Be Still And Know

Deuteronomy 6:20-21 One of the greatest blessings of my life has been that, for much of the time, I have lived with small children – and one of the joys that children bring is in their questioning. I have noticed this is particularly intense around the age of four or five. Their theological questioning leaves learned professors standing! They want to know who made God, where heaven is, why God stopped making dinosaurs and why he allows suffering. And all before eight o’clock in the morning! You may well have had a similar experience. Moses anticipated that children would ask questions. He knew they may ask why God had given his people so many laws. And Moses was keen that the children shouldn’t be fobbed off with slick answers. They needed to be told about the turbulent history of the people of Israel. They needed to know how God had saved their ancestors from slavery in Egypt. Although it happened a long time ago, they needed to understand the great things that God could do. He was the God who saved

Deuteronomy 6:4-6 These words stand right at the heart of the Jewish faith. In Jewish worship, they are repeated in both morning and evening prayers. They are a continual reminder of the fundamental truth that there is only one God, and he deserves total devotion. These words are known as the Shema and the people of Israel were commanded to keep repeating them to their children. They were so fundamental that Moses told them to: “talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up” (Deuteronomy 6:7). They were also told to write the words on tiny fragments of paper and put them in leather pouches called phylacteries, which were tied around their hands and foreheads. The words were also placed on the doorposts of their homes. They did everything possible to ensure these words were not forgotten. Repetition is often a characteristic of a loving relationship. I regularly tell my wife and children that I love them. I don’t do this because

Deuteronomy 4:9 In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses was preparing the people of Israel for their entry into the promised land. What they were about to experience was something entirely different from the many years they had spent in the wilderness. They would be able to settle down and enjoy food and drink. It would be a land truly flowing with milk and honey. But they would also face enormous obstacles. The people who lived in Canaan were not going to welcome them with open arms. Moses sought to equip them for this experience and, at the heart of his message, was their need to remember their history. They had incredible experiences of God’s provision in the 40 years since they left Egypt, and they needed to keep reminding themselves of all that he had done. More than that, they needed to tell their children and grandchildren about it, too. It’s interesting how often the Bible addresses the issue of forgetting. It clearly isn’t a new problem! Moses could foresee that people would quickly get involved in

Deuteronomy 1:30-31 In the opening chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the people of their history. The journey from the Nile river to the promised land of Canaan took less than two weeks. When they arrived in Kadesh-barnea, just south of the border with Canaan, Moses encouraged them to enter the land that God had promised to give them. But the people were cautious. They suggested spies should be sent in, to find out whether it was safe to proceed. When the 12 spies returned, most focused on the problems. They reported that the inhabitants of the promised land were taller and more powerful than they were, and their towns and walls were enormous. They even said they had seen giants. This was enough to scare the Israelites, who suggested it would be better to head back to slavery in Egypt. The fact that two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, gave a very positive report did nothing to calm their nerves. God responded angrily. The spies’ report was based on 40 days in the promised land, and so God punishe

Deuteronomy 1:12-13 Moses was a great man. He had been appointed by God to lead the people out of Egypt, but there was no way in which he could do this by himself. He needed lots of help, particularly from wise people who could help to resolve all the difficult issues that arose. From all the very honest accounts we have of those 40 wilderness years, we know the people were often in a bad mood. They frequently complained about the harsh conditions and often wished they could turn the clock back and return to slavery in Egypt. But what we read about was probably just the tip of the iceberg. Grumbles were part of daily life, and it simply wasn’t possible for one person to handle them all. The appointment of well-respected people from each tribe was a wise way forward. Although it is sad to hear that there were so many problems during those wilderness years, this story should offer us a degree of reassurance. We shouldn’t be surprised when we face problems and bickering. It’s sad, but it’s often a fact of

Deuteronomy 1:12-13 Moses was a great man. He had been appointed by God to lead the people out of Egypt, but there was no way in which he could do this by himself. He needed lots of help, particularly from wise people who could help to resolve all the difficult issues that arose. From all the very honest accounts we have of those 40 wilderness years, we know the people were often in a bad mood. They frequently complained about the harsh conditions and often wished they could turn the clock back and return to slavery in Egypt. But what we read about was probably just the tip of the iceberg. Grumbles were part of daily life, and it simply wasn’t possible for one person to handle them all. The appointment of well-respected people from each tribe was a wise way forward. Although it is sad to hear that there were so many problems during those wilderness years, this story should offer us a degree of reassurance. We shouldn’t be surprised when we face problems and bickering. It’s sad, but it’s often a fact o

Psalm 5:3 Let’s be clear that God loves to hear from us at any time. Morning, noon or night he loves to hear our prayers. But there is something very important about us coming to God in the morning when the day is still new. It’s a fresh page and so far we have done nothing to mess it up! It may well be that you find it better to have a quiet reflective time with God later in the day and that’s fine. But I urge you not to miss the opportunity to start the day with the Lord, even if it is very brief. What could be better than for us to thank him for the gift of a new day and to ask him to strengthen and lead us through it? Whatever is happening in the day ahead there are bound to be requests that we want to make. We want God to bless our activities and the people we will meet. I was talking with a friend only a few days ago who showed me a well-thumbed notebook in which he had written the names of people he had prayed for over the last few years. Against most of the names was a tick which he sensed tha

Psalm 4:8 How are you sleeping at the moment? If you always sleep well, that’s wonderful. But for many people, sleep is hard work. In the UK, 33 per cent of people over the age of 55 struggle to fall asleep quickly. For 25 per cent of adults, money worries are a major factor in disturbing their sleep. No one questions the importance of sleep - and the psalmist was well aware of the blessing it brings. In this psalm, David was reflecting on the pressures of life. Despairingly, he asked how long he would have to live with people who were trying to ruin his reputation and speaking lies about him. We may not have faced these particular challenges, but many of us will go through tough or unsettling times. Perhaps we will face pressures at work, strained family relationships or health challenges. Such times can shake us and test what we are made of. David responded to his challenges by concluding that he could “be sure of this. The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to hi

Psalm 3:1-3 Some of the psalms have a brief introductory note, and this is one of them. It tells us that it was written when David fled from his son, Absalom. This was possibly the most tragic moment in David’s long, eventful reign. Absalom was a great favourite of David and much loved by the people as well. He was handsome, charming and loved all the pomp which went along with belonging to a royal family. He drove a magnificent chariot with 50 men running in front of it. However, tragically, he was determined to take over his father’s throne, leading a rebellion which forced David to flee from Jerusalem in fear for his life. Can you imagine anything worse? It is bad enough to be attacked by your enemies, but for David to have his much- loved son turn against him must have been a crushing experience. David stood back from this disaster and reflected on where his true security lay. He knew God was the one who gave him lasting security and that he would hold his head high. The Bible never pretends t

If this psalm had been written recently, you might assume the psalmist had just read that day’s newspaper or listened to the news on TV. He begins by asking: “Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans?” (v1). Sound familiar? He then reflects on the fact that the rulers of the earth plot against God, trying to get free from his control. In response, he pictures God in heaven having a good laugh at their stupidity, for whatever they do, he is in ultimate control. This psalm underlines God’s interest in the political life of our world. At times, I fear that our churches talk as if God is really only interested in what happens among Christians. But he is God of the whole world - and his longing is for every nation and individual to live in unity with him. The punch line of this psalm is the statement that God gives joy to “all who take refuge in him” (v12). Our verses today are God’s words of advice to the rulers of the world. They are encouraged to act wisely and to giv

Psalm 1:1-2 It’s interesting that the Book of Psalms begins on a negative note. Here are three things that godly people reject. They don’t accept the advice of wicked people. They don’t hang around with sinners. And they don’t have anything to do with those who mock God. It’s almost as if he is talking about preparing a field for cultivation. There is no point in sowing seed until the stones and weeds have been cleared out. God’s desire is to bless us and give us his joy, but none of that can happen until the rubbish is gone. When people hear about the invitation to give their life to God, the danger is that they simply try to add this dimension to their present way of life. They want to ‘join the God club’ in the same way as one might join a motoring organisation or gym. They simply want to add it to their list of subscriptions and commitments. But this is precisely what God doesn’t want. His desire is for us to turn our back on our old way of life, in order to set off with him on a new journey. Th

James 5:19-20 These verses bring James’ letter to an end. They are very different from the ending of many New Testament letters, which are often full of warm greetings and prayers for the recipients. James’ letter was utterly practical and, in these final verses, he confronted the fact that, sadly, there are those who wander away from the Christian faith. The verb “to wander” is absolutely correct in my pastoral experience. I have been aware of very few people who depart from the Christian faith because they suddenly decide that it is all wrong. Most of the time, people get busy with other things and simply drift away from the Church. This very often happens when people move to a new area. They visit a few local churches but never really feel at home - and so they stop attending and, eventually, wander away from their faith. James wanted his readers to know the importance of restoring someone who has wandered away. They were effectively saving them from death. Restoration needs to be on the active

James 5:16 This is one of many verses in the Bible where I wish the author had written a lot more! In fact, I would have been perfectly happy if James had written a book to explain exactly what he meant when he suggested Christians should confess their sins to each other. I wonder how he expected this to be done, and which sins he had in mind. I assume that he didn’t expect services of worship to be the context within which these confessions would take place. But was he thinking about a small group, or a meeting between just two people? We just don’t know. In the early days of Methodism, John Wesley devised a number of accountability questions which would help people to grow in holiness. People would meet together in groups of three to five of the same gender (known as bands), and ask each person the following four questions: What known sins have you committed since our last meeting? What temptations have you met with? How were you delivered? What have you thought, said, or done, of which you doubt

James 5:13-14 I love these verses. Basically, James is saying that whatever is going on in your life at the moment, it’s the right time to pray! Many people seem to see prayer as a religious activity that needs to be confined to particular times or places. Churches are well known as places to pray, and many people set aside a special quiet time each day so that they can bring their prayers to God. This is all splendid, but we still need to hear James’ encouragement. It is always the right time to pray - whether you are in church or not, and whether it is your special time to pray to God or not. James is introducing us to the idea that prayer is a way of life in which we share whatever is going on with a God who cares about every aspect of our lives. James’ letter contains many indications that the churches he was writing to were going through a hard time. The people were under pressure from the authorities and probably from their neighbours and employers, too. They needed to pray to God about their di

James 5:7-8 After Jesus’ ascension, his disciples were assured that he would return. The messengers said: “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but some day he will return in the same way you saw him go” (Acts 1:11). In the early Church, there was a widespread belief that it was going to happen in their lifetime. However, Jesus had made it clear that the timings were entirely in his Father’s hands. Even Jesus didn’t know when he was going to return! We continue to live between the first and second coming of Jesus. So the 21st-century Church has much in common with first-century Christians. We are still waiting, and because the Lord might return at any time we need to be prepared. James used the illustration of the farmer to stress the need for patience. Much of the time, farmers are waiting and hoping. They might be tempted to dig up their seeds every now and again to see how they are getting on, but they know that wouldn’t help!

James 4:13-14 James’ readers would have immediately understood his description of the eager business person. At the time, markets were opening up all around the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. There were endless opportunities to set up new businesses and James isn’t objecting either to business or the making of profit. His problem was that individuals had forgotten how temporary their life was. They were acting as if they were in full control of the future, and they weren’t. These verses remind us of Jesus’ parable about the rich man whose farm was doing so well that he needed to build bigger barns. The man smugly concluded that he could now sit back and say to himself: “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink and be merry!” But God called him a fool because he hadn’t taken into account that he could die that very night (see Luke 12:19-20). God doesn’t want us to live in a state of daily anxiety because of the fragility and brevity of lif

James 4:11-12 Of course, we all know that we shouldn’t speak evil against one another. But it can happen so subtly that we often don’t spot it. Inevitably, within a church or any other community, there will be conversations about people. Those conversations might become slightly critical, because none of us are perfect. But this is when it gets dangerous, however, because such conversations can lull us into making firm judgements about someone - and that just isn’t on. There are two main problems with judging other people. Firstly, we are commanded to love our neighbour as ourselves. If we were being judged, we would want the opportunity to give a clear account of ourselves. We would want people to know exactly why we had spoken or acted in the way that we did. The danger with secretly gossiping about another person is that often, we don’t know the full facts about a situation. And, in truth, sometimes we’re not all that interested in hearing the facts anyway! William Tyndale translated the phrase “sp

James 4:6-7 We are right to think of God as being incredibly loving, forgiving and generous. But we must not lose sight of the fact that he is also a God who hates. The writer of Proverbs makes a list of the seven things that he detests: “proud eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family” (Proverbs 6:17-19). It’s significant that, at the top of the list, is pride. A proud person has no room for God. There are three main problems with a proud person. Firstly, they don’t understand their need. They are so confident of themselves and their own ability that they think they don’t need anything. The tragedy of that attitude is that it is absurdly wrong and makes it impossible for God, or anyone else, to help them. Secondly, the proud person loves their independence. They are thrilled that they don’t need to depend on anyone at all. They think they are self-sufficient, but th

James 4:2-3 My wife and I have three children. I am well used to them asking me for things, and I am really pleased that they do so - even more now that they are adults. However, there are limits to what I am happy to give them. That’s not because of a lack of love, but because I love them. If they ask me for something which I know will cause problems or damage them, I will say a firm: “No”. This is exactly the principle behind today’s verses. God loves to give us gifts because he is incredibly generous. But he refuses to give us things when we ask with bad motives because he knows the outcome will be disastrous. It’s a weak and unloving father who piles gifts on his children simply because that’s what they’ve asked for. If we are only seeking to satisfy our own selfish desires, our loving heavenly Father will say no. So what should we be asking God for? He loves it when we ask for his love, joy and peace, and when we ask him to strengthen and guide us. Those are exactly the gifts he loves to give

James 3:18 There’s a big difference between peace loving and peace making. Surely, we all love the idea of peace. But peacemakers are those who are willing to do the tough job of getting involved in situations where there is no peace, in order to make peace. Peacemaking sounds like a quiet and gentle way of life. But it’s often the exact opposite. The person who wants to make peace needs to be tough enough to engage with those who are in bitter dispute with one another. Peacemaking is a wonderful way of life but the person who thinks that it’s easy has almost certainly not understood what it’s about. Jesus said: “God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Jesus was the Man of Peace. Through both his life and death he brought peace to humankind, but that certainly didn’t mean that he avoided difficulties and dodged disputes. Far from it! His ministry was continually characterised by spending time with and challenging his detractors - and it was all