Monday 27 April 2015

Psalm: Psalm 145:1-7

Background

I may have 'non-conformist' written like words in Blackpool rockthrough the middle of my being, but, when push comes to shove, I'mvery unwilling to rock the boat. I like to be liked far too muchfor my own good. When people say, "Dress in a way that makes youcomfortable", my answer is always "What makes me comfortable is theway people expect me to dress!" If they want ties I'll wear oneproudly! If jeans are required, I dust them down and find sometrainers to go with them. So a good bit of me finds it quiteunimaginable to think of standing before a high-powered committeeand saying, "I know the truth and you don't!"

How could I possibly have a direct line to truth that has eludedothers? How dare I think that my own view is somehow more importantthan someone else's? Why can't we just 'agree to differ'? Besides,doesn't getting along matter much more than being right?

I suppose a good deal of the time this is true. The woeful storyof the Church is that disagreements which have split us overthings, in the perspective of eternity, have the angels yawningwith boredom and poorly-concealed despair. But sometimes we alsoknow that 'sometimes truth' is just that.

We know it when we see a child hurting and no amount of clevereconomic arguments about 'hard reality' can stop us knowing in ourbones 'this isn't how things should be'. We know it when we see ahuman being diminished and abused; the sacred image of the Holy Godscorned and humiliated.

We perhaps also know it when the greatest story is denied; thetale of one who was so loved then rejected and destroyed, and yetis risen "with healing in his wings" (from the carol, Hark! TheHerald Angels Sing). In this story, hope for change explodes on theworld. In this claim there is held the promise of a renewedcreation where, "death will be no more" (Revelation 21:4), the hungry will be fed, thehurt healed and the world restored. My sad lack of boldness ismatched by a deep-seated longing that God will make all things new,which gives me courage.

To Ponder

• If you were to write in a single sentence what your 'good news'is, what would you write? Could you try expressing it without usingreligious words?

• What do you really long for in the world or for yourself?

• What makes you angry enough to be really bold?