‘You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them…’ (Exodus 20:4,5)

Over the years many have struggled to see the difference between the first and second commandment and look at them both as one in the same and at first glance it can appear that way. However, if we look at the second command more closely we see that, whereas the first commandment was about who we worship – the Lord God – the second commandment is more about how we worship.

Theologians will tell you that a good example of this is found later in chapter 32 of Exodus and the story of the golden calf. Moses was up the mountain speaking with God and the people asked Aaron to make them a god that would go before them and Aaron duly obliges by making the golden calf, which the people bow down and worship. However, this new ‘god’ could not have led the people out of Egypt and deep down they must have known that, they must have known that it was the Lord that led them from their bondage. And further evidence of this is found in the fact that we are told that the festival was indeed dedicated to the Lord.

So in effect the people here were certainly breaking the second commandment, but possibly not the first because they were worshipping the Lord. They were worshipping the right God but in the wrong way – through an idol. This idol had effectively become a representation of the Lord to them. The question for us today is how do we worship God? Do we come to Him through His Word, the living Word, Jesus Christ and by his Spirit; that is the only way that we should be coming to worship the Lord. Or do we allow some of those other gods and idols we thought of before to become some form of representation of the Lord to us?

Lord, You are the one and only true God and through Your Son and by Your Spirit You make Yourself known to us. Help us to worship You as we should, in joyful praise and adoration giving You the glory and honour that You and only You deserve. And all this we ask in Jesus name. Amen.

Question Of The Day: Who were the two sons of Zebedee chosen to be Disciples?

‘You shall have no other gods before me…’ (Exodus 20:3)

Today we begin a series of short reflections looking at the Ten Commandments, beginning with the first.

In a time and culture when people worshipped many different gods and idols the first makes it clear to the people that the Lord is the One and only true living God and the people are to have no other Gods but the Lord. Compared with the civilised Roman and Greek culture and the more barbaric cultures of the time, this was quite unique – but it sets the Lord apart as the only One who is worthy of worship and praise.

Today we perhaps don’t have the same idols and gods as the people back then did to compete for our devotion and worship, however, we do have our own more modern ‘gods’. Money, material goods and possessions, status, power, influence – the list goes on and on, and what we have to ask ourselves is this. How often do we put our love or desire for these things above the Lord, how often do these ‘gods’ detract us from our devotion to and worship of the Lord? Is it perhaps more often that we dare to admit to? If so, now is the time to put the Lord first in our lives once again.

Lord, help us to come to You in praise and devotion as we should, acknowledging You as Lord of our life and embracing Your Son as our Saviour. And we ask all this in His name. Amen.

Question Of The Day: Who was the first Disciple chosen by Jesus?

Trinity Sunday Reflection 

Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, You have unfolded before our eyes the wonderful story of our salvation. You alone are the creator source of all life, You alone are the word made flesh and You alone are the spirit of life. You are for us, You are with us and You are ahead of us. And as we come before You here this morning, three in one and one in three, we do so in faith, seeking to worship and praise your Holy name. So be with us now we pray and help us to open our hearts and souls to You presence with us wherever we are today. And all this we ask in Jesus name. Amen

Read Matthew 28:16-20

Many years ago I read a story of a young man who was going through a difficult time in his life. He had not long left home to go to university, but things just didn’t seem to be working out. The course he had chosen to study wasn’t what he thought it would be and he found it difficult to settle down into his new surroundings. Essentially he was homesick – and everything was just getting on top of him. So he wanted to quit – but felt he owed it to his parents to come to talk to them about it.

When he came home to explain all this to his parents his mum took him into the kitchen and put three pots of water on to boil. She then took a potato, and egg and some coffee and put each in one of the pots After about twenty or twenty five minutes she took the potato and egg out of their pots and place them on a plate. And she took the coffee out of that pot and poured it into a mug. She then turned to her son and asked him what he saw.

At first he was completely bemused and confused by this and asked her what on earth she was talking about. What do you see, she asked again. How have these three things changed? The young man was still confused so his mum explained. All three – the potato, the egg and the coffee had all faced the same difficulty. They had all been placed in boiling water and that boiling water had affected a change in them.

The potato had initially been hard and solid but was now fragile and weak. The egg had been fragile and vulnerable but was now hard and stronger. The coffee had gone in as granules but was now liquid. However, whereas with the potato and the egg the water remained unchanged, the coffee had changed the water it had been put in to. And the challenge from the mother to her son was this, which are you like – the potato, the egg or the coffee?
But what about each of us today?

The harsh reality is that we will all face difficult times in our lives and there will always be occasions when we will feel like giving up on what we happen to be doing at that time. But perhaps what this story teaches us is that how we approach these situations will go a long way to determining what the eventual outcome might be. And if we are totally honest with ourselves then for many of us when we do face these kind of situations in our lives. We do so like the potato or the egg.

We may approach our difficulty in a determined, unrelenting manner. Believing that we have the strength, the skills and the faith to persevere and get the better of things. Only to discover with the passage of time that this problem has gotten the better of us and we’re not as strong and faithful as we thought we were. Our strength and boldness of faith has been drained from us and our faith in our own abilities has been shattered. So much so that we have now become somewhat disillusioned and disheartened by it all to the point that our faith now seems weaker.

Or maybe we are not quite as certain and bold in the way we approach the situation, perhaps even a bit fragile. But, holding on to the story of the mustard seed, still we believe that we have enough faith to overcome and prevail. Only to discover, again as time goes on, that we do not and the difficulty we faced has now left us bitter and twisted with a hardness of heart and soul.

The problem with approaching any difficulty or any adversity in life in one of these two ways is that more often than not, the consequences that we later have to deal with, cause us even more pain and heartache. But here’s the thing, in the same way that a potato can’t become and egg, or vice versa, it’s very difficult for us to change who we are and the way in which we face all that life throws at us. And once our heart has been damaged and weakened, or once they have become hard and cold – it’s difficult to change that.

However, the good news is that we can all – every one of us – be like that coffee. All we need is something within us to affect that change, that transformation – and that something is God’s Holy Spirit. If we allow God’s Spirit to work within us then when difficulties and adversity comes our way, yes, it will impact upon our life and may affect some change within it. But with the help of God’s Spirit we will be able to affect change on the situation around us such that it will not affect our heart and faith in the same way.

Indeed when you go back to the analogy of the coffee and the boiling water. Being placed in the boiling water brought out the best of the coffee – it changed the coffee for the better. So it can be when we face difficult times. With God’s Spirit to help and to guide us, not only will we prevail, we may come through that period stronger, better and with a greater faith.

Times of difficulty and adversity will come to us all – and not just once – they will come to us on many occasions. However, through His Son and by His Spirit God will be with us. And if we allow Him to lead and guide us through all we face. If we put our faith and trust in Him, we will be able to do so in a way that will result in changing us for the better and a strengthening of our faith. Which in turn will not only give us more faith to face these kinds of situations when they come our way again. It will also help us to witness to others by our testimony of what it means to know God in our lives and how through His Son and by His Spirit we can face all things in faith…Amen

Eternal and everlasting God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we thank You for every sign of Your care in our society today. We thank You for the way in which You help and uphold us in time of need, for Your comfort and compassion and ask that You would be with us all today. We pray this morning for those who are most in need at this time, for those who suffer in some way in mind, body and soul. Keep them from all harm and evil and through Your Son and by Your Spirit be with them as only You can. Bring to them You healing, Your comfort and Your peace and let them know that You are with them and that we hold them in our hearts. Be especially with those in our own communities and families and surround each one today with Your love and protection. And all these things Lord we ask in Jesus name. Amen.

Sunday Evening:
The Following Is Taken From The Church Of Scotland Website:
Since the start of lockdown, Christians from across the country have been continuing to answer the call to pray at the same time each week, and Rt Rev Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, is looking forward to taking part alongside them this weekend.
“I’m delighted to have read that in the last couple of months online searches for ‘prayer’ have increased dramatically,” Dr Fair said.
“But reading about what prayer is and how to do it is only the start of it. After that it’s time to actually pray.
“And what better than to join with brothers and sisters from across the nation at 7pm on Sunday to pray our way through this ongoing crisis. I commend it to you and look forward to being with you, in Spirit, on Sunday evening.”
This week’s letter accompanying the prayer states:
“We are familiar with the words of Scripture that remind us that ‘now we see in a mirror dimly’ and we might think that these words are especially applicable to our present times.
“As our society continues in the journey out of lockdown, there are many things that we know only in part. We trust that greater clarity will be given in times to come.
“That said, there are some things that are clear and which our faith affirms to be so.
“In the Gospel of Matthew (28: 16-20), the disciples gather in the presence of the Risen Lord who assures them that in all they now face: ‘I am with you always, to the very end of the age’.
“The Gospel affirms that the life of God has been shared with us in the revelation of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and that our lives are to be lived out in the enduring presence of God. Knowing this to be so, we pray:”
We pray:
God whose name is Love,
You make yourself known to us
As the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sustain us in the knowledge of your love through the times in which we live.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God whose love endures,
May we hear the words of your Son
That echo down the ages:
I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God whose love is generous,
You gift to us your Holy Spirit,
The very giver of Life.
Renew our lives and the life of the community in which we share.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God whose love is steadfast,
You know us as we are for you have made us.
In your compassion, be with all who struggle and grieve at this time.
Remember them and hold them safe in your keeping.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God whose love is from everlasting to everlasting,
Give strength to the weary and power to the weak,
That we might renew our strength
And soar on wings like eagles.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God whose love inspires,
May we love you with all that we are
And love our neighbour in response to your love.
Through our service of others, may your love be revealed.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

‘Let everything that has breath praise the Lord…’ (Psalm 150:6)

Read Psalm 150

We come to the end of the book of Psalms and it is perhaps fitting that our final Psalm is in itself something of a doxology. Yet at the same time it is also a call to worship; every single verse has something in it about praising the Lord – inviting us to praise God and then telling us where, why, how and by whom this praise should be expressed. And this worship should not be confined to one place or one time, it is not something that we practise only in a House of God, but with every breath we take we should praise God.

So as we end our look at the Psalms, just simply read through this Psalm – again and again – and feel the joy that it instils in your heart. If that in itself doesn’t lead us to praise God, then I don’t know what will. Praise the Lord!

Lord we do indeed praise You with all our hearts and souls for You are our God…Amen.

Question Of The Day: What is the name of Esther’s cousin who adopted her?

‘I will exalt You, my God the King…’ (Psalm 145:1)

Read Psalm 145

From beginning to end Psalm 145 speaks in fervent praise of the Kingdom of God, from the Psalmist himself and from all creation – praise that is eternal and everlasting – and when we look through these verses we see why such praise is so deserving. The Lord is good and righteous, He is gracious and compassionate, He upholds all who fall and uplifts those who bow down and He provides our every need. Only a few examples of why God is worthy of such praise.

But for all the many ways that this Psalm speaks to us in this way, perhaps the way it should speak to us most is to challenge us. Is our praise of God as it should be? Do we give thanks to God for His goodness, grace and compassion as we should? Do we tell of His glory and make His acts know to others by our life and witness? Do we, in the words of the final verse, speak in praise of the Lord, at all times?

If the answer to all of these questions is a resounding yes, then that’s fine and well. Yet, I suspect that we all fall short in some way in our praise of the Lord. So let’s use this Psalm as a continual challenge to us and let’s respond to that challenge in joy and worship, giving thanks and praise to the Lord for all He has given and for all He does.

Lord, help us to praise You with all of you lives and to share that praise with others in all we say and do. And all this we ask in Jesus name. Amen.

Question Of The Day: Why was Jeremiah thrown into a dungeon by King Zedekiah?

‘How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God…’ (Psalm 139:17)

Read Psalm 139 

For many, Psalm 139 is the greatest of all the Psalms. Within these verses we read so much about the omniscience of God, the omnipresence of God, the omnipotence of God and the judgement of God, and if we just pause for a moment every now and then as we read through the Psalm, we cannot help but being overwhelmed by a sense of the sheer glory and majesty of God.

Yet for all that is contained within these words, perhaps the one overwhelming sense we have when we read through them, is that no matter where we are, no matter what we are doing, no matter how dark things may have become in our lives, the Lord is with us – He is always with us.

Over the years some have suggested that this can be somewhat daunting, especially when we read words like, where can I flee from Your presence… But surely for those who have faith in our Lord these words bring such a sense of comfort and reassurance. There may be times in our lives when we do feel like ‘running away’ from everything, times when we just want to be completely on our own. Yet the reality is that we all need somebody in our lives – and so to know the Lord will always be with us, no matter what, is surely a source of comfort and joy.

Psalm 139 speaks volumes of the greatness of God but it also speaks volumes of the greatness of His love for us and if we are to take just one thing away from this wonderful Psalm, it is surely that.

Lord, we give You thanks that You love and care for us in such a way that You are with us at all times, something we are reminded of at this time of Pentecost as we celebrate the coming of Your Holy Spirit. So help us to look to You and to take comfort in knowing that wherever we go and whatever we do, You are indeed always with us. Amen.

Question Of The Day: Who was King Solomon’s Mother?

Read Luke 17:1-10

What do these three passages teach us about how we should live our lives of faith?

• We should never do anything that might cause others to sin. Might any of our actions or behaviour cause people to stumble in any way?
• Forgiveness should be part and parcel of our daily life – we should never refuse to forgive those who wrong us – in any way. How good are we at forgiving?
• We should strive to have real and genuine faith and not simply ‘go through the motions.’ What do we understand by real faith – and how do we exercise it?
• We should always be humble and remember that we are called to serve God – just as He came to serve us through the giving of Christ. How easily do we remember our calling to discipleship and do we seek to serve wherever and whenever we can?

Read Luke 17:11-19

What do we learn in these few verses?

• We should learn to give thanks to God and praise Him for all He has given and done for us. But do we do so as we should?
• We should also acknowledge our need for God to be in our lives? But do we?

Read Luke 17:20-37

What do we learn here about the Kingdom of God?

• That the coming of the Kingdom was a much discussed topic among the Jews. What is our understanding of the Kingdom of God?
• The Pharisees failed to see that in Jesus the Kingdom was upon them. Are we able to see glimpses of God’s Kingdom as we live our lives of faith?
• The disciples had accepted this truth and were now ready for further teaching on the Second Coming, which would be visible for all to see and be in no doubt of. How accepting are we of the teaching of Jesus – of all the teaching of Jesus.

‘May those who love you be secure…’ (Psalm 122:6)

Read Psalm 122

If Psalm 121 was all about the Lord watching over us at all times, this Psalm is about the joy and peace that we can find in that knowledge. Perhaps more than any other of the Songs of Ascent this Psalm is a song for pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate one of their feasts – although it is not clear which one. And note how joyful the Psalmist is at the beginning of the Psalm – he is thrilled and overjoyed to be able to take part in this wonderful celebration. There after he petitions all to come before the Lord in prayer that all may know His peace.

This short Psalm speaks to us in so many ways of the love of God, but it also challenges us in many ways too. Are we as thrilled and overjoyed when we come into the House of God? Do we fervently pray for others that they may know the peace of God? Do we pray for these things in our own lives? I hope and pray that we can say yes to all of these and that we too will be able to rest in the same joy and peace that the Psalmist did.

Lord, we praise You for the joy and peace You bring to our busy and often trouble lives and ask that You would help us to rest in that joy and peace whenever we can. And all this we ask in Jesus name.

Question Of The Day: Who defied her husband to provide food for David’s men in the wilderness?

‘The Lord watches over you…’ (Psalm 121:5)

Read Psalm 121
The fifteen Psalms from 120 to 134 form a self-contained group and at one time may have been a ‘book’ in their own right. They are all called Songs of Ascent and in Old Testament times would probably have been sung by pilgrims of their way up to the Temple at Jerusalem. They are all short Psalms and each one illustrates a great sense of love and reverence for Zion and the Temple itself and a desire for peace and prosperity for Jerusalem and the people of Israel.
In the opening two verses the Psalmist asks the question of where his help will come from and then answers with hesitation that it will come from the Lord Himself. Then as the Psalm progresses we have this wonderful image of the Lord watching over us at all time. He will neither slumber nor sleep and will shield us at all times. From beginning to end, Psalm 121 speaks unashamedly of the Lord as our keeper, the One who watches over us.
As we go about our busy lives each day, with all its highs and lows, how good is it for us to know that we are never alone, that the Lord is watching over us at all times. And in this season of Pentecost as we think of the coming of the Holy Spirit, the One Jesus promised before He returned to His Father in Heaven we are reminded afresh of God’s continued presence with us – what a comfort and a joy.

Lord, we praise You for loving presence with us at all times, day and night, and for comfort we can experience knowing that You are always watching over us. Thank You, Lord…Amen.

Question Of The Day: Who spoke to the Israelites in Babylon and foretold their return home some day?

‘All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit…’(Acts 2:4)

Today is Pentecost Sunday and we rejoice and give thanks for the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit given to us by God in Heaven. However, just as there were some who mocked and made fun of those Disciples back then, so there may be some who will do likewise today. Some who will accuse us of being sad people for believing that foolish nonsense. And that got me thinking, I wonder how many of us here this morning have ever thought of ourselves as being sad Christians…

Perhaps we’re sad because we think that our church is going through a difficult time and all we see before us is a period of uncertainty. Or perhaps we’re sad because we think that our own faith lives are going through a turbulent time. And maybe today in the midst of this pandemic such a feeling would be understandable. Or perhaps we’ve been sad because, notwithstanding what we are going through today, still we look at the world and seem to see so little evidence of God’s Kingdom breaking through. And so we become despondent and down hearted

I’ve no doubt there are times when we could all say that we have been sad Christians…

But what if we think of sad in another way and not that emotional state of mind that we would normally associate that word with. What if we think of sad as a state of being – both living and thriving. What if we think of sad not as a word but as three letters S A D. And what if these actually stood for Spiritually Activated Disciples. Now that puts a whole slant on that original question. So how many of us might consider ourselves as SAD Christians now.

We all know the story of the Day of Pentecost so well. We can perhaps imagine the sound of the wind was reminiscent of Ezekiel’s reassuring prophecy of the valley of dry bones. And as for the flames that rested on each head. They would have perhaps reminded the Disciples of the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites through the desert during the time of the exodus.

But what was the message of Pentecost…

The Pentecost moment was really about a new perception and experience of the presence and power of God’s Spirit…It was the moment these Disciples became spiritually activated. And as these phenomena opened them to the Spirit’s activity, they finally began to understand Jesus’ message of the Reign of God and the Reign of God that was manifest on that day was welcoming in the extreme.

Think back to the Old Testament to the story of the Tower of Babel. Back then arrogant human beings, seeking to put themselves on a par with God had ultimately been separated from one another by the confusion of their language. But here that has been reversed and all barriers are overcome. The people were hearing the same language, so to speak.

And the message is simple and clear – this Kingdom is for all…
Having now been Spiritually Activated, the time had come for these Disciples to go and do the work that Jesus had asked of them – had prepared them for – to take His message far and wide – to all people. But once they had caught this vision those Disciples began to do just that. They began to spread the message to the whole world, including women, slaves, gentiles, soldiers, revolutionaries, and outcasts – all who had previously been considered as outsiders.

All too often today all we seem to hear of is that secularism is on the increase and that people again and again question the very existence of God…And yet, there is no question that God’s Spirit is still very much active in human affairs – if not, the world would be in complete chaos…God’s Holy Spirit hasn’t gone anywhere…it still moves through God’s people…

So maybe what we really need is not so much an outpouring of the Spirit, but more an awakening to the Spirit’s power and presence in our lives and to the welcoming Reign of God. And as we come together on this Pentecost Sunday we must look deep within our hearts and souls and ask ourselves…

Are we willing to allow ourselves to be totally overwhelmed by a vision of God’s radically inclusive Kingdom. And to begin to live it out, through spirit-empowered and enabled acts of welcome, compassion, grace, and service…

Are we ready to have Jesus law of love written on our hearts. To have our way illumined by the spirit’s fire and to be blown into unexpected relationships by the wind of the Spirit. Are we willing to become Spiritually Activated Disciples.

If we can answer yes, even just a little, then be in no doubt, the Pentecost experience will come to us, and we will never be the same. And as always God will be present. Jesus Christ will be present. And the Holy Spirit will again be blowing among those gathered in each faith community. Listen again to the words of Jesus speak and just imagine He is speaking to you personally, “…Peace be with you…as the Father has sent me, so I send you….”

The question is, are we ready to go? Are we ready to go out into the world as a Spiritually Activated Disciple, equipped to be Christ’s hands and feet in this time and place. I hope and pray that we will, as one body, of one mind and in the same Spirit. That this Pentecost moment may indeed inspire and encourage to go and share with others the Good News of Jesus Christ……Amen.

Living God, we remember today how You transformed the lives of Your Apostles, how by Your Spirit you turned their fear and uncertainty into a confidence and faith which knew no bounds. And today we would ask that you would come to us now through that same Spirit. Take our weak and hesitant faith and fill us with unshakable trust in Your purpose for us. Take our oft stumbling discipleship and grant us energy, passion and enthusiasm to proclaim Your Gospel through word and deed.

Take away any fear and anxieties we may have and grant to us Your courage and peace which passes all understanding. That we might use the gifts and talents You have given us in the service of your Kingdom and to the glory and honour of Your name.
Keep us mindful of the part You would have us play in Your will and help us to remember today, not simply all You did once, long ago, but to rejoice in all that You are doing now, and all that you will continue to do, through your Holy Spirit. And pour Your Spirit today upon all who need you most at this time, especially those who are suffering and in pain and those who are bereaved or missing loved ones, both here in our own communities and also throughout your world. And all this we would ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Sunday evening – national call to prayer
As has been the case over the past few weeks, the leaders of all churches have come together to call us to prayer at 7.00pm this Sunday evening. Underneath is a prayer by the leaders of all churches that could be used to begin this time of prayer. The full statement can be found on the Church of Scotland website where it also lists all those leaders whom signed that statement.

We pray:
Almighty God, by your Spirit, you brought order from chaos.
By your brooding Spirit, hovering over the void, you spoke and there was … something rather than nothing.
Create and recreate in and through us, we pray.
Almighty God, by your Spirit, you equipped and gifted and led our ancestors to know you and to serve you and to glorify you.
Continue to equip and enable us, we pray.
And then, Almighty God, as promised by the prophets and as never before, you poured out your Spirit on these first believers – on men and women, on the old and the young; and they were transformed and made alive, as dry bones brought to life.
Pour out your Spirit on us, we pray.
Almighty God, in these turbulent and uncertain times, send us the Comforter, that we might know you to be near. Grant us your healing touch and help us to know the rest that comes from resting in you.
For the loving touch of your Spirit, we pray.
Almighty God, by what seemed as a rushing wind and as tongues of fire you brought your Church to life.
Come to your Church now, we pray, that by the same Spirit we might be renewed and refreshed and remade and revived.
Yes, Lord, grant us a fresh outpouring of your Spirit, we pray.
And all our prayers we offer in the name of our Lord and Saviour, none other than Jesus Christ. Amen.