It never comes to an end!

When you saw the title of today's post what came to your mind? What feels as if it never comes to an end for you? Is it one of these: 

War? Hatred? Corruption? Trouble? Suffering? Crises? 

Well, the answer I wanted to offer us today is very different. I will let Jeremiah tell you:

"The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!” - Lamentations 3:22-23

Eugene Peterson puts a slightly different slant on it, when he writes:

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.

Living in Grace

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The Lamb is presented for inspection.

It was customary for the Passover Lamb to be kept for four days before the actual Passover (see Exodus 12). This allowed the people of Israel the chance to present their lambs to the priest for inspection. Is it not incredibly profound that when Jesus rides into Jerusalem, on what we know as Palm Sunday, that he was symbolically presenting himself to the priests as the Passover Lamb – the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world?!

There are so many remarkable events that happened during Jesus' last week on earth, that I can't see this has been mere co-incidence. God had a plan, and he was fulfilling it through the life and death of Jesus Christ. 

May you encounter Christ during this Holy Week. 

Exodus 12:1-6 - "The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb[a] for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight..."

Living in Grace

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God is in touch with our reality

I am sure that there are many times where we feel God may have lost touch with our reality. Today's scripture passage was such a great reminder to me, that God IS still in touch with us. Jesus is our High Priest and we can approach his throne of Grace with great confidence:

"Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help." - Hebrews 4:14-16 (Message)

"But Jesus the Son of God is our great High Priest who has gone to heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses since he had the same temptations we do, though he never once gave way to them and sinned. So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need." - Hebrews 4:14-16 (Living Bible)

I have added the Living Bible translation of this passage because I love the words in bold - Let us never stop trusting in him.

Living in Grace

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A new foundation

                                                

It saddens me when people abuse the grace God has given to us. I see this happening in many ways, but the one that causes me the most frustration is when people adopt this attitude: 

"God loves me and will forgive me, so I can do what I like!" 

This is not only a false understanding of God's holiness, but also his Love. From a human perspective can you imagine the consequences for a child who says to their parents: "I know you love me and won't discipline me, so I am going to do what I like!" That certainly would never fly in our home and I don't believe God would let it slide either. I like the words of the Life Application Study Bible that say:

 “God’s grace does not cancel our duty to obey Jesus: it gives our obedience a new basis.” 

Our obedience to Jesus is based on our reaction to his immeasurable grace. The way we respond to God's overtures of love is show it by our actions.

Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” 

Living in Grace

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The Canopy

                                                             

The scriptures capture some beautiful images of God's love and protection for all God's children. Isaiah is one of those prophets who used many creative 'pictures' to share the message of God's mercy with the Israelites. Reading through Isaiah 4, I came to these verses which I want to share with you today:

"Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain."

What do you think of that? 

I love the image of the canopy - God's glory will be like a canopy protecting us from the sun (heat) and hiding place protecting us from the storms of life.

"If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest." - Corrie Ten Boom

Living in Grace

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Answer me

There is nothing more frustrating that sending a message to someone and not getting a reply! I know that we all have done this sometimes, mostly because we are so busy and we forget to reply or it is not a convenient time to send a message back. However, sometimes we just stubbornly refuse to say anything in response to a message.

This is God's big complaint against the Israelites:

“My people, what have I done to you?
    How have I burdened you? Answer me. 
 I brought you up out of Egypt
    and redeemed you from the land of slavery.
I sent Moses to lead you,
    also Aaron and Miriam." - Micah 6:3-4

They just don't want to answer God's questions?

As we close out another year, let us ask ourselves if we have responded to all that God has asked of us. Have we responded to God's message of love and grace?

Living in Grace
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Thinking of you

The words "I will be thinking of you" can do a lot to encourage a friend. We can use these kind words to bring cheer to someone, or we can be the recipient of these meaningful words. In light of this, read this scripture from Psalm 40:17:

"...let the Lord keep me in his thoughts."

I know that we are encouraged to keep God in our thoughts as often as possible, but did you note the emphasis in this verse. It is a prayer to ask God to keep us in his thoughts! 
Isn't that an awesome thought - that we can ask God to keep thinking of us throughout our day?

"For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” - Jeremiah 29:11.

Living in Grace
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The practice of love

Immaculee Ilibagiza – “Prayer is the practice of love. It can change the world. It sounds so simple, but it is true. Hold on to hope and find peace in your heart. Put your trust in God.” 

Prayer is more than just some words we speak - it is an invitation for God to act and a chance for us to practice love.

"The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’” - Luke 10:27

Living in Grace
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Creation reveals so much

Apologies for the long absence from the daily blogs, but I have been on a much needed Sabbatical - I am sorry for not giving you all warning about missing the posts - I had actually hoped to write a few while I was away, but that never materialised. Apologies again.

We have been on a wonderful road trip as a family, taking in some truly incredible sights of South Africa. The one thing I am convinced of is this - We live in a beautiful country! As we spent time soaking in the breath-taking Blyde River Canyon, God's Window, Kruger Park and Mabibi it left me in awe of our God.

I admit that I don't know all in the ins and outs of how God created the world, but I DO believe that a loving, creative, intelligent God created our planet. The things I have just witnessed testify 100% to God's creative hand. Perhaps the writer of Genesis makes the biggest understatement of all time when he writes...

Genesis 1:31 -  "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good."

May God bless you today and I promise to get back on the computer and will write some more posts asap. Thanks for the concern show from so many of you - I feel loved :)

Living in Grace
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Lectio Divina - Psalm 37

In our Church History class this morning, I reminded the students of an ancient spiritual practise called Lectio Divina (Divine Reading), which has been used by many Spiritual giants in the past. This discipline includes taking a portion of scripture, reading it, praying over it, reading it again and then allowing the Spirit to speak to you. Often what happens in these moments is that the Spirit highlights certain words or verses that you need to hear.

Today we used Psalm 37 and it was wonderful to see how God worked through this Psalm.
These were some of the thoughts that I found meaningful this morning:

²³ The Lord makes firm the steps
    of the one who delights in him;
²⁴ though he may stumble, he will not fall,
    for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

Why don't you try this spiritual discipline sometime? Take a Psalm and give it a try.

Living in Grace

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The 'fatness' of God

You have got to love the language of kids. Josh was explaining something to me today and was trying to tell me how 'wide' his fort was, but he instead he used the word 'fat'. I gently tried to correct him, but it did make me chuckle. I thought of the passage in Ephesians that speaks of the height, width and depth of God's love and if we inserted the word 'fatness' into this scripture, it would
make interesting reading:

Ephesians 3:16-19
^"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide (FAT) and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

I thank God that he is so 'Fat', awesome and incredible. His love is so wide it covers every area of our lives.

Living in Grace
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Love

"Believe that God loves you as you cannot conceive; that He loves you with your sin, in your sin. It has been said of old that over one repentant sinner there is more joy in heaven than over ten righteous men. Go, and fear not. Be not bitter against men. Be not angry if you are wronged. Forgive the dead man in your heart what wrong he did you. Be reconciled with him in truth. If you are penitent, you love. And if you love you are of God. All things are atoned for, all things are saved by love. If I, a sinner, even as you are, am tender with you and have pity on you, how much more will God. Love is such a priceless treasure that you can redeem the whole world by it, and expiate not only your own sins but the sins of others." - Father Zossima in The Brothers Karamazou

I just love Father Zossima's commentary on love in this chapter. He reminds me that God's love is way beyond my expectations and that though we have a basic understanding of love, there is always so much more!

With Jesus there is always so much more!

May Christ's love compel us to love with all that we have. If you are in need of God's great love today, why don't you pause for a minute and invite the Spirit of God to wash over you, to fill you with the riches of his presence.

Nehemiah 1:5 -  "Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments."


Living in Grace
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When the Love runs out.

There is a popular song at the moment called "When the love runs out!" It is written and produced by One Republic and these are some of the words of the song:

"I'll be your light, your match, your burning sun,
I'll be the bright, in black that's makin' you run.
And we'll feel alright, and we'll feel alright,
'Cause we'll work it out, yeah we'll work it out.
I'll be doin' this, if you had a doubt,
'Til the love runs out, 'til the love runs out."

The first time I heard the song I was fascinated by the phrase "until the love runs out". It was only after I checked the lyrics of the song did I understand the context of these words. The song suggests that one person will do all they can to love their partner - and that they will keep pouring out their love until the love runs out.

I am reminded that even though Jesus loved us until the end of his life, his love has never run out. God's love is unquenchable - it is never ending. God will always keep loving, even when we turn our backs on him.

1 Corinthians 13:8 -  Love never fails.

Psalm 100:5 - For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Keep loving others because God keeps loving you :)

Living in Grace
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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

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Peace

"O Lord, my God, I know that patience is necessary for me because many things disturb me every day. No matter what plans I make to keep myself at peace, I cannot avoid life's struggle and sorrow." - Thomas a Kempis

Life is a struggle. We will have difficulties and challenges, but the only one who can give us peace is Jesus. Turn to the Lord today and may His spirit bring you peace.

Living in Grace
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Waterfall

Have you ever pictured God's Love as a flowing river or waterfall? If you imagine standing at the Victoria Falls (or even at the Howick Falls in the Midlands) and watching the water flow over the falls - it is a visual reminder of God's constant love. As water falls down to the pools below, so it is replaced by more water at the top - a continual cycle of life-giving water.

And so, God's love falls upon us, day in and day out. We may not notice it today, but it is still there and it will keep flowing. May we take the time to notice the love of God this week.

"You are a waterfall of unceasing Love." - Thomas a Kempis

In some translations of Thomas a Kempis' "The Imitation of Christ, the word for waterfall is actually 'Fountain'. This reminds me of the following old hymn.

"Come thou fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise His Name I'm fixed upon it
Name of God's redeeming love." - Robert Robinson (aged 22)

Living in grace
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Love Conquers All

There are many ways to say it, but for me it still stands true:

Love Conquers All

Amor Vincit Omnia


Romans 8:37 - "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

1 Corinthians 13:13 - "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

May the God of Love bless you today.
May we catch a glimpse of the extent of God's immeasurable love.

Living in Grace
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Isaiah 63:9

"In all their distress he too was distressed
and the angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them 
all the days of old." - Isaiah 63:9

There are so many gems in this one verse, but the one I hold onto today, is this line....
"In all their distress he too was distressed."

It reminds me that even when I feel broken and distressed that God is with me - in fact, God also feels distressed! God empathises with us and knows what we are going through. Even though he knows our pain, he is strong enough to carry us through our difficult times. In His love He lifts us up and carries us home.

Thank you Lord, for this great blessing today.
May this verse encourage you greatly today.

Living in Grace
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Close to God's heart

David reminded the people of Israel that even though they had drifted from God, that they still had a special place in God's heart. Looking at this Psalm, we see how David expresses this to the nation:


Psalm 148: 14
"And he has raised up for his people a horn,
    the praise of all his faithful servants,
    of Israel, the people close to his heart.”

The word 'horn' in this verse could also mean, 'strong one' or 'king'. God raised up his Son, as the strong one/King that they desperately needed. 

Jesus comes to be our strong one too, no matter how far away from God we feel. This is the Good News that we long to hear. And the reason God does all of this, is because .... we are close to God's heart!

May this knowledge sink deep into our spiritual memory. There may come a time when we really need to remember this.

Live in God's grace
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