One of our ministers, Trevor led worship today and he gave a challenging address. We read his favourite psalm 139 responsively with those towards the front of the chapel reading the lighter type with Trevor, whilst we at the back read the responses together; it was very effective. I too love that psalm and one of the Bible notes I read had chosen psalm 139v1-16 for today; I felt the Lord was speaking to me! I do love the sense that we can never be away from God watching over us; we are never beyond his care. Apparently in households which had servants there was notice in each member of staff’s room which stated that God saw everything they did! Maybe it was seen as a threat that if they did not work conscientiously, God would come as an avenging judge!! However Trevor does not see it as threatening but rather as a reassurance that we are never out of God’s care. Trevor got the children to hand out a different version of psalm 139, which has been set to music and I will share it with you.
‘Father God, you love me and you know me inside out.
You know the words that I will say before I speak them out.
You are all around me, you hold me in your hand,
Your love for me is more than I can ever understand.
Father God, from your love there is nowhere I can hide.
If I go down into the depths or cross the ocean wide,
There your love would find me, you’d take me in your hand.
Your love for me is more than I can ever understand.’
Words and music: Paul Crouch and David Mudie
Copyright 1994 Daybreak Music Ltd.
He reminded us that the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity would be starting on January 18th when we think about the Christian Churches becoming one in Christ as Jesus described in his discourse in John’s gospel. Apparently in a conversation with the Anglican vicar of St Peter’s Church, he found out that when the Anglicans shared our church premises, whilst improvements were being made to their building, there were a lot fewer people worshipping with us, but they have returned to the fold now back in their church! One member of their congregation, whom I know, told me that she missed worshipping with us and wondered if she were allowed to worship with us once a month!! Of course I said that she would be welcome to worship with us; I will assure her she can join us as much as she wants. I am saddened that some people chose not to worship for the months of their exile from their own building; I enjoyed having the visitors with us.
The other reading was from the description of Samuel’s call to service. He did not recognise that it was God calling to him until Eli explained to him that God was speaking to him and he needed just to acknowledge that by saying; ‘Speak Lord for your servant is listening.’ The gospel reading was from John describing the call of Philip and Nathaniel. Philip heard and accepted the call of Jesus, whereas Nathaniel was prejudiced about Jesus’ origins; John 1v46; ‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Philip simply told him to ‘come and see’. When Nathaniel met Jesus he was persuaded to follow Jesus, who had seen him under a fig tree. Sometimes someone needs to help us understand God’s call to us, as Eli did for Samuel or someone needs to encourage us to meet Jesus for ourselves, as Philip when he asked Nathaniel to come and see for himself. We all need to learn to recognise his voice speaking to us. Trevor said that we had all chosen to come to worship this morning, as it was no longer the expected thing to do. He reminded us that we are all still on a journey of faith; none of us has arrived! If we think we have all the answers we are kidding ourselves. Trevor knew he did not have all the answers and I know I certainly don’t have all the answers!! How can we grow together as a Christian community? We have to work together and build each other up. How can we speak out as a church for justice and compassion and acceptance of all people when we cannot even agree as different denominations to act as one as Jesus wanted? Only as we work together as a group of Christians can we really speak out for those who do not know God and meet the needs of those who weep and those who need justice, love and compassion. May we indeed reflect the love and acceptance which Jesus showed us with those who share our faith and those who have no faith and draw others to that all embracing accepting love of Jesus.
