The companion

“We may not know exactly where the journey will lead, but we can be sure of who travels with us.” – Shane Stafford.

It is deeply reassuring to be reminded that we have a close companion on the journey of life. No matter how alone you may be feeling at the moment, please remember that Christ is with you.

Mark 1:21 - Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum.

John 13:1-2 - Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

The presence of Christ in the midst of your storm

In Mark's gospel there is a lovely narrative about the disciple's experience in a fierce storm (Mark 4:35-41). Their ordinary sailing trip across the Sea of Galilee soon becomes a nightmare. And in their panic, they call out to Jesus, "help us", "we are drowning!"

Mark tells us that Jesus calms the storm with a command and the disciples are amazed what this miracle. Maybe they were only calling Jesus to help them bail out the water in the boat - they needed all hands-on deck - and Jesus superseded their request. He actually had authority over the wind and waves!

Let us remember that when we are confronted by storms in our lives, that Jesus is present with us. Sometimes he may give us the strength we need to keep sailing, but other times he may grant us a miracle.

Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.

Psalm 46:1-2 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear.”

Living in Grace

D3LM3

A thought for Saint Patrick's Day

The 17th of March is a day that marks the memory of Saint Patrick and this year I am especially struck by how one person can make a difference all over the planet. We are bombarded daily by the negative influence of many powerful people, and sadly their lives do impact upon all of us. However, today I want to give thanks for the millions of people who bring love, kindness and hope to our world. We may not all be a Saint Patrick, but our lives can touch the hearts of others.

Here are a few quotes attributed to Patrick. 

“I am certain in my heart that all that I am, I have received from God.”

“Behold, I give my soul to my faithful God, whom I serve as his ambassador.”

“It is Christ who is my great master, who inspires me and strengthens me in all things.”

Thought: It is important to remember that Patrick's early years were filled with pain and suffering, as he was taken captive as a young man in Ireland. However, he remembered these years as a time of refining and change. God renewed his heart in such a powerful way that he chose to go back to Ireland to share God's love with his former captors. 

Living in grace

D3LM3

The full Serenity Prayer - a great resource to combat anxiety

I find that using the Serenity prayer is a great way of reducing anxiety in my life. The full version of the prayer is very helpful and teaches us to trust in the Lord's work in our lives. If you are struggling with worry at the moment, then I invite you to pray this prayer as often as you need to.

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace,
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it,
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will,
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen."

Matthew 6:27 - Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 

Living in Grace

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A great fear for all of us?

What is one of your greatest fears?

Tim Keller suggests that one of our fears could be: to be known, but not to be loved! His words may make a little more sense, when we read them in the context of his full quote.

“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial.
To be known and not loved is our greatest fear.
But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God.
It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretence, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.” - Timothy Keller.

Is this perhaps what drew people to Jesus? When they encountered him, they sensed that they were fully known and loved. What do you think?

Romans 8:15 - So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.

Living in Grace

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What do you want?

The question that Jesus asked Andrew and John immediately cut to the heart of the matter. Jesus certainly puts them in a spot, but it is a question that echoes throughout the ages. What do we really want?

 "Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them." - John 1:38

It is a question that invites self-examination, and I don’t believe that Jesus asked it in a condescending tone at all. Some translations have put the question as “what are you looking for?” or "what are you seeking?"

Let us try and picture the scene for a moment – the two disciples have moved away from John the Baptist (their teacher) and for a moment they are caught in no-man's land. Should they follow the 'Lamb of God' or should they stay with John?

Jesus senses they are edging closer to him, and he gets to the heart of the matter: 

What do you guys really want? What is going on in your heart? What are you searching for?

In truth, many disciples followed their teachers or leaders for any number of reasons: Were these two guys looking for a new career. Or a military Saviour? A security blanket? A person to debate with and do a little theological sparring?

Or was there a deeper desire that drove them to seek Jesus out?

And what about us? How do you answer that question today? 

What are we wanting from Jesus?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

P.S. If you missed out on listening to the sermon based on this Question, you are welcome to click on this link. 

What good is it?

There is something special about LENT. I truly believe that being intentional about our preparation for Easter makes a massive difference in our spiritual lives and I wonder if you feel the same way? 

Over the course of the next 6 weeks, I am going to be reflecting on a number of questions that Jesus asks his followers. One would be surprised at home many questions Jesus actually asks of us and each one of them is equally profound.

At our Ash Wednesday service, I reminded us of the question that Jesus posed to his followers (in Mark 8:36):

"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"

This deeply challenging question slowly opens up our hearts to divulge where we are spending all our time and energy at the moment. What is getting us up in the morning? 

Am I spending my life in pursuit of "things" at the expense of nurturing my spiritual life? 

If I aim to gain the world and stand on top of the mountain with my arms in triumphant victory, who else will be standing alongside me?

Where is God in my plans and life at the moment?

If you would like to listen to a short audio Bible Study on this question, you are welcome to listen on this link.

Living in Grace

D3LM3