From heaven You came helpless babe

“So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. ²⁰Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” ²¹So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.” 1 Kings 19:19-21 NLT

God who chooses,

Elisha was not part of a school of prophets (2 Kings 2:3 Bethel, 2:15 Jericho, 2Kings 4:38 Gilgal). He is a farmer using 12 yoke of oxen. So perhaps a well off family? He takes Elijah seriously. I wonder if Elijah thought his family would persuade him not to go? Elijah does not try to persuade him but asks a question, “What have I done to you?” Was that because he wanted Elisha to know it was You God that led him there that day not his own good idea?

Elisha returned to Elijah after burning his bridges behind him. 12 yoke of oxen. He didn’t need to do that but it showed he was not going to return to the plough. He knew what Elijah had done. Simply relayed God’s call.

You call us to holy living and sometimes to particular service. But that does not make us more special. We do not all have to burn our employment bridges behind us. But we do have to burn our self reliance our let me do it my way! We turn away from sin. Sometimes, someone else can see what Your calling on our life is but it is up to us to consider and decide if what we hear is in agreement. You know we sometimes need to hear several times to be sure. Elisha hears and obeys. Help us know clearly when You want us to do something specific and help us to put our hands to what is in front of us. Where we are called to help others to do it willingly as if for You.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Saturday 28th June 2025

From Heaven, You came helpless babe
Entered our world, your glory veiled
Not to be served but to serve
And give Your life that we might live

This is our God, The Servant King
He calls us now to follow Him
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to The Servant King

There in the garden of tears
My heavy load he chose to bear
His heart with sorrow was torn
“Yet not My will but Yours”, He said

Chorus . . .

Come see His hands and His feet
The scars that speak of sacrifice
Hands that flung stars into space
To cruel nails surrendered

Chorus . . .

So let us learn how to serve
And in our lives enthrone Him
Each other’s needs to prefer
For it is Christ we’re serving

Chorus . . .

Lyrics: Graham Kendrick, Chris Llewellyn, Gareth Gilkeson

“What do workers gain from their toil? ¹⁰I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. ¹¹He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. ¹²I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. ¹³That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. ¹⁴I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.” Ecclesiastes 3:9-14 NIV

Eternal God,

A last lingering look at Ecclesiastes, for now Lord. and verse 12,”I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.”

We cannot make ourselves happy all the time. And sometimes our hormones or moods take us into the doldrums. But we can do good while we live. And I have discovered that when I make the effort and do something good for someone else, even when I am down, it makes me feel better, happy! It helps me stop moping and it brings perspective. James tells us that we need both faith and works (James 2:18).

There are so many other verses about doing things for You, and how good it is for us!
“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:40
“Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great…” Luke 6:35
“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” Hebrews 13:16

Help us to do what we can, when we can, how we can. And be happy doing even a little good. We all have different situations – but we can all do something good sometime! Giving is doing good too. And thank You that doing good does make us feel good.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

God who is good,

For our family, friends, neighbours. That they would find Your happiness and joy in doing.
For our Ministers, lay leaders, church members. Give them happiness and joy as they serve.
For our neighbourhood, for families and individuals peace, joy and much doing good.
For the Royal family. Their daily needs and time to be family.
For our nation and the members yet to be elected to Parliament. For You amidst the choosing.
For preparations for the Olympics in Paris and all those competing, good health.
For Gaza, and the Middle East. Lasting solutions for the good of all.
For families torn apart by war, disputes or broken relationships. Heal scars, wounds. Make a way.
For Ukraine, those living there or abroad. A mighty move of Your Spirit to end war, soon.
For all those around the world doing good for God. Giving so others can do good.
For those who take services in residential and nursing homes.
For those who have or who care for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
For the good Samaritans of today. Who see a need and try to help.
For us to do what we can, if we can, when we can, to be a blessing to someone else. To encourage, to bless, to make someone feel loved.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Monday 24th June 2024

There in the garden of tears
My heavy load he chose to bear
His heart with sorrow was torn
“Yet not My will but Yours”, He said

Come see His hands and His feet
The scars that speak of sacrifice
Hands that flung stars into space
To cruel nails surrendered

So let us learn how to serve
And in our lives enthrone Him
Each other’s needs to prefer
For it is Christ we’re serving

Lyrics Graham Kendrick

‘Servant King’ was the title for 1984 Spring Harvest theme. It was sent to several Christian song writers, including Graham Kendrick. He found the phrase funny and yet inspiring. They weren’t being asked, ‘Can you write a song with the words “Servant King” in it. But those two words, because they were such opposites started his writing juices flowing.

“If you are a lyricist, opposites always kickstart ideas; those two words don’t normally sit together. So I just started to unpack that whole story. The obvious part of the story is the incarnation, ‘From heav’n You came, helpless Babe…’ And it’s sort of unfolded from there.”