Trinity Sunday

On this Sunday, which we mark as Trinity Sunday in the Christian tradition, we remember the mystery of the Triune God. We use all kinds of simple illustrations to try and understand the complexity of God; however, the words of Paul help us get a clearer picture of the Trinity. In his final greeting to the church in Corinth, he says:

"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." - 2 Corinthians 13:14

If you are struggling to understand the relationship of the Trinity, start with these 3 points:

1. God our Father is LOVE
2. Jesus, the son, reveals God's GRACE to us all
3. The Spirit sustains us, guides us and fills us with the presence of God

May you have a blessed day.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

P.S. My apologies for having been a little scarce lately, but I have been away for the week attending our Annual Church Synod. There has not been any time to write - I plan to make up for it this next week :) 

A short Christmas blessing for you all

As we welcome the gift of Jesus, I know that everyone responds to this miracle in different ways. Regardless of how you celebrate Christmas, please receive this short blessing as my prayer for you. Thank you once again for your support in taking the time to read these reflections.

"May you be filled with the indescribable JOY of Christ,
The unshakeable HOPE that comes from knowing Jesus,
The PEACE that passes all understanding,
and the unconditional LOVE of God, that shakes the whole world. Amen."

Luke 2:9 - "Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Trouble - blessing or curse?

 

"Trouble proves a blessing or a curse, depending on how it is received and treated by us. It either softens or hardens us. It either draws us to prayer and to God drives us away. The sun can either soften the wax or harden the clay. The sun can either melt the ice or dry out moisture from the earth." - E.M. Bounds

 There is something so profound in these words from E.M. Bounds. He was such a man of deep prayer and wisdom, that I imagine him using the 'troubles' in his life to draw him closer to Jesus. I also love the way he reflects on the power of the Sun - that it has the strength to melt the wax, as well as, harden clay.

So, as you are reading these words today, what do you feel about 'Trouble?'

2 Corinthians 4:17 - For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

 Living in Grace

D3LM3

A prayer for Mother's

I have come across a lot of different prayers and thoughts for Mother's Day, but this is one that I really found meaningful. I have taken the liberty of changing a few words and lines, but I give the full credit to Rebecca Barlow Jordan for the majority of the inspirational words.

"Dear Lord, Bless every mother, grandmother and women with the finest of your spiritual blessings today. Confirm in her heart and spirit the work of her hands and the love that she has freely given to the children and people under her care. Validate her worth daily so she has no doubt that she is loved, valued, and cherished in your eyes.

Create in her a deep sense of your protection and trust, so that worry and fear disappear as she places her loved ones into your care. Let her know that every prayer she has prayed and every encouraging word she has spoken have been transformed into sweet, fragrant offerings.

Whisper deep within her spirit the sweet words she longs to hear from you. Show her that nothing can ever separate her from your love. Help her to nestle daily into the promises of your Word, standing with faith on the things you declare are true. Let her know that you reward faithfulness, and that true success doesn’t lie in accomplishments or accolades.

Let her rest in knowing that she has done all she can and that she and those she loves truly belong to you. Bless her with a servant spirit so she can teach her own the joy of hearing one day, “Well done!”

Let her joy be contagious; let her passion be pure; and let her life overflow with all the blessings she deserves—on special days, and on every day of her life. In Jesus’ name. Amen. (Adapted from Rebecca Barlow Jordan)

May all mothers, grandmothers, and women in general, have a blessed day today.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Survivng the heat

Today has been a rather hot February day. Hot weather impacts us all in different ways, but it tends to make many people lethargic and it saps our energy. And it is not just humans who feel the impact. Taking a quick look at our dogs, I see them lying all over the house, enjoying the coolness of the floor. 

In the midst of the hot weather, this verse came to mind:

“But I will bless the person who puts his trust in me.

He is like a tree growing near a stream
and sending out roots to the water.
It is not afraid when hot weather comes,
because its leaves stay green;
it has no worries when there is no rain; it keeps on bearing fruit." - Jeremiah 17:7-8

Living in Grace

D3LM3

More and more

"I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, 

who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.
May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love." - Jude 1:1

Sometimes when I begin to write a letter, or even a blog post, I wrestle with how to start. What opening sentence would get the letter going, or convey the right tone of the contents. As I read through the letter of Jude I am struck by how he gets it spot on. Just the very thought of someone asking God to bless you with "more and more" of something amazing - that gets my attention. In this instance, Jude asks that God would give us more:

Mercy

Peace 

Love

I can live wit that!

May you receive some of God's mercy, peace and love today. And once you have recognised those gifts, may God give you more and more!

"When you wish someone joy, you wish them peace, love, prosperity, happiness... all the good things." - Maya Angelou

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Full in the face

Looking at someone 'full in the face' is a sign of love and appreciation. It tells the other person that we value them and that they are worthy of our attention. The way you look at someone can tell them a lot about what you think of them. So, with this in mind, have a read of Numbers 6:24-26 from Eugene Peterson's 'The Message':

"God bless you and keep you,

25 God smile on you and gift you,

26 God look you full in the face
    and make you prosper."

May God look at you 'FULL in the face' today and may you feel God's pleasure.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Bless to us

"Bless to us, O God,
The earth beneath our feet.
Bless to us, O God,
The path whereon we go.
Bless to us, O God,
The people whom we meet." - Gaelic traditional prayer

Imagine if we started everyday seeking to bless others and to be open to the blessing that they might offer us?

Romans 15:29 - "I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ."

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Unique blessing

“Jesus Christ is the head of the home

The silent listener to every conversation,

The unseen guest at every meal.”

This well known blessing has been present in many homes over the years. It speaks of a number of important things in our faith experience. The first is that it acknowledges Christ as the leader of our lives and of our homes. Secondly, the blessing reminds us that Christ hears all of our conversations, even those that we wish he couldn't hear. Lastly, it implies that Jesus is present with us where ever we go - when we eat, when we sleep and when we work.

I invite you to pray this blessing today and to live as if it is true.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Prayer for you

Here is a prayer for you today.

"Gracious and Holy Father,
give us the wisdom to discover You,
the intelligence to understand You,
the diligence to seek after You,
the patience to wait for You,
eyes to behold You,
a heart to meditate upon You,
and a life to proclaim You,
through the power of the Spirit of Jesus, our Lord." - St. Benedict

May you be blessed by these words today.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

God blesses

These words have to be the most powerful, yet often forgotten words of Jesus. Read them slowly and thoughtfully.

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
⁴ God blesses those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ God blesses those who are humble,
    for they will inherit the whole earth.
⁶ God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
    for they will be satisfied.
⁷ God blesses those who are merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
    for they will see God.
⁹ God blesses those who work for peace,
    for they will be called the children of God.
¹⁰ God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

¹¹ “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you

 and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.  

¹² Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven.

 And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. (Matthew 5 - The Message)

May God bless you today.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

The sacred blessing

There were only a few things that Jesus instructed his disciples to do after he had gone. One of those was to share in a meal of Remembrance, which is called by many different names - Holy Communion, The Lord's Supper, The Eucharist, Mass, A Love Feast and so on.

Believers approach this awesome meal from different angles, all seeking to express our devotion to Jesus. Some communities make the Lord's Supper open to all people and allow it to be instituted by any believer, while other churches require an Ordained person to bless the elements first. I am not going to get into the different theolgies today, but I want to invite us into a reflection on how we 'personally' experience this meal.

I think the following thoughts may be a helpful starting point:

"If the Lord's Supper were served in only one place, by only one ordained person in the world, many would make a sacred pilgrimage to experience it. But Communion celebrations are offered everywhere... This Communion is health to my soul and body." - Thomas a Kempis

As I read this I reflected on how I easily forget the massive gift Communion is to me. It is always a reminder of God's grace and mercy, revealed in the person of Jesus. I pray that the next time I share in this 'Gift' that I am touched by the Love of Jesus again.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Speaking a blessing

It is easy to say things to each other without realising the impact of our words. But, wouldn't it be awesome to intentionally speak a blessing over the lives of people that we know and love. A blessing is really wanting the best for someone else and I think our communities would be better off if more of us started thinking of others. 

In some of our churches we speak the following words on a weekly basis. These words are a powerful blessing and I pray that we recognise the gift they can be to someone else.

“May the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” – 2 Corinthians 13:14

So why don't we start today - speak a blessing over your family, friends and community and see what difference it can make.

Be blessed and Live in God's Grace

D3LM3

Seeing beyond the pain

In this season of the Spirit (Pentecost) we may be tempted to forget how troubling it was for the discples, when they first heard Jesus was leaving. The followers of Jesus had grown accustomed to having him around - he was their leader, Rabbi, guide and friend. Suddenly they receive the news that he is not going to be with them much longer - wow, that must have been a hammer-blow for them. They felt uneasy and afraid. Yet, in the midst of this troubling time, Jesus gives them this promise:

• John 16: 7 – “Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”

This is not a last minute offer from Jesus - an offer to appease their concerns. This is a FULL ON promise! A promise that offers incredible blessing and hope for the early disciples, as well as for us. The Spirit would be a gift to all of us, bringing help, counsel, guidance and comfort.

The next time you are faced with a painful time in your life, try and look beyond the pain. There may well be a blessing and promise waiting for us in the future.

Living in Grace

D3LM3  

Who owns who?

Do you "possess" it or does it possess you?
By the way, I am talking about money...do you have money or does money have a handle on you?

We are in the middle of sharing a teaching on money and boy is it challenging. The thing about money is that we can use it to bless so many people, but it also has such a tendency to consume us and pull us away from God.

In the church, we often fall into the trap of 'guilting' people to part with money, but the Bible has so much more to say about our finances than this. Jesus knew that his disciples (and us) would find themselves living in a world of differing values and that many people would be tempted to believe that "it's money that makes the world go round!"

Money has a 'dark' side, as well as a 'light' side - it can consume us or we can use it to provide for our families and to bless many other people. We just need to understand Jesus' correct teaching on money!

• “We need instruction on how to possess money without being possessed by money!” – Richard Foster

 Jesus said it like this:



"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:21

May we foster a spirit of thankfulness for what we have and then also choose to bless others.

Living in Grace
D3LM3