Jesus of the Scars

Yesterday the mini-rugby team I coach won the Gilpin Cup- the most prestigious sports competition for local primary schools. Great reward for the hard work through the winter months.

Last night was a special gig with Julie Feeney, Foy Special, and Duke Special and the amazing Ulster Orchestra. Very different than Foy's and Duke's normal gigs but a feast for the senses never-the-less.

Normally I would have loads to say about these things but last night didn't feel normal. Though the past week has been eventful, I find it hard to do normal things, be normal places, read normal books/blogs etc when my mind is consumed with reminiscing about Lins and the pain that her passing has left on those closest to her. A pain that I can't come close to understanding. The grieving period, especially for them, is ongoing.

Stefan quoted from this poem (by Edward Shillito) in his prayer at Lindsay's funeral. Beautiful words.

If we have never sought, we seek Thee now
Thine eyes burn through the dark, our only stars;

We must have sight of thorn-pricks on Thy brow,

We must have Thee, O Jesus of the Scars.

The heavens frighten us; they are too calm;
In all the universe we have no place.
Our wounds are hurting us; where is the balm?
Lord Jesus, by Thy Scars, we claim Thy grace.

If, when the doors are shut, Thou drawest near,
Only reveal those hands, that side of Thine;
We know to-day what wounds are, have no fear,
Show us Thy Scars, we know the countersign.

The other gods were strong; but Thou wast weak;

They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne;

But to our wounds only God's wounds can speak,

And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.

Grief observed

I'm finding it difficult to think with any clarity these days. Nothing seems important beyond the loss of Lins and the grief of those closest to her (click here). I heard a song on the radio recently that summed up my feelings and prayers for them. It's called 'Revival' by Soulsavers. I'm not sure of their spiritual leaning (have sent off for the album so will let you know). It is beautiful. Check out the audio here.

Why am I so blind with my eyes wide open?

Now I need someone

Let this dark night be done

I need you so

Put an end to my suffering

I wanna see a revival tonight Lord

There needs to be a revival.

Lins

There are many tributes and pictures on the blogs to the right. This is a girl who touched so many souls in a gentle and ethereal way. For me she was a pal who helped me lead cell, got me involved in Christian Aid and issues of justice and the poor (her the educated and wise one and me the mouthpiece) and a sister and wife to two amazing friends.

Tonight I'm praying and believing this for them:

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted,
saving those who are crushed in spirit.

Ps 34.18

Please pray

I'm aware that most people that come here already read Al's blog but nothing else seems important to write except to ask you click here and pray for Lindsay, Al and family.

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans.

Romans 8:26 (The Message)

All over money, money, money, money, money.

Blogging can be a terribly self-indulgent thing. However recently I have found it of great benefit on my journey. The 'rich' thing is not just a conversation of words for me. I'm really trying (and struggling) to work out practically how to live as a follower of Jesus in this area.

Some of the comments on the posts about 'counter-culture' and 'rich Christians' have both inspired me and wrecked my head.

Here are some thoughts/questions.
1. Poverty isn't the alternative to being rich. Just having enough is.
2. As Ivonne said, we need to reach wealthy people as well as the poor. How do we do this if there are no wealthy Christians?
3. Ricky and Brian speak of how God uses affluent Christians to bless others. I know that I and many of our young people would never have been able to go on the mission trips we have without the help of such people.
4. Nina eloquently points out that all of us in the west are rich. The solution is to be FREE (from the constraints of poverty and riches).
5. Gav contrasts Jesus' stories of the 'talents' and the 'sheep and goats'. Does God want us to prosper simply to help the poor?
6. Stefan wrote about the Hebrew understanding of justice, repentance, and redistribution in the Old Testament. This still confuses me somewhat as prosperity does seem to be a gift from God in the OT.

BUT
7. As my younger (wiser) brother Dave said, much of what Jesus says is "you have heard this (in the OT) but i now say this (as a New Testament)":

"How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God."
"Do not store up riches on the earth"
"No-one can serve two masters -God & money"



I feel a lot more informed on the issue but still seem to have more questions than answers. I love this verse....

'Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise I may have too much and disown you and say ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonour the name of my God.' (vv 7-9).
Proverbs 30


Any tips on how to make this practical?

Malia

I found this old photo when I was moving house. It's one of my favourites for sentimental reasons. It captures a moment. We were fresh-faced 18 year olds, just finished school, on a coming of age holiday in Crete.

Shortly after this picture was taken we went our separate ways. Gav has been in Glasgow and Ross in Edinburgh and Dublin since then. 8 years later the bonds are still strong. I'm doing best man for Gav this summer and Ross is groomsman.

"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked."

Bernard Meltzer.

Crumbs from your table

Just moved past 10,000 visitors! To mark the occasion I have a simple question (following on from what I've been reading about redistribution and from a great comment by Ralf on my last post).

Does God want Christians to be rich?/Is God happy when Christians are rich?

Counter-culture

I guess that's why God created highlighters, so we can highlight the parts of the bible we like and ignore the rest.

Returned from a great weekend at NUA. I have come home with a deep sense of dissatisfaction and anticipation.

Kind of started when I finished one of the best books I have ever read by Fergal Keane, 'All of These People'. An amazing journey into the human psyche by an Irish war reporter (his reflections of Africa will reduce any grown man to tears)

I'm currently reading Shane Claibornes 'Irresistible Revolution' (where the quote above came from). It's quite simple stuff but it scares the crap out of you. Like the story about the rich young ruler. We 'contextualise' this by explaining that Jesus is talking about love of money or making idols of our things. But what if he actually means it when he says 'sell all you have and give it to the poor'???

Another quote:

' I have come to see that the great tragedy in the church is not that Christians do not care about the poor but that Christians do not know the poor.'

In my head I'm thinking we need to find a balance here, just take some parts of what he's saying and relate it to real life. BUT THAT'S EXACTLY THE POINT!. Either we do it or we don't. I don't really have many answers here and would appreciate comments (leave your name!).

What I have taken from NUA is that we are not called to be part of our culture, or to be a Christian sub-culture. We are called to be counter-culture. Jesus was. This has to affect our everyday choices in relation to our consumer driven world.

I'm not really sure what it means yet but it feels like it's getting dangerous.

Love and Peace

Amazing Grace

Freedom day is coming up on Sunday 25th.

I was reading about it when I collided with one of my favourite quotes. The collision takes place in the person of John Newton. Newton, famous for penning 'Amazing Grace', seems something of a dichotomous character. Perhaps a Bono of the 18th century!

He was a slaveship master making his fortune off the coast of Sierra Leone. After a storm one night he converted to Christianity and gave up swearing, drinking and gambling but continued to trade slaves. Let's not be too hard on him. It was very normal in his day to support the slave trade. There's plenty of Christians about now who don't drink or curse but aren't too concerned about the poor either!

Anyway later in his life he realised his folly and fell into deep regret. He joined William Wilberforce in the abolitionist movement. Wilberforce was his protege. When he was going to leave parliament to become a missionary Newton told him that he should, "serve God where he was". Wilberforce heeded his advice and spent the next five decades successfully working for the abolition of slavery.

Newton said this:

I am not what I ought to be.
I am not what I want to be.
I am not what I hope to be.
But still, I am not what I used to be.
And by the grace of God,
I am what I am.

Love it!

To vote or not to vote.....

...is the question on people's lips here.
I don't think you have a right to comment on issues in your country if you don't utilise your vote but at the same time it's damn hard to work out which of these muppets to vote for.

-I lived in a 'prod' bubble until I went to Uni but was always aware of the Celtic blood in my veins.
-I'd quite like a united Ireland but don't want former terrorists in government.
-I'd like more money for education.
-And a more of a focus on the developing world in norn irish politics.
but
-I would settle for a party who encourage people to love their neighbours... or at least coexist with them.

So who gets the vote? You decide...but let Wiggy help you....click here.