Refreshed

© sxc.hu/skyro

I feel like I have had a bath – not once but three times in the past 7 days!  Not what you might imagine, but my way of describing three very special opportunities I have had.

You might recall the song ‘If I were a rich man’ from Fiddler on the Roof.  If not click here to watch and listen.  The relevant line is towards the end:

If I were a rich man I’d have the time I lack

to sit in the synagogue and pray

and maybe have a seat by the Eastern Wall,

And I ‘d discuss the Holy Books

with the learned men seven hours every day,

And that would be the sweetest thing of all.

Well, I am not rich and have not been to a synagogue but I have spent 3 days  (not quite 7 hours long) immersed in the Bible and it was the sweetest thing!

NUMBERS

Last Thursday (13 Oct) I joined around 30 others at LICC (London Institute of Contemporary Christianity) for a study day on the Book of Numbers.  I had just completed reading through the book and this was an ideal opportunity.  The speaker was a theologian whose writings have influenced the H+ programme that I am involved in.  Richard Briggs is from St John’s College, Durham University.

Here are some things I came away with:

1. Being called Numbers (ref to the 3 census that the book includes) is a red herring and it might better be called ‘In the Wilderness’
2. Sometime the route to relevance can be through what appears irrelevant (tough journey)
3. Paul read Numbers – see 1Corinthians 10
4. Moses excelled in humility
5. The people sought to live by sight not by faith
6. The key to TRUST is to rely on GOD Himself (not our experience of God)
7. The calling of people of God is to bless what God is blessing

And so much more!  This is just a flavour.

PAUL

This week I spent two days at Bible Society in Swindon.  On Monday over 300 people gathered to hear Biblical Scholar, Paula Gooder, (Click here for her website) explore the man, ministry and writings of the Apostle Paul.  She continued on Tuesday with the staff covering a range of very helpful subjects.

For now, one thing stood out that links with the 7^th point from the Numbers day:

• The new creation Paul writes about in 2Corinthians 5 is both individual (I am a new creation in Christ) and for the world.
• While the old order still rules, the new creation breaks in, from time to time, in glimmers, suggestions and possibilities.
• It is for us to be the kind of people who bring such moments, who recognise them happening and ‘bless’ or enrich them.
• This is especially true of the priority Paul focuses on: ‘reconciliation’ – in the widest possible and practical sense.

I may well write about some of the other things I learnt here and/or on the H+ Blog so if you are interested please go to and subscribe – Click here.  I’d love you to keep abreast of how this project develops anyway!

A bath?  Yes, I’ve been thoroughly refreshed through spending these three days immersed in the Bible!