Be careful before we complain

It seems that God's people love to complain. In Isaiah's time, they also complained ... a LOT! And when God heard their complaints, he passed on this message through the prophet:

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, “God has lost track of me. He doesn’t care what happens to me”? Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening? God doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind. (Isaiah 40)

These were the 2 thoughts that struck me in Eugene Peterson's paraphrase.

God has not lost track of you!

God Lasts!

Thought: Before we complain to God, perhaps we should stop and take stock of what God has done for us.

Living in Grace

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The Eyewitness

A witness is someone who has seen an event and is able to describe it to others. Yes, we know that witnesses may see the same event and yet describe it in two different ways, but this does not deny that the event took place. In trying to understand the dynamics of this event, or identify the people involved, we must engage with their version of the story. When John claims that he saw Jesus, this should make an impression on us - let us read what he says:

1 John 1:1-4 - "We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. ² This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. ³ We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. ⁴ We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy."

Is it not remarkable that we have the words of someone who claims to have 'seen' Jesus and 'touched' him? John was so close to the Messiah, that he was truly able proclaim that He was the Christ.

“I would have preferred someone else to have been in charge of rescuing this story, but once again life has taught me that my role is to be a witness, not the leading actor.”
― Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Midnight Palace

Living in Grace

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What is your prayer for today?

What is your prayer for today? 

For some of us, it may be: "Lord, please get me through this day?" or maybe even: "Guide me through the next 12 hours and grant me the strength to still be standing at the end!"

The French philosopher, Blaise Pascal wrote some interesting words, that I feel were meant to be a prayer:

"Lord, help me to do great things as though they were little, since I do them with your power;
and little things as though they were great, since I do them in your name."

Whether we are attempting little things or great things, may we do it for the glory of God.

1 Kings 8:54 - When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven.

Living in Grace

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The Bond

"The Holy Spirit is the bond of love in the Trinity and the bond of love in the Church." – Augustine

We understand that what Augustine meant was that the Holy Spirit acts as the glue (bond) in the body of Christ. When we come together as God's people, there is a commonality of 'love', which is given to us by the Holy Spirit. As we should have a unified purpose (to love God and others), the Spirit works in each of us to drive us to this goal. Sometimes we need to be nudged and reminded of our role in this process.

Ephesians 4:3 - "Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace."

In the King James Version is says: "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Thought: This bond of peace is not just something that God brings to the relationship - we also need to 'make every effort' to make sure that the bond actually works.

Living in Grace

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The pronouncement of faith

It is customary for Christians to remember what unites us as the various traditions and denominations. We do this by reciting one of the Creeds. Usually, it is the Nicene Creed or more commonly, the Apostles Creed (as it is slightly shorter). 

The last part of the Apostles Creed is especially relevant for the Global Church in this season, as we have just marked Trinity Sunday. 

"I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. AMEN." - Creed

John 17:20-21 - 20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

Reminder: The Creeds were drafted, reworked and modified over many centuries, with the first versions appearing in the 2nd Century. They were initial statements of faith were used during Baptism services.

Remembering that there was essentially only one 'universal' church until the Reformation, the phrase 'holy catholic church' refers to the Church as one collective body. We still use the word 'catholic' in the Creed (small "c") as the word means 'universal.' For folk who worship in the Catholic tradition, they are often remembered as the Roman Catholic Church, as their leadership stems from the Vatican in Rome. Hope this helps us all to understand a little more clearly.

Living in Grace

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My Stronghold and Refuge

David said the words of this song to Adonai on the day Adonai delivered him from the power of all his enemies and from the power of Saul. He said:

“Adonai is my Rock, my fortress and deliverer,
3 the God who is my Rock, in whom I find shelter,
my shield, the power that saves me,
my stronghold and my refuge.
My savior, you have saved me from violence.
4 I call on Adonai, who is worthy of praise;
and I am saved from my enemies." - 2 Samuel 22:2-4

There are 2 interesting words that stand out from these reading today.

Stronghold - this is a place that is difficult for our enemies to access. In David's time this would have been a physical place, but it can also be a spiritual castle. God is our Stronghold!

Refuge - this is obviously a place of safety and where we can escape to. This place offers us a chance to hide away, but also to recoup and gather our strength for the next battle ahead. 

May God be your Stronghold and Refuge today. 

Living in Grace

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What a remarkable promise!

In one of my favourite passages from the book of Isaiah, we come across a remarkable promise. Isaiah tells God's people that they will be renewed by the Spirit of the Lord. This promise is not just for that generation of believers, but for all of us.

28 "Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
30 Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint." - Isaiah 40:29-31

Thought: The proviso is that we choose to trust in the Lord, and then we will find new strength. This is the moment where we choose to surrender to the power of God, and resist relying on our own efforts.

Living in Grace

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