Rugged Pilgrimage of Discipleship

There are some folks who seem to find their faith-journey to be relatively easy-going. In some ways, I am a little envious of them, because mine doesn't always seem to be that smooth. Of course, there are days of wonder and deep connection with the Father, but there are other days, where discipleship seems to be a grind. I am not sure if you can relate to this at all, but I pray that some of you can.

It is for this reason, that I exclaimed a loud 'Yes', when I read these words in a devotion the other day.

"Pain penetrates through despair and stimulates a new beginning - a journey to God - the transition from a dreamy nostalgia for a better life to a rugged pilgrimage of discipleship...we are invited to find our way by continually listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised that his Spirit will lead us to truth." - Eugene Peterson

"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth." - John 16:13

Thought: Let us continue on the pilgrimage of rugged discipleship, because the views from the top of the mountain are extraordinary. 

Living in Grace

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A motivation to do your best

As some of you are aware, we have just come back from a working Mission trip to the Namaqualand circuit. We were asked to help with some repairs and maintenance at the old age home in Springbok, called Huis Harmonie. The experience involved a lot of hard work but was equally rewarding. 

One of the key scriptures we used to keep us motivated was from Colossians 3. When you read it from Eugene Peterson's paraphrase, it makes a lot of sense:

"And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work." - Colossians 3:23-25

Thought: How can we go about our daily tasks being motivated to serve the Lord?

Living in grace

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Wait with Hope.

"Wait with Hope.

Hope now.
Hope always." - Psalm 131 (The Message)

There are very few of us that enjoy waiting and the longer we end up waiting, the more we struggle to remain positive. In a Christian sense, our waiting has to have a long view of things. We know that not all our longings and prayers will be fulfilled in this life, but we continue to HOPE in the final resolution of all things.

What are you waiting for at the moment? Do you still believe that Christ can fulfil your deepest longings? 

Job 6:13 - For I am utterly helpless, without any hope.

Living in grace

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Passwords of Praise

I was reading through Psalm 89 in the Message, and I was delighted to read how Eugene Peterson described the worship of God. He says:

"Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise,
    who shout on parade in the bright presence of God.
Delighted, they dance all day long; they know
    who you are, what you do—they can’t keep it quiet!
Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us—
    you’ve been so good to us! We’re walking on air!
All we are and have we owe to God,
    Holy God of Israel, our King!" - Psalm 89: 15-18

I was struck by the expression: 'blessed are those who know the passwords of praise.' I have so many passwords for bank accounts, email accounts, online shopping, phones etc, but do I know the passwords of praise? And what would these passwords open up for my life?

Living in Grace

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Late or right on time?

"There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. 

In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling short-changed. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready." - Romans 5: 3-8(Message)

I really enjoy Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of these verses from Romans. It gives me the peace that Jesus is always showing up in our lives, at just the right time! If you read it in different versions, you will get the same confirmation, but with a slightly different emphasis.

"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners." - Romans 5:6

Living in Grace

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Some good advice

Reading through Ecclesiastes 12 today, I was struck by the sound advice that the 'Teacher' gives to his students:

"Honor and enjoy your Creator while you’re still young, 

Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes, 

Before your vision dims and the world blurs
And the winter years keep you close to the fire." - verse 1-2 (The Message)

I find it interesting that he joins together the idea of 'honouring God' and 'enjoying the Creator.' How often do we really think about enjoying being with the Lord? If you asked most people, they would feel strange about this, but it is such a wonderful concept. What do you feel? 

And then finally the teacher says (v.13-14)

"The last and final word is this:
Fear God.
Do what he tells you.
And that’s it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it’s good or evil."

May God continue to guide you as you follow in the footsteps of Jesus. 

Living in Grace

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Wave after wave

The image of waves crashing onto the seashore is a beautiful picture for us all. There is something therapeutic about hearing the waves washing onto the sand or crashing onto the rocks. When we read these words from Luke 1, in a paraphrased version of the Bible, we note that this same image is highlighted. 

"What God has done for me will never be forgotten, 

the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave,
on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength,
scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses,
pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel;
he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.
It’s exactly what he promised,
beginning with Abraham and right up to now." - Luke 1:46-55

Food for thought:

1. What resonates with you as you hear these words?

2. Is there a connection between these words and your Lenten journey?

3. How can this thought change your heart and attitude today?

Living in Grace

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Letting someone else lead us

We are not good at letting someone else lead us. We usually like to be in control and to call the shots. Jesus makes it clear, that when it comes to being a disciple, we must choose to let him lead us. There is no other way:

^34-37 Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. (Mark 8 - Eugene Peterson)

Thought: What do you find hard about sitting in the passenger seat? 

“Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” —John C. Maxwell

Living in Grace

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Describing beauty

Leading Christian apologist and scientist, John Lennox, says:

"Describing beauty is almost impossible because we perceive it, rather than describe it. If you look at a Rembrandt painting and start to try and describe what the beauty is you see, your words sound absolutely pathetic."

Perhaps this is why we are sometimes lost for words, when we see the beauty of Creation all around us. Beauty is there to be witnessed, perceived and enjoyed, but we struggle to find adequate words to articulate what we are seeing. 

If you have even seen something truly breathtaking, it is hard to describe this to someone else, even to people you know well. The best way to allow others to enjoy it, is to try and show it them, so they can see it with their own eyes.  

The Psalmist had a very good handle on words, and he described beauty and creation in this way:

I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.

Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
Why take a second look our way?

Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
bright with Eden’s dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
Made us stewards of sheep and cattle,
even animals out in the wild,
Birds flying and fish swimming,
whales singing in the ocean deeps. 

God, brilliant Lord,
your name echoes around the world. (Eugene Peterson)

Living in Grace

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Pride and Joy

I have seen many 'back to school' photos on social media this week. All of them speak of the excitement and joy of parents as they send their children back to school. Some of these kids are just starting out, while others are ending their school careers. The one thing that is common to all of them, is the sense of love and pride that each parent has for their kids. 

We are reminded in our current Church season of the baptism of Jesus, and we come to a beautiful picture of another proud parent - our heavenly Father. If we read Eugene Peterson's take on Mark 1, you will note that he helps us to see the joy and pride of the Father, as he blesses Jesus.

"At this time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. The moment he came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God’s Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.” - Mark 1:9-11 (The Message)

Have you ever considered that God would speak those words over your life? We are God's pride and joy. How does that make you feel?

Living in Grace

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It is a good thing to have hope

When reading through the book of Lamentations, I couldn't help stopping at chapter 3 again. As you read through these words (in the modern paraphrase), I pray that they may be a blessing to you. 

It’s a Good Thing to Hope for Help from God

I’ll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
the taste of ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
the feeling of hitting the bottom.
But there’s one other thing I remember,
and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:

God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He’s all I’ve got left. 

God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
It’s a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God. (Eugene Peterson) 

Living in Grace

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Stand firm

"Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved." - Philippians 4:1

In this verse, we see how much Paul loves the church. The phrase ‘whom I love and long for’ speaks of his deep affection for the community. However, he adds something interesting to these sentiments. He urges them to Stand firm (stand fast) in the Lord. It was as if he knew that they would be confronted with many challenges, but he knew that they could get through them, if they stayed strong in the Lord. 

When Eugene Peterson reflects on the same verse, he adds these sentiments – “Don’t waver. Stay on track, steady in God.” (Message)

May we all know the strength of the Spirit as we seek to stand firm in the Lord.

Living in Grace

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Suffering does not discriminate.

The first verse of the book of Job tells us much about the character of the man: “He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.” (Job 1:1). 

This is important for us to understand as we read the rest of the book, as it addresses a common misunderstanding amongst modern Christians, especially regarding suffering. We are sometimes led to believe that if we are holy and super-spiritual (close to God), that we can bypass suffering. 

However, this is not what the Bible actually teaches at all. Suffering is part of the experience for all believers and in fact, suffering doesn't discriminate at all. Every person can and will experience some degree of suffering: rich or poor, black or white, Christian or non-believer, young or old. 

The challenge for me will always lie in how we handle the suffering we encounter and how we view God in the midst of our trials. That is the hard part.

Matthew 16:24-26 (Eugene Peterson) - 

Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?

Living in Grace

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I can't take it all in

Part of the Lectionary readings for this week focus on the beautiful passage from Psalm 139. In his paraphrase, Eugene Peterson sums up the splendour of God's love for us, but stating: "this is too much, too wonderful - I can't take it all in!"

"God, investigate my life;
    get all the facts firsthand.
I’m an open book to you;
    even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back;
    I’m never out of your sight.
You know everything I’m going to say
    before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you’re there,
    then up ahead and you’re there, too—
    your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful—
    I can’t take it all in!" - Psalm 139:1-6

God's presence is indeed an amazing gift to us all. Sometimes we just have to shake our heads and marvel at the Good News - it is too much to take in.

Living in Grace

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No short cuts and quick fixes

We have embarked upon a new preaching series called: "A path to Spiritual growth" and it is based on the book Celebration of Discipline, which was authored by Richard Foster. In preparing for these messages, I have been struck again by this hard truth: There are no short cuts or quick fixes in choosing to be a disciple of Jesus. We have to be willing to sign up for the long-haul. 

In this book, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society, Eugene Peterson shares around this similar theme, reminding me that my growth may be a little slower than I truly hope for, but I must be willing to submit to this long obedience in the same direction. 

 “And yet I decide, every day, to set aside what I can do best and attempt what I do very clumsily--open myself to the frustrations and failures of loving, daring to believe that failing in love is better than succeeding in pride.”

“There is a great market for religious experience in our world; there is little enthusiasm for the patient acquisition of virtue, little inclination to sign up for a long apprenticeship in what earlier generations of Christians called holiness.”

2 John 1:6 - "And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love."

Living in Grace

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Getting rid of the junk

In the last few days, we have had the chance to tidy up a few cupboards and drawers in the house. It is amazing how much junk we end up keeping, don't you think?! 

I found pieces of paper and ten-year-old bank statements, along with things that should have been thrown away years ago. I kept asking myself: "Why did I keep that? What was I thinking?"

Anyway, the purge has been done (for this year) and I am sure that I have kept some items that will confound me in ten years' time - I will probably be asking myself similar questions to the one's I asked this weekend. 

The whole process got me thinking about the rest of our lives - spiritual, emotional and relational. 

What junk do we hold onto? 

Are there things in the dark recesses of our hearts that we need to clean out? 

What is stopping us and why do we hold onto unnecessary garbage? 

Here is a delightful piece of Scripture that was re-worded by Eugene Peterson: 

"So don’t turn a deaf ear to these gracious words. If those who ignored earthly warnings didn’t get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice that time shook the earth to its foundations; this time—he’s told us this quite plainly—he’ll also rock the heavens: “One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern.” The phrase “one last shaking” means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered" (Hebrews 12:25-27).

Living in Grace

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Don't take it for granted

On the 4th of October 1537 the world got to read the first Bible printed in the English language, and this was thanks to the tireless work of people like William Tyndale and Miles Coverdale. It is a sad reality that many English speakers now take this gift for granted and we forget the true joy of listening to the sacred scriptures (or reading them) in our mother tongue. 

The quote in the picture above strikes a chord with me, where it reminds me that "the things I take for granted, someone else is praying for."

What other things do I take for granted?

Enjoy reading these words from the Bible and say a prayer of thanks for all those involved in translating the Bible into the languages of the world.

Ecclesiastes 7:14 (The Message) - On a good day, enjoy yourself; On a bad day, examine your conscience. God arranges for both kinds of days So that we won’t take anything for granted.

Living in Grace

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Controlling the whole horse

"A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell." - James 3 (The Message)

I came across these words today and they reminded me of the power of the tongue amd how our words can "make or break" others.

May our words be few and our actions many! 

Living in Grace

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Acts of kindness never die

"Acts of kindness never die. They linger in the memory, giving life to other acts in return." - Jonathan Sacks

I have observed 2 things recently: 

1. Our world lacks a lot of kindness. Sure, there are some people who have the gift of pushing through the negativity, but we could all do with more kindness around us. 

2. Kindness stirs a response in us - it usually makes us want to also show kindness to others.

Romans 2:3-4 (The Message) - God is kind, but he’s not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.

Colossians 3:12 - So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline.

What is your response to this quote? 

Please drop me a line if you get a moment - I'd love to hear your thoughts and stories of kindness. 

Living in Grace

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What are we defined by?

Whether we like it or not, each one of us is defined by something. We can be defined by our upbringing, or our education. We can be defined by our faith or friendships. We can also be defined by our careers and the context in which we find ourselves. 

When Paul writes to the church in Colossae he has some words of encouragement for them and it may help us to understand his intention, especially in light of 'what defines us'.

"Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ." - Colossians 3: 11(The Message) 

Once we are "in Christ" this is what should be our defining criteria. 

What do you think?

Living in Grace

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