Look at the Birds               Word on the Week                       5^th March 2022.

As I walked past the forest garden, there in the bright sunlight were two blackbirds engaged in marital combat.   The frost was still sparkling on the tufts of grass unappreciated by the combatants.   A third blackbird or should I say ‘brownbird’, the cause of the affray hopped around the fighters betraying her interest in the winner!

After all her future partner was there so the outcome was of generic importance.  The next generation of blackbirds hung on it!    No doubt the nesting site had been chosen and the first twigs laid in place.   Much work would go into it before the beautiful blue green eggs would nestle down in their bed of soft lichen, feathers and hair.

The location of the nest is usually in the blackthorn hedge where the vicious thorns repel the thieving magpie along with any other would-be predator.   Their song is intended to impress the wife but in their exuberance have no hesitation in joining with other early risers such as robin, siskin and blue tits.

These, along with various tits, finches and dunnock are regular customers for breakfast at the bird table and feeders that hang from it.    They are our constant companions occasionally producing ‘show-stoppers’ in the form of long tailed tits who have recently joined us at lunchtime.

Perhaps more spectacular is the buzzard who has established his territory in the area where the farm road meets the hill known as ‘Snailbox’.  He keeps a watchful eye on the local population warding off other predators such as the sparrow hawk.  His distinctive call, a penetrating pee-oo, causes small animals such as beetles to break cover revealing themselves as his next meal.

He has nested on the farm for some years and his presence is probably responsible for a small rookery to leave us for a patch of woodland a mile away.  

Perhaps one definition of an optimist would be someone who built an owl nesting box and fixed it to a large oak tree when evidence of owl activity is only one possible sighting some time ago!    Well, we are optimists and duly set up the nest box this week!    We should confess having another owl nest box in the barn for the last number of years without result!   We even have a swift’s box without ever seeing a swift so no one can say we are unprepared!

In Jesus’ famous “don’t worry” statement, after highlighting what all the glossy magazines major on today – what you eat or drink or wear – He enlists the birds as good examples of a stress free life.   The bird’s reliance is on their Heavenly Father who looks after them.    Our absence of trust tends to reduce our life span rather than extend it!

Jesus concludes by saying if we look after the things which he considers important then we can rely on Him to look after the things we consider to be important (St Matthew Chapter 6 verses 28 to 34).   “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Consider the birds – daily!

Putin in Control                Word on the Week                     26^th February 2022.

This week has shown how well Putin has prepared for War.   Sorry ‘Peace Keeping’ is his preferred way of viewing it.   His adventures in Ukraine would appear to be running on schedule as he endeavours to put back the clock.

The restoration of lands formerly Russian would seem to be a worthy task for a Dictator.   His predecessors seceding them to their own people must have rankled.    But land is fixed it that it cannot get away.   Boundaries are fluid in the hands of armies.

Sir Frederick Catherwood in his book ‘A Better Way’ relates the story of an old war veteran he met while travelling in a rail sleeper across Germany.   The veteran had been mobilised in 1914 to fight for the Austrian Empire against the Russians.   He was captured then put in the Czech National Brigade to fight for the Russians against the Austrians.

When, after the revolution, when the Czech Brigade finally got home he found that the Versailles ethnic division had made him a Pole and he was called up to fight for the Poles against the Russians.   In 1939 he was again called up into the Polish army to fight the Germans.   His home town was then annexed, on ethnic grounds, by the puppet State of Slovakia and he was called up to fight the Russians.

He was once more captured and forced again into a Czech national brigade to fight the Germans.   He rode home with the Czech brigade and has lived in peace ever since!  

Perhaps the amazing thing is that Europe has been reasonably peaceful for the past 75 years.   That is until the advent of Putin!

So what will be Putin’s downfall?   In more normal countries the youth, use their smart phones to organise protests which result in leadership immerging.   This week’s protest in Russia has been nipped in the bud. Smartphones removed and 1,500 opponents of the conflict rounded up to await trial on ‘Public Order’ offences.  Control over the population in the past has required would be leaders to be locked up or treated to a dose of State poison.

The real victims of conflict are always the innocent who get caught up in the war.   At present the Ukraine border provides some sort of security.   It’s not much but it is better than anything NATO has to offer.   Refugees are being offered shelter in neighbouring countries.   Churches are assisting.

Refugees tonight might feel some empathy with those who were exiled to Babylon in Isaiah’s day.   In Chapter 43 verses 1 – 4 the Prophet passed on what the lord said: – “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. Since you are precious and honoured in my sight, and because I love you.

Covid – the reality           Word on the Week          19^th February 2022.

Just when we thought Covid had passed us by and we were cleaning the Men’s Shed prior to resumption I end up contracting Covid!   Other people got Covid, many people around us got Covid.   I had begun to think I was immune!    So don’t dispense with the mask yet!

The one to dread is long Covid.    It inflicts a tiredness that becomes impossible to shake off.   It makes its home in an existing condition which makes it difficult to treat.

Originally vaccination was carried out, not only to protect the one being vaccinated, but to prevent the spread of the virus through the community.   In more recent times, vexed at the slowness of their population to get vaccinated, authorities introduced the mandatory aspect.   It now has descended into a show of strength!

No one likes being told what to do and it may be that Governments have been ham-fisted in applying the ‘science’.   Making vaccine mandatory is a bridge too far for many people.  In fact, rallies against it have already occurred in Australia, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, and the Czech Republic, among other countries.

In North America, Canadian truckers protesting against vaccine mandates have inspired truckers around the world to head to their capital cities in protest.   These things can quickly get out of hand as seen by the Canadian Government’s response.  

The fact is that vaccination will be with us for the foreseeable future.   It prevented me from getting Covid badly.   Cheer up vaccine deniers – you haven’t heard much mention of the flu this winter so it must be doing some good in the community!

Naaman had leprosy. He wanted a cure.  He thought he was above authority.   And Elisha, the prophet, sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure me of my leprosy.”

It took his servants to speak sense to him, he obeyed and was cured (2 Kings Chapter 5 verses 1 to 19).   Perhaps the truckers and others will reconsider their stance.

Ukraine in the Frame            Word on the Week               12^th February 2022.

The frame is composed of Russian weapons of war.   It extends from Belarus in the North to Moldova in the South West taking in Donbas a Russian speaking portion of East Ukraine and including the recently annexed Crimea in the Black Sea.

President Putin’s expansionist policies have worked well for him as he endeavours to recover the portions of the Russian empire that gained independence from Moscow during last century.   His military might has virtually secured Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, and effectively controls Belarus.

Reports of Russian military manoeuvres in the Black Sea and on the borders of Ukraine have dominated the news this week.  The troop build-up threatens to swell into a full-scale invasion of a country that has only ever known three decades of independence from its overbearing neighbour!

Moscow has repeatedly denied any intention to invade Ukraine but why would it amass such a show of strength only to disband?    It is reminiscent of The Grand Old Duke of York: – Oh, the grand old Duke of York, He had ten thousand men; He marched them up to the top of the hill, and he marched them down again.

But Putin is not known for indulging in futile behaviour!   However, wars are expensive and if he can get most of what he wants without firing a single shot that would have its appeal.    On the other hand, a speedy incursion to the capital city Kyiv followed by the installation of a puppet regime would do his pride no end of good!

How far removed is all this from the task, first given to Israel to be a light to the Gentiles by showing God’s Laws in action (Deuteronomy Chapter 4 verses 5 to 9).   Their failure, Isaiah prophesied, would be addressed by the Servant of the Lord who would restore Israel and be a light to the Gentile Nations “that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah Chapter 49 verses 3 to 6).

In fulfilment came Jesus declaring “I am the light of the world”.    He also said that “whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (St John Chapter 8 verse 12).

The spreading of the Kingdom of God (i.e. the People of God) is a work in progress which the “gates of hell will not prevail against” (St Matthew Chapter 16 verse 18) – far less Putin’s armies!

Bridget of Kildare               Word on the week              5^th February 2022.

Under the heading ‘The Biddies Are Back’ the daily newspaper showed dancers, clad in white, performing a ritual dance.  This annual event had been postponed because of the Covid pandemic.   They were heralding the start of Spring on the 1^st of February and paying homage to St Brid, the patron saint of the farming community.

Coincidentally the government had been considering granting the country an additional holiday partly as a ‘thank you’ for coping so well with the pandemic and partly to bring the number of public holidays more into line with other countries.   Another factor was the availability of St Bridget’s day so from 1^st February 2023 we will holiday.

Some may have wished the Saint would have chosen a warmer day to die but it was on 1^st February 525 (or thereabouts) that the event took place.  Brigid (the spelling varies) is said to have been buried at the right of the high altar of Kildare Cathedral, and a costly tomb raised over her “adorned with gems and precious stones and crowns of gold and silver”.   Then about the year 878, owing to Viking raids, Brigid’s purported relics were taken to Downpatrick and reburied in the tomb of St. Patrick and St. Columba.

Brigid of Ireland, or of Kildare, has been venerated since the early Middle Ages.  It is in place names that her influence is best seen.   In Ireland there are multiple Kilbride’s (Church of Brid).  In Scotland, East Kilbride and West Kilbride are called after Brigid. Lhanbryde, near Elgin, is thought to be Pictish for “Church of Brigid”.    Abroad place names abound from Newfoundland to the Antarctic!

Many wells have been made sacred to her as expanding Christianity turned heathen customs into Christian ones.   Wells were places where wishes were allegedly met and votive clothes tied to neighbouring trees.   The requests were often associated with fertility and childbirth.

The best known symbol of Brigid is her cross made of straw or reeds.  Legend has it that Bridget wove one while sitting at the bedside of a dying Chieftain, whilst she weaved, she explained the meaning of the cross to him.    He understood that Christ had made a way for him, via the cross. to get right with God.   Her calming words brought peace to his soul. He was so enamoured by what she said that the old Chieftain requested he be baptized as a Christian just before he passed away (Acts Chapter 8 verses 30 to 38).

Perhaps this inspired the hymn writer Henry Francis Lyte, an Irishman, to pen the last verse of his popular hymn ‘Abide with me’: – Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes, Shine through the gloom and point me to the shies; Heaven’s morning breaks, and earths vain shadows flee: In life and death, O Lord, abide with me.

Interestingly, ‘Hold Thou Thy cross’ have been changed to ‘Reveal Thyself’ to remove any transgression into idolatry in imbuing a man-made cross with supernatural properties.   However, Scripture has no such obsessions using the cross as shorthand for the atoning work of Christ (Galatians Chapter 6 verse 14).

Holocaust Survivors           Word on the Week             29^th January 2022.

“I don’t want to read about them!”   “Why can’t we be reminded about ‘Bloody Sunday, our own tragedy?”   Anniversaries, anniversaries, they often remind us of what we would like to forget.   And who can forget the photograph of the Priest waving the white handkerchief on Bloody Sunday?    That handkerchief has been preserved – lest we forget!

And that is the point – we forget!   There are also Holocaust deniers!   People whose dislike of Israel translates into stating it never happened.   Over 6 million Jews and Others were wiped out of history.   Hitler would be proud of these anti-Semitisic people!

The annual Holocaust Memorial Day fell on last Thursday.  It was commemorated, amongst other things, by Prince Charles commissioning portraits of 7 of the remaining survivors.   These paintings, which were shown in a BBC TV programme, are to be hung in the Royal Gallery in Windsor.   They will provide a lasting testimony to the atrocities of the death camps when those portrayed have died.

The portrait of Lily Ebert, now age 98, showed her wearing a tiny gold medallion.   It had defied Nazi inspections by being hidden in the heel of her shoe.   When the heel wore out she hid it in a piece of bread and thus it survived.   It is worn every day and is her only possession to outlast the Holocaust.   You can hear her account of her experiences on You Tube – https://www.cufi.org.uk/news/.

Most reading this blog could imagine something of what it would have been like to have been imprisoned in a concentration camp.  Few, if any, would conceive what it was like to be a perpetrator of the atrocity.   Yet Scripture speaks of the universality of sin and does not provide us with a scale (James Chapter 2 verse 10).

It is almost as if St Paul anticipated the holocaust.  In his Roman letter he writes, “I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.  For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.  Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! (Chapter 9 verses 1 – 5).

In the following chapter the Apostle reiterates his desire that the Israelites may be saved.   He acknowledges their zeal for law-keeping in an effort to establish their own righteousness by-passing God’s righteousness and adds Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes in Jesus.

Covid Conquered             Word on the Week          22nd January 2022.

Conquered? Not quite but it certainly felt like it listening to the
Taoiseach’s broadcast last evening.   The only remnants remaining,
that would affect the majority, are the mask wearing and hand
sanitising that have become second nature to us!

It remains to be seen what the result of such freedom would be.   The
new reality of being able to move about freely and attend sporting
fixtures unhindered is heady stuff.   Two reactions can be predicted.
 The first following Prime Minister Johnston’s lead (although his
parties were a bit premature!) and hit the booze.  The other is the
mental struggle of coming to terms with liberty after such a lengthy
period of semi-isolation!

Both can wreck your head!  The first comes as the aftermath of the
party and is as debilitating as it is short lasting.   The second is
disorientating.   New life-styles have been put in place and a return
to old routines of the pre March 2020 ways of working may no longer be
desired or workable.

Change, that dreaded word, has happened and it would be difficult or
even impossible to re-wind our body-clocks to ignore those 22 months
of disruption.  The world’s billionaires would not want to.   The ten
richest of them doubled their wealth during the pandemic.   They now
own more than 3.1 billion of the world’s poor people.   To help
visualise how many that represents – it is the combined populations of
Africa and China!   Something is far wrong.

So much for the greed of man.   The birds have been making a better
existence for themselves.   Let me quote two cases.   The first is the
Little Egret who has moved north from the Continent of Europe to our
wetlands.  It is a small white heron with attractive white plumes on
crest, back and chest, black legs and bill and yellow feet.   It first
appeared here early in lockdown and although very shy of people was
first seen fishing in the Hartwell river.  It took off at a steep
angle and disappeared among some trees.

The other is the swallow.    By now he should be basking in African
sunshine.  There are a number who realised the effects of global
warming and have taken a chance of surviving winter in these islands!
  They have figured out that it saves them a 12,000 mile round trip!
Let’s hope the food supplies hold up for them.

What would be a Word that would sum up this week?   Perhaps we would
find it in Lamentations or “How” as it translates in Hebrew, “How did
this happen?” Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.   They are new every morning; great is
your faithfulness.   I say to myself, “the Lord is my portion;
therefore, I will wait for him.” (Chapter 3 verses 22 to 24).

The First Beginning                    Word on the Week          8^th January 2022.

For most of us it is the beginning at school that imprinted itself on our minds. That unforgettable first day!   For others it may be the first day at work with the trauma of a new beginning that became the time we cannot forget. 

By comparison in the Biblical account of the beginning of planet earth everything seems to have been structured and orderly from the first day (Genesis Chapter 1 verses 1 to 5).

For instance, Genesis Chapter 1 verse 1 reads “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  This breath-taking statement was given to Moses.   Everything was organised.  There was no hint of trauma until Chapter 3 when humankind’s rebellion ruptured relationships.  The result is being played out in the world to this day.

The next new beginning we are to consider is that of one of the leading scholars of his time.   He was searching for deeper meaning in life and was attracted to the teachings of a new Rabbi.   In fact, he thought the Rabbi may have been sent by God.   The remedy on offer was not some new resolution but nothing short of a new start to his life.   This would take place if he looked in faith to the Rabbi who is Jesus. 

The illustration Jesus used would have been well known to the man as it referred to an incident in Israel’s history (Numbers 21 verses 8 and 9).   Just as the people had looked in faith to the snake in the desert and were cured of the plague they were now to redirect their gaze to Jesus who would become their Saviour (John Chapter 3 verses 1 to 16).

There is also a last ‘new beginning’!   People were complaining that it was a long time coming.   Jesus had told his disciples that ‘He would come again’ (John Chapter 14 verse 3).   They wanted to see the promise fulfilled!  It was left to Peter to explain that 1,000 years are like a day in the Lord’s reckoning. And he added the reason for the delay.   It was the Lord’s patience.   He was ‘not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance’ (2 Peter Chapter 3 verses 3 to 9). 

We are at the beginning of a New Year.   Will we try the Lord’s patience by ignoring Him or will we be like the scholar – Nicodemus who enquired further.  His quest was rewarded and with the gift of faith.  He went on to serve Jesus amongst the most difficult of people, the Pharisees, and assisted at the Lord’s burial (John Chapters 7 verse 50 and 19 verse 39).

It required courage to follow Jesus then and it requires courage now to follow Jesus in the counter Christian culture of today.  This He will give to those who ask him.   Let’s make it our resolution so to live for Him in 2022 and forever.  

Making Merry                   Word on the Week          18^th December 2021.

“‘Tis the Season to be jolly” a line from the well-known Christmas Carol with a not so well known “Tiocfaidh ár lá” insertion got ex-president of Sinn Féin Gerry Adams into a spot of bother this week.   It was his own composition but it was the inclusion of the infamous line “They haven’t gone away you know” which awakened ghosts from the past!

Gerry had borrowed the classic Christmas carol called Deck the Halls, written by Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant in 1862, and put his own words to it.   He has a reasonable singing voice and it was a pity he didn’t stick with the original words.

The verse continues with; – Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la, la la la la.   Fill the mead cup, drain the barrel, Fa etc.   Troul the ancient Christmas carol.   The ‘Deck the Halls’ is simply to put up the decorations.   ‘Troul’ means to sing lustily.

‘Fill the mead cup, drain the barrel’ is a strange one.   We always bottled the mead in July and sealed the bottle with yeast.   It remained undisturbed till Christmas when the mead became part of the Christmas dinner.   How they sealed a barrel of mead is a mystery!

The song was also sung at the New Year.   It contains the verse, ‘Fast away the old year passes, Fa etc.  Hail the new, ye lads and lasses!’ words not so surprising considering they were written by a Scot with a fondness for that time of year!

Isaiah wrote about the joy of their harvest festival – You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest.   A successful harvest meant plenty of food till the next harvest time – a major reason for rejoicing!    Then comes the great joy of God’s child: – For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  The son always existed and was gifted to save us!
And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Then comes the picture of the Kingdom of God.
 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.   He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. (Chapter 9 verses 3 & 6/7)

A promise which gives real and lasting Joy. This is the fruit of the Spirit.   May it be with us who know and love the Saviour now and forever.   

Communication Chains             Word on the Week          11^th December 2021.

Not the paper chains we make to decorate the house at Christmas but the metal chains that bind us.   To be in chains is such an emotive expression conjuring up visions of helplessness.   That is unless you were cut from the same cloth as the Apostle Paul who used his chains to his advantage!

The Apostle had time in that Prison in Rome.   Two years in fact.   During them he wrote letters to the churches at Ephesus, Philippi and Colossi.  He also shared the Gospel with the Jewish leaders (Acts Chapter 28 verses 17 to 28).   When the majority of Jews rejected the message Paul spent the next two years preaching to the Gentiles (Acts Chapter 28 Verse 31).

St Paul’s chains were a great encouragement to Christians who may have been suffering persecution and took courage from Paul’s witness from prison so that the whole of the Imperial Guard heard the gospel (Philippians Chapter 1 verses 12 to 14).

At this week’s Bible Study, the usage of the word ‘chains’ among hymn writers was discussed.   The bulk of the time it is used to describe the binding nature of our sins which refuse to be shaken off.   Perhaps the best example of this is Wesley’s ‘And can it be that I should gain’ which has the verse: –

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.                                                              

Describing in graphic terms the new convert’s feelings upon conversion.

Then there is that song dating back to 1745 which deals so clearly with sanctifying grace in the daily life of the believer.  The first line, ‘The Saviour died and rose again’

Who then can e’er divide us now

From Jesus and his love,

Or break the sacred chain that binds                                                               

The earth to heaven above.

Of all the chains that communicate truth the idea of a sacred chain whereby God binds himself to the earth is one of the most vivid.   The notion of this chain of divine love wonderfully illustrates St John’s ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’ (chapter 3 verse 16).

Blessed chains that communicate truth.