When I was a child, I used to play with a toy called a Weeble.

Weebles were roly-poly toys, shaped rather like eggs, which would wobble vigorously but not fall down (hence the catchphrase ‘Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down!‘) Apparently the toy was based on sound principles of physics:

(A=position of mechanical equilibrium; B=position of mechanical instability; F=gravitational force; y=vertical axis; m1=low-density mass; m2=high-density mass; C=centroid. Note that between positions A and B, C raises slightly and becomes off-centre.)

They’ve been relaunched in the 21st century and you can now even buy ‘themed’ Weebles:

I haven’t thought about this childhood plaything for years, but just recently I’ve been observing how Christians often go through all kinds of difficult circumstances in life and can feel buffeted by trials and troubles. Paul talks about this in 2 Corinthians 4: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” Life can be tough at times and we often feel that we are reeling. How much more can we stand before we crack under the strain?

Paul, in this passage, reminds us that “we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Cor 4:7) We may be surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralised; we may not be sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we may feel spiritually terrorised, but God hasn’t left our side; we may be thrown down, but we haven’t broken. In short, the Christian is indeed rather like a Weeble. We may wobble, but we won’t fall down, because God is able to keep us from falling (Jude 1:24)

Mark preached from 1 Thess 5:12-28 last night, focussing especially on verse 25: “Brothers, pray for us.” This passage is full of imperatives, as Paul concludes his letter with commands. These involve holding leaders in high regard, encouraging the timid, helping the weak, being patient with everyone, learning to be joyful at all times, to pray continually, to give thanks in all circumstances and to allow the Spirit full rein in our lives. But we are reminded of the need to pray for each other.

In John 17:6-21, we see how Jesus prayed for His disciples and prayed for all who would follow Him. We all need prayer. 2 Cor 13:9 reminds us what we can pray for: ‘that you may be fully restored’, that you may reach perfection, for completion and wholeness of faith. Phil 1:3-6 reminds us to pray with thanksgiving for people, to pray continually for people, to pray for continued fellowship and to pray with the confidence that ‘he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus’. (Phil 1:6)

We all completed prayer cards, naming things that we would like others to pray for in our own lives, and then shared these, so that we can each pray for someone else. Prayer is one of the greatest things we can do for each other. May God help us to be faithful in prayer and to willingly share each other’s burdens by praying.

Dave preached from Judges 14 yesterday morning, looking at the enigmatic story of Samson (or ‘little sun’, as his name meant.) Even from before his birth, he was meant to be a shining example to God’s people – ‘he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines’. The pattern in Judges was sadly that ‘everyone did what was right in their own eyes’. Some enemy would oppress Israel, who would cry out to God. God would raise up a judge or deliverer and for a time there would peace, but the people would quickly fall back into idolatry. Samson, whose birth was announced by an angel, promised much, and is often portrayed as some kind of superhero, with super-strength, but so often he seems an enigma to us. The picture shows a typical scene from his life, when he wrestles and kills a lion, but what can we really learn from this ‘blundering buffoon’?

Samson is more a mirror of his own people than a typical judge. Israel is not really complaining about Philistine oppression at this time; Samson’s trysts with Philistine lovers mirror how the Israelites caved into Philistine culture and religion. His compulsive sexuality and violence mirrors a people who did what was right in their own eyes. His blundering and stupidity and finally his real (and symbolic) blindness mirrors the spiritual stupidity and blindness of his people. He is not so much a leader as a reflection of them.

Yet this begs the question, why did God bother with such a man? Why does God use flawed people to bring about His purposes? (for Judges 14:4 makes it clear that God was involved in all of this action.) Judges 14 shows us some of Samson’s ‘riddles’ and we are left pondering the greatest riddle of all, the riddle of grace.

God chose Samson, flaws and all, to serve Him in his own generation and to be a picture of Israel and their relationship to God. Every one of us is a flawed character and God has chosen to use us to fulfil His purposes in our own generation. Jesus does remember us. The riddle of God’s grace is the conundrum of God working through very imperfect people, like Samson and like you and me. What is sweeter than wordly pleasures or stronger than the power of sin? The love of God, of course.

On Thursdays, we will now be alternating between Bible studies and prayer meetings. This coming week will be the Bible study, and we’re up to Romans 15. I’ve been reading this chapter in preparation and have been struck by some of the words in the opening verses:

* endurance
* encouragement
* hope
* unity
* joy
* peace
* glory

Some of these are ‘classic’ Christian words, but I suppose the thing that challenges me the most when I think about those ‘big’ words is how they are linked to that opening word, ‘endurance’. ‘Endurance’ (the capacity to last or withstand wear and tear, the ability to last or continue, despite stress, anxiety or other adverse conditions) never seems quite as glamorous as encouragement, hope, joy or peace, does it?! But apparently it’s key to having hope: “through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” (Rom 15:4) God is also the one who gives us endurance and encouragement (Rom 15:5). Other versions translate this word as ‘patience’, which in Galatians is listed as a fruit of the Spirit.

So I am reminded once again that perseverance and patience, endurance and stickability are just as important in reaching the finishing post as the other characteristics of faith which often seem more glamorous and attractive to me!

We will be hosting the local service for the Women’s World Day of Prayer on Friday 2nd March at 6 p.m.

Women’s World Day of Prayer is a global, ecumenical movement of informed prayer and prayerful action, organised and led by Christian women who call the faithful together on the first Friday in March each year to observe a common day of prayer and who, in many countries, have a continuing relationship in prayer and service.

The service is written by a different country each year and that country then becomes the focus of the world’s prayers on the day itself, which begins as dawn breaks over the islands of Tonga in the Pacific and continues across each continent until the last services of this special day are held back in the Pacific, on the islands of Samoa, circling the world in prayer for 36 hours. This year’s service focuses on Malaysia and has as its theme ‘Let Justice Prevail’.

All are welcome to attend the service, including men and children! We will be holding activities for children during the service and refreshments (including Malaysian food) will be served after the service, which usually lasts just over an hour. A variety of local churches, including the Salvation Army, Methodist church and Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, will be joining us for this service, so please do come along and join us.

How can we then summarise what we have learned throughout January as we’ve journeyed through the book of Proverbs? We started by learning that it aimed to give us ‘a manual for living’ so that we might have a ‘grasp on reality’ (Prov 1) . We’ve seen that wisdom is the word that is probably the recurring theme of the book: Proverbs is part of the Bible that is known as the ‘Wisdom literature’ (comprising Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs), so it’s only fitting that this is the theme that dominates. Wisdom, often personified and painted as being more valuable than rubies and other precious stones or metals, is more than intelligence or knowledge: it’s practical knowledge, applied knowledge, knowledge ‘made flesh’ and lived out in everyday situations and circumstances, knowledge that has an impact on how we speak, live, love, relate to others and worship God.

The wise and the foolish are contrasted throughout the book. We see how they act and can judge their wisdom (or lack of it) from their actions. Jesus taught “every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them.” (Matt 7:17-20) Proverbs reminds us vividly that our faith will become visible through our words and actions. The wise person will choose good goals and will keep a long-term view of life, shunning the human tendency to settle for short-term gratification. Ultimately, our lives will be judged by how we have responded to God; thus, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov 1:7, 9:10).

Wisdom is life in the flesh, however: not some esoteric principle which can only be understood by scholars. It’s down-to-earth, everyday, practical living. Jesus is described as ‘the Word made flesh’ (John 1:14). He came to reveal the Father to us: “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” (John 1:18) We might have found it hard to understand what God is like… hard to fathom what He wants of us… hard to understand godliness, but Jesus has come and revealed these things to us. Now we see what the Father heart of God is like. Now we understand how much we are loved. Now we understand!

Proverbs takes us by the hand and leads us into wisdom so that we can choose to live well. Jesus takes us by the hand and leads us to the Father. We are a privileged people, for not only do we know who God is and what He wants from us, we are actually led by God and indwelt by His Spirit so that that work of maturing and transformation is carried out in us.

Let’s live wisely and well throughout 2012.