Preparation and Peace

 

 

‘Peace is the love
Of a foe as a friend
Peace is the love you bring
To a child

 

Peace is a stream
From the heart of a man
Peace is a man, whose breath
Is the dawn

Peace is a dawn
On a day without end
Peace is the end, like death
Of the war’

 

For ‘Peace – An End’ by King Crimson, from the album ‘In the Wake of Poseidon’  (1970)

 

 

This will be the final post from me this Advent; the ‘Last Post’ if you like!

 

Usually, I try and carry on with my Advent reflections until Christmas Eve (sometimes I manage that, often I do not). But this year I am taking the sensible decision to end today.

 

For, you see, the day is coming ever nearer, the preparations are gearing up, and time is being squeezed.

 

This will be the first Christmas when all of our children, their spouses/partners, and our grandchildren will all be together. This is wonderful… exciting… so good…

 

…but they are coming here! Staying here! Living here for several days! And the southern contingent arrive tomorrow; son, daughter in law, and their twin toddlers.

 

There are rooms to be cleaned, beds to be made, food to be prepared. I will need to hit the shops tomorrow, and I will need to get some presents wrapped too. Oh, and I also have a couple of services to prepare for and conduct, not to mention a hospital appointment to attend.

 

So, there is a lot to be done and much preparation awaits.

 

Sometimes I find preparing great fun; I love the way that it builds that sense of anticipation and expectation. But, when time is short and there feels like too much to do, preparation can feel like a pressure, and it leads to anxiety… even panic.

 

There seems to me to be quite a lot of panic in the Gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus. It is often a bit understated, but it is there.

 

When the angel visits Mary, Mary is described as being ‘much perplexed’ (Luke 1: 29). Well, that seems to me like an understatement!

 

When Joseph learns of the pregnancy of his betrothed, he is told in a dream ‘Do not be afraid’ (Matthew 1: 20).

 

When the shepherds see an angel when they are watching their flocks, we are told that they were ‘terrified’ (Luke 2: 9).

 

In all of these cases, the words of the angels to the terrified, perplexed, anxious and panicked are the same ‘Do not be afraid’. And, today, to those of us who are becoming anxious and tense with all the preparations, perhaps that word is the same: ‘Do not be afraid’.

 

However, all of our (my!) pre-Christmas hassle and hurry, preparation and planning, work and worry is as nothing when compared to those who this Christmas time face the deeper anxiety and pain of bereavement, or poor health, or bad news, or insufficient money, or a cold house, or insufficient food. Or again those who this Christmas will be facing bombs, or starvation, or abuse, or exploitation and so on.

 

For me and for those of us who are simply a little stressed in the midst of our preparations, the assuring word of the angels may bring a degree of calm, and the message to the shepherds of ‘peace among those whom he favours’ (Luke 2: 14) is reassuring and comforting.

 

In the midst of our preparations, may we know that deep peace.

 

But for those facing some of the more extreme circumstances and challenges confronting so many at this time, these will seem like little more than empty words, unless and until God’s kingdom comes and God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

 

Until that coming day of peace, we who will welcome the coming of the Prince of Peace this Christmas, we who will worship at his manger, are called to pray and act and work for that peace for our world and among its peoples.

 

Instead of becoming preoccupied with our own petty worries, let us focus on being peacemakers and peace-bringers in the Name of Jesus and in the power of his Spirit.

 

And in all your preparations… and your preoccupations, and your panic, may peace be with you.

 

 

 

 

Christmas and Children

 

 

‘Children of light don't be afraid
Children of light haven't you heard
Gone are the days in black and white
Children of light don't be afraid’

 

For ‘Children of Light’ by Yes, from the album Keys to Ascension 2 (1997)

 

 

You know the saying, oft-related (in my opinion, too oft-repeated!) ‘Christmas is all about the children’ (or something similar).

 

Well, I don’t think I agree.

 

Christmas is for all of us. The fun and the festivities, the presents and the parties, the gifts and the greetings… these are not simply for children. These are for us all to enjoy. And I do!

 

And more than these external trappings of Christmas, the deep meaning of Christmas is not just for children, but for us all. While the way in which we have traditionally presented the accounts told in the Gospels tend towards the sweet and sentimental, and seem (or have been made) suited to youngsters, the real story in the Bible is tough and terrifying, sometimes gritty and certainly gruesome, when it comes to the slaughter of the innocents, leading to the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt as refugees.

 

This is not obviously kid’s stuff!

 

So, no, Christmas is not all about the children!

 

And yet…

 

… my anticipation of Christmas this year is very much heightened by the fact that our three grand-children will be with us on Christmas Day! So, could it be that it is in fact all about the children?

 

Well, perhaps…

 

…or maybe not so much.

 

What I mean is that of course there is a special joy of entering into the excitement of youngsters around us at this time of year. There is something special about experiencing it all through the eyes of a child.

 

No, it is not all about the children. But there is something special about Christmas Day in the company of children. Somehow celebrating Christmas in the company of children, brings colour to it all.

 

But we cannot really enter into that fun and excitement unless we can own and embrace our own inner child. We cannot see it all through the eyes of a child if we are blind to our own essential childlikeness.

 

Yes, it is about entering into childlikeness, of becoming children again. So, in fact, I suppose it is all about children, as long as we recognise that we are included in that description if we are able to ourselves become like little children.

 

And that is also essential to true faith as Jesus described it. He said, ‘Unless you become like a little child, you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven’.

 

So, I suppose that, yes, it is all about children, because we are all called to childlikeness. And not just with regard to Christmas… the journey of faith is all about children; we who walk in Christ’s way, are all children of God, for we cannot walk in this way and enter God’s kingdom unless we become like children.

 

 

 

 

 

Keeper of the Keys

 

‘The keeper of the city keys
put shutters on the dreams…’

From ‘In the Court of the Crimson King’ from the 1969 album ‘The Court of the Crimson King’ by  King Crimson.

 

 As with so many song words from the late 60s / early 70s (and not least in the ‘prog rock’ genre) Pete Sinfield’s lyrics for ‘In the Court of the Crimson King’ are rather obscure (and somewhat flowery and overwrought for today’s tastes). However, the lyricist himself has suggested that the ‘Crimson King’ is a reference to the Devil. What is fairly evident in the whole of that album is that the various songs are depicting some kind of dystopia (past, present, or future? Who knows? Although perhaps all of these are envisaged). There is no care offered, people are abused, corrupt leaders exploit others; in other words, it is indeed as if people have become playthings of ‘the Devil’. And even the keeper of the keys has used his role to restrict and shut down the dreams of the people.

 

That image intrigues me. For I suspect that in many ways and in many situations, we each are ‘keepers of keys’ and may have the power to shut doors or open doors for others. We all have keys to open up possibilities for others or else to close them down.

 

What do we choose to do with this? Do we seek to limit and control, or do we offer liberation and possibilities? This is something we may wish to ponder in terms of our own close relationships or family settings, or else in our employment or voluntary associations, or in church (if we are part of it) and especially if we are church leaders, or again if we have a key leadership position in community or nation.

 

Do we open doors and unlock opportunities, or do we imprison, limit, deny, and shut off pathways for others?

 

In this Advent Season, there is another dimension to all of this. For we celebrate the One who has the Key of David and who opens the way to the coming Kingdom of God; Jesus Christ. If we are sometimes imprisoned and even imprison others, then he has opened the door!

 

As the Advent Antiphons have it (and you may recognise these from the version sung in the hymn ‘O Come, O come, Emmanuel’):

 

O Key of David,
opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!

 

This is why he came, and this is what will happen when he comes again.

 

He is the Key that opens the door!

 

 

 

Towards Tomorrow

 ‘Now the season now the question

Time to breathe a moments grace…
…are you hopeful are you haunted
By the ghost of Christmas past
Face the future undaunted
Step aside or take your chance

Run with the fox
Into the wind on to the dawn of tomorrow…
..and be prepared,

prepare for love comes and goes
Run with the fox

Forward on the road to glory
History records the chase

Across the bridge of many ways
Run with the fox’

 

From ‘Run with the Fox’ a 1981 Christmas single  by Chris Squire and Alan White of Yes with lyrics by Pete Sinfield formerly of King Crimson.

 

I think this may be one of my very favourite Christmas songs. It is well worth a listen 

As I was listening to it the other day I was struck by how the lyrics are very future focussed. And it is all about being ready to step out and take risks, unhindered  by the past.

 And, really, I have nothing much more to say on all of that. It just set me thinking, and perhaps it will set you thinking too.

 Have a listen!

(https://www.google.com/search?q=Run+wiht+the+fox&oq=Run+wiht+the+fox&aqs=chrome..69i57j46i13i512j0i13i512l3j0i22i30l4.6302j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:f7948906,vid:IUkwXavUhm4)

 

Sometimes God Hides

 

‘Do I look on blindly and say I see the way?’

 

From ‘Close to the Edge’ by Yes (from the Album ‘Close to the Edge’)

 

 

As is well known to my friends, I am a great admirer or the rock band King Crimson and their guitarist (and only original and constant member) Robert Fripp. One of Fripp’s solo pieces is entitled ‘Sometimes God Hides’. When I first came across it, I was a bit unsure of the title. From my perspective as a Christian, I was thinking that surely God is in the business of revealing himself and not hiding himself.

 

But then, consider these words from Isaiah 45 vs 15; ‘Truly you are a God who hides himself’.

 

Hmm…

 

Sometimes when we are most desperate to see God, feel God, welcome God’s ‘intervention’, have God answer our prayers, God can indeed seem very hidden indeed. Distant, or even absent, and often silent.

 

Distant.

 

Absent.

 

Silent.

 

I have said before in sermons that there are so many incidents in Scripture in general and in the Gospels in particular where God is absent. This warrants further study! But that must wait for the moment.

 

Is God hiding?

 

Part of the reflections appropriate to this season of Advent involve us asking about our waiting for God to fulfil his promises, our longing for the light to fully come and dispel the darkness, our hope that our prayers might at last be answered, and so on.

 

Is this God hiding?

 

If so, why? What does it mean for us?

 

Or do we just not see him?

 

I have some thoughts and some ideas about that, but a blog post is probably not the place to get into all of this.

 

However, I suspect that many people of faith will have known times when at the very least it seemed that God was hiding.

 

And it occurs to me that even as God revealed himself in the birth of Jesus, it was extremely low key and somewhat incognito. Bethlehem? A stable (or perhaps a ‘spare room’)? A manger?

 

A hidden revelation?

 

And then the flight of the refugee family to Egypt… into ‘hiding’.

 

So, all worthy of some thought and some reflection, I reckon.

 

The hiding God.

 

And, when, at the Wedding at Cana of Galilee, Jesus told his mother ‘my time has not yet come’, does that perhaps give us another wee clue into this whole mystery of the God who sometimes hides?

The Music of Life

 

‘Life’s a long song,

But the tune ends too soon for us all’

 

From ‘Life’s a Long Song’ (1972) by Jethro Tull

 

In the popular view of Advent as a time for candles, calendars and chocolates, for present buying, parties and preparation, and so on, reflecting on life and death and one’s own mortality may seem rather strange. But I don’t think so.

 

As we look and long for the coming of God’s Kingdom, we are inevitably faced with the reality that  (however we understand this) we will one day each have to encounter the one who is justice and judge, life and love. And for each of us that day is inevitably getting closer.

 

‘How morbid’ some might protest!

 

But I do not find it morbid at all. I have no wish to hurry towards that day. I am enjoying life, relishing being a grandparent, and still have lots and lots of plans, and I hope to have lots and lots of years in which to enjoy fulfilling these plans.

 

However, the inevitable conclusion of this life does not fill me with dread or fear, and I can see no point in ignoring or denying that which is inevitable! I do not dwell upon it, and the thoughts do not constantly haunt me. But I do sometimes ponder it all, and recall my own mortality, and acknowledge that there are now many fewer years ahead than lie behind. I think about the life I have lived, and speak openly about what lies ahead.

 

I know that for many people all of this would be unthinkable; something to be avoided at all costs. I am not one of these. It seems to me to be perfectly natural and reasonable, and as someone of faith, while I relish life and look forward to the years ahead, I do not fear death.

 

Lately, I have been reflecting a bit more on all of this and looking back over my life thus far. It would be tempting to quote Frank Sinatra and tell you that ‘Regrets, I have a few, but then again too few to mention’. But, in truth, I have more regrets than just a few! (And, anyway, I do not really like that song very much.)

 

But, while I acknowledge my past mistakes and mis-steps, it is not my regrets on which I focus as I look back over the years, but the blessings, the experiences, the people, the places, the achievements, and so on.

 

Some of my recent reflection has been occasioned by my awareness of the illness or the passing of near contemporaries, some of them public figures, but also some of them friends and acquaintances and family members.

 

And so, I have been pondering.

 

And as part of that I have began to think of songs and pieces of music that seemed to me to resonate with my reflections. These are not necessarily my favourite pieces of music (indeed, my very favourite pieces of music and songs do not appear on the list). Rather, this is music that has moved me or which speaks to me of my life and some of its various moments and experiences. Most of the chosen music is reflective or poignant, or speaks of looking back on life, or even of death and hope. All of these pieces are very meaningful to me for all kinds of different reasons, and not a few move me to tears on every hearing.

 

The compilation of this playlist remains work in progress and, I must say, I am finding it utterly engrossing and revealing. As I have said, these are not all my favourite songs or pieces of music. Indeed, some of the choices may surprise those who know me and my musical tastes. And some of these pieces may seem rather obscure.

 

The making of this playlist is a wee project I embarked upon for my own benefit, but if anyone is interested this is the link to the playlist (which remains work in progress)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7bNZWCybpNuCWIjiLKRfn0?si=5dd86def43674882

 

Life’s a long song!

Waiting for the Light to Come

 

‘Soon, oh soon the light,
Pass within and soothe this endless night,
And wait here for you,
Our reason to be here’

 

From ‘The Gates of Delirium’ from the 1974 album ’Relayer’’ by Yes

 

Waiting and longing are a big part of this season of Advent.

 

Most of us will remember what it was like as a child to journey through the seemingly long days of December, waiting for Christmas and longing for the dawning of that day. Nowadays, it seems to me that December rushes past and Christmas is upon us before we have properly prepared!

 

But there is a still more significant Day for which we now long and wait. In Advent we are reminded that the long night will ultimately pass, and the light of God will dispel all darkness. We await the Day of Redemption.

 

Still we long and we wait….

 

…for justice to come and exploitation to end…

 

..for peace to come and war to end…

 

…for healing to come and illness to end…

 

…for comfort to come and sorrow to end…

 

…for life to come and death to end…

 

And so on.

 

Waiting and longing and hoping and praying.

 

Oh that this Day would come, and come quickly!

 

But, to turn to a more immediate matter; for many years now I have reflected on the plight of the church in Scotland and in the West in general. I know that the Christian faith is advancing in so many parts of the world and that while the tide seems to be ebbing in the West, it is in flood elsewhere. On the one hand, recent census statistics indicate that Christianity is a minority in the UK (although there are other perspectives on this) [1]. On the other hand, most analyses show that the church is growing globally, and in some cases very significantly and rapidly (especially in Africa, Asia and Latin America).[2]

 

But I still find myself wondering and (truth be told) worrying about the apparently relentless decline of the church in our land and culture.

 

When will the light of ‘revival’ come? When will the darkness of decline end.

 

(As an aside, the Church of Scotland’s relentless decline began in 1956 – the year in which I was born. Coincidence? I hope so!)

 

I mentioned revival, and I do not necessarily or simply mean that in the limited sense of the ‘awakenings’ and spiritual phenomena that have been historically recorded and described as ‘revivals’ (although not to exclude them either). I mean the more general turning of the tide of faith. And I certainly do not mean a return to ‘Christendom’ or the re-establishment (so to speak!) of the church’s historical role in society.

 

But for all of my Christian journey, people have affirmed that revival is coming, that they’ve had a vision, or a ‘word from the Lord’, to say that the tide is about to turn… in some cases they have insisted that this coming revival is but a season of prayer, fasting, and repentance away, and yet all the while the decline has continued and the drifting of our Western society from faith has not abated.

 

Am I despondent? Not really; just wondering.

 

Have I lost hope? No, I still have faith in the promises and plans of God.

 

But I am wondering and pondering just what God may be saying to us, and how we are to respond.

 

Of course, we need to be serious in asking ourselves what we might do better or how we might reflect on what church should look like and act like in our context. But I am getting very impatient with those who suggest that if only we did what we used to do then it would all be ok, or those who insist that folks today (usually, they mean ‘Ministers today’) are just not as (delete as appropriate) committed / prayerful / faithful / good at visiting / committed to the parish / biblical / etc etc. It is all so much nonsense in my view. It is simply shifting the blame and seeking an easy scapegoat.

 

But, then, neither am I much persuaded by those who think that if only we did everything in a new way, sang more modern praise, embraced technology, tried new worship forms, became more ‘contemporary’ or ‘trendy’, then all would be fine. (and, to be clear, I do think our ways of being and doing church need to be contextualised and always under review reformata et semper reformanda and all that!). But… but… but… while this may in some ways and to some extent be appropriate and right, it is not a magic answer.

 

And I am certainly not at all denying that we are still called to prayer, fasting, and repentance.

 

But we also need to consider what it means to wait, to long, to wrestle with the issues, to journey through the darkness, to continue on this road for as long as it takes before we turn the corner and see the light coming (and, I suspect that may well be beyond the lifetime of many of us).

 

I was reading Psalm 44 the other day. It is a psalm of lament and also a cry for help. The people recall that they have been told of how God did great things in times past, but now it is no longer like that. (Sound familiar?). Indeed, they have become a ‘laughing stock’ (vs 14). And, the psalmist is clear, it is not because God’s people have done anything wrong or abandoned God! (vs 17-18 & 20-21). So repentance is not going to be a quick fix for this problem.

 

Yes, they cry out to God (‘Rise up!... Rouse yourself!’ vs 23-26). But perhaps there will still be more waiting and longing…

 

Waiting and longing.

---

[1] This article by Giles Fraser is well worth a read:

https://unherd.com/2022/12/secularisation-is-leading-britain-astray/?tl_inbound=1&tl_groups[0]=18743&tl_period_type=3&mc_cid=53effa1da8&mc_eid=a130ff9606

[2] See this for a balanced and thoughtful overview https://lausanne.org/content/lga/2021-03/is-christianity-shrinking-or-shifting

 

 ‘I have no thought of time,

for who knows where the time goes?

..I have no fear of time,

for who knows where the time goes?’

From ‘Who knows where the time goes? From the 1969 album ’Unhalfbricking’ by Fairport Convention 

This Season of Advent is intended to be a time to prepare. Of course, there are all the preparations that most people are undertaking over these weeks; preparations for presents and parties and dinners and get-togethers and cards and so on. 

But the intention of this Advent time is that we who look forward to the celebration of our Lord’s birth (and, indeed, to his coming again) prepare ourselves in spirit. While in more recent times, the emphasis of this season has shifted towards ‘hope’ (and I am pleased it has) the danger is that the other aspects of Advent get lost; prayer, fasting, self-examination etc. 

In past years in my blog posts, I have made much of the importance of this time of spiritual discipline, reflection and prayer for me. 

Except…

…it is far from easy!

‘Great is the darkness that covers the earth…’ but it is not easy to spend time reflecting on this in anticipation of the coming of the light, when already the Christmas lights have been twinkling for weeks.

It is not easy to consider any type of ‘fasting’ when parties and dinners begin so early.

It is not easy to enter into the pain, tension, and struggle of affirming God’s promises while these remain not yet finally or fully fulfilled, and join in the deep longing for the coming of God’s Kingdom, when we are already singing Christmas Carols.

It is not easy to spend time in prayer and self-examination when the many other preparations squeeze that time, and everything seems to get ever more hurried the nearer we get to Christmas. 

Ah time… there it is. We seem to have no time. Where does it go? Why does it seem to run away from us?

I was reflecting on some of this the other day in my prayers, or perhaps ‘despairing’ would be a better description! But the note I made in my journal ended on a more positive note… that it is worth maintaining the struggle to find the time.

For, of course, there is just as much time in each day and week of Advent as there is at any other time of the year. It is a question of how we use it, what we prioritise, and on what we focus.

And that whole theme of time is, in itself, a good thing on which to reflect in this Advent Season.

Thanksgiving

 

‘Now be thankful for good things below
Now be thankful to your maker
For the rose, the red rose blooms for all to know’

From ‘Now be Thankful’ by Fairport Convention (a 1970 single release)

 

 

Advent began early this year. 27^th November is the very earliest Sunday on which it can occur. This can be confusing for those who are used to Advent Calendars and Candles marking the passing days, as most of these start on the 1^st December. And that confusion is all the more on those years when Advent Sunday is on Sunday 3^rd December (the latest date it can be).

 

It is just the way the calendar falls.

 

Our American friends had the same issue with ‘Thanksgiving’ which is celebrated on the last Thursday of November, and so – this year – was as early as it could be; Thursday 24^th November.

 

And given that any or all of these dates (Thanksgiving, Advent Sunday, 1^st December) in many people’s minds, mark the beginning of the Christmas preparation season, we tend to have a choice (or not, given that commercially these preparations begin in October!).

 

However, all these musings are really a bit of an aside. It is Thanksgiving which is on my mind today. Not the particular celebration of this in the United States, but the whole matter of giving thanks.

 

As I begin to look forward to Christmas I often find myself reflecting on the good things in my life, perhaps all the more so since becoming a grandparent.

 

And yet, the other day when I was out walking the dogs (for whom I am also thankful!) I found myself feeling a little irritated and disgruntled. I cannot now recall what it was that had got to me, but I was unsettled and a wee bit unhappy. As I pondered why, I found myself asking why I am not more consciously thankful for life’s blessings and why I did not more often specifically thank God for these blessings.

 

I further reasoned that my lack of thankfulness might well be one reason why I got irritated and impatient!

 

It was on that very same day that I read Psalm 50 where the Psalmist says ‘Offer to God a Sacrifice of thanksgiving’ (vs 14) and then quotes God ‘those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honour me’ (vs 23).

 

And so, in the light of all of this, I have decided to try and be more committed to giving thanks, and doing so specifically and regularly. And even if I am feeling irritated, impatient, or grumpy, to still give thanks.

 

As Paul said ‘Give thanks in all circumstances’ (1 Thessalonians 5: 18)