Stephen spoke tonight on the subject of wisdom. Ps 111:10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. For most of us, we associate wisdom with age, experience and understanding, but there is a huge difference between natural wisdom (often based on philosophical, cultural, scientific and architectural achievements) and spiritual wisdom. God’s wisdom can be hidden from the naturally wise and learned and revealed to little children (Luke 10:21); Paul makes it clear that man’s way of doing things is vastly different to God’s, most clearly seen at the cross (1 Cor 1:17-25, 1 Cor 2:6-7).

Man’s wisdom should not be our ultimate destination in the wisdom stakes. We should aspire to God’s wisdom, not earthly wisdom. God’s wisdom will always be for His glory and splendour and those who follow His precepts will have good understanding. Man’s own resourcefulness and self-sufficiency will ultimately lead to failure, but if we apply God’s plans and purposes to our lives, we will grow in spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Garry continued his series on the Sabbath this morning. Last time, he looked at the fact that the Sabbath was a time to change focus, recalibrate and renew our perspective. Today, he commented on the similarity between the Hebrew word for Sabbath ( שַׁבָּת‎ ) and the word for ‘captivate’ or ‘take as bride’ (שׁבה).

The idea of marriage as a metaphor for our relationship with God runs through the Bible (see Is 61:10, Is 62:4-5). Here, we see the idea of adorning ourselves and the notion of delight; God really does delight in us the way that a bridegroom delights in his bride. Marriage is viewed throughout the Bible as a serious covenant (see Ex 20:14, Jer 2:1-2) and adultery therefore is serious –  not only in the human realm but is used to describe the breakdown of Israel’s relationship with God (Ezek 16:8, Hosea 1:2, Jer 3:6-8). Jesus used the idea of marriage and preparation for a Jewish wedding to describe how we must be prepared for His return (Matt 25:1-13). In Jewish culture, the bridegroom’s job was to prepare the marriage home and Jesus refers to this in John 14:1-2.

Paul reminds us that human marriage is meant to reflect the close relationship of Christ and the church (Eph 5:25-33) and talks of the church as the bride of Christ. (2 Cor 11:1-2) The image of the church as the bride of Christ is continued in Rev 21:1-2, 9-10 and from this we can see the intimacy and delight of our relationship with God.

We might ask what is the connection, however, between marriage and Sabbath. Married couples share their everyday lives, but there are times when they need to be alone together without distractions. There is a need in marriage for relaxation, for deep conversations, for the pleasure of each other’s company – for more than the merely functional and mundane! All this is reflected in what God wants the Sabbath to be for us –  a time when we enjoy being together in unhurried fashion, when there is joy and rest in each other’s company, when we can simply enjoy being with Him. This is at the very heart of our relationship with God.

Part of our daily prayers is to ask God to let His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matt 6:10) We will be thinking about this in our prayer life throughout May, particularly joining with the Church of England initiative ‘Thy Kingdom Come’  from Ascension (21st May) to Pentecost (31st May) to pray for people to come to know the Lord and for revival in our nation. (We need to be praying for this all the time, though!)

We have many opportunities to pray for people, including work colleagues, neighbours, friends and family. One of the initiatives in the campaign is to ‘Pray4Five’, urging us to pray for five people to come to know the Lord. Why not make a heart-shape like the one below and write on the back the names of five people you want to pray for during this period? As we said recently, sometimes having visual reminders can be helpful in prayer. One woman has said that she spends five minutes praying for five people each time she has a hot drink, and as she does that five times a day, she is praying in manageable ‘chunks’ for her friends and family.

There are many ways to pray (check out the website for ideas, including the Family Digital Prayer Map and Light the World initiatives), but most of all, we need to see that praying for God’s kingdom to come is part of our daily lives. One of the themes of the initiative is ‘prayer and care’ and it’s true that our love has to be seen in action. Here are 5 ideas on how we can care and love those we know, even when we are socially distanced:

1. Keep up contact. Make a phone call, send an email, letter or card saying that you are praying for them at this time.

2. Keep an eye out for the anniversaries of life events. Make that phone call to let people know you care.

3. Send a small gift or book purchased online.

4. Serve where you can in delivering groceries or medications.

5. Make sure the people you pray for know how much you value them by whatever means you can find.

Above all, let’s make the most of every opportunity we have to pray for people to know the love of God, to receive Him into their lives and to follow Him wholeheartedly.

Last Sunday we spoke about the importance of remembering and commemorating, and how God often asks us to take ‘stones’ and make memorials with them which act as a visual reminder to all He has done. Janet has come up with a great idea to do that, and this is for each of us to take photos of the screens which we watch when we are livestreaming services. That can act as a reminder to this time in lockdown and how we met together online when we weren’t allowed to meet together in person.

So this Sunday, it would be great if you could take photos of the screen which you’re watching (and maybe one of you watching as well) while you take part in the service and then send them to us so we can make a montage of these to put up in our building.

Here are some of Janet’s photos from last week and from yesterday’s prayer meeting. I wish I’d thought of this earlier; you could have tracked hair growth, for instance! The second photo is Garry holding my phone to prove Eileen was with us by phone rather than by Zoom.

Today my offering is a poem, based on Habakkuk 3:17-18.

Though the lockdown continues, and we’re confined to our homes,

Though restrictions are everywhere, and freedom feels a forgotten state,

Though we can’t work properly, and feel impotent and useless,

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will choose to be joyful.

Though the economy is nose-diving, and recession is looming,

Though the very fabric of normality feels torn in two,

Though desperation walks among the sunshine, and death reaches out to grab,

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will walk by faith and not by sight.

Though plans lie in tatters, and dreams have gone up in smoke,

Though helplessness exercises a vice-like grip on us, and constraints lock us in,

Though fears, uncertainty and doubt are everywhere, and I see no reason to hope,

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will choose to worship.

Though thankfulness is through tears, and gratitude walks alongside grumbling,

Though valleys seem deep and mountains too high to scale,

Though grief at times threatens to overwhelm and my footing feels flimsy,

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will be joyful in God, my Saviour.

My Bible readings today included part of Ps 57, which says, ‘My heart, O God, is steadfast,my heart is steadfast;I will sing and make music.‘ That got me thinking about being steadfast.

Isaiah 26:3 contains a promise I have leaned on many times throughout life, that God will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, or, as some translations put it, ‘fixed’ on Him. To be steadfast is to be immovable, to be resolute: steady, fixed firmly in place. All too often, I don’t feel steadfast and pray, along with David, ‘renew a steadfast spirit within me.’ (Ps 51:10)

The challenge for every believer every day (regardless of circumstances) is to keep our eyes, hearts and minds fixed on God. When we do that, we find we can stand firm. This means learning to lean more on God than on the outward props of life, be they jobs, relationships, routines or health. James Leavey says, ‘We actually need to become unstable, and lean more on God, asking the Holy Spirit to fill us and stir within us, and thank Jesus for all that he is, and all that he’s done. By coming back to these simple but essential practices, we can not only stand firm in the Lord, but thrive and flourish in these times too.’

Standing firm is something the Bible constantly urges us to do:

• Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! (Phil 4:1)

•  Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. (1 Cor 15:58)

•  Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist (Eph 6:13-14)

• You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’” (2 Chron 20:17)

• The one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Matt 24:13)

• Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. (1 Cor 16:13)

The Bible never tells us to do something which is not possible with God. The reason we can stand firm is because God stands firm:

• Your love stands firm forever (Ps 89:2)

• Your statutes, Lord, stand firm (Ps 93:5)

• Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. (Ps 119:89)

We have a steadfast and immovable God and therefore we can be steadfast and immovable too!