Be Still And Know

Luke 10:41-42 Forgive me for a little pop psychology. It seems to me that some people are naturally activists. They are always up and doing. Other people are naturally reflective. They want to stand back from life and consider everything carefully. In this beautiful little account, we meet two sisters who are perfect examples of these different approaches to life. Martha was an activist. She knew Jesus had a very busy ministry and it was obvious to her that he needed a good meal. Martha was therefore appalled when she saw her sister skiving. Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet listening carefully to him and, meanwhile, Martha was fuming. Mary should have been working as hard as she was! In a complete strop, Martha went to Jesus and told him to order Mary to help her. Jesus’ response must have been devastating. She was so sure she was right, but Jesus gently informed her that she was completely wrong. Mary was right: listening to Jesus was a much higher priority than getting the meal ready. What ar

Luke 10:33-34 I love the parable of the Good Samaritan, not least because it would have come as such a complete surprise to Jesus’ hearers. Jesus was being challenged by an expert in the law, who asked for the legal definition of the word ‘neighbour’. He was probably expecting a sophisticated technical response – and instead Jesus told him a story. For any Jew, the parable was deeply shocking. The fact that a man had been ambushed on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho wasn’t surprising. The winding road that connected the two communities made it an ideal place to attack a traveller. But what was shocking was that the priest and Levite did nothing. Of course, they had perfect excuses, since touching a dying man could have made them unclean and therefore unable to perform their duties in the temple. But, even so, anyone with a heart would realise that they should have responded to the helpless man. What is astonishing is that Jesus chose to make the hero of the story a Samaritan, of all peop

Luke 9:51 There’s a wonderful description of the servant of the Lord in Isaiah 50:7 in which it says that he set his “face like flint”. That is to say, he was absolutely resolute in his obedience to the Lord. That’s precisely what we see here in Luke’s Gospel. Jesus knew that the Jewish leaders were determined to kill him and yet, even so, he headed into the city where his life would be under greatest threat. If anyone had done a risk assessment of the situation, Jesus would have been advised to avoid the area and head back up north to Galilee. Jesus’ complete commitment to his Father’s will is awe-inspiring. He could have chosen to avoid the dangers,
but his desire was to be obedient and, so, he headed south to Jerusalem. He had no fear and took a route that no Jewish person would ever have taken, walking through Samaria (whose people despised the Jews). Predictably, the Samaritan people kicked up a fuss when they heard Jesus was heading to Jerusalem. This angered James and John, who suggeste

Psalm 23:6 David concluded this amazing psalm by looking to the future. He was confident that God’s love would be with him whatever it held. The Hebrew word that is translated as “unfailing love” is hesed. Unfailing love is a good translation but it does not carry the full weight of this word, which is rooted in the covenant relationship that God enjoys with his people. Because God has committed himself to live in covenant with us, his mercy, love and kindness are absolutely secure. We can therefore live our lives full of hope and confidence, not because there will be no challenges or difficulties in the future, but because we know that God’s unfailing love will pursue us whatever
it holds. This profoundly affects the way we live today. Knowing that our future is secure in God’s hands enables us to live calmly and confidently, unburdened by anxiety about anything that might be to come. This idea was also a key theme in Paul’s letters. So much so that he told the Philippians this: “For to m

Psalm 23:4 In the previous verse, David expressed his confidence that the Lord, his shepherd, would lead him in right paths. Now he declares that one of those right paths is the dark valley. It isn’t a mistake when we face times of loss, illness and bereavement. The dark times are part of the life of faith and, because our shepherd knows that to be the case, he is there beside us on the journey. It is significant that David moves from talking about the shepherd to addressing him directly. He doesn’t merely rejoice that the Lord is with him but says: “you are close beside me. Your rod and staff protect me” (my emphasis). Passing through dark valleys is an inevitable part of being alive. It is vital that we know that our shepherd is there to accompany, protect and strengthen us. He is our companion on the road and has exactly the right equipment. The shepherd’s rod was a cudgel attached to his belt with which to fight off predators. And the staff – or shepherd’s crook – would help direct the sheep a

Psalm 23:2-3 Sheep have many fine qualities. They are highly social creatures and very sensitive to one another. However, one of their more troublesome characteristics is that they are inclined to stray. This is even more problematic when you factor in their desire to keep close to their friends. As every shepherd knows, sheep often wander off as a flock. This emphasises the crucial importance of the shepherd. Without a shepherd’s support, sheep are incredibly vulnerable. It’s not hard to understand why the Bible so often compares human beings with sheep! We too have an inclination to wander from safe paths – and that’s why we need the Lord to be our shepherd. A shepherd is continually concerned with finding pasture for their flock and ensuring the sheep have access to good water supply. This must be particularly demanding in an arid area such as Palestine. The Lord knows our need for constant nourishment and refreshment. These things are not luxuries but crucial to our spiritual health. He contin

Psalm 23:1 David knew what he was writing about when he used the word ‘shepherd’. As a young man, before his surprise selection by Samuel, that was his job. He knew what a tough and demanding task it was to care for sheep in an environment that was constantly hostile. A shepherd had to stay with his sheep in all weathers, knowing that there were always sheep rustlers and wild animals on the prowl. A shepherd needed to be strong, wise and alert. So in calling God his shepherd, David was saying a great deal about the relationship he had with his Lord. Many of the descriptions that David used of God were strong and powerful but, ultimately, could seem distant. Calling God a fortress, a high tower or a rock tells us much about the mighty power of God and the security that he gives, but there is little warmth in them. The use of the term ‘shepherd’ was completely different. David was no doubt recalling his own relationship with his sheep. He knew them intimately. He knew the ones most inclined to w

2 Corinthians 7:8-9 Early on in my ministry, one of the most spiritual and sensitive members of my congregation said to me: “Very little truth is spoken in this church.” I was quite shocked by this statement, and thought a great deal about it. As I did so, I came to realise that, painfully, she was absolutely right. It was a very happy, growing church, but our relationships were largely superficial. We were all extremely friendly with one another, but we rarely discussed the challenges and tensions that we were facing. We carefully avoided the sharp edges of truth. However, if we are truly to grow as churches, there needs to be a great deal of honesty and a willingness to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Paul had shared a lot of truth with the Corinthian church and, clearly, his words had hurt them. He now reflects on the letter he wrote and acknowledges that, at first, he was sorry that they had found it so painful. However, he was now glad he had sent it because his strong words helped

2 Corinthians 7:5-7 I was once chatting to two friends when the subject of encouragement came up. One worked in a bank and the other was an engineer. They both said that they couldn’t remember the last time their bosses had given them any word of encouragement. I was shocked. They were both great people, and I can only imagine that they were diligent and effective workers, but they had been denied the oxygen of encouragement, which is needed by us all. Paul had clearly been going through a really tough time. He had been working in Macedonia (what we now know as northern Greece). In Acts 17, we read about some of the opposition that Paul had encountered. He felt attacked on all sides. The arrival of Titus was a very welcome encouragement – not least because he brought news that the Corinthians, in southern Greece, had been an encouragement to him. Result! Paul knew that God encourages the discouraged, and that’s exactly what happened. Everyone needs encouragement. Today, we will all have opportunit

2 Corinthians 6:11-13 It is possible for our relationship with other people to be incredibly superficial. Our words can often be a way of pushing other people away rather than revealing anything significant about ourselves. A friendly, smiling face and a warm greeting can easily be used to mask deep sadness and confusion. This happens in churches as easily as anywhere else. We can skate over the surface without ever really getting to know one another. Paul, in typically robust style, pierces through such superficiality and says exactly what he thinks! He has opened his heart to the Corinthians, and they have done exactly the opposite to him. He appeals to them as if they were his children. Paul established the church in Corinth, so it isn’t surprising that he looked at them with a father’s love, and is desperate to have a close relationship with them. It’s so important for us to have people with whom we can open our hearts. This is what true fellowship is all about. It is only as we get to know

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 We all take things for granted, but it’s a strange fact that often, it’s the most precious and amazing gifts. The love of our family and friends for example. Or the reliable supply of clean drinking water and nourishing food. Or the freedom to worship God and to declare publicly what we believe. Our lives would be very different if any of those privileges were denied us. But, honestly, how often do we consciously give thanks to God for these amazing gifts? Now let’s step it up a gear. Let’s talk about the amazing gift of salvation and the promise of eternal life with God. It doesn’t get better than that. Any gift you have ever received must pale into insignificance alongside the amazing gifts of God to us. But, all too often, we receive this marvellous gift of God’s kindness and ignore it. Paul’s intention was to wake up his Corinthian hearers and remind them that God’s gift of salvation is not a vague and distant reality. God wants us to be awake to his gift of salvation right now

2 Corinthians 5:19-20 If you have ever visited an embassy you will know what a strange experience it is. Suddenly you find yourself in another country! You will see the flag of that country and find yourself looking at pictures of their royalty or head of state. In most instances, you will also hear a language that is different to that spoken on the street outside. That is, of course, the whole point. An embassy represents a country internationally, no matter where it is located. Paul tells us that this is precisely our job. We are ambassadors of a different country, representing the kingdom of God wherever we are. And, in common with all ambassadors, we have a message to share. Ambassadors are carefully trained to faithfully represent the views of their government and forge strong relationships with the country to which they have been posted. That precisely describes our role. This world is not our home. We are just passing through and so, in all we say and do, we must ensure we are faithful repr

2 Corinthians 5:16-17 I’m sure you can think of many moments in life when, suddenly, everything changed. Your first day at school, your wedding, the birth of your children, when you started your first job or moved into a new house. From that moment, everything looked slightly different. But those moments are nothing compared to the complete change that happens when we become a Christian. No part of life is left untouched. Jesus told Nicodemus, one of the Jewish leaders, that he had to be born again (see John 3). I don’t think that Nicodemus was playing games with Jesus when he showed incredulity at what Jesus said. His words sounded like nonsense to Nicodemus. How could he possibly go through the process of birth all over again? But Jesus was clear: no doubt Nicodemus was a good and godly man, but he needed to start out on a completely new spiritual journey. His physical birth obviously couldn’t be repeated but, if he wanted a spiritual life, he would have to experience a spiritual birth. We all h

2 Corinthians 5:4 Our society tries to avoid talking about death. Paul could not be more different! For Paul it was an incredibly exciting subject because he was convinced that his life was in God’s hands. Therefore, he was completely confident about the future. Paul uses two pictures in his teaching about death. First, he speaks of our bodies as being like a tent. Tents are temporary. The day will come when our earthly tent is taken down, and we will go to our eternal home in heaven. Paul also talks about our bodies as being like a set of clothes. They will do for the moment – and we may be quite comfortable wearing them – but God has a much better set of clothes waiting for us. We should look forward to the day when we will be able to wear them. Our temporary human bodies will be swallowed up in glorious life! As Christians, the best is yet to come. Understandably, we may be very unsure about the future. The idea of death and what lies beyond it is, by definition, outside our experience and

2 Corinthians 4:16 Have you ever been tempted to give up? Paul talks about this twice in this chapter and concludes that he will never give up, despite having a very demanding ministry. There must have been many occasions when quitting seemed extremely tempting! We don’t know about every challenge he faced but we do know that he was (in his own words!) hard pressed on every side, perplexed, hunted down and in constant danger of death. It must have been incredibly tough. But Paul was clear: he would not throw in the towel! And here, he gives a firm reason why. Every single day he was being renewed. Our bodies can’t keep going for ever. From about 25 years old, all of us are in a state of physical and mental decline. From about 18 to 25 years, the number of newly formed cells in our bodies balance the dying ones. However, after 25, the number that are dying are greater than the number of new ones being made. That’s the ageing process. There’s no way of avoiding it. I’m sorry if that isn’t the word o

2 Corinthians 4:7-9 I wonder how strong or weak you think you are. It can be hard to admit our vulnerabilities but here Paul does so in the most open way. He lays bare the way in which he has been knocked about in ministry. He faced pressures from every direction and was happy to admit how weak he felt. But, through it all, he had not been defeated and was clear that the reason for this was the power of God. He was just a fragile clay jar. All credit for his survival in ministry must go to God. When things are difficult, it is easy to conclude that we are in the wrong place. We make the assumption that, if we
are in the place God wants us to be, everything will go smoothly. However, God has lots of tough work to be done. As Paul discovered, when we are obedient to God, we may be pushed to our absolute limits. It is important in all of this to know ourselves and God. We must recognise that we are all fragile, and that God
is able to strengthen us whatever the circumstances. Paul’s candid testimony

2 Corinthians 4:5 Whatever you are doing today, it’s vital to have a clear objective. Being unclear about what you are trying to achieve is frustrating, confusing and exhausting. Paul did not suffer from this problem! He was absolutely certain that his role was to preach about Jesus, pure and simple. In a church that was very interested in the different personalities of their leaders, Paul made it plain that he didn’t want to be the focus of their attention. The word ‘Christocentric’ – or centred on Christ – sums this up well. This is the calling of every Christian. In our everyday life, we seek to put Jesus at the centre of our thinking, our relationships and our activities. Paul, as a preacher, was determined not to impress people with beautifully polished sermons but to ensure that they met with Jesus and understood that he died on the cross for them. But whatever your calling, you can live a Christocentric life. If you are a shopworker, you can ensure your care for customers and staff radi

2 Corinthians 3:18 Nothing stands still for long. If you need proof of that, take a look at a photo of yourself from ten years ago. We are constantly changing, whether we like it or not! Here, Paul speaks about the way in which we change as Christians. As followers of Jesus, if our lives look exactly the same as they did in the past, something has gone desperately wrong. Being a Christian is very different from belonging to a club, where you can normally tailor your involvement
to suit yourself. Many people belong to gyms but never attend. By way of contrast, Christianity is a relationship within which God’s desire is that we change. Paul talks about the importance of growing in faith and becoming more mature many time. Here, in 2 Corinthians, he speaks of us changing so that we look more and more
like Jesus. We may have a long way to go, but the Holy Spirit, day by day, is working the miracle of changing us into Christ’s likeness. Often, the best way of seeing this process at work is by looking

2 Corinthians 3:4-5 Qualifications are important. You can’t deny it. If I catch a train, I want to know the driver is qualified! When a surgeon operates on me, I want to know that they have passed all the appropriate exams. Paul addresses the crucial question of what qualifies someone to work for God. His work is of eternal importance, so we need to know exactly what kind of qualifications are needed. There are any number of excellent courses in biblical study, theology and Christian ministry available to us today, whether online or in person. It is wonderful that there are so many ways we can train to work for God. But don’t for a moment imagine that those paper qualifications are all you need. Ultimately, you need to know that God’s hand is upon your life and that he is directing, inspiring and enabling the work you are doing. Paul sums it up neatly: “Our qualification comes from God.” I thank God for the privilege of studying at Bible college and for able scholars who helped me to understand

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 Smells are powerful. I can still remember some of the smells from my childhood. Many of them are associated with summer holidays, when we would visit the Isle of Wight and smell the sea, the wildflowers and the beautiful fresh bread. Most of the smells I recall are sweet, although I can’t quite get over the boyhood memory of the smell of a French fish market! I love the idea that, as we speak about Jesus, we are spreading around sweet perfume. When a Roman general won a military victory, there would be a triumphal procession through the city. The general wore a crown of laurel and a specially- embroidered purple and gold toga. He rode a four-horse chariot through the streets with his army, prisoners and spoils of war. Along the route, perfumes were sprinkled – a sweet smell of victory for those on the general’s side and the smell of death and defeat for those he had beaten. Paul uses this powerful picture to remind his readers that, as Jesus leads us in triumph, his fragr