Rev Maggie reflects

Reflections on the Kingdom – The Struggle to Follow the Way.

A couple of weeks ago the Old testament readings set for morning prayer were from Joshua. For a long time I have struggled with those parts of the Old Testament where the people are told that they have strayed from God and that is why disaster has came upon them: war or famine or sickness. But as I was reading, I saw just how far we, meaning the whole human race, have strayed from God’s ways.

We have failed to care for God’s creation. We see the results of that failure in climate change and the extinction of so many species. God told us to care for the poor and the vulnerable. We live in a world characterised by on the one hand by great wealth and on the other by extreme poverty. This is not just so when we look at the world as a whole but it is also so in our own country. Jesus told us to love our neighbour but we have not loved enough to prevent discrimination even within the Christian community. Jesus told us to love our enemies and to do good to those who hurt us but we see hatred overflowing into violence. Jesus said that the truth shall set us free. We see a lack of respect for truth, with some calling anything they do not want to hear “fake news”.

Let me be absolutely clear. I am in no way saying that God is causing these problems. These problems are the consequences of human behaviour that has continued without heed of the effects. Collectively we have strayed from the right ways. As in Ancient Israel, it is the whole people who are doing wrong. We know about climate change and the effects that it is already having on our planet but there is still a demand, despite the pandemic, to be allowed to fly away on holiday. Collectively, yes, but the collective is made up of individual decisions. So do people fly because everyone else is doing it? Is it because we have all suffered during lockdown and feel that we deserve a break? Our personal desires can easily trump what we know to be right, for air travel is one of the drivers of climate change. We are seduced from the right path. We are tempted and we fall.

It is so with the other things as well. There is a collective failure but it is rooted in our own individual desires and choices. No-one wants to make a change that they think will make them less comfortable. There are certain gospel passages that I find very difficult to hear in church, let alone read out loud. One is the story of the rich young man who wants to follow Jesus but goes away sadly after Jesus says that to follow he must first sell all that he possesses. (Matthew 19. 16-30; Mark 10. 17-31; Luke 18. 18-30) I know that as long as I am living comfortably in a rich country, I am that rich young man who has been unable to follow Jesus fully. Whatever I may give I am giving out of wealth and comfort that is denied to so many.

Jesus is calling us to listen as he does to the cries of those who are in distress. He never said that following him would be easy or indeed comfortable. In fact he said the exact opposite. He said “take up your cross and follow me”. As the lockdown is lifted we have a chance to make a difference in the world. We need all the support and guidance we can get to help us walk in his way.

Guide me o thou great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak but thou art mighty
Hold me with thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more.
Feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing waters flow.
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong deliverer, strong deliverer
Be though still my strength and shield
Be though still my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan
Bid my anxious fears subside.
Death of death and hell’s destruction
Land me safe on Canaan’s side
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever give to thee.
I will ever give to thee.

Welsh, William Williams 1717-91