'...a time to laugh...' (Ecclesiastes 3:4)
Isn't God's diversity amazing?
One example among many - different kinds of laughs. Think about it.
A giggle.
A silent, shoulder shaking laugh.
A loud, booming laugh.
(For more examples, just watch Mary Poppins - I Love to Laugh. ;) )
Our God is a God of humour, of joy, of celebration.
And we can be thankful when we're reminded through the diversity of laughs around us.
Friday, 31 July 2015
155 - Hope
'But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.' (Psalm 71:14)
I'm sure that the majority of you who read this (assuming you're all Christians) will have non-Christian friends or family in your lives.
And it hurts, doesn't it?
It hurts to see them living such empty lives - lives spent desperately chasing the things of this world, idols they think will make them happy, that will fill that God-shape hole inside each of them.
We empathise, because we're still humans who struggle against the lure of those same idols.
But God, in His incredible mercy that we can never quite comprehend, saved us. He gives us hope. He gives us meaning in a world that must seem so random and confusing to non-Christians.
We long for the same for them.
It can be hard to explain how they can get that satisfaction that only Christ can give. They think they have all they need. And it can be so distressing to watch days, weeks, months, years slip by and their hearts apparently remain as hard as ever.
BUT...
We still have hope. God hasn't given up on them and neither should we.
Perhaps Jesus looked at Judas during the Last Supper and His heart still desperately wished his disciple - once friend - would repent.
His heart aches for the non-Christians in our lives more than ours do. He made them, after all. He died for them.
And He's still relentlessly pursuing them.
I was reminded of this a while ago. A non-Christian friend of mine was having a job-interview. And she asked me to pray for her, for it to go well.
I was amazed. It was the first time in the five years she'd ever asked me to pray for her.
It gave me hope. Hope that she will realise there is someone who answers prayers. He's not just a slot machine who will give us what we want. He's our Father, He's the Holy God who made and saved us and He's reaching out, inviting our non-Christian friends and family to enter the same relationship we share with Him - one in which is everlasting life and joy.
And I am so thankful for the hope we have that, one day, they will accept that invitation...and be saved.
I'm sure that the majority of you who read this (assuming you're all Christians) will have non-Christian friends or family in your lives.
And it hurts, doesn't it?
It hurts to see them living such empty lives - lives spent desperately chasing the things of this world, idols they think will make them happy, that will fill that God-shape hole inside each of them.
We empathise, because we're still humans who struggle against the lure of those same idols.
But God, in His incredible mercy that we can never quite comprehend, saved us. He gives us hope. He gives us meaning in a world that must seem so random and confusing to non-Christians.
We long for the same for them.
It can be hard to explain how they can get that satisfaction that only Christ can give. They think they have all they need. And it can be so distressing to watch days, weeks, months, years slip by and their hearts apparently remain as hard as ever.
BUT...
We still have hope. God hasn't given up on them and neither should we.
Perhaps Jesus looked at Judas during the Last Supper and His heart still desperately wished his disciple - once friend - would repent.
His heart aches for the non-Christians in our lives more than ours do. He made them, after all. He died for them.
And He's still relentlessly pursuing them.
I was reminded of this a while ago. A non-Christian friend of mine was having a job-interview. And she asked me to pray for her, for it to go well.
I was amazed. It was the first time in the five years she'd ever asked me to pray for her.
It gave me hope. Hope that she will realise there is someone who answers prayers. He's not just a slot machine who will give us what we want. He's our Father, He's the Holy God who made and saved us and He's reaching out, inviting our non-Christian friends and family to enter the same relationship we share with Him - one in which is everlasting life and joy.
And I am so thankful for the hope we have that, one day, they will accept that invitation...and be saved.
154 - Moments that teach us patience
‘…Be patient in
tribulation’ (Romans 12:12)
My family and I have just come back from a holiday in
Germany and Holland, and we believe God was trying to teach us a particular
lesson
.
A lesson about patience.
First, our ferry was delayed and we left five hours later
than we expected. One of my sisters was convinced we’d die in the carpark at
the docks and never be found again. (It was a long wait).
Then, when we visited Amsterdam, torrential rain and winds stopped
the trains. We waited nearly two hours at the station, cold and wet.
Seems like God was trying to say something.
If you’re not convinced…on Sunday, we visited a German
church (they had a translator) and we heard a sermon on…you guessed it,
patience!
In moments like that, it could be easy to complain. It could
be easy to moan to each other about how terrible the weather is, how useless
public transport is…etc.
But when you pray to God for patience, when you lift your
eyes from your surroundings and up to Him…then you are reminded of your reasons
to stay content.
Take our situations. We were together. We were safe. We
weren’t ill. We still got to go on holiday, still got to visit some of
Amsterdam.
Amazingly, God sent some us some English-speaking tourists, who just happened to know where we were trying to get to and told us how to get back to our house.
And who knows? Perhaps a dangerous accident would have happened
if we’d left earlier. We don’t know. But God does.
The knowledge that He is sovereign and in control of
everything gives us comfort that the world is a chaotic place of chance. It’s
all running under His plans.
And this knowledge gives us reason to be thankful for
moments God uses to makes us patient.
153 - Our secure salvation
' Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you' (1 Peter 1:3-4)
' For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.' (Romans 8:38-39)
I was saved around the age of seven (give or take a few years) and as I grew up, there was the odd moment that I wondered if I really was a Christian. Surely it couldn't be that easy? Surely one simple prayer couldn't be enough to secure me a guaranteed entrance into Heaven?
Ah, and there's the beauty of the gospel. It is that easy.
Because it's not about what we do. It's about what Christ has done.
And because it is Christ who lived a perfect life...because it's Christ who died in our place...because it's Christ who rose again, securing our future in Heaven for good...because of Him, we will never, ever, ever, EVER lose our salvation.
God holds us in His hands. He paid with the life of His Son to save us.
And nothing - not our mistakes, not Satan's attempts - NOTHING will pull us from the loving hands of our Lord.
I'd say that's something to be very thankful for.
Wouldn't you?
' For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.' (Romans 8:38-39)
I was saved around the age of seven (give or take a few years) and as I grew up, there was the odd moment that I wondered if I really was a Christian. Surely it couldn't be that easy? Surely one simple prayer couldn't be enough to secure me a guaranteed entrance into Heaven?
Ah, and there's the beauty of the gospel. It is that easy.
Because it's not about what we do. It's about what Christ has done.
And because it is Christ who lived a perfect life...because it's Christ who died in our place...because it's Christ who rose again, securing our future in Heaven for good...because of Him, we will never, ever, ever, EVER lose our salvation.
God holds us in His hands. He paid with the life of His Son to save us.
And nothing - not our mistakes, not Satan's attempts - NOTHING will pull us from the loving hands of our Lord.
I'd say that's something to be very thankful for.
Wouldn't you?
Thursday, 2 July 2015
152 - Getting free stuff
'Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights' (James 1:17)
Only one post in June? Oh dear...You wouldn't think I was on holiday...
If you know me on Facebook or Instagram, chances are you saw me put a picture of doughnuts up. Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
And all because my friend persuaded me to sit and watch Wimbledon on a big screen in town one afternoon. Krispy Kreme staff came round, offering people the chance to join a raffle and win a free gift card.
Of all the people there, I won.
And I got to take a big box of doughnuts home to share with the family.
I don't say this to brag about my luck. I never normally win free stuff.
But when I do, I want to see it as one thing. A gift from God.
Simply because He's good. He's fun. He's kind beyond what we deserve.
And He gave us the best free gift ever. Far better than doughnuts.
He gave us eternal life.
It cost us nothing. It cost Him everything.
Thank you God, for free gifts!
Only one post in June? Oh dear...You wouldn't think I was on holiday...
If you know me on Facebook or Instagram, chances are you saw me put a picture of doughnuts up. Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
And all because my friend persuaded me to sit and watch Wimbledon on a big screen in town one afternoon. Krispy Kreme staff came round, offering people the chance to join a raffle and win a free gift card.
Of all the people there, I won.
And I got to take a big box of doughnuts home to share with the family.
I don't say this to brag about my luck. I never normally win free stuff.
But when I do, I want to see it as one thing. A gift from God.
Simply because He's good. He's fun. He's kind beyond what we deserve.
And He gave us the best free gift ever. Far better than doughnuts.
He gave us eternal life.
It cost us nothing. It cost Him everything.
Thank you God, for free gifts!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)