Semper Reformanda

One of the slogans of the Reformation was semper reformanda ("always reforming"). Perhaps a better translation of these 2 words would be: "always being reformed." 

What I like about this is that it reminds me of the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. God is always trying to transform and renew us - we can choose to resist these moments of refreshing and change, or we can embrace them.

2 Corinthians 3:18 - "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

"There is no justification without sanctification, no forgiveness without renewal of life, no real faith from which the fruits of new obedience do not grow." - Martin Luther
"Sanctification is not my idea of what I want God to do for me; sanctification is God’s idea of what He wants to do for me." - Oswald Chambers

Living in Grace

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An empty, open hand

"Faith is like an empty, open hand stretched out towards God, with nothing to offer and everything to receive" - John Calvin

In this week, when we remember the significant changes brought to the Church, through the Reformation, I thought I'd share a few inspiring words from John Calvin. Although he is not everyone's favourite, John did have a remarkable impact on the Church and Theology. Here are a few more of his insights:

"Humility is the beginning of true intelligence."

"People will never worship God with a sincere heart or be roused to fear and obey Him with sufficient zeal, until they properly understand how much they are indebted to His mercy."

Matthew 9:2 - Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”

Living in Grace

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Paying the debt

Hebrews 7:22 - "Because of this oath, Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God."

The understanding of a guarantor is of 'someone who commits to pay back a debt if the original borrower can't pay it back.' Another name for this person is a 'surety.' The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is the one who guarantees the New Covenant with his Father. 

In order to try and explain this in another way, the author Max Lucado shares this story: 

"A man had a daughter in college. He had set up a checking account for her so that she would have some money at school and could be responsible to pay her bills through this account. He was trying to help her learn how to manage a budget. He gave her some money to start the account, and she put money into her account through an on-campus job she had. He was also on the account as a guarantor to the bank since his daughter was still a minor. 

One day the bank sent him an overdraft notice on his daughter’s account. The amount of the overdraft was $25.37. What should he do? Let the bank absorb it? They won’t. Send her an angry letter? Admonition might help her later, but it won’t satisfy the bank .... He knew he could transfer the money from his account to hers. That seemed like the best option. So, he did. He replenished her account and paid the overdraft fee as well.

He then called her. He told her about the overdraft. She said she was sorry. But she told him she had no money to repay him at that moment. She was broke.

After a pause she began, “Dad, could you….” But before she could continue the sentence Dad said, “Honey, I already have.” 

Isn’t that amazing. Dad had met her need before she knew she had one."

And this is the story of the Gospel. While we were still caught up in our sinful lives, Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8). He became the sacrifice and the guarantor, both at the same time. 

Living Grace

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How long would you be willing to wait?

How long would you be willing to wait for the fulfilment of a promise? Most of us struggle to wait even a few days or weeks, but what would you do if these weeks turned into years? I think about how Moses needed to wait around 25 years for the fulfilment of God's promise:

"For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying:

“I will certainly bless you,
and I will multiply your descendants beyond number."

Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised. - Hebrews 6:13-15

John Ortberg - Biblically, waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.

Thoughts: How long have you waited for the fulfilment of a promise?

Living in Grace

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Empty Vessel

Martin Luther once wrote a moving prayer which is filled with honesty and vulnerability. I am sure that his words will resonate with many of us. It is entitled Empty Vessel.

“Behold, Lord, An empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it.
I am weak in faith; Strengthen thou me. I am cold in love;
Warm me and make me fervent That my love may go out to my neighbor.
I do not have a strong and firm faith; At times I doubt and am unable to trust thee altogether.
O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in thee.
In thee I have sealed the treasures of all I have. I am poor;
Thou art rich and didst come to be merciful to the poor. I am a sinner;
Thou art upright. With me there is an abundance of sin;
In thee is the fullness of righteousness….. Amen.”

2 Corinthians 4:7-8 - "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair..."

Action: If you find Martin Luther's prayers helpful, please pass onto others.

Living in Grace

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Surviving the Hurricane

As South Africans we don't come across Hurricanes in our weather patterns, but we are obviously aware that friends around the world have to take precautions against these devasting weather conditions. 

We may not face physical storms in our lives, but we will inevitably find ourselves in a spiritual or emotional Hurricane at some point in time. This is when we truly must 'batten down the hatches and draw close to God in prayer.' I love how Eugene Peterson renders Psalm 57 - it really resonates with me. 

"Be good to me, God—and now! I’ve run to you for dear life. I’m hiding out under your wings until the hurricane blows over. I call out to High God, the God who holds me together. He sends orders from heaven and saves me..." - Psalm 57:1-3

Living in Grace

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A prayer for a friend

Have you ever wondered what prayer you could offer up for a friend going through a tough time. Well, you don't have to wonder any more :)

Here are some beautiful, life-giving words, that would be appreciated by anyone needing some encouragement. They are from Ephesians 3:16-17: 

"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong."

Isn't this fantastic? We are asking God to share from his bountiful, unlimited resources, empowering our loved ones with the Holy Spirit. And that Christ would make his home in their hearts, as they trust in God to guide them through these challenges. 

Lastly, we are asking that all of our roots would settle into God's great love and keep us strong in the midst of the storms.

Action: Why don't you pray this prayer for a loved one or friend today?

Living in Grace

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