The Shadow of Joy

If we look with great care in the New Testament, we will see that JOY is littered all over the life of Jesus. If you start in Matthew’s version of the birth narratives, you will see how he writes about Jesus' birth:

Matthew 2:10 – “When they saw the star they were filled with joy!” (NLT)

And then, if you then move to Luke’s account...

Luke 1:44 – “As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, my baby leaped for Joy.” (Even John the Baptist danced for Joy when he realized that Jesus was close by).

Then we hear the message of the angels when they speak to the shepherds...

Luke 2:10 – “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

We can even take a giant leap to the end of Jesus’ life, to that scene at the Resurrection, where the women come to anoint his body with spices. They are frightened yet still filled with Joy.

“So, the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet also filled with great joy...” – Matthew 28:8

Thought: Do you see what I mean? Jesus’ life is covered in JOY. 

Wherever Jesus went JOY was there. It is as if Jesus’ shadow was JOY itself.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

The slanderer and the assassin

Tyron Edwards - “The slanderer and the assassin differ only in the weapon they use; with the one it is the dagger, with the other the tongue. The former is worse that the latter, for the last only kills the body, while the other murders the reputation.”

These words are really challenging for us to read, but they reveal the real damage that slander can do to someone's reputation. It is for this reason that James wrote:

"Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?" -James 4:11-12

Jesus also knew that our hearts are dangerous organs - they can give us so much life, but they can also cause a lot of harm. He said: “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander” - Matthew 15:19. 

As much as it was a problem in the early church, it is still a problem today. How can we avoid slander happening in our circle of influence?

Living in Grace

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Am I leading a Rebellion?

When Jesus was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, he challenged the mob that had gathered with swords and clubs: "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?" (Matthew 26:55). 

Jesus also pointed out to them that he had been peacefully teaching in the Temple Courts for days on end, and no one came to arrest him them. Jesus was unarmed while teaching, just as he was in Gethsemane, yet the mob chose to violently arrest him at night. It shows the state of their minds and hearts, that they actually believed that Jesus was a rebel and an outlaw. 

Of course, the answer to Jesus' question is: "No!" He had not been leading a rebellion against the Roman authorities, nor a rebellion against the religious leaders. Jesus had definitely come to reveal the truth of his Father's kingdom and to invite everyone to turn back to God. This was seen as being subversive and this agitated the people.  

Thought. Jesus was not leading an armed rebellion, but he was calling for a Revolution. This revolution was for love, peace and grace to change our hearts and the world around us.

Living in grace

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Through your eyes

Teresa of Ávila wrote: "Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion is to look out to the earth."

It is her last statement that I feel is most relevant for this day and age. We are being called to look out into our communities with compassion and to help others encounter Jesus.

"When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick" - Matthew 14:14

Did you notice how Jesus 'saw' the crowd - he looked into their souls and hearts. He had compassion on them.

What would that mean for us today?

Living in grace

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If you were a King?

The author A.A. Milne wrote an intriguing poem called: If I were King? Although this poem is nothing like his famous Winnie the Pooh stories, it does pose and interesting question? 

"I often wish I were a King,

And then I could do anything.

If only I were King of Spain,
I'd take my hat off in the rain.

If only I were King of France,
I wouldn't brush my hair for aunts.

I think, if I were King of Greece,
I'd push things off the mantelpiece.

If I were King of Norroway,
I'd ask an elephant to stay.

If I were King of Babylon,
I'd leave my button gloves undone.

If I were King of Timbuctoo,
I'd think of lovely things to do.

If I were King of anything,
I'd tell the soldiers, "I'm the King!"

While we understand that his poem was created for a little fun, the last 2 lines make for interesting reading. Is it not true that the kind of Ruler (King or Queen) we are accustomed too, is the person who likes to make their authority known. Telling people, "I am the King!"

When we compare this behaviour with that of Jesus, we see a stark contrast in attitude. For most of his ministry Jesus spoke of a new kingdom, but he never bragged about his title. Even when he was questioned by Pilate, it seemed that Jesus was trying to get Pilate to see that this kingdom was very different. 

Matthew 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

"He is a king who fears nothing, he is a king who desires nothing!" - Seneca the Younger

Thought for today: Is Christ your King?

Living in grace

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Moving towards Courage

"But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.” – Hebrews 3:6

I had never really considered 'Courage' to involve some kind of movement or action. By this I mean that an obvious end-result of courage is usually some kind of action, but are there some steps we can take to get this courage? If you look at the following verses, you will note that there seems to be some action involved:

Deuteronomy 31:6 - Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

1 Chronicles 17:25 - “You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So, your servant has found courage to pray to you.

Matthew 14:27 - But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

All of these scriptures seem to suggest that we can position ourselves to "be courageous"; "find courage" or "take courage."

I am not 100% sure what this looks like, but I am sensing that our confidence in Christ's promises has something to do with our willingness to move towards Courage. What do you make of this? How can we move towards this Christ-like Courage? 

Living in Grace

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When your family tree looks a little sketchy!

As I work my way through the genealogy of Jesus, I have been reading up on a few of his ancestors. It seems that Jesus also had some relatives who were a little sketchy. However, despite their short-comings, God was still able to work through their lives and to pave the way for his Son, Jesus. 

Solomon's son, Rehoboam, was the first King of Judah and he certainly was not a saint. Some of his decisions were based on arrogance and were disastrous for his people, however he at least came to a place of admitting his folly. Perhaps this is his most redeeming feature - he was able to admit his mistakes and say sorry:

"Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord’s anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed. Indeed, there was some good in Judah." - 2 Chronicles 12:12

Advent takes us on our own spiritual journey of discovery. It should remind us that Christ came to earth for all people - arrogant, proud, sinful, righteous, faithful, humble, weak and strong. 

Rehoboam's story teaches me that every one of us has to face a big decision in our personal lives: Do we blindly follow our own will and plans or are we willing to humble ourselves and submit to the Lord?

No person can come to the manger on their own terms!

Living in Grace

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Preparing for future trials

As I have been reflecting recently on the reasons why we encounter trials and times of testing, I was struck by how Jesus' temptation in the wilderness prepared him for his future ministry.

Matthew 4:1- Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (the Greek word tempted can also be translated as Tested.)

James points out that we can profit from our trials and struggle when he says: " My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4)

So, I guess I have been challenged to try and consider my trials from a different perspective. Is it possible that God allows us to endure times of testing, in order to prepare us for something else in the future? What could that be? 

How do you feel about that?

Living in Grace

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Why wait until tomorrow?

 

As November picks up pace and we suddenly start to realize that Christmas is next month, we can become a little flustered. Some of us are motivated to get done, as much as possible, while others of us may be tempted to procrastinate. 

This quote from Charles Spurgeon may give us all something to think about.

"Alas, tomorrow never comes! It is in no calendar except in the almanac of fools!" 

Jesus said, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." (Matthew 6:34 - The Message)

Proverbs 27:1 - Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

The challenge for all of us is to not leave these things for tomorrow, because tomorrow may never come!

What do you think?

Living in Grace

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James the Elder - a committed follower of Christ

The 25th of July marks a day of remembering St. James, Jesus' disciple. To be truly honest, I didn't really know when this day was celebrated until this year, and it was committing to walk the Camino that brought me face to face with the life of James the Elder. In the scriptures we know that James and his brother John, were the sons of Zebedee and were called to follow Jesus.

"Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them..." - Matthew 4:21

He is called James the Elder (or James the Greater) not because he was more holy than the other disciple, also named James (son of Alpheaus), but probably because he was older than him. The story of his life seems to indicate that he was the first disciple martyred for his faith (by Herod Agrippa). You will find a record of this event in Acts 12.

What is interesting is that James has become the patron Saint of Spain, and this is where the link with the Camino comes in. Christians throughout Spain use the public holiday afforded to them on the 25th of July, to remember the life of James. He is supposedly buried in the city of Santiago, which is why millions of pilgrims walk these routes every year. It is hoped that as one undertakes the long journey to the city of St. James, that we would ponder our own faith and commitment to Christ. If called upon, would we be willing to lay everything down for the gospel and to follow Jesus?

It is true that James was one of Jesus' inner circle and we would do well to remember his life and sacrifice. 

"After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone." - Mark 9:2

Living in Grace

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An Ascension Blessing

As we mark Ascension Day today (18 May), I wanted to remind us of the beautiful fact that Jesus' last act, before ascending to heaven, was to bless his disciples. He had already spoken to them and given them their purpose, and now he wanted to offer them God's grace and love. 

"Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy." - Luke 24:5-52

 B.W. Johnson - "The last act of the Saviour upon the earth was a blessing.

As we remember this important milestone in our faith, I also offer you my own special blessing. May you receive it as an act of God's love for you.

"May you be blessed enough to see God's hand at work in every moment;
May you know the joy of friends and family, to accompany you through the valleys and hilltops;
May you experience moments of divine peace, as the storms rage around you;
May the voice of Jesus guide your very steps, even those that seem unsure;
May the Spirit of Christ embolden you for every task that lies before you;
And may the love of God surround you every moment of your life."

Matthew 5:5 (The Message) - “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

·    Living in Grace,  

    D3LM3

    P.S. Remember that I will be walking the Camino in the next few days, so you may not receive blog posts for a while. Do not stress, I will be writing again soon :) Grace and peace. 

Turning tables

Our journey through Jesus' last week in Jerusalem conjures up many different emotions. We also note the emotional impact on Jesus himself, reflecting on his passion and purpose. One of the incidents that leaves us a little confused is when he turns over the tables in the Temple. However, the more we read into it the more we comprehend the heart of Christ. When our worship loses its main focus (i.e., God) and becomes bogged down with the peripheral issues, then we miss the whole point. 

Matthew 21:12-13 - "Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”

If Christ came to you today, what "tables" might he overturn?

Living in Grace

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Where are we looking?

 

So often we spend so much energy searching for everything else, besides God. When we continue this pattern for a long time, we eventually grow restless and dissatisfied. C.S. Lewis reminds us of the simple adjustment we need to make in our Spiritual lives:

"Look for Christ and you will find him. And with Him, everything else." 

Matthew 6:33-34 - 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

What do you think of this?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

The Best Fasting

As we begin the season of Lent, on Ash Wednesday, it is always good to contemplate the invitation to fast. The practise of fasting is prevalent in the Bible, but it is something that seems to have fallen out of favour in the modern Church. 

Jesus would have fasted as it was a common Jewish practise at this time, but he did urge his disciples not to fast with wrong motives: We can read this in – Matthew 6:16 & 6:17 - “When you fast, don’t ….” 

As you think about what you may want to fast from this year, I offer you some other thoughts on Fasting - this time from Pope Francis. THE BEST FASTING:

• Fast on offensive words and transmit only sweet and tender words

• Fast on dissatisfaction and fill yourself with gratitude.

• Fast on anger and fill yourself with meekness and patience.

• Fast on pessimism and be filled with optimism

• Fast on worries and be filled with confidence in God

• Fast on laments and take pleasure in the simple things of life.

• Fast on stress and fill yourself with prayer.

• Fast on sadness and bitterness, and fill your heart with joy.

• Fast on selfishness, and be filled with compassion for others.

• Fast on unforgiveness and vendetta, and be filled with acts of reconciliation and forgiveness.

• Fast on words and fill yourself with silence and readiness to listen to others.

There is lots of food for thought in these words (excuse the pun :)

Living in Grace

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What shadow do you cast?

In reflecting on the presence of Jesus this Christmas, I have noted how wherever he went, Joy seemed to follow him. It was as if JOY was his shadow. 

John 15:11 - I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Somehow, we seem to believe that all shadows are sinister or dark, yet when I think of how the shadow of a tall building or tree gives respite to those of us baking in the sun, then shadows become a gift. Not only does Jesus give us the gift of himself, but his shadow brings along further gifts of Joy, Peace, Hope and Love.

Matthew 2:10 – “When they saw the star they were filled with joy!” (NLT)

“There is strong shadow where there is much light.”  - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

If your life cast a shadow, what kind of shadow would it be? 

Living in Grace

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To love means ...

On the broad topic of Love, GK Chesterton once wrote - “To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.” ~ Gilbert K. Chesterton

The birth of Jesus should open our eyes to see that God came for all people and to reveal Christ's Love to all who would receive it. When we are asked to love God and to love our neighbours, we can't really be "picky" as to who we love - this is the difficult part of putting love into practise.

Matthew 22:37-40 - "Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

“We don't need to explain our love. We only need to show it.” - Paulo Coelho

Living in Grace

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True Inspiration

"God's inspiration does not come to those who sit with folded hands and lazy minds and only wait, but to those who think and seek and search. True inspiration comes when the searching mind joins with the revealing Spirit of God." - William Barclay

I think these words teach us a lot about the value of Advent. Of course, Jesus is not only revealed to those who reflect on his birth, but I do believe that the more we 'seek' Christ, the more we discover him. 

So, this is my prayer for you this week:

May we find Jesus in the words of Scripture.
May we discover Christ in the chaos of our world.
May we encounter the Spirit of God in the songs of Christmas.
May we comprehend his grace in the touch of a friend.
May we be reminded of his love in the smell of the scented candle.
May we appreciate his incarnation in the silence of the night.

As you search for Christ this season, may you discover how close he truly is.

"Search and you will find." - Matthew 7

Living in Grace

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Looking for the star

"When they saw the star, they were overjoyed." - Matthew 2:10

"O come, thou radiant Morning Star,
Again, in human darkness shine!
Arise, resplendent from afar!
Assert thy royalty divine!
Thy sway o'ver all the earth maintain,
And now begin they glorious reign. Amen." - Charles Wesley

As we look out in the evening skies, let us take note of the brightest stars and remember that the birth of Jesus Christ brings great joy.

May you find your JOY this Advent season.

Living in Grace

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An amazing story of hope

What amazes you about this story?

"When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help.  “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”

Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith." - Matthew 8:5-10

As I read this, I am taken aback by Jesus' willingness to engage with all people. This centurion was not Jewish, but he was desperate for help. He put aside his pride, position and honour to beg Jesus for help. And in return, Jesus sees into his heart and offers help.

Question: If Jesus could see into your heart today, what would he see?

What 'big' request do you have today? Are you willing to ask Jesus for help?

Living in Grace

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Quest for happiness

Is happiness something that we will always find elusive ... or are we looking in the wrong places? Here are some interesting thoughts on happiness. 

Stormie Omartian – “We will never be happy until we make God the source of our fulfilment, and the answer to our longings. He is only one who should have power over our souls.”

Ecclesiastes 2:26 - To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness."

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ - Matthew 25:23

“I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve.”
― Jane Austen

What will it take for us to be happy today?

Living in Grace

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