Tuesday 30 March 2010

Tunnels End

Tunnel on Grand Union canal
Tunnels always have at least one end, and many of them have two ends!

In some ways, my journey of the past few years has seemed a bit like being in a tunnel.

I could see the entrance, but I didn't know where the other end came out. The route to be followed was hidden from me, unknown. It was like looking into a dark tunnel.

I had been in tunnels before, and the photo above was taken on our canal holiday in 2001, on the Grand Union canal in England. Most times, if you keep following the path of the tunnel, eventually you will come out into the daylight at the other end.

So for the past few years, I worked my way through the maze of buildings at New College in Edinburgh, studying the maze of courses that would lead to my Divinity degree at the other end.

Exit Certificate
I also worked my way through various placements, at Cramond, Queensferry, Slateford/Longstone, Dalgety Bay, South Leith, and finally Winchburgh and Abercorn. There were 9 conferences to attend, and many essays to write, and meetings to attend. But eventually, last September, I received my Exit Certificate, as you can see here!

Since that time my wife and I have been working our way towards moving to a Parish and Congregation where I would serve as their minister. That journey has seemed like a continuation of the training tunnel. There have been some flashes of light along the way, but mostly we have been in the dark, not knowing where the end would be.

Now the tunnel end is near, we can catch some glimpses of what is at the end, but we are still in the tunnel, and will be for a few weeks yet. The congregation will have the opportunity to be with me as we worship God together. Then they will decide, Yes or No, in an election, by secret ballot.

So although an end is in sight, nothing is certain yet, and we have to wait and see what the outcome will be.

It is six years since I first began exploring the possibility that God was calling me into Ministry. Like every end, a new beginning awaits.

Easter is a time when we remember an ending, and a beginning that lay beyond. The disciples thought that their dreams were snuffed out, but instead the adventure went on, to a future they did not know and could not predict. They thought that Jesus had left them, and then they discovered that He was closer than ever, for ever.

Journey with me as we travel onwards into our unknown future. Even better, follow Jesus, and journey with Him, for ever.

Tuesday 16 March 2010

Under 100

For most sports the competitors want as high a score as possible. But today I was playing golf, where the lower the score, the better.

Although I have been playing golf since I was a teenager, I have never played often and regularly enough to play well. Every now and again I play a good shot, with most of my shots being mediocre, and some terrible!

Today I was playing round the Niddry Castle course in Winchburgh, with a friend, and one of his friends. I surprised myself by playing quite well (by my standards anyway!), completing the first nine holes in 45, and the next nine in 53.

It is a long time since I managed to complete a whole round in under 100. It was a satisfying feeling. Although I am nowhere near golfers like Colin Mongomerie and Paul Lawrie who can shoot rounds under 70, never mind under 100!

It strikes me that golf is like Christianity. We can gain satisfaction by doing better than we used to do, even although we are nowhere near the best possible performance. God is pleased with us when we do well by our standards, without requiring us to achieve that best possible score. Indeed, we don't even need to be better than anyone else at all. God loves you just the way you are.

Of course, God always wants us to do better, and indeed that should be our aim too. In Christianity, just as in golf, there is always room for improvement.

Improve your technique. Train and practice hard, and with dedication. Obtain the best equipment, and work along with the best performers. Excellence is what we strive for, but not what we demand. Fruitfulness is the measure of our success.

Fruit - such as, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.

Friday 12 March 2010

Fishing

Angler Fish
This week I've been thinking a lot about Fishing.

There are many different aspects to fishing, both in our communities and society, and also in the church. The thought I want to share with you, is that finding a job is a little like fishing.

Employers need people to be their employees. Employees need to work to live, and want to do work that gives them a sense of satisfaction or accomplishment.

The Employer advertises the vacancy in the best possible light, hoping to attract the best possible range of applicants, from which they may choose the final appointee. It's a bit like fishing. The job description has to be accurate and fair, but it is usually designed to show the employer in the best light, and to make the job sound as attractive as possible.

Meanwhile, the prospective employees are polishing up their CV, describing themselves on the application form in the best light possible, to make them sound as attractive and useful as possible, again subject to the constraints of accuracy.

Of course, one of the differences from fishing, is that the fish doesn't want to be caught! The fish is quite happy swimming in the sea, or gliding peacefully in the river, waiting for some food to float by.

It would be quite amusing if the fish was trying to catch a fisherman; maybe some man-eating fish species, that had developed huge tentacles like a giant squid or octopus. Well, not amusing for the fisherman, of course! But it would even up the contest somewhat - turning the scales, one might say!

In fact, it occurs to me that there is a species of fish called an Angler Fish. If you're a fisherman, you'll be glad to know they live in the deep ocean, and are not hunting anglers! They have a lure, which attracts other fish to come close to their jaws, and SNAP, one less fish in the sea.

So as I head off this weekend to engage in a spot of fishing, although not for real fish!, it will be interesting to find out whether we catch each other, or not!

Monday 8 March 2010

Running and Winning

I have been thinking about running and winning races recently. The Winter Olympics probably triggered my thoughts initially, even although they are more about sliding than running.

Each week feels a bit like a race. I am running against the clock, day after day. As soon as I wake up, the clock is already ticking. Yet can I drag myself out of bed? Not without a struggle - usually after 2 or 3 pushes of the snooze button!

Each day starts with a long list of activities, some important, some urgent, and some are both of these. If I tackle them in the wrong order, then I won't get some of these tasks done before I need to have them done. So the work must be carefully ordered, and then carried out with sufficient energy to get them done in time.

It is quite like a race, although I am not racing against anyone else - just aginst the clock and the calendar.

In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he exhorts his readers to run in such a way as to win the prize. Strict discipline is required in order to be crowned the winner. Run straight for the finishing line, without any unnecessary diversions, and without stopping to catch your breath.

Like those who compete in the boxing ring, harden your body with blows, and bring it under complete control, so that we do not get disqualified from the race.

When little children run in the Nursery Race, or at the Sunday School race, they do not know what to do, or where to go. They don’t know they are supposed to run faster than the other little children, to reach the finishing line first.

So the parents go to the finishing line, and hold out their arms to their child, and call them by name. When the child hears their parent calling, and sees their parent's smiling encouraging face, with their arms held out ready to give them a cuddle, they take off. They cannot wait.

The children are not worried how long it takes them. They don’t care whether they beat anyone else. Their prize is secure, a cuddle from their parent, who they know loves them to bits.

So too with us. Indeed, not only us, but the whole human race. We don’t know the way. We don’t know what to do, or where to go? We cannot find out by ourselves. We need God, our Father, to help us. He is standing there, holding his arms out, calling your name, ready and waiting to give you a cuddle.

He came amongst us, in Jesus. He showed us the Way. He told us the Truth. He lived the Life he calls us to live.

Don’t go racing after other people - hurry after Jesus. Train hard. Discipline yourself. Put in those hours of work and effort. Get the best equipment, the best trainers, and the best coach.

Run as close to Jesus as you can. Be the best you can be.

He won’t leave you behind, but you don’t want to slow him down.

Together you can win the race and claim the prize.

Sunday 7 March 2010

Unexplained Absence

Sorry the Blog's been offline for the last few weeks. Not a technical reason, more to do with an administrative issue.

Anyway, I am glad to have got beyond that now, and hope to resume a regular flow of updates and reflections.

This coming Sunday I will be preaching for the Nominating Committee at one of the vacancies I have applied for. I am looking forward to it, although there is that underlying anxiety that occurs when one has to go somewhere you haven't been to before.

I know that Jesus is always with me, especially when I am leading worship, and that he goes before, and follows up after me. So it comes down to trusting him!

Otherwise, life continues busy as ever. Housework, churchwork, and selfwork - quite enough to do - thank you very much!