What does it mean to be meek?

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." - Matthew 5:6

In our modern times the word 'Meek' has sadly come to mean: A doormat. Or someone who is spineless, or subservient or even passive. But surely it means more than this? 

It was Aristotle who used the Greek word ‘praus’ (from which we get the word meekness) to describe the happy medium between ‘extreme anger’ and ‘being excessively passive.” He had the habit of defining every virtue by comparing 2 extremes and then resting in the middle of the two in a ‘happy medium.”   

So then, we could paraphrase Matthew 5:6 with these words: “Blessed is the person who is always angry at the right time, and never angry at the wrong time.”

The other usage of the word ‘praus’ is the same as to speak of an animal that has been domesticated - for example, think of a Stallion. It is an animal that has learnt to accept control from its owner, but it also has the power to cause harm if let loose. 

I guess, the main idea behind the word “meek” was strength under control - so, it is therefore not ‘weaknesses at all.

Thought: How does this sit with you? Do you find it easy to find this perfect balance?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Are you willing to grind the wheat?

I stumbled upon this challenging statement from Charles Spurgeon. There is so much wisdom in his words, but the part that intrigued me the most was the line that I have highlighted. I invite you to read through these words and see what stands out for us.

“There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians if we were more alone, waiting upon God, and gathering through meditation on His Word spiritual strength for labour in his service. We ought to muse upon the things of God, because we thus get the real nutriment out of them. . . . 

Why is it that some Christians, although they hear many sermons, make but slow advances in the divine life? Because they neglect their closets, and do not thoughtfully meditate on God's Word. They love the wheat, but they do not grind it; they would have the corn, but they will not go forth into the fields to gather it; the fruit hangs upon the tree, but they will not pluck it; the water flows at their feet, but they will not stoop to drink it. From such folly deliver us, O Lord. . . .”

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Don't overcomplicate things - praying simply!

I have met very few people who claim to be "good" at prayer. Most of us feel that there is lots of room for improvement and we would be correct. However, I also know that there are many of us who try to overcomplicate our prayers and then we wonder if we are praying in the right way or not! 

Perhaps there is a simpler way to start...?

When we find ourselves drawn to pray, we need a little prompting to get us going. Sometimes having a starting verse or opening line, may be the thing that we really need. 

Some Christians use the first line of the Lord's Prayer as their kickstart (Our Father who is in heaven), while others may start with a scripture, (The Lord is my Shepherd). Perhaps the Apostle Paul may have used his famous words as his starting point: "These three remain: faith, hope and love; but the greatest of these is love!"

And then of course, there is Saint Francis. He may have used his own prayer: "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace..." 

Or John Newton - he may have started off with: "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound..."

My point is this: Prayer takes time and discipline, but we need to start somewhere. Please don't get tangled up in worrying 'how', but rather just start.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Your work IS important!

"Every occupation has its own honour before God. Ordinary work is a divine vocation or calling. In our daily work no matter how important or mundane we serve God by serving the neighbour and we also participate in God's on-going providence for the human race." - Martin Luther

These words remind us that, no matter what we do (work or serving), this is part of our higher calling. As you go about your tasks today, remember that you do it for the Lord and not for anyone else. 

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters" - Colossians 3:23

Living in Grace

D3LM3

No accidental progress

"A true and faithful Christian does not make holy living an accidental thing. It is his great concern. As the business of the soldier is to fight, so the business of the Christian is to be like Christ." - Jonathan Edwards

The first thing that struck me about this quote is that following Jesus can't be an 'accidental thing'. We don't become more and more like Jesus by some random chain of events. We become more like Christ, by imitating the ways of Jesus. 

Of course, one of the keys to holy living is to spend time in the sacred scriptures. It is these words that offer us direction, wisdom, grace and Life.

Hebrews 12:11 - No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

What can you do to be more intentional about following Jesus?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Discipline

Nothing worthwhile ever comes for free and without some effort. This principle applies to almost all aspects of our lives.

If you want to do well in a sport - you need to train and discipline yourself to achieve your goals.
If you desire to get good grades in your studies, you must put in some hard hours of study.
If you are keen to learn an instrument, you will need to go for lessons and practise, practise, practise.
If you want to become wise, you will need to learn from those who have gone before and be willing to listen to instruction from people who can guide you.

It seems to me that Proverbs 13 is a chapter that keeps gravitating to this idea of discipline, instruction, learning and being willing to grow. Take a read:

"Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,
    but whoever respects a command is rewarded." - Proverbs 13:13

"Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,
    but whoever heeds correction is honored." - Proverbs 13:18

"Walk with the wise and become wise,
    for a companion of fools suffers harm." - Proverbs 13:20

"A refusal to correct is a refusal to love;
    love your children by disciplining them." - Proverbs 13:24 (Message)

What aspect of your life needs to be more disciplined at the moment?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Heading to a dead end

It is not hard for us to picture driving down a 'dead end' is it? We know that by going down that particular road we won't get where we need to be. In today's reading the wise teachings of Solomon tells us that if stumble down wrong roads, we will end up at a dead end. An undisciplined life will end up 'killing us' - even if this is just metaphorically speaking.

"Mark well that God doesn’t miss a move you make;
    he’s aware of every step you take.
The shadow of your sin will overtake you;
    you’ll find yourself stumbling all over yourself in the dark.
Death is the reward of an undisciplined life;
    your foolish decisions trap you in a dead end." - Proverbs 5:21-23 (The Message)

What does that phrase 'undisciplined life' mean for you today? 
What are you able to do during these days of lockdown that can help you practise spiritual disciplines?
Where are we heading in our spiritual lives?

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'
'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.
'I don't much care where -' said Alice.
'Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.
'- so long as I get SOMEWHERE,' Alice added as an explanation.
'Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, 'if you only walk long enough.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland 

Living in Grace
D3LM3

We are ...

Ever wondered why some people are just better at certain things than we are? It may even seem unfair at times, but if you look at the quote from Aristotle you will see that he reckons it has to do with habitual discipline. Obviously, if someone is a good sportsman or an actress, they have a large amount of god-given talent, but most of these people spend hours, months and years honing their skills.

"We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle

If we take the premise of this thought, it could imply that we can become better Biblical scholars, prayer warriors, youth leaders, worship leaders, musicians, and disciples of Christ, if we habitually spent more time on these areas. I am not sure how you feel about this, but on some levels it makes complete sense to me.

As an example, the only way I will ever understand more about the Bible is if I am committed to reading it, studying it and learning from others. This takes a deliberate discipline and an act that I am willing to following through with.

What is God asking me to spend more time refining, so that I can be 'excellent' for his Kingdom?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Refine or Define?

"Let your failures refine you, not define you." - Max Lucado

I have learnt so much from my failures and mistakes. They have taught me a lot about life, people and myself. I think this quote from Max Lucado is a wonderful insight into how, with God's help, we can allow our failures to 'refine' us.

Isaiah 48:10 - "Do you see what I’ve done? I’ve refined you, but not without fire. I’ve tested you like silver in the furnace of affliction. Out of myself, simply because of who I am, I do what I do."

God knows that we are not perfect, but as a loving parent, he believes the best of us. God wants us to become more and more like Jesus and so this takes REFINING. Let us not resist the refining of God's Spirit.

What things is God refining in your life at the moment?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Character, commitment and discipline

Some people choose a KEY word or verse that serves as their focal "Word" for the year. I am not sure if it is always easy to sum up a Mission or Vision statement in a single word, but if you were going to choose 3 words, then the following words would be a great start:

CHARACTER

COMMITMENT

DISCIPLINE

"It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through." - Zig Ziglar

“And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” - ‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If you have a word for the year and you would like to share it please let me know what it is. God bless. 

Living in Grace

D3LM3

The WORD in the words

There is a lovely quote from Karl Barth that states: When we are reading we are doing more than just looking at the words on the page, but that we are seeking "The WORD exposed in the words."

I think this is especially true of when we read the Scriptures and Christian literature. The image of Jesus is always present in these words, we just need to be able to recognise them. I always come to the pages of the Bible believing that God has something to say to me and that God wants to impart these messages.

As we embark upon a new year of discovery that hopefully includes spending some more time in the SCRIPTURES, I pray that the Word (Jesus) will be made real to you in the words of the Bible.

Try this process in the following Scripture:

 John 1:14 - "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

God bless you on this adventure.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Set in concrete

We were doing a little DIY the other day around the house - we were actually laying a little bit of concrete down, which ended up being quite interesting. During the course of the day, one of us spoke of "setting it in concrete", which reminded me of this old saying:

"Everything is set in concrete."

But, the question is "WHAT" is set in concrete? In a world that is very flimsy on foundational truths and moral principals, we should ask ourselves what needs to be firmly set in our lives. Once we have these key issues set in stone, then we can begin to build our lives on these beliefs.

"Prayer is the most concrete way to make our home in God." - Henri Nouwen

"Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfilment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated, thus, everyone's task is unique as his specific opportunity to implement it." -Viktor E. Frankl

Living in Grace
D3LM3

No Shortcuts

"Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formula's for a successful life that can be practised in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way of life - to God - is vigorous and requires total attention." - Matthew 7: 13-14 (MSG)

Friends, we are so caught up in trying to do things quickly and often looking for a shortcut to success, but FAITH doesn't work like that. As Eugene Peterson puts it "there are no shortcuts to God" and if we want to follow Christ, then we need to recognise that this will take up our full attention, not just a part of our lives. After all, we use the phrase, "I give my LIFE to the Lord" - we don't say, "I will give one hour to Jesus!"

If you take shortcuts, you get cut short. - Gary Busey

What do you think?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

No short cuts

Recently we noticed that our palisade fence was showing signs of rust. It was tempting to ignore the rust and pretend that it wasn't there, but we knew that something had to be done about it. So, we set about sanding the fence and getting as much of the rust off as we could. Then we had to wash the fence, before we began to paint it with some anti-rust.

Obviously, this all takes time and we aren't even finished yet! Yesterday as we were painting over each spot of rust I was reflecting on whether there was a quicker way of doing the job. And I realised there isn't. The only way to do the job correctly is to do it one pole at a time. It is laborious, but there is no short cut!

In our faith, we are sometimes painfully away that there is some rust developing. We can ignore it and pretend that it doesn't exist, but in the long run it will 'eat' away at us and we will be broken. The only way to remain strong and 'rust free' is to do things step by step, day by day, pole by pole. There can be no quick short cuts when it comes to living out our faith. Sometimes developing a sturdy faith takes years of doing the small things properly.

So, next time you are tempted to ignore the problems in your faith, don't! They won't go away on their one. Be honest about them and get to work on them, one 'spot' at a time. Ask a friend to help you and be accountable to each other, as you seek to remain strong.

May God bless you today.
Living in Grace
D3LM3

On discipline

"We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment." 

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment." 

Both of these quotes come from Jim Rohn and they speak volumes on the topic of discipline. Of course many people shy away from the mere thought of 'discipline' as it conjures up all kinds of negative emotions. 

In truth, the Christian way of life can never be taken seriously, unless we expect to have some form of discipline. Just take a few of our Christian practices or "disciplines" as they are sometimes called - prayer, reading the Bible, worship, giving, serving, fasting - these all involve being disciplined. 

So here is the million dollar question: How disciplined are you?

If you feel that you are lacking in this area, then please resolve to make a change of some sort - that's how all discipline starts - it begins with a conscious decision to change.

Blessings and grace

D3LM3 

Discipline

^"They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” - Hebrews 12:10-11

When God disciplines us it is because he wants us to be ready to share in his 'holiness' - that is such an awesome reason to go through discipline, don't you think? People go into strict training to be ready for sports events or to perform musically, but we struggle to accept spiritual discipline. Why is that? Is it because we don't trust God's outcome or do we think that we know best.

Next time you sense God's discipline, don't become bitter, but rather rest in God's good hands.

Have a blessed day.

Living in Grace
D3LM3