The wonderful world of words

By Charles Rutter

Tonsures! Not the recommended Christ Church haircut - although some of us seem to acquire one without any trouble! A Number 1 clipper will take off the lot for that cool, bald look, if you want?

No, this was my full house word in Scrabble. What’s more, it was my opening turn, on a triple, and earned me a tasty fifty bonus points. 

Our very tatty set was unearthed for first lockdown last March (can’t believe that was a year ago!) Now we play three or more times a week. 

How do we avoid scrabbling over allowed words, you may wonder? Our small Oxford dictionary is the arbiter. The evening ritual includes coffee and a slice of chocolate orange.

The bible is a wonderful world of words. Within this library of sixty six books is the story of God’s big plan to make sense of our lives - and to sort out our world. 

Those bible words are much more than ink on paper or pixels on a screen. They paint upon the canvas of our mind a kaleidoscope of images. Like pictures at an exhibition we see ourselves, our relationships, circumstances and environments. 

These wonderful, life enriching words take us on a journey into Life. A journey fraught with perils yet full of promise.

The peril-words warn and guide us. Those promise-words bring assurance and hope. And there’s one word which says it all: JESUS! He is The Lord’s love-word. Jesus will take us through the peril and into God’s promise. And not only towards the light at the end of the lockdown tunnel. The Lord’s love-word whispers into the gloomy corners of our current COVID-confined existence, “I am Light!”

Peril-words to ponder: Genesis 3. 4-6; Judges 21.25; Luke 6.46-49.

Promise-words for hope: Isaiah 44.1-6; Matthew 11.28-30; Colossians 1.13-23.

Putting the past to bed

By Adam Curtis

Lockdown provides us with the rare gift of time. A gift our pre-pandemic busy lives had forgotten. But even though time is a beautiful thing, it can be a fickle friend. For when we have an ocean of nothing in front of us, our minds can start to dwell upon the past. And what I find fascinating about this is that even though my life is full of joyful memories, it is on my mistakes that I linger.

Conversations that have gone wrong.

Friendships that have turned sour.

Actions taken with unseen negative consequences.

As I think upon these things guilt starts to bubble away. But is guilt always a bad thing? I will acknowledge that if it is the devil making us feel guilty, then that is a bad thing because he is the deceiver. But guilt can also be positive. When Nathan, under the direction of the Lord, rebuked King David for committing adultery the anguish he felt was a good thing as it made him repent.

However, if it is the devil or the Divine who has caused this guilt, the answer is always the same. For when our minds are consumed with past failures, we need God to draw us out of ourselves and to speak his words of love to us. Hear those words now from 1 Peter 2:24-25:

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’ For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

The past is but the past and it has no hold on us now. In short, Jesus has put it to bed. Our sin and our guilt were a sickness that has now been healed. Relationships may need to be rebuilt. An apology may need to be offered. Forgiveness may need to be asked for. But these mistakes are not what defines us anymore.

So, in this moment when we have all the time in the world, let us fix our minds upon Jesus. Let us live, breathe, act and rejoice, as men and women who are defined by a deeper reality, forgiveness.

5 Podcasts to make you think

By Adam Curtis

I love podcasts. I love listening to them while I’m washing up my dishes or going for a walk. I love them because they help me think. They stretch my mind and give me a new perspective on things. Here are 5 podcasts that I think are particularly good at that. I hope you enjoy listening…

#1 The Good Book Company

The Good Book Company produce excellent books and resources for Christians. In this podcast they have lively conversations with their authors about the church, culture and the Christian life. I like this podcast because it keeps me up to date with new Christian books, but also lets me get to know the author on a more personal level.

#2 Speak Life

Speak Life wants to help people see the world with Jesus at the center. It is hosted by the evangelist Glen Scrivener. It is not only very funny, but also highly thought provoking.

#3 Life and Books and Everything

If you like books then this is the podcast for you. It is hosted by three Christian men who love talking about books! I particularly recommend the episode with Tim Keller. His reflections upon his battle with cancer are incredibly insightful.

#4 Faith in Kids

The Faith in Kids podcast is all about helping families raise their kids in the Christian faith. They’re not claiming to have all the answers, but a few starting points. I will admit as a single man I’ve not listened to very many of these. But, I studied with one of the hosts, Ed Drew, and I think he is top quality!

#5 Cooper and Cary have words

Cooper and Cary are two friends who live 4000 miles apart. They enjoy speaking about theology, culture and art, and have turned their conversations into a podcast. I particularly enjoy how friendly and warm this podcast is. I almost feel like I’m part of the group.

Music to make your soul happy

I asked some brothers and sister from around the UK what their number #1 Christian song was during lockdown. In these weary and repetitive days I’ve found these tunes to be good for my tired heart.

Katie’s choice: Behold our God by Sovereign Grace

Sam’s choice: Let Everything by Pat Barrett

Clara’s choice: Never See the End by Mission House

Simon’s choice: King of me by Rend Collective Kids

Will’s choice: More Than Enough by Newsboys

Steve’s choice: Lord from sorrow deep I call by Matt Boswell

Claire’s choice: Jerusalem by CityAlight

Adam’s choice: No Other Name by Emu Music

Lockdown Life is a Puzzle

By Charles Rutter

Lockdown Life is a Puzzle ...

…a jigsaw puzzle. Our last one was 999 pieces; took ages. If you’re not a puzzler, give it a go. It can be frustrating but it’s creative and wonderfully therapeutic. You can get a spiritual buzz from God, too.

 How so? The box gives you the big picture. Pour out the pieces all over the table. Can’t make head or tail of what it’s about?

Start sorting. Where to begin? With the straight edged pieces in order to build the picture frame. Then the colours and shades are separated; we use old plastic food trays. A section is chosen and pieces are tried and matched. Bits of the picture begin to take shape. We’re energised, but perplexed by the bits that don’t seem to make sense?

Finally, the home straight! Yet there’s always those odd pieces which we can’t make to fit anywhere. And of course, that 1000th piece is missing!

The bible shows us God’s big picture like a five act play.

1. Genesis 1-2: Creation.

2. Genesis 3 - 11: The Fall.

3. Genesis 12 - End of Old Testament: Abraham’s chosen line.

4. The Gospels: Life of Jesus.

5. Acts of the Apostles - Revelation: The Church.

We are living through that final act!

 The frame for God’s big picture is - Jesus! When we begin with him, we can then gather the pieces of our life and experiences into their varied colours and shades. We begin to sense what life is all about and where we’re going? 

 As we try to slot each piece of happening and feelings into the whole, there are those bits which don’t seem to fit anywhere? And ah, those gaps left by seemingly missing pieces! Life is unfinished. But it’s a multicoloured, vary-hued landscape we fit together with Jesus.

 God’s big picture is there to show us what life’s all about and where we’re going. Jesus enables us on a daily basis, to focus down to those individual pieces. This jigsaw turns the work of our minds and fingers into prayers of faith and hope.

 Why not check out God’s big picture - Psalm 8?  Reflect upon Jesus in his world and for your life - 1Corinthians 3.10-11. Remember that he is God of the gaps and he knows all about those missing pieces - Luke 15; Romans 8.25-7.

It is ok, not to be ok

By Adam Curtis

Christians have been saved by Jesus Christ, are filled by the Holy Spirit and in direct communion with God the Father. Surely, we should be in a constant state of giddiness! And yet as we enter another lockdown I’m anything but giddy. These feelings can make me ask deep questions; Is God for me? Am I far away from him?

Do you know that feeling?

And what does God have to say to us in this situation? Well, many things. But one of them, is that it is ok, not to be ok. Look at the Psalms! Many of them are songs of praise written from the position of victory, but many are also songs of lament.

Take Psalm 6 for example. David is writing from a position of anguish. Strangely though, this is encouraging for us and offers us a form of relief. It reminds us that even though we know God, we are allowed to find things difficult. We do not have to be “ok” all the time. Lament is part of the Christian experience.

But, importantly, the psalms rarely end with lament. In Psalm 6 David acknowledges his agony and then seeks help from the Lord;

“Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.”

His lament turns into a petition!

It is ok, not to be ok during this lockdown. We may be bored out of our minds or feel a deep level of desperation. These feelings do not mean we are separate from God! Let us lament this current situation, and then turn to the Lord for relief and cry to him; “save me because of your unfailing love.”