Food for Thought

I once read that by the time we feel thirsty, we are actually too thirsty.

According to experts, it is advisable that we drink water long before we experience the symptoms of thirst. Those symptoms are nature’s way of telling us that we are on our way to dehydration, and that we have left it too long since we last filled up.

It’s much the same with a car, for example, or with the prize vegetables we are trying to grow down on the allotment. If we leave either without water for longer than is advisable, the car’s engine will begin to malfunction, and the vegetables will struggle and maybe even die.

I dehydrated once, when I caught a virus as a boy. The effects were dramatic. I would hallucinate as my body became unable to process the correct amount of fluid to my brain. All things considered, then, we can safely conclude that being deprived of water is not a good idea. Such deprivation weakens us, physically and mentally. Conservative Party leader David Cameron always drinks a mug of hot, sweet tea before Prime Minister’s Questions, working on the theory that hydrated brains function better.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus had a conversation with a woman who had come to draw water at a well. Jesus used the conversation to highlight our need of spiritual refreshment and sustenance. He said, “All those who drink this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring which will provide him with life-giving water and give him eternal life” (4:13, 14 Good News Bible).
For each of us, balance is important. We need to look after ourselves in order to maintain physical and mental wellbeing.

Our spiritual life, though, is also important. If we fail to nurture the spiritual dimension to our lives, there is a vital part of us, within, that suffers. Jesus alone can quench such a spiritual thirst. He wants us to take him up on his offer of life-giving water.

How about it? There is plenty for everyone. A chat with Jesus over a cuppa will do the trick, and will refresh those parts of us other philosophies and theories simply cannot reach. Consider yourself invited!

Major Stephen Poxon

Missing the Presence

MISSING THE PRESENCE

A man wanted to become a monk so he went to the monastery and talked to the head monk. The head monk said, "You must take a vow of silence and can only say two words every three years." The man agreed and after the first three years, the head monk came to him and said, "What are your two words?" "Food cold!" the man replied. Three more years went by and the head monk came to him and said "What are your two words?" "Robe dirty!" the man exclaimed. Three more years went by and the head monk came to him and said, "What are your two words?" "I quit!" said the man. "Well," the head monk replied, "I’m not surprised. You’ve done nothing but complain ever since you got here!"

My wife, Heather, could win any competition to find The World’s Quietest Person. Yet, when she went away recently, the house seemed silent. Paradoxical, really, as Heather contributes little to the levels of volume in our household. It was her presence that was missing. I wonder if it can sometimes be like that in our lives? Can we just carry on as usual (as I did, with my daily life, when Heather was away), but, occasionally, know that we have, somehow, missed God’s presence, despite everything else being just the same?

There are probably several reasons for that happening (and I guess it happens to us all): busy-ness, fatigue, distractions, responsibilities, cares and concerns, etc - the sheer hurly-burly of normal life. We can rely upon the fact that God is actually present. ‘Never will I leave you…’ (Hebrews 13:5). That ‘never’ is a strong word! Therefore, if we miss his presence, it behoves us to consider afresh, Psalm 42.

God knows about our busy lives, and understands. We have the indelible reassurance of James 4:8: ‘Come near to God and he will come near to you’ - not to blame us, or rebuke us, but to embrace us. When we take one step towards God, experience shows us that he takes ten towards us. The secret is to take that step. We need to acknowledge that our awareness of the promised presence is missing. Without that acknowledgement, we are in danger of simply going through the motions. The psalmist recognised his spiritual thirst (Psalm 42:1), and turned that thirst into a prayer. This week, if that presence seems to be lacking, it might be helpful to step back for a moment, and to sense him - and his love - close, once more.

Major Stephen Poxon

Something old, something new...

Our weekly thought this week is brought to us by Major Stephen Poxon who, with his wife Heather and children Jasmine and Alistair, have been stationed at the Paisley Corps since 2006.



Major Stephen Poxon (Paisley)

Something old, something new…

A few days before being invited to write this little article, I was wandering around the magnificent Durham Cathedral. I was in that region, on holiday, and invested a day visiting the fine city of Durham. It is almost a crime to visit Durham without spending time in the cathedral (in fact, I think it should be made a crime), and so there I was, savouring the prayer-soaked atmosphere. It is, almost, as though the Holy Spirit inhabits the very stones of that place.

At this time of writing, I have just returned from a visit to the equally huge Braehead Shopping Centre, close to where I live and work and have my being, in Paisley. Braehead might be considered a modern type of cathedral, where daily worship is offered to the god known as Mammon, within the plastic and glass infrastructure. Strange as it may sound, I like both places very much, but for vastly different reasons.

I love Durham Cathedral because simply being within its ancient walls never fails to fill my heart with peace, and because I am made acutely aware, whenever I am there, that I am, literally, treading where the saints have trod. I feel an overwhelming sense of history, and a truly awesome air of reverence. Durham Cathedral reminds me, quite stunningly, of the continuing, faithful witness of God’s people through the centuries. The magnitude of the building carries reminders of their colossal witness, often against difficult odds.

Braehead Shopping Centre, on the other hand, that ultra-modern focus of spending power and high-force capitalism, reminds me, not of liturgies and priests and bishops, but, quite starkly, of my responsibility ‘to serve the present age, my calling to fulfil’. My personal calling is to serve the present, ultra-modern capitalist age as a Salvation Army officer. I need the Lord to help me to discover new and inventive ways of reaching the masses. I depend upon his ancient grace to show me how to bring the Bible to Braehead, so to speak.

In assessing this opportunity, I draw strength from Durham, where so many strove, and where so many still strive, to make the stories of Jesus relevant. Their centuries of creativity challenge me to think of the means by which shoppers are turned into saints. It is up to me (and you?) to successfully marry something old with something new. With God’s help, that can be done.

I returned from Durham with a lovely water colour of the cathedral, for my office wall. I returned from Braehead with a silk tie from Tie Rack.


May it be said that people return from spending time with me (with each of us?) with attractive, colourful reminders of the old, old story being kept very much alive.

Major Stephen Poxon: 0141 8842359 / 8873619 & 07837 686515