Don't be idle

I have a confession to make: I struggle to sit around and do nothing!

I realise that this can be both good and bad, but it is something that I have had to understand about myself. Of course, there are times when I need to rest and sabbath, but I also struggle to allow time to be wasted. Maybe it is because I realise how precious time (life) is for each one of us. Today's reading really resonates with me, as it speaks about not being idle:

"Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both." - Ecclesiastes 11:6

I don't see this as Solomon glorifying busyness, but rather that we don't know how our 'planting' will turn out and if we depend only on that ONE activity, we may end up hungry. I guess this point is another way of reminding us not to put all our eggs in one basket.

We live with the tension of working for the Lord and trusting all our efforts to him.

"Being forced to work, and forced to do your best, will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle will never know." - Charles Kingsley

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Dealing with the right things

During my research for the message this week, I came across this post from Warren Wiersbe:

"During the early days of the Salvation Army, William Booth and his associates were bitterly attacked in the press by religious leaders and government leaders alike. Whenever his son, Bramwell, showed Booth a newspaper attack, the General would reply, "Bramwell, fifty years hence it will matter very little indeed how these people treated us; it will matter a great deal how we dealt with the work of God." 

It is such a reminder that when we step out and do the Lord's work we may not always receive the support we expect, but we must trust in God's provision and strength.

Living in Grace

D3LM3 

Unmistakable - Ezekiel 10

Ezekiel 10:3-5 - The cherubim were standing at the south end of the Temple when the man went in, and the cloud of glory filled the inner courtyard. ⁴ Then the glory of the Lord rose up from above the cherubim and went over to the entrance of the Temple. The Temple was filled with this cloud of glory, and the courtyard glowed brightly with the glory of the Lord. ⁵ The moving wings of the cherubim sounded like the voice of God Almighty and could be heard even in the outer courtyard.

As we read through Ezekiel's remarkable vision in today's chapter, I am amazed at how tangible God's presence was. It is almost "UNMISTAKABLE" that God is present in the Temple. Whether it was through the cloud, the bright glow or the moving wings, Ezekiel KNEW that God was close at hand. 

After a few days of very negative words from Ezekiel it is a lovely to sense a shift in this book. He shows us an image of God who wants to make himself known to his people. Let us remember this as we move along towards Easter. God is real and God's presence can be experienced. 

Acts 6:8 -  Stephen, brimming with God’s grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them. (MSG)

Living in Grace
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Give God Room

Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision, used to speak of a concept called "God Room." By this he meant that we need to give God space/room to work in our lives and in the situations we find ourselves. So often we try to over plan things and get things perfect, but we leave God out of the equation. It is so much more powerful to do our share and then to watch God work in the 'room' we give Him space to do what is best.

It is my hope that 2017 will allow us a chance to partner with Jesus in all that He is already doing. That we would bring our gifts and abilities to the table, but that we would also step back and give God space and room to work.

Living in Grace
D3LM3