The 2 hands of God

Everyone has two hands, right? Well, almost everyone, unless you were caught stealing in the East - then you would only have one hand. So, does God have 2 hands then? The early Church teacher Irenaeus of Lyons claimed that humanity is instructed by the "two hands" of God.

He was not referring to literal hands, but to the Word and the Holy Spirit. It is through these two hands that we understand the will and purpose of God and how we grow in our faith.

How are God's two hands leading you this Lent?
Are we allowing ourselves the time and space to reflect on the Word, while encouraging the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth?

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

One Seventh

"Monday is a lame way to spend 1/7 of your life." ~ Author Unknown

No matter how bad your Monday's are, just remember that God blessed us with 52 of them every year. If we just wish them away, we are wishing away one seventh of our lives.
May your Monday be filled with some awesome moments.

"...so that I might live for God." - Galatians 2:19

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Turning to

Repentance is referred to as the 'about turn' (metanoia) we make when we realise that we aren't following God's ways. In changing direction, repentance takes us away from our sins and leads us 'back on track' with God.

What is equally as important, for me, is where we turn and to whom we turn. If I turn away from a destructive lifestyle, is it because I realise it will destroy me, or is it in order to surrender to Christ? Turning away from sin needs to be matched with turning to the Grace of Jesus. This is part of what Lent reminds us of - Jesus brings us life.

Don't just blindly turn away from sin, without turning into the arms of Jesus.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Out of the Ashes

With the horrifying scenes unfolding from the earthquakes in New Zealand and in Japan, one wonders if life, for those nations, will ever be the same again. However, if one looks at the history of humanity, people are extremely resilient - they will rise again.

This is the underlying truth of Lent. With God we can have the victory. With God on our side we believe that our lives are never destroyed, even if we are rocked by many disasters. God's love for us allows us to be like the Phoenix - rising out of the ashes of despair.


"Into the darkness You shine
Out of the ashes we rise
There’s no one like You
None like You." - Chris Tomlin

Let's pray for the people of Japan and New Zealand.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Triple 5 challenge

As for giving up things this Lent, well I am not going to be doing that. However, I am taking up something and I invite anyone to join me. I am planning to pray at 5:55pm everyday. I have set my cellphone and am ready to go.

Join me, as we pray for a myriad of things and issues. Even if you can spare 5 minutes - that's a great start.

Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays ~ Søren Kierkegaard

We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties ~ Oswald Chambers

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Lent reflection - Grace and Gratitude

Knowing that the season of Lent moves us through to Easter is one thing, but there is another question which is worth asking, "What do we reflect on during Lent?"

Here is where I am heading over the next 46 days until Resurrection Sunday...
Grace and Gratitude. You may be asking why these two words in particular? Well, my answer comes from these words, written by Karl Barth:

"Charis always demands the answer eucharistia (that is, grace always demands the answer of gratitude). Grace and gratitude belong together like heaven and earth. Grace evokes gratitude like the voice an echo. Gratitude follows grace as thunder follows lightning." - Karl Barth

The Grace of God, portrayed through the life of Jesus, demands my Gratitude. Now, for me, that is worth spending many days reflecting on.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Ash Wednesday

By the time most of us read this post it will be Wednesday. However, it is not just any Wednesday in 2011, it is Ash Wednesday. This marks the beginning of Lent, which is our journey and preparation for Resurrection Sunday. If you want to know more about this day click on this link.

For many people this is the day we think about giving up things (like chocolate, coke, coffee - all the good stuff) as a sign of love for Christ. While I think it is a good practise to do this, I think it is equally valuable to 'take up' certain habits during this period. Some good habits could include, praying at a particular time in the day, reading the Scriptures, serving the poor etc.

For me, I am praying that Lent will be a reminder of these few things:
1. My life is interwoven with the grace and mercy of Jesus.
2. I need to bring every part of my life into the light of Christ - even the skeletons in the dark places of my life.
3. I need to consciously turn towards Jesus, when I am tempted to turn away from Him.

May the Spirit of Christ be real to you this Lent.

Living in Grace
D3LM3