Hennie's August Blog for St. Mark's & the Lighthouse

Summber break - relational and restorational

Monday 1st August, four months into new post, and the summer break lies before us. Perhaps many of you have already taken off with your family, or by yourselves, to meet up with extended family or friends, and to spend time away from school, college, work or even home. A time for space, to catch one's breath; a time for relaxation and restoration; and a time to spend with others, perhaps meeting and making new friends, or building on already good friendships and deepening our relationships with others. Whatever you are doing over the summer, at home or away, I hope you will have a restful break, and come back rested and restored physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Over the past few months we have been looking at the Book of Acts & the Letter to the Ephesians, and learning afresh how the person of the Holy Spirit moved and equipped the early church. I believe God has been speaking powerfully to us through His living word about how the lives of the disciples, and early followers of Christ were transformed through powerful prayer, and the filling of the Holy Spirit. Over the past two weeks my daily readings from SU Bible notes 'Encounter with God' has taken me to Luke's Gospel reminding me that being a disciple of Jesus Christ should be sacrificial, transformational, and relational; and three gifts we are given to help us on our way, amongst many others, are faith, prayer, and the Holy Spirit.

As we have preached on Acts and Ephesians, people have been reflecting on the Holy Spirit, as have I. On the train last night coming back from London, I was thinking of recent conversations that I have had with others about the Holy Spirit, and I was reminded of something I read on my way down from a book entitled 'A praying life'. 'Deep in our psyches we want an experience with God or an experience in prayer. Once we make that our quest, we lose God. You don't experience God; you get to know him. You submit to him. You enjoy him. He is, after all, a person'! I think often that people also make it their quest to have an experience of the Holy Spirit, forgetting too that the Holy Spirit is a person, or they fear what might happen if their relationship becomes too intimate with the Holy Spirit, and therefore keep their distance.

May I suggest that firstly to get to know someone there is only one way, and that is to spend time with them, and to listen to them. It is no different when it comes to deepening our relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Perhaps as you enjoy your break this summer in other people's company, remember that God longs to spend time with you also. Jesus describes the intimacy he wants with us by saying that he too would like to join us for dinner. (Rev 3:20) Discipleship is relational.

Secondly, as you do new things on holiday, or your careful holiday arrangements do not go to plan, remember that the early church was powered by a new vision of the Kingdom of God which called the people out of their comfort zones, and equipped them to take huge risks for God. Many a time their plans were messed up by the unpredictable work of the Holy Spirit! But lives were transformed, as some, literally gave their lives to Christ. Discipleship is sacrificial, relational and transformational.

Two questions to ponder from my daily bible notes, and which have been challenging me.

1) How can we combine a responsible attitude to church life with a genuine openness to the unpredictable work of the Spirit?

2) How can we encourage each other to leave our comfort zones and do something risky for God?

Lastly a question from your vicar - are you willing to lay aside 15 mins each day to spend time with God - not speaking at Him, but listening to Him, and deepening your relationship with Him? And if there is more than one in the household, how are you going to encourage and enable this to happen for one another, and the family?

Summer blessings,

Hennie