Keep your eyes on the prize...

A while back, my church ran a monthly Sunday evening event called 'More...?'. It was held in the Cellar Bar at the Farnham Maltings and took place over a period of about three years. As well as a regular house band from the church in which I was a privileged participant, we also had guest bands and solo artists – it was a fun time. The evening would consist of a couple of sets and a short talk or testimony in the middle. The aim was to create a space for Christians to bring non-Christians to come and find out more about Jesus while enjoying a relaxing, unimposing, bar/café-style evening.

One of the original postcards I designed... 

On the music side, we had the opportunity to try songs away from the standard worship fare on a Sunday morning, songs such as "O Mary Don't You Weep" and this fantastic track "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize", performed below by the legendary Bruce Springsteen (Mavis Staples also does a great version of the latter)... (I've pasted the lyrics below):



LYRICS:

"Paul and Silas bound in jail, had no money for to go their bail
Keep your eyes on the prize and hold on

Paul and Silas thought they was lost, dungeon shook and the chains come off
Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on

Freedom's name is mighty sweet and soon we're gonna meet
Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on

I got my hand on the gospel plow, won't take nothing for my journey now
Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on

Hold on, hold on
Keep your eyes on the prize
Hold on

Only chain that a man can stand, is that chain o'hand on hand
Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on

I gonna board that big Greyhound, carry the love from town to town
Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on

Hold on, hold on
Keep your eyes on the prize
Hold on

The only thing I did was wrong was staying' in the wilderness too long
Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on
The only thing I did was right was the day we started to fight
Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on

Hold on, hold on
Keep your eyes on the prize
Hold on...

Ain't been to heaven but I been told, streets up there are paved with gold."

~

So why this song? Why this post? Well, the song has been in my head for a few days now so I decided to give it some real thought. 

In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul writes,

"...Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." [Emphasis, mine]

Life can throw all sorts of things our way – good and bad. For some reason it is often the bad that stays with us in our memories – the hurt, the fear, the rejection, the shame, the anger and the resolve not to go there again. All this merely works to colour our future experiences and decisions, unless we can give them over to God for healing and restoration. We also need to seek His forgiveness for trying to do things our way. We think we're taking ownership of the hurt and protecting ourselves, but really we just end up putting pressure the wound so that it never has the chance to fully heal. We need to know when to let go.

This bad stuff can also paralyse us into not moving forward – and it takes courage to overcome. We really do need Christ first and foremost. I'm reminded of a book I read years ago, that I come back to often – John Ortberg's "If you want to walk on water, you've got to get out of the boat." Says what it does on the tin. I highly recommend it to anyone who needs input into moving away from the old into the new.

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1)

John Wimber said, "Faith is spelled R.I.S.K." and "If you never do it, you never get to see it." What's the worst that can happen by taking that step forward? By doing nothing and remaining in the same place, we become bored and stagnant and are robbed of God's amazing plans for us! Trust in inevitably based on our experiences but faith is a gift from God and He grows it in us as we experience His goodness and faithfulness.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”" (Joshua 1:9)

There's also plenty of good stuff in life too and we need to be thankful for our lives because they are gifts to us. They are not for our own sake - but for the sake of loving and reaching the lost for God's Kingdom. As such we are Christ's ambassadors and have a responsibility towards looking after ourselves so we can look after others. We need to keep developing our understanding of what it means *now* to live in the Kingdom of God. Our responsibility to ourselves can really be summed up by needing to be be prepared. For a Christian, this means an ongoing and deepening relationship with God, the understanding and application of His Word, and staying as fit as we are able – spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally etc. Ephesians 6 talks about being prepared by putting on the full armour of God so that we can stand firm (that's another topic in itself which I'll look at another time!) Philippians 4 says:

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." [Emphasis, mine]

In order to be a serious contender in any kind of race, we need to train. This involves action on our part. Now I am not a runner. At school, I was never the fastest. I'd sometimes start off fast and even lead for a while, but after a quick burst of energy I'd suddenly flag considerably and end up in the bottom half! If I paced myself, I would do much better – and that conserve of energy would do me well for the last couple of laps. I generally found school fitness stuff rather demoralising as I have always been prone to comparing myself to others and coming off worse! I ended up arranging things so that my music lessons happened during my games lessons – result! I didn't get back into enjoying fitness until I went to university! But even with the music, I still had to train...to improve, to go the distance, and get passes in my exams. By training ourselves in whatever way we need, we are not only fitter and have more energy, but we bounce back from the bad stuff more easily...and develop the stamina to go even further. But training is an act of will, often a sacrifice and always a discipline – yet it yields great results. As the following spiritual law testifies, we reap what we sow.

Three times now I've taken part in one of the local 'Race for Life' events to raise money for Cancer Research. We all have the same goal – to get to the finishing post and raise our respective funds that go towards investigating what is a very serious disease. What I like most about it is that you can complete the course however you like – you can run, walk, jog or a mixture - whatever your preferred pace...you can be young or old, thin or fat, tall or short...in a costume or in jeans, on your own, or with friends and family. The only prerequisite is that you must be female! In spite of the serious theme, the event is about having fun and doing something good. Some training certainly helped. When I first did it with colleagues a while ago, I'd go walking/jogging in my lunch hour or after work. This was new to me – hard work – but it paid off! Coming up to the finishing line was the best bit. I'd been walking for a while but as I got there I started jogging again – I wanted to finish 'properly'. Being cheered on by spectators, the organisers and those who'd already completed the race had a tremendous effect on my tired limbs and lagging spirit – my energy was revived, my mood, jubilant – I'd done it!

I see a parallel with our Christian journey. The only prerequisite is that we know Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Even if we don't, it may be that we're going in the right direction despite ourselves (praise God for that!) The 'fitter' we are, the better we are at handling the ups and downs of life, but it doesn't mean we won't experience and feel those ups and downs and get a little weary and sore from them at times. The process of living in relationship with God is not 'guaranteed' – every step of obedience takes the risk that God will not do what we want Him to do. This is how He set it up! That's why it's important to study the Word of God and regularly meet with other Christians. By focusing on Jesus and encouraging one another, we find the strength to keep pressing on.

There are certainly a couple of key (to me) areas in my life at the moment that need some discipline on my part. I've either not really given them the time yet, or I've let them go. Both are applicable. I can pray to God all I like, but if I'm not willing to put the effort in or take that first step, what's the alternative? Settling with the mediocre, giving up? I don't want that. Life is about freewill – I have a choice...

I've noticed a sequence ...that often God calls (or whispers, usually!), then we have to step out, but then He intervenes with His purpose/blessing...and it's exciting!

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

Some things  are certain – the sin and failure of our past is dealt with, our present is wrapped up in the love and blessing of the Father, our future with Him is a sure promise...so, let's keep our eyes on the prize, and hold on!

Be still, and know that I am God

"The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul." (Psalm 23: 1-3). This is a beautiful babbling brook I came across last June (2010) on my first day in the French Alps...so peaceful and, with the mountains and sunshine, full of the majesty of God's creation. I sat down here for a while and just enjoyed 'being' in the presence of my Father, the Creator of the universe. It was a special time.

In recent weeks – and months, if I'm honest – I feel God has been prompting me to spend more quality time with Him – not just for me to learn to pray (talk at Him!) better, but also for me to learn to listen better. I've failed at this for a number of reasons...mainly lack of time-management and too much self-interest.

A couple of weeks' ago I led the topic at home group. It had been a busy week and I hadn't made time to prepare anything until the actual day. I'd expected to find a good verse to delve into - or to spark discussion on a particular life theme. However, as I wondered and sought inspiration, it dawned on me to look into the discipline of having a quiet time and what that might mean, and to share my findings.

Having a quiet time really is a (spiritual) discipline. We can get so caught up in the day-to-day art of 'doing', that it's easy to forget how to just 'be'. I am a serial 'faffer' - give me some spare time and I will easily fill it doing 'stuff'. Sometimes I find myself with a spare hour or two - perfect time to spend with God. But no, there's usually always something else to do - like watching tv or surfing the interweb or 'painting my nails'. It makes me wonder how I am any good at sustaining any relationship with that attitude?! It's easy to become anaesthetised to such promptings when we choose to constantly ignore them, and yet God never gives up on us. Thank God He doesn't!

Even Jesus needed time away from people and life in the presence of His Father...so how much more do we?! A quiet time is fellowship with a Holy God. Christianity is not a legal relationship, it is a love relationship. Ten thousand 'don'ts' will never make us one iota more like the Jesus. It is Jesus Himself who makes us like Him. But we need to spend time with Him, as with any relationship of substance.

A good friend recently reminded me of two questions we should be asking of God:

"What is going to satisfy Your heart?"

and

"What is going to bring You the glory?"

There are times in my life when I have put God first and made that sacred time and it has been rewarding. How frustrating it is to grow out of that habit. Below is basically (with a few later thoughts) what I shared with my home group – as much for myself as anyone else! (I like to hand out notes on things I do!).

~

A guide to doing quiet time

Quiet time is one of the most essential aspects of our Christian life, especially in today’s fast-paced busy world. Many Christians take some time reading the bible every day and while it is very useful, just reading the bible will not lead us to a much deeper and fuller walk with Christ. We need to spend time in His words, study them and learn from them every day.

Without daily regular quiet time, our spiritual life can be seriously under nourished, just as our body can be without proper food and water. How often do we forget or avoid a quiet time due to a busy schedule? Has anybody ever forgotten to eat for a day due to work?!

Time 
Our quiet time need only take about 10-15 minutes. Obviously, if we can do more, great! It 'should' be our best time - not our leftovers. Finding time won't happen - we need to make time. We can choose ‘when’ according to our schedule. For some, morning works better; for others, the evening may work well. It is important to try and stick to a set fixed time everyday, as it brings discipline and consistency.

What do we need?
A quiet place to focus (see Matthew 6:6: "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.", a Bible, notebook and pen. Jesus sought out places where He could be alone and we need to do the same. While it is fine to occasionally refer to Bible commentary or a dictionary for difficult passages, try and study the Bible as it is and ask God for His guidance in understanding the passage. It is good practice to take notes in the quiet time – you will be amazed and encouraged when you see them years later!

“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

How to do quiet time
Start with prayer: be natural and honest with God. Tell Him how you feel. Pray out loud if possible - it helps keep your mind on track and enables you to stay focused.
Spend just a few minutes in worship and thanksgiving
Spend some time in asking God for forgiveness for our sins
Ask for His guidance in today’s quiet time

Passage for quiet time: 
Select any book of the Bible and stick with it for the duration. It helps us get the whole picture, as well as making our quiet time more enjoyable. As a suggestion, select about 8-10 verses but don’t select a whole chapter as there may not be time to cover it.

Read the passage 2-3 times
There are many suggested guides as to ways of studying and you're welcome to find something that works for you. Below is my suggestion - this bible study method is also called the ASPECT method:

Ask the following questions:
A – About God – what can I learn about God through this passage?
S – Sin – does it talk about any sin?
P – Promise – is there any promise in the Word?
E – Example – is there any example I can follow?
C – Command – are there any commands I need to obey?
T – Teaching – what can I learn and take away from this passage?

Suggestions for a concluding prayer:

• Thank God for His guidance in the quiet time
• Worship God for His character
• Pray for deliverance from any sin
• Ask for strength for that or the next day

Our spiritual train is running on two rails; one is revelation and the other is obedience. And if either rail stops, our train stops. We need to learn to obey the Word of God.

God did not make us to be reservoirs; He made us to be conduits! If it seems right, share what God is showing you with others that you trust - it may encourage them!

~

A few years ago  I wrote a song, initially inspired by Psalm 62:1-2:

"For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David. My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken."

It grew to become about that special time we spend with our Father - and through that, know who we are. Maybe when I've learned that discipline I'll get the song finally finished!

I am Your child

In You, O Lord, my soul finds its home
You, O Lord, are my strength and salvation
Resting in the shelter of Your wings
Living in the presence of Your love
I am Your child

In You, O Lord, my soul finds its peace
You, O Lord, are my fountain of faithfulness
Trusting in the One who calls my name
Living in the promise of Your Word
I am Your child

You’re my Rock, I will not be shaken
You’re my Hope, my Mighty Defender
In this place, where You reign, You are my King
My Everything

"Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths..." (Psalm 36:5-7) View of the mountain from the chalet balcony as the sun was setting.

And on a lighter note... :oD

In the face of natural disaster

"All your waves and billows have gone over me." (Ps. 42:7)

In the verse above, the Psalmist was referring to a spiritual state of abandonment, using terms reflecting a sense of helplessness in the face of events beyond human control... How often do we feel similarly when faced with seemingly scary giants in our lives?

Japan and the Pacific area 

Along with people all over the world, I was saddened to learn this morning of the megaquake (measuring 8.9) in Japan and the resulting aftershocks and tsunamis that have hit the Pacific area as a result.

I've experienced two earthquakes in my life - one in Southern California (while sitting on a friend's bed watching TV) and one on the Greek island of Zakynthos (I woke up at 3am dreaming I was in a boat, my bed was rocking so much). On both occasions I wasn't scared - curious and strangely excited. Straight after the quake in Zakynthos there was absolute silence for several minutes, as if nature was paying tribute to the power unleashed. Then all of a sudden a wave of noise broke out - crickets, bull frogs, birds...very odd. I believe both of these quakes were around the 5-6 mark on the Richter Scale...docile in comparison to the one that just hit Japan.

This massive earthquake - 8,000 times stronger than the one that hit New Zealand last month - sent a catastrophic 33 foot tsunami hurtling across the Pacific Ocean. Several hundred are now feared dead and a cruise ship carrying 100 people has gone missing, swept away by the tsunami. Such events can make us feel so helpless and all many of us can do is pray. Believe it or not, it does make a difference.

All day horrendous images of scenes of destruction have been flooding in. If I didn't know differently, they look like the set from an apocalyptic movie. Here are just a few of them:

A building in flames near Sendai airport, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

Houses are swept by water following a tsunami and earthquake in Natori City in north-eastern Japan

Natural gas storage tanks burn at the Cosmo oil refinery in Ichihara city, Chiba Prefecture

A small fishing vessel is dragged towards the vortex of a whirlpool formed by tsunami waves

The tsunami engulfs a residential area in Natori, Miyagi

Such extensive destruction is a reminder that we all live precariously – whether as the result of the choices of other people, on time lent to us for a season, or on an earth that gives us no guarantees as to assured security and continuity.

Questions, questions...

Many refer to such large scale destruction as an 'Act of God' in order to explain the depth of chaos (and appease tight-fisted insurance companies). Interesting that He gets no credit for years of peaceful weather!

It is natural in these circumstances to question God's goodness and ask questions such as,

• "Why is the world in such a mess if God is in control?" 
• "How could a God of love let masses of people die from killer hurricanes, catastrophic earthquakes, tsunamis, terrorist attacks and disease?"
• "Is God pouring out his wrath upon sinners?" 

It's fine to ask these things - God gave us all a brain and expects us to use it! The reason such events are so tragic is that they expose our mortality. Death exists in a fallen world, and nothing exposes our mortality more than when death comes suddenly and unexpectedly, cutting short a life that had the potential to be much fuller. The book of Job reminds us that calamities happen without warning.

Most natural disasters are a result of these laws at work. Hurricanes, typhoons, and tornados are the results of divergent weather patterns colliding. Earthquakes are the result of the earth’s plate structure shifting. A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake.

The Bible proclaims that Jesus Christ holds all of nature together (Colossians 1:16-17). Could God prevent natural disasters? Absolutely! Does God sometimes influence the weather? Yes, as we see in Deuteronomy 11:17 and James 5:17. Numbers 16:30-34 shows us that God sometimes causes natural disasters as a judgment against sin. The book of Revelation describes many events which could definitely be described as natural disasters (Revelation chapters 6, 8, and 16). Is every natural disaster a punishment from God? Absolutely not.

In much the same way that God allows people to commit evil acts, God allows the earth to reflect the consequences sin has had on creation. Romans 8:19-21 tells us,

“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”

The fall of humanity into sin had effects on everything, including the world we inhabit. Everything in creation is subject to 'frustration' and 'decay'. Sin is the ultimate cause of natural disasters just as it is the cause of death, disease, and suffering.

We can understand why natural disasters occur. What we do not understand is why God allows them to occur. Why did God allow the tsunami to kill over 225,000 people in Asia? Why did God allow Hurricane Katrina to destroy the homes of thousands of people? For one thing, such events shake our confidence in this life and force us to think about eternity. Churches are usually filled after disasters as people realize how tenuous their lives really are and how life can be taken away in an instant.

What we do know is this: God is good! Many amazing miracles occurred during the course of natural disasters that prevented even greater loss of life. Natural disasters cause millions of people to reevaluate their priorities in life. Hundreds of millions of pounds in aid is sent to help the people who are suffering. Christian ministries have the opportunity to help, minister, counsel, pray, and lead people to saving faith in Christ! God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies (Romans 8:28).

God's relationship with creation...and us

In brief: God created a paradise for mankind to live in perfect relationship with Him and, through the choice of a human being confronted by deception in the form of satan as a snake, sin ruined it. The consequence of this choice was that man's relationship with God was broken. Sin (physical and spiritual death) entered into the equation...and creation was cursed as a result.

The Bible says the following,

"This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith." (Romans 3:22, 23)

Paul also talks about the state of the world:

"We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time." (Romans 8:22)

We see this 'groaning' in the bad stuff around us - from violent earthquakes to disease – but fortunately for us this is not the end of the story. Creation is longing to be restored to the state it was created to be in, based on the promise of God as fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. Paul describes the physical fulfilment of this promise as something creation is in anticipation for. He likens this waiting period to the labour pains of childbirth - the process might be hard and might take a while but once started there is no way to stop it and the end result makes the whole thing worth it:

"Through him [Jesus] God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross." (Colossians 1:20; cf. Ephesians 1:10)

God sent His only (perfect) Son, Jesus, to live on earth for thirty-odd years among mankind and to experience all that we experience to the point of a most terrible death. But more than that, through His horrendous execution by crucifixion on that wooden cross, Jesus took on all inherent sin and wiped the slate clean. For anyone who believes in Him, by faith, this is a permanent restoration of our relationship with God...by the grace of God, we become a new creation - and while we have to go through the physical act of death, we are in eternal life with Him. He is coming back (at a time known only to His Father) and then we will be with Him forever...and there will be a new heaven and a new earth. The Creator will create again. As believers (Christians) we can still fall into sinful ways so we need to keep in relationship with God to help us in life, but our salvation is not based on what we do or don't do, but on what Jesus has done! He is alive and with us today!

Human tragedy on such a massive scale causes us to take stock of our own life, and turn to God in repentance and faith. The forces of nature, and of creation, remind us of our vulnerability and humble us. When tragedies happen, Jesus tells us, we need to face up to our need to get right with God. We do well to acknowledge our mortality and weaknesses by seeking to worship and serve the Lord of creation.

The real 'Acts of God'

Disasters such as this remind us of our humanity and fragility. However, instead of blaming God when tragedies strike, we need to turn to Him for strength, and let tragedies, of whatever nature, remind us that this world was never intended to be a final home (Hebrews 11:13-16). Our time here is temporary (James 4:14), and with God’s help we are able to overcome whatever comes our way (Romans 8:35-39; Psalm 46:1-3). In the end, the most important question is not, “Why did this happen to me?,” but instead, “How can I understand what has happened, and how am I going to react to it?” and "How can I draw nearer to God?" Often it is in the face of these kind of adverse conditions that the best of human character is revealed - altruism, courage, strength, compassion and love. They remind us of what is important.

These are the real 'Acts of God' – the positive and good things like healing, compassion, forgiveness, and above all, love. These are the things God teaches us through His Son, Jesus, and through the stories and revelations in the Bible. 

The truth is that God is good and only gives good gifts - the perfect father. He wants a relationship with those He created - you and me - because He loves what He has made.

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you." (Isaiah 54:10)

If we think that this God is uncaring of human life we need to remember that the same God has come among us in Jesus and took upon himself all our suffering on the cross. He continues to experience our pain and losses, as well as our joys and triumphs. God never promises that life would be easy for those of us who put our faith in Him. On the contrary, we are more likely to experience opposition. However, in Him we have the strength to stand and hope for the future.

Be God or let God... 

The good news is that one day this suffering will be no more. It will have no part in His new creation.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev. 21:4)

We've all blamed Him for bad stuff that happens, but have we thanked Him for the good stuff? If you knew you had a perfect, loving Dad, regardless of human experience, wouldn't you want to know Him? Then we can respond to the fiery demonstrations of our earth...not with fear...but with awe.

Who or what do you put your trust in?

My prayer:

Dear loving Father, I do not have the words to express my own sadness at this latest event and I do not think my words would be enough. You know my heart so help me to pray. Please be with all those affected, especially those who are frightened, worried and confused. I especially ask for you to be with those who have lost loved ones or who wait in uncertainty. I pray that people in Japan and the surrounding areas would know Your comfort and strength at this time. Please help all the emergency services to where they need to be to help so that all necessary rescues can be made and lives saved. Thank You that Japan already had an earthquake/tsunami warning system in place which must surely have lessened the impact of the destruction. In Your power, please reduce any further repercussions as a result of this earthquake and provide the right aid and finances to help those in need. Please surround the people with Your arms of love and protection and restore their hope in the future.

Amen 

Holy Communion - a talk

Here are some notes from a talk I did at Home Group last year.

Info and ideas from: “In the Likeness of God” by Philip Yancey and Dr. Paul Brand.

The Last Supper (artist unknown)

No other New Testament image i.e. the ‘shepherd’, the ‘bride’ etc.) expresses the concept of ‘Christ in you’ so well as blood does.

In the book, the author points out that Christ did not ‘convey himself genetically’…if He had, over the generations there would be only faint evidence of His bloodline. Instead, He chose to convey himself personally and nutritionally, offering each one of us the power of His own resurrected life...through the Spirit.

The following words that we hear regularly would have scandalised His followers at the time...
(They “began to argue sharply among themselves”. “Grumble about him.” “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” (John 6:60))

Imagine hearing these words today without understanding Jesus as we do - we'd likely be equally confused!:

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father has sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.” (John 6:54-57)

Jesus is real food and drink.

What do you associate with the word ‘blood’? When most of us think of blood, we think of death…but blood is what gives us life. The author uses the concept of blood transfusion as a summary image of the Christian symbol. It's the purest example of shared life. Every cell in the body, and Body, is linked, unified and bathed in the life-giving nutrients of a common source…blood. Infusion of blood is also cleansing in that it washes away toxins (and sins).

Jesus chose this perplexing idea of drinking his blood before blood transfusion was known.

Christians have struggled with this theology – who can describe the process by which Christ’s body and blood become a part of my own? It is a mystery.

Whether it's known as 'Communion' or 'The Lord’s Supper' or 'The Eucharist'…it is not some dated religious practice but an image of freshness and life. We can celebrate the sensation of coming to life through the symbol of the Christ’s blood being transfused into us. The author writes, “We receive an infusion of strength and energy by availing ourselves of Christ’s own reserves.”

The meaning of Communion seems to fit with us better than the actual ceremony. Why have the ritual? As one British Theologian said, “Sex is to marriage, what sacraments are to Christianity – the physical expression of spiritual reality”. Jesus said “Do this in remembrance of me.”

Oil, water, bread, wine – these are known as the 'sacraments' or 'ordinances'. Augustine of Hippo defined a Christian sacrament as "a visible sign of an invisible reality." The Anglican Book of Common Prayer speaks of them as "an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible Grace."

Under the old covenant, worshippers brought the sacrifice…they were the ones who gave. Under the new covenant, we receive – by grace – tokens of the finished work of the risen Christ. “My body, which was broken for you, My blood, which was shed for you”. In those sentences, Jesus cuts across time to the here and now.

So, the act of Communion sums up all three tenses…the life that was and died for us, the life that is and lives in us…and the life that will be and will come for us….Christ is life itself…not just a mere example of living. It also reminds us that Christ is not dead and removed from us but alive and present in all of us.

Whatever the past week has held for us, whatever stresses, strains, doubts, aches and pains, as well as joys, we are beckoned by Jesus to his table to celebrate life….through His forgiveness, healing and above all…love.

:o)

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