Treat others as we would want to be treated

As South Africans wait for the 30th of June with great anxiety, it is important for followers of Jesus to remember the words of our Saviour: "Love your neighbour as yourself." (Luke 10). Elsewhere in Luke's gospel we read how Jesus said: "Do to others as you would like them to do to you" (Luke 6). 

So, if I was an illegal immigrant, or a legitimate refugee, how would I want others to treat me? If I was living in fear of my life or that of my family, what measures would I take, in order to care for them? These are such powerful questions to reflect on, and I am not sure I have a glib answer for them. 

Profoundly, I believe that Jesus stands with the most vulnerable and the desperate, because his lived reality included a time of being homeless and also living as a refugee. His family found hope in another land, cared for by foreigners, until they were able to safely return home. 

"Even if our own troubles are great, we should still serve. Jesus washed His disciples' feet on the way to the cross." - Tim Keller

"Jesus experienced homelessness at Christmas so that we could experience a love we could never lose."

Living in Grace

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Dealing with distractions this Holy Season

As we embark upon this sacred season of Holy Week, there are many things that threaten to distract us from doing the most important of our tasks. And for any believer, the most important task we should be doing at this time of the year, is to worship Jesus. 

Period! 

No question about it!

So, what is stopping you from setting meaningful time aside to worship Jesus? How can you realistically cut out these distractions for a week or so? To try and help us get the ball rolling, here are some words from Meister Eckhart.

“Some people prefer solitude. They say their peace of mind depends on this. 

Others say they would be better off in church.
If you do well, you do well wherever you are. 

If you fail, you fail wherever you are.
Your surroundings don't matter. God is with you everywhere - in the marketplace as well as in seclusion or in the church.
If you look for nothing but God, nothing or no one can disturb you.
God is not distracted by a multitude of things.
Nor can we be.” - Meister Eckhart

Jesus says it best, when he speaks to Martha (Luke 10:40-42):

"But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Living in Grace

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The Greatest Disease

“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty -- it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There's a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.” ― Mother Teresa, A Simple Path: Mother Teresa

What do you feel about this quote?

How can you reach out to someone who is need of love?

At the end of the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus asked the expert in the law a question:

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” - Luke 10:36-37

Living in Grace

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Greatness is determined by?

Martin Luther King Jnr - "Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service."

As our friends in the USA are enjoying Martin Luther King Day, it is worthwhile reminding ourselves of some of his inspiring words. It is also important to remember that he also lived out what he preached. This is the true test of any person - that their actions match their words.

Luke 10:36-37 - “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

2 Corinthians 4:5 - For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Living in Grace

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The opportunities we miss?

"Christ of the pilgrim path,
and of every pilgrim heart,
thank you for revealing yourself
in situations we would prefer
to pass by." - Prayers from Iona (edited by Peter Millar)

This prayer reminded me of the man who was beaten up on the road to Jericho and then left to die. There were opportunities for both the priest and Levite to help the man and to open themselves up to someone they usually chose to ignore, but they never took the chance. Through his decision to stop and help, the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) shows us the way of mercy, and also reveals the heart of God to all of us.

Is it possible that Jesus could reveal something of himself in the situations we would rather avoid?

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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Preparations

We are too easily distracted! We are busy doing one thing and then someone comes along and interrupts us - we lose our concentration and the distraction is complete.
In all the final preparations for Christmas Day let us not lose our focus of the real reason for our Celebrations. Let us resolve not to be distracted by the all extra trappings of "Christmas."

"But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made." - Luke 10:40

Martha was in the presence of Jesus and she still got distracted by the peripheral things. It is hard to remain focused on Jesus, but I pray that we will do all we can to keep our gaze on him. 

Living in Grace
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Which one?

We can quite easily be a “Master of theology” and a “failure in living.” – William

Barclay

I came across this quote in preparing for today’s message and it has been

troubling me ever since. We can so often know a lot about God, but living out

what knowledge we have is the hard part. So, the challenge for us all is this:

“How much do we live out what we profess?”

If you would like a scripture to add to your thinking then please read the parable

of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10. It may help in your thinking.

Living in Grace

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