If you have to ask why...

There are some things that people do, and our first response is 'why?' Things like climbing a mountain - why? - because it's there. Sky diving from 23 miles up - why? - because it's never been done before. Running a marathon - why? - now that is a good question! But I guess there is a sense in which if we have to ask 'why?' we simply don't understand what makes that other person tick.

I enjoy geocaching. Geocaching is basically a treasure hunt. A cache varies in size from a nano-cache which could be no bigger than 1cm in any direction, to a box the size of a large packed lunch. Nano-caches are so small they can be hidden in plain sight and most people will not realise they are there - and even when you're looking for them they can be hard to spot.

This nano-cache is magnetic and is stuck to a metal ring

Can you spot the nano-cache?

Larger caches are usually well hidden out of sight, under rocks, in holes ...

Other caches will be designed to look like stones, snails, fir cones and logs etc

A cache will contain a logbook - this may be a note book or a roll of paper - for visitors to sign as they find the cache. It may also contain a pen or pencil, and other items that may be swapped. The cache is then hidden somewhere on the planet and it is recorded on an official geocaching website (such as www.geocaching.com) - along with co-ordinates and maybe a clue.

To find a cache you need to note down the co-ordinates, and enter these into a GPS enabled device - either one specially designed for the purpose or on a smart phone etc. These co-ordinates will take you to within a few feet of the cache, and you then have to use the clue and your searching skills to find the cache.

Once you've found a cache you log it on line.

I guess, if you've read this far, and you have to ask 'why?' then geocaching probably isn't for you. But if you like the idea of hunting for small plastic boxes, or even hiding your own caches then maybe give it a go. I have visited so many different locations, even within a few miles of my home, simply because I am looking for a cache.

If you're still interested then come back in a few days time and I'll tell you a bit about travel bugs and geo-coins.

What do we really mean when we say 'I'll pray for you'?

Standing in the gap can be hard work - sometimes it seems as if you're being pulled in two directions at the same time. Last week we were thinking how followers of Jesus have taken on the role of the Old Testament priests and bridge the gap between God and the world. This means getting involved in the world and bringing people's hurt and pain to God in prayer.

In Romans 12:15 it says that we should 'rejoice with those who rejoice; and mourn with those who mourn'. Often it's easy to rejoice with those who have good news. But when we hear bad news in someones life often the easy thing is to say that we'll pray for them. And so we change Paul's message to 'rejoice with those who rejoice; and pray for those who mourn'!

Of course praying for people is good - and it is right that we should do that. But sometimes do we say that we'll pray for people because we don't want to get too involved ourselves? Our offer to pray keeps them at arms length.

Being a priest in the Old Testament was a messy business - you can't sacrifice a bull or a sheep or a goat without getting a bit messy. One thing I have found is that however clean and tidy a person's life may look on the surface - often those lives are quite messy under the surface. And if we're going to stand alongside people in their times of difficulty - if we're going to bring them to God - if we're going to allow God to reveal himself to them through us - then we need to be prepared to get messy. It will take time. It won't be easy. Messy Church has nothing to do with children's craft - church is messy because life is messy.

We can't do everything, and we can't be involved in everyone's life, otherwise we will simply burn out. But are there people that you're praying for, when really God wants you to get a bit more involved?

Is there another way?

I'm not sure which annoys me more: the fact that energy prices keep on going up, or that people seem surprised that this is the case. 

Rises in gas prices have once again been in the news recently and once again we have interview after interview with members of the public who seem to be under the impression that fuel companies (whether gas, electric, petrol...) are there to provide a service rather than to make money.

When you take the decision to privatise something - energy providers, railways, schools, hospitals - you have made a shift in terms of priorities. Now it is the shareholders who are more important than the consumer. You are now about maximising profit - not providing a service.

Now of course in the free market you might argue that if you don't provide a good service which gives value for money then you will lose customers - and therefore it is in the interests of the shareholders to provide a good service.

There has been comment made recently about changes in education and a move to make governing bodies smaller and to pay governors for their work. 

But what does all this say? Are we saying that as a society people only give of their best when they're paid for it? That the main driver, the main motivation, is greed?

I know the issues are complicated, that's why I don't often make political comment. But sometimes I wonder whether there has to be a different way, a better way. A way in which we put the interests of others first. A way in which money isn't the most important thing and people aren't driven by greed...

Mind the Gap

Last weekend, as we continued our journey through that much loved Old Testament book of Leviticus we looked at the work of the Priests. The priests worked in the Tabernacle.

They acted as a bridge between God and the people. They would guide people through the sacrifice of their animals, they would perform the appropriate rituals - without the priests the whole sacrificial system would grind to a halt.

In the New Testament 1 Peter 2:5, 9 makes it clear that all followers of Jesus are now priests. And this ties in well with what we have already seen, in the way that the Tabernacle, the Offerings and now the Priests are all fulfilled in Jesus and then fulfilled in the church (see chart below).

So as priests, Jesus' followers are called to be those who bridge the gap between God and the world. We make God known to the world as we share what God is doing in our lives with those we live and work with. As we share in the world we become aware of its hurt and pain and we share in this and turn this into prayer. Often we are then the answer to our prayers as God sends us into the world as an offering, to serve the world.

To better understand our role as 'church' we need to think in terms of Tabernacle, offering and priesthood.

What	Significance	Fulfilled by Jesus (?)	Fulfilled in the Church (?)	So what?
Tabernacle	The place where God dwelt with his people	Yes – God dwelt with his people in Jesus	Yes – God now dwells in his people	People should see God in us
Offerings & Sacrifices	Sin and Guilt offering for atonement Other offerings – free will thank/worship	Jesus' death brings atonement. Fulfilled all offerings	We are to offer our lives as living sacrifices	Am I offering all I have to God?
High Priest	Bridge between God and the people. Offered Sacrifices	Offered perfect sacrifice, once and for all, doing away with sin once and for all. He is in heaven interceding on our behalf	-	Because sin is dealt with we are able to come into the presence of God with confidence (Heb. 10:19)
Priests	As above	-	Standing in the gap. Making God known to the world and praying for the world	Making disciples. Acts of service. Prayer.