Some good advice

Reading through Ecclesiastes 12 today, I was struck by the sound advice that the 'Teacher' gives to his students:

"Honor and enjoy your Creator while you’re still young, 

Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes, 

Before your vision dims and the world blurs
And the winter years keep you close to the fire." - verse 1-2 (The Message)

I find it interesting that he joins together the idea of 'honouring God' and 'enjoying the Creator.' How often do we really think about enjoying being with the Lord? If you asked most people, they would feel strange about this, but it is such a wonderful concept. What do you feel? 

And then finally the teacher says (v.13-14)

"The last and final word is this:
Fear God.
Do what he tells you.
And that’s it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it’s good or evil."

May God continue to guide you as you follow in the footsteps of Jesus. 

Living in Grace

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Working together

With all the extra responsibilities I have taken on this year, I can testify to the strength found in a team. There is no way I would be able to put my hand to all the tasks that come across my path, without the support of others. I have seen the Body of Christ working together in many beautiful and powerful ways. One can gather deeper insight into Paul's message when he speaks of every member pulling together to serve Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:26-27 - "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

The same story is found to be true in other arenas of life - sport is a good example of this: 

"The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime." - Babe Ruth 

Thought: Who is part of your team?

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Just like a star

Just like most people, I am not a fan of adversity. I don't deliberately seek out conflict or trials, and when I encounter tough times, I am probably the first to ask: "Why, Lord?!" However, the older I get, the more I can see God's hand at work, despite what may look like a mess. 

Perhaps it is true that Hope is indeed like a star:

“Hope itself is like a star – not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity.” - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Job 11:18 - You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.

What do you think?

Living in Grace

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A story of the beautiful old, cracked pot

I came across this beautiful story of an old, cracked water pot. I used it in my message on Sunday and it is such a wonderful reminder of how God chooses to use us despite our flaws and imperfections. May God bless you and remind us of his deep grace for us all.

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years, this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

 After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you”.  The bearer asked, “Why? What are you ashamed of?”  The Pot replied, “For these past two years I am able to deliver only half of my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you don’t get full value for your efforts”.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old, cracked pot, and in his compassion, he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”  As they went up the hill, the old, cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wildflowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it somewhat.  But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.” (Source, Unknown)

2 Corinthians 4:7 - But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

Living in Grace

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A prayer for the night

There are many wonderful and insightful prayers that come to us from the Celtic tradition. Here is one entitled: A Celtic Night Prayer (written by Beth Maxwell Boyle).  

"Creator God who upholds me,
Send your peace to sooth me,
When this world and its troubles,
Press hard down upon me.

Like a fair breeze from the south,
Your words they comfort me.
They make me long each day,
For everlasting justice and peace.

You alone have the wisdom of the ages,
You alone understand my heart.
Please Holy One give me rest and repose,
Give me the peace that only you can grant.

Give me repose this night and every night.
In the name of the Lamb,
The redeemer and the comforter,
Christ our King. 

Amen."

Psalm 42:8 - By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life. 

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 Prayer

r God who upholds me,
nd your peace to sooth me,
When this world and its troubles,
Press hard down upon me.

Like a fair breeze from the south,
Your words they comfort me.
They make me long each day,
For everlasting justice and peace.

You alone have the wisdom of the ages,
You alone understand my heart.
Please Holy One give me rest and repose,
Give me the peace that only you can grant.

Give me repose this night and every night.
In the name of the Lamb,
The redeemer and the comforter,
Christ our King.

Amen

​

By Beth Maxwell Boyle

The Gospel is...

Trying to define the 'Gospel' can either be overly complicated or seem too simplified. I really enjoy Tim Keller's definition of the Gospel. I pray that you would also find it helpful.

"The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope."

Luke 2:10 - “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people."

Luke 4: 18-19 - “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners,
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

What does the Good News (Gospel) mean to you today?

Living in Grace

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Rocks into water

When we read the words of Scripture, we see that people in Biblical times believed that miracles were very possible. Sadly, our modern age has brought with it a great degree of skepticism, and unless we can explain something, we are reluctant to believe it possible.

In Psalm 114, the Psalmist writes:

7 "Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,
    at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turned the rock into a pool,
    the hard rock into springs of water."

In this post-Easter season, the idea of God turning rock into water shouldn't be so hard to comprehend. He did a similar miracle through the hand of Moses (water from the rock) and then later through the example of Jesus, God raised him from the dead. 

Thought: What do the words of Psalm 114:7-8 mean for you today? Why are we so skeptical of things we cannot understand? 

Living in Grace

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The Rendevouz

 

The word 'rendevouz' means: "a meeting at an agreed time and place."

Although this word may have different connotations, it is an important word for us to reflect on in light of our relationship with God. Perhaps part of the modern dilemma is that we have agreed 'meeting times' with a whole range of people, but we struggle to stick to these times with God. Our one-on-one moments with God are so vital for our faith, but we still don't always make them a priority.

James Finley writes: "At the end of each rendevouz with the deeper place, we ask for the grace not to break the thread of that sensitivity as we go through the rest of our day."

James 4:8 - Come near to God and he will come near to you.

How are your meetings with Jesus going? 

Living in Grace

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Learning Perseverance

Do you ever get the impression that God is wanting to teach you something?

Or that you are experiencing much of the same kind of thing, and you wonder what lesson you need to take from these moments? 

Well, I have been having one of those weeks and sense that the lesson I need to learn is perseverance. I admit that I am not enjoying learning the lesson so much, but I do trust that I will soon understand why it is a value lesson to learn (or re-learn).

Can you relate in anyway? What are having to learn at the moment?

"May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance." - 2 Thessalonians 3:5

You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it." - Maya Angelou

"For great things do not just happen by impulse, but are a succession of small things linked together." - Vincent Van Gogh

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Choosing a way to pay a debt

“When I treat other people with kindness and love, it is part of my way of paying my debt to God and the world for the privilege of living on this planet.” - Ben Carson

I find it interesting that Ben Carson uses the word 'debt' in this quote, and especially in light of paying a debt to God. Having just come out of our Easter journey, we have been reminded that Christ paid a debt that we could never pay ourselves. 

So, what then could Ben be speaking about?

I think that he expresses a sentiment that should be practiced more widely in our world today - Living a life of love and kindness, in response to what God has already done for us. Yes, we can never fully repay what Jesus did for us, but we can surely live as if we are grateful for his love and act as if Christ's gift has transformed us in some way.

What do you think?

2 Corinthians 3:18 - And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

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A clean, smooth canvas

Jean Pierre De Caussade reflects on the difficult act of allowing God to shape and guide our lives:

"Our task is to offer ourselves up to God like a clean, smooth canvas and not bother ourselves about what God may choose to paint on it, but at every moment, feel only the stroke of his brush."

I am not sure how easily we allow God to do this, but I know that I often resist what God is trying to do in my life? What about you?

In this post-Resurrection season, how can we make ourselves more available for the work of God's Spirit in our lives?

Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Living in Grace

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A connection between pain and healing

"In this crazy world, there is an enormous distinction between good times and bad, between sorrow and joy. But in the eyes of God, they're never separated. Where there is pain, there is healing. Where there is mourning, there is dancing. Where there is poverty, there is the kingdom." - Henri Nouwen

These words of Henri Nouwen draw our attention to this following verse from 1 Peter, which shows us that the healing work of Jesus is done through his brokenness. His wounds offer us the gift of healing. It does seem hard to get our heads around this, but in time, we slowly comprehend this mystery.

1 Peter 2:24 - “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

Jesus' death gives us life.

His pain offers us healing.

His loneliness invites us into the fellowship of the Father. 

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The Elixir

George Herbert wrote a remarkable poem in the early 1600's called the Elixir. The English is very old, but I still offer it to you as something to enjoy. His heart speaks of doing all things for the glory of God.

Teach me, my God and King,
In all things Thee to see,
And what I do in anything
To do it as for Thee.

Not rudely, as a beast,
To run into an action;
But still to make Thee prepossest,
And give it his perfection.

A man that looks on glass,
On it may stay his eye;
Or if he pleaseth, through it pass,
And then the heav'n espy.

All may of Thee partake:
Nothing can be so mean,
Which with his tincture—"for Thy sake"—
Will not grow bright and clean.

A servant with this clause
Makes drudgery divine:
Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws,
Makes that and th' action fine.

This is the famous stone
That turneth all to gold;
For that which God doth touch and own
Cannot for less be told.


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Courage doesn't always Roar!

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow." - Mary Ann Radmacher

As I came across this quote this morning, I was reminded of how the disciples must have been feeling in the days after the Resurrection. They were feeling afraid and uncertain, yet Jesus was making them feel more and more at peace with the new 'normal.'  He was not going to leave them alone or unequipped for the task that lay ahead. 

"On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” - John 20:19-21

Thought: As we go into the post Easter season, let us remember that our strength and courage comes from the Spirit of Jesus. 

Living in Grace

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The unveiling and the invitation

We soon discover that there are not enough days to pause and reflect on the power of Jesus' resurrection. Our 40 days of Lenten preparation are over in a flash, and suddenly the world seeks to rush back to its old way of life. 

But surely, we can't just wake up and pronounce: 'Life as usual!' There has to be some change in us or at least a sincere desire to know more of this new life in Christ. Life shouldn't just carry on as usual, because there was nothing 'normal' about the resurrection. 

“The resurrection completes the inauguration of God's kingdom.... It is the decisive event demonstrating that God's kingdom really has been launched on earth as it is in heaven.... "The message of Easter is that God's new world has been unveiled in Jesus Christ and that you're now invited to belong to it.”- N. T. Wright

Let us remember that Jesus has unveiled the new kingdom and we have been invited to belong to it. How do you respond to that invitation?

1 Peter 1:3 - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

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Only for fools

The timing of April Fool's Day this year, (just one day after the Resurrection), makes an interesting conversation starter. Can you imagine how difficult it was for the original disciples to:

a. Believe that Jesus had been raised from the dead?
b. Tell others about it!

They would have seemed like crazy fools. 

And yet, here we are - 2000 years later, still talking about the miracle of the Resurrection. If it had been a silly joke, it wouldn't have gained any traction, and the idea of the Resurrection would have soon faded from memory. However, the reality of this miracle continued to gather momentum amongst the disciples and as soon as Jesus appeared to them, they no longer felt so foolish.

Thought: There are people that still think we are foolish to believe in Jesus and the Resurrection. I am content to be considered a fool.

Psalm 2:1 - "What fools the nations are to rage against the Lord! How strange that men should try to outwit God!"

Living in Grace

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A great display of love

 

Sometimes we don't have adequate words to express the depth of our feelings. When the woman (Mary) anoints Jesus' head, while he is eating at the home of Simon the Leper, we see the incredible love she has for Jesus. 

"While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head." - Matthew 26:7

The depth of her gratitude is revealed in the value she places on Jesus. The jar of perfume was worth a full year's wages for the average worker. That is a lot of money to offer up as a gift to Jesus, especially as it was only to be used in a once off act. 

Mary came to understand the true 'worth' of Jesus and her generosity always challenges me to reflect on the love that I show Christ. Is my love merely in words, or does it come with a great display of love.

"Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions." - 1 John 3:18

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John 12:3-6 - Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance. 4 But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, 5 “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” 6 Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

The Coins

How much is Jesus worth to you? 

When Judas approached the chief priests and negotiated to hand Jesus over to them, we note the value he placed on Jesus' head - 30 pieces of silver. According to tradition, this was the sum of money that was needed to be paid for a slave that had been killed (Exodus 21:32). To reimburse the slave owner, a price of 30 silver coins was paid to settle the debt. 

Although we understand Judas' role in death of Jesus, it does seem incredibly sad that Judas felt that his teacher, Jesus, was worth the price of a slave. Of course, the great irony in this is that Jesus came to be a servant to all, so the actual amount of money probably didn't bother Jesus. However, it does strike a chord in my own heart, when I consider the tough question: What is Jesus worth to me? 

¹⁴ Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So, they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over. - Matthew 26:14-16

Thought: The 30 coins don't only speak to us of betrayal, but they also speak to us of value and worth!

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The Crown

The closest I have ever come to wearing a crown is at Christmas time, when we don the paper crowns that come out of the crackers. I find them a little annoying at times, mainly because they don't always fit so nicely. After a while, I usually take them off, as they also start to make my forehead sweat, but at least I have a choice to put them to one side. 

Jesus didn't have that choice. And the crown he was forced to wear was not made of paper.

"Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face." - John 19:1-3

A crown that was hastily put together. 

A crown that wasn't intended to be a perfect fit, but rather stayed on his head because the thorns stuck into his skull.

A crown intended to hurt and to shame.

A crown that mocked Jesus' claim to be King.

Despite the evil intentions of the soldiers, Jesus continued to wear the crown, knowing that indeed he was a King. He probably wasn't even able to adjust it, to make it more comfortable. When his brow ran with blood and sweat, Jesus had no option to discard the thorns. 

In silence and pain, he bore their jeers and taunting - all because he knew a greater purpose was being fulfilled. And this was all for me. 

Thought: "How could I bear a crown of gold when the Lord bears a crown of thorns? And bears it for me!" - Elizabeth of Hungary

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The Crowds

Wherever Jesus went he was followed by a crowd of people. The more the news about him spread, the greater the crowds became. The Bible tells us how Jesus felt about these people:

"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." - Matthew 9:36

I am sure it was impossible for Jesus to speak to each person individually, especially when the crowds were in their thousands. However, we notice that he treated them as if they were the only people around at that time - his words spoke to the hearts of each individual.

Sadly, it was the anger of another crowd of people that pushed Jesus to the cross. Jesus became their scapegoat, and they satisfied their anger by turning on an innocent man.

Thought: Holy Week is a moment when I reflect on my own propensity to appease others. To go along with the crowds. To avoid independent thinking and to turn my back on Jesus. What about you?

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The Lamb is presented for inspection.

It was customary for the Passover Lamb to be kept for four days before the actual Passover (see Exodus 12). This allowed the people of Israel the chance to present their lambs to the priest for inspection. Is it not incredibly profound that when Jesus rides into Jerusalem, on what we know as Palm Sunday, that he was symbolically presenting himself to the priests as the Passover Lamb – the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world?!

There are so many remarkable events that happened during Jesus' last week on earth, that I can't see this has been mere co-incidence. God had a plan, and he was fulfilling it through the life and death of Jesus Christ. 

May you encounter Christ during this Holy Week. 

Exodus 12:1-6 - "The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb[a] for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight..."

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Speak up for the rights of the destitute

 

As we remember Human Rights Day (in South Africa) on the 21st of March, it is good to remember a few important things: 

Proverbs 31:8 - Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

Proverbs 31:9 - Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

“When we struggle for human rights, for freedom, for dignity, when we feel that it is a ministry of the church to concern itself for those who are hungry, for those who have no schools, for those who are deprived, we are not departing from God’s promise. He comes to free us from sin, and the church knows that sin’s consequences are all such injustices and abuses. The church knows it is saving the world when it undertakes to speak also of such things.” - Oscar A. Romero, The Violence Of Love

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Wave after wave

The image of waves crashing onto the seashore is a beautiful picture for us all. There is something therapeutic about hearing the waves washing onto the sand or crashing onto the rocks. When we read these words from Luke 1, in a paraphrased version of the Bible, we note that this same image is highlighted. 

"What God has done for me will never be forgotten, 

the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave,
on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength,
scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses,
pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel;
he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.
It’s exactly what he promised,
beginning with Abraham and right up to now." - Luke 1:46-55

Food for thought:

1. What resonates with you as you hear these words?

2. Is there a connection between these words and your Lenten journey?

3. How can this thought change your heart and attitude today?

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Dealing with distractions this Holy Season

As we embark upon this sacred season of Holy Week, there are many things that threaten to distract us from doing the most important of our tasks. And for any believer, the most important task we should be doing at this time of the year, is to worship Jesus. 

Period! 

No question about it!

So, what is stopping you from setting meaningful time aside to worship Jesus? How can you realistically cut out these distractions for a week or so? To try and help us get the ball rolling, here are some words from Meister Eckhart.

“Some people prefer solitude. They say their peace of mind depends on this. 

Others say they would be better off in church.
If you do well, you do well wherever you are. 

If you fail, you fail wherever you are.
Your surroundings don't matter. God is with you everywhere - in the marketplace as well as in seclusion or in the church.
If you look for nothing but God, nothing or no one can disturb you.
God is not distracted by a multitude of things.
Nor can we be.” - Meister Eckhart

Jesus says it best, when he speaks to Martha (Luke 10:40-42):

"But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

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A big misunderstanding?

When Jesus had set his mind and heart towards Jerusalem, he pronounced:

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified" - John 12:23 (NIV)

It is believed that in saying this, Jesus was referring back to the words of Daniel and thus fulfilling them: 

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed." - Daniel 7:13-14

The trouble came when the crowds understood the phrase, 'be glorified', to mean something very different from what Jesus was thinking. William Barclay helps us to understand this on a deeper level:

“By glorified the people meant that the subjected kingdoms of the earth would grovel before the conqueror’s feet; by glorified He meant crucified!” 

Throughout Jesus' ministry and especially in his final weeks, people superimposed their own ideas of salvation, victory and glory, unto Jesus' true meaning. 

Thought: In what ways, could I misunderstand the message of the Cross?

Living in Grace

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A thought for Saint Patrick's Day

Most of us are aware that Patrick is the patron Saint of Ireland, and yet he was not technically Irish at all. He was born in Britain and taken captive by Irish raiders in the early 400's. After spending 6 years as a shepherd/slave in Ireland, he managed to escape back to his homeland. It was during this captivity that his relationship with God deepened to a very devout level, and this continued while he settled back in Britain. 

However, God called Patrick back to serve the people of Ireland and so he went back there to share the Gospel with his previous enemies and captors. I can't think of a more profound example of God's love and grace than someone doing what Patrick did. It was his faith and love that continued to spread Christianity through Ireland, and so he is now revered as Saint Patrick. What a remarkable story!

"If I have any worth, it is to live my life for God." - Patrick 

May the strength of God pilot us, may the wisdom of God instruct us, may the hand of God protect us, may the word of God direct us. Be always ours this day and for evermore. - Patrick

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Are your hearts hardened?

Jesus sure knows how to ask tough questions! When his disciples were arguing over who forgotten the rest of the picnic lunch, Jesus was probing to see if they had made any spiritual connection between the leaven and the Pharisees. Of course, they hadn't! Like most of us, they only saw what was physically before them, without truly comprehending the spiritual depth of Jesus question.

So, when he asks the disciples, "Are your hearts hardened? (Mark 8:17)", I wonder what actually went through their minds? 

This is a great question for us to mull over during Lent? Is there a part of our own hearts that has become calloused? Hardened? Dull? 

What kind of things can turn our once vibrant hearts into hearts of stone?

Will we allow the Spirit of Christ the opportunity to soften our hearts?

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” - Ezekiel 36:26

Living in Grace

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Don't you see?

In the space of a few verses in Mark 8, Jesus asks his disciples a series of questions. We dealt with one of these yesterday, but today we note another question that he asks of them? 

"Meanwhile, the disciples were finding fault with each other because they had forgotten to bring bread. Jesus overheard and said, “Why are you fussing because you forgot bread? Don’t you see the point of all this?" - Mark 8:16-19 (Eugene Peterson)

They were struggling to see beyond the earthy nature of the lack of bread. All they could think of was that Jesus was complaining about the lack of bread, but in the meantime, he was trying to explain to them the spiritual dangers of the 'leaven' in the bread - referring to the Pharisees and Herod.

As Christians we need to spend time in the presence of God to fully 'see' his ways and to grasp the meaning of the gospel. There are times when we think we understand, but we really don't! 

There is an ancient proverb that states: "There are none so blind as those who will not see!" - This speaks of those who show no desire to see or understand the truth that stares them in the face. 

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Don't you remember?

Lent is time for remembering. We should remember all that Jesus has done for us and all that we are invited to be a part of. We should also take the time to remember how God has taken care of us in the past and how he will continue to be with us in the future. When Jesus was trying to teach his disciples about trusting in his provision, he seemed to get a little exasperated at time. In Mark 8 we read:

And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”  (Mark 8:18-20)

They had recently witnessed these great miracles and yet they still doubted whether Jesus could meet their needs in the future. Their forgetfulness reveals the immaturity of their faith.

Question: What has God helped you with, in the past? Is there a reason why God can't help you in the future?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Which person are we?

Elizabeth Browning wrote these words:

“Earth is crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God.

But only he who sees, takes off his shoes.

The rest sit round it and pluck berries.”

One may have to read these 4 lines a few times before they truly begin to sink in. Elizabeth Browning suggests there are two common responses to the beauty of Creation. Some people just want to consume what they see, without much thought for the Creator, while others are moved to awe and wonder. Their response is Moses-like, they take off their shoes and realise they are witnessing a marvel from God.

Which person are we?

"Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven." - Job 25:2

Living in Grace

D3LM3

A lesson in faith

"Faith isn't about having everything figured out ahead of time; faith is about following the quiet voice of God without having everything figured out ahead of time." - Rachel Held Evans

In our season of prayer and listening, let us tune our ears to the voice of Jesus. As we listen to his voice, so we can take the next step in faith. 

"The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
    Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
    with flashes of lightning.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
    the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks
    and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” - Psalm 29:3-9

Living in Grace

D3LM3

P.S. - "No step taken in faith is wasted, not by a God who makes all things new." - Rachel Held Evans