Barriers

BARRIERS What are our strongest barriers ? Are they the physical barriers of walls or fences, are they the borders of countries where borders still exist, or are they the barriers we erect in our minds. Walls can be knocked down, fences climbed and the borders of countries passed with the right documents... But what about those in our mind? The barriers we put up because we're nervous or afraid of someone or something. The barriers we put up because we're unsure of ourselves. The barriers we put up because we think we're right and they, whoever 'they' may be, are wrong. Those barriers aren't broken easily and they are the most damaging barriers of all. They are the barriers that create intolerance, dislike, even hate. And they are the barriers that prevent the recognition of the reality that by ourselves we can do or be little, but with others of all shapes and sizes and colours and backgrounds, we have the chance to touch lives, to change lives; to be touched and changed - to love and be loved. So love without barriers - feel love shared back... And know that no barrier needs to be put up, because one who lived on earth 2000 years ago and lives today put up no barriers - he opened himself and his life to friends and foes, to people he knew and those he didn't... And he didn't put up a barrier to stop his arrest, to stop his torture, to stop his humiliation, to stop the pain of death... Because he knew how to love and he knew above all that love would win - because hate can never beat love... So let's drop the barriers of fear of what or who we don't know or what or who we don't understand. Know he loves us with a love that surrounds us and protects us and wants the best for us... and love as he loves us...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Characters around the cross reflection

Today I want to think about some of the characters involved around the cross. Some played important and good roles, others were those who turned on Jesus, and sought to hurt him. I want to begin with a short reflection about Jesus written by Gregory of Nazianzus, A.D. 381 “Who was Jesus? He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life. Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water. Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest. Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King. Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons. Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears. Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world. Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd. Jesus died, yet by His death He destroyed the power of death.” The Power of Numbers...The Crowd Mark 11:1-10 : When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent tw
Read more

Marriage thanksgiving

Today we have dedicated this service to giving thanks for the gift of marriage… All of us I’m sure will join with me in offering prayers to ask God to continue to bless married couples everywhere, but marriage itself can never be taken in a vacuum. The Bible tells us and human nature dictates that actually we are all part of a much bigger family, married, unmarried, old or young, and as such each of us have commitments to each other. And that commitment must surely be to love… If you have a sense of humour, and I’m sure you all do (!) you may like to hear some of the things the Bible says about love in marriage. In the book of Genesis (29:20) we read that Jacob worked for seven years for Laban to earn the right to marry Laban’s daughter, Rachel. We’re told that the 7 years of work seemed to him just like a few days because he loved her so much! He worked seven years for her father so that he could marry her. I am tempted to say he had it bad! Moving on a little, The Song of Songs in
Read more

Holy Week - some questions, some thoughts..

Image
  Holy Week – the questions…   Speaking to someone recently I said how much I valued Holy Week. I’ve thought about that a bit more and wondered what it is about it that is special, and my answer seems to be that it really does encompass so much of what my faith is about… There are other events and things that have made me reflect more closely on my faith and had a great impact on me, but Holy Week is up there with those things that are formative in my faith.  So, what is it about for me? Well, I think it’s something to do with the questions raised, and the answers given, or sometimes not. It’s about the statements made and the challenges offered and it’s about the promises made, verbally or implied, and the practical way in which God’s promises are revealed before us.  Palm Sunday is an exciting day in the church calendar. A day of palm waving and processions, a day of chaos in many churches as those processions move at different speeds in different directions, sometimes with d
Read more