Beauty

Inspired by the V&A  (http://www.vam.ac.uk/) museum pottery display

This is your civilisation, my child, your culture, your inheritance. With their beauty I have blessed your people, and with comfort and many good things - but they are hungry for ever more. For in the midst of this tide of possessions they have lost me - and think to find me in getting yet more.

But I am not mocked; I am not found in a plenitude of possessions but in the humble surrender of the heart to me. Then these things can be enjoyed in their proper context, and i will enjoy the pleasure of my people in these beautiful things.

But so many of you will not turn. More and more you are hearing my word, my call to repentance, but the current of life whirls you on before you will listen long enough to repent and turn and be saved. So what am I to do? Must not the loving shepherd destroy that which is leading the flock into danger? So it is with you, my children, once more I will shake your society, your civilisation to make people desperate enough to stop and listen to my word. Then the harvest will be great, and my banqueting hall will be full. For surely I love them too much to let them die in their comfort - and perish.

The non-Jewish sower

It seemed God said to me: 'Listen, while I tell you a story; a sower went out to sow'

'I know that one'

'No you don't, this is a different one. A sower went out to sow, with a bag of mixed seeds.'

'He wasn't Jewish then?'

'No, he wasn't Jewish... And yes, he threw them around and some fell on the path, some in the thorns, but that's that not we are interested in here.

'So,  we have a variety of plants all growing on the good soil. They are there because they have different tendencies, different gifts. There's the one that gives off a chemical that discourages the birds from visiting too closely. There's another that fertilises the soil. There's another that protects from insects. And then there's the crop itself - whose only call is to bring out the fruit the farmer mainly wants. But the other plants are of value in themselves, and their fruit, their seeds, make the next generation of the mixed crop.

'And so it is with the church: some I call to bring forth fruit alone, but others I charge with responsibility to resist the enemy, or feed the plants. If all are not present, are not doing what I call them to, then the crop will be far less productive than it should be. I have called ALL my children to service in a variety of ways; do not assume that your gifts are the only important ones, do not assume that others of my children are not doing my will. But rather seek to find your gifting, and be open to something that seems very new, for my church in the West is sickly from damage done because ministries are missing.

'My children, I seek to restore my church as I desire it; never be satisfied with what is there now.

There is hope

[The picture is of a wonderfully well restored building on Oldham Street in the centre of Manchester. The rest of the street is fairly run down, with tatty second hand clothes shops, two sex shops etc. Yet suddenly we have this.]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/84195101@N00/3580463623#/photos/frankieroberto/3580463623/lightbox/

In the midst of the tawdry, the flawed, the malevolent, there is hope. For my grace is at work in my world, for I made it 'good' and not all is wholly corrupt. And it is the call of my people to offer that hope - and more - to those for whom life is beyond hope, beyond my grace, beyond the good that I offer so freely, but to which they are deaf. For though the heavens declare my glory, my power, for many their eyes look only downwards as their circumstances crush them little by little and no hope remains. And thus bitterness comes, and they cling to a few pleasures that do dull the pain - do not be surprised that so many are caught in self-destructive behaviour, having no true hope for the future in their lives.

And for such the lies of the enemy can offer illusions to cling to for a time - illusions that are soon found wanting and breed further despair and cynicism. The ignition of such hopes is the objective of political mobilisation, and whilst they may achieve something of value, in truth without my grace all involved will find their best efforts turn to dust in their hands, for all is in truth 'Vanity, vanity'.

And so my church must model a better way to live; Christians whose life experience is similar to those whose hope is now gone, need to come alongside the despairing: they will show a better way - and so bring hope and redemption and true salvation.

Do you not hear the cries of despair? So reach out to the hurting ones that they may find the true hope.