Apparently in science and medicine and engineering, various tools and instruments need to be recalibrated. This means taking them to a safe space, perhaps dry, with low or normal pressure and temperature, and to spend some time alongside a known master so that adjustments can be made before then being put back on the shelf, or in the bag, ready to be useful.
You’ve read enough of my stuff to see that this analogy just writes itself.
We have come to North Devon to a retreat being led by Ken and Sue from the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity. When I was in Jerusalem, the teaching was all archaeological, biblical, historical, remembering the Jewish roots of Jesus. When we went to Iona, a lot of it was about activism, being a voice for the voiceless. When we went to New Wine we enjoyed loud worship and teaching to build up the church, evangelism and outreach and build up your own faith. Now this week explores our front lines.
We each have them; places we work, communities we are part of, families, colleagues – our frontline. How to be who God has made us to be on our front lines. In a care home this could be about blessing those who care for you, praying for the staff and neighbours. In a family this could be about reading grandchildren bible stories, tucking them into bed with a prayer, saying grace.
We split into small groups to talk about this and I realise the joy and energy to be had in a group trying to support each other like this. Even with struggles and sorrows, yet to share them and be held in prayer, a home group is a precious gift.
One shares how everyone at work knows she’s a Christian because she’s been in this small office for so long, so her job is to be the best at her job, and that means being nice to the photocopy repair person and so on. Another how everyone was grumpy in the school staff room because each person was stealing other people’s milk for their coffee so she started to buy four pints and labelled it for everyone and the effect was to make the whole place calmer and nicer. Odd, but simple. Someone shares that they have a difficult appraisal to give to another colleague and they want to be Christian and nice about it but perhaps the Christian thing is to be frank and honest so as to help this apprentice develop properly.
We talk about the importance of looking after your own faith. A bit like the airplane emergency instructions, first place the oxygen mask over yourself and then help your child. It’s not easy. Another shares how their commute, over an hour, means they have listened to the bible eight times last year. I’m impressed.
The speaker takes us to Col 3.23 – work as working for the Lord. Go at your frontline work aware that God is your boss and that you’re endeavouring to make Him proud.
And then another from Eph 6v7 to serve as if serving the Lord. So now your client, customer, children, colleague is Jesus and you are serving them. Can we see Jesus in them.
And then Col 3v17 whatever you do, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus. So now here is where you are Jesus to your boss, to your colleagues. We chew this one back and forth. We aren’t sure about this. I thought I was just an ambassador for Christ (a weighty enough title) but now you’re saying I am Christ to this person? Well, says another, we do have Christ and His love in us. And then I chip in that we are love with skin on. To many people we are the Jesus that they will see today. You might see one in a fellow member of God’s family, in the scriptures, but for others it is you who are the only Jesus they will encounter today.
The prayer of St Patrick has this stanza. It’s a good prayer to pray on your frontline.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me
Christ in the heart of everyone who speaks of me
Christ in every ear that sees me
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Photo is of Lucy and myself with some of my birthday cards in the background.