What is our motive?

What is our motive in spending time in prayer? Listen to these words and see if something resonates with you?

"Lord, I will not have as my motive the desire to be known as a praying person. I will seek an inner chamber in which to pray, where no one knows that I am praying, and I will shut the door and talk to You, God, in secret. I will have no other motive than to know You, my Father in heaven. It is impossible to conduct my life as a disciple without definite times of secret prayer." - Oswald Chambers

So, what is my motive? I trust that I will have no motive other than to know God!

John 17:3 - And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

Living in Grace

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Mental Health Awareness Month

October is Mental Health Awareness Month in South Africa, with the 10th of October marking World Mental Health Day. This is something very close to my heart as I understand the struggles that many of us have with our mental health. 

I think it is a wonderful thing that people are willing to speak more openly around these issues and to offer help for those struggling with this aspect of health. One of the things that has helped me over the years has been regular exercise - this is proven to be good for our mental health. 

For this reason, we are challenging our community to get outdoors and to exercise more during October. We have set the bar at 110 km's, as we are part of the Fish Hoek Circuit 110, so if you would like to join us, then feel free to do so. 

I have also set up a Back-A-Buddy fundraising campaign, if you would like to financially support our Mission projects. Here is the link to the site. If you have any questions, please drop me a line.

Lastly, let us be more aware of the people around us, as many of our neighbours could be fighting their own battles today. 

Ecclesiastes 2:23 - Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest.

Living in Grace

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Prayer and action

I read a lovely quote the other day that stated: "Prayer and Action are not enemies!"

This is a timely reminder that our actions should always be guided and covered in prayer. Sadly, many of us seem to use prayer as a "Hail Mary", shot in hope, when all else fails. Of course, we are invited to bring all our desperate prayers to the Lord, but our lives should be rooted in prayer as a starting point. Too often I have been guilty of allowing my actions to run ahead of my prayers.

When we consider the example of Jesus, he was definitely a man of action, but equally he was a man of deep prayer. 

Luke 5:16 - But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

Living in Grace

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A trip to the zoo changed his life

A trip to the zoo changed his life!

According to reports on the conversion of C.S. Lewis, he truly believed in God while riding in the sidecar of his brother's motorcycle. Later on, Lewis wrote:

"When we set out, I did not believe that Jesus is the Son of God; and when we reached the zoo I did." 

It was not the bad driving of his brother, Warren, that led to his conversion, but rather years of grappling with what it means to follow Jesus and to believe in him. Lewis was always willing to engage and enter into deep conversations with his friends, and he notes that debates with Hugo Dyson and JRR Tolkien were instrumental in helping him "cross the line" into faith.

John 6:29 - Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

Living in Grace

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Look at the birds

I love the fact that Jesus often used creation to bring people back to the center - back to the most important things in life. Matthew 6 gives us a number of great examples of this:

"Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? - Matthew 6:26-27

This is such a simple statement to make and yet it carries a deeply profound spiritual truth. When we pause for a minute to look at the birds, we should remember how they survive without all the trappings and frills we think we need. 

God cares for them - surely, we should remember that God cares for us too?

Living in Grace

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A thought for Heritage Day - Jeremiah's prayer of confidence

The 24th of September is marked as Heritage Day in South Africa. It has obvious roots in celebrating the diversity of all our South African cultures and people. Many people choose to turn this public holiday into a day spending time with family, as well as enjoying a Braai (which is a barbeque for our overseas readers). 

A working definition in the Cambridge dictionary, helps us put some meat onto the bones of what 'heritage' truly means.... "Features belonging to the culture of a particular society, such as traditions, languages, or buildings, that were created in the past and still have historical importance." 

For us as people of faith, we are given many traditions and 'features' that shape our faith. Sadly, some of these are not always good, as Jeremiah pointed out so clearly: 

"Lord, you are my strength and fortress,
my refuge in the day of trouble!
Nations from around the world
will come to you and say,
“Our ancestors left us a foolish heritage,
for they worshiped worthless idols.
Can people make their own gods?
These are not real gods at all!”

The Lord says,
“Now I will show them my power;
now I will show them my might.
At last they will know and understand
that I am the Lord." - Jeremiah 16:19-21

Thought: What spiritual heritage are we leaving behind for our children and grandchildren? 

Living in Grace

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We have no excuse

We have no excuse!

There are a lot of things that we like to make excuses about, and in so doing, we push our responsibility onto someone else. However, today I am not speaking about world events, local crises or anything else. I am wanting to draw our attention to these words from the apostle Paul.

¹⁹ They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. ²⁰ For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So, they have no excuse for not knowing God." - Romans 1:19-20

I believe what Paul is getting at is that we have enough evidence of God's nature and qualities in the world around us - in other words, in the Creation. By looking around us, and up into the heavens, we have the "call to worship." 

All that has been given to us (Genesis 1) reveals something of who God is. Of course, Paul is not inviting us to bow down to the sun, moon and stars, but to allow them to grab our attention and then to Praise the Lord God.

So, if we took the time to stop and look around, we would have no excuse for not getting a glimpse of who God is.

Living in Grace

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Speaking without sound

David reminds us that God continues to speak to us, and he doesn't even need to use audible speech to do this. Read these verses from Psalm 19 to see what I am getting at:

1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.
2 Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.
3 They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.

I am convinced that God is trying to commune with us way more regularly than we are willingly to listen. 

How can we become more attentive to his words and voice?

Job 33:14 - "For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it."

Living in Grace

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Walking without fear

One of the things that amazed us about walking the Camino in Spain was how safe it was. We were walking through all kinds of terrain and at all hours of the day, but we never felt unsafe. We even noticed pilgrims walking on their own, and when we passed them, we found ourselves wondering why this wouldn't be the case in South Africa? 

It is a sad reality, but hikers, walkers, runners are urged not to exercise alone, even in places with larger communities. And this week in South Africa, we understand why - we have heard the tragic news of 9 bodies being found in the Ekurhuleni region - all female and most of the ladies were out exercising at the time of their murder. This is totally devasting for the families and friends of these women, and absolutely shocking for our society. 

There are so many unanswered questions at this time, but this kind of tragedy should leave us all asking deeper questions. How can we raise awareness about GBV in one month and the next moment discover that the women in our world are still vulnerable? How can the church help raise awareness? What else can we do to be a part of the change?

I leave us with the words of our Presiding Bishop, Pumla Nzimande, who wrote in her letter yesterday:

"May the loss of these women not be met with another moment of outrage that soon fades, but with renewed determination and sustained action. May this moment deepen our shared resolve to build communities in which every woman and child is safe, valued, protected and free from fear. 

 Put away violence and oppression, and do what is just and right. (Ezekiel 45:9) 

 The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18)"

Living in Grace

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Leliefontein Mission work party (Namaqualand)

A few of us from the Fish Hoek Community had the privilege of being involved in a working mission up to Namaqualand last week. For some of you who were wondering why I was quiet for a week, this is my excuse :) The picture in this post is of the front of the church, which is still being repaired as I write this devotion. 

We went up to the oldest Methodist Mission Station in the country, which is at Leliefontein, as they are marking their 210th birthday in October. Our work was mainly focused on painting, repairing, building, cleaning and generally helping the community fix up their Church and Manse. The work was hard, but deeply rewarding. We were all grateful for the chance to stand on the historical ground and to honour those who have gone before us. 

I was reminded again, that in serving God and other people, we are given a special gift - it is a blessing that you cannot buy, but it is felt through the joy and appreciation of God's people. When you help others, who are struggling with their own trials and who aren't able to 'pay' for your help, it truly humbles you and reminds you that you do these acts of service unto the Lord. 

Luke 22:27 - Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.

Living in Grace

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Forgiveness is hard

"To err is human; to forgive is divine." - Alexander Pope

These words from Alexander Pope ring true for many of us, because choosing to forgive is not always easy. In fact, sometimes forgiveness seems to be only something that God can truly practice - a Divine act of God. 

Jesus told his disciples a remarkable parable about the unforgiving servant and this illustrated how easily we are willing to receive God's forgiveness but are not so willing to show mercy to others.

"Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” - Matthew 18:32-35

Thought: How willing are you to forgive those who have hurt you? 

Living in Grace

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Living Water

As we move deeper into the season of Spring, I wanted to share this moving prayer, which is being used for the Season of Creation 2026. This year's theme is based on "The Living Water" (Ezekiel 47) and it is a timely reminder for us to honour what God has entrusted into our care. 

Living Water

Holy God, whose Spirit hovered over the waters at the beginning, we gather as part of your community of all creation, thirsty for your grace. We give thanks for the gift of water, the veins of our common home, that sustains the cedar and the whale, the pasture and the city. We are grateful for the local waters that nourish our homelands and our fellow creatures. We give thanks that in your well-watered garden, every drop is a sacred testament to your love.

Yet, we confess that we have treated this gift as a mere commodity. We have choked the seas with our waste and watched the warming tides rise in judgment. We lament the cracked earth of the drought-stricken and the salty tears of the climate refugee. Melt our frozen hearts, O God, and let the waters of repentance flow.

Lord of all Life, you promised that wherever the river flows, everything shall live. Stir in us a calling to care for the waters — to protect the watershed, defend the rights of water, and honor the dignity of the thirsty. May your Word be a spring within us, gushing forth for the healing of the nations.

May God our Father who brought water from the rock sustain us in the desert. May Christ our Lord who is Living Water refresh us for the work of restoration. And may the Holy Spirit carry us on currents of grace until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amen.

If you are interested in the Season of Creation, you can find all their resources on this website.

Living in Grace

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A Prayer for Spring and for our Youth

"Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come; the cooing of doves is heard in our land." - Song of Songs 2:12

Here is a lovely prayer to celebrate the change in seasons, as well as asking for God to watch over our young people.

"Loving God and Father,
We worship you as the creator and sustainer of all that lives;
Lord, once again it is Spring.
All around us pulsating, sparkling life 

is breaking out in a thousand various forms.
Everything is so breathtakingly beautiful
that is releases a pang of joy in my deepest soul.
Your earth is awakening from its winter sleep!

Saviour, touch my heart too and bring my barren everyday life
to new life and growth.

This month we pray for our youth and children,
the most precious blossoms of our time.
Protect them in these times
of shifting values and spiritual threats.
Keep them strong against the evil powers
that seek to drag them down.
Help them to strive with all their might
for what is good and noble.
May the older generation encourage them
with practical examples of faith, hope and love.
Help them to be immovable in their faith in the knowledge
that Christ himself, their Master and Example was once young.
Bless, O Lord, graciously and abundantly
the great work done by parents, ministers and teachers
who support young people along the road of life.
In Jesus name. Amen." (based on a prayer by Rev. Solly Ovrech)

Living in Grace

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When I am ...

There are a number of beautiful Celtic Prayers in circulation, but I came across an unfamiliar prayer today. 

"Lord, when I am disturbed
When I am distressed
When I am divided
When I am disgusted.
I come to you for healing
I come to you for peace
I come to you for restoration
I come to you for dignity.
Help me, Lord,
To do what you would have me do, to become the person you want me to be." - One in Him (Celtic Prayer)

Thought: I found it interesting that the word 'disgusted' caught me unawares. And of course, there are times when I feel 'disgusted', however I had not linked our need for 'DIGNITY' to this emotion. Which part of the prayer took you by surprise?

Psalm 56:3 - "...when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you."

Living in Grace

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Help of the helpless

"O Lord, the help of the helpless,
the hope of the hopeless,
the Saviour of the storm-tossed,
the harbour of voyagers,
the physician of the sick;
we pray to you.
O Lord, you know each of us and our petitions;
You know each house and its needs." - St. Basil

Psalm 10:17 - "Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them."

Living in Grace

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We are not worthless...

“…even in its ruined condition, a human being is regarded by God as something immensely worth saving. Sin does not make it worthless, but only lost. And in its lostness it is still capable of great strength, dignity, and heartbreaking beauty and goodness.” – Dallas Willard

I love what Dallas Willard says in this quote. So many times, we right people off because of their sin and proclaim them as worthless, yet in God's eyes this is not true. Of course, our sin does make us lost and adrift from the Lord's path, but God is always calling us back to himself. 

Luke 19:10 - "For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost."

Living in Grace

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The Rock

Jesus needed to remind his disciples that the nation had abandoned 'The Rock' of their salvation. In charging Peter (Petros) to lead the new band of believers, Jesus promised to build his church on Peter's profession of faith (Matthew 16:18). In the background to this moment, Matthew counted on the Israelites remembering the words from Deuteronomy 32, which spoke of the Lord being their Rock.

"He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.
Everything he does is just and fair.
He is a faithful God who does no wrong;
how just and upright he is!" - v.4

"They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Savior. 16 They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols.
17 They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God—
gods they had not known,
gods that recently appeared,
gods your ancestors did not fear.
18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth." - v.15-18

Thought: God's faithfulness is presented like a 'rock' for us - immovable and secure. 

Living in Grace

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20 years on

Today marks the anniversary of my Ordination (20th August 2006). I am grateful for God's grace that has sustained us over the years of ministry. The journey began many years before Ordination, as I candidated for the Ordained ministry in 1999, while serving as a Youth Pastor (1995-1999) and then served as a Probationer minister from 2002-2006. 

These years of ministry have taken us into amazing communities, and we have met some incredible people over this time. I would be lying if I said that all has gone smoothly, but I am convinced that God has guided us and given us the strength to serve Him. I am also indebted to the love and support from Kim and my boys, as well as my wider family. Ministry is not something that I could do alone and they have all encouraged me so much.

Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 

The future lies in God's hands, and I pray that I may still stay faithful to Christ and serve him in whatever capacity I can. Thank you for your support in this small part of my ministry too. 

Soli Deo Gloria.

Living in Grace

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A Guardian Angel

We have all heard stories of a "guardian angel" - a heavenly being that protects us from harm. I am not sure if you believe in these angels or not but take a read of Psalm 34 and see if this may change your mind at all.

The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. (New King James)

"For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him." - New Living

"God’s angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray." (Eugene Peterson)

Thought: May God protect you and guard your heart as you follow in his ways.

Living in Grace

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He will take great delight in you

"The Lord your God is with you, 

 the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.” - Zephaniah 3:17

Sometimes I feel that we rush through reading the Scriptures and in doing so, we miss some beautiful promises. Take today's reading for example - it is just 1 verse, but it contains at least 5 promises. 

As you read through this verse a few times, why don't you take hold of the promises that God is speaking into your life.

Living in Grace

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There is a way in the desert

The words of Isaiah (43:16-21) speak of the hope we can have in God. No matter how bad things look at the moment, God can always make a way through the desert. 

This is what the Lord says—
    he who made a way through the sea,
    a path through the mighty waters, 
¹⁷ who drew out the chariots and horses,
    the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
    extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

¹⁸ “Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?              
I am making a pathway in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.

Living in Grace

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You loved us first

Dear friends, please enjoy this deeply moving prayer by Soren Kierkergaard, entitled: "You have loved us first."

"Father in Heaven! You have loved us first, help us never to forget that You are love so that this sure conviction might triumph in our hearts over the seduction of the world,
over the disquiet of the soul,
over the anxiety for the future,
over the fright of the past,
over the distress of the moment.
But grant also that this conviction might discipline our soul so that our heart might remain faithful and sincere in the love which we bear to all those whom You have commanded us to love as we love ourselves."

1 John 4:10 - This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Living in Grace

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Who are you?

When Jacob was wrestling with the angel in Genesis 32, we note that the angel starts up a conversation with him:

27 “What is your name?” the man asked.

He replied, “Jacob.”

28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”

This may seem like a random question to ask, especially as the angel must have already known Jacob's name. However, we feel there is something deeper at play in this exchange. Is it possible that the angel was wanting Jacob to own up to who he truly was - he was the deceiver - the one who grabs the heel. And when Jacob accepts who he is, the angel moves him into a new dispensation - he is ready for change.

Sometimes we think that we need to change BEFORE God loves us. In fact, God already loves us, and when we accept this, we can begin the important transformation in our hearts and lives.

Living in Grace

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A sunrise and a limp

"Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” 31 The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip." - Genesis 32:30-31

The story of Jacob's wrestling match with the angel, ends with these few final verses. I found such comfort in the picture of Jacob leaving Peniel while the sun rose for the start of a new day. It speaks to me of new beginnings, and the end of the anguish of the night. His limp also speaks to me of the scars we carry with us - they teach us and form us, but they don't stop us walking in the ways of God.

Thought: When you walk with Christ, what scars do you carry that speak of your testimony?

Living in grace

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A prayer to start your day

“Alone with none but Thee, my God,
I journey on my way.
What need I fear when Thou art near
O King of night and day?
More safe am I within Thy hand
Than if a host did round me stand.” – Columba (521-597)

7 "My salvation and my honor depend on God
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
    pour out your hearts to him,
    for God is our refuge." - Psalm 62:7

Living in Grace

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A mouth full of dirt

When Jeremiah laments God's anger against him, he uses the interesting picture of being made to eat gravel. He writes:

6 "He has broken my teeth with gravel;
    he has trampled me in the dust.
17 I have been deprived of peace;
    I have forgotten what prosperity is." - Lamentations 3:16-17

This past week I had a hard fall while out trail-running and got to experience eating 'gravel' as a first-hand experience. Let me be clear - it is not highly recommended. When I got up and wiped the dust off my body, I was genuinely concerned that I had broken some teeth, but thankfully they were all intact. It was just my face that looks like I have been in a barfight :)

Thought: I am grateful that Jesus gives us a more graceful picture of God. I don't want to believe in a Saviour who seeks to trample me in the dust and shove my teeth in the gravel. I can understand Jeremiah's feeling of abandonment, but I trust that we have not been forgotten by Christ.

Living in Grace

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Lift up your head

 

"But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high." - Psalm 3:3

There are times in our lives when circumstances cause our heads to drop. We feel despondent and drained - we feel that the weight of life has pulled us down. 

It is when we are feeling like this that Psalm 3 really offers us hope. God shields us, but God is also the one who lifts our heads, so we can bravely face what lies before us.

Thought: May you know the love of God as Jesus walks alongside you and lifts your head high.

Living in Grace

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A different kind of Treasure

"My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.
2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.
3 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.
4 Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.
5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity." - Proverbs 2:1-7

A quick read of Proverbs 2 reveals how highly valued wisdom was in the Old Testament. The writer speaks of wisdom as a hidden treasure, and how God grants this treasure to those who walk in his ways. I believe that wisdom is still highly valued and we should still seek it with all our hearts. 

Our world has no shortage of information, but in general we lack Godly wisdom. What do you feel?

Living in Grace

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The Perfect Dream

We all dream of something remarkable taking place in our lives - the answer to a deep longing or a miraculous answer to prayer. When Solomon encountered God in a dream (1 Kings 3), he was asked the question we all long for:

"That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”

How would you answer that question today?

What do you want? 

If you ask God for one thing, what would you ask for?

Better health? More security? Financial help? A partner? Peace? Help with your future? Faith? 

Thought: My immediate response to this question could tell me a lot about what I am struggling with in my life at the moment?

Nehemiah 9:27 - From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.

Living in Grace

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Open our hearts

I offer you this beautiful prayer for the start of this new week:

"O Lord,
Open our eyes to your presence
Open our minds to your grace
Open our lips to your praises
Open our hearts to your love
Open our lives to your healing
And be found among us. Amen." - David Adam

Luke 24:32 - "They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Living in Grace

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Warts and all

When Peter Lely was commissioned to paint the portrait of Oliver Cromwell, he must have been tempted to flatter his famous subject. As was custom, artists were often ordered to paint their subjects in a good light, covering up any blemishes and so on. However, Peter Lely was ordered by Cromwell to paint him as he was - warts and all. This is apparently what Cromwell said:

“I desire you would use all your skill to paint your picture truly like me… but remark all these roughness, pimples, warts and everything as you see me. Otherwise, I will never pay a farthing for it.”

I can't account for the full character of Oliver Cromwell, but his attitude in this incident does seem refreshing. So often we want people to like us for who we pretend to be, instead of for who were truly are.

Thankfully God loves us with all our warts, and he invites us to part of his family, regardless of what we look like.

Thought: When we spend time with the Lord are we comfortable to come with all our warts, or do we just offer our pretense?

Living in Grace

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Understanding and wisdom

"Bestow upon me, O Lord my God, 

understanding to know thee,

diligence to seek thee, 

wisdom to find thee,
and a faithfulness that may finally embrace thee." - Thomas Aquinas

"For the reverence and fear of God are basic to all wisdom. Knowing God results in every other kind of understanding. “I, Wisdom, will make the hours of your day more profitable and the years of your life more fruitful.” Wisdom is its own reward, and if you scorn her, you hurt only yourself." - Proverbs 9

Living in Grace

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There is always a FIRST step.

There is always going to be a first step!

When we were infants crawling on the floor, our families encouraged us to make the first step. And when we did, their delighted whoops inspired us to take another step. Slowly, but surely, we got more steady on our tiny legs, and eventually we couldn't stop moving.

It is the same with most things in life, and even so with our faith. We must always start with a first step and when we succeed in that action, so the other steps flow from this momentum. The writer of Proverbs suggests that if we want to live godly lives, we should listen to Wisdom and live out the principles of faith. However, there is a crucial first step. Read what he says:

1 These are the proverbs of King Solomon of Israel, David’s son:

2 He wrote them to teach his people how to live—how to act in every circumstance, 3 for he wanted them to be understanding, just, and fair in everything they did. 4 “I want to make the simpleminded wise!” he said. “I want to warn young men about some problems they will face. 5-6 I want those already wise to become wiser and become leaders by exploring the depths of meaning in these nuggets of truth.”

7-9 How does a man become wise? The first step is to trust and reverence the Lord! (Proverbs 1)

Thought: What is your first step going to be today?

Living in Grace

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Don't think you know it all

"Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!" - Romans 12:16

These words of Paul remind us to be humble and to acknowledge our own shortcomings. There are always opportunities to take the negative view on things, but likewise, there are many chances to build up others. Here is a timely prayer from William Barclay to help us begin this journey.

"O Father, give us the humility which
Realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes,
Recognizes its need, welcomes advice,
Accepts rebuke.

Help us always...
To praise rather than to criticize,
To sympathize rather than to condemn,
To encourage rather than to discourage,
To build rather than to destroy,
and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst." - William Barclay

Living in Grace

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Grant me, O Lord

Thomas a Kempis was someone who prayed bold prayers. His life was a witness to Jesus, and he left an incredible legacy in his book The Imitation of Christ. Here is one of his prayers:

"Grant me, O Lord,
To know what is worth knowing
To love what is worth loving
To praise what delights you most
To value what is precious in your sight
To hate what is offensive to you.
May I search out and do what pleases you, through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Psalm 17:1 - O Lord, hear my plea for justice. Listen to my cry for help. Pay attention to my prayer, for it comes from honest lips.

Living in Grace

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Standing in the need of prayer

"It’s me, It’s me oh Lord
I’m standing in the need
(I am standing in the need of prayer)
In the need of prayer
It is me
It’s me oh Lord
(I am standing in the need of prayer) I’m standing in the need
Of prayer" - John Kee

This old-time spiritual song reminds us that we can bring our lives and hearts to the Lord. God is always ready to listen to our prayers.

Romans 1:9 - God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.

Living in Grace

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Treat others as we would want to be treated

As South Africans wait for the 30th of June with great anxiety, it is important for followers of Jesus to remember the words of our Saviour: "Love your neighbour as yourself." (Luke 10). Elsewhere in Luke's gospel we read how Jesus said: "Do to others as you would like them to do to you" (Luke 6). 

So, if I was an illegal immigrant, or a legitimate refugee, how would I want others to treat me? If I was living in fear of my life or that of my family, what measures would I take, in order to care for them? These are such powerful questions to reflect on, and I am not sure I have a glib answer for them. 

Profoundly, I believe that Jesus stands with the most vulnerable and the desperate, because his lived reality included a time of being homeless and also living as a refugee. His family found hope in another land, cared for by foreigners, until they were able to safely return home. 

"Even if our own troubles are great, we should still serve. Jesus washed His disciples' feet on the way to the cross." - Tim Keller

"Jesus experienced homelessness at Christmas so that we could experience a love we could never lose."

Living in Grace

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