Catrin Lewis, Bala

Which verses would you take to the desert island?

All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. John 6:37

Like many children who were brought up in a Christian home, I struggled with assurance that I was a child of God. I can remember one summer, we were on a family holiday on Uncle John and Anti Mari’s farm in Bryn Uchaf, Llanymawddwy. I had been on camp and was troubled that I wasn’t sure that my sins had been forgiven, whether God had heard my prayer of repentance. I was in my room one afternoon, distressed and crying. My mother came to my room with a bar of chocolate which she offered to me. As I stretched my arm out to receive it, my mother took the chocolate away. This happened a few times, before she said, “God doesn’t do that. When he offers us something, he promises to give it to us. If you’ve asked for forgiveness, he won’t go back on his word.” She went on to quote John 6:37. It was such a help to me, and I often go back to it.

Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. Luke 4:38-39

It seems quite insignificant, but I love the end of verse 39. Simon’s mother in law has just been healed in a miraculous way by Jesus, and what does she do? She gets up and serves others. We are saved to serve. God used this portion of scripture to move Gwydion and myself to apply for the job of being managers at Bryn-y-Groes. And it has been such a joy and honour for us to serve others in light of what Christ has done for us.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103

Psalm 103 is another favourite. Sometimes I grow cold and, to my shame, I don’t feel like praising God all the time. This psalm reminds me of God’s goodness and encourages me to worship him. He forgives, heals, redeems, crowns with love and compassion and satisfies my desires. I need to thank Him that he is slow to anger, and abounding in love. He does truly deserve my worship. I am particularly helped by v13-14; I often fail and grow tired but my Father in Heaven sympathises, knowing I am dust. How great is the God we adore!

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early

and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127:1-2

These verses have been on our mind in light of the building project going ahead at Bryn-y-Groes at the moment. We can easily get bogged down with the construction issues, bricks and mortar, furniture and fixings. But unless the Lord blesses what we do, it will be in vain. Our prayer is that Bryn-y-Groes will be a means by which God will continue to build his kingdom, and that all groups who visit us, all events that occur here, all campers who come for a good time, will all know the deep joy of God’s blessing. Please join us in praying for that.

Which song would you take to the island?

There are many good reasons for learning to speak Welsh – one of the reasons is to enjoy Welsh hymns! It really is a treasure trove. These hymns are like stepping stones of my spiritual life; they remind me of different sermons, conferences, and personal devotions at certain times. When my father, Gareth Davies, would preach in English, he would often get frustrated and say, “If only you could speak Welsh, Williams Pantycelyn expresses this point so well in a hymn”.

This isn’t one of Pantycelyn’s, but I love the way it traces the spiritual life, as though we were a ship travelling on stormy seas to our safe haven in heaven. It’s by Ieuan Glan Geirionydd (1795–1855)

Ar fôr tymhestlog teithio ‘rwyf

I fyd sydd well i fyw,

Gan wenu ar ei stormydd oll:

Fy Nhad sydd wrth y llyw.

Trwy leoedd geirwon, enbyd iawn,

A rhwystrau o bob rhyw

Y’m dygwyd eisoes ar fy nhaith:

Fy Nhad sydd wrth y llyw.

Er cael fy nhaflu o dòn i dòn,

Nes ofni bron cael byw,

Dihangol ydwyf hyd yn hyn:

Fy Nhad sydd wrth y llyw.

Ac os oes stormydd mwy yn ôl,

Ynghadw gan fy Nuw,

Wynebaf arnynt oll yn hy:

Fy Nhad sydd wrth y llyw.

A phan fo’u hymchwydd yn cryfhau,

Fy angor, sicir yw;

Dof yn ddiogel drwyddynt oll:

Fy Nhad sydd wrth y llyw.

I mewn i’r porthladd tawel, clyd,

O swn y storm a’i chlyw

Y caf fynediad llon ryw ddydd:

Fy Nhad sydd wrth y llyw.

Each verse ends with the comforting refrain ‘My Father’s at the helm’. It looks back at the way God has kept us safe in all storms so far, and so can confidently look forward if we have to face even greater storms because God is at the helm. The last verse is particularly tender and yet triumphant:

At last in heavenly harbour safe,

Far from the threatening storms;

He’ll gladly welcome me one day:

The helm's in Father's hand

I do know that there are some great English hymns, I have enjoyed getting to know some of them in the last few years – they are like new friends to me. One that has been a real blessing to me is by Horatius Bonar

O Love of God, how strong and true,
eternal and yet ever new;
uncomprehended and unbought,
beyond all knowledge and all thought.

O love of God, how deep and great,

Far deeper than man’s deepest hate;

Self-fed, self-kindled like the light,

Changeless, eternal, infinite.

O heavenly love, how precious still,

In days of weariness and ill,

In nights of pain and helplessness,

To heal, to comfort, and to bless!

O wide-embracing, wondrous Love,
we read thee in the sky above;
we read thee in the earth below,
in seas that swell and streams that flow.

We read thee best in him who came
to bear for us the cross of shame,
sent by the Father from on high,
our life to live, our death to die.

We read thy power to bless and save
e'en in the darkness of the grave;
still more in the resurrection light
we read the fullness of thy might.

O love of God, our shield and stay

Through all the perils of our way;

Eternal love, in you we rest,

Forever safe, forever blest.

The first two verses are such an excellent summary of the theology of who God is. On the basis of those truths the hymn goes on to express what God’s love has meant in his own experience. It’s always helpful to start with scriptural truths and not our own experiences. But the experience comes across also in the hymn. I love that line about Christ’s work for us: “Our life to live, our death to die”, great isn’t it!? Gadsby seems to bask in the joy of God’s love – it is precious, it heals and it comforts, is surrounds us in creation and Jesus Christ particularly shows us God’s love. And there’s more to come in eternity!

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

One lady I particularly admire is Elisabeth Elliot. As a young Christian I was really inspired by reading of her self-sacrificial missionary life – returning as a widow, with her young daughter, to work with the tribe that murdered her missionary husband, Jim Elliot. As a young mother myself, I really valued the spiritual counsel and practical common sense in her books. I would love to find her on that island, and I’m sure her good, common sense approach would be very useful in such circumstances.

Another lady I would love to meet is Auntie Bessie. I have heard so much about her since coming to work at Bryn-y-Groes. She is still loved by many campers who enjoyed her food, her example, her love and humour during summer camps here. I would really love to talk to her and find out what was so special about her. I would have plenty of questions for her, and I’m sure I would learn so much from her.

On a very personal note I would love to see my maternal grandmother there. She died a few months before I was born. She led a difficult life and made many mistakes along the way, but she was the Lord’s child. She attended Bethany Chapel in Ammanford – a chapel that came under the influence of the 1904/5 revival, and I would love to ask her about that time. I’m sure she learnt some difficult lessons during her spiritual pilgrimage and I feel those knocks and bruises would make her shine brightly.

Trystan Hallam, Tredegar

Although my wife sometimes comments that I live in a world of my own – with my head in the clouds – I don’t think life on a desert island would be for me. It would be ok for a little while – but there are only so many coconuts that you can eat. I’d miss my wife, my children, Tredegar and Bethel Baptist – not to mention my dog who’s my running partner. After all, ‘no man is an island’; God has created us for himself and to share himself with others.

But however, if the pirate, Captain Hywel George captured me on his ship HMS Heddwen, and gave me a choice to walk the plank or enslavement on a desert island, I’d choose the desert island. I’d be very grateful to take some Bible verses with me, a gem of a person from Welsh Christian history and a song (or two!) that I could sing and listen to.

Which verses would you take to the island?

Why can’t I take the whole Bible? Even Radio 4 allows you to do that. But who am I to argue? There is one verse which springs to mind straight away:

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Psalm 27:5

This verse is very precious to me, for I’ve experienced God’s keeping in days of trouble. Over fifteen years ago I was severely ill with testicular cancer and then clinical depression. In many ways it was like being washed up on a rugged desert island. Yet, I wasn’t deserted. God in His great mercy kept me safe, and at times visited me with his presence that I would not have experienced in times of bright sunshine and calm.

It is finished. John 19:30

The second verse I would take would be the Lord Jesus’ words on the cross. Life for the Christian is sometimes like being on a desert island – having been washed up, bashed and cut on the rocks, then landed all alone, disorientated on a desert island. When things are difficult, we ask: why? Is God punishing me for some sin? Whilst asking these questions on the desert island I would remember the Lord Jesus’ words “It is finished.” Whilst God might be discipling me through difficult circumstances, teaching me the path of holiness, I would remind myself that I’m not being punished, facing God’s wrath. The Lord Jesus took God’s wrath in my place on the cross. “It is finished!”

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

Captain George of the HMS Heddwen says I can’t take my wife, kids, not even my dog! It must a figure from history. So, I would be more than willing to settle for William Williams Pantycelyn the Welsh hymn writer, preacher, poet, and instrument of God’s blessing in Wales in the 18^th Century. I can remember being on a residential County Choir course in my teens which was held in Llandovery. On that course I rebelled! Not like my peers, who spent most of the evenings in the local pubs. No, I woke up early one morning and decided to walk to Williams’ grave which is in a Church graveyard on the edge of Llandovery. Please don’t tell the course organisers, because they never found out!

Williams Pantycelyn’s gift, amongst many other things, was marrying Biblical truth with true Christian experience. Read, and sing his hymns and you’ll see what I mean. Because I could be a long time on that island, I think learning at the feet of Williams would be a treat. It’s also been said he was also good company, gifted with a delightful sense of humour.

Which song would you like to take to the island?

Well, I have been cunning. Because by having Williams Pantycelyn on the island, I would have a Christian jukebox sitting next to me!  There are so many of his hymns that have helped me over the years. Perhaps one of my favourites is one of his simplest hymns:

Rwy’n dewis Iesu a’I farwol glwy

Yn frawd a phriod i mi mwy

Ef yn arweinydd, Ef yn ben,

I’m dwyn o’r byd i’r nefoedd wen.

I’m afraid you’ll have to learn Welsh to understand what it means. It’s worth learning Welsh just to be able sing Pantycelyn – not to mention Ann Griffiths! Come to the desert island and we’ll have lessons together!

I’d also like to take a song that the modern singer/songwriter Nicole C. Mullen sings: I know my Redeemer lives. The song captures Job’s angst and hope in equal measure; a hope that is fulfilled of course in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Well with that, I’m off. Because I think I can see a ship’s mast on the horizon with a skull and bones banner hovering above the crow’s nest.