Spirit & Life

As a young person, I thought what could I do, or how could I help other people, as a Christian. I was fortunate to be surrounded by amazing Christian people.

Coming home to a safe house, warming love, food enough to share, fresh water, clothing bathroom, and luxuries, it is hard to fathom Hagar’s experience.

Jesus calls us to keep our eyes, ears and hearts open to all. Our actions are to be welcoming, with generous hospitality, as we serve with humble hearts, healing hands, with justice and equity.

Invitation to gather. Unconditional regard. Space to listen, learn and question. Response, that also invites further wondering. Classic teaching and learning.

When finishing an essay for university, and rereading the opening page, I realised I had written “Good, the Spirt and the Sun” – my typos made me laugh! And made me think.

He was sitting on a rock, to the side of the path leading to the summit of the mountain. I was a little behind my friend, who was striding ahead, each pilgrim in our prayerful, peace-filled and silent ascent up this sacred walk in Korea.

The Rock of Ares, the Areopagus, near the Acropolis, was a magnet for educated Athenians. At the very heart of Athen’s historic (even in Paul’s time!), civic and cultural centre, amongst temples and the high court, people gathered to philosophize, debate, theologize, explore, and articulate values and meaning.

The Early church – creating a safe space for all people, sharing their goods so all had enough, meeting together as friends over a meal, learning together to understand more and sharing in prayer with a God who loved equally and unconditionally.

Please don’t give Thomas a hard time! We all have our ways of processing and accepting, of grieving and overcoming fears, whether they are unfounded or very real.

No fearsome warrior nor well attired prince; no regime, with barked orders or a fixed ‘one size fits all’ world view; no ‘club’ approach with limited membership; no weapons, or financial gain.