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Abide, Faith, Holy Week Reflections

LOCKDOWN-HOLY WEEK REFLECTIONS-DAY 7

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Lockdown Day 7

A couple of days ago, the news came through that lockdown is to be extended by another three weeks. Whilst this was to be expected, I guess we were all hoping there was a slim chance the waiting period would be over. More waiting. It’s this in-between-time which we find so hard. It brings about more uncertainty.

Over Easter, Holy Saturday is where the body of Jesus Christ lay in the tomb, and is the period of uncertainty. It is the moment of somber waiting. We find this waiting period the hardest part to experience. Reflecting on what was and wondering what is to come.

Wait and Be Patient

How can we wait patiently during a time of uncertainty, especially when the waiting brings feelings of anxiety or sadness. Paul gives us some pretty sound advice when it comes to waiting. His threefold advice is paramount to our emotional and spiritual well-being.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

Be Joyful in Hope

Firstly, be joyful in hope. You’re probably wondering how we can have hope in our current situation, let alone joy. Experiencing hope and joy is not just about changing our mindset. We do actually have a reason to be hopeful, as well as joyful.

As Christians, we always have hope. Our hope is found in Jesus Christ, the One who defeated death. This should give us the right perspective we need in our current situation and therefore provide us with the joy we need. Do you want the good news? Everyone has access to Jesus as their Hope – not just Christians!

Do you want the good news? Everyone has access to Jesus as their Hope – not just Christians! Click To Tweet

Be Faithful in Prayer

I’m going to skip the second piece of advice briefly and look into Paul’s third piece of advice. (You’ll see why in a minute – be patient 😊😉) Paul’s third advice is to be faithful in prayer. Keep praying – wherever we are, whatever we are doing and whenever we can.

Keep praying – wherever we are, whatever we are doing and whenever we can. Click To Tweet

When we experience any type of suffering, we should pray whilst we wait for what we are hoping in. When we pray, it connects us with God. God hears us and understands what we are going through and He helps us. It doesn’t matter how we pray either. We don’t have to use big, posh words. He listens to all who communicate with Him.

Be Patient in Affliction

Now, back to the second piece of advice which Paul gave. This is probably the most hardest to carry out: Be patient in affliction. Oh my! How we are being tested to the max with this in the current crisis. Patience with our children, patience in waiting for answers, patience whilst maybe we are in pain. Patience with __________ (insert your own dilemma).

The second advice which Paul gives is easier to cope with if we are able to take on the first and third pieces of advice: Be joyful in hope and faithful in prayer. Those who are joyful in what they hope for their future and who pray to God continually will have a much easier time being patient through the hard times.

I’m not writing this from first hand experience. I’m the world‘s worst when it comes to waiting and find it really hard to find joy during the trials I experience. I am able to say this through watching how other people respond and react in their tough situations. I find it encouraging and it spurs me on to keep going in my own tough times with carrying out Paul’s advice.

My friend, Shelly Miller, is a great example of someone who is faithful in praying and has found joy in hope. In turn, she is able to be at peace in her current situation. In her own words, she writes this…

“I can tell you that even amidst dire reports from doctors, I’m experiencing unexplainable peace of mind and joy in heart.”

Shelly Miller, The Sabbath Society Newsletter

Something to think about…

Paul is not minimising the trials and hardships we go through in life, and neither am I. I know how hard life can be. I’ve had a fair share of unpleasantness in my own life. What Paul wants to point out is that if we keep strong in our faith, waiting patiently during this time of lockdown, the struggles we experience now will be worth it when we come through the other side with our hope in Christ.

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for the hope you have provided to us through your Son, Jesus Christ. We live in a world where waiting patiently doesn’t come naturally anymore. May we hold onto the truth that Jesus is the Hope we need which provides us with joy during our current situations. Thank you that you are always there with us whatever we are facing. May we remember to turn to you so in turn you can provide us with peace in mind and joy in heart. Amen.

Abide, Faith, Holy Week Reflections

LOCKDOWN-HOLY WEEK REFLECTIONS-DAY 6

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Lockdown Day 6

Who do you think about when you go through a hard season? Do you think of your loved ones? Your family? Maybe your neighbour? How about the person standing 2 meters in front of you in the queue? You are both waiting to go into the supermarket. Both of you are wondering if there will be enough food inside.

When we go through a time where we think it is impossible to see the light at the end of the tunnel, could you honestly say you would think of other people? Honestly? I’ll be honest…I’m probably usually thinking “Please Lord, get me out of this mess.” Am I right?

Offer a prayer for everyone

Praying for other people when we don’t have much going on in our lives is pretty easy. Thinking of someone else when we have something traumatic going on can be a pretty tough call though. Why worry about someone else’s problems when you have so much going on yourself?

When I think of the Easter weekend we have just celebrated I am struck by how much Jesus is still putting others first, despite what He is going through. As Jesus hung on the cross, people below mocked Him and jeered Him. Yet He was still able to say, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34).

He thought about the people hanging there with him. When it seemed all hope was lost, He turned to one of them and provided him with the hope he needed. Jesus is experiencing the most excruciating pain, physically, emotionally and spiritually, and yet He still showed love towards a man who didn’t deserve it.

Paul wrote to the early Christians in Thessalonica and advised how they should live and treat each other. 

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else . . . May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

Something to think about…

May we use the example of Jesus and the advice given from Paul. Let’s offer a prayer for others in our time of need, especially now as we all face the same crisis. Pray for those on the frontline facing death every day, and also for those who continue to work to make sure our daily needs are provided for. Pray for your neighbours, families and friends. Next time you are out shopping, why not even pray for the person standing 2 meters in front of you.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the people we have in our lives who we are able to turn to in this time of need. Help us to remember as we go through this crisis ourselves, there are also other people going through this too. We know you are the rock in whom we can take refuge in, but there are people out there who don’t know this. There are people around us who are hurting and need your protection. Open our eyes Lord to the people around us. Help us to focus our prayers on other people rather than ourselves. Amen

Abide, Faith, Holy Week Reflections

LOCKDOWN-HOLY WEEK REFLECTIONS-DAY 5

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Lockdown Day 5

Thursday was a day where we celebrated Maundy Thursday. It is where we learn what it truly means to dwell in Christ’s love. In turn, we then learn how we can love each other. We look at how Jesus acts, the words He teaches and how He prays. It is the origins from which the life of the Church, and the life as a Christian, stems from.

Dwell in His presence

On Maundy Thursday, Jesus shared His last meal with His friends before He is killed. This is known as the Last Supper. Through the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the wine, He shows His disciples a way in how they could still dwell with Him as well as with each other.

Jesus is nearing His final hour where He will be mercilessly taken from them. He will experience the most darkest moment when He is betrayed. Brutally, he then suffers the shame on the cross.

They don’t realise this yet, but the gifts Jesus is teaching the disciples in the Last Supper will be crucial for them. Especially as they see the brutality Jesus experiences over the next few days. He is teaching them how He stays with them during hard times. This is crucial for us too.

How Jesus dwells with us

When Jesus shared the bread and the wine, He gave the disciples the gift of himself. When Jesus washed their feet, He showed them the gift of serving in love. Jesus showed them a new way to live which went against what society expected. They didn’t know it yet, but they were going to change the world!

Through the breaking of the bread, the disciples learnt a new way in how to dwell in Christ’s presence. Through the washing of the feet, they also learnt a new way in how they are to treat others in times of hardship. We are learning this too right now. We can still dwell in Christ during this outbreak. Furthermore, we can learn new ways in how we can reach others.

Jesus, through the Last Supper, came to meet our needs. He showed us how we are to be with one another. We need to show love in action. Not a love which is powerful, but a love that is humble. 

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.“ John 13:34

Something to think about…

In a time where we are supposed to keep barriers up between us due to social distancing, let’s not put up imaginary barriers to stop us from serving. Let it not stop you from loving like Jesus loves which breaks down all barriers.

We can meet the needs of others by providing food for one another. We can minister to people by connecting with each other. It can be a simple phone call or an exchange of e-mails. We live in an age now where we are no longer limited to the old fashion way of connecting. It can be a simple phone call or an exchange of e-mails. Let’s become a community that knows how to love each other, just as Christ first loved us.

Let’s become a community that knows how to love each other, just as Christ first loved us. Click To Tweet

Prayer

God, thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ. May we grasp hold of the knowledge that Jesus shared His life with us so that we can dwell in Him always. Jesus will experience the most darkest moment of His life, but that didn’t stop Him from loving His people. Help us to be an example of what Jesus taught us on His last night. May we reach out to others to show them the love Jesus shows us. Amen.

Abide, Faith, Holy Week Reflections

LOCKDOWN-HOLY WEEK REFLECTIONS-DAY 4

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Lockdown Day 4

We live in a terrifying world. Or so I thought. This was before the pandemic started. I was beginning to think we lived in a place that had lost its way. Knowing what God’s plan was in this world was hard to vision.

Know God’s Plan

It felt like the world was spiralling out of control. People were fighting against each other. The newspapers were always reporting on someone being shot or stabbed. The worse thing was that it was often young people doing the killing, or being killed. I just kept thinking it was such a waste of life, on both sides.

People took things for granted. Me included. We have a free health service in our country, which is open to anyone who resides here. Not many other countries have this option in their system. We have access to the best medicine and healthcare in the world. Free of charge.

We also take for granted we can buy groceries. Every village in this country will probably have some form of shop that sells food. There is probably a supermarket in every major town. We have access to some of the best food. And what about the takeaways and restaurants we have? The possibilities are endless.

Four months ago, I bet you didn’t expect to not see your friends either? How easily we could see each other and hug one another. Now we just wave from a distance, if we are lucky. Some people are isolated and have no contact with anyone at all.

What is God’s plan?

It was not God’s plan to infect us with the virus. I believe He knew this was going to happen though.

“You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.” Psalm 139:2-4

I do feel God has a plan to use what is happening to bring us all closer together. It’s already happening. People are starting to come together to help each other. Those that were once forgotten are being remembered again. The people who were once isolated from society are now at the forefront of people’s minds. We want to care more for those who are vulnerable.

What does God help us see?

We are now realising how grateful we should be to be able to get a bag of pasta, or even toilet paper! Every day luxuries have been taken away. The fish and chip supper on a Friday night. Take away pizza in front of the television with the family. A celebration of a birthday at your favourite place to eat. All things we took for granted.

Most of all, we are reminded how fragile life is. The message that is drummed out every where we go: Stay home. Stay safe. Save lives. We realise in a time like this how precious our NHS is and how much we need it. We learn to value our lives and that of others around us.

God is working through all this, despite what some people may think. There is evidence all around us. God is working in the person who decides to love their neighbour as themselves.

He’s in the person who is deciding to stay at home although it causes a great inconvenience to them. But this is how they know to help save lives. Staying home is a small price to pay.

God is in every front line worker who continually puts themselves at risk. Every doctor, nurse and health care worker. Even the person behind the checkout in the supermarket. They are all working so we can live.

Something to think about…

In the moments where you feel the weight of not knowing how God is working through all this, take a moment to have a look at what is around you. Have a look in your home and be thankful for the food you have in your cupboard. Thank Him for the opportunities we have to connect with others through social media. Most of all, thank God for working through those who are working to save our lives.

Prayer

Thank you God for the reminder we are not in control of situations around us. You not only know what is happening in our lives, but You have a plan for it too. Thank you for the reminder we need be grateful for all things – for our food and for simple necessities like toilet paper. Thank You Lord for the reminder of how precious and fragile life is. Help us to take the time to protect it. Amen.

Abide, Faith, Holy Week Reflections

LOCKDOWN-HOLY WEEK REFLECTIONS-DAY 3

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Lockdown Day 3

Having 5 children in the house makes it quite a noisy one. There never seems to be a moments peace. It’s either babies screaming, kids laughing and playing, or worse, bickering and fighting.

There’s always one word that never fails to carry above all the noise though. Mummy! In most situations they call me in, they need some form of reassurance or comfort. They need me to calm them down and to let them know it’s going to be ok.

Don’t we all need that though?

It’s not just children who need to be comforted and reassured. We do have a name we can call on. It doesn’t matter how much noise there is around us either. We can call on this name, day or night, and He will hear us. What is the name?

JESUS

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. Psalm 86:5

Call on Jesus and be calm

We are in a world now where getting in touch with other people can be a little hard. We have internet, which provides a whole new way of connecting with other people. But can you really connect with someone who is not physically there with you? It’s not easy.

I may not see Jesus physically, but He is there. He is waiting for us to call on His name and talk to Him. And when we do, He will be hanging on every word we say and connecting in with us. Jesus wants to connect in with us, and no lockdown order can stop Him!

Jesus wants to connect in with us, and no lockdown order can stop Him! Click To Tweet

Something to think about…

You may be wondering what use is it talking to someone you can’t see. I think the well known hymn by Alan Jackson sums it up well.

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear. 
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O, what peace we often forfeit,
O, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.

Tell Jesus everything. Absolutely everything! From your good days to your down right crappy days. He wants to hear it all. You could be surprised at how much calmer you may feel afterwards.

Prayer

Lord, we find it so much harder these days to open up and talk. We feel isolated because of the situation around us. Help us, Lord, to realise you are still here right beside us, now more than ever. You will listen to whatever we want to tell you and I thank you for listening. We need a friend so much right now to calm us down from all the noise around us. Lord, please be that friend to us and quieten our hearts and comfort us. I ask in Jesus name, Amen.