Words for Worship

Ministry Today

Fearless in Christ

 

Frail elderly 24 June 2007

Text: psalm 139 1-18; 21-22

I heard a story recently

of a group of children

playing near a burn.

 

They were amusing themselves by jumping across it

and back again.

 

However, there was

a fair distance between

its banks

and needed a reasonable jump to make the crossing dry shod.

 

Nevertheless, the water

wasn’t very deep

but just enough

to give the children

an exciting challenge.

 

 

But one little boy

was too timid

and hung back

while others jumped

with merry shouts of glee.

 

Clearly he wanted to try

but was just too nervous

to do so.

 

Go one Harry!

they shouted –

it’s easy!

 

At last he did jump

but lost his nerve

half way through

and ended in the water.

 

No real harm was done

but not surprisingly

he was miserable

as he clambered up

on the opposite bank somewhat wet and tearful.

 

 

Well, I don’t suppose that boy had heard of Lloyd George.

 

But this famous Prime Minister once said something

that would have been helpful

to wee harry.

 

Because he said –

don’t be afraid

to take a big jump

when it is required.

 

You can’t cross a chasm

 in two small jumps!

 

 

And we could apply

that very same logic

to the small and big crossings

in our lives;

the little problems

we face daily

and the great concerns

that occasionally thwart

at least

our contentment and sometimes much worse.

 

And it is these chasms

that need crossed

with decided faith;

jumps indeed

taken with confidence and determination and faith.

 

Sadly too often however

it is easy to be like Harry

either too worried

to make any running at all

or moving with so little belief that it cannot go well.

 

How then do we expect

to arrive safely

on the better bank of peace?

 

Well to answer that  

we need to hear another story this time

for the world of music.

 

For the German singer Ernestine Schumann-Heink was starting a concert

when a baby in a mother’s arms started to cry.

 

Greatly embarrassed,

the woman rose to leave.

 

But the singer stopped singing and said –

sit down my dear.

 

I have seven children

of my own

and I can sing louder

than any child can cry.

Perhaps though

I’ll sing a lullaby.

 

This she proceed to do

and the baby soon fell asleep.

 

Here then

is the lesson to us

when the chasm

seems all too deep.

 

And it is to allow Jesus

to speak to us;

to sooth our fears

and reach across.

 

For then we will be ready

to jump;

jump with assurance;

jump with determination

and maybe even jump

with exuberance.

 

Because then

the joy of that leap

will be to fly free

into Christian certainty.

 

Amen