Rainbows
A rainbow can be explained as occurring when sunlight and rain combine in a special way, resulting in us being able to see all the colours of the light spectrum. Scientists tell us it’s caused by the refraction, reflection and dispersion of water droplets resulting in an arc of colour appearing in the sky. The colours always appear in a certain order – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet – which people tend to remember through the mnemonic ‘Richard of York Gave Battle In Vain’ or the acronym ‘ROYGBIV’. There are different kinds of rainbows: secondary rainbows are caused by a double reflection of sunlight inside the raindrops, and are centred on the sun itself and so a double rainbow consists of two separate and concentric rainbow arcs whereas the very rare twinned rainbow appears as two rainbow arcs that split from a single base. Technically a rainbow is actually a full circle, but from the ground, only its upper half can be seen, so we tend to think of rainbows as being semi-circular.
Alan spoke about how rainbows are perceived in different cultures (in Hindu mythology, the rainbow is portrayed as an archer’s bow; in Norse mythology a burning rainbow bridge called the Bifrost connects Midgard (earth) with Asgard, home of the gods, for example.) Nowadays, the rainbow is the symbol of Gay Pride and is also the youngest section for girl guides! For those of us of a certain age, the word ‘Rainbow’ also conjures up images of a children’s TV programme featuring George, Zippy and Bungle!
For Christians, the rainbow is important for giving us further insight into God’s faithfulness and trustworthiness. It reminds us that we have hope and can trust in God.
Rainbow of Remembrance
Tonight’s family service looked at the story of Noah and had as the theme ‘rainbow of remembrance.’ November is traditionally a month of remembrance: Bonfire Night, when all over the country we remember the Catholic plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament led by Guy Fawkes: ‘remember, remember the fifth of November: gunpowder, treason and plot.’ Next week is Remembrance Sunday, when we remember the end of the 1st World War on 11th November 1918. 1st November is known as All Saints’ Day and is an opportunity for believers to remember all saints and martyrs, known and unknown, throughout Christian history. In some churches, 2nd November is known as All Souls’ Day when all those who have died as Christians are remembered. Remembering is clearly a November trait!
The story of Noah (Gen 6-9) is well known: how mankind’s sinfulness angered and wounded God and led to His plan to destroy all He had made through a universal flood, sparing Noah and his family because of Noah’s blameless walk with Him. It’s a story of obedience (Gen 6:22, Gen 7:5) and perseverance, of God’s protection and provision, and teaches us about God’s justice, love, mercy and faithfulness. The rainbow is the sign of the covenant God made with Noah and the earth when He promised never to flood the earth again (Gen 8:21-22, Gen 9:13-16).
Jesus reminded us that Noah’s story needs to be remembered (Matt 24:38-39) and that we need also to live in readiness because the Son of Man is coming again! 2 Pet 3:3-7 reminds us that whilst people may scoff at this idea – just as the people scoffed at Noah for building an ark in preparation of the flood – we need to be prepared for His return. Are we living in readiness? Are we remembering the right things?
The Burning Bush
Today is Bonfire Night in the UK, and Dave chose this morning to speak on Exodus 3:1-6 on another kind of bonfire – the burning bush which God used to call Moses. This was a fire like no other since the bush kept on burning without burning up. Why would God choose such an unusual sign?
Moses had been working in a dead-end job for many years and seemed to be going nowhere; his earlier promise as a leader seems to have faded and he was probably bored and apathetic by this time, forever condemned to obscurity by his rash act of murder many years previously. God used an unusual sign to get his attention. At first, it was probably only curiosity which prompted Moses to go to the bush, but then God spoke to him from the bush, calling him to his life work: to lead the people out of Egypt. God would liberate His people in His way; Moses would not be in control.
God did not have to rescue Israel, but because of His faithfulness and love, He chose to respond to their cries for help. (Ex 3:7-8) We can never ‘earn’ salvation, no matter how good we are, but God’s mercy and love are His motivation (see Titus 3:5). We can rely on God’s faithfulness and promises (see Num 23:19, 2 Cor 1:20). Our salvation depends on God’s faithful promises, not on how we feel.
God was about to do great things for Israel, but the purpose behind His freeing them was to make them holy. Moses finds that this burning bush has become holy ground. Similarly, God desires to make us holy (see 1 Pet 1:16) – set apart for God, able to shine for God because His Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us. Heb 12:29 reminds us that our God is a consuming fire. That fire is in us, to consume all that is not of God and to light us up so others can see God’s light.
Family Fun
We had another fun day at Houghton Road Centre today, with about 60 people in total attending the ‘Churches Together’ Family Fun Day. Alison had invited Be Well Barnsley to give us ideas for healthy eating (fruit kebabs):
The Dearne area Children’s Team were on hand to enrol people onto the fruit and vegetable voucher scheme, with one worker even dressing as a tomato to promote the scheme!
In addition, we had crafts for all ages, soft play fun for the babies and toddlers and, of course, crazy golf for everyone!
Our thanks to Kevin and all at Houghton Road Centre for their lovely catering and help and to all who attended for a great day of half-term fun!
Secure Uncertainty
Dave’s sermon on Elijah tonight looked at how hard it can be when God does not necessarily work in the ways we expect. The poem ‘Secure Uncertainty’ reflects my own thoughts on this theme, fuelled by our studies on the Psalms of Lament which give us permission to come before God with all our questions, doubts and complaints.
Paul knew whom he believed.
John told us how he knew what love was.
Certainty and knowledge run through the Bible
Like a river dissecting the very heart of a village,
Bolstering us, boosting us, lifting us up so our heads don’t go under water.
We know.
We believe.
We are secure.
But then the storm comes,
Sweeping us off our feet,
Battering us mercilessly against the rocks,
Pummelling our flesh till its misshapen bruises
Form a rainbow of colours revealing internal bleeding.
Now, certainty is gone.
Questions without answers lie mangled at our feet
Like detritus thrown out to sea.
We gaze into the abyss,
Wondering how a benevolent God can be so cruel,
Afraid to lift our heads lest another blow rains down.
Is God capricious?
How can we reconcile His love with this maelstrom of fury?
Why ever did He let loose this hurricane of doubt?
How can we ever reach the hilltop of security when we are crushed by despair?
It’s not just the destruction and pain and personal suffering which haunt,
But the tumour of uncertainty eats away at us,
Unvoiced, yet slowly sapping faith.
We stand up shakily,
Brushing down our soiled garment,
Attempting to limp on as if nothing has happened.
But where there was once security and shiny eyes,
Now insecurity reigns
And coldness seeps through.
How do we regain our confidence in God?
We believe He’s there,
But we’re not sure we want that God anymore.
We want the cosy, fluffy version
Who leaves us alone in delusion
And comfortable unbelief.
This God is demanding, fierce,
Unrelenting and uncompromising.
For centuries we’ve been told God never changes,
But in our eyes now He’s changed,
And we’re rocked.
We may still outwardly conform to religious practices,
But if this inner dissonance is never repaired,
Our faith will wither and die like crunchy autumn leaves, brittle, unsustainable.
If we never learn to live with mystery, accepting our finite limitations,
Our hearts will grow cold
And we will shrivel away.
Only as we limp through the stages of confusion
Can we find the sunshine of assurance
In the wreckage of the storm.
I don’t know the answers.
I still don’t understand,
But I will still run to You,
My Saviour and my God.
For even if I have no other hiding place,
I will hide myself in You,
And I will be safe in the shadow of Your wings.
Love and fury,
Compassion and wrath,
Mercy and justice,
Kindness and uncompromising holiness
All wrapped in one God.
May the colours of the prism
Dazzle me as I sit with You in silence,
For You are light
And in You there is no darkness at all.
Renewal and Rebirth
Dave continued his series on Elijah tonight, looking at 1 Kings 19:1-8. Elijah, the fearless, uncompromising prophet who rebuked kings face to face, had just won a great victory over the prophets of Baal, but surprisingly perhaps, instead of standing firm in this victory when facing Ahab and Jezebel, the spiritual toll of these battles and the lonely life he had led for the past three years in the wilderness while the rest of Israel pursued other gods meant Elijah was actually fearful, exhausted, spiritually depleted and despondent, fleeing from Jezebel’s threats and feeling so lonely and depressed that he asked God to let him die.
We all have our own ideas about God and how He should work in our lives, but instead of God actually agreeing to Elijah’s request to die, He sent practical help (food and drink), spoke in a gentle whisper to recommission Elijah and provided a companion, Elisha, to share the load. God still had work for Elijah to do, and in this period of isolation and exhaustion, Elijah had to let go of his previous ways of doing things and his preconceptions about God and come to a new understanding which was both renewing and reinvigorating; it was, in effect, like a new birth. Elijah was the archetypal ‘fire and brimstone’ prophet, full of zeal for God, but he had to learn a new way of relating to God.
Our society may well leave us feeling like Elijah. Godless lifestyles abound; there is a sense of ‘anything goes’ in morality all around us, and often there is a lack of compassion and the church seems no different to the world in many ways. We may well struggle to understand God’s ways, and in times of crisis, we may find we, like Elijah, have to look for God in ways that are unfamiliar to us. As we do this, however, being prepared to sacrifice our preconceptions about God, we will find He is there with us, speaking peace to our spirits and leading us to new commissions. Crisis can precipitate renewal and refreshment from God, if we will journey through the struggles (symbolised here by Elijah’s 40 day journey) to that place of stillness in Him.