New life emerges .... slowly

 

The Message – “Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him and then called us to settle our relationships with each other.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, he spoke to them of becoming a new creation. That when we encounter Jesus, the old is gone and the new has come. However, sometimes I wonder why it takes so long for the this 'new' creation to appear in my life and then I begin to wonder if I there is something wrong with me. I am not sure if you can relate to this at all?

For this reason, I love Eugene Peterson's take on 2 Corinthians 5, where he speaks of how the new life in Christ 'emerges'. And this is when I think of how a butterfly emerges from the Cocoon, slowly. This takes time (anyway from 5 to 21 days apparently). 

So, when we allow the Spirit to transform our hearts and lives, let us realise that this takes time - we emerge from our old life, into the new creation of Jesus.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Ascension Day reflection

As the global Church marks Ascension Day today, it is worthwhile spending some time reflecting on the significance of this occasion for each of us. Here are a few of my thoughts (but not exhaustive) on this momentous moment. But, before I share my thoughts, let's remind ourselves of what the Bible says about Ascension.

Luke 24:50-53 - "Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God."

1. Jesus blesses his followers before he goes!

2. The disciple's despair is changed to joy when they receive the blessing.

3. The disciples keep asking Jesus questions that show they haven't understood his mission. However, Jesus keeps steering them back to the point.

4. Jesus promises them the 'power' of God to help them fulfil their mission.

5. The Ascension is both and ending and a beginning. It is the end of Jesus' physical presence on earth, but it is the beginning of disciple's new mission. 

Thought: What does Ascension Day mean for you?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Acts 1:6-11 - "So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

The dawn will break

 

In the Southern Hemisphere we are experiencing the Winter Solstice today. Our shortest day and longest night, will be mirrored by the longest day and shortest night in the Northern Hemisphere. Whichever you are experiencing today, please think on these few thoughts:

The longest night of our year will only be from 17:44 this evening until 07:51 tomorrow morning (in Cape Town). Yes, it will be cold and dark, but it will not be forever. I find that I have a greater capacity to 'hang on' when I know that the end is in sight. 

This thought gives me hope when I think about all the pain and heartache in the world - with Christ we are offered the great hope that even our darkest of times will not be forever.

Jesus died and entered into the darkness, but that was also short-lived. Three days later he rose from the grave and gifted us all with the promise of new life. 

Psalm 112:4 - Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.

"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn." — Hal Borland

Living in Grace

D3LM3

End or beginning?

"What the caterpillar calls the end of life, the master calls a butterfly." - Richard Bach

This lovely quote reminds me of the different view on life that God gives to us. The resurrection may have seemed the end to all the disciples, but to the Father it was just the beginning of the greatest miracle ever! I am challenged to view my life from the stand point of the Master and not from the world. What the world may call the end, God could be shouting 'let us begin!'

Job 8:7 - Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Beginnings

As we embark upon the beginning of another new month (and the second half of 2020) let us remember that with Jesus there is always the chance to begin again. Let us forget the former things and hold onto the promise of new life.

Romans 6:4 - "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."

“Without a beginning I am pouring the whole of my existence into the building of endings, while the cross and the resurrection declare that God is incessantly building beginnings from the collapse of endings.”
― Craig D. Lounsbrough

“Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?” -  L.M. Montgomery

What does beginning again mean for you today?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Starting afresh

The beginning of a new month opens up the wonderful possibility of starting all over again. There is something special about the days of the month starting again from one (1), that makes me think of how blessed we are to know of Christ's forgiveness.

If you find yourself in a strange place today, why don't you ask God to help you begin all over again. Recommit your heart and life to Christ, asking Jesus to guide you through this new month.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for guiding me through all that has past in this month, but I look forward to beginning a new month with a new focus and a clean slate. Please help me to walk in your ways and to have the strength to face all obstacles that come my way.

2 Corinthians 5:17 -  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Start with God - Proverbs 1

"Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God;
    only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.

Pay close attention, friend, to what your father tells you;
    never forget what you learned at your mother’s knee.
Wear their counsel like flowers in your hair,    like rings on your fingers." - Proverbs 1 (Message)

There are a few important things hidden in these verses that I think are key for us:

1. Everything we do should start with God. So often God becomes our stop-gap when everything else seems to fail, but we need to remember to go to GOD first.

2. Our parents taught us many things and we should heed their advice. Of course, no parent is perfect, but we would do well to listen to Godly advice from our close family members.

3. Put wise counsel on the "outside" of your daily living - in other words, remember it! Put it in your hair or on your fingers if it helps you remember the wise of the godly.

Have a blessed day.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Beginning and End

God is with us in the beginning of this year, as much as He was with us at the end of 2016. God holds all time and space together in the palm of his hands, and so He promises to look after us in all things. God is in the business of creating (Alpha) and completing (Omega) - and so for those of us who are caught in between these two events we need to drink from the springs of God's grace, trusting that all will be well.



⁵ And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” ⁶ And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. ⁷ All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.” – Revelation 21:5-7

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Beginning afresh

"Great is thy faithfulness; his mercies begin AFRESH each day." - Lamentations 3:23

I find it amazing that God's goodness has no expiry date. His mercies are new every morning. If you think that you have used up all of God's grace and mercy today, don't fear that they won't be in supply tomorrow - because they will be there.

God is full of FAITHFULNESS and because of his love for us, we have an inexhaustable supply of mercy. No matter how much I use up God's grace in dealing with my sin and brokeness, I remember that God will still have a supply of love for me in the morning. He will never run out of compassion.

Begin again today - know that God gives us the gift of starting afresh.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Humble beginnings...

The world is obsessed with being "better" and "bigger" than the next person. And the sad thing is that we are willing to step all over other people in order to get ahead of others. If we are going to begin afresh this year (or week/day) we need to recognise that there is nothing wrong with humble beginnings. 

God spoke through Job when he confirmed that although our beginnings may be small and insignificant, they will lead to an amazing future.

Job 8:5-7 – But if you will seek God earnestly
    and plead with the Almighty,
⁶ if you are pure and upright,
    even now he will rouse himself on your behalf
    and restore you to your prosperous state.
⁷ Your beginnings will seem humble,
    so prosperous will your future be.

 So if you are considering starting something today, don't be put off my "instant results." Trust in the power of God to turn our humble beginnings into great things.

"God wants us to know that life is a series of beginnings, not endings. Just as graduations are not terminations, but commencements." -Bernie Siegel

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Beginning again

Be willing to be a beginner every single morning - Meister Eckhart

"This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it."- Psalm 118:24

Start afresh.
God loves a clean slate to write his words upon our heart.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Small grows to BIG

One of the hindrances in our spiritual growth is our frustration with the lack of progress we see. We feel we should be further along the Christian road, than we actually are and this demoralises us. God is not disappointed in our 'small' attempts to follow Christ, as long as we are deeply committed to His cause and willing to count the long-term cost of being a disciple.

Do you think that God despises the acorn because it looks so small and insignificant? Of course not. God knows that within that small seed lies massive potential. God sees the same in you. Don't be discouraged, keep your eyes on Jesus.


Ephesians 4:14 – “We are not meant to remain as children at the mercy of every chance wind of teaching...but we are meant to speak the truth in love, and to grow up in every way into Christ, the head.”

We will see growth when we surrender our entire lives into his hands.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Thought for the Day

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbours, and let each new year find you a better person." - Benjamin Franklin

Start saying goodbye to 2010 and let's start preparing to seize every moment of 2011!

Living in God's grace,
D3LM3

The point of no return

When Julius Caesar crossed over the Rubicon on the 10th January 49 BC, he made a conscious decision to pass the 'point of no return.' His action systematically declared war on Rome and history was changed forever.

The same thing happened to the Israelites when they crossed over the Jordan river (Joshua 3) - life would never be the same again for them.

I am sure that both Caesar and Joshua had moments of doubt, fear and uncertainty, yet they still crossed over the rivers. As we gaze out into 2010, we will all come to places of decision. We will have to decide to go over or to remain on the shore of safety.

What will it take for us to venture into the river? A promise, a threat, a command. How about this...

"Be strong and courageous..." - Joshua 1:6

"I claim no right to myself - I have given myself clear away and retained nothing as my own." - Jonathan Edwards

I am crossing the river. Come and join me!

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. Photo from www.engagingconflicts.com

Beginning again

How was your day yesterday? Is there a part of the day that you wish you could erase? How much of the struggle of yesterday have you dragged into Today?
May these words bring you peace and a fresh start...

"The Christian life is but a constant re-beginning, a return to grace every day, sometimes every hour, through Him who, after each failure, pardons so that all things should be made new." - Robert Schutz

What an awesome quote! I read this in Leonard Sweet's book Carpe Manana - which is well worth the read.

In Jesus Christ we have been gifted the grace to begin every day afresh - no baggage, no guilt, no fear.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Return to Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. Photo - with thanks to www.shiftedreality.com