iGod

I am afraid to say that we're all fearful of something

A while ago we took one of our daughters and a friend to Go Ape in Thetford Forest. This is an experience that involves walking around in the treetops with the use of some wires and ropes.

After a brief health and safety lesson we were all too quickly harnessed up and fitted with helmets.  As we approached the first tree I looked up to see a very long rope ladder. Being seen as the ‘responsible adult’ in the party, a supervisor took me to one side and said, “It might be a good idea if you go in the middle.”

I turned to him and said very loudly in front of my daughter’s friend, “You’re joking, aren’t you? Up there it’s every man for himself!”

We are all fearful of something. It can make us feel nauseous and anxious or, worse still, traumatise us. So what is fear?

From the day we are born our brain cleverly learns emotions and holds memories that help us to remember and respond to scary and dangerous things. It reminds us of the consequences of doing something foolhardy, such as, for example, climbing tall pine trees in Thetford Forest. It is as Gavin de Becker describes in his book The Gift of Fear, “a brilliant internal guardian that warns you of hazards and guides you through risky situations”.

In the UK, as with the rest of Western society, we have an overabundance of fear compared to Eastern countries. An estimated 3.6 per cent of the UK – around 2.2million people – suffer from anxiety disorders, which is a four-fold increase in four years.

These fears can range from common trepidations, such as heights or enclosed spaces, to severe cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Either way, they can prevent the enjoyment of life.

So if fear is something that is learned, probably the best way is to deal with it is to unlearn it and fill the void with something positive and life-enriching. But one thing is for certain, it can’t be dealt with a bottle of pills. Neither can a life be free of emotions. Otherwise, we would become psychopathic!

The Bible is an incredibly practical book and offers some amazing wisdom and insight on the emotional and spiritual condition. It gives us a holistic approach to wellbeing through a connectedness with God through his son Jesus.

When we learn to put our trust in him and surrender each part of our life, including our emotions and memories, we create a mental space to receive God’s healing which leads to our recovery of mind. Our fears become reduced in size until they lose their hold over us. In essence, his perfect love begins to cast out our fear.

One of the most common fears is, of course, dying. We are, all naturally concerned with our end, but Christians believe it is only the end of the beginning. Knowing that there is a mapped out future beyond a temporal fear brings huge comfort to millions of believers, not least to those who live with daily uncertainty around the world.

I know that many might be afraid to believe in a God for fear of disappointment or looking foolish, but that is the step of faith that God requires of us. Otherwise, if you think about it, it is not much of a faith at all. Much like when a father says to his young son. “ Jump and I will catch you!” The boy has to trust this dad. And when he does his faith is rewarded.

I have learnt that faith sets me free, while fear holds my thoughts and emotions captive. And that is worth shouting from the treetops. Although not too high please.

ASD

Why walkers really shouldn’t get any stick

When someone asked me recently if I walked very much, I almost had to reach for my iPhone to see if there was an app for that.

We can get so used to travelling around the place by car that we can think our legs were designed for the purpose of pushing pedals, rather than pounding the ground.

Of course, you dog owners are forced to walk, come rain or shine. And in the dark winter months I have nothing but deep admiration for you. I really do. But the rest of us have to work a little harder to find the motivation to leave our armchairs and desks behind.

Even with free access to Suffolk’s 9800 registered public rights of way, adding up to a network of routes with a distance of 3500 miles and over 12,000 acres of open access land, we can still struggle to find our walking shoes.

So ask yourself this: have you ever had the urge to get out and take a walk to clear your head and think through a situation or problem? Me too! Researchers at Stanford University tell us that this is no coincidence.

They have found that walking boosts inspiration. A person’s creative input is increased by an average of 60%. One prime example is Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple, who was famous for his walking meetings.

When we walk a neurological and physiological connection is being made. In short, our movement influences our mind and manipulates the way we think. Our feet and head might be at the opposite ends of the body, but Stanford’s research tells us that they are closer than we think.I remember in theological college I was encouraged to take a break after every two hours of study. We were repeatedly told that a rest from the intensity of study was good not just for the soul, but for the brain and would make us more productive.

So it is probably not that surprising to discover how important walking is in the Bible. Admittedly, there wasn’t much choice as the combustion engine was still a number of centuries off, but nevertheless significant things happen when people move about.

On one occasion two guys were walking towards Emmaus as they were trying to get their heads around the events of the past few days in Jerusalem. They had seen how the great miracle-worker and teacher from Nazareth was publicly tortured, crucified and buried. They had hoped that he was the one to bring freedom and life to all. And to cap it all, his body had gone missing.

Jesus appears on the road with them, but his identity is kept hidden. In their conversation he is able to speak into their thoughts and open their eyes to the bigger picture. He later reveals himself to them when breaking the bread at a meal.

Well, the penny finally drops and maybe while slapping their foreheads in comedic fashion said, “Did our hearts not burn within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures up to us?”

It has been said that the destination is the catalyst, while it is the journey that that changes us. Jesus joins us as a companion on the paths in life, however challenging, and in return offers us a close communion in himself. Through his loving presence he provides hope through the gift of creativity and revelation.

And that in itself is worth getting out more for.

ASD

The beauty of blind faith

On the evening of 1^st February, 1924, the New York Syphony Orchestra played Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in Carnegie Hall in New York. The performance was broadcast live on the radio. A couple of days later, the orchestra received a letter of thanks from a lady called Helen Keller:

“Dear Friends, I have the joy of being able to tell you that, though deaf and blind, I spent a glorious hour last night listening to Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony."  I do not mean to say that I "heard" the music in the sense that other people heard it; and I do not know whether I can make you understand how it was possible for me to derive pleasure from the symphony.  It was a great surprise to myself.

“Last night someone suggested that I put my hand on the receiver and see if I could get any of the vibrations. They unscrewed the cap, and I lightly touched the sensitive diaphragm.

“To my amazement, I discovered that I could feel not only the vibrations, but also the impassioned rhythm, the throb and the urge of the music! The intertwined and intermingling vibrations from different instruments enchanted me. I could actually distinguish the cornets, the roll of the drums, deep-toned violas and violins singing in exquisite unison.

“When the human voice leaped up trilling from the surge of harmony, I recognised them instantly as voices. I felt the chorus grow more exultant, more ecstatic, upcurving swift and flame-like, until my heart almost stood still.

“Of course, this was not "hearing" but I do know that the tones and harmonies conveyed to me moods of great beauty and majesty. I also sensed, or thought I did, the tender sounds of nature that sing into my hand—swaying reeds and winds and the murmur of streams.”

She concludes, “As I listened, with darkness and melody, shadow and sound filling all the room, I could not help remembering that [Beethoven] who poured forth such a flood of sweetness into the world was deaf like myself.”

Helen Keller went on to become a great activist for people with disabilities and, in the process, she had experienced an unexpected and profound revelation of beauty and creation. It is hard for me to describe the experience of God, but this I can tell you, he far transcends the best rational explanation I could possibly give.

The philosopher Wittgenstein once poured a cup of freshly ground coffee and asked his students to describe the smell. When they failed Wittgenstein said, in effect: “If we haven’t got words to describe the smell of coffee which we can hold in a cup in our hands, how can we think we have the words adequately to describe God?”

Jesus often chose to speak to the crowds with stories (parables). He recognised people’s limitation to grasp a revelation of who he was and what he was about. He said on one occasion, "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. Even when presented with all the facts it was not enough to convince some people.

When appearing to his disciples after his resurrection, Jesus praised the many would believed in him even though they did not see the physical proof. Jesus told Thomas, the one who doubted, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Maybe we are one of those who blindly believes. We may not go to church and may have issues with some aspects of religion, but something deep inside of us recognises God’s existence. My advice to you is to pursue that belief and just see where it takes you.

ASD

Science versus Religion. Really?

 

Tom Waits, the American singer wrote: “Like all great things in the world, women and religion and the sky…you wonder about it, and you don’t stop wondering about it.”

I think I have a curious mind, but it wasn’t always that way. My younger me resonated more with another American singer Sam Cooke who sung: “Don't know much about history. Don't know much biology. Don't know much about a science book. Don't know much about the French I took. But I do know that I love you.”

Yet, now science fascinates me. I mean, where to start? It turns out that the universe is still expanding much like Pound stores. The edge of the universe is estimated to be some ninety billion trillion miles away.

The solar system we live in fills less than a trillionth of available space. It is part of the Milky Way and takes some 200 and 250 years to orbit just once.

Apparently before everything was anything, there was a point, called singularity and then there was a bang involving inconceivably high temperatures, loaded with enough energy and potential and possibility to eventually create what you and I know to be life, the universe and everything in it.

Let’s now talk about time. I know this is going to sound like a script from Doctor Who, but time is not consistent. It bends, and warps, and curves.

And if you stand outside on a clear night and see stars, the light you see from the stars is as they were when the light left them. You are looking literally into the past.

Coming a bit closer to home, on a summer’s day you are enjoying the sun as it was eight minutes ago. And techno geeks talk about real time!

Now science does a brilliant job of telling me why I don’t have fins or fur, but what about the soul?

One of the problems science faces is that theories turn into assumptions. And we are often none the wiser when they do. The universe is complex, wonderful and, let’s be honest, just a little scary.

Friends have said to me: you are an intelligent man, how can you believe in the concept of God? (Okay, I made up the ‘intelligent’ bit!) Surely once we have enough knowledge of the universe the notion of God will be redundant and it will have to reside in the history book?

But that belief rests on a very deep faith indeed. One mathematic physicist (not a Christian) deduced that God has to exist because singularity comes down to such a knife-edge you are forced to fall one way or the other. His conclusions led him to believe in God.

Some talk simplistically, and even derogatively, about God being a ‘friend in the sky’, or a cosmic-mythical story for the weak and uneducated, but that attitude betrays all sorts of problems. We have to adopt the same open-mindedness as we do with the pursuit of science and be willing to engage with the possibility of an omnipotent divine being.

So when I talk about God I am talking about the source of all truth, the foundation of all life, the mystery of the soul and the universe, the one who instils the desire to create art, music, dance, poetry, to show compassion and inspire others to greatness.

I just can’t believe that this is all there is and that we are simply collections of neurons and atoms. In fact, the possibility that there is more - a supernatural power - makes life even more awe-inspiring.

Of course, the problem scientists have is this ‘crazy little thing called love’. It is just plain irrational and really should not have a place in our rational, reductionist modern life. And yet, incredibly, it does!

To believe in a God of love who sent his only son into the world is an outrageous thing to suggest. But is it any less believable than some of the grand theories of science. What’s my proof? After all, God can’t be seen. True. But then I haven’t seen a gamma ray. Have you?

I find myself pondering the lyrics of Sam Cooke: “And I know that if you love me too. What a wonderful world this would be.”

What are you looking at?

Be honest, do you like what you see in the mirror?

There’s no escaping it, in our culture looks matters. Ask any actor, musician, politician, or man in the street.  Our overall confidence and emotional well-being is tied up with it, which I guess is pretty good news if you are in the cosmetic business.

Talking of which, Dove, in their latest campaign for “Real Beauty”, recently hired Gil Zamora, an FBI forensic artist to prove that when it comes to looks, we are our own worst enemy.

He undertook a social experiment to illustrate the ongoing struggle women have with recognising their own beauty.

Without seeing his subjects, the forensic artist created composite sketches of women based on their own descriptions, plus a second sketch based on the description of a stranger that they spent a short amount of time with before the sketch.

The end result was extraordinary. In each case the woman’s own description was different than the description by the onlooker. Their faces were full of “flaws”, but when the stranger described them, the sketches were more accurate and more flattering. In an accompanying video a woman tears up as she realises her self-description resulted in a "fatter, sadder" version of herself, while the stranger saw her as "open, friendly and happy."

 

Dove research shows that women are their own worst critics. Only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful.    

So yes, we do have an image problem. Now, I am not sure quite what percentage of men would consider themselves as good looking or handsome, but the ever-growing shelf of men’s products at my local chemist might be a good indication that low self-esteem and confidence are an issue for us too.

Of course, at one level, none of this should surprise us. We are constantly bombarded with advertising, magazines, films and TV programmes showing people’s skin to be clear, wrinkle and spot-free with symmetrical faces, straight noses and super white teeth.

Is it any wonder that our self-esteem plummets when we look at ourselves in the mirror? And as the weather warms up (finally) we will become even more conscious of our numerous imperfections and want to spend money to fix them.

Yet if we, perhaps, notice more of what we have rather than what we don’t have, our self-perception might just change a little.

Maybe we would stop comparing ourselves with others and for once not be left wanting.

When I read the Bible I don’t see beautiful, perfect, gorgeous people nominated by God to be an example to others. Instead, I see Moses with a stammer, who chose to have his brother Aaron speak on his behalf. I see Paul the Apostle suffering with a speech impediment, as well as well as having bad eyesight. Jesus himself was described as ordinary in appearance. His disciples were equally described as ordinary.

So here is another way to look at ourselves.

Polish psychologist Andrew Bienkowski, a man who was exiled to Siberia and starved himself to death so his grandson could eat his meagre rations, said that we could approach ourselves by thinking: I have breath! I have life! I have shelter! I am here…

Be inspired to see yourself differently. Look at the four basics of life. If you can say that you have breath, family, somewhere to live and some place to sleep you can say, “Thank God my life is full!”

God allows us to focus on his own perfection and goodness and to see ourselves as he sees us. We become grateful and satisfied and learn to avoid discontentment, which always leaves us wanting.

King David famously declares in Psalm 23 says, “The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want.” So the big, fat, honest questions are: what is the “shepherd” of my life? And does it make me not want?

Our confidence and self-esteem can come from knowing that we are accepted by a loving and gracious God. And by those who know us, perhaps, better than ourselves.

So, come on, put that anti-wrinkle cream back and get real. You too guys!

ASD

Keeping an open mind

At a recent leaders’ breakfast time I was asked by a younger dad what wisdom I would pass on to him, being a parent. I munched over another mouthful of muesli before eventually uttering what was once passing on to me: “Don’t always be right at the dinner table.”

We are, perhaps, at our most open and teachable when we are at school and college. Then we leave and something happens over night - we are expected to know it all, not least as parents. Of course, the worst thing is we start believing that we actually do.

A very respected person from my profession of advertising, who would certainly not call themselves a Christian, was taken back after receiving mounting vitriol from a particular group of atheists on a celebrity webpage.

He had asked a TV comedian, well known for his political views, whether he thought atheism should be taught in schools. He replied, “No, there’s no need to ‘teach’ atheism. It’s the natural result of education without indoctrination.” In essence, his argument was that religion indoctrinates young minds and atheism doesn’t.

But the adman wasn’t sure about the answer and pushed him further. He suggested that Agnosticism was, perhaps, more neutral as it didn’t enforce any firm position.

Thinking it would help the discussion along, he cited a dictionary’s definition of atheism: “a doctrine that there is no deity”. Futhermore, agnosticism was defined as “a position taken by people who hold genuine doubts or a skeptical approach to questions to do with God’s existence.”

He got back a wave of abuse, including from someone who had in their profile “Evangelical Atheist”. Another replied, “Relying on dictionary definitions, how pathetic.”

At this point the poor, battered adman submitted to the growing realisation that these people were no different to “religious fundamentalists”. They were closed-minded. Any sympathy with their view vanished.

It was Thomas Huxley who first coined the term agnostic in 1869. You might even describe yourself as one. You may neither believe or disbelieve, but remain open to the possibilities of God existing. You simply don’t know.

But it is healthy to keep an open mind. Not just about the possibility of God’s existence, but in any area of life. In fact, it is a pretty good way to live. It will help us develop strong relationships with our spouses and children. It will also help us to be more approachable and trusted in the workplace?

The more I go on in my Christian faith, the more I realise how much I have yet to learn. Not least in prayer. I haven’t got it all sussed with neatly alphabetised answers for every situation. Life is not that simple. As with all previous generations, my faith comes with doubt.

Besides, I know that if I did have all the answers I would probably be the most annoying person on the planet. Ask my family. It would also, undoubtedly, put others off from ever being open to exploring the possibilities of God. 

I need to come to the dinner table and say, “This is what I think, but what about you?” I need to be thoughtful. Do my level best to affirm the other person. And if they don’t share my view, that is really okay. We will get more respect that way.

In the Bible Jesus often answers a question with another question. On one occasion rather than saying that he is the Son of God he asks, “Who do you say that I am?” He just loved getting people to think. In fact, you could say that Christ died to take away our sins, not our minds.

Part of what it means to believe in God is to live in the question, not in the answer. It is to enjoy the mysteries of life, of which there are many. But I personally believe that we will get the best out of life by being openly-minded to new possibilities. Not least to the promises and claims of Jesus Christ. Now, you can either choose to believe that last sentence or not.

It’s your choice. Enjoy it.

ASD

Enjoy life’s disruptions

Recently I had a meeting planned over in Oxford, but having heard the weather forecast for snow that weekend I wondered momentarily if I should go.

I kept hearing phrases like ‘adverse weather conditions’, ‘severe weather warnings’ and ‘don’t travel unless absolutely necessary’. And on top of that we are all supposed to know what ‘amber alert’ means.

Not one to give up easily, I decided to toss back my head and laugh in the face of weather warnings and continue with my plans for the trip. Okay…well almost.

I packed an overnight bag, put a shovel in the back of the car, along with jump leads, a blanket and, for some unknown reason, a large bag of Minstrels, thinking if I was stuck in my car on the motorway at least I wouldn’t starve. Oh! and a double CD of Charlie Parker. Well, it could be a long night!

The thing about snow is it is a very disruptive thing. Motorways shut, trains get delayed, schools close, and Amazon can’t deliver.

As someone who generally hates disruption and likes to plans ahead for any anticipated inconvenience, snow is very much my bête noire. (I once drove 26 miles to avoid a 3-mile traffic jam on the M1, I am that sad.)

But having seen the fun that my kids have in the snow and the joy it brings me in seeing them play, I have been helped to rethink one or two things.

What if disruption was not a bad thing, but an opportunity for spontaneity?  What if disruption was a gift that stops us in our tracks and breaks into our carefully planned routine?

What if disruption could be seen as a voice that speaks into our soul and says, “Stop what you are doing and listen to yourself. Listen to others around you. Listen to creation.”

When was the last time you did that?

When did you seriously listen to someone else apart from yourself? When did you give your undivided time to someone you love and spend it actually listening, not just hearing?  When did you stop to ponder about the direction of your own life? Maybe you are slightly afraid to listen to your own real feelings for fear the wheels might come off?

The good news is you are no different to anyone else.

When we are inconvenienced we can find ourselves getting angry, irritable and short with people. True?

These are not good personal discoveries, but then we can think we don’t need to be cured of anything in particular and believe life is just fine.

Stopping is not easy. Like a car, it requires a reasonable breaking distance, depending how fast our life is going. We have to prepare to stop. Sometimes we are forced to slam on the brakes hard.

So what is our Plan B when Plan A does not go according to plan? Do we even have one?

A friend of mine who has partly inspired my thoughts here, Brian Draper, works with executives to nurture their spiritual intelligence. He calls these times ‘holy disruptions’. In his book Less is More he talks about divine opportunities that force us to reconnect with ourselves, others and God. They actually start to help us feel human again and see the return of a sense of purpose. It is where we begin to breathe again in between the quantity of demands and rediscover a quality of life.

As Christians, we would call that a spiritual encounter. We become aware of something other than us that leads to life having a greater significance.

I love those poetic and profound, words of Jesus’ found in Mathews’ gospel: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

The funny thing about snow is how beautiful and delicate it is. Something we might not notice if we are too busy trying to avoid it.

ASD

Top 12 from 2012 from Vineyard Churches

 

 

Still playing catch up? Try this 'favourites' list.

Here are the most read, watched and listened to resources of the year from Vineyard Churches.

 

I forget how many times I have said to my family that this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but the fact is on this occasion, at least, I was right. It will be a long time before we see the London 2012 Olympics come to our country again.

We witnessed 10,500 athletes descend upon the UK, along with the hopes of 204 countries. There were 302 medal events across 26 sports, 70,000 games makers with two million visitors over two weeks. It was estimated that another four billion watched it on TV. Then there is the paralympics which is no less an amazing spectacle in itself.

When I hear the personal stories of courage and endurance it is hard for something not to stir deep inside of me. Athletes will stop at nothing to win and will consequently put themselves through any amount of pain to do so.

Kate Walsh, the captain of the Team GB Women’s hockey team refused to let her injuries stop her from playing against New Zealand. There she was out there on a pitch with a broken jaw, picked up after an early game with Japan, leading the way. For the game she had to have emergency surgery to insert a titanium plate in her jaw and then play with a protective mask.

Kate was restricted to having meals blended and was reduced to drinking through a straw. She also received nerve-blocking injections before each game to dull the pain. Her team eventually walked away with a well-earned silver medal, but hardship and pain are not automatic ingredients for success.

Women’s BMX racer 23-year-old Shanaze Reade told a BBC Sport interviewer of how over the years she had broken multiple bones in her body and dislocated both shoulders, but thought nothing of it compared to winning. However, after a disappointing Beijing Olympics, there was no fairytale ending for Shanaze at London 2012, only further heartache.

Yet, it is these extraordinary stories of courage that “inspire a generation”.

I think we would all be off our rockers if we were inspired by failure, but what really moves me is the capacity of the human spirit to achieve more than we feel able, to overcome adversity, to dig deep and find that little bit more from within.

In the Bible Paul the Apostle writes, “We are more than conquerors” Now, he was someone who knew how to take suffering to make gains. Although his endeavours were not in track, hockey or BMX, he nevertheless put himself through immense pressure and pain for what he believed.

He was not driven for gold, but for his passion for Jesus. But here is where maybe Paul the Apostle and athletes have something shared in common: victory is not found in the absence of hardships, trials and tribulations, but in the overcoming of difficult circumstances. For some, it will mean glory; for others, a wooden spoon, but for all there is a deep soulful satisfaction that no amount of effort and hardship is ever without purpose.

At times I have had to tell people that becoming a Christian is not about having an easier life than others. It is not. In fact, the Bible says quite the opposite. Faith is there to strengthen and empower us to cope with whatever life throws at us.  Jesus, in himself, gives us the deep compelling reason to get up and carry on. It is not a belief driven by a fear of failure, but one driven by love and acceptance.

But there is a second part to Paul the Apostle’s words: “We are more than conquerors…through him that loves us.”

Kate Walsh and Shanaze Reade are both amazing people. No-one is going around feeling disillusioned with them because they have not walked away with gold. In the same way neither does God ever get disillusioned with us. He thinks we are amazing and will never be prouder of us. That’s how deep His love is for us.

For those who beat us ourselves up for failing, it might be time to get a little upwards perspective.

 

ASD

 

Well, the biggest sporting occasion this country has ever known has begun and our family has been fortunate to get tickets for the games. We will be attending the synchronised swimming event in the Aquadome. (Hm!) Although, I confess, to knowing little about this sport, but I am sure it must be more than matching swimming costumes and latex hats.

My own sporting achievements have been less than meaningful. When I was young, long-distance running meant missing the bus and haring down the road to avoid being late for the school bell. While an unfortunate rifle shooting incident involving a missed target and a scoutmaster saw the premature end of my scouting days. No medals there.

One of the many ways in which the Olympics are being celebrated this summer is through the re-release of Chariots of Fire in digital remastered form. The scene of the athletes running in slow-motion across the sands, accompanied by the haunting Vangelis soundtrack, still has the power to evoke feelings deep within me.

One of the heroes in the film is the Scottish athlete Eric Liddell, a man known for his strong Christian faith and personal conviction. As the story unfolds we see Liddell taking a stand not to run on the Sabbath (Sunday). A position that seems inconceivable today.

Whether someone shares another’s conviction of faith or not, I find courage often draws the admiration of others. It has a universal attraction and appeal to many people.

It is this human quality in Eric Liddell that inspired David Putnam to make the film.

Liddell says to the crowd in the rain, “You came to see a race today. To see someone win. It happened to be me. But I want you to do more than just watch a race. I want you to take part in it. I want to compare faith to running in a race. It's hard. It requires concentration of will, energy of soul.”

Against all odds the film was eventually produced, overcoming various financial and distribution crises along the way. Putnam observed recently, “At every turn there seemed to be what I can only describe as a “hidden hand” that helped provide the best solution to each seemingly impossible hurdle.” It resulted in an Oscar.

Eric Liddell had his own moment of glory in the Paris 1924 Olympics, winning gold and breaking the world record. But he was later to die ingloriously from a brain tumour brought on by severe hunger after being arrested and interned by the Japanese in China during the Second World War.

His family said later that Eric was never a great speaker, but he was able to communicate his message in the way he lived his life. You remember the line: “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.”

Ultimately it is not how we say it, but what we do that speaks the loudest. Life is uncertain, sometimes precarious, often challenging and seldom dull. But I believe, like Putnam, there is a “hidden hand” waiting to help.

Being a Christian is not a weak option; neither is it a light decision. It comes from a “getting it” experience, a deep place of conviction, and somehow matters more than anything we are now doing—however good we are at it. As Eric Liddell’s last words state: “It is complete surrender.”

 

ASD

You are amazing!

I forget how many times I have said to my family that this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but the fact is on this occasion, at least, I was right. It will be a long time before we see the London 2012 Olympics come to our country again.

We witnessed 10,500 athletes descend upon the UK, along with the hopes of 204 countries. There were 302 medal events across 26 sports, 70,000 games makers with two million visitors over two weeks. It was estimated that another four billion watched it on TV. Then there is the paralympics which is no less an amazing spectacle in itself.

When I hear the personal stories of courage and endurance it is hard for something not to stir deep inside of me. Athletes will stop at nothing to win and will consequently put themselves through any amount of pain to do so.

Kate Walsh, the captain of the Team GB Women’s hockey team refused to let her injuries stop her from playing against New Zealand. There she was out there on a pitch with a broken jaw, picked up after an early game with Japan, leading the way. For the game she had to have emergency surgery to insert a titanium plate in her jaw and then play with a protective mask.

Kate was restricted to having meals blended and was reduced to drinking through a straw. She also received nerve-blocking injections before each game to dull the pain. Her team eventually walked away with a well-earned silver medal, but hardship and pain are not automatic ingredients for success.

Women’s BMX racer 23-year-old Shanaze Reade told a BBC Sport interviewer of how over the years she had broken multiple bones in her body and dislocated both shoulders, but thought nothing of it compared to winning. However, after a disappointing Beijing Olympics, there was no fairytale ending for Shanaze at London 2012, only further heartache.

Yet, it is these extraordinary stories of courage that “inspire a generation”.

I think we would all be off our rockers if we were inspired by failure, but what really moves me is the capacity of the human spirit to achieve more than we feel able, to overcome adversity, to dig deep and find that little bit more from within.

In the Bible Paul the Apostle writes, “We are more than conquerors” Now, he was someone who knew how to take suffering to make gains. Although his endeavours were not in track, hockey or BMX, he nevertheless put himself through immense pressure and pain for what he believed.

He was not driven for gold, but for his passion for Jesus. But here is where maybe Paul the Apostle and athletes have something shared in common: victory is not found in the absence of hardships, trials and tribulations, but in the overcoming of difficult circumstances. For some, it will mean glory; for others, a wooden spoon, but for all there is a deep soulful satisfaction that no amount of effort and hardship is ever without purpose.

At times I have had to tell people that becoming a Christian is not about having an easier life than others. It is not. In fact, the Bible says quite the opposite. Faith is there to strengthen and empower us to cope with whatever life throws at us.  Jesus, in himself, gives us the deep compelling reason to get up and carry on. It is not a belief driven by a fear of failure, but one driven by love and acceptance.

But there is a second part to Paul the Apostle’s words: “We are more than conquerors…through him that loves us.”

Kate Walsh and Shanaze Reade are both amazing people. No-one is going around feeling disillusioned with them because they have not walked away with gold. In the same way neither does God ever get disillusioned with us. He thinks we are amazing and will never be prouder of us. That’s how deep His love is for us.

For those who beat us ourselves up for failing, it might be time to get a little upwards perspective.

 

ASD

 

A legacy of sport that keeps on running

Well, the biggest sporting occasion this country has ever known has begun and our family has been fortunate to get tickets for the games. We will be attending the synchronised swimming event in the Aquadome. (Hm!) Although, I confess, to knowing little about this sport, but I am sure it must be more than matching swimming costumes and latex hats.

My own sporting achievements have been less than meaningful. When I was young, long-distance running meant missing the bus and haring down the road to avoid being late for the school bell. While an unfortunate rifle shooting incident involving a missed target and a scoutmaster saw the premature end of my scouting days. No medals there.

One of the many ways in which the Olympics are being celebrated this summer is through the re-release of Chariots of Fire in digital remastered form. The scene of the athletes running in slow-motion across the sands, accompanied by the haunting Vangelis soundtrack, still has the power to evoke feelings deep within me.

One of the heroes in the film is the Scottish athlete Eric Liddell, a man known for his strong Christian faith and personal conviction. As the story unfolds we see Liddell taking a stand not to run on the Sabbath (Sunday). A position that seems inconceivable today.

Whether someone shares another’s conviction of faith or not, I find courage often draws the admiration of others. It has a universal attraction and appeal to many people.

It is this human quality in Eric Liddell that inspired David Putnam to make the film.

Liddell says to the crowd in the rain, “You came to see a race today. To see someone win. It happened to be me. But I want you to do more than just watch a race. I want you to take part in it. I want to compare faith to running in a race. It's hard. It requires concentration of will, energy of soul.”

Against all odds the film was eventually produced, overcoming various financial and distribution crises along the way. Putnam observed recently, “At every turn there seemed to be what I can only describe as a “hidden hand” that helped provide the best solution to each seemingly impossible hurdle.” It resulted in an Oscar.

Eric Liddell had his own moment of glory in the Paris 1924 Olympics, winning gold and breaking the world record. But he was later to die ingloriously from a brain tumour brought on by severe hunger after being arrested and interned by the Japanese in China during the Second World War.

His family said later that Eric was never a great speaker, but he was able to communicate his message in the way he lived his life. You remember the line: “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.”

Ultimately it is not how we say it, but what we do that speaks the loudest. Life is uncertain, sometimes precarious, often challenging and seldom dull. But I believe, like Putnam, there is a “hidden hand” waiting to help.

Being a Christian is not a weak option; neither is it a light decision. It comes from a “getting it” experience, a deep place of conviction, and somehow matters more than anything we are now doing—however good we are at it. As Eric Liddell’s last words state: “It is complete surrender.”

 

ASD