Have you fed the fish?

Love...

2008-06-13T22:32:00.002+10:00

1 Corinthians 13

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Top of the morning to you...

2008-03-16T09:34:00.004+11:00

In a previous teaching job I had the opportunity to accompany a group of high school students on a five day camping trip to the Snowy Mountains. It involved carrying everything... tents, food, air mats, sleeping bags and clothing. The weather was hot during the day and below freezing at night. It was absolutely beautiful country and the trek involved both hiking and canoeing. The air was fresh and clean and the night sky was so bright and full of stars it was difficult to pick out even the well known constellations. It was simply an unforgettable experience. Each group had a specialist outdoor ed teacher with them guiding the trek and every morning they would radio in. Many of the staff were from overseas, including some from Canada and New Zealand. Each morning over the radio, a Canadian team leader would start out by saying, "Top of the morning to you!" It stuck in my memory, not merely because it reminded me of my Canadian cousins, but because it was quite 'different' to most Aussie greetings - especially first thing in the morning! It stood out because it started me thinking about what we wish for others and what we wish for ourselves. In a group of competitors for instance, what we wish for them and what we wish for ourselves are usually two very different things. We are taught to win, to be the first, to beat the others. In everyday life, how often do we view others as competitors? How often do we want to be the ones to stand out, to be recognized, to win people's favour and attention? Do we wish for them what we wish for ourselves? This is a difficult thing, especially when people's desires are competing. When it comes to our Christian brothers and sisters, it's good to remember that although our desires may be competing, we ourselves are not. "We're all in this together". The prize is for finishing the race... not for coming first. Paul writes, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves" (Phil.2:3). God is the giver of all good things and we need not be concerned about how we fare when compared to others. For each of us has been given different gifts according to the provision of God's grace. It's good to remember what we've received... Again Paul writes, " So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness" (Col.2:6-7). I need to be reminded of these things often... and even when I may have competing desires with my Christian brothers and sisters, I long to see all of them remain in God's family and be presented perfect in Christ. This is the best thing we could wish for anyone.

Life on the surface...

2008-01-02T14:05:00.000+11:00

The year 2008 has begun... and as is often the case with each New Year, resolutions have been made and started. This post represents something of a return to blogland, although I dare not call it a 'comeback'. On the surface, I guess it's an opportunity to interact with the news and views of friends.

As far as life goes, some notable changes occurred in 2007... With the completion of College I returned to teaching, but instead of Physics, I started teaching Studies of Religion. Initially I did this part-time in a private school, but in term 2 another job became available teaching Scripture in the public system. I commenced the new job and underwent something of a sea change. Moving out of the inner West I exchanged the bustle of King Street for a place by the sea. In 2007 I also started at a new Church and as with all change there is typically a period of adjustment. Most often change allows you to reflect on things more critically, to evaluate where you're going and because change is uncomfortable one is forced to ask more probing questions... like, 'Why am I here?' 'Is this where I want to be?' 'What is truly important?'

The answers to these questions in my case were many and varied and I have to admit to struggling particularly with regard to Church. I attend a great Church in that it faithfully preaches the Word week in and week out. The music is of a high standard and those who serve are highly committed. There are generally good opportunities for people to serve, but as with most Churches it tends to be the minority who do this regularly. As with most Churches there is a notable absence of people in the 25-35 y.o. age bracket. There are also lots of sub-groups within the community, many of which remain segregated and unwilling to expand and be inclusive of other members. Few people take the initiative to speak to new-comers and even within the community, few speak to people they don't know. There is a polite acceptance that although recognized as a regular attender, one does not have to speak to people outside of their 'group'. The depth of fellowship is thus largely 'on the surface'. Work and weekends feature prominently in discussion after a service as does the task of working out the best supper venue. This lack of depth is ultimately deeply unsatisfying. As a community, most people seem to have an awareness of the problem, but few seem to be able to transcend the barriers to deeper more fulfilling fellowship. The question arises, 'Is this the place for me?' Although legitimate, I struggle with the self-focussed consumer oriented nature of this question. I'm also aware that even in the 'best' Churches, most of them struggle with these same issues.

It brings to mind Jesus' words, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (John 7:37-38)

Personally, I know how much I long for this - yet, I'm aware of how often I feel dry, thirsty and alone. Even the idyllic community of College seems to have been fractured by time and distance... and neither of these factors are especially great. In the end I guess I can be thankful for a few significant friendships... those who persevere, encourage, challenge and love me as I am. In the meantime the challenge is to wait patiently until all things are made new. It may be a 'New Year' and the beginning of new opportunities... but in the end what I truly long for is the New Creation.

2007-10-03T13:55:00.000+10:00

Ecclesiastes 1:9

2006-11-21T01:08:00.000+11:00

No new posts! It's a common complaint in blogland... and frankly there has been precious little to say for the past three weeks! Exams have seen to that. Meanwhile I've been considering retiring this self indulgent rant and leaving it to the experts to post the real cutting edge commentary on life, rather than continue to inflict my amateurish endeavours on an audience such as yourselves that deserves far better. At least that's how I feel when I read the blogs of many of my contemporaries. Only one exam to go! Perhaps one ending may give birth to a new beginning and a whole new perspective? Eccl.3:1ff...

Waiting patiently…

2006-10-30T12:20:00.000+11:00

It’s been a long time since I've posted anything… so perhaps for at least some of you, you’ve been ‘waiting patiently’?

As I sit and reflect in this brief moment - and there hasn’t been much time for that lately… (the evidence speaks for itself!) I consider all of the things I’m waiting patiently for…

Many things…

And I groan inwardly (and sometimes outwardly) as I wait… patiently?

Yet, I must ask myself honestly… am I really waiting patiently? What does it look like to wait patiently? Am I manifesting the fruits of the Spirit… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?

What in fact am I waiting for?

Mostly I think I’ve been waiting for the fulfilment of my earthly desires… for love and contentment, for peace and reconciliation, for expectations to be fulfilled, for things to become clearer… for people to reply to my emails?

And yet, these things all seem like a chasing after the wind… Mostly, I’ve given up hope that these things will ever change. It’s life on the Titanic… let the music play on!

So where is my hope? Surely it’s not in the things of this world… as much as I’d like to put my hope in them! After all, hope that is seen is no hope at all! What I’m ultimately hoping for, what I’m truly waiting for, is to be with the Lord… and in many ways I can’t wait!

Pray that I’d wait patiently…

I think I’ve exhausted my reflective potential for now. Here’s a beautiful Psalm that sums it up perfectly! Enjoy!

Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;

2 O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.

3 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?

4 But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.

5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.

6 My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.

7 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.

8 He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.

Going the distance...

2006-09-02T10:16:00.000+10:00

Occasionally I go running in the mornings to keep fit, mostly by myself so I can run at my own pace, but sometimes I go with some other guys at College. A few weeks ago I decided to join a group who run with one of the members of faculty. Most of them are very fit and some even run in half-marathons or the equivalent? Anyhow, this was going to be a ‘short run’ down to Glebe, so I thought, great! I run to Glebe all the time. Well, we started off at a good pace, the air was fresh and there was a sense of excitement and anticipation. As we ran, most of us were chatting to the guy beside us and there was a good vibe. We ran to Glebe, with it’s beautiful snap shots of the harbour and city, taking a slightly different route to the one I would normally take which also meant coming back a slightly different way. By the time we made it back to the top of the hill I was about ready to finish. However, at a particular juncture where I expected we would turn back towards College, we took an unexpected turn away from College. As we continued to run I could feel both my energy levels and my enthusiasm begin to fade. From here on I was running ‘blind’. I couldn’t tell how much further we would go, nor could I tell if I would make it? Sure, I could stop and pull out, but then there was the shame of not finishing. I could keep going, but internally I was beginning to grumble about how far? I was not in control… I was lagging behind… and all I wanted was to be at the finish.
So often I feel like this in my Christian life. Running a race with an unknown course and an unknown distance. Wanting to stop, wanting to be more in control. The good news is that the destination has been revealed, but in the meantime we are left to keep running the race. The question of the Psalmist, "How Long, O Lord?" takes on a slightly different meaning… in the sense of "How much further?" I feel we pay a lot of attention to the start and finish of the race, but not much attention is paid to the endurance run in the middle? How do we keep going, spurring one another along? Sometimes it’s as though we’re running alone…

Leunig... on fish and bicycles!

2006-08-22T12:05:00.000+10:00

It transpires that fish DO need bicycles... As for women, who am I to say?

Psalm 103

2006-08-15T23:23:00.000+10:00

1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:

8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.

9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;

10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;

16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.

17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children-

18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.

21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.

22 Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.

Neighbours...

2006-08-03T17:41:00.000+10:00

Who is my neighbour? Now, I hope you’re not thinking of ‘Ramsey Street’, but if Shazza and Dazza (and whoever else?) come to mind, don’t change channels just yet! I’ve been living in Newtown and its surrounding areas for the past 11 years. In that time I’ve observed significant changes in the demographics of the area from ‘slum’ to ‘slick’ as it’s slowly become gentrified. The gentrification of Newtown has occurred as a direct result of the housing boom in Sydney – something we’ve either come to love or hate! (Love, if we own property and hate, if we don’t!) Consequently, there has been a significant change in the types of people seen out and about. King Street has always been renowned for its interesting ‘characters’ and even today, it rarely disappoints. As property prices have risen there has been a significant exodus of the punk and bohemian influences once commonplace in the area and now a new generation of hip and happening young executives has moved in. The vast majority of students and low income earners have also largely been forced out. For as long as the Church has existed, Newtown Mission has had an effective ministry to the poor and homeless. As the demographic of the area has shifted the majority of these people have moved elsewhere, however, in order to continue receiving food and other assistance offered by the Church, people now commute. Those of no fixed address generally reside in hostels, refuges or local parks in the city. Newtown thus offers people a rare cross section of communities, from the poor and homeless, to the upwardly mobile and rich, not to mention the large homosexual community which continues to make its presence felt. In Newtown the clash of cultures and diversity of people seen on its streets is a fitting match for the jarring of truck brakes and bumper to bumper traffic which moves along at walking pace. The aroma of coffee, Thai food and incense is mixed with the smell of car fumes and diesel.
So, in the cultural melting pot which is our back yard in Newtown, how are we to respond? What is our responsibility as Christians to help the poor? To be perfectly honest with you, often I find myself weaving in and out of the ebb and flow of people, avoiding anyone who stands out as being a little unusual. In particular I find myself crossing the Street to avoid beggars and especially Greenpeace reps! On a good day I may offer to buy a person some food… but more often than not (and especially since I’ve been at College and ‘have no money’), I find myself putting up my invisible deflector shield and wearing my draft-horse sized blinkers in order to plough on right through the middle of the crowd! To be frank, I find such people confronting and uncomfortable! But, who am I trying to kid? Am I loving anyone at all? Am I merely living for myself? Sure… I give to CMS, but what about the man without food to eat or enough clothes to wear? What am I doing for him? It’s not as if I need to go to Africa to find such people. Sure… we have a welfare system - and yes, it’s true that most beggars use the money people give them to buy alcohol, cigarettes and drugs. But in the end, is it really money they need… or is it love? Well, having pondered these questions for a long time I eventually chose to volunteer at Newtown Mission drop-in - helping to serve food and talk to people who came in off the street, sharing the gospel with them. I did this for a year, until recently, when due to a timetable clash I am no longer available. And yet, during this time I can’t tell you how often I was challenged and how much I learnt from these people living on the streets. Most have everyday stories about success and failure and some have even been influential and significant people in their time. Many have problems that can’t be easily fixed, and yet, one thing all of them have in common is their need to be loved and their need to hear the saving message of Jesus. When people see the love of Christ in a person’s life, and especially in this context, few remain hardened to the message of the gospel!
I share this now, because I continue to struggle with what it means to love those who are our neighbours. I continue to struggle to know what it is that I am able to do for these people in a practical sense – and yet, having spent a small amount of time helping in a ministry that helps the homeless, I’ve seen first hand how fragile life can be. I’ve also witnessed the power of the gospel at work … ‘the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes’. And so it is that I know first hand, that it’s only by the grace of God that I am where I am today. It’s because of His grace that I can tell of His grace…

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.

Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

Augustus Montague Toplady (1740-78)

Saturdays and the coming of Spring...

2006-07-31T23:33:00.000+10:00

Saturday… It began with a leisurely breakfast at MAC followed by a walk to Glebe via Sydney Uni and Vic Park. This led to a coffee and catch up with the headlines… Later on I ate lunch at a newly discovered noodle bar on King Street followed by another coffee and another walk. It was a beautiful day… the sun was shining, the sky was blue, the air was clean, the coffee was good. What more could one ask for? The day finished where it began, with dinner at MAC and an outing to ‘Ice and Slice’.

Life is good in Sydney, perhaps a little too good? We’re constantly surrounded by its natural beauty and brief snap-shots of heaven! It’s hard to beat. We’re surrounded by a wealth of blessings and goodness. Why then does it so often feel as though something’s missing?

Is it the longing for a deeper sense of community or the need to connect and relate more deeply with one another? Is it a feeling of guilt knowing that we’re enjoying a lifestyle most other people in this world can only dream of? Or is it the mundane familiarity with life as we know it? Then again, perhaps the real problem is the fact that even when presented with the very best this world has to offer, it invariably falls short and appears lacking in light of the contrasting glory of heaven. In the end, the sin and brokenness of the world we live in has permeated every crack. Love and hate, war and peace are never far apart. Is it ungrateful to view the goodness of the world through such negativity? Is this a time to celebrate or is it a time to ring the warning bells and tell the world to ‘flee the coming wrath’? It reminds me of the U2 song Until the end of the World. In the chorus line Bono sings the words, ‘…everybody was having a good time, except you, you were talking about the end of the world…’ and I have to admit, this line often reminds me of myself! Is this how we come across to our non-Christian friends? All doom and gloom?

Either way we live in a world of conflicting realities, a world of roses and thorns where such things exist side by side. Joy is often mediated by suffering and fear… And yet in the midst of gloom the gospel still brings hope. It may indeed be a message about the ‘end of the world’, but it is no less the message of the beginning of a new world, a world where every tear will be wiped away, where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Rev. 21:4 ff). This is the reality we all long for in our hearts. Christ then is our only hope of finding true satisfaction.

The poem ‘Spring’ written by Gerard Manly Hopkins’ comes to mind. In it he delights in the beauty of creation and in particular the coming of Spring. He likens the Spring with the glory of Eden in the beginning… There is then the desire to grasp and hold on to it in all its goodness and glory, before it is soured and polluted by the world around it. Anyhow, the poem can speak for itself…

Spring
NOTHING is so beautiful as spring --
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush's eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.
What is all this juice and all this joy?
A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden. -- Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid's child, thy choice and worthy the winning.

Gerard Manley Hopkins

1 Cor.13:12 "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

Welcome!

2006-07-26T23:29:00.000+10:00

Welcome to 'Have you fed the fish?' My hope is that this blog will serve as a reference point to relect on all that's happening in the world around us from a Christian perspective. It will be an opportunity to dialogue with others and share a small part of the journey. I look forward to walking with you some of the way!