Remembering the Titanic

The 15th April 1912 was a day that many people of that generation (and those since) would never forget. It was the day the unsinkable Titanic hit an iceberg and sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, taking around 1300 lives with her. Many survivors shared their insight on how that day changed their lives, one of them being Jack Thayer, the son of a railroad millionaire:

“There was peace and the world had an even tenor to its ways. From time to time there were events — earthquakes, floods — which stirred the sleeping world, but not enough to keep it from resuming its slumber. It seems to me that this disaster not only made the world rub its eyes and awake, but woke it with a start, keeping it moving at a rapidly accelerating pace ever since, with less and less peace and happiness. To my mind, the world of today awoke on April 15, 1912.”

I find his words haunting.

If you had to read his observations from the viewpoint of our time - being stuck in lockdown and the global impact of Covid-19, then they sound even more scary. I pray that this would not be true for our generation. We can't simply go back to living life as normal - let alone, allowing life to accelearte away from us. And what we desperately seek is 'peace' and 'happiness' not turmoil and more heartache.

The writer of Proverbs was right when he called out to us...

²⁰ Listen! Wisdom is calling out in the streets and marketplaces, ²¹ calling loudly at the city gates and wherever people come together:
²² “Foolish people! How long do you want to be foolish? How long will you enjoy making fun of knowledge? Will you never learn? ²³ Listen when I reprimand you; I will give you good advice and share my knowledge with you. ²⁴ I have been calling you, inviting you to come, but you would not listen. You paid no attention to me. ²⁵ You have ignored all my advice and have not been willing to let me correct you." - Proverbs 1:20-25 (Good News Translation)

What do you think?
 
Living in Grace
D3LM3

Words to live by

I am not sure if you have a favourite saying, verse or even a 'motto' that you like to live your life by? At various times in my life, I have found myself being drawn to particular mission or purpose, but over the past 15 years I feel that I could sum up my 'life-motto' with three words: Living in Grace. Those of you who are reading this today, would have some idea as to this journey of mine - Living in the immense grace of God is a goal and a passion of mine. However, I want to draw our attention to some powerful words written in the book of Proverbs.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,    but fools despise wisdom and instruction." - Proverbs 1:7

Knowledge, in this verse implies the words 'to know' (yadha). We can pursue all kinds of things in life, trying to gain academic degrees, big bank accounts, fancy vehicles and flashy gadgets, but the writer of Proverbs suggests that these are all worthless compared with having a relationship with God first.

Having a healthy respect for our Creator and Redeemer is the best place to begin to build any life from. Once we have this set as our foundation, then the rest will fall into place. Of course many people would disagree with this and these people are referred to as 'fools' in verse 7. 

If one compares this verse with a parable in the Gospels, the best example would be where Jesus speaks about two people - the wise person and the foolish one. The wise person builds their house on the rock - the sure foundation of God.

Matthew 7:24 - "“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.


As always Eugene Peterson adds a masterly stroke to these words (Proverbs 1:7) and brings them front and centre. He suggests these words could be paraphrased as:

"Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God;
    only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning."

Joan of Arc once said: "One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying."

Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/live-quotes

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Honesty Box - book giveaway

Lockdown has changed the way many of us view life and it is teaching us to embrace a slower pace of being human. One of the dangers of being in Lockdown is that we feel disconnected from community and people who would help us along the journey of life and faith. So, in a small way, I want to offer you something that may help along the way.

I have been privileged to write a few books over the years and I would like to offer you the chance to read any of them via PDF. All you need to do is send me an email requesting a book and I will send it you via PDF, which will allow you to read it on your computer, tablet or phone.

No doubt, you will be asking the question: “How much will this cost me?”

My answer is this: “Let’s work on the Honest Box principle. If you decide you want to give something, then you are welcome too. If things are little tight at the moment and you don’t have spare resources, then that’s also okay - You are still welcome to read the books for free.”

How does that sound?

It is my prayer that the books may encourage you to get through this time of ‘Lockdown’ and also offer you some spiritual guidance for the future. Remember that Jesus Christ is with us during these unprecedented times and He longs to draw near to us.

Living in Grace,

Delme

Website: www.livingingrace.co.za

Email: delmelinscott@gmail.com

28 - Between fear and joy

It struck me today how close together the emotions of 'fear' and 'joy' are. For Mary and the disciples this was their reality on that first Easter experience:

"...afraid yet filled with joy"

There is so much to ponder in these 5 words....
 
It is fear that brings us to our knees and leaves us tempted to run away. 
It is fear that drives away our hope and dreams.
Fear builds and builds until we find ourselves entrapped in our darkest moments.
Fear threatens to dissolve all of our will to live. 

And yet...
In one historic moment all of our fears are surrounded by a Voice. 
And as that Voice speaks, it says: Don't let this fear overwhelm you.

"Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said." (Matthew 28:5-6)

As the chains of fear crumble around our feet, we comprehend a liberation like no other. The Voice catches us by surprise and the darkness of fear, which once threatened to crush the living breath out of our souls, is replaced with a brilliant Light. 

Light gives birth to sight.
Sight reveals an empty tomb.
And the open grave echoes with Joy.

Reflection: 
"May the Joy of Christ's Resurrection transform your fear into indescribable peace and hope."

Living in Grace
D3LM3

27b - When we don't know how it ends!

So what did the discples really think and feel on the day after Jesus' cruel death? As I read
Matthew 27:61 I picture a distraught group of ladies sitting and staring at Jesus' tomb, through the mist of their tear-stained eyes.

"Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb." 

What else is there to think at a time like this? Your friend and Rabbi lies a few meters from you, hidden behind a huge Stone boulder. You are so close to him, but still so far away.  Remember that they hadn't quite understood what Jesus meant by being raised to life. Perhaps if they had, then they would have been dealing with their sense of loss in a totally different way.

I always feel that we are so privileged to encounter the Easter story knowing how the whole week ends up. When you know the story has a 'Good News' ending you are much happier to go through the painful parts first. 

It is hard not to draw a parallel with Covid-19 at this point. As a planet we find ourselves on the "Saturday" of the Easter story. There is death, depair and disappointment all around us. 
We don't know how long lockdown will be. 
We don't know if the virus will impact our homes, schools, churches. 
We don't know if we will get salaries at the end of the month.
We don't know how many people will get sick.
We just don't know! 

Of course, decades from now, people will be reviewing history and they willl experience Covid-19 with different eyes - they will know how it ends and when it ends. This doesn't help us at all, except it puts us right back in the shoes of the first disciples. How will we react to the uncertainty of our futures? How will we trust in our Saviour, when he seems far away?

Friends, I do not have neat answers for us, execpt to note that this story has played out before. Darkness will be overcome by light.
Hope replaces despair.
Courage suppresses fear.

All we are asked to do is this: "Trust in the Lord your God. Lean not on your own understanding. In all our ways acknowledge God and he will direct our paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Living in Grace
D3LM3 

27 - Seeing but not understanding

 ^"After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” - Matthew 27:35-37

It struck me today that the soldiers we so close to Jesus that they could almost reach out from where they were sitting and touch him. That is close! So, so close. The tragedy is that even though they sat at the feet of the Messiah, Jesus meant nothing to them. They saw Jesus, but didn't understand who he was.

The soldiers had their own gods - Jupiter, Mars, money, power and position. Who needs a revolutionary as a Saviour, when you can have the whole world in your hands? 

Unless of course, Jesus offers you a new Life, Kingdom and Future! #JustSaying

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Matthew 26b - What do you say?

Words can carry a lot of weight and they can help us out of many sticky situations. When Jesus was offered the chance to speak up in self-defence, he realised that there was nothing more he needed to say. In fact, he had said all he needed to say. Now was the time to show people what he had come to do. His death loomed large before him and Jesus knew he needed to reveal his Father's purpose.

"Finally, two men came forward ⁶¹ who declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
⁶² Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” ⁶³ But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
⁶⁴ Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” - Matthew 26:61-64

Genuine sacrifice reveals the true heart of a person.

Living in Grace
D3LM3