Where are your wounds?

Alan Paton wrote many remarkable works, including 'Ah, But Your Land Is Beautiful.' In his own words he imagines what it would be like to meet God face-to-face and what the conversation would focus on. He writes:

"When I go up there, which is my intention, the Big Judge will say to me,
Where are your wounds?
and if I say I haven’t any, he will say, "Was there nothing to fight for?"
I couldn’t face that question."

Wow, these words really struck a nerve. Where are your wounds?

How often do I refrain from some Godly action, because I am afraid of the wounds I may incur? When we look around us there are plenty of things to fight for, but perhaps we need to overcome our fears first. 

Thought: Jesus was willing to show Thomas his wounds, and it was this encounter that changed Thomas' life.

1 Peter 2:24 - He himself bore our sins in his body on the stake, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness — by his wounds you were healed.

Living in Grace

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A thoughtful prayer from Alan Paton

 

Below is a prayer from Alan Paton. I trust that you will find it helpful for today.

"Lord, open my eyes that I may see the needs of others,
Open my ears that I may hear their cries,
Open my heart so that they need not be without relief.
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak, because of the anger of the strong,
not afraid to defend the poor, because of the anger of the rich.

Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
and use me to bring them to these places.
Open my eyes and ears that I may, this coming day,
be able to do some work of peace for You."

Habakkuk 3:2 - O Lord, I have heard of your renown, and I stand in awe, O Lord, of your work. In our own time revive it; in our own time make it known; in wrath may you remember mercy.

Living in Grace

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Make me Lord

Alan Paton loved this prayer from Mother Theresa, which he subsequently adjusted for our South African context. I hope you enjoy it and are able to use it for your own prayers.

Make me, O Lord, the instrument of your love, that I may bring comfort to those who sorrow and joy to those who are regarded as persons of little account. In this country of many races make me courteous to those who are humble and understanding to those who are resentful. Teach me what I should be to the arrogant, the cruel, for I do not know.

And as for me myself, make me more joyful than I am, especially if this is needed for the sake of others. Let me remember my many experiences of joy and thankfulness. And may I this coming day do some work of peace for thee. Amen.
— Alan Paton

Living in Grace
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Words of wisdom from Alan Paton

“The tragedy is not that things are broken. The tragedy is that things are not mended again.” - Alan Paton

Today marks the 115th birthday of Alan Paton and although he is no longer with us this words echo down the ages. I was fortunate enough to hear him speak when I was still a scholar - and I remember his presence was remarkable.

In the above quote, unknowingly Alan Paton speaks into a spiritual state that impacts many lives today. The broken world, in which we find ourselves, leads us to believe that broken things can't be mended. Yet, the message of the Gospel is that God is close to the broken-hearted and that Jesus wants to restore us.

Mark 3:5 - He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.

May God restore the broken parts of our lives, so that we can testify to the goodness of the Father.

Living in Grace
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