(June 02, 2025) Norman and Margaret Moss share another precious meditation…

As a young pastor fresh from Bible college one of the duties expected of me was that I should regularly visit not only members of our church, but also any possible friends and connections that offered opportunities of bringing comfort or Christian witness.

And so it was that ond day I found myself visiting an elderly lady in her home at about 4pm one day. On arrival I was somewhat surprised to find that her room was full of birds.

Now back in those distant times before television it was not unusual for people to have a bird in a cage. Insistent singing could be hushed by throwing a convenient cover over the cage and the bird would take the hint and relapse into mournful silence. 

But this lady was too fond of her birds to confine them to cages. They were flying free and flying everywhere! This in itself did not disturb me, but I soon realised that birds do not only fly. They settle on things including plates and tea cups. When they fly away they often leave something behind! 

For me the pastoral crisis came as in her kindly hospitality she thrust a cupful of tea into my hand. To refuse it would have offended her, so with my clerical collar tightening about my swelling neck I drank from the cup, and to this day I am not sure what the cup contained in addition to tea!

• Recalling that 4pm memory the other say, Margaret and I turned to meditating on John 1:39 (where 4pm happens to be mentioned too!)…

One day John the Baptist was with two of his disciples when Jesus happened to come by. What John said really grabbed their attention: ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’ (v36).

Look’ is ide, a word denoting surprise. They certainly were! And there is something very precious about this early glimpse of these two disciples of John’s. His preaching had captured and excited so many young people, and now he points out to two of his closest buddies another young man, whom he declares to be the lamb of God!

What? Who is this stranger? Why is this person so special to John? What does he mean by lamb of God?  Verse 37-38 tells that ‘When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus’ (v37).

And, on asking Jesus where He was staying(v38), He replied ‘“Come … and you will see.” So they went and saw where He was staying, and they spent that day with Him. It was about four in the afternoon.’ 

It all sounds so ‘normal’ indeed familiar, doesn’t it? Dropping in for afternoon tea with someone seems so natural and easy. But it was not where Jesus was staying that mattered, it was that they spent time with Him. Young men talking together— and Jesus would have shared His heart with them as any true leader must do.

• And we felt the Lord was saying—

‘It was indeed natural, informal. That is the intimate way, the way of friendship; there is humour, trust, love, and true leadership. Soon I would be calling them to follow me and they would drop everything else to be with me. But that afternoon would remain in their hearts as forever precious.

‘Come eagerly where I invite you… for there is no boredom where I am truly present. Come into my presence and feel my embrace. Just a touch of my hand on you will bless you and enlighten you. I will bless you in your coming and going. 

‘I will brighten all of your days. Just stay with me for I am your guide and teacher. Sitting with me will bless you and strengthen you and bring joy to your life.’

• We encourage you to spend time with Jesus… praying to Him, reading and studying God’s word, and hearing from the Holy Spirit.
• ‘See’ in that verse 38 is eido… ‘to perceive.’ Who knows what you will perceive.
• And reach out to contacts who need to know the Lord… comfort them with gospel good news and God’s love.

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Norman and Margaret Moss — Link: charlesnmoss@gmail.com — pastored Queen’s Road Baptist, Wimbledon for over 30 years, experiencing charismatic renewal since the 1960s. Although ‘retired’ they preach and teach by Zoom encouraging ministers, churches and groups hungry for more of the Holy Spirit, also contributing to Dr Ayodele Afuye’s Vessels of Virtues Fire Ministries.
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