Posted by: Jo | June 14, 2013

In Praise of Fathers

“Listen to your father, who gave you life…” (Proverbs 23:22)

image When I was a small child, my family lived on the east coast of Australia. The area was known for its beautiful beaches and my Grandmother had a holiday cottage beside one of the most beautiful ones. The beach stretched for miles and consequently the waves rolled to shore with majestic frequency. In those days this idyllic place was only known to a few hardy souls who could stand to drive on the very primitive road that lead to it. My sisters and brother considered the beach and the surrounding rocks and rock pools to be our very own property.

I was reminded of this time of my life just recently when I was searching through our old photo albums for a special picture for one of my daughters and came across one of my father on this favourite beach. My father was a very special person who took seriously his role as the provider and protector of his family. We were always expected to follow the rules he had set down for us but did so out of respect rather than fear. The best example of following my father’s rules was the beach procedure. The aforesaid beach, beautiful to be sure, was a very dangerous place for the unwary. The powerful waves created surging currents which we referred to as rips. These rips could suck back the unsuspecting swimmer way out to sea.

The beach procedure was always the same. My father, a very strong swimmer, would spend quite a long time surveying the waves, before deciding on the safest part for us all to swim. Next he and only he would swim out to test the waters. When he was satisfied it was safe we were allowed to enter the water. The other rule was simple, we had to always be exactly behind him so if he tuned his head he could quickly count the four heads. I can still remember seeing those broad shoulders glistening wet in the sun and having supreme confidence that as long as we stayed exactly in his sight we would be safe. One memorable day my brother and I became so engrossed in some game we were playing on the edge of the water we had drifted down the beach and had neglected to check for those huge shoulders. image If I close my eyes I can still feel that terrible rush of fear we both felt as we suddenly realized we could no longer see him. The beach now no longer a fun place became a place of uncertainty. Relief flooded over us as our father emerged like a great fish out of the water to take us back to safety. We may have forgotten to check on him, but he had certainly not forgotten to keep his eye on us (we lost our swimming privileges for a whole day!)

Jesus Christ conferred the greatest honour upon us by allowing us to call our creator, “Father” when he taught us to pray;

“Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name.” (Matthew 6:9)

We can confidently think of ourselves in his loving care. When we accept that living under his guidance and always keeping him before us, is the way to live life abundantly

Our Heavenly Father is always ready to go before us to test the waters and to guide us in those times when our lives seem to be like turbulent seas. Focusing on his commands keeps us out of trouble. He knows what could suck us under like the rips on the beach and sweep us away from him and even when we stray away from his protection, he is always there to carry us back to safety.

imageFathers can have such a profound impact on their children’s lives which can sometimes be overlooked. Father’s Day gives us a chance to focus on how important their role can be. It’s a day for fathers to reclaim their role of guides, protectors and role models for their children. When fathers model their parenting on that of Our Heavenly Father they are preparing their children for a deeper understanding of the loving character of God.

Happy Father’s Day!

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Posted by: Jo | June 7, 2013

Truth and Consequences

“…..If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

imageWhen I was young we played a game, called “Truth and Consequences”. I cannot remember exactly how we played it, but the object was to tell outrageous lies and then let the other players guess if one was telling the truth or not. The idea was to tell the truth in such a way that it sounded like a lie and thus fool the others. The reverse also worked. Tell a lie in such a convincing way, that the others believed it to be true. If a player guessed wrongly, there was a consequence to pay.

I was reminded of this game when I was thinking back to when my small granddaughter was involved in an altercation with her mother. She was obviously in the wrong, but when she was told the consequence of her disobedience was no television for a week, she was horrified. This was her plea to her mother, “I know there has to be a consequence, but can I choose the consequence?”

We may smile at her response, but as we look at today’s society, we can see that many people think like my little granddaughter. Some of us blithely think we can go through life without counting the cost of ourimage actions, our decisions or even those words we utter without thinking. We are as naïve as my little granddaughter thinking we can somehow control the consequences of our actions. We have become very much “a me” generation, a generation that is obsessed with our own well-being, not being aware that such selfishness can have incredible results in our own lives and those around us. We try to deceive ourselves that our actions will have a minimal effect and if so we will deal with it later.

Scripture has many warnings about consequences, good and bad. Perhaps the book of Proverbs could be called “The Truth and Consequence Book.” This book was written mostly by King Solomon to his son and is a culmination of wise sayings that a wise father had compiled to encourage his son to follow God’s design and thus avoid moral pitfalls. Many of us as parents have tried to equip our children for life in the same way.

The book of Proverbs leaves no doubt in the reader’s mind that we are ultimately responsible for our own actions. We cannot hide behind some of the old chestnuts that children have been voicing for generations.

  • “Everybody else was doing it”
  • “He made me do it”
  • “I didn’t think there was any harm in it”
  • “She started it”

I read an interesting quote in a magazine recently,

“Temptation comes through the door deliberately left open”

We need to look beyond the excuses and to embrace the blessings that follow doing things God’s way and to keep the door tightly shut on any possible temptation to do otherwise.

imageWhen we look honestly at the consequences before we take any action we begin to see the wisdom of Scripture. Anticipating the results of our actions is a great way to help us choose the right way to go about our everyday life and the wonderful consequences of following that wisdom is that we are blessed and those around us share in that blessing.

The law wasn’t given to punish people, but to lead them to the greater joy of a life lived abundantly. Jesus emphatically states that he wants us to enjoy life to the fullest and knows the best way for us to do this is to listen to the wisdom of God’s word.

“…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

When we embrace God’s wisdom we understand the truth behind these words of Moses,

“They are not just idle words for you, they are your life.” (Deuteronomy 32:47)

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Posted by: Jo | May 31, 2013

True Friends

“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 17:24)

imageOne of my daughters is going through a very rough time in her life. It seems on all sides she is facing problems. Problems emotionally; problems financially; problems requiring huge life-changing decisions. She was sharing with me, recently, how she is surprised by the reactions her friends have to what she is experiencing. Some are very judgmental and would like to point out to her the mistakes she has made. Some have glib solutions that they believe will just fix everything very quickly. Some are too busy with their own lives to even listen carefully, but, there are some who truly exhibit those qualities of being a good friend. I began to think through the times I had needed good friends and what I appreciated about their thoughtfulness and their actions. Scripture is full of advice about how we can love and support each other and finding this wealth of information is just at our finger tips.

“A friend loves at all times…” (Proverbs 17:17)

What a beautiful description of a true friend. Whatever the circumstances, that particular friend is going to stick close to you, offering his/her strength when yours has been exhausted. Not only seeking your company when everything is bright and rosy, but being willing to be there for the rough times.

“My dear brothers, take note of this; everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” (James 1:19)

imageWhat a relief it is just to pour out your fears to a sympathetic ear. Being a good friend often means just being quick to listen, not being quick to give advice, just providing a safe place for a hurting one to express what fears are looming in one’s life.

“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18)

Again scripture describes a good and loyal friend. The true companion chooses carefully the words to say to the one suffering and I, myself, have experienced such wise words, from a loving friend, that a broken relationship has been healed.

“…But you – who are you to judge your neighbour?” (James 4:12)

Often when we are impersonally viewing another’s problems, it is so easy to quickly assess the situation and judge harshly the friend’s actions or decisions and James warns that none of us have the right to judge anyone. My daughter discovered true friends focused on how they could help rather imagethan pointing out the mistakes that had been made.

“Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.” (Philemon 1:7)

This one verse sums up for me a beautiful description of a true friend. This friend loves in the real sense. This friend tells of the joy of your relationship. This friend brings encouragement. This friend brings refreshment just by being with you.

Of course when we belong to the Lord we have the perfect friend who loves us completely and the beautiful old hymn tells it all.

What A Friend We Have In Jesus

What a friend we have in Jesus

All our sins and griefs he’ll bare

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer.

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Posted by: Jo | May 24, 2013

A Well Watered Garden

“….You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring where waters never fail.” (Isaiah 58:11)

imageIn North America we are enjoying late spring. If you love gardening you know that this is a vital time to ensure that all those tender plants, so lovingly planted, get a good start so that in a few weeks they will be sturdy enough to display all their colourful glory. Careful and consistent watering is of utmost importance at this stage so the plants can form a sound and solid root system to sustain them through the warmer summer weather and to allow them to reach their full potential.

Water is one of the essential needs for all human beings. Without it we die.

The Bible repeatedly uses graphic illustrations using water and often in a garden setting which we all can relate to, as we imagine ourselves being those tender plants being carefully nurtured by our Heavenly Father, the gardener. Man was created in a garden setting and in the final book of the Bible we read of a mighty river flowing with crystal water bordered with huge sturdy trees bearing fruit. (Revelation 22:1 – 2)

John tells his disciples that the Father is the gardener;

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” (John 15:1)

Just knowing the Heavenly Father is our gardener, gives us a great sense of assurance that he knows exactly what we need to ensure our healthy growth.

My daughter and I were recently walking through a little path in our neighbourhood that winds through a group of houses and we were delighted to see that either side of this path, the residents had taken the patch in front of their home to create a community garden for everybody to enjoy. I was intrigued to see the wide range of plants each family had chosen. Some had used their patch to concentrate on beautiful flowers and shrubs. imageOthers had chosen to plant all sorts of vegetables ranging from lettuce and spinach to tomatoes. Also in this beautiful picture were huge sturdy trees that has graced this space long before the present houses. As I was admiring the work of the gardeners I realised that from the sturdy trees to the delicate annuals, all needed that precious water to survive.

I began to understand why this theme is repeated over and over again in Scripture and because we realise how important water is for survival, we begin to grasp what Jesus said to the woman at the well.

“Jesus answered. ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” (John 4:13 – 14)

Sometimes we go through periods in our lives when we feel dry and lifeless. Our spirits can feel parched like leaves drooping from lack of water. Any sort of growth seems hampered by lack of energy. The very root of what we believe now feels shaky. We are not able to bloom where we are planted. That is when we most need to be drenched in that life giving water our Heavenly Father is standing by ready to give to us without cost.

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” (Isaiah 55:1)

imageWhen we accept this free offer of our Lord’s, we will be that well watered garden bringing delight to him and being able to bring great delight to others as we bloom and share his love to all those around us.

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Posted by: Jo | May 17, 2013

Real or Replica?

“ …But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit – just as it has taught you, remain in him” (1 John 2:27)

image The art world becomes filled with excitement when some dusty attic reveals a long lost painting of a famous artist. The big question then arises; How can it be proved to be the real and genuine work of the artist or is it a replica of a well-known subject painted by someone else? Artifacts found in deserted caves are subjected to the same scrutiny. Are they really the work of some ancient tribe or clever replicas made to resemble those old treasures so profits can be made by selling them? Only the unwary buy a supposed genuine Swiss watch from a peddler on the street. True or false becomes a part of our vocabulary as we sort through the plethora of information available on the internet.

So how do we as followers of the Lord make sure that our faith and our Christian walk remains real and not counterfeit?

I heard a sermon on this subject and the speaker told a story which proved to be a graphic picture of what can happen if we allow counterfeit behaviour into our lives.

The story featured a little village of God fearing people that was surrounded by bandits and wild groups of roving thieves. The elders decided to surround the whole village with walls and for extra protection groups of men would be required to take turns at guarding the walls at all times, even at night, so no enemies could creep up unobserved. The men were faithful at first and the village was safe as any bandits passing by could see the guards always there, but slowly the men became tired of this constant guarding especially at night. One of the men had a brilliant idea. He suggested they make wooden replicas of the guards and at night when it would be harder to detect, leave them on the walls and they could sleep. The scheme worked for a little while until one night a roving band were surprised to see one of the replicas blown over by the wind. The game was over. The village was plundered. Replicas were no use against evil forces.

image We need the same vigilance to ensure that we remain true and genuine disciples of Jesus Christ. If we become lulled into just looking like disciples, being replicas, not really living our faith fervently, we too are in danger of being overturned easily and led astray by any passing evil force. Paul was well aware of this danger and writes a powerful letter to the Ephesians urging them to think of themselves as warriors for the Lord and to think of Spiritual armour being available to withstand any attacks on their faith.

In Ephesians chapter 6 he writes about “the armour of God” He itemises this armour as; the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the readiness of gospel peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit.

Jesus himself sums up the best test of a real disciple.

“…Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.”” (John 8:31)

Holding to the word of God is a great way to assure that we are genuine followers and when we practise what Jesus teaches we will bring glory to the Father’s name and deep within us we will have the assurance that our anointing is real and not counterfeit.

image The final test of the authenticity of our faith is contained in these words;

“A new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

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Posted by: Jo | May 10, 2013

Spiritual Exercise

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

image Where I live in Vancouver, Canada, we have the reputation of having more people involved in fitness and exercising than anywhere else across Canada. Thousands turn out to run the local marathons. In any given morning scores of joggers can be seen pounding the neighbourhood streets. Companies have installed gyms on their premises and workers are encouraged to use them. Many people cycle to work, some on special bike paths installed by the city, to keep themselves in good shape. Keeping fit is seen as a very desirable and worthy thing to do. Just recently I was looking at an ad in the newspaper for a local gym and it featured a before and after photo of a middle aged man. The before photo showed the man with flabby muscles, rather large stomach and a doleful look on his face. The second photo (hard to believe same man) showed a smiling young looking face with rippling chest muscles and trim tummy. The caption urged the readers that they too could be transformed like this happy man had been, just by signing up at the gym.

The ad made me think about a different kind of exercise and a different kind of “transformational experience”. Of course it is wise to keep our earthly bodies healthy and fit, but how often do we spend serious time keeping our spiritual lives alive and well? Paul in the book of Romans, urges his readers not to conform to the pattern of the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2) Too often the pattern of the world with all its distractions and busyness does cause spiritual imageneglect. Our hurried prayer time often just has to do, as there are so many pressing chores waiting. We would love to spend more time studying and absorbing God’s word, but we are so tired at night and morning starts the same round of things that have to be done.

We are all aware that neglecting to exercise our bodies results in poor health. We also know that exercise releases endorphins within our brains and we experience the glow and the feeling of well-being that follows that brisk walk or that invigorating swim. The same applies for our spiritual life. When we neglect to be renewed and restored by spending time with the Lord our relationship suffers, but the other truth also applies. What a beautiful warmth encompasses us when we spend that same amount of time taking care of our spiritual well-being.

Just as the man in the ad was transformed, we too can expect, by taking care of our spiritual exercise, to see remarkable changes in ourselves.

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Teenagers often plaster their bedroom walls with film stars or sporting heroes, hoping to one day look and act like them. They would be willing to spend hours in the gym to achieve muscles like their favourite football star. We have the perfect model in the Lord Jesus Christ. What a beautiful promise is found in Paul’s words that if we are willing we can be “transformed into his likeness”

What could we possibly want more than to be like Jesus?

image Physical fitness brings results that prove we have been taking care of our bodies. Now we can run up those stairs that before meant lots of stopping on the way. The same applies to looking after our spiritual health. We begin to notice we feel more love for others. We find joy even in mundane tasks, we are more peaceful about the worries we are confronting. We are patient with others shortcomings. The more we strive to be like Jesus, the more the fruits of our labour are evident in our lives.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…” (Galatians 5:22 – 23)

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Posted by: Jo | May 3, 2013

Permission to Lament

“I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.” (Psalm 142:1 – 2)

imageLast week I was extolling the delight of shouting for joy to the heavenly Father and rejoicing in thanksgiving and praising his name. Many psalms spring to mind that are similar to the joyful praise exhibited in Psalm 100, but it is equally fascinating to discover that there are more psalms classified as ones of lament, rather than ones devoted to praise. I decided to take some time to revisit these psalms and to reflect on why this was so. It seems to be an oxymoron to say that my study of these psalms brought about a wonderful feeling of encouragement. A sense of peace and what surprised me the most, an urge to praise this God of all comfort who is ready to listen to his children no matter how painful the subject may be. I realized no emotion however raw, could not be brought out in the open to be shared with a loving and compassionate Father.

Billy Graham has a wonderful quote addressing the problem when trials and tribulations upset our well-being and sometimes our close walk with the Lord.

“The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayers with tears in my eyes and say, ‘O, God forgive me, or help me.’”

I find this quote very encouraging that a wonderful man of God, like Billy Graham, knows that there are times when he needs to cry out to the Heavenly Father and that he is able to rest in the knowledge that he has the permission to lament before the sympathetic ear of the Creator.image

One of the Psalms that tells of the wonderful freedom of lamenting before the Lord, is Psalm 13. This Psalm embodies some of the most deep seated of emotions; anger, despair and sorrow. David erupts in anger towards a God who he thinks has forgotten him;

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1)

By allowing his anger to overflow, he is not in fear of retribution and implores God to look at his suffering. How many of us have wrestled like David with ugly thoughts, perhaps frightened to share with others in case they misunderstand?

“How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?” (Psalm 13:2)

Not so, David. He begs God to answer him.

“Look on me and answer, O Lord my God…” (Psalm 13:3)

The encouraging theme I found in reading the Psalms of lament was the fact that it is not a sin to grieve, despair or even complain. There seems to be great freedom to share ones’ innermost feelings with the Heavenly Father and imagewhen we do we are flooded with a deep sense of peace as we remember we can trust him to guide us through whatever is besetting us. David ends the Psalm with a burst of confidence.

“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.” (Psalm 13:5 – 6)

So when I read these beautiful words of the Psalmists and I am facing difficult situations where I desperately need God’s intervention, I take great consolation in knowing that I can share whatever hurt or feeling known to mankind with the sympathetic ear of the God of all Comfort.

Praise You In This Storm

I was sure by now

That You would have reached down

And wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day

But once again, I say, Amen and it’s still raining

As the thunder rolls

I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, “I’m with you”

And as Your mercy falls I raise my hands

And praise the God who gives and takes away

And I’ll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands

For You are who You are no matter where I am

And every tear I’ve cried You hold in Your hand

You never left my side and though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind

You heard my cry, You raised me up again

But my strength is almost gone

How can I carry on if I can’t find You

As the thunder rolls

I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, “I’m with you”

And as You mercy falls I raise my hands

And praise the God who gives and takes away

And I’ll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands

For You are who You are no matter where I am

And every tear I’ve cried You hold in Your hand

You never left my side and though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

I lift my eyes unto the hills

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

The Maker of Heaven and Earth

I lift my eyes unto the hills

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

The Maker of Heaven and Earth

And I’ll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands

For You are who You are no matter where I am

And every tear I’ve cried You hold in Your hand

You never left my side and though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

– Casting Crowns, 2005 (https://castingcrowns.com/node/629)

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Posted by: Jo | April 26, 2013

Shout For Joy To The Lord

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.” (Psalm 100:1)

imageThis is the 100th posting of my blog and thanks is due the expertise of my dear friend, who faithfully presents it in such a dramatic way each week. I have always loved Psalm 100 and thought it fitting that my 100th blog should honour the beautiful words of this ancient poem of thanks to the Almighty.

Just recently I was walking past a children’s playground and was suddenly struck by the joyful sounds emanating from youngsters playing together. Their shouts of joy were infectious and I felt myself smiling in response as I walked past. I thought wistfully of how long it has been since I shouted for joy and thought it such a pity that when we become adults we automatically feel we now have to act in a more circumspect manner. Not so, the writer of Psalm 100 says. Our love for the Lord has no such restrictions. When we take delight in him, our joy will have no bounds. Our love can overflow into loud exclamations. We can join with all the earthly creatures to praise his name in gladness with joyful songs;

“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalm 100:2)

What is the reason for our joy? Knowing where one belongs is the most reassuring thought for any creature. When we belong to the Great Shepherd we can relax knowing we are protected and cared for. Repeating it to ourselves and then back to the Heavenly Creator has a profound calming effect upon our lives.

“Know that the Lord is God. It is he who has made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:3)

imageVerse 4 begins with the word, “enter”. Since the advent of the personal computer, familiar words have taken on a whole new meaning. I am now looking at the word – Enter – on my keyboard and frequently see it appear on the screen often demanding that I enter a password before I am allowed to access a certain site or program. When I re-read Psalm 100:4 I suddenly began to smile as I thought this ancient piece of God’s word is telling us the right password that allows us to overcome any barrier, enabling us to have a wonderful relationship with the Father;

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” (Psalm 100:4)

“Thanksgiving and praise” what an easy password to remember and what a beautiful site it gives us access to. We are allowed to enter the court of the king of kings and no restrictions here, we may shout for joy, burst into jubilant songs, act like happy children or just be ourselves, knowing that we are a loved by a love that will never end.

“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever …” (Psalm 100:5)

imageFinally this Psalm reminds us of the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father. No need to worry that our access will suddenly expire if we don’t renew, his promises will last forever;

“…His faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)

This psalm has been loved by countless generations and one of my friends told me that she had heard it referred to as; “Good old Psalm 100”, it is certainly one of my favourites and one I love to use in my prayer time.

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Posted by: Jo | April 19, 2013

Thy Kingdom Come

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

imageWhen I was a little girl we lived on the East Coast of Australia. The area was known for its’ beautiful beaches and where my grandmother had a holiday cottage, there were spectacular sand hills, huge mounds of sand blown there by the strong North Easterly winds. My brother and I loved to try to climb these mountains of sand, but it took a lot of practice as the sand slipped away from under our bare feet and we had been warned by the adults that we could be buried underneath the sand as it moved. A warning we chose, in the ignorance of youth, to frequently ignore. Our game was to be the first to the top so the winner could shout to the loser, “I am the king of the castle and you are the dirty rascal” Where we had heard this ditty I have no idea. Kings and kingdoms have been part of storytelling and literature for ages and we knew even as children that being, “the king” and ruling over a kingdom had a lot of significance.

The theme of kings and kingdoms is frequently mentioned in Scripture and it is fascinating to consult a concordance and note how often our Lord Jesus Christ refers to the kingdom. In Matthew, we read that John the Baptist when he was preparing the way for the Lord, uses the kingdom word as he preached to the crowd;

“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea, and saying; Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 3:1 – 2)

When Jesus himself began to preach he used the same words;

“From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:17)

imageAs a school teacher, I knew for students to grasp any concept, the thought had to be repeated many times and in many different ways, so when we note the way Jesus emphasizes “the kingdom” we know he wants us to grasp the astounding truth behind his words. In Matthew alone there are over 50 references to “the kingdom”. Jesus uses parables to help us understand and the series of kingdom parables in Matthew (Matthew 13:24 – 52) enlarges our understanding of the beautiful gift of citizenship Jesus is offering if we accept his kingship.

So how significant is it for us to understand Jesus’ kingly rule in our everyday lives? Why did Jesus include the phrase, “Thy kingdom come” in the much loved Lord’s Prayer? Do these words just slip off our tongue without thought? In his book, “The Lord’s Prayer”, R.T. Kendall describes this phrase in these words, “Focusing on God’s interests. “ When we repeat these words are we impressed with the magnitude of what this means? How can we focus on not our own interests which so often takes up our prayer time with the Lord, but what the Father would see as being important? How do we bring great pleasure to our King by abiding by his commands and loving others into his precious kingdom?

There is also a fascinating mystery about this kingdom. Jesus tells his disciples that the kingdom of God is within them.

“..The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is, or there it is’, because the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20 – 21)

imageI see this as the Lord telling us that we can allow him to rule over our hearts, but then when he urges us to pray, “Thy kingdom come”, we are aware that the best is yet to come and we can pray for that perfect kingdom with the Lord Jesus as king over all, the ultimate kingdom.

What a comforting thought that when we love the Lord we are welcomed into his kingdom of light.

“Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:12 – 14)

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Posted by: Jo | April 12, 2013

Repairing and Renovating

“Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the Lord.” (2 Kings 22:5)

imageRepairing and renovating often go hand in hand and those two words can evoke all sorts of emotions in one’s mind. How much is it going to cost? How much inconvenience will it entail? Will we be happy with the result? Can we trust those appointed for the job? My husband and I embarked on a major renovation on a holiday cabin which we wanted to convert to a year round permanent home. With much doubt and trepidation we accepted the quote from a young man who had just formed his own building company. When he arrived the first day with his team of what looked like to us, school boys, our fears deepened, but we need not have worried. The young boys were keen to prove they were worthy of the job and over the next few months became our friends. They ended up doing a wonderful job. The only complaint we had with the whole venture was the rapid weight gain our dog experienced. Our Beagle was always looking for that extra hand out and although I warned the boys not to share their lunches with him, those big brown eyes, somehow, over ruled my pleas.

I was remembering our renovation story while I was re-reading about another repairing and renovating story in the book of Kings, (2 Kings 22), which is also recorded in 2 Chronicles 34) Josiah, the boy king, loved his Lord God, but one day while looking at the sorry state of the temple decided a major overhaul was necessary and ordered repairs and renovations to begin and promised to supply the necessary funds. While the renovations were in process someone must have opened a dusty cupboard and found an equally dusty book that looked that it had not been opened for some time. Josiah was horrified to discover that this unopened book was actually God’s word, his law, and discovered how he and his people had not been obeying his commands. He called all the people together and had God’s word read and this was the result;

“The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord- to follow the Lord and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.” (2 Chronicles 34:31)

Josiah was blessed for the rest of his reign.

Sometimes our own lives need a little repairing and renovating. imageAllowing the Holy Spirit to shine in some of the dusty corners of our everyday living, reveals truths we are perhaps overlooking. Our love for the Lord may have taken second place to earthly pursuits. David faced a challenge like this in his own life and this was his prayer;

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

We may have a broken relationship with a loved one that is in desperate need of repair. Our attitudes to others’ problems may have hardened and need a complete overhaul and renovation. Sometimes life itself drains us of any joyful feelings and we are in dire need of renewing, but take heart the Lord’s word is refreshing and powerful and can repair even low spirits, imagebrokenness and attitudes;

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16)

The good news about asking the Lord to do some renovating in our own lives, is there is no cost, no worry about how it will turn out, no wondering about the final result, just the joy of a closer walk with him.

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