracks by something which filled you with awe? I imagine that, around Jesus, such incidents happened fairly regularly. Of course, often the feelings aroused rather than awe (at least on the part of the authorities) were outrage and anger as Jesus defied convention and took liberties with the rules. As always, however, he has an answer for his critics and puts them firmly in their place. "Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?" proving that it's his power and not the form of words which give life and health. I have a four year old granddaughter who lights up my life. I am privileged to spend part of every week with her and, even more than with my own children, I am struck by the sheer miracle of her. Her personality and character – so new to this world. Her learning and development — so rapid and engaging. Her joy in life – so simple, unaffected, delighted in very...

JOHN 21: 10-14 (GNT)   10  Then Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught." 11  Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore full of big fish, a hundred and fifty-three in all; even though there were so many, still the net did not tear.  12  Jesus said to them, "Come and eat." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord.  13  So Jesus went over, took the bread, and gave it to them; he did the same with the fish. 14  This, then, was the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from death.     Chapter 21 of John's Gospel is replete with imagery and echoes from the previous 20 chapters, and these few verses are perhaps the most obvious. Even here, when Jesus already has fish and bread by the charcoal fire, he invites the disciples to bring what they have caught. Jesus is not 'doing to' the disciples but 'sharing with'. It is an invitation to meet w...

"What will we do with our spare time"? That thought was the heart of an essay published in 1930 by the economist John Maynard Keynes. In it Keynes proposed that within a hundred years, technological and economic advances would bring humans to a point where we would need to work no more than 15 hours a week! It has been more than 90 years for this to come to fruition. However, technology, instead of creating mire leisure, has made us busier than ever. Our days are and, while everyday tasks like travel and meal preparation take less time we're still in a hurry. One striking incident David's life shows us how to stay steady in this perceived need for haste. When David  was fleeing from King Saul (who was trying to kill him), he asked the King of Moab, "would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me"? (1 Samuel 22:3 ). David had his hands full. He was trying to escape Saul's murderous pu...

Lord, help us protect your trees, and all creation, not just because they are part of your world, but because they hold together your land, which protects our neighbours from floods and landslides. Because they are a sign that life is near, and water, shelter, and sustenance is possible. Lord, would we see a tree and be reminded of your goodness, faithfulness and provision, and would we remember our responsibility to care for creation. Amen

When children are little, a great distraction is to sing songs with them. It is a useful tool to combat boredom on a car journey. It is also a way of alleviating fear or stress in difficult situations. An example is the song during a thunderstorm from the musical 'The Sound of Music': "I simply remember my favourite things, and then I don't feel so bad."  Singing is sometimes simply good fun, and many songs these days appeal to the imagination of the young. At other times there is something deeply spiritual about singing. A famous opera singer once said that a singer needs "a big chest, a big mouth, 90 percent memory, 10 percent intelligence, lots of hard work, and something in the heart." The last part makes all the difference! Often when people say outside church, "I enjoyed the service today", they follow it up with, "I love these hymns." There is unity in joining our voices together to praise God. Though fellow church members may ...

' Learn to do right;seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.'  (Isaiah 1:7) What would a Christia society truly look like? Would it be one in which everyone goes to church? One in which we all read the Bible every day? One in which worship music tops the charts? If we follow God's word, a Christian society would be one that is free from inequality. One in which people looked after each other with kindness and compassion. Christianity is more than church numbers: it's about justice. To build God's kingdom is to lift up those who have been cast down. Without doing that, we are missing the whole point. Old and New Testaments both are emphatic with this ( Deuteronomy 27:19 ; Amos 5: 21-24 ; Matthew 7:21 ; James 1:27) God of justice, have mercy on Your church. We recommit ourselves to Your will : the will that says "seek justice and defend the oppressed"                                                ...

'Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.' (Isaiah 1:17) What would a Christian society truly look like? Would it be one in which everyone goes to church? One in which we all read the Bible every day? One in which worship music tops the charts? If we follow God's word, a Christian society would be one that is free from inequality. One in which people looked after each other with kindness and compassion. Christianity is more than church numbers – it's about justice. To build God's kingdom is to lift up those who have been cast down. Without doing that, we are missing the whole point. Old and New Testaments both are emphatic with this (Deuteronomy 27:19; Amos 5:21-24; Matthew 7:21; James 1:27). Earlier in today's passage, God rejects his people's worship. God hates it. Why? Because there is injustice in the land. Because the cries of the marginalised are going unheeded. Because his...

Not merely in the words you say Not only in your deeds confessed But in the most unconscious way Is Christ expressed Is it a calm and peaceful Smile? A-Holy light upon your brow. Oh no! I felt his presence while you laughed just now For me twas not the truth you taught To you so clear, to me so dim But when you came to me, you brought a sense of him.    And from your eyes he beckons me And from your heart his love is shed Till I lose sight of you and see The Christ instead.                                               Source Unknown

Romans 8: 22-27 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God. .................................................... Some luck lies in getting what you have instead of what you want which, you may be fortunate enough to realise, may well be what you would have wanted had you known. ...

In the vast expanse of human history, there is only one point of contact with the Lord of this history : the present moment. It is through the door of the present moment that God enters into your life, and it is through you that He enters into the life of the world. However, God will not step through that door unless you open it up to Him. Each moment is an annunciation in your life, but you can only respond to God's call if you're there to hear it.  When you respond to the call the Son is once more made flesh; this time in you. When you respond to His call, as manifested in the work in hand, you allow the Father to further the work of creation which is carried on in the Son of God. If you respond to His call by giving your all, within the context of the present moment, you are allowing the Son to carry out His work of redemption in the world.

Some of us thrive on change, and some of us resist at every turn. Yet we know that change is part of the human condition and we deal with it on a daily basis. We can wait until change happens and let it change us out of necessity or we can act in a manner in which we try to shape and control the changes we face in life. However, there are times in our lives when the changes we face go far beyond our individual circumstances. Every so often, perhaps once in a lifetime, people are collectively faced with a seismic event that changes the course of history. We are in the midst of such an event: one that has affected the whole world. The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic will be far reaching and will change the way we structure our societies and order our institutions. The scope will be wide and comprehensive ranging from how we govern ourselves and who will govern us, to how and where and when we work. This pandemic has caused us to think about how we view and value th...

Decades ago, Dr. Jerry Motto discovered the power of a 'carer letter'. His research found that simply sending a letter expressing care to discharged patients, who had previously attempted suicide, reduced the rate of recurrence by half. Recently, health care providers have rediscovered this power when sending 'caring' texts, postcards and even social media memes as follow-up treatment for the severely depressed. Twenty-one books in the Bible are, actually, letters – epistles – caringly written to the first-century believers who struggled for a variety of reasons. Paul, Peter, James and John wrote letters to explain the basics of faith and worship. Also, how to resolve conflict and build unity. The apostle, Peter, however, specifically wrote to believers who were being persecuted by the Roman emperor, Nero. Peter reminded them of their intrinsic value to God, describing them in this way in 1 Peter 2:9 : "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood...