ALMOST HOMEWARD BOUND

MY FATHERS' HOUSE? This is a photo of St. Alban's Cathedral & Abbey built more than a thousand years ago, and here being restored in the 1800s. Largely a NORMAN building by way of architecture. Set in beautiful grounds. Our son Michael and his wife Janet took us to see it just a week or so ago. I did not like it much as a building; it seemed too stark, rough hewn and unfinished still. In fact it had been been utterly ruined at one time and rebuilt. But what really reduced whatever beauty or sense of God's Presence it may once have had, was the heavy secular atmosphere within it.

Quite a lot of TRADE was going on in the various areas given to selling Christian books and Nick-knacks. And a number of sight seeing and 'educational' tours were noisily touring the interior. It lacked any sense of a place for God to be honoured or reverenced. Of course most of the huge buildings given to worship hundreds of years ago are now badly attended and ill funded so that it is hard to pay for their upkeep. Thus the idea of 'selling' space for commerce and tourism. But this must be at the expense of the sense of God remaining tangible.

There will be, and are, exceptions to some extent, but generally I think this will hold good. One has to be reminded of our Lord's rebuke when He found such a situation in the Temple in Jerusalem -

Mark 11v15-17

...And Jesus went into the Temple,

and began to cast out those that sold and bought in the Temple,

and overthrew the tables of the

moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves.

And would not suffer that any man

should carry any vessel through the Temple.

And He Taught saying -

"is it not written

'My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer?

But you have made it a den of thieves.'"

What would he say of to-day's practice and attitude. Again, recently, in a less grand Church, I attended Sunday Service in which it was impossible to pray or even concentrate on the exposition of the Word of God because of the total freedom of infant children attending with their parents to run about the building, even up to the alter, screaming and shouting. None stopped them, their parents even at times encouraging them to enjoy themselves as if they were in Play School! No sense of 'place', no discipline and no respect for the House of God. BUT the pastor clearly saw nothing untoward with this, and indeed emphasised that the Church was a Family, and that we should BE family when we attended it - taking advantage to be free and informal, and even apparently without understanding. To-day is Father's Day in England.

But I did not feel our Heavenly Father was properly evaluated by His children. Am I being TOO old fashioned? NO! I am just not being conformed to the world around me. When we read that at the Great Wedding feast a man found without the right dress code was thrown OUT

of the wedding we should surely wonder - when we attend Church in front of God Almighty - just how we should present ourselves, and how we should demonstrate our understanding of WHO our Father is. We have become careless, slovenly, and even irreverent in our approach. Some now call HIM 'Daddy' - but we must remember that 'familiarity breeds contempt'. We should be watchful and careful that we do not take liberties. Jesus never did.

In perhaps singular and sad conrast Esther and I visited a midweek Meeting of a United Reformed Church built in the 1600s, and continuously used for prayer and worship ever since.

But today not more than maybe 20 members - all over 60 - but all quietly demonstrating their awareness of God in the way they entered His Presence, without taking it for granted - with an Awe that was without dread, but also without disrespect. Just small but precious memory of the past. Will we come out of this ignorant spin away from the 'fear' of God? If not then it might seem we are headed for greater foolishness still.

EIGHT MORE DAYS and we shall leave England - TEN days and we shall, God Willing, arrive again in ELDORET. We are looking forward to coming home. It has been a very full and wearing time, though with many moments of joy and happiness to weigh against definite disappointments and setbacks. Yet even these adverse moments God has used in forcing us to pray and to seek the more Blessing from HIM. All is still not well as far as our current situation with respect to the Ministry of TFH is concerned, but at the same time we are assured in our hearts that the Lord IS with us, and that the Battle is HIS, and not ours. We shall now look for the VICTORY that we have believed in and Trusted for. We know that you will also uphold us in this as you read, and that we TOGETHER will join forces in the heavenlies against the Spiritual Powers ranged against us. Esther and I have maintained fairly good health throughout, and Daryl and our staff and all the children also, seem to have been blessed with health and fortitude. God IS our ROCK..

I may - if possible - add a postscript to this next Saturday or just before we leave here. Thereafter I hope to get back to normal and more regular Updates to this Blog. Thank you for reading and praying as we have been away, both for us and for those left in Eldoret carrying on the work with the School and Children.....

God Bless and be with you

John and Esther