01 jan key words
‘But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength …’ 2 Timothy 4:17
‘at my side’
It was Saturday, 1 January 1994. Three articulated lorries and a crane pulled up outside my front door. It was the Year of the Family and the BBC had decided to film their Sunday service around my family and me. It was chaos. The road was closed and electric cables were unravelled from all the vehicles and dragged through our front door. During the day we did some pre-filming at Arundel Castle and on the beach. This was fun because, as my talk was about the wise and foolish man, they decided to throw a bucket of water over me. Remember, it was January and freezing; fortunately, they did it in one take. Then came the Sunday when the live filming would take place in my lounge. Those present were my family, my mum and dad, and a few of the younger ones from the church. I am pleased to say that it went brilliantly, and although we were all very nervous of being filmed live on national television, it went without a hitch. There was only one very sad note: Dad’s cancer was causing him great discomfort; yet, although he was in extreme pain, he wanted to be there. He would never want to let his son down, he wanted to be at my side until the end. This was one of the last times that Dad went out of the house; in less than two months he had died. Although I have a copy of that programme on video, still, all these years later, I have not been able to watch it. In today’s reading, Paul was feeling alone and deserted. He had come under a lot of opposition and even some of his friends had left him. But Paul was sure of one thing; even though he was going through very difficult times, the Lord stood by his side and gave him all the strength that he needed. the point
prayer
I am so grateful for my dad being at my side for this very important filming but I know that he was, like Paul, even more grateful that the Lord was standing by his side all through those final months of pain and suffering. Today, Lord, I realise that, whatever hardships I may go through, You are at my side.
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ISHMAEL text new.indd 11
3/8/07 13:41:59
02 jan key words
‘The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” ’ Genesis 18:10
‘highly unlikely’
Having spent 35 years either leading or worshipping in the most extreme charismatic churches, I needed a change. It’s not that the meetings were bad; the problem lay with me. I was bored with singing the same songs over and over again each week. I was bored by the preaching and prophecies, which seemed to have little or no content. To put it bluntly, I was as stale as old boots! I knew if I didn’t change I would become a cynical, critical, miserable, discontented old man. I didn’t want to end up like that, but was I too old for change? I was surprised when Irene suggested that we try a service at the cathedral. I though she must be joking. She knows that I am ‘Ish the radical’, the one who is totally anti-tradition; I’d even preached and written against archaic ritual! The cathedral could not possibly be God’s plan for me – or could it? It would be highly unlikely for me to find God amongst old hymns, choirs, liturgy, smells and bells. But the highly unlikely did happen, after my very first early morning communion. Sitting in the vast cathedral with six other people, a dean and three cathedral canons, I met God in a brand-new way. One of the canons even told me afterwards that it was God’s timing that I was there. Humble pie time, because he was right. Unlike most who go from the old to the new, I had to go from the new to the old to find a fresh walk with God. Three heavenly messengers visited Abraham. After feeding them they suddenly came out with this amazing news: in one year, he and Sarah would have a baby boy. Abraham was surprised by their words. He must have thought this was highly unlikely to happen as both he and Sarah were far too old to become parents, but he knew that when God said something, even though it sounded impossible, God would do it. the point
prayer
God still speaks today, so keep listening and do not be surprised if what He is says sounds highly unlikely or even impossible. Lord, help me to listen to You today and to act upon whatever You say.
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ISHMAEL text new.indd 12
3/8/07 13:41:59
03 jan key word
‘Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?’ 1 Corinthians 4:21
‘whip’
I once toured with a friend called Pete Gilbert. Pete was an evangelist who used tricks and escapology to communicate the Christian message. We called the tour The Great Escape. During the show Pete used a trick with a banana to explain the Trinity. To everyone’s amazement, as he peeled the banana it came out in three equal sections. At his next performance in Swindon, I mischievously swapped his banana during a prayer time before the show. Of course I ruined his Trinitarian trick and Pete could not understand why the banana came out whole and not in three sections. He put it down to the heat of the spotlights welding the three pieces of banana back together, but when I confessed I had swapped it I was forced to do a great escape! Later, a company wanted to film Pete’s escapes at an open-air festival in front of a live audience. I was invited to be part of the film, dressed as a ringmaster with top hat, red jacket and whip in hand. My job was to introduce his escapes. It was fun to watch him wriggle out of a straightjacket and even more exciting watching him escape from a locked oil drum full of water while handcuffed. It all went very smoothly, probably due to the fact that he would not allow me anywhere near his props. I also suspect that Pete kept his eyes open and fixed on me during any prayer time! Although the film was supposed to represent a circus act, I never liked the circus much. I always felt that somewhere down the line, someone was cruel to these poor animals in order to make them do tricks that were not in their nature. I was sure that it was the fear of being whipped, not the joy of entertaining, that made them perform in front of an audience. the point
prayer
Paul brought correction to those who needed it by being loving and gentle, not through fear or intimidation. Today, if we need to bring correction to a member of our family or church, we must do the same, so that they love us, but never fear us. Lord, if I need to correct anyone today, help me to do it with love and gentleness.
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ISHMAEL text new.indd 13
3/8/07 13:41:59