Day 7 - Friday, April 24th 2015

The light came on in London this morning and Big Ben beckoned us to start our day with a hearty breakfast with panoramic views of the Thames, Parliament, and the Ministry of Defense. Have we mentioned that our hotel is a five star where you can practically reach out and touch the London Eye?  It's pretty magical!  

Some of our rooms are those front ones looking right out into the London Eye

Our first stop was to the Metropolitan Tabernacle, where our spiritual mentor, Charles Spurgeon, left a rich legacy. Our own Mr. Huckabone spoke to us at the church and we had a sweet prayer time asking God to make Himself great in this country. 

A quick double decker bus took us to the Globe theater where we were taught and entertained by an authentic Shakespearean actor who gave us some practice with Hamlet. 

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Putting into practice the things they had just learned

We grabbed a lunch and jumped on a ferry to the Tower of London and were awed by the Crown Jewels and history of weaponry and pageantry.

Tower bridge being raised for the passage of a ship

A bit of an aerial view of the tower of London and city beyond

 

Enjoying the Tower of London

The evening concluded with a delicious English Pub dinner of fish and chips and steak and ale pies. No dinner is complete without sticky toffee pudding!!  

Enjoying a nice dinner together

For those of you wondering what Sticky Toffee Pudding is...

Here ya go!  It's often served with ice cream too

Our night wasn't quite over as we realized that we forgot to lock up the Tower, an 800 year tradition that happens with the same pomp and circumstance every single night since William the Conqueror. We were honored to be a piece of a very significant part of their history. Alas, the Tower is safe for one more night!!  A ferry ride to our hotel doorstep was an enchanting way to end our day. It was a remarkable day indeed. It's getting hard to think about leaving...

Junior - Sidnie Brenner

Senior - Cameron Lewis

Senior - Samantha Villapando

The Tower gave us much to contemplate.  It is positioned at the very heart of this city as a buttress from invaders.

The Tower has stood for over 800 years.  It has been tested and tried and still stands.  It has adapted to the threats as they have evolved over the centuries but at its core, it still relies on high walls and watchful eyes. While it operates today mostly for ceremonial purposes, it is important to remember that it represents intentional defensive plans to protect and secure the things that are most important to this country.  Not an hour of the day passes but that the iconic watchful eyes of the Tower guards aren’t actively anticipating an attack.  They are relentless and deliberate that nothing and no one would breach what is valuable.  It is that same active watchcare that a believer must deploy to stand guard over his own heart.  It gets even more complicated when it is our own heart that becomes the very enemy.  Fortifications are necessary because of the enemies both within and without.  A naïve believer will assume that he or she is capable of withstanding the onslaughts.  He may even believe that there are no credible threats.  She may be deluded into a false sense of security because it appears that all is well. But Satan is ruthless in his objective to invalidate the Gospel through a fallen believer and to ruin him in the despair of his own failures.  Stand guard over what is valuable – your head, your heart, your testimony.  They were precious enough for Christ to die to rescue – so they are worth defending at all costs.

Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance.

“A Christian man has both defensive and offensive weapons, he has a shield as well as
a sword: but Satan has fiery darts, and nothing else. I never read of his having any
shield whatever; so that when we resist him he is bound to run away. He has no
defense for himself, and the fact of our resistance is in itself a victory.” – Spurgeon