St Augustine

I had the joy of sharing about the life of Aurelius Augustine with my Church History students today. For those of you who have heard of St. Augustine, it's the same guy. There are many remarkable things about Augustine and he argubly shaped the direction of Christian thought for hundreds of years.

His wisdom crops up even today, although mainly in sermons, academic papers and other church related correspondence. Here is a glimpse at some of his work:

“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.”

 “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.”

 “You aspire to great things? Begin with little ones.”

 “Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee.”
His life was extraordinary because he allowed God to change him completely - from the inside out! We may not ever be an "Augustine" but we can be the best person God has created us to be. Why not begin today?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Obstacles

 
Life is filled with obstacles. Even the week that lies ahead of us will present a fair share of obstacles - the challenge will be how we deal with these. Will we trust God to help us overcome them or will we rely on our own efforts and strength?
  

• Isaiah 57:14 - And it will be said: ‘Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.’

 "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome." - Booker T. Washington

"Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it." - Michael Jordan

May God guide you and help you to overcome your obstacles this week.

Living in Grace
D3LM3 

There is always Hope

As we gather for worship this Sunday, we should  remember - with Jesus there is always HOPE! No matter the circumstances, Jesus offers us new perspective and Hope.

“Once you choose hope, anything's possible.”  ~ Christopher Reeve
 

"    “Hope is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives us to control our fears, not to oust them.”  ~Vincent McNabb

     Never lose hope.

     Living in Grace

     D3LM3

Let your prayers rise

Although God is not 'living' exclusively above us, we often imagine God to be 'up' in Heaven and we live here below. So when we pray it is like our prayers rise up to God's ear and then he acts on our prayers. This even has a little to do with why some communities burn incense in their worship services - as a reminder that we lift our prayers to God. The scriptures even speak of this too:

Psalm 141:2 - May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

But perhaps one of the best illustrations of our prayers rising to God's attention, comes from the prayer of Jonah. At a time when things were difficult for him - from inside the whale - he prayed these words:

"When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple." - Jonah 2:7

Whatever you are dealing with today and whatever lies before you, may you remember God and may you let your prayers rise to Him. God is interested in your prayers and your life.

Living in Grace
D3LM3 

Seven modern Sins

Frederic Donaldson wrote an interesting piece on what he terms the "Seven Modern Sins." I think he is spot on and we would do well to be mindful of these sins. Let me know your thoughts on his list.

Politics without principles
Pleasures without conscience
Wealth without work
Knowledge without character
Industry without morality
Science without humanity
Worship without sacrifice.

It is interesting that 'suffering' is not spoken of much in Christian circles these days - it is almost as if suffering is an admission of Christian failure. However, Jesus speaks so much of the 'cost' of following him - implying suffering. 'Worship without sacrifice' is a dangerous place to be in.

Luke 9:23-25 - "Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.  What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?" 

Living in Grace
D3LM3
 

Jesus and Swedish House Mafia

Sometimes I listen to a song and form an immediate opinion of it, before I know the original context. When Swedish House Mafia released their hit single 'Don't you worry child', last September, I thought it was an interesting song. What I liked about the song, besides the catchy beat, was the chorus:

"Don't you worry, don't you worry, child.
See heaven's got a plan for you.
Don't you worry, don't you worry now."

I instantly made the connection to the words of Jesus in Matthew 6. In a time where his disciples were worrying about material things, Jesus called for them not to worry, and rather to trust in him. Perhaps these are wise words for some of us today. Have we got caught up in 'worrying' too much, when Jesus promised that he would take care of his children.

Matthew 6:25-27 - "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

Next time you listen to a song, listen to see if there is a message in it for you.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

St John of the cross

As you may know by now, I love quotes. Not only do I find them instructive, I also find them life-giving. As you begin another week, may you reflect on a few of these moving thoughts, written by St John of the Cross.

• He who interrupts the course of his spiritual exercises and prayer is like a man who allows a bird to escape from his hand; he can hardly catch it again.

•  If a man wishes to be sure of the road he treads on, he must close his eyes and walk in the dark.

•   In tribulation immediately draw near to God with confidence, and you will receive strength, enlightenment, and instruction.

•  Abide in peace, banish cares, take no account of all that happens, and you will serve God according to his good pleasure and rest in him.

May the peace of Christ abide with you today.

Living in Grace
D3LM3