The panic of not having, and knowing what we really need.

In the wake of the current climate, where so much is unknown, the panic over toilet paper (non-essentials) and not having enough food stocked in cupboards, is an interesting response. 

As many followed Jesus out onto the hillside one day, longing for something more than what food and money can buy, they found themselves in a place where they had nothing to eat that day. They were not prepared with food, as to follow Jesus and the nourishment He was giving was the main focus. So they listened to Him speak and pondered on the depth of His words.

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “you feed them”. Maybe like us right now, they looked at each other with bewilderment and felt straight away, “We can’t do that”.  

We look right now at the situation, and although the really important conversation is about health, it seems that the panic is about the fear of not having the food we want, when we want it. So much so that there needs to be a set time for the elderly and disabled to have a time when they are not being rushed by everyone else, simply as they get a few items. The hoarding and panic of food and toilet paper that is happening around the country seems like such an overreaction to something far more important. We are blessed to live in a country where supply of these things would never be in jeopardy. Imagine how people might respond if this was really the issue. Something many third world countries face daily.

But deeper than this and sadder for me is that many churches all over the world seem to be focusing on the sadness of not being able to meet in their usual crowds. As solutions are becoming apparent there seems to be a sense that everything will be okay because you can stay in your house and your pastor will “live stream” in his message. Is this really a solution to the problems arriving? Is this even the problem? Is this even the calling?  Maybe we have strayed so far from our calling that at this time it is surely important to ask, “what should our focus be on right now?” I believe it is the same focus that it has always been. It has never changed? 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart … and love your neighbour as yourself.” Matthew 22: 37-39.

Yes, this IS our call. So, what does that look like right now, today?  So many Christians, ministries are so focused on how to maintain all that they have created, that to ask how best to love God and love each other in this difficult time is hard right now. 

Like the disciples, we look at each other and say, “We can’t do that. We have to answer bigger questions: people are not coming to our services anymore. What do we do about all our planned Easter Celebrations? How do I televise my message so everyone can hear it?”

Jesus said bring me what you have … 2 fish, 5 small loaves of bread, and He used it to feed over 5000 right there and then, reminding us that God provides us with even more than what we think we need and we can find peace and comfort in His provision. Then He drew away from the crowds to be by Himself and with His father because He knew they wanted to idolise Him, make it all about Kingdom building here on this earth, create bigger crowd gatherings. (John 6:5-15).  The next day the crowd found out where Jesus was and followed him again. He said to them, “You’ve come looking for me not because you saw God in my actions but because I fed you, filled your stomachs - and for free. Don't waste your energy striving for perishable food like that. Work for the food that sticks with you, food that nourishes your lasting life, food the Son of Man provides.” (Jn 6:26-27MSG)

Last night my daughter came home from her life group, a small group of people (less than 10) meeting together to share stories, their life and their struggles and read God’s word. She was buzzing as she shared how life-giving it was to hear and share real challenges in the midst of such pain. While I love a podcast of a great preacher/pastor and there is a place for that, especially today, in times like these I believe we must be a shining light, of people who know what is most important and can we live in a way that brings peace and love and generosity in the place of panic, hoarding and self-doubt.  What gives us real nourishment? We all have access to His “Word” here in Australia. We are blessed. This is the food that sticks with you.  With that assurance, we are then called to be together and love our neighbour.  What a great time in history to be asking the question, 

“What does being together and loving our neighbour look like today?” 

Oh, that we should be known as people who loved well and cared well, who shared well, who asked, “What can we do for others today?”

The 5000 on the hillside that day, didn't seem panicked that they didn't have food, much less toilet paper. They seemed more panicked that Jesus had left and they wanted to know where He was. As they carried their many baskets of leftover food with them (more than they needed), they walked around the Sea of Galilee to hear Jesus speak again. 

“I am the bread of life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever.”  (John 6:35) As the Jews started arguing about what he just said, Jesus continued with stunning words that stop me in my tracks when I read them: 

“Don’t bicker among yourselves over me. You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent me is in charge. He draws people to me. That’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do my work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End.” (John 6:43-44MSG)

What do we really need today? What does the world really need today? How can we be a part of the solution and not be a part of the problem? Do we really believe what is happening today is a surprise to God? Let us to seek Him for how we are called to be His people today and maybe in the process we might find that the things we thought were really important,  like how we gather, how we function as His body, might even set us on a better course for the future.  

A Collision of Old and Young

As a faith community we have created an environment we call “Upward Worship”. It has elements of food and fellowship, input and worship, reflection and mediation, prayer and ministry.  People enter in at all different levels during the worship and reflection space and all ages are present. 

I remember this one night when a young single mother came with her twin 12 month old babies. We had cushions and rugs all over the floor and while the worship was happening the children were playing up the front on the cushions. They would adventure to different spaces and at times they were hard to take your eyes off. They were so gorgeous. I wondered a few times if it was too distracting. I watched a few of our elderly and wondered if this would be a problem. The mother was so gentle with the children and had to rescue them a few times, but generally they we just being 12 month old babies and their innocent play was captivating, but not distracting if you didn't allow it. 

A few weeks later, one of the elderly women in our community asked me if at next “Upward Worship” she could share a story. I was delighted and then she asked me the name of the mother with the young children. It was an unusual name and she kept forgetting it. I giggled and wondered what that was all about, but didn't think much of it. 

So “Upward Worship” came around again and Ruth took the mic, sat on the edge of the stage and began to share. 

I recorded this moment so I am going to use her words for the next few paragraphs. I don't want to miss a word of her wisdom. 

She began to share… “how great it is to be in a church from young to old, and old to young”.  She said she wanted to encourage us and began to talk about the mother and her two beautiful children. She stopped and began to cry as she tried to describe how beautiful they were. She continued on to say that the mother “was such a beautiful mother, she just let those little children investigate, and then rescued them if they needed it, gave them a cuddle when they needed that. It really touched my heart”. She continued … “One of them climbed up onto the stage and then wanted to get down and he came up and touched the pillow and realised it wasn’t secure, so he turned around and went down backwards…and I thought it was just so beautiful". 

She was clearly enamoured by these children and after the worship had finished she went up to the young mother and told her she thought she was doing such a beautiful job with these children. How amazing it must have been for that young mum to hear those words of encouragement.

Ruth continued to share about … “how good is it that we can be in a group where we appreciate each other so much”.  

So then she said … “I went home and in the early hours of the morning I believe the Lord gave me a picture. A beautiful picture of myself and my heavenly father. How He is allowing me to go out and discover new things, experience new things and if I trip He just picks me up and loves me and holds me.  I want to say, those children ministered to me”. 

She talked about the power of a smile. She said, “A friend and I were talking not long after that about the power of a smile, and how if we smile to each other, we can affect and minister to others.   Isn't it amazing that God has created us with a muscle in our face that can effect someone’s heart”. (This was a statement of Gold to me) 

“I had this beautiful thought that not only was my father looking after me in that lovely time I had with him that morning, but He was also smiling at me. I am not special. He does the same for all His children and I just wanted to encourage our hearts tonight to the reality of God with us, caring for us, watching over us, helping us when we get into trouble and go the wrong direction.” 

She continued …  “When I was bringing up my children I would have smacked them and said “get down”, but this mother was just so gentle and I think that is what struck me most. You are all very precious to Him. He loves you very much, and He is on your case, but with a smile”. 

She asked if she could pray for us all and as we bowed our heads and closed our eyes, I could see her weeping, as she found it hard to get the words out. Her love for God often overflows in this way and as she prayed you could see the ways in which God overwhelms this beautiful woman. She prayed …

           “I thank you God for the compassion that you 

have for the youngest to the oldest. 

That you have brought us together as a 

community to share life together. 

 I thank you so much for your great heart of love for us. We can never thank you enough. 

I commit these precious people to you tonight, 

that they may know the deep reality of your 

powerful and gracious love. To be able to smile at you 

and to give us the awareness that you are not a Judge, 

but someone who loves us.” 

She finished with a verse …

Is 40:10-11

“The sovereign Lord comes with the power. The Sovereign Lord tends to his flock like a shepherd. He gathers His lambs in his arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads those that have young.”

Ruth was open and willing to be taught by the play of two innocent babes and a young mother’s love. God can use anything, if we have eyes and hearts that are open.  When I consider all the things we could be doing as a “faith community”, it is moments like this that remind me that all He wants from us it to be together, to care and appreciate each other, to learn from each other and to honour Him with all that we have.  Is there anything more wonderful than that?

Faith Holds

There are modern parables everywhere if you have eyes to see. ‘The winds will blow and the storms will come, but the house on the rock stood firm (Matthew 7:24-27). It was all I could see as I walked the beach today. The morning after a big storm and there was seaweed all over the beach. It had been uprooted and thrown about by the sea all night. The storm had been violent and rough, the lightning lit up the sky, the rain heavy. The seaweed’s roots were planted in the sand and as the wind blew and the storms rolled in, the seaweed was easily tossed around. There it lay, all over the beach, being tossed by the waves back and forward as each new set came in. 

And then I saw a whole lot more seaweed that had been

knocked around, but their roots were still intact. As I pulled and dug down deep … they were in the sand but had laid their foundations tightly around a rock that was buried in the sand. During the storm and winds, those that had built their life around the rock, stood firm.  

As I walked a little further, there were a few that had been uprooted by the storm. It was a strong and violent storm that night, but when this seaweed had been dislodged the rock came with them and the connection between the roots and the rock were very firm. I liked the thought that even though they got tossed around and even thrown off course, the rock stayed with the seaweed. 

“I will always be with you, even to the ends of the earth”. (Matt 28:20)

The wise man builds his house upon the rock; a parable, my childhood song, a simple but valuable teaching. Today as I walked on the beach, it had another strong reminder.  As a child I could never imagine being uprooted, being dislodged, being thrown around by life. I was blessed with a strong and stable life, living life with Christ as the centre and a family that was stable. I always thought that was a story about the importance of building your life with Christ as your foundation and if you did all would be fine. I chose to do that from a very young age. A simple and “childish” faith. 

Today I still hold onto that faith as if a child. But it is no longer “childish”. It has been tested, pushed around, knocked down at times and even at times hard to get back again. Because of that it is now a strong faith.  Seeing the seaweed today,  holding tightly to the rock as it was getting tossed by the waves in the aftermath of what would have been a big night of being thrown around, there was something about the desperate way the roots clung onto the rock, that reminded me of myself, and brought me a sense of peace. 

A reminder of when you are only holding on by a small strand, but it is enough to get you through. The thought that even when you want to let go, your roots have been growing for so long they are entwined together and very hard to break. The hope that whatever is the connection between the rock and the roots, the rock is playing a part we can’t see and we should never let us go. 

Today, I needed to know He would never let me go. We all need to know this most days, more than we are sometimes willing to admit. The storm has passed today, the calm is here. But the storm will come again. Lord, like the seaweed, give us enough time to catch our breath, to plant ourselves deeply in You even more before the next storm comes. Help us to know that when the storm comes we will be ready and that You will never leave us. All that is required is the faith of a child, a simple story, a simple visual. Today it will be all we need to face another day. Thank you.