It's my friend Rachel's birthday, and I've written this as an inspiration for her:
There was a time in my life when I looked at the scraggly yellow ragworts that broke through the cracks on the city pavements or straddled the old decaying brick walls and railway cuttings of Leicester and wondered … wondered at just how they survived this arid, urban waste and I thought of my own life at that time … nothing, nothing seemed to be happening … the long days seemed monotonous, unexciting and the ragworts gave me hope indeed. Even in this ‘waste’ I could find life … and so I did.
I was working as a cleaner cum shop assistant and discreetly, near my side, I kept a notebook in which I jotted down my ideas, my thoughts, my plans, my stories … and so the dullest place became a place of inspiration.
Now I know the reverse for life is busy and, yes, fulfilling but I still want to take inspiration from the ragwort and learn a lesson from its tenuous rootedness, its ability to find life when there seems so little life around. I need my roots to push deep down into the soil and this means finding God’s inspiration in everything I do. In the parched times or in the downpour, God must be my soil, my sun, my rain, my life.
Postscript: I’ve just read that just one single plant of a particular type of ragwort can produce up to 150,000 seeds in its lifetime! These scrawny, golden, fetid flowers can multiply, multiply, multiply. So with us: just where will the ‘seeds’ of lives given to God be carried and, when they take root, what kind of fruit will they bear?
“There was a day when I died, utterly died — died to George Muller, his opinions, preferences, tastes, and will; died to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends — and since then I have only to show myself approved to God.” George Muller, 1805 –1898, evangelist and philanthropist.
Mmm … things like that make for a bit of heart-searching and deep thought …..
Anyway, I have been wondering today: what has been the most fruitful day of my life as yet? I have no clue but probably it was not one of those memorable, exhilarating days when you feel heaven is close and sense the Father’s comforting whisper... Much more likely it was one of those grey, drizzling days when quietly, unnoticed, I have had to die, to put a nail in the coffin of the self-importance that so wants to be something, to do something outstanding and special and to put on the mantle of a faithful servant who is happy just to do her master’s bidding and love and serve Him as well in the small as in the great.
Grey and drizzling, monotonous drip dripping of the rain – hidden-to-me but known to God - a rainbow arches the sky and the sun beams through with glorious promise…
They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, He asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9: 33-35
I work at the Coventry Jesus Centre. Each week on a Monday an older lady (in her 70s) comes in early to clean (voluntarily.) Without a word, each week when I arrive, she leaves a cup of tea on my table and two chocolate biscuits or maybe some mince pies. She never announces what she has done – she does it silently, without a word.
It is a small but very beautiful thing she does for me; no thanks are expected; it springs from an overflow of love that does not look for a return favour. Yet, it makes me feel warm inside – I feel loved. Such lowly, servant-people, to be sure, are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Jerusalem Telegraph AD 30
Imposter wanted for questioning as
new allegations pour in of yet another miracle
Sanhedrin determines
Jesus of Nazareth be silenced
Once again the city is full of rumours surrounding self-appointed rabbi, Jesus from Nazareth, who is reported to have performed one of his ‘magical tricks’ again. Residents of the small village of Bethany, near Jerusalem, are saying he raised to life a dead man, Lazarus of Bethany, yesterday. The named man is said to have died five days ago of natural causes and been placed in the tomb outside the village a few hours after he died. The deceased’s body had been washed and anointed with oils and spices, as is the custom, and seventy people took part in the burial procession.
Jesus of Nazareth is purported to have been on good terms with the deceased man, Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha and often frequents their house. He was not present on the day of Lazarus’s death and burial.
Neighbours told reporters that Jesus arrived near Bethany at noon yesterday and, while still outside the village, spoke with Lazarus’s sister, Martha, at some length. Neighbours said they were shocked to see the two in deep conversation and apparently the ‘rabbi’ has been known to do such a shameful thing on a few previous occasions (publically conversing with a woman – and, it has to be said, not even a blood relative.)
Martha is reported to have gone to find her sister Mary and it appears the rabbi also spoke to her outside in the same place; it was clear the woman, Mary, was traumatised by events and quickly collapsed at his feet weeping. Jesus was said to be overcome with emotion after the conversation.
Jesus of Nazareth went to the tomb, a small cave cut out of the rocks, and one man working on his garden nearby distinctly heard him, from a distance, order the stone to be removed and call the dead man out of the tomb. Another neighbour said that he was alarmed to see a white figure walking stiffly out of the tomb, wrapped from head to foot in grave clothes, and the rabbi commanded these to be taken off.
The Sanhedrin has admitted it is getting inundated with and very tired of these stories that keep coming in … healings, miracles, risings from the dead. They are ‘interrupting business as usual’ and members of the council are deeply concerned that gullible and ignorant people believe them and appear to hang on every word the imposter speaks.
The most likely explanation is that it is a set-up to impress or the dead man must have swooned
Reporters questioned the two sisters at length. They too are taken in by the imposter and are convinced that a miracle had taken place. Both said they were with their brother when he died and told reporters that even if Lazarus had swooned he could not have come out of the tomb four days later, having eaten and drunk nothing and looking, as they described, ‘in blooming health.’ Impertinently, they asked reporters what would be the purpose of a set-up when Jesus has already done ’countless other miracles’ to prove that He is the ******** (cannot be published due to blasphemous content.) They pointed out that Jesus did not want any more publicity as some ruffians in the vicinity of the capital have been seeking every opportunity to stone him. They said they could provide plenty of witnesses to the miracle if we are still unconvinced..
The Sanhedrin is reported to be desperate to question Jesus of Nazareth on his own concerning his teaching and so-called miracles. If anyone knows his whereabouts please ring Caiaphas on 089 765 314 22.
Last Saturday (19 May) we had a vision-inspiring morning at Coventry Jesus Centre for all us staff and volunteers led by Ruth Smith from 'Livability,' an organisation aiming to equip and support Christian groups like us to meet the spiritual and practical needs of our neighbourhoods.
Ruth was just great: unassuming, intuitive and able to draw us out – rather than tell us what we should be doing. She encouraged us to find God, to rest in Him and find His grace and inspiration in all that we do (she sensed we’re all a little weary) so we can, "soar on wings like eagles ... run and not grow weary ...walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31
At the end of the morning my friend, Ann Generous, wrote this very thought-provoking poem - me thinks it needs mediating on, line by line … it’s deep …. take a deep breath and enjoy ....
God of the small things
God of the universe
Seeing right to the end
But seeing the here and now
Covering the past with mercy
Carrying the present with grace
Inspiring the future with vision
What do You see?
What are Your longings?
Where will You take us?
Into people’s hearts
Into people’s lives
Into people’s longings
Inspire the hope
Inspire the confidence
Inspire the action
Working out of the well of Your grace
Working into the opportunities of Your love
Reflecting Your heart to value each one
Reflecting that mercy overcomes judgement
Not despising the steps each one takes
Not forgetting the human pain
Not fitting people into moulds
Being willing for the little things
Being glad in the small victories
Being rested in the long journey
Being lifted by Your immense strength
We’re not here for that long really … and the memory of us will eventually die. But while we’re here, the challenge is to influence people for God – I mean, as much as we can, with God’s enabling. Some people (including me and quite a few of my friends) choose to do this by embracing a celibate calling – choosing committed singleness for life - seeing it as a fruitful means to this end. Such, too, did Amy Carmichael.
Amy Carmichael was a woman who etched a deep mark on many people’s lives. Indeed, her influence is still with us in the books she wrote and in the ‘Dohnavaur’ fellowship which she founded and which still exists today.
Amy Carmichael was a celibate visionary leader, a pioneer, a woman of deep spiritual insight, a writer, a pray-er but above all a lover - of her spiritual children, the lost - and most of all, Jesus.
Born in Northern Ireland in 1867, Amy was converted as a teenager after her family moved to Belfast. When she was about 20, she founded 'Welcome Hall' as a mission to reach Belfast's mill-girls. When her family moved to Manchester, Amy again worked amongst the factory girls in the slums.
Amy sailed for Japan in 1893 to be a missionary. Her dream ended just over a year later when she returned home exhausted and unable to cope with the extreme climate. At this time she received a strong call to celibacy. Years later she described how she found a solitary cave to pray. "I had feelings of fear about the future. That was why I was there - to be alone with God. The devil kept on whispering 'It's all right now, but what about afterwards? You are going to be very lonely.' And he painted pictures of loneliness - I can see them still. And I turned to my God in a kind of desperation and said, 'Lord what can I do? How can I go on to the end?' And He said, 'None of them that trust in Me shall be desolate.' That word has been with me ever since. It has been fulfilled to me."
The following year Amy sailed to southern India and soon gathered a group of women whom she formed into a woman's band, called the 'Starry Cluster.' Under her leadership the women travelled around the villages, visiting homes and speaking to women and children who were willing to listen to the gospel. When two teenage girls who wanted to become believers escaped from their homes and came to her, the threat of violence forced them all to move to Dohnavur, on the southern tip of India. Amy lived there for the rest of her life.
In 1901 Amy rescued her first temple child. Such children were destined for a life of prostitution in Hindu temples. Over the years she rescued, and had brought to her, many other children in similar danger. A home was made for them amidst a community of believers, later called the Dohnavur Fellowship. Like Amy, many at Dohnavur chose to remain single 'to attend upon the Lord without distraction' as one of them said.
In 1916 Amy formed 'The Sisters of the Common Life' for single women like herself. In a book of guidelines for them Amy wrote: 'There is nothing dreary or doubtful about this life. It is meant to be continually joyful..' She describes those who embraced this lifestyle as ones 'being willing to follow the Lamb wherever he goeth.'
Amy, called 'Amma' (mother), was not only a spiritual mother to many of her fellow workers but to her adopted children as well. Her aim was to train the children 'to serve, to be evangelists and lovers of souls' and to send out teams to evangelize the people of southern India.
In 1931 Amy broke a leg which left her disabled for the rest of her life. For the next 20 years, confined to her room, she continued in her role as 'Amma' to the family as well as writing many books. In one of her books called 'Ploughed Under' she writes of the need of celibates to be spiritual parents. 'Perhaps because there are so many perishing for lack of love in a world which can be hard and cold to birds which have no nest of their own, He wants some mother-hearts to be free to make nests for them, just as He wants some of His knights to be St. Pauls ... and for Francis of Assisi there is need everywhere."
'Why was it ever forgotten I wonder?' she wrote of celibacy. The word she received so many years ago - 'It has been fulfilled to me. It will be fulfilled to you.'
Amy’s legacy of compassion, obedience and devotion as a celibate pioneer lives on – both in the books she has written and in the continuing fellowship she planted at Dohnavaur.
Give us more like her, O Lord … give us those with undivided hearts … surely the spiritual malaise, the apathy and lack of desire we so often suffer from would be turned around …. and the church would be rooted deeper in God, more single-minded, standing stronger – for Him alone.
I’m reading the book ‘Miracle on the River Kwai’ by a Scotsman, Ernest Gordon, and published in 1963. Allied soldiers are captured by the Japanese and, as slave labourers, forced to build a railroad between Bangkok (Thailand) and Rangoon (Burma) and a bridge over the River Kwai in Thailand. Appallingly treated by the Japanese, soldiers, in their thousands, slip into despair, selfishness and depravity, expressing what must be the very darkest side of human nature. Men die lonely deaths and those left alive live only to care and fend for themselves. And yet, another principle is also working in the camp, that of selfless love and self-sacrifice and living by the words of John the Apostle, ‘whoever loves God must love his brother also.’ (1 John 4:21)
In this story, at which only the steeliest heart can remain undented, the stark contrast between two kingdoms – two extreme kingdoms – is portrayed; it is light and dark at opposite ends; the huge difference between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light is displayed. What is more, the Rule of Love is shown to be the winner, hands down.
A while ago walking through a museum in Nottingham, I chanced to read a notice advising citizens how to conduct themselves in the blackout. It was striking – everyone was commanded not just to look out for themselves but for their neighbours. Every man for himself? – Not then. Yet, now, sixty five years on, with many, many notable exceptions, society seems to have taken a step downwards. We no longer seem to care about the whole; it is me, my immediate world that counts so much; people in their thousands die lonely – and people live lonely too.
Perhaps days of greater austerity are ahead – it looks that way. Maybe we will find ourselves experiencing extremes of poverty we have not known for decades. Many will suffer – particularly the already-poor. But perhaps, too, it will ultimately lead to a measure of turning around as in that prison camp by the River Kwai in WW2.
The way of Jesus’ kingdom society is always to puts others first; at it best it is a society where heroic self-sacrifice abounds, a society whose remit is ever ‘whoever loves God must love his brother also.’ Society as a whole needs the church to be at its best and, if this is so, what we are as church, will spill over into, salt, however you want to say it, our families, our neighbours, our towns, our cities, our countryside. It begins with us. One book has convinced me that turnarounds are possible: ‘Miracle on the River Kwai.’
