Longing for ...

There is a beautiful song which reminds us of all the things that we long for but seem to never find. It is entitled: Christ be our Light and is written by Bernadette Farrell. Each verse of the song speaks of these gifts that we long for:

• Longing for light, we wait in darkness
• Longing for truth, we turn to you
• Longing for peace, our world is troubled
• Longing for hope, many despair

And each time she laments the things that still elude us, Bernadette brings us to the prayerful chorus:

"Christ be our light, shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church."

I pray that as we all begin the remarkable journey of Lent, that Christ would shine his light on our path.

Living in Grace

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Making the journey together

A large part of the Christian experience can be nurtured privately, but it was never meant to be undertaken in isolation. We need each other as we make the journey of faith together. We need someone else to nudge us forward in encouragement, or to keep us accountable to our disciplines and to pray for us when we find prayer too difficult. 

2 Corinthians 13:11 - Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

As we embark upon the spiritual journey of Lent this week, I invite you to commit to a practice that will nurture your relationship with God and others. If you don't have something to guide you and you would like something, please drop me a message and I will send you an invite to be a part of our community's 40 Days Together devotions. 

Helen Keller - Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.

Living in Grace

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Good Deeds

There is always a little debate around how far Christians should go in sharing love and good deeds. I think this has to do with the fear of encouraging 'salvation by works'. However, our love and compassion towards others is a non-negotiable in the Kingdom of God, and we should keep striving to reveal God's love through practical means.

Listen to the words of Jesus:

·       "In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." - Matthew 5:16

The same can be said of the words of Isaiah 58 - See what he says: 

7 Share your food with the hungry and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
9 Then when you call, the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

Yes, our salvation is not dependent on our good works, but if we profess the name of Jesus, then we need to be revealing our changed hearts by our actions.

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THEN ....

I find it interesting that when Isaiah speaks about True Fasting, he mentions that this involves heart-felt action and care for the poor. He calls on Gods-people to feed the hungry and to help those in trouble. Once we have done that, THEN our light will shine out from the darkness.

"Feed the hungry and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon." - Isaiah 58:10

Sometimes we reverse the sequence, and we pray that we will have enough 'Light' to shine for God. It seems to me, that in doing what God has asked us to do, will reveal this Light.

So, when Jesus said: 'You are the light of the world' (Matthew 5:14-15), perhaps he was telling us to love boldly, and THEN this would be the light of Christ shining all around us.

Living in Grace

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Getting out the building!

Please read these statistics and then contemplate what is stirred up in you. 

“Christ met unbelievers where they were. He realized what many Christians today still don't seem to understand. Cultivators have to get out in the field. According to one count, the gospels record 132 contacts that Jesus had with people. Six were in the Temple, four in the synagogues and 122 were out with the people in the mainstream of life.” - J.K. Johnston

Our calling as followers of Jesus, is not just to gather in our religious buildings, but to go where the people are. If this was Jesus' modus operandi, then it should also be ours. I think that part of our difficulty, is that we have got used to speaking and acting in our comfortable "church" spaces, but we don't really know how to be authentic Christ-followers in public spaces. 

Thought: Jesus was the same person in public, as he was in the Temple or in his home. 

Mark 16:15 - "He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."

Living in Grace

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Broken hearts are everywhere

Irish Missionary, Amy Carmichael undertook a very serious calling to serve in the poor communities of India. She founded the Dohnavur Fellowship, which sought to rescue young girls from being enslaved in forced prostitution. One can only imagine some of the things that she saw in her ministry:

She wrote these words: "Broken hearts are everywhere. Bereavement is a very dark forest.”

Later on in life, when she faced her own pain and grief, she wrote:

“Look up to the light that pours into the forest from high above the trees. The long, pure rays of that conquering light are interwoven with the tall stems of the trees, even as threads bright and dark are interwoven with in the web of our lives.”

 These are such compelling words for us, especially when we find ourselves in dark places, or that we sense the "trees" closing in on us. Let us remember: 

“The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.” – Psalm 18:28

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What do you make of this story

I came across this very insightful observation from Leroy Eims. Read it and see what you think.

One spring our family was driving from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa, Florida. As far as the eye could see, orange trees were loaded with fruit. When we stopped for breakfast, I ordered orange juice with my eggs. "I'm sorry," the waitress said. "I can't bring you orange juice. Our machine is broken." 

At first, I was dumbfounded. We were surrounded by millions of oranges, and I knew they had oranges in the kitchen--orange slices garnished our plates. What was the problem? No juice? Hardly. We were surrounded by thousands of gallons of juice. The problem was they had become dependent on a machine to get it. 

Christians are sometimes like that. They may be surrounded by Bibles in their homes, but if something should happen to the Sunday morning preaching service, they would have no nourishment for their souls. The problem is not a lack of spiritual food--but that many Christians haven't grown enough to know how to get it for themselves. - Leroy Eims, The Lost Art of Disciple Making.

1 Chronicles 22:19 - "Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God."

Questions:

1. Does this apply to us in any way?

2. How many Bibles do we have in our homes? Do we know how to read them?

3. How can we help others to 'squeeze the oranges to get out the juice?'

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Newcomers

Can you remember being a 'newcomer' at something? Perhaps a first day at school, or at a new job, or even joining a church community or a sports team? It feels strange at first, but after a while, one slowly starts to ease into the newness. 

Coming from another angle, I want to ask us this question: 

Do you ever feel that you are not a 'newcomer' to the Christian faith? Do we get to a point in our spiritual lives where we feel that we are mature enough? It seems to me that I keep learning new things along the pathway and although I have been a Christ-follower decades, I still get the feeling that I am an infant. 

Listen to these words from the book of Job. See how he eloquently describes this feeling:

Job 8:8-19 - For we’re newcomers at this, with a lot to learn, and not too long to learn it. So why not let the ancients teach you, tell you what’s what, instruct you in what they knew from experience? Can mighty pine trees grow tall without soil? Can luscious tomatoes flourish without water? Blossoming flowers look great before they’re cut or picked, but without soil or water they wither more quickly than grass. That’s what happens to all who forget God— all their hopes come to nothing. (The Message)

Thought: Don't despise being a student of the Gospel. We are all learning along the way.

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We can't blame anyone else

“Spiritual growth is not an accident. It is intentional. You must intend to grow. You must make a choice to grow. You are as close to Jesus Christ as you choose to be. If you are not growing spiritually don’t blame your wife or husband or kids or parents or pastor. You are as close to God as you choose to be.” - Stephen Sheane

Our spiritual growth is surely our decision to pursue or not. I feel that we can't blame other people for our shortcomings, especially if we don't take our faith seriously. We each need to count the cost of following Christ. 

As we get closer to Lent, I think it is worthwhile reflecting on what we can do to grow in our faith.

"Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do." - Psalm 1:1-3

What do you think?

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The genuine heart of God

For some people, they struggle to see God as a loving God. They have either had very bad experiences with parents or perhaps even with some churches, and so their picture of God is very harsh. When we look through the Bible, we can understand how we could see God in this way, but there are equally many scriptures that reveal the true heart of the Father.

Take for example, a few of the following verses. They speak to me of a God who cares, and who has a genuine heart of compassion for his people. 

Luke 13:34 - “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 

Luke 15:1-3 - Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Isaiah 40:11- He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

Thought: Does this help you see God in a different way? 

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Have we become obsessed with the wrong things?

"Encourage one another and build each other up." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

At some point in time, most church leaders (including myself) have mistakenly believed that the more people coming into our church buildings must be a sign of "success." Of course, there is a genuine story as to what this may imply for your community, however it is not the entire truth. 

A lot of times, our bigger gatherings lack the opportunities for authentic connection and discipleship.  How do we encourage each other and build each other up, if we hardly engage with anyone else during the worship services? Even if I am part of a small group, is there opportunity to love each other, to really walk with another Christ-follower, and to get to the heart of our unique struggles in faith? Sometimes, but not always!

Jesus modelled for us that true discipleship starts with 2 or 3. If our meeting together is to encounter Christ and to worship him, then we should always remember that God is present even in the smallest groups.

"For wherever two or three are assembled in my name, I am there with them.” - Matthew 18: 20

What do you feel about this? Any thoughts?

Living in Grace

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Christ shapes us through the lives of others

C.S. Lewis – “Christ works on us in all sorts of ways…but above all, He works on us through each other.”

These words from C.S. Lewis reminds us of the great importance of being together in fellowship with others that belong to the body of Christ. We may not always get along or agree on everything, but we are created to be in community.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour:
¹⁰ If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." - Hebrews 10:24-25

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Lifting me out of the mess

When I hear testimonies of how God has been real in the lives of ordinary people I am greatly encouraged. Sometimes these miracles may seem small to us, but they speak of God's activity in our real-life-issues. They remind me that God does notice us and that God does care for us.

The Psalms are another place that speak of these miracles. The recount stories of how God has shown up for his people. May we never forget this.

¹ I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
    and he turned to me and heard my cry.
² He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
    out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.
³ He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord. (Psalm 40)

Prayer: "Dear God, help us to remember how you have guided your people in the past and to trust that you can still lift us out of the mud and mire. Amen."

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Engraved on my hands

 

¹⁵ “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
    and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
    I will not forget you!
¹⁶ See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands

These prophetic words of Isaiah are fulfilled in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus Christ and serve as a wonderful reminder that God always remembers us. In modern times many people choose to get parts of their bodies tattooed with the names of their children. In this act, they are choosing to hold their kids always before them.

This is perhaps a similar picture of what Isaiah is pointing to. How do you feel about this? 

“Remember this: God never forgets. His love is a constant reminder that, no matter our struggles, He is with us.” – Max Lucado

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What are you surrendering to?

“Everyone eventually surrenders to something or someone. If not to God, you will surrender to the opinions or expectations of others, to money, to resentment, to fear, or to your own pride, lusts, or ego. You were designed to worship God—and if you fail to worship him, you will create other things to give your life to. You are free to choose what you surrender to, but you are not free from the consequences of that choice.” Rick Warren

I find these words to be deeply challenging, and I invite you to spend some time meditating on what Rick Warren is saying. We may not like to use the word surrender but try using this phrase instead - "give in to."

What am I giving in to at the moment? Am I finding that my time and energy is being spent on doubts and fears, worry, anger, ego, social media or someone else? 

Once we answer this question, we may have a clearer idea of what we are surrendering to.

James 4:17 - Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Living in Grace

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Puzzling Reflections

It is interesting how we come to hear 'popular' Scripture passages at certain events and celebrations. Take for example, 1 Corinthians 13. A number of couples I have guided through their wedding ceremonies have asked for this passage to be read. While it is certainly an appropriate scripture, we don't usually get the time to cover all 13 verses in adequate depth, and so perhaps we miss out on other relevant messages. 

Take for example, verse 12: 

"Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely."

Today, I was asked to preach on 1 Corinthians 13 at a Memorial service, and this verse immediately took on a different meaning for me.  In this life, we are given an imperfect glimpse into the eternal life. We have an idea of what heaven could be like and it is as if we are looking at a puzzling reflection in a mirror. We can only see a part of what is to come and that is enough to allow us to live in faith.

However, when we get to meet Christ, face-to-face, everything will become crystal clear. We will see and know everything completely and we will be KNOWN by Jesus completely. There will be no more guessing or ambiguity. 

Does that make any sense to you? How does it make you feel?

Living in Grace

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Take my hand

 

“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
    I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
    to be a covenant for the people
    and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind,
    to free captives from prison
    and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness." - Isaiah 42:6-7

These 2 verses give us another powerful image of God's willingness to care for us. To imagine that God takes your hand and guides you into his purpose for your life, is humbling and encouraging.

Thought: When someone initiates holding our hand, we can choose to withdraw our hand from this embrace, or we can grasp the hand in response. How do we respond to God taking hold of us?

Living in Grace

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The Bruised Heart

"He will not shout or cry out or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out." - Isaiah 42:2-3

I was really struck by these words of Isaiah - they refer to the attitude of the Servant of Lord towards bruised and broken people. It truly gives us insight into the nature of Jesus and how he seeks out the broken hearted.

If you are struggling with a bruised heart at the moment, hold onto the promise that God is with you.

Living in Grace

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