Born precious

Not so long ago four baby girls were born. Each little baby was completely unique. Tiny fingers, tiny toes. A fragile life needing care, needing protection, needing love. Each little one was born precious.

As each of the babies grew they discovered the world around them, they were filled with curiosity, they discovered colours, textures, sounds, and tastes.

They got older and began to adventure into life. There was home, school, streets and parks. There were people - those they saw and lived with, those they clung to, those they loved. There was life - relationships, lessons learned, experiences, challenges.

I passed those four baby girls tonight. All grown up now.

Today each born-precious baby girl is a young woman.

Each of them was working on the streets of Peterborough.

It was dark, and cold as I passed them and my heart went out to each of them. I don't know why they are working as prostitutes today, but I have a feeling it wasn't the childhood dream they each had of what they would be when they grew up.

Life got in the way.

They are still precious. The funny thing is that no matter what has happened, no matter what happens tonight, no matter what happens tomorrow, they are still, still, still precious. I doubt that these grown-up precious baby girls know they are precious, I doubt many people around them do. But I am absolutely sure God does.

As I passed them I wanted to say it, to stop - take a hand, ignore the empty, hollow laughter, to shout it - 'you're so, so, so precious'. But of course in reality I felt helpless, unable to do anything that would help. Words can be empty - especially to those who have been failed by them.

I wonder if these precious lives have even heard of Jesus - except as a swear word. Do they know who he is? Do they know that he would be the one who would not condemn them - who would stand with them? Do they know he would see the precious baby girl - the precious woman, the tender child, the bright light of a life full of possibilities?

I wonder if these precious lives have ever entered a church. Would they ever dream of going into a place like that? Would it seem like another universe? A different world they could never be - would never want to be - part of? Would it be a place where they could rest, be themselves, open up, find the way back to their dreams?

Tonight I am full of questions.

The only place to go to tonight is the arms of a God who knows.

A prayer for those affected by flooding

Gracious God,

In the storms of life, you are our rock.

When we are afraid and uncertain,

You are steadfast and unchanging.

Today we stand with our brothers and sisters,

In the UK and around the world,

Who are affected by floods, by the impact of nature’s storms.

We ask that you will bring relief.

We ask for sanctuary for the homeless,

Hope for the desperate,

And comfort for those whose livelihoods are threatened.

We pray for those seeking to help:

Churches, relief agencies, emergency services, the armed forces,

We pray that they might be equipped and protected.

We ask that in your great wisdom and power,

You might intervene and drive back the waters.

Loving God, hear our prayer.

Amen

Lawmakers

I have a confession to make. I am a lawmaker! No - I'm not an expert in British law, I'm not a legislator or even a solicitor. I don't make the laws of the land but I do make laws - laws for myself!

It's a funny word isn't it - 'law'. But lets take it as 'rules which govern behaviour'. What I can do and what I can't do.

I've only just recognised that I live under quite a lot of laws - these are self-created, self-imposed, and must, must, must be adhered to. Let me give you a flavour of them...

• I will not sit on the sofa and relax at the weekend until all the jobs (chores) are done (evening relaxation is permitted though - once the children are in bed)

• I will not buy clothes for myself unless they are a) bought from a charity shop, b) in a sale with a very good reduction c) essential (e.g. undies)

• I will not enjoy a less-than-very-healthy meal without feeling guilty about the calories

(Of course, with a busy family home the jobs are never all done so weekends end up being far from restful and relaxing.)

As I write these laws down I realise that even this - naming them and recognising them - is a new experience. They are so much part of my life that I couldn't even see them. They governed my behaviour without me even consciously realising it. A bit like a conditioning that was going on without me even knowing it was happening.

But I'm a follower of Jesus. Jesus was God made flesh who came to us because we couldn't reach him. And Jesus came to free us from our failure to abide by the law. See what it says in Romans 8 in the Bible:

"there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering."

As imperfect people we were never able to meet God's requirements for holy living, we always got it wrong, failed, sinned. So Jesus came to free us from a law we could not keep. He took our punishment for law-breaking on himself so that we could be free.

Galatians 5 says:

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

A yoke is a metal harness which would have been placed around the neck of an animal or person as they strained to pull a heavy load.

So...

I am free! My freedom has been bought with a great price. I am free to live, to be joyful, to relax, to laugh, to work, to learn, to sit down and to run, to enjoy God's provision and blessings, to eat food I enjoy, to buy pretty things, to sit on the sofa on a Saturday afternoon and watch a film.

Because of his great love and the Holy Spirit that lives in me I will want to be more and more like Jesus - it will bring me ever increasing joy. I will want to be kind and generous, to live responsibly, to fulfil my commitments, to be a blessing to others. So why do I need my rules?

I don't need rigid, self-imposed rules

You don't need them either

The price has been paid - our loving heavenly Dad wants us to enjoy his provision. It would break my heart if, when my daughter had done something wrong and had a telling-off, when I had told her I forgave her and gave her a hug, if she continued to grieve her misdemeanour and punished herself. If this continued, no matter how many times I told her - you are forgiven, you are free from any ill-feeling, be happy!

This is the beginning of a new chapter for me - I'm going to become a law-breaker!