Where is God in the good times?
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Transcript of Where is God in the good times?
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This week
I attended
a number of meetings
where plain speaking
was in short currency.
Not a particularly surprising problem
since most professions,
sports and groups
cloth themselves in jargon.
Needless to say,
generally,
that is not a damning fault.
But it can be
a massive failing
in the church.
Because it can result
in Christians avoiding
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the big questions
which ordinary people
ask of them.
And there is no bigger
a question
than where is God
where is God in my good times
where is God
when I feel becalmed
and drowning in mediocrity
where is God
when times are bad
and life seems
to be going down the tubes?
Yet, despite its importance,
that question
can leave us flummoxed
and quite frankly
waffling.
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Nevertheless,
it is a question
that needs replied to
plainly
as that alone
honours the direct speaking
of Christ himself.
Let us then
start by taking
the first of these
three sub-questions.
The query of
where is God
in our good times.
Well of course
he is with us
in those times.
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We may not realise it
but trust me
he is there.
It is simply a matter
of us
being distracted.
For when things
are on the up,
we are too often
caught
by a sense of well-being
and almost invincibility
that achievement brings.
As a result,
we forget God
we forget Christs past investment
in us
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from God
in the good times,
there is one more
which is far more insidious
even malignant.
And the third distraction
is a particular risk
to those of belief.
It was the very one
that Job typifies.
Put simply,
we think to ourselves
if things are going well
when will they not?
What is going on
in the unseen world
that will bring
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my seen one
crashing down?
Is, in fact,
God conspiring
with the devilish
to play havoc
in my life?
Certainly, there is no doubt
that at times of success,
contentment and celebration,
we can be dogged
with a lack of faith,
with fear
and with distrusting doubt.
For who amongst us
has not tinged
their enjoyment
of an achievement
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we attribute to God
what he has blessed us with.
Not only that
but in
our gratefully refocusing on God,
we bring alive
again
the memory of his bounteousness;
a level of loving
that makes it unthinkable
he would wish us ill.
Next it is to think carefully
why God has bestowed
such blessings upon us.
Needless to say,
he gives us credit
for our hard work
and dedication
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in the success,
yet it has also been
a team effort.
For, he has bestowed talents,
inspiration and opportunities
to make the doors open
and the crops bloom.
And so, he would
no more desire for us
to lose out
than we ourselves
would wish that
upon a beloved daughter or son.
Finally, instead of fearing
what is round the corner,
we must push
such ungodly thoughts
aside
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and live life to the full;
the fullness
that comes
from using our gifts
in the way
God wants us to.
For that is the best way
give thanks for our success;
that is the best way
to repay God
for his generous giving;
that indeed
is the best way
to be a joyful one
who has been bought
at a sorrowful price.
Well - to bring all this together,
lets look
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at the time of celebration
that the Lord took part in
and enjoyed for itself.
Since, in the wedding in Cana,
we do see Christ
in celebration mode.
Yet, we see also
much of why
we too should celebrate.
Moreover,
in this passage of John,
we find out how
God works in good times
for good times.
Now, first off,
this is a Jewish wedding.
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And Jewish weddings
during the time of Christ
were gala occasions
and grand parties.
They usually began
on Tuesday nights,
and the groom and his friends
would go over to
the brides house
at night.
On the way over,
the groomsmen
would be swinging
their olive-oil lamps,
having a fun time.
The men would gather
in front of the brides home,
and she would come out
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to the front steps.
Now, for the first time
in her adult life,
she would take off her veil
and show off
how beautiful
she really was.
This removal of the veil
was a special event.
Then, the groom
and the groomsmen,
would again
walk down the streets
with their olive-oil lamps swinging
and they would go over
to the grooms house
to begin a seven-day party.
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Yes, youve got it
a seven day party.
And during those seven days,
family and friends
would bring their gifts,
their hot food,
and their good humour.
However,
during this particular party time,
something did go wrong.
It was unfortunate
because the host
ran out of wine.
Now this was
a Jewish wedding
and not a Jewish wake.
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And so it was embarrassing
to run out of the bevy.
They didnt have
a Tescos or M&S
in Brook Street
to rush out to.
What to do?
Mary, the mother of Jesus,
intervenes.
Like so many mothers,
she seems to ignore
her son reticence
and speaks directly
to the servant,
Do what he tells you.
We can only guess
the look on Jesus face.
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Jesus, knowing his mother
and perhaps rolling his eyes,
said to the servant,
Fill those big jugs
out there
with water.
Next he turns
their contents into wine.
But these were very big jugs.
And so he made
a lot of wine
enough wine for a whole city
enough for the whole country
enough for the whole world.
Therefore we can imagine
that wedding couple
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many decades later
thinking of that day.
Maybe they still had
one dusty bottle
of Christs gift
still in the cellar.
Whatever
in the intervening years
that couple
would have had
their ups and downs,
there would have been
days of roses and ashes
and they would have known
celebrations and rotten times.
Yet they would never forget
how Christ
made that day
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so special for them.
They would always
recall that face saving gift
which meant so much
to their complete happiness.
And it was his concern
over such a little matter
that would have
given them confidence
through the years
that followed;
confidence that Christ
would look after
the big questions
whether celebrating
or mourning
and confidence
that he would restore
celebration
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