Hard Heart

Dear Daddy, I have a problem with my friend. I just can’t seem to get through to them that I love them. It feels like no matter what I do or say it just bounces off them. It hurts me because I love them so much.

Daddy: I remember when I used to play Guitar. The tips of my fingers on my left hand became hard and callused as I pushed down on the strings. 

The more I played the harder my fingers became. 

Playing was painful at first but as the calluses grew thicker the pain lessened. 

This is what happens with the heart too, the place where we can give and receive love. Over the years our heart too can become callused and hard. 

We build up layers to protect ourselves. 

Many years ago I spoke to a friend of mine called Ezekiel these words 

‘A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.’ Ezekiel 36:26.

A new heart is a gift, but your friend must be willingly to receive the gift and this requires vulnerability.
Be consistent, be loving, and of course be vulnerable yourself.

Barry Pearman

Photo Credit: Made Underground via Compfight cc

Get a Bigger Wand

Page Turner: “Can you please pray for me? I know God listens to you. Please pray for me, please wave your ‘Magic Wand’ over me and make all my problems go away?”

Barry: “Umm.”

Page Turner: “The Bible says that God is good and Jesus healed people. My Church tells stories of people being miraculously healed,  lives being turned around and everyone so happy. Please wave your wand.”

Barry: “Hmmm.”

Page Turner: “I have read the books, prayed the prayers, paid the tithe, followed my religious leaders advice, lived to every formula given, but still I can’t seem to get ‘the blessing’. Please wave your wand.”

Barry: “Murmur, murmur”. (under his breathe)

Page Turner: “I am waiting for a miracle and you are going to provide it, your ‘God’s Magic Wand’, wave it over me.  Do it now.”

Barry: “Oh really”?! (fully day dreaming of a nice walk down at the beach chatting with Jesus over a couple of bottles of Coke Zero).

Page Turner: “ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME. Bring forth your mighty wand oh great holy one and wave it over presenting victim! Oops I let that slip.”

Barry: “How about a nice walk on the beach with some friends of mine?”

So where has all this come from? I was talking the other night at ‘The Living Room’ about the ‘Entitlement Mentality’ found in Jesus’ parable about some workers in a vineyard (Matt. 20:1-16). We all want, even demand, someone with a ‘Magic Wand’. After the service someone cheekily commented “You just need a bigger wand.”

Perhaps we need to look for the miracles in the minor. Those little things that change when we take millimetre steps down a ‘faith road’ that invites ‘tug of war’ soul wrestling.

What’s your next millimetre step?
Barry Pearman

Turning and Dancing

Turning the Page

I am turning a page, or maybe it’s a whole chapter. A few words at a time is normal life fare, but now it’s a chapter. The chapter of chaplaincy is coming to an end. I am turning a page, no a whole chapter. Stress is augmented through the unknown. The heavier the page the greater the stress. People want to see what is on the next page, some demand it, yet I still haven't finished writing the last few words. Some want me to stay on the same page, reread the words, rewrite the words, keep on adding more in.

Spirit sweeps into my dreams. I am on a tall tower of little cubes measuring about 100mm square. They are stacked on top of each other and I am doing a balancing act on the top. I feel his presence. Beautiful warm presence, always just at my left hand side, holding me. I am acrobatically dancing, held there, not looking down. The stack wobbles from time to time but then comes right. Dancing more and more with beautiful sweeping movements, before a Triune Family that just adores me.

Come dance with me, as I turn the page.