Because I love you

"I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God. " Romans 8:38-39

An unborn baby came to God in prayer:
Her words were unformed, her body still a handful of cells,
but her maker understood her silent, unspoken question:
"What is happening to me?"
God breathed life into her tiny body.
Because I love you,
God said,
You are alive.

A growing child came to God in prayer:
"Who are you?" the child asked, curious and inquisitive, ready and open to learn.
And God surrounded him with people who would help him discover the answer:
Parents and siblings,
Nannys and Grandpa's,
Aunts and Uncles,
Teachers and Scout leaders,
friends,
and enemies,
and a church family.
Because I love you,
God said
I will teach you.

A nervous bridegroom came to God in prayer:
"I can't believe we're really doing this," he whispered, astonished,
as he pondered the significance of what they were about to do,
awareness and mystery knotting themselves together into a ball of nerves and energy in his belly.
And God saw all that was to come -
The thrill of intimacy and the joy of companionship,
the making of memories and the living nightmares,
the blazing rows, the working it out, the lessons learned,
the losses mourned and the blessings celebrated -
And, smiling, God blessed their union.
Because I love you,
God said,
You will know the richness of loving, and the richness of being loved.

A busy family forgot to come to God in prayer:
"So much to do!", they exclaimed,
as they dashed and darted between things to do, places to be, and people to see.
And God missed their company.
But still,
Because I love you,
God said,
I will send you many blessings to enjoy,
and even though you do not see they are from me now,
I will give them anyway,
and perhaps one day you will look back in thanks, and know.

A doubting disciple came to God in prayer:
"How could you let this happen?" she half challenged, half lamented,
as she tried to make sense of what didn't make sense,
and suffered the mindless explanations offered by the well-meaning
but not-understanding people around her.
"It isn't right, it isn't fair. Aren't you supposed to be good?"
And in loving mercy, God listened to every question and every objection.
Because I love you,
God said,
You can be honest with me. I can take it.

A grieving widow came to God in prayer:
At first there were no words, just a stunned numbness, as she waited for reality to kick back in.
And then it hit her - a tsunami of sadness and loneliness and fear and regret,
Wave after wave taking her by surprise
just as the previous one subsided, and she had thought it was over.
"How can I go on?" she sobbed, desperate for something to cling onto.
And God held her.
Because I love you,
God said,
You will be hard pressed but not destroyed.

A dying man came to God in prayer:
"Living God, have mercy on me!" he begged.
"For my days are numbered, and my sins are many".
And God pointed to the cross, where Christ had paid the ultimate price of love,
so that all who believed might not perish,
but have eternal life.
Because I love you,
God said,
You can rest in peace.

A congregation came to God in prayer, as they remembered those whom they had loved and lost.
They sang, and they remembered, they lit candles and they wept.
And God saw them, and had compassion on them.
Comfort, comfort, my people.
God said.
Because I love you,
You are never alone, for I am with you.
Because I love you.

Prayer of the Blessed

Over these few weeks at church we are focusing on the book of Ephesians. The following prayer was written for use in a service, and is based on the content of Ephesians 1:3-14, and 2:1-10. 

We bring our worship to you,

Holy God,

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

For in your goodness you have blessed us with every spiritual blessing.

You have chosen us,

made us your children,

redeemed and forgiven us through Christ,

shared with us your cosmic rescue plan,

and have marked us as yours by your placing your Holy Spirit within us.

It is by your grace that we here.

For though it is tempting to make distinctions which put ourselves in generous light,

we know that we too share in the wayward and deadening tendencies we so easily condemn in others.

But we also know this:

You are rich in mercy, and your love for us is great.

So great that even at our very worst - 

tarnished, empty, lifeless - 

you have not turned us aside

but saved us through Christ,

promised us the riches of your eternal kindness,

and called us to participate in your works of goodness.

We are blessed indeed,

and for this we glorify you. 

Lord of Hosts

Over the last ten days I have been on a college placement trip to Romania. I travelled with a group of other ministerial students; our hosts and guides were contacts from the Baptist Union of Romania and a Baptist Seminary in Bucharest with whom our college has long-term links. Before going I didn't really know what to expect, but from the first day to the last I have been overwhelmed with the welcome we received and the experiences we were given. Indeed, the wonderful hospitality of our Romanian hosts led me to reflect again on the unceasing goodness and generosity of God - 'The Lord of Hosts'! 

The Lord is my Host

The Lord is my host, I shall not want.
He welcomes me with warmth and enthusiasm,
And He sets me at ease so I can be myself.
He offers me a rich tapestry of new experiences
And he honours me with His lavish generosity.

He leads me to new places beyond my imagination
Joyfully sharing the best He has to offer.
Even though the road may be scary and steep
Your assurance subsides my alarm,
And I entrust myself to You as You take the wheel;
The views are worth it.

You lay out feasts before me
Always providing more than I could possibly need.
The programme you have for me is demanding,
But you build me up in the strength that I require:
My plate is always full.

Surely your invitation will call out to me all the days of my life
And I will return to you again and again.

The Sea

Having lived at the coast for many years, for the past ten months I have lived decidedly inland - pretty much the farthest you can get in this country from the sea. And so, having made a trip to the coast for the ordination of a friend at the weekend, it was with great relish that I took the opportunity to steal an hour getting reacquainted with this majestic beauty that never fails to point me to another, even greater majesty...


Even before you come into view, my heart quickens with anticipation as I approach;
I am on the verge of adventure and discovery and coming home, all at once.

My heart catches with that first, satisfying glimpse.
But one glimpse is never enough;
And instinctively I am drawn closer
and closer
and closer
until I am as near as I can get,
enveloped within your reality
and captivated with wonder
as I gaze upon your majestic vastness.

I know I cannot comprehend your limits.
Nevertheless, as I look out onto your horizon
the normal confines of my daily reality are blown apart.
Stagnant air is chased away
and my lungs are refreshingly filled
with your powerful, invigorating wind.

I am not alone here.
Your mysterious call draws many -
some cautious, some with joyful abandon -
strangers spanning the spectrum of humanity
united by our common enchantment.

Even still, this is an intimate moment.
There is something about being here
seemingly engulfed in your unfathomable magnitude
that awakens within me a deeper sense of myself;
Lost in you, I am refound.

When it is time to go, I do not want to leave.
I could spend eternity here, never tiring of your mesmerising beauty.
But, for now, life inland demands my return.
As I pull myself away, I feel the power of this encounter still at work within me.
I do not leave unchanged.  

I feel alive.

Scary God

This honest and challenging prayer, penned by my friend, formidable theologian, and fellow ministerial student Beth Allison, is a helpful reminder that whilst this God that we worship is most certainly a God of Love, He is not fluffy and harmless. In those famous words of CS Lewis, referring to Aslan in 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe', "He's not safe, but He is good". 

Scary God
Of wrath and vengeance 
Of battles and genocide
Not always  an easy God to believe

Scary God
Of purity requirements and exile 
Of the prophets and the marginalised
Not always an easy God to love

Scary God
Of earthquakes and judgement 
of tables overturned and leaving family behind
Not always an easy God to hear

Scary God
Of narrow paths and thorns in sides, of crosses and life denied
Not always an easy God to serve

And yet God.
Of untameable holiness
Of true righteousness
You are who you are
We fear you and we praise you.

Remind Me This is the Desert

This was written at a time when a number of pressures and challenges were getting the better of me, and I began to question what it was all for. And then God prodded me with a gentle reminder that the route to the place of blessing is often through the desert, and hope sparked back into life...

Remind me that this is just the desert;
That on the other side lies the promised land.
Remind me that this 'aimless wandering'
Really is part of a bigger plan.
For the journey from slave to free
Is not just A to B,
But learning to understand. 
So though it feels like running on sand,
Remind me:
This is just the desert.