In Matthew 2:10, it tells is about the reaction of the three wise men when they saw the star, that was pointing them to where Jesus was on the earth. But this same chapter tells us about other reactions much different than those of the wise men. King Herod wanted to know where Jesus the Messiah was so the he could eliminate him. The reaction of the scribes and the religious leaders seemed to be one of indifference and the city dwellers in Jerusalem were troubled. These same reactions are around today. The 'free thinkers', 'humanists,''atheists' et al, have the common view of killing off Jesus from our society. Many of the religious leaders are indifferent to his teachings and select passages of scripture that suit their particular viewpoint or lifestyle. Finally the people are troubled if they hear about Jesus preached to them and their need to repent from their sins.
But it is the phase "with exceedingly great joy" that jumps off the page at me. Enjoying God, talking about God, reflecting on God's goodness leads to joy. The joy of the Lord. The only time I am truly passionate in my speech is when I talk about the Lord or his works in my life. Then I like the wise men 'experience exceeding great joy.' Lord give me your joy in my life more often.
Thursday 26 February 2009
Wednesday 25 February 2009
Blessed is the person who seeks his heavenly father
How deep the fathers love for us, a love beyond all measure.
Beyond measure what a wonderful phrase, beyond measure. Something that cannot be fathomed or expressed in words or numbers. No words of man could express the love of God. The old children's hymn starts of with the words: 'wide wide as the ocean, high as the heavens above, deep deep as the deepest sea is my saviours love. I though so unworthy still am a child of his care for his word teaches me that his love reaches me everywhere'.
God's love will always find the heart that is open to receive and accept his love and grace and forgiveness, all because while we were still sinners Christ died for our sins.
Beyond measure what a wonderful phrase, beyond measure. Something that cannot be fathomed or expressed in words or numbers. No words of man could express the love of God. The old children's hymn starts of with the words: 'wide wide as the ocean, high as the heavens above, deep deep as the deepest sea is my saviours love. I though so unworthy still am a child of his care for his word teaches me that his love reaches me everywhere'.
God's love will always find the heart that is open to receive and accept his love and grace and forgiveness, all because while we were still sinners Christ died for our sins.
Tuesday 24 February 2009
Rest for the Soul
We live in the age of anxiety. Parents scared to let children out to play, people worried about walking down the street alone at night. Some people also say that it was just as bad many years ago, but I must admit that when I was growing up we seemed to live in a safer world. In the current environment many people live their lives where fear and greed compete to be their primary focus of living.
If we only stopped living our lives from our own strength, if we only relied on God's strength and protection. Now I must admit that I seem to be always dropping into a fearful state of mind. Thoughts of things that might happen to me and my family seem to hit my mind an a regular basis. I find myself running these thoughts over and over in my mind. before I start to realise what is going on. The overwhelming feeling I have after these 'thinking' events is fear. The fear of what might happen in the future.
It is a interesting fact that the topic of 'fear' is used in a variety of ways over 500 times. A couple of examples are: "Be not afraid of sudden fear." Proverbs 1:26, "The fear of man bringeth a snare."Proverbs 29:25.
The bible offers us an imposing number of precious promises linked to 'rest,' 'peace,''serenity.' as a perfect antidote to all our anxiety, despondency and dismay. Although the word 'worry' is not used in the bible, all it represents occupies a large place in biblical precepts and warnings. As a Christian, I should shun worry, because it is unbelief parading in disguise.
Tranquillity of our soul is the only proper antidote for worry. Even as Christians cares will come your way; but when they do we are called to cast our cares upon the Lord. I can hear someone saying,"you so not know my circumstances, my case is exceptional. You have no idea of what I am facing."
In Philippians 4:6 Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit said "Be not anxious ..... Be careful for nothing." There is no exception to this rule. The secret of not worrying is in the promise of Jesus that all the things we worry about will be taken care of if we only put him first.
If we only stopped living our lives from our own strength, if we only relied on God's strength and protection. Now I must admit that I seem to be always dropping into a fearful state of mind. Thoughts of things that might happen to me and my family seem to hit my mind an a regular basis. I find myself running these thoughts over and over in my mind. before I start to realise what is going on. The overwhelming feeling I have after these 'thinking' events is fear. The fear of what might happen in the future.
It is a interesting fact that the topic of 'fear' is used in a variety of ways over 500 times. A couple of examples are: "Be not afraid of sudden fear." Proverbs 1:26, "The fear of man bringeth a snare."Proverbs 29:25.
The bible offers us an imposing number of precious promises linked to 'rest,' 'peace,''serenity.' as a perfect antidote to all our anxiety, despondency and dismay. Although the word 'worry' is not used in the bible, all it represents occupies a large place in biblical precepts and warnings. As a Christian, I should shun worry, because it is unbelief parading in disguise.
Tranquillity of our soul is the only proper antidote for worry. Even as Christians cares will come your way; but when they do we are called to cast our cares upon the Lord. I can hear someone saying,"you so not know my circumstances, my case is exceptional. You have no idea of what I am facing."
In Philippians 4:6 Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit said "Be not anxious ..... Be careful for nothing." There is no exception to this rule. The secret of not worrying is in the promise of Jesus that all the things we worry about will be taken care of if we only put him first.
Monday 23 February 2009
Fulfilment
The stress of life is a term that you hear about more and more. The news is full of doom and gloom, the global recession has everyone scurrying to batten down the hatches, to watch with fear as the world lurches from crisis to crisis. It is interesting to look back to old television programmes that painted a picture of utopia when the year 2000 and beyond came around.
We would have prosperity, robots would be doing most of our work, leisure time would be the norm and most disease would be eradicated.
The reality is that we need to work more to make ends meet, we have more worries than before and stress in work, stress at home impacts our lives every day.
People generally lack fulfilment in their lives. We tend to look to possessions as a key route to finding fulfilment. But if you are like me that fulfilled feeling lasts for only a fleeting moment. Power or positions of authority are another way to satisfy the thirst for fulfilment. Just look at the sad souls who enter shows like 'Pop Idol' or 'Americian Idol' and say that their lives are ruined when thay are rejected by the judges.
We were made by God for God. In that fact lies the path to complete fulfilment. I can only remember one catechism from my days of Sunday School, and that is the first one. The first question is "What is the chief end if man"? The answer is "Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever".
I love the word ENJOY. We are to enjoy him forever, learning more and more of the facets of his nature as we journey through eternity with the Lord.
Fulfilment is found in loving relationships. Enjoying God's love would be a complete fulfilment, which can never be found in things I possess or the things that I have accomplished but in the person of Jesus Christ, knowing him, loving him and serving him. Without that focus life becomes meaningless.
Lord! protect our children from a society that teaches that life is about loving self and satisfying self. May they see that a fulfilled life is only possible in knowing, loving and enjoying God. Forever.
We would have prosperity, robots would be doing most of our work, leisure time would be the norm and most disease would be eradicated.
The reality is that we need to work more to make ends meet, we have more worries than before and stress in work, stress at home impacts our lives every day.
People generally lack fulfilment in their lives. We tend to look to possessions as a key route to finding fulfilment. But if you are like me that fulfilled feeling lasts for only a fleeting moment. Power or positions of authority are another way to satisfy the thirst for fulfilment. Just look at the sad souls who enter shows like 'Pop Idol' or 'Americian Idol' and say that their lives are ruined when thay are rejected by the judges.
We were made by God for God. In that fact lies the path to complete fulfilment. I can only remember one catechism from my days of Sunday School, and that is the first one. The first question is "What is the chief end if man"? The answer is "Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever".
I love the word ENJOY. We are to enjoy him forever, learning more and more of the facets of his nature as we journey through eternity with the Lord.
Fulfilment is found in loving relationships. Enjoying God's love would be a complete fulfilment, which can never be found in things I possess or the things that I have accomplished but in the person of Jesus Christ, knowing him, loving him and serving him. Without that focus life becomes meaningless.
Lord! protect our children from a society that teaches that life is about loving self and satisfying self. May they see that a fulfilled life is only possible in knowing, loving and enjoying God. Forever.
Tuesday 17 February 2009
Loving Our Children
I have been blessed by raising three great daughters. All different, all with varied interests and outlooks on life, all expensive to keep. well that is really a bit of an exaggeration, they have always worked to earn their own money since they were young. But I am especially susceptible to being a 'soft touch' when it comes to my 'girls'. One look is all it takes, a gentle word and I want to give them anything they desire. It delights me to be able to do it for them as it is never a demanding type of 'request.'
I am reminded of a line from a very old poem.
"How blessed the man whose treasures rare, are 'living jewels' - children fair."
''Living Jewels''. I like that because all children are precious in a loving parents sight. It makes me reflect on just how much God must love us, and his desire to give us good gifts if we look to him with love and not greed, if our words to him are spoken with the right motivation then, I believe, that God's heart delights to give us our hearts desires.
I am reminded of a line from a very old poem.
"How blessed the man whose treasures rare, are 'living jewels' - children fair."
''Living Jewels''. I like that because all children are precious in a loving parents sight. It makes me reflect on just how much God must love us, and his desire to give us good gifts if we look to him with love and not greed, if our words to him are spoken with the right motivation then, I believe, that God's heart delights to give us our hearts desires.
Wednesday 11 February 2009
Loving God
A couple of months ago I read that Saint Augustine when asked how to live the Christian life said. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and soul and mind and do what ever you like"! (or words to that effect.)
Wow! I thought, that cannot be right, what about all the RULES, what about the 10 COMMANDMENTS? Then the Lord put into my mind, that it is like loving your spouse, or the person that is closest to you in this life.
The bible talks about a husband and a wife becoming one flesh. In that loving union loving your 'mate' you WANT to please them and to do good things for them. Not for any personal gain but to make that other person happy. To bless them. So I believe our lives would become much more simpler if we just followed Saint Augustine's advice. Then our focus would be on blessing the Lord, through loving service, enjoying him forever.
Wow! I thought, that cannot be right, what about all the RULES, what about the 10 COMMANDMENTS? Then the Lord put into my mind, that it is like loving your spouse, or the person that is closest to you in this life.
The bible talks about a husband and a wife becoming one flesh. In that loving union loving your 'mate' you WANT to please them and to do good things for them. Not for any personal gain but to make that other person happy. To bless them. So I believe our lives would become much more simpler if we just followed Saint Augustine's advice. Then our focus would be on blessing the Lord, through loving service, enjoying him forever.
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