Dear Friends,

I am writing this letter having just returned from Minister’s May School at Cliff College, which is located in Derbyshire. Three of the Northern Synods were there and it was good to catch up with colleagues. The theme of our week was whole life discipleship and what it means in our daily living.  It was badged as ‘Everyday Matters’ and we had an inspirational speaker  from the London Institute  of Contemporary Christianity (LICC), We also shared in worship and had some free time together.

One of the Bible passages that we looked at and were asked to reflect on as individuals and feedback was Peter walking on the water then beginning to sink before Jesus helps Peter into the boat.  For the passage look at Matthew 14. 22-32

As I was sat looking at the hills around me and the rock faces of Curber and Froggatts Edge I started to think that if Jesus had been on the top of that cliff and asked me to climb up to where He was, and asked me to trust Him during the climb. Would I have climbed? The answer would have been, ‘Sorry Jesus, there is no way that I can climb up there, it may take me a little longer bit I don’t like heights so I will need to go around. Although my faith is strong at the moment I don’t think it would have been that strong, 

Peter was full of faith and trust at the outset but then as the storm grew, so did the doubts. When the doubts kicked in so did His trust in Jesus.  As we look at our church buildings, when we look up to the ceiling which may look like the keep of an upturned boat, what do we feel? When we are in Church on Sunday is that the place where we trust Jesus the most? When the storms raging outside the church are still going on but we have sanctuary, in the sanctuary; is that the place where we feel safest? Peter made the bold step of leaving the safety of the boat and at first was focused on Jesus and had trust in Him. Then when the storm grew and he took his eyes off Him and tried to walk in his own strength. This is when the problem happened for Peter.  It is the same with us. As we go about our daily lives with the storms of life around us, do we try to do things in our own strength or are we focused on Jesus?

Deuteronomy 31.8 says: The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.’

We are told that Jesus would never forsake us (Matthew 28 v 20 says: ‘I am with you always, to the end of the age.’

As the focus of the week away was ‘Everyday Matters’ (to God). God has an interest in what we are doing and is with us, not just on a Sunday in Church but in the rest of our lives too. When things get hard, just as they did for Peter, I urge us to refocus on Jesus as Saviour who reaches out His hand and guides us back into the safety of the boat, offering His peace to all who are frightened or scared.  I would urge us all to take the hand that it offered to us.

Mark

P.S. I still don’t think I could climb the rock face! 

Mark.