Can't make it to church - Sunday, 16 December 2018

I am so very often surprised by the number of people who appear to miss the fact that John the Baptist (who we focus on today as the third Sunday in Advent) is loud, proud, and not just a little bit rude with his message. When they ask him what they should do to prepare for the coming of the Messiah his response is simple: "STOP SINNING!"

What else could he say to them? Take a look at those who come to him in today's Gospel (Luke 3.7-18):

To the crowds he points them to God, not the fact that they are Jews. Does this thinking apply to us as Christians? Be afraid, for I think that it does! Are we producing fruit 'in keeping with our repentance'? Does the gratitude for our salvation have any substance in the way we live or do we think that attending church, wearing a cross (fish), and dropping money in the offering makes us fit for heaven?

Do you think the crowds were asking themselves how much bad stuff they were laying up alongside, or instead of, the treasures they should have been storing up in heaven?  Yet this is what John was calling them to focus on. John was calling them (and us) to look at the ways they (we) can raise their game and live differently.

Are these the choices that those around John the Baptist were thinking of when they ask: "What should we do then?" How do you reckon they respond when he tells them to share what they have (two shirts is just a starting place) with those who have nothing? 

When John tells the crowd to, "Be generous and give to those who have need as God gives to our needs,” how do you think they respond? 

When the tax collectors asked John what they should do his answer was simple: "Stop stealing." There’s no wiggle room there, is there?

When the the soldiers came and asked what they should do, they were told to act rightly (we call this Professional, Appropriate, and Lawful in our armed forces). Justice, mercy and humanity (Micah 6) also spring to mind here.

He didn't tell anyone that God wanted them to be happy doing what they saw as fit and right to do (regardless of what the Bible might teach). He didn't tell them to give more money - because God doesn't want your money, He wants your hearts and lives filled with love and generosity in things, actions, and in spirit.

He told the people before him to live a godly and righteous life in the things and the places they were returning to after the show - and that is exactly what the prophecy of Malachi some four hundred years before called the people to do. And they didn't and so, with the arrival about to be made public, John is trying to get the people to get their lives in order so they look at least a little bit presentable. This is not a harsh rebuttal but an act of generosity for it’s giving those hearing his words the chance to turn around (that’s a clever use of ‘repent’ innit?) – and this is what we are also doing when we encourage people to change their lives before it’s too late.

Living our lives well, looking and sounding and acting like Jesus, in the world is one of the most important witnesses we can make to our being people of faith. You don't need a dog collar or a title or a medal - you need to exhibit the generous heart of God and that needs a cross – and gratitude, rejoicing in the freedom from sin and reconciliation with the godhead that that brings. Here we find the fruits of gladness become made real in our generous and right living. It’s so simple really, isn’t it?

And on a day when we are called to rejoice - For the third Sunday of Advent is called 'Gaudete' Sunday (Gaudetemeans rejoice) – rejoicing is the natural response to the fact that God has taken away the punishment of his people and has ‘turned back’ their enemy. The reality in the words of Zephaniah given some time around 620 BC is the same reality that Jesus’ death on the cross brings for the Christian too. Jesus’ death brings defeat for our enemy (satan) and he (Jesus) bears in His body the punishment for us. He takes our place. What love. What generosity to pay a bill that wasn’t His to be paying! Jesus is the mighty warrior who save; them one who no longer rebukes but rejoices over us with songs of deliverance.

And the Apostle Paul gets into the act with his letter to the church in Phillipi, a communication which I think affirms all we have here, for when he says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice,” he is nodding towards the fact that to rejoice is a choice of attitude. It is the expression of our gratitude for all God has given and done for us. The outworking of this for your lives is to, “Let your gentleness be evident to all.” 

So we are righteous and holy people who are living out they love of God in gentleness (gentle as dove and cunning as serpents – we are not pushovers). We trust God and pray, ask, thank and experience a peace that no one, and nowhere, provides.

What a great set of readings we had before us today.

How do the words above and the readings below shape us as Christians?

What do they say to those who claim to have no faith and how do we communicate what the words here have for them?

The Collect
God for whom we watch and wait, you sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of your Son: give us courage to speak the truth, to hunger for justice, and to suffer for the cause of right, with Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Zephaniah 3.14-20
Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel!Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem,“Do not fear, Zion;  do not let your hands hang limp. The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

“I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honour in every land where they have suffered shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honour and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.

Philippians 4.4-7 
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!   Let your gentleness be evident to all.
The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Luke 3.7-18
John said to the crowds coming out to be baptised by him, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The axe has been laid to the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.’

‘What should we do then?’ the crowd asked.
John answered, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.’

Even tax collectors came to be baptised.  ‘Teacher,’ they asked, ‘what should we do?’
‘Don’t collect any more than you are required to,’ he told them.

Then some soldiers asked him, ‘And what should we do?’
He replied,  ‘Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely – be content with your pay.’

The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. John answered them all, ‘I baptise you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’ And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

Post Communion Prayers
We give you thanks, O Lord, for these heavenly gifts; kindle in us the fire of your Spirit that when your Christ comes again we may shine as lights before his face; who is alive and reigns now and for ever. Amen.

40 Acts - Day 14: ' Acknowledge '

Your grandma, your English teacher, your next-door neighbour from all those years ago... All of us know someone who influenced or impacted on our lives for the better.

Today is about acknowledging their generosity, and returning the favour.

Let each one of us make it a practice to please (make happy) his neighbour for his good 

and for his true welfare, to edify him (to strengthen him and build him up spiritually). 

(Romans 15:2 AMPC)

It would be hard for me to get across how persistently problematic I was as a child to those who were responsible for my development in life. Since having my own kids, I have discovered a new level of respect for my parents, but I have to admit my teachers had a lot to put up with too. I’m sure many of them must have wondered what they’d done to deserve a John Keskeys in their class and even questioned their vocation. I had that incredible ability to hijack each class, much to the dismay of my teachers. In my drive to squeeze all the fun I could out of each day, I simply did not understand the word ‘consequences’. This was my school life and the root of my teachers’ daily vexation until I left – never to return – or so I thought.

 

I became a Christian at 15 after an encounter with God, and after doing a lot of other reconstructive work in me God eventually revealed his agenda for me and the teachers I’d tormented for so many years.

 

‘I want you to go back to visit all of your teachers and say sorry for the way you treated them.’ Oh dear. I could feel the sense of embarrassment already at the thought of going back to my primary school aged 17.

 

I remember Mrs Badger’s face when I walked through the door of the headmistress’s office. I have tears in my eyes as I recall the moment she looked up and without introduction she said, ‘Hello John.’ I hadn’t seen her in 10 years.

 

The five minutes in her office ‘repenting’ went some way to repairing the damage I’d caused. Much more than that, my words told a bigger story – that the huge investment of time and effort she’d made in me had eventually paid off, even if it had taken a decade to get there. It felt more like obedience than generosity but Mrs Badger graciously received the ‘thank you’ wrapped up in a big sorry.

 

Make today an opportunity to acknowledge the generosity of those who have spent themselves investing in us.

Today's blog was written by John Keskeys from Stewardship. 

Find out more about them and support their chosen charity here.

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40 Acts - Off the Hook

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." James 1:19 (NIV)

There is no object that has revolutionised my day-to-day life more than the iPhone. All of my communication, notes, calendar entries, contacts and more go through it. It’s by my side 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So needless to say, when I was asked to write about ‘put the phone down’ my heart both sank and was excited.

You see, I know how bad I am at giving people my full attention and leaving my (constantly vibrating) iPhone in my pocket. Nobody is worse than me at this challenge.

But the good news is that today gives me an excuse to drop the technology and embrace the real, rather than the virtual. I’m going to smile at people rather than send them smileys. I’m going to talk to people rather than email them. And I’m going to write notes down on a real piece of paper using a real pen and my very best joined up handwriting. These thoughts are strangely exciting.

The Bible tells Christians to be 'quick to hear' and 'slow to speak' (James 1:19). Leaving your iPhone at home is a great way to quicken your hearing of what people are saying. (If you've ever read a text message instead of listening to the person opposite you, you'll know exactly what I mean.) The more we give people our full attention, the more we will be 'quick to hear'. And when our hearing is enhanced, our spoken responses will be more considered.

There’s something wonderful about living in the moment, free from the distractions of technology. However you observe today’s ‘put your phone down’ day, my recommendation is to find space to ‘live in the moment’. I don’t often quote Buddhist monks but Thích Nhất Hạnh was right when he said, ‘The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.’

Sam Hailes

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40 Acts - INSERT VERSE

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

As a teenager, I always found the ‘memory verse time’ in our youth club rather tiresome. Each week we all had to quote our favourite or meaningful Bible verse—so meaningful I can’t remember a single verse!

As I grew older, however, different Bible verses helped and resonated with me at various stages in my life. The Bible’s rich tapestry of poetry, instruction, prophecies and story telling gives us insightful views on our fragility as humans, sound advice, words of comfort and prayers of faith. In fact it speaks into every situation life throws at us.

When I was a student, coming to terms with being an adult and living my own life, I loved Psalm 139, and I notice one of my own daughters now has this pinned up on her noticeboard:

‘For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.’

Later, when I embarked on a precarious and stressful career in television, ‘Be still, and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46: 10) became the balm to my whirling mind. And when I became a mother with four small children, this was pinned on my fridge (more for my own benefit than the children’s!):

‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.’ Galatians 5:22-23

Our favourite verses are a blessing to us, so why not to others? When speaking to people who are exploring Christianity or may have little knowledge of what being a Christian is about, I love to share this one:

‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.’ Ephesians 2:8-9

Cue the loud sound of pennies dropping.

I’ve had a few heart-in-mouth moments when sharing a verse, but that of course is today’s challenge. What verses resonate with you at this stage in your life and how can you share them? Try posting on social media or even have a conversation; you may well be surprised by the response you get.

Debbie Wright

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40 Acts THE NUDGE

"This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard. What explains it was that they had first given themselves unreservedly to God and to us. The other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives." 2 Corinthians 8: 5 (The Message)

I want to tell you about something called The Nudge.

The Nudge is that inner impression you get . . . a sense that says, I need to move from awareness to action. I need to engage. It could mean helping someone with a broken-down car. It could be helping lift a bag into the overhead compartment on the airplane. It could even be buying something for someone. The Nudge is when you see a need and you make something happen.

If you follow it, The Nudge will take you places you never thought you’d go. You’ll end up experiencing things you never thought you’d experience – all because you followed a prompting.

One of my favourite stories about The Nudge tells of a woman who’d been out of work for quite some time when she finally got a job. But her excitement didn’t last long. Just three days into it, she was depressed and still very low on funds. She wouldn’t get her first pay until she’d worked two weeks, yet she was close to being evicted from her apartment and worried about providing for her son. She had to get him to school, but she couldn’t even afford the bus fare.

As she prepared to cross the street one day to go to work, a car pulled up in front of her. The window rolled down and the man in the car leaned over and said, ‘Ma’am, do you ride the bus?’

The woman said, ‘Yes, but today I can’t afford bus fare.’

The man held up a laminated card and said, ‘I woke up this morning with a strong impression that I should go buy this annual bus pass. I’ve never ridden the bus, and I’ve never bought a bus pass before. This must be for you. Have a nice day.’ Then he handed her the bus pass and drove away.

The woman broke down in tears.

God uses all of us – our intellect, our emotions and our gut instincts. That day, a complete stranger followed a nudge that led him to provide hope for someone who desperately needed help. The instinct that says, I need to do something. I’ve found that the more you follow The Nudge, the more ready you’ll be to identify it in the future, and the more inclined you’ll feel to engage it. When you do, you won’t believe where God will take you.

Brad Formsma

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40 Acts - SENDING A BIGGER MESSAGE

"A person finds joy in giving an apt reply – and how good is a timely word!" Proverbs 15:23 (NIV)

I've written many passive-aggressive messages in my time, from scrawled notes to housemates pointing out how lovely it would be if we washed up occasionally to polite emails alluding to veiled displeasure at someone’s actions.

And I’ve received a fair number too. I can still conjure up the disproportionate rage evoked by seemingly insignificant Post-it notes or their technological equivalents, and cringe at time spent dreaming up witty come-backs to words which ruined my day.

Far better to dwell instead on messages which leave positivity in their wake.

I smile at the memory of my first job, single-handedly cooking for 40 students for weeks on end, and am so grateful to the person who arrived early to leave me encouraging little notes in the kitchen. I chuckle at the unexpected joy of finding funny pictures randomly stuck inside cupboards by a housemate.

I find pleasure in the pretty postcard received for no reason other than someone thought I’d like it, and in those ‘saw this and thought of you’ text messages. I appreciate photos of my new niece WhatsApped to me when her tired parents have every excuse not to be in touch, and remain thankful for that croissant on my desk in the run-up to Christmas from a colleague who knew me well enough to know that it would help.

How good, as the proverb goes, is a timely word!

Little communications, unnoticed by the majority, with surprising power to show their recipient that they are known, loved, and worth the effort. Timely Post-its, texts, cards and emails which – by choosing love, joy, kindness and the rest over criticism and passive-aggression – reflect in some small way the Word coming among us at just the right time and send a bigger message that another way is within our grasp.

Emily Bowerman

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40 Acts - SELFLESS COMMITMENT

“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” Deuteronomy 15:10

While on patrol with a small four-man team from my SAS squadron, out in the deserts of North Africa, we were waiting for a delayed helicopter pickup. A delay like that, when you’re nearly out of water and in the roasting heat of the desert, can be life-threatening. We were all severely dehydrated and getting weaker fast.

Every hour we would sip another small capful from the one remaining water bottle we each carried, carefully and methodically rationing the little we had left. To make matters worse, I was sick.

The call came in; our extraction would come at dawn, some 20 miles away. We loaded up and began our slow and tortuous shuffle across the mountains, weighed down by kit and fatigue. I was soon struggling, with each footstep a monumental effort of will.

My sergeant, Chris Carter, could see this. He stopped the patrol, came to me, and insisted I drink the last remaining capful from his own bottle. No fuss, no show, he just made me drink it.

It was his kindness, that extreme of practical generosity that gave me the strength to keep going when I had nothing left inside me. No ego. No bravado or show.

Simple goodness.

The kind of goodness that Jesus talked about when he told us to love each other like ourselves; putting others needs above our own.

Mother Teresa said: ‘Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.’ Carry that with you today and don’t underestimate the power you have to change lives, to show others a little glimpse of Jesus, as you give in practical and powerful ways.

Bear Grylls

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40 Acts - TICK TOCK

"Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10 (NIV)

I was ‘that girl’ in a restaurant recently. There I sat, alone, trying desperately not to look alone, at a table for 15. For half an hour. As people kept asking if they could borrow seats.

In a moment of insanity I had forgotten that my friends are always, always late – and I should have added a good 30 minutes onto our scheduled arrival time. True to form, the other 14 arrived en masse half an hour later, and we began our lovely evening.

Don’t think that I am a saint – more often than not I’m on the other side of the time-keeping spectrum. I’m the one who wanders into work 30 seconds past my start time (on a good day), who texts ahead to say that my journey has been ‘disrupted’ by an unnameable disaster, and who can never, ever be on time for church – no matter when it starts.

In those rare moments when I am on time and others are not, I’m reminded how little we value punctuality in our culture, and how much technology is a crutch for our lack of care.

I know I should be on time. I want to be on time. But why is it so important that we are, as Christians?

1. Jesus said we should prefer others to ourselves. Leaving someone hanging around and waiting for you so that you can check Facebook just one last time reveals that you care more about yourself than the other person. Being on time is a simple way to put others first.

2. It reveals your integrity. If we agree to arrive somewhere at midday and turn up half an hour later, we have not been true to our word. Integrity means doing what we say we will do, and excuses don’t help!

Phoebe Thompson

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Where are we on the time-keeping spectrum? Maybe it’s high time we were on time.

40 Acts - Don't let possessions possess you: HOLD IT LIGHTLY

"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:20-21 (NIV)

A few years ago, a friend of mine was getting new living room furniture. Honestly, his old furniture was in pretty good shape. I figured he could sell it for around $500. Then he did something I couldn’t wrap my mind around at the time. He gave it away!

You see, back then I held my hands tightly around my treasure ... you know, my money and my stuff. But that day God started a work in my heart by prying open my fist one finger at a time.

Fast forward a few years. My ten-year-old son Sutton and I were having dinner at our favourite restaurant when we overheard a man tell his server that he wasn’t having a good day. We both felt God calling us to buy his dinner to help lift his spirits.

Sutton tells the story in his own words:

After my dad paid for the man’s dinner and we left, it felt so great to bless someone like that! It turned out that the man was really sad because his wife had died from cancer. Our waitress told us that he comes in a lot and usually HE’S the one who buys dinner for other people! Wow!!

We wished we’d left a note or something, because blessings like that are a great way to tell people about Jesus. Then, we came up with a Generosity Now card that people could leave when they do an act of generosity. We call it ’carding’ someone.

If I had to choose my favourite, it would be the time we left a really big tip for our waitress and then watched through the window, while we got soaked in the rain! She saw the money and looked surprised and then read the Generosity Now card. We saw her face light up in a big smile and watched her run back into the kitchen to tell everyone about it. It was awesome!

We’ve learned that a tight fist keeps your treasure securely locked inside, but it also leaves no room for God’s abundance to squeeze through your fingers. We’ve realised that the ‘stuff’ we held dear as our treasure breaks or wears out, but the impact of smiles and tears of joy is infinitely more valuable.

Christ and Sutton Coffman

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40 Acts - THANK YOU

"Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:19b-20 (NIV)

Who would have thought that two little words could have so much influence for change, hope and transformation! ‘Thank you’ are two of the most powerful words I know because I see them unlock hope and positivity even in the most tricky situations, two things our world very desperately needs.

For two years I tweeted everyday #thankyoutoday for something that day. I started doing it because life had become a bit tough and I was finding it harder to keep a generous spirit. I expected it to help me connect with God and be thankful even on difficult or mundane days. What I found was a habit of thankfulness that led to thinking of others more, being generous with my words and encouragement of others' creativity to see glimpses of hope every day.

We live in a world where it is all too easy to be overwhelmed by difficulties, our personal challenges or the news of a world that is broken and crying out for help. Thankfulness instils in us a gratitude for what we do have. The more we practise an attitude of gratitude, the more I think God inspires us to be generous and live for hope, choosing to defy the odds and believe that a better tomorrow is possible.

Today is not just another day; today is an opportunity to invest in thankfulness and be seekers of hope and positivity. With this in mind, let’s join together and…

Write an update on your social media saying #thankyoutoday for something. If you’re not on social media, why not write it on a post-it and stick it to your bathroom mirror?

If you want more of a challenge, why not also write to someone in authority in your local area and thank them for their hard work? You could write to your MP, local councillors, church leader. Even if you don’t like everything they do, let’s be generous with our thankfulness.

Dot Tyler

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40 Acts - FAIR TRADE

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 (NIV)

It’s easy to think that Fairtrade is just a nice way to shop – a way to tick boxes and feel good. But for Christians it is about acting justly because for many farmers and artisans fair trade represents their only viable route out of poverty.

Having grown up in Kenya and visited India extensively, I’m no stranger to poverty. In fact, I’ve seen the effect it has on people all my life. It was after visiting the slums of Bombay in 1988 that I knew I had to do something to help and so I co-founded the Christmas Cracker project, which raised a lot of money for people with real needs.

From that time on, I’ve always been interested and active in the fight against poverty, and that continues today. I’m proud to be Chair of the Board at Traidcraft and it really has been an eye-opening experience.

Crucial to this is the fact that Fairtrade empowers people. It gives them access to a better wage so that all their hard work can finally start to pay off. On top of that, farmers receive a Fairtrade premium which they invest into community projects like building schools, accessing clean water and improving food security.

I’ve seen the difference that fair trade can make to families and communities in the developing world – it truly has the power to transform lives.

That’s why I urge you to choose Fairtrade today and fight poverty when you buy your clothes, your food or even your cleaning products and rubber gloves.

Ram Gidomal

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40 Acts: Day Four Devise a SURPRISE

"Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 (NIV)

A friend’s spontaneous laughter or tears of joy can be so infectious and cathartic (isn’t it intriguing how fine the line between the two is?), the only surprise is that we don’t do more to provoke them.

When was the last time you found yourself so overwhelmed by a shared moment that neither of you could hold yourself back? Was it a joke perhaps? – I often find the more absurd the gag, the funnier and more cathartic it becomes (for me that’s the appeal of Monty Python). Or shared relief (as when the RAC man finally arrives after the car breaks down)? Or the realisation you have more in common than you dreamed possible? Such moments can brighten a day; but they might actually revolutionise a life.

You see, deliberately trying to surprise someone can actually be an act of great generosity. I’m not talking about sneaking up to make them jump out of their skin. I mean an act of grace. Grace is always unexpected, unearned, undeserved, unconditional, unquestioning, uninhibited. In short, it is always a surprise.

Which is why the Christian gospel is the world’s most monumental surprise. After all, who could possibly have predicted that God’s global salvage-plan would be achieved by a first-century northern carpenter wandering around Judaea in poverty, only to get executed as a Roman criminal? God is seriously in the surprise business. And no one gets close to him on that front. But for those who get it, God’s surprise results in shouts, laughter and tears of spontaneous joy. Any other grace-surprises are but a pale reflection.

So you want to become like God this Lent? Why not start by doing or saying something unexpected, unearned, undeserved, unconditional, unquestioning, uninhibited, for someone else?

Today. And every day.

Mark Meynell

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40 Acts: Day 3 CLEAN

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." Genesis 2:15 (NIV)

Near my house, at the end of one of the roughest roads in the area, is a piece of wasteland. No one really knows if it has ever been put to any good use; for as long as we can remember it has been an eyesore: the dumping ground for shopping trolleys and old refrigerators, and a place with long grass that the Council never cuts where shady characters can do their dealings.

It’s neither eyesore nor waste ground any more though – because a group of us decided to turn it into a community orchard. It is now a lovely area, with a winding path that meanders through it, a native hedgerow planted along its borders, and eighteen or so apple, pear and plum trees. We are hoping for our first picking this year.

In Genesis 2:15, God took the person he had created and put that person in the garden to tend and take care of it. It is a beautiful verse and describes our role in relation to the world around us. We are a part of it – we are in it – but we have a role to play in looking after the rest of what God has made. Sadly we often end up making the world messy and dirty, but there are always opportunities to make life cleaner.

Today’s act is about being generous to our environment and helping the world to be a beautiful place in which to live. It starts by going outside and noticing the world around you: the birds singing, the plants growing, the clouds moving across the sky … Where it ends is up to you!

1. Looking after the patch of land around where you live: pick up litter and plant a few bulbs or flowers that will attract bees and butterflies.

2. Joining a local conservation group and take part in what they are doing.

Ruth Valerio

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40ACTS - Day 2 Chinwag

"You shall love the stranger." Deuteronomy 10:19 (NRSV)

I’m going to level with you. I love to talk. I love a good long chinwag over a cup of tea, talking about everything and anything that has happened in the history of humankind.

To the embarrassment of my children, I think nothing of striking up a conversation with the person behind me in the queue at the bank, or the parent sitting next to me at swimming lessons. I know most of the cashiers at my local supermarket by name.

I can’t help it; the words just fall out of my head. But I know I’m a little unusual. I know that others find talking harder; they prefer to keep themselves to themselves. But the thing is, I think words are a gift, a parcel, wrapped up in a smile, to someone who may not have spoken to anyone all day. What’s more, I think Jesus would say the same – he talked to people everywhere he went and never thought twice about introducing himself to a stranger.

We live in a world of increasing individualism; we’re a nation of independent entities quietly co-existing. Words create community. When we’ve taken the minutes it takes to say ‘Hi’ to our neighbours, we’ve begun to create connections.

Connections can grow and bring light and life. From hello, you can build up to knowing each other’s names and occupations and family status. Then before you know it, you’re inviting someone in for coffee, or offering to pick up a pint of milk for them whilst you’re at the shops. You’re feeding their goldfish whilst they go away for a weekend. You’re listening to their worries as they face the fear of cancer, and praying for them, sharing Jesus in the house next door.

It’s possible I talk too much, and there certainly isn’t airspace for everyone in the world to chatter as much as I do. But perhaps today you could choose to have a constructive chinwag and brighten up someone’s day.

Bekah Legg

You can view all of today's page here

40ACTS: Starting Line

"I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please." Isaiah 46:10 (NIV)

From the very beginning the Lord had a plan for reconciliation and redemption. It didn’t happen by chance and it didn’t alter over time. The generosity of the cross was a plan. Generosity rarely just ‘happens’.

When it comes to our own generosity, having a plan – whatever we may feel about that – can allow generosity to spread further than we might ever imagine. Many people use a three-strand approach to guide their giving:

Church – at the centre.

Giving our time, money, prayer and skills to our churches and their programmes enables them to flourish.

Charity and charitable work – moves our focus to the world around us.

We are all shaped by experiences – both good and bad – and these can draw us to specific causes. Sometimes we simply feel a clear calling to a particular project or work. So whether you support evangelism, anti-trafficking, education or youth development, make a plan for supporting the area(s) you feel strongly about.

Impulsive generosity – planning for the unexpected.

I love this! Whether this is making space in your week to pray, serve or give, we can’t respond without a plan. You may wish to help a charity with a one-time need or make a donation to support a friend’s fundraising event. Sometimes we may even stumble upon an individual in need and choose to respond directly or anonymously.

Traditionally, Lent has been viewed as a season of giving up. A time to sacrifice. 40acts was envisioned to take that one step further. Just as Jesus surrendered his life to atone for our sin, we give up in order to put others first. But in order to bless others, we must plan ahead. So, whether you have 5, 10 or 60 spare minutes, start now.

Whether you’re new to 40acts or have been following the campaign for five years, welcome!

Whether you are following as an individual, family, church or group of friends, we hope you find the next 40 days inspiring, challenging and motivating. Perhaps you’ll hit a lull at 20 days. Perhaps you’ll breeze through 40! Perhaps on Day 41 you’ll revise your generosity plan for the coming year.

But above all else, at the end of 40 days I pray you will have drawn closer to Jesus, one act at a time.

Tak a look at the 40 ACTS page for today here