Life is a tightrope

Charles Blondin crossed over Niagara Falls on a tightrope four times. Good for him! There is no limit to what some people will do for fame and fortune but count me out when it comes to high wire exploits like that! However, life itself is a tightrope and calls for a good sense of balance. Without it we will surely fall, as many do. To suggest that someone is unbalanced could infer their insanity but many rational enough folk - including some who are quite clever - get their lives out of balance and live lopsided lives. For an example of a truly balanced life we should look to Jesus Christ who from his youth developed mentally, physically, spiritually and socially (See Luke 2.52).

Plans for you

In the book of Jeremiah, chapter twenty nine and verse eleven we read, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". I like the use of the plural 'plans' in the New International Version of the bible. God's plans are comprehensive. We might say that he has plans A and B and if we mess up and frustrate his ideal will for us he is never at a loss to know the path we should then take. We should trust him. He knows what he is doing and what we should be doing as well. No worries!

The Salvation Army

Some viewers will know that much of my life and ministry has been wrapped up in The Salvation Army in which movement I have been a leader for over sixty years. As I review the past I have no major regrets. Life has been fulfilling and my confidence in the SA is as strong as ever. I believe that our uniform has helped to make our message visible and our music has made it audible but only our holiness or integrity can make it credible. What matters most is not what we do but what we are. Character will talk over our heads. In this respect many of us know that we are far from perfect but at least we are trying to 'be the best that we can be'and we will keep on keeping on. Fair enough?

Living by faith

We may be pessimists by nature but we can be optimists by grace. Wearing the dark glasses of unbelief the future may seem gloomy but by faith we can see light on the horizon. I haven't sung it for years but a snatch of an old chorus has been going through my mind. It went like this: "Lord, lift me up and help me stand, By faith, on heaven's table land". With all the gloom and doom in the world we can look up and believe that beyond the clouds the sun is shining. God has not done with his world or with us as individuals. Hope is the music of the future and there is no reason why we can't dance to it today.

Get a life!

It might be said that a person's bare individuality is like the bit of grit which gets into an oyster shell. The pearl of our lives is made by the relationships we gather around us. Some people find relationships difficult and resist them even as they long for them. But it is only by being open to others that we can help them to overc0me their inhibitions and be open to us. That is the way to get a life. I would add that we should be open to God also. He is not remote or removed from us but only a prayer away. He has revealed what he is like though Jesus. Incredible as it may sound. he really loves us.

Living and dying

It must be tough to come to die only to realise that you have never really lived! For some people life is nothing more than a monotonous succession of days leading to nothing in particular. As an old man I am glad to look back and realise that my life has had meaning because at a young age I dedicated all I had to God for service to others. That means a lot to me.

Beyond the blues

I have read that a grain of indigo can colour a ton of water - which indicates how infectious the blues can be! Little things can colour our day and blur our vision. So what can help us? One answer to depression is prayer. In Psalm four we read, "There be many that say who will shew us any good?Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us" (KJV). When the outlook was bad the writer tried the uplook! We could do the same.

In God's waiting room

It is said that all men think all men mortal but themselves and it is true that many people - men and women alike - give little thought to their own demise and what may follow. At one time preachers often spoke about the furniture of heaven and the termperature of hell. Now user friendly sermons give such subjects a wide berth. Of course, there is no need to be morbid, but we are all in God's waiting room and one day we will be called to give account. Personally, I am calmly confident, not because I think that I am good but because I know that God is, and that the Judge of all the earth will do right.

A traveller's tale

Aussie's are known as great travellers. The accent may be heard in New York, Beijing or old London town. But we need to ask ourselves where all our travelling gets us. In one sense, only the inward journey is real . It is not what happens to us but what happens in us that counts. Some of the greatest people who ever lived didn't travel very widely in a geographical sense but they went a long way in their hearts and minds - and that is what matters. I believe that going all the way with Jesus Christ is what brings true fulfillment, and faith is the ticket to ride.

Alive in more ways than one

When Christians claim that Jesus is alive just what do they mean? Firstly, they believe that he is alive with God the Father in Heaven, secondly, that he lived on in the cherished memories of those who knew him on earth -memories perpetuated in the gospels - and thirdly that he is alive through the Holy Spirit who makes him the most knowable person on the planet. Millions of perfectly rational human beings claim to know Jesus - (and not just know about him) and they find their lives tranformed through their relationship with him. He is only a prayer away!

All alive

Easter is not just a date on a calendar but an experience in the heart.

Confidence under threat

News bulletins with repeated accounts of death and destruction can be demoralising. The world may seem to be a dreadful place and our confidence for life and living can be shattered. But Easter is a fillip for faith with its message about the triumph of life over death and goodness over evil. All is not lost. God is still alive! Robert Louis Stevenson said, "I believe in an ultimate decency of things" and John Greenleaf Whittier wote, "Yet midst the maddening maze of things And tossed by storm and flood, To one fixed trust my spirit clings, I know that God is good!" I say Amen to that.

Who is in the driving seat?

It has been said that man is an omnibus in which his ancestors ride and we may believe that our genes are an important factor in our life. But all not all important. I don't believe that any of my ancestors drive my bus! By the grace of God we can determine our own destiny. Years ago I knew a fine Christian man who told me that he was born as a result of his mother being raped. The circumstances of his birth could have undermined his self-worth. In fact he had made good and chosen to live a life that was useful and happy.

Life is lent

For many people Lent is a season for making sacrifices - going without meat, sugar or whatever. Perhaps we also need to remember that life itself is only lent. We came into the world at no cost to ourselves. We didn't purchase our existence or do anything to deserve it. One day we will have to give it back and be accountable for the ways` in which we have invested our years on earth. We tend to think that all are mortal except ourselves but sure enough the day of accounting is coming for all of us. By the grace of God we can face that day with confidence not simply because we are good but becuse God is.

Never give up!

Winston Churchill went to give a speech at his old school. He was announced as the greatest orator of his generation and the pupils waited for his words with bated breath. Churchill went to the podium and in measured tones declaimed, "Never, never, never give up!" Then he returned to his seat. It must have been one of the briefest speech he ever gave - and one of the most memorable! An illustration of what he must have had in mind took place on February 8th, 2010 when in Haiti, Evan Ocinia was rescued from the rubble of a market and taken to a Salvation Army clinic 28 days after the earthquake and two weeks after official rescue operations had ended. We may marvel at the buoyancy and the spiritual resilience of a man who could survive such an experience. It challenges those of us ready to give up under far less pressure.

For good or ill

My wife and I have family in Australia and the United Kingdom and have cause to give thanks for the internet conection we have with those far away. Every week we talk and laugh with our daughter, our son-in-law and two grandsons in England. Distance seems to shrink and precious relationships are strenthened for us. But the technology that can bring such a positive boon can also be a bane. I have been sickened by accounts of the way in which unscrupulous men use the net to lure children into sexual relationships. Technical advances without moral development can be disastrous and that is the biggest problem we face.

A culture of violence

When I lived in north America I was taken aback to discover police offices in some schools, apparently required in order to cope with violent and other crimes. Will that become necessary in Australia? News of a thirteen-year-old charged with murder is a chilling omen. Violence against overseas students is something else which causes concern and affects our reputation abroad and dents our Aussie pride. Window shopping in the CBD in an evening may no longer be a safe option for many. One could not identify a single cause for the fact that we seem to be developing a culture of violence but it may have something to do with the diet of entertainment served up by the media. Programme after programme on the telly features mayhem and murder as do the video games which fill the minds of impressionable kids. Small wonder if seeing becomes behaving and copycat violence increases!

Blow away

My wife and I attended the annual dinner of the Salvation Army Veterans Band in Melbourne. Back in the eighties I played a small part in the formation of this group which was just intended to be for a a special weekend of celebration. All these years later it is still going strong with fifty members and a well-filled diary of engagements. The fellowship of these older Army bandsmen is terrific and their music making is of a high standard. Age doesn't seem to weary them and sharing their company is inspirational. Old bandsmen never die they only blow away - and thrive in the process!

Technicalities and incompetence

I am vastly impressed by the technical progress which makes possible worldwide communication at great speed. But the human element is still crucial. We still suffer from the incompetence and slackness of staff who fail to use the means of communication available to them. We should all realise how what we do (or fail to do) impacts others. In our dealings none of us is perfect but we should aim to be.

Regeneration

I visited the scene of last year's disastrous bush fires which cost the lives of 173 people in Victoria, Australia. The blackened remains of trees and empty spaces where houses stood are reminders of the fearsome fires which roared through the area faster than one could drive a car. But the green shoots on trees and the rebuilding of homes indicate that renewal is taking place. The aftermath is still apparent in the lives of somewho survived and The Salvation Army is among the organizations working to bring healing and renew hope. I believe in regeneration for the human spirit and there is evidence that this is happening. Of course, it can take place anywhere where the fires of misfortune have brought disaster. There are no hopeless cases only people who have lost hope but who can find it again with God's help.

A tower of strength

Many years ago I read that some people call the Christian story a tall story but it has stood without toppling for 2,000 years and been a tower of strength to multitudes. As a senior citizen I can look back over many years, and checking out those words testify that they are true. My recipe for living is to trust in God and follow the example of Jesus Christ. There is no better way.

A hundred years young

The Salvation Army congregation in Camberwell of which I am a member celebrates its centenary this year. For a hundred years Salvationists in the district have been meeting for worship and seeking to witness to the wider community. In 1910 on the first Sunday they came together the Salvationists were on the streets sharing the gospel. Through the years also there has been outreach into the community with practical service to those in need - not as an alternative to the Christian gospel but as an expression of it. Surprisingly the need for such service seems to be greater than ever and the services being offered are also more extensive. In this year of celebration Salvos will be taking their hats off to the past and their coats off for the future, thanking God for the privilege of service.

Traffic in people

When I was at school I understood that traffic in people and slavery had long since been abolished. Now the ugly business has reared its ugly head and may be more widespread than ever. In Australia as elswhere are women lured by false promises and now caught in the web of prostitution. Captain Danielle Strickland of The Salvation Army is one among a number of fearless campaigners against this new/old evil in our midst and should be able to count on the support of all right-thinking Aussies.

Intellectual interlude

When we get older we are likely to have what are euphemistically called 'seniors'moments which I prefer to call 'intellectual interludes'. But 'oldies' are not the only ones likely to be forgetful. Some young people are notoriously likely to forget to pass on phone messages or give thanks for gifts received. But an attitude of gratitude sits well with everybody and helps to make life worth living for all.

Too much of a good thingh?

Can we have too much of a good thing? Is it possible? It may be heresy so say so in Australia but do we go over the top with our sport? Developing physical fitness is fine and so is healthy competition but it seems that sport tends to dominate our airwaves at times. For some it is almost a substitute religion and is given an importance out of all proportion. At one time on one T-V channel a regular news bulletin was suspended during the period of an American golf tournament - a case of stop the world while we chase a little ball. Sport may have its place as a recreation or a diversion but there are more important things - aren't there?

The right to write

I think I must have been born with ink in my veins because from a very early age I was writing verses and essays, poor as they were. The itch to write could not be denied. Now I am grateful for opportunities to write books along with articles galore and to be able to do so without fear of restrictions by a repressive regime with secret police likely to knock on my door. But freedom is not free. It comes with a price and the need for tolerance of views different from our own. Freedom of speech is precious but it must be employed with responsibility and also guarded with vigilance. There is a delicate balance to be maintained. which could easily be lost.

Haiti

Even the most insensitive should have been shocked by the situation in Haiti which has long held an unenviable record as one of the world's poorest countries. Tragedy brings out the best and the worst in human nature. In a Salvation Army children's home unaffected by the quake there are fears that it may be invaded by starving neighbours or gangs seeking any food thought to be within its walls, meagre though that may be. Getting supplies to desperately needy people is difficult because of roads clogged by debris and by people sleeping out for fear of being killed by masonry falling from any buildings. The UN Secretary General is at the scene and hopefully it may soon be possible to bring some order out of the chaos and much needed aid to the desperately needy. Prayer and financial assistance is all that most of us can offer - and should offer - to help.

Cock-a-doodle-doo

It has been said that there is often a lot more 'cock-a-doodle doo' than 'cock-a-doodle-done. The air is often filled with opinions about what should or should not be done by other people and rather less by reports of things done and advances made. It may be hoped that 2010 will be the year of the achiever - a time when we move beyond the talk-fest to positive action on issues such as climate change, people trafficking, binge drinking and road carnage. Never mind the spin and the buck-passing, we need to see something done!

Geting adjusted

Adjustment is a necessary part of living. In a new year we have to remember the change of dateline. Soon the holiday hiatus will be over and we will have to adjust to busier roads and the routine changes in our work. Life cannot stand still. If anything doesn't change its change! But we survive by being adaptable and by moving with the times. That has always been the case, now more than ever, and instead of being daunted we should relish the challenge it brings.