Pastor's letters
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Written by Mark Madavan
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It happened again. It wasn’t planned, expected or desired but once again it happened. Arguably it could be said that this is simply a coincidence that I am plundering to provide a point to my latest Pastor’s letter, however I reckon it is God using our home again as a tangible teaching tool. Regular readers will know that the life and times of Mulberry House seem to have a spiritual symbiosis with the church – with over a dozen of my pervious letters demonstrating this link! A simple coincidence perhaps, something that God can use to make me stop and ponder – definitely.
The latest occurrence has to do with fences. After months of pursuing solicitors to finalise contracts, three days before Christmas it happened – an amazing present from God – the field was ours! We immediately appointed a company to erect a fence and as we broke into the New Year the work started to mark out for all to see the land God had given us. It was brilliant to see. Yes we have some serious challenges before us; gaining official planning permission, raising enough funds - some very major challenges indeed. But the fence was a significant marker, a declaration proclaiming that this land was given by God, belongs to God and will be used by God.
Meanwhile back at Mulberry House, the New Year weather was having a clear case of post-Christmas wind. Seriously. Damage was inflicted on most fence panels around our house and one side of the garden suffered total obliteration – panels disintegrated, posts ripped out, climbers crushed and perennials pounded into the mud. It was a serious mess.
A quick call to our insurers revealed that fences were not covered by our policy, then a quick chat with our neighbours responsible for maintaining that boundary revealed that they were quite happy with the skeletal branches (ambitiously referred to as a hedge) as being an adequate boundary, So we were faced with an expensive (and annoying) challenge. Happy New Year!
So what does this have to do with the church fence situation I hear you ask! (Go on humour me and say it!)
Cathy shared our New Year challenge with her friends on Facebook and what happened next was remarkable. Loads of people sent comments of encouragement, sympathising with the unwelcomed stress and expense, others sent links to where legal advice might be found, others offered to come over to join a working party, one even offered to “send some boys around to convince our neighbours to reconsider their position” (they were joking – I think!) and another felt God wanted them to financially help us.
We were totally blown away (no pun intended!). We were in no way asking or expecting others to help restore what was damaged. Why should people help us with fences and finances when other people were facing challenges much greater than ours? But then God made His point. God’s family was doing what God’s family does incredibly well – it loves, it cares, it gives, it brings hope.
When I stop and think about the mammoth task we face as a church to build a facility on the fenced off land, it is monumentally daunting. The lesson God is highlighting is that the solution is not found in stoically soaking up the stress or simply denying the situation by never stopping to consider the cost, nor is it to sit back and expect someone else to do all the hard work and sort things out. The solution is to keep God first – to purposefully invite God and His family to do what we do best. To love. To care. To give. To bring hope. That is when situations change. Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Challenges are a part of life. The way through them is to purposefully invite God and His people into the midst of them. Together, with God and His people, we can change the world, our nation, our community, our field and our back fence.
Be a part of God’s solution. |
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Written by Mark Madavan
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Waiting. We should be experts at it.
From the day we’re born our training in waiting begins. Even those with parents who effervesce with eager enthusiasm, pandering to every potential whim, still have to wait. Food requires preparing, baths need filling, shopping unpacking, washing machines to cycle – every parent eventually learns some things simply can’t be hurried and sometimes baby just has to wait (if any of our new parents have not learnt this lesson yet – wait, you’ll see!).
School schedules another series of waiting training lessons for our lives. Parents wait for those fleeting moments of freedom when kids are whisked to school and children wait for the clock to click release from classes so they can return home to be waited upon! Waiting training seeps into other areas of our lives as we wait for public transport, other people, solicitors (get their own category!), decisions to be made, appointments, results to be announced, good news and bad news to be released, the telephone to ring, the concert to start, the sermon to end, holidays, birthdays – Christmas!
Waiting. We should be experts at it.
‘Time’ is often targeted as the culprit concerning this constant nuisance of waiting. We all know ‘time’ is sneaky. When we are having fun time ticks faster, when fun is in short supply seconds elongate. Time also seems to respond to certain key words: ‘deadline’ makes time crash forward totally disregarding tasks still yet to do, ‘a date’ turns time into a tease dangling each second just out of reach. If only time would bend to our will ‘waiting’ would be bearable.
Saving time is another way we try to avoid waiting. New devices are constantly being added to our lives to try and reduce the need to wait – microwaves and dishwashers, instant messaging and same day delivery, cash machines and 24 hour banking, fast food and pre-washed lettuce. However in the effort to tame time we can actually make waiting worse - knowing that it is possible to save time we grow more impatient with people who are clearly not trying hard enough! (Yes, this article is greatly inspired by the frustration of waiting for the solicitors to sort out the papers concerning buying the land next to the church – but they’ve had them nine months – its a contract not a baby we’re after!) This time frustration can also spill over to our view of God. Why doesn’t God step in quicker, intervene, meet a pressing need – if only God would hurry up! (Ever thought/prayed/said that?)
The Bible says something really clear and relevant on waiting. Whilst we are desiring to bend or make time, God, the One who can bend and did make time, waits. God waits for us. Waits for us to respond, to follow Jesus, to step out in obedience, to step out in faith, for prodigals to return, to put our hope in Him. Not a one off response which soon fades back into the time bending fantasies of ‘if only…’, but a response that comes to God and waits on Him.
In Isaiah 40:31 we read, “Those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
I reckon the key to waiting, is learning to wait for the right thing. Not for a solution but a Saviour. The Bible says, as we train ourselves to wait on God, then we are renewed, then perspectives change and strength is found. When we train ourselves to put God first, say “Your Kingdom come”, seek to apply what Jesus says above what we prefer – learn the unforced rhythm of God’s grace - then ‘waiting’ is transformed from a brick wall experience, into a gateway leading to the life that Jesus brings.
As we celebrate the arrival of Jesus, our Saviour and enter a new year, let’s commit to training ourselves to waiting on God, to placing our hope in God. Let’s become experts at waiting.
Isaiah 40:31 “Those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
What are you waiting for? |
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Written by Mark Madavan
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It looked too good to be true – extend our holiday for two more days at no extra cost. It wasn’t a dubious deal being touted by a sales person, but a strange situation sitting on our computer screen. By choosing to fly home two days later the cost of the flights would drop by an amount that would cover two nights in a hotel, extra car hire and food. We clicked on the obvious conclusion, extended the car hire and booked a hotel in Quebec City - an unexpected treat to add to our trip.
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Written by Mark Madavan
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I was confused. After returning home from a Developing Leaders Day held at our church, I was greeted by an open front door beckoning me in. This was not the thing that confused me –
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Written by Mark Madavan
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It was a totally unexpected and amazing present. It wasn’t prompted by a birthday or anniversary or in fact any ‘do not forget or else!’ dates – it was simply a present to show our family love. A present to create time and space for us to relax, unwind and take a break. The present was a two night stay in a hotel in London and tickets to see a show.
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Written by Mark Madavan
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We were with friends wandering through bustling streets bracketed by ancient and modern buildings. Familiar retailers had squeezed into each building and sought to lure us into purchasing essential items for the fulfilment of life.
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Written by Mark Madavan
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It was a noise that occurred in the wrong place. It sounded like a crisp packet being scrunched, but I was the only person in the room and was definitely lacking that particular light snackage. |
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Written by Mark Madavan
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The coach stopped on a busy road, apparently we had arrived. We were led off along the bustling traffic clogged road, past shops and houses, all around us a myriad of people coming and going to important and forgettable destinations.
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Written by Mark Madavan
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“I love it when a plan comes together” |
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