It’s very easy for younger generations to view Remembrance Sunday as a historical exercise only. Their only experience of war may have come from history lessons, TV or films; it’s perhaps surprising for us to realise that even the Falklands’ War (1982) comes into the history syllabus nowadays! For many, however, the horrors of war are all too real and it is good to take the time to remember this and help those affected. In many countries, war is a present-day reality and not simply a historical interest.

‘Taking part’ in Remembrance Day may take different forms: attending a memorial service, wearing a poppy, observing a minute’s silence, for example, but it may feel like an ‘academic’ exericse or something only associated with history. We can even have the same attitude to our Christian faith: attending services, taking part in activities, but not really understanding how something which happened so long ago – the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ – can have relevance to our daily lives now.

Jesus told us to remember His sacrifice (Matt 26:26-29) and in the days preceding His crucifixion we read of His anointing at Bethany (Matt 26:6-13). The woman who poured out the alabaster jar of perfume was extravagant in demonstrating her love for Jesus; we are told that the oil cost a year’s wages (Mk 14:5). She gave significantly, not just pulling the stopper off the jar and dabbing perfume on Jesus, but lavishly anointing His whole body with it. She understood somehow that this person had such enormous significance in her life that He was worth everything she had.

God longs for us to pour out our whole lives before Him and to serve Him with everything we have. He longs for the historical significance of His sacrifice to permeate the everyday offerings of our daily living so that all we have is touched by His fragrance and poured out in service to a world that is dying to hear of His love.

On Remembrance Sunday, Mark spoke about some of the things we need to remember, looking at three Scriptures in particular:

1. Psalm 137:1-4. This psalm was written during the Babylonian exile, when God’s people were far from their homeland and were lost and grieving. They felt abandoned, too sad to praise God and as if they had nothing to look forward to. They remembered the ‘good times’ back in Zion and were heartbroken, but we also need to remember that life is full of highs and lows and God has plans for us which we cannot always see. He has a plan for our liberation and restoration which may be hidden from view in our current situation but which will be fulfilled in His timing.
2. Isaiah 43:18-19. Here, Isaiah reminds us that there are times when we need to forget the former things and look ahead to the new things God is doing. We can’t change the past and sometimes spend too long looking back. God wants to do vibrant, new things in our lives and in our churches and we need to be ready to move forward into the rivers of blessing He has for us. Instead of believing our lives have no future, we need to be confident in the future God has for us.
3. Jeremiah 31:33-34. Here, we can be grateful for what God chooses not to remember. Although He cannot forget anything, God says ‘I will remember their sins no more.’ Our sins have been erased by God, and though the devil has a habit of dragging up past sins, a sin repented of and forgiven by God has been eradicated (blotted out) from history by God, who chooses to wipe the slate clean for us.

If we find ourselves in a praiseless existence, God can bring us into a place of liberation and joy. If we tend to look back instead of forward, He can bring us into new experiences and revelations of Himself. We have to forgive ourselves and refuse to be distracted from the blessed future God has for us, confident in the fresh start God gives each one of us.

Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve believed a lie about God. The devil came to them in the Garden of Eden and questioned them about the commandments God had given to them, subtly insinuating half-truths that painted God in a restrictive, selfish light. He flatly contradicted what God had told them would be the consequences of disobedience, and as a result of his sly ‘You will not surely die’, they gave in to temptation and ate from the forbidden fruit. (Gen 3:1-7)

Many of our problems come when we continue to believe lies about God instead of allowing the Bible to guide us into all truth. Whether we realise it or not, when we believe those lies – that God is narrow, restrictive, out to get us, a killjoy, only interested in making our lives a misery or that He is indifferent, complacent about sin, too kind to ever chastise us – we become slaves to sin (see Rom 6:11-18). Those beliefs become a prison from which we need to be liberated (see Ps 142:7).

The only antidote to lies is truth. In Ps 142:5, the psalmist says, “I cry to you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’” It is vitally important that we learn to speak the truth about God, declaring aloud what God says is true about Himself. I love Matt Redman’s song ‘We Shall Not Be Shaken’, with its uncompromising emphasis that ‘our God, You are all that You say You are; You never change, You never fail, You never fade.’ It is not enough for us to know truths about God; we have to confess these with our mouths and declare to all who God is. When we do this, confident that God hears our cries (Ps 142:1-2,6), we will find our fears, anxieties, troubles and trials taking on their proper perspective. God is in control and has not abdicated His throne. We need to focus on who God is and allow this vision to shape how we live.

Matt Redman says of God, ‘When we really grasp the heights of who He is, and the depths of His heart for us, and the strength of His power in us, we can live a whole different kind of life. The way we view God will radically affect how our lives operate.’ I believe this to be true, and we start this process by confessing the truth of who God says He is. Find a truth about God and speak it out today. Your life will not be the same.

We continued our Bible studies on the Psalms of Lament tonight, looking at two psalms written by individuals (Ps 69 and Ps 77). Ps 69 could be said to be a Messianic or prophetic psalm, looking ahead to the Suffering Saviour prophesied by Isaiah (Is 52-53), and is referred to nine times in the New Testament (John 15:25, John 2:17, Romans 15:3, Matthew 27:34, 48; Mark 15:36; Luke 23:36; John 19:28, 29, Rom 11:9-10, Acts 1:20). It gives us insight into suffering and complaint, with the image of drowning in mire showing us how easy it is to feel overwhelmed by sorrow and injustice.

Both psalms list complaints frankly and without reserve (e.g. Ps 69:1-3, Ps 77:1-3) and may even reflect the imprecatory cursing we discussed last time (Ps 69:22-28), but there is always a pivot point, a tipping point, a hinge which keeps the psalm from wallowing in self-pity and looks ahead to the hope God brings.

In Ps 69:13 the change is heralded by the word ‘but’, as the psalmist contemplates God’s love, sure salvation and ability to deliver. In Ps 77, the change comes when the psalmist’s thinking is refocussed onto God’s mighty deeds and miraculous works. (Ps 77:10-15). The key to renewed hope is to have our minds fixed on what God has previously done for His people. Such thoughts will provide us with ‘songs in the night’ (Ps 77:6), which in turn will sustain through the difficult times of lament and lead us ‘through the mighty waters’, even when God’s footprints cannot be seen (Ps 77:19). Lament does not have to end with lament, but can be the painful pathway to praise. As Matt Redman reminds us, ‘if the highest praise is a sacrifice/ and the greatest song is to give my life/ Then I will not bring You that which cost me nothing.’ (‘Place of Praise’)

A family service wouldn’t be complete without some activities vaguely connected (!) to the theme of the service. Tonight’s connection was colour (rainbows are multi-coloured, after all!)

First of all, people had to move Skittles from one end of a table to the other using coloured straws:

The children had their own version:

Secondly, people played a game of ‘Bring Me…’ where different coloured items had to be brought to the front (an orange cup, a red bell, a green coat and so on…)

There were, as usual, prizes to be won!

The story of Noah and the 7 colours of the rainbow give us 7 things we need to remember.

1. Remember Noah’s obedience. Noah did what God told him to – even though it must have seemed bizarre, to say the least! God is looking for people who will do what He says.
2. Remember to live in readiness, as children of the light, for Jesus is coming back soon. 1 Thess 5:1-11 urges us to live in anticipation and expectation of the Second Coming of Christ. We need to be prepared!
3. Remember God’s provision. God provided for Noah and his family in the ark and He will provide for us too. (Matt 6:25-34)
4. Remember God’s protection. Even though the flood was a time of judgment and trial for the world, Noah and his family were kept safe. God knows those who belong to Him (2 Tim 2:19) and is able to keep us safe (see Ps 91).
5. Remember God’s faithfulness. Even though the flood lasted a long time, God’s faithfulness in giving Noah a fresh start is an encouragement to us. God’s faithfulness is great (Lam 3:23, 2 Thess 3:3).
6. Remember God’s mercy. We don’t deserve salvation or rescue, but God offers us so much because of His mercy. He is rich in mercy and offers us new life in Him. (Eph 2:4-9)
7. Remember the need for perseverance. Rome, they say, wasn’t built in a day, and certainly the ark wasn’t built overnight! Noah had to learn to persevere: so do we. (Gal 6:9, 1 Cor 13:7, 1 Tim 4:16)

Artwork done by the Sunday School children