Dominating Feeling

“…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12 v 2.

My actions are often driven by my feelings. The prevailing feeling of the moment colours the actions that follow. When I feel sad or lonely, I react in a dejected and down-hearted way. When I feel hurt or upset, I become withdrawn and resentful. When I feel tired, my reactions become short tempered and snappy. When I feel happy, my actions are more up-beat and energised. It is all dependent on the feeling of that moment, inspired by the various situations that happen in a day.

Feelings are fickle. I know that. But sadly, it doesn’t stop me from being driven by them.

Jesus operated in a different way. He replaced feeling with a different feeling. Can you imagine how crippling the feelings of rejection, hurt, physical pain, ridicule, shame, exhaustion and fear could have been for him? Instead, he focused so exclusively on the rock-solid vision of a bright, glorious, pain-free, sin-defeated, fellowship-filled, people-redeemed splendid future, that it filled him with a feeling of joy. That feeling of joy overrode the other negative feelings. It gave him the strength to endure the horrendous things he was suffering.

So I’m wondering whether we could follow a similar course. Maybe we too could find where our true source of joy lies and focus on that feeling above the negative ones that pummel our day.

This was a method that worked for Jesus. Maybe this could become a practice that has the power to re-write our own actions and reactions!

Praying that we might have our actions inspired by the truest source of joy today,

Sharon.

Glorious!

“When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshipped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, ‘He is good; his love endures for ever.’” (2 Chronicles 7 v 3).

God’s glory moved into the temple. In a jaw-dropping, heart-pumping, hair-standing-on-end, nerve-tingling moment, God’s holy fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering, and God’s cloud glory filled the temple.

God was there in a physical, tangible, see-able way. He was present in His fire and His cloud. His glory was so magnificent that the priests could not enter the temple.

The people fell to their knees and worshiped. God’s glory inspired them to praise with grateful hearts: “He is good; His love endures forever.”

We might not see such an overt display of God’s glory today, but His glory is still present. In common, everyday and humble things we can see God – if we stop to look. It might require more attention, and the willingness to quell the hurry so that we can stop and look, but it’s still there.

Maybe today, we could see God’s signature in the formation of a flower, or the laughter of a child. Maybe we could see Him in the flash of lightening, the thunder or heavy rain, and the power of the wind. Maybe we could see Him in the warmth of spring sunshine, in the stars in the heavens at night, and in the early morning bird song. Maybe we could see Him in the people around us.

Let us use these things to stimulate grateful praise; a worship that whispers refrains of “God is good; His love endures forever.” Maybe, if we could be still and present long enough, we might find that we too can be inspired into knee-dropping worship. For He is Good!

With gratitude for God’s great love and goodness,
Sharon.

Food is Love

Shobi, Makir and Barzillai “brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils, honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, ‘The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.’” (2 Samuel 17 v 28 – 29).

When each of my parents passed away, there were people who turned up on our doorstep with meals and baking. They took time out of their busy schedules to make and deliver food to us.

It was not, of course, because I was incapable of cooking, or had no food in the house. It was merely because food is one of the ways we speak love, support, sympathy and blessing to people.

What a blessing it was! It was a comfort; I felt loved. It was a help because I didn’t need to think about making meals over that time. Instead, we could concentrate on the task of organizing a funeral, grieving our loss and spending time with visiting relatives.

The men who arrived to minister to David and his company had that effect. They were mindful that the people would be hungry, exhausted and thirsty out in the wilderness. They arrived laden with helpful items and lots of food. This act of love would have refreshed the tired, hungry people with David. It would have been a wonderful boost to their flagging spirits and low morale.

Let us not underestimate the power of simple blessing, shown through food and practical help. It is one of the languages of love.

Appreciative of the love that’s been shown through food in my lifetime,
Sharon.

Power in Weakness

“The LORD said to Gideon, ‘You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, “My own strength has saved me.”’” (Judges 7 v 2).

God works in our weakness. In fact, His most notable work happens when we present ourselves, ready for work; but fully aware that we are weak and ineffective on our own.

This is the story of Gideon and his rag-tag army. There they were, their numbers reduced down to 300, sent out to do battle with an army that resembled a swarm of locusts, because there were so many of them. Not only that, but the 300 Israelites were equipped with bizarre weapons. They had their voices, a trumpet and a torch in a jar.

Here was the brief: 1. Blow the trumpet. 2. Shout – ‘A sword for the LORD and for Gideon’. 3. Break the jar and wave your torch around.

If it were me, I would be thinking: Really? If I shout, they will hear me. If I wave my torch, they will see me. A sword? There is no spare hand for a sword. I have a torch in one hand and a trumpet in the other! How is this going to work?!

We know how this story ends. The 300 Israelites bravely turned up to participate in this lopsided battle. They followed the unusual instructions. God then stepped in and brought about the victory.

In our lives today, the brief is still the same. Be brave and turn up. Proclaim allegiance and trust in God (use our voice, loudly). Let our light shine.

No matter how weak or ineffective we feel ourselves to be, we can be assured: God can work in, through, despite, and because of our weakness. We can also know, that with God rests the victory. We just need to bravely turn up; acknowledging our weakness, and be ready for action.

One day the ultimate victory in the battle with sin, death, weakness, sorrow and evil will happen. I’ve read the final chapter; I know who wins.

Praying we might let God’s power shine in our weakness this week,
Sharon.

Easy Inheritance

“The people of Joseph replied, ‘The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron, both those in Beth Shan and it’s settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.’” Joshua 17 v 16.

It seems the descendants of Joseph wanted their inheritance territory to be larger, and taken over easily.

But it was going to require work. If they wanted bigger territory, they would need to clear the forest from the hills, and they were going to need to persevere in driving out the Canaanites who had iron chariots.

Joshua believed they could do it. “You are numerous and powerful,” he told the tribes of Joseph, “Go and clear the forested hill country, and clear out the Canaanites too. They might be strong, but you can do it.”

I understand the mentality of the people of Joseph. Frequently I start a project or begin a task – especially if it’s something I think God wants me to do; and I expect that it should go easily. A walk in the park, as it were, handed to me on a plate. So when a task more difficult than I anticipate, or if it causes pain or discomfort, I may feel like quitting.

For the tribes of Joseph to establish their inheritance, they were going to need to apply effort, grit, determination and stick-ability – alongside prayer and trust in God, of course.

The encouragement I gain from this story today, is to keep persevering. Don’t let challenges get the better of us. If there is something worthwhile that needs to be done, let us not be disheartened by the ‘iron chariots’ or the need to apply effort in ‘removing a forest’. Let us believe, as Joshua did, that these things can be done with God on our side, and a willingness to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

God bless your week ahead – don’t let the ‘forests’ or ‘iron chariots’ get you down.

Love,
Sharon

In Jericho, Not Of It

“Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, ‘Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.’” Joshua 6 v 22.

At the time Jericho was defeated, Rahab was still living in it. The walls had fallen, and utter destruction was happening right throughout the city. Rahab and her family would have been in their house looking out on chaos. The world, as they knew it, was disintegrating.

All that stood between Rahab, and the fate of the rest of the city, was a scarlet cord which hung from her window. The scarlet cord represented her belief that Israel’s God was mighty, and would ultimately destroy this strong city. The scarlet cord represented a signal to the Israelites, that all who were inside that house were to be saved. The scarlet cord represented Rahab’s willingness to leave behind all the comfort of Jericho (as she had known it), and to live a nomadic existence among a foreign people.

That is what the scarlet cord represented. Meanwhile, she waited inside Jericho until it’s bitter end. In Jericho, but no longer of Jericho.

It is the same for us. When we align ourselves with Jesus, we are covered by the blood of his sacrifice. We are no longer of this world. Sure, we will stay in this world until salvation finally comes, but we are no longer eager participants of its pleasures.

Like Rahab, let us stand firm in the belief that God will bring about his judgement and the destruction of this world in due course. Let us believe that alignment with Jesus, and the blood of his sacrifice, is our means of salvation. Let us be willing to let go of the comfort and pleasure of life in the here and now and to embrace a forever after life in God’s Kingdom, with His people.

Rahab’s story is inspirational. May it motivate us to live life, knowing that we are in ‘Jericho’ temporarily, but another – better – life is coming soon.

God bless your week,

Love,
Sharon

Cause of Death: Grumbling

“But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!’” Numbers 21 v 4-5.

I am amazed at how much and how easily I grumble. Much of it can seem minor and innocuous, like a negative comment about the weather. Other times it’s more significant, as when I vocalise my unhappiness about a situation I find myself in – or a negative comment about the ‘hand’ I’ve been dealt.

God hates grumbling. Our readings through Exodus and Numbers have shown this very clearly. The people grumble – usually against Moses, and God becomes angry with them. If a death certificate were to be written for those who died in the wilderness, the majority of them would have to say: Cause of Death: Grumbling.

Grumbling has the effect of making God look like He’s ineffective, has no power, control or interest in the situation we are encountering. Or it makes Him look like a God who has bad intentions for His people; a God who has ‘brought us out into the wilderness to die.’

How different things might have looked for the Israelites if they had applied a Philippians 4 v 6 approach to their concerns: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

How different the outcome might have been if they had prayed instead of grumbled. “Oh Lord, please help us with our food and water situation. Thank you for what you have already given us, please continue to provide. We believe you have a great future planned for us, and we thank you for the great miracles that have got us to this point. This wilderness journey can seem challenging, but you are a mighty God, and we trust you are in control.”

Let us not fall into the same hole that they did. Instead of grumbling, let us apply Philippians 4 v 6 to our worries, problems and difficulties. May we present our requests to God, and be thankful.

With love,
Sharon.

Guide To Being a Great Neighbour

“‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’ The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’ Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’” Luke 10 v 36-37.

Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan gives us some great insight into what a ‘neighbour’ should look like.

• A great neighbour will be prepared to interrupt their own agenda or schedule to help another person. The Samaritan man would have been busy about his own business when he came across the wounded man, yet he was willing to inconvenience his own plans to aid someone else. His to-do list was of secondary importance to another’s need.
• A great neighbour does not discount their ability or willingness to serve other people’s needs on the basis of race, different religion, or the magnitude of the ‘mess’ the other person is in.
• A great neighbour is moved by compassion more than rules or regulations (unlike the actions of the priest and Levite.)
• A great neighbour will be prepared to go to personal expense of both time and money to meet the need of another.
• A great neighbour will go the extra mile to follow through a need to completion. The Samaritan not only paid for the initial treatment, he promised to come back and pay whatever else might be outstanding.
• A great neighbour lives life with eyes open to opportunity and is observant. They say ‘yes’ to whoever God might bring their way – to bless, to invest their time in, and to care for.

I don’t know about you, but I know for myself that I have a lot of room for improvement in all of the above. Much of what the Samaritan did for the wounded man would make me feel uncomfortable and inconvenienced. Yet Jesus leaves us with this challenge: Go and do likewise!

May we be willing to live this week with our eyes and hearts open to reaching into other people’s lives in a good Samaritan way.

God bless your week,
Love,
Sharon.

Be Still

“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” (Psalm 46 v 10).

I decided to embrace the opportunity to have a ‘be still’ morning. It’s actually not an easy thing to do. My natural tendency is towards ‘doing.’ I look for fulfilment by doing. I find distraction in doing. I find relief from potential boredom by doing. I look for entertainment by doing. I seek worth and identity in doing.

I was humbled to find that doing and busyness were for me, not just about needful activity, but were a state I preferred over ‘being still.’

So to spend a morning in resisting the urge to ‘do’ was not an easy task.

God says that the best way to know that He is God is to be. To be still. This goes beyond sitting and doing nothing. It’s not about being lazy. It’s sitting with the intention to be present with God, to listen to God, to communicate with God, and to praise Him for His greatness.

This Saturday morning became a rare ‘be still’ moment for me. I spent unhurried time reading His Word. I sang songs of praise. I expressed gratitude, I prayed God’s blessing to be with my loved ones and friends. I was more mindful about what I was eating, and I read a chapter or two from an encouraging book.

There was certainly value in the ‘be still’ morning. It put aside the clamour, clutter and mindless busyness I usually have, and allowed me concentrated time being present with God.

If this is the best way to know that He is God, let us not be afraid of engaging in regular be still moments. May it help to anchor us to what is important, and to keep us connected to the One who gifted us with life.

Take a moment to be still, friend, and know that God is God.

Love,
Sharon.

Keep the Lamps Burning

“Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning.” Exodus 27 v 20.

The priest’s task was to keep the lamps burning – requiring somebody to stay awake through the night to make sure this happened. To aid them with this task, the rest of the Israelites had to make sure they were kept supplied with the necessary oil.

It reminds me of the parable of the 10 virgins. In the parable, the virgins all slumbered and slept. Their lamps went out. The saving factor for five of those virgins was that they had extra oil on hand, so they at least they had hope of getting their lamps reignited.

It is important for us to keep our lamps burning – to be a light for the world around us, to let our light shine so that others can see Jesus through us. It is equally important to keep up with our ‘oil’ supply so that our light can stay burning.

I have to admit that sometimes my oil supply is running a bit dry. I haven’t spent sufficient time in the Word, or with the Lord in prayer to keep my oil supply renewed. I haven’t had sufficient rest or quiet time, so my oil is murky and sluggish. I get too busy or distracted so that I let my oil supply run low.

May I encourage you to nurture your oil supply this week. What do you need to help yourself in this way? More time in God’s Word? Quiet time with God? Rest? Unplugged and unhurried moments? Encouragement and motivation?

Let’s do whatever it is that helps keep our oil supplied so that our lamps can keep burning through the night time of this world. While we’re at it, let’s also remember how the Israelites helped keep the priests supplied with oil, and help and encourage others with their oil maintenance.

God bless your week,
Love Sharon.

Fear of Change

“They said to Moses, ‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians?’ It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!’” (Exodus 14 v 11-12).

Often, the old way of things (despite how uncomfortable or bad it is), seems better than the uncertainty, fear and difficulties associated with a new way. Sometimes we pass up on the opportunity of change because it feels more comfortable and predictable to stay in the status quo.

That was how it was for the Israelites as they left Egypt. As awful as life back in Egypt was for them, their old life seemed the far more appealing option to what they were seeing of their new future. The new life looked precarious, and they were understandably fearful.

For us to embrace change, we are going to need to let go of human understanding, and let God be in control. That is not easy – especially if it looks like it’s all going wrong from the outset!

My prayer today is that we come to embrace any God-prompted change in our lives with courage, tenacity, perseverance, prayer and trust.

God be with you,
Love Sharon.

From Bad to Worse

“… and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.” Exodus 6 v 6-7.

What had started out looking like redemption had turned to dust and ashes in the Israelites’ mouths. Moses had arrived in Egypt with the message that they were going to be freed from slavery, and were about to leave Egypt. The Israelites welcomed him and his message gladly.

But then everything went pear-shaped. Pharoah resented Moses’ request that he allow the Israelites to leave Egypt and made life a whole heap harder for them. Because of this, the Israelites now resented Moses too.

Poor Moses was very confused. He had obeyed God’s commission (against his own better judgement that he wasn’t up to the job), had presented himself to Pharoah with his request; and now everything had gone from bad to worse.

But God was still in control. He had purpose in this turn of events. Moses needed to know that it would be in God’s strength, and not by something that Moses could do, that Israel would leave Egypt. Israel needed to know that the LORD was a powerful God who would redeem them. Pharoah needed to learn that the LORD is God – the only One; and Don’t Mess With Him!

Sometimes we can find ourselves in a similar situation. We follow through on the direction we believe God wants us to go, and then life gets a whole lot harder. We can feel confused about what’s going on. Let’s take encouragement from this story, and remember that if we are working in God’s will, then He will bring about victory – in His strength not ours – because He is a powerful God. May we not let our set-backs completely immobilise us, but let us go forward prayerfully in God’s strength and timing.

God bless life’s journey of your year ahead,

Love Sharon.

Follow the Star

“After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.” Matthew 2 v 9

The Magi got off to a bit of a false start.

They had been excited to see the arrival of the special star that proclaimed the birth of the Messiah. They wanted to see the new born King, and to go and worship him. But for whatever reason, they went first to Herod to get direction to find the baby.

Herod, of course, was disturbed to hear that a new King had been born. He pretended he wanted to go and worship the Messiah also, and sent the Magi off to Bethlehem to search for the child there – with instructions to return and tell him where the child was.

The Magi left Herod and went on their way. The star they had seen when it first appeared manifested itself again; this time to point them in the direction they should go. It kept moving ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the baby lay. The Magi were overjoyed!

The encouragement I get from this account, is that Jesus will always be found by those who diligently seek him. Despite the unfortunate start to their quest, the Magi were still able to find the Messiah. The star led the way.

Let us keep diligently seeking our Lord. Even when we lose sight or encounter wrong direction, let us never give up. He will always be found by those who genuinely want to find him.

May God bless you richly as another year draws to its close. May 2025 bring us ever closer to the return of our Lord Jesus!

Love,
Sharon

Christ’s Glory

“He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his mighton the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marvelled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.” (2 Thessalonians 1 v 8 – 10).

What particularly caught my attention from this passage was the majesty of Christ’s glory. There must be something really awesome about his physical presence and the glory of his might; to the extent that those who are excluded from it will be devastated.

For those who are included, there must be an amazing joy, a sense of awe and an encompassing feeling of elation. They are there to marvel at Jesus’ glory, and to experience the blessing of his presence. What adoration must fill each heart!

If this is going to be such a significant factor of God’s Kingdom, then there are some things to consider as we look forward to this event happening. The eleventh verse of this chapter tells us that Paul is constantly praying for the believers, that God would make them worthy of His calling. This is something we can do also: to pray for each other, that we all may be worthy of God’s calling, and part of Christ’s glory. And let’s consider how we can live lives that are focused on Christ’s glory and his presence right now. What might that look like in our everyday lives?

Christ is coming back. His glory will be magnificent – we will be awed! His presence will be incredible – we won’t want to be anywhere else. We won’t want to miss out. May we be there, along with all his holy people, to praise and honour his glory. Amen!

Love Sharon.

Uncertainty

“When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.” Acts 27 v 20.

Sometimes life seems uncertain or frightening and we feel helpless. Sometimes we can’t see our way forward; and answers to our prayer for an outcome seem elusive. Sometimes God is not forthcoming about how a certain situation might turn out.

It appears that this was the scenario at play in the drama at sea that Paul and company were experiencing. Many days of raging storm had left those on board without any hope of being saved. Even Paul, it seems, had been left without instruction or assurance of the outcome in that particular moment. In fact, it seems it was a while after they had given up hope of being saved that Paul eventually got some assurance from an angel who visited him during the night to tell him that no lives would be lost.

God does not always make the way ahead clear or discernible – not for Paul, or for us. Sometimes, we have to just be still in that moment, and reflect that God is good, and He is powerful. He has made promises, and He assures us of a future. He will work all things together for good.

Sometimes He sends a miracle at the time when things seem most hopeless. Other times we have to hold on through the tough moments, holding on to the assurances of hope for a future that the Scriptures have promised.

Let us keep reminding ourselves of the promise and assurance that God has placed in His Word, so that when life seems hard or unclear; with no seeming way out of the storm – we still have a lifeline of hope.

With gratitude for the hope we have,

Sharon.

Praise Therapy

Psalm 145

Dry and disconnected. Those were the words that described how I was feeling. The ‘water’ of my soul had become sluggish during this last year of stress, loss and busyness. The worries and cares of this life were robbing me of vitality and a deep meaningful connection with God.

Psalm 145 was just the pick-me-up I needed for this moment. It’s a Psalm of praise.

Let’s take a moment together to count the praise-worthiness of God, and infuse our day with some inspiring praise!

• God’s greatness, no one can fathom.
• He does mighty acts and wonderful works.
• He is glorious in splendour and majesty.
• He has abundant goodness.
• He is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
• He is good to all, and has compassion on all He has made.
• He has a glorious kingdom, and an enduring dominion.
• He is trustworthy in His promises.
• He upholds all who fall, and lifts those who are bowed down.
• He supplies food for all at the proper time.
• He satisfies the desires of all living things.
• He is righteous and faithful.
• He is near to all who call on Him in truth.
• He hears the cry of those that fear Him and fulfils their desires.
• He watches over all who love Him.

The Psalmist encourages us to respond to God’s greatness by praising His Holy Name. He encourages us to speak of God’s works and splendour to other people. He encourages us to celebrate God’s goodness with joy.

Praise therapy. That’s just what I need! I am confident that if I spend time doing what the Psalmist recommends, that my dry sluggish soul will be refreshed and renewed.

Let us celebrate God’s goodness today by praising Him.

Love Sharon.

Identity Assurance

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” John 13 v 3-5

Jesus had a strong sense of identity and purpose. That strong sense of identity did not make him puffed up, remote and proud. Rather, it prompted his actions; because his purpose in life was tied up inextricably with his identity.

A strong sense of identity and purpose is important for us too. Our identity is as a loved child of God. This means we have access to forgiveness, and to be made new. That in turn means we have hope for the future – an assurance of eternal life. This opens our lives up to mission and purpose. Identity assurance helps us live a life of service as Jesus did, with gratitude for what we’ve been called to be and do.

I find that when I remind myself of my identity, as a loved child of God, service and purpose comes so much more easily. It flows out of a different place. Outside of that, my service comes out of a sense of obligation – often with resentment attached! I’ve heard that scenario described as an attitude of “Must I?”

Identity assurance helps us have an attitude adjustment, so that our response can be “May I?”, rather than “Must I?!”

Let’s remind ourselves today: we are loved children of God. We have a hope, a future, a mission and a purpose. With gratitude, let us rise up to give service with a smile; because we know Who we are and where we are going.

Abundant Giving

“Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.” (Luke 6 v 30).

Quite a few years ago, our neighbours sent their children to our house to ask for some lemons from our tree. We told them they were welcome to help themselves. A while later, we were dismayed to find that they had stripped the tree of every lemon – even the green ones.

We started out feeling good about our neighbourly sharing. But when our neighbours overstepped the unspoken rule of etiquette, we felt indignant.

Jesus’ instruction to give to those who ask of us usually has a capped limit in our minds. It certainly did for us with our lemons. It’s even harder when it comes to not demanding back what has been taken from us, (and yes, we did ask for some of our lemons back!).

Jesus is asking us to set aside the rule of etiquette and embrace the rule of abundant gracious giving. Expecting nothing back. It’s certainly not easy to do, as we found. Yet that is what he has done for us. He gave of himself – even of his life, so that when we ask for forgiveness, it will be given. He gave of himself with abundance and grace. This is the highest form of love.

May the knowledge of Jesus’ abundant giving inspire us to live with a greater willingness to also give abundantly.

With love,
Sharon.

THE PRAYERS OF MANY

“He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favour granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” (2 Corinthians 1 v 10 – 11.)

Paul and companions had been experiencing a deadly peril. Their endurance was tested beyond their own personal abilities. They despaired of life itself. Yet, by God’s grace and mercy, they were delivered; and Paul was confident that they would be delivered again.

Paul noted that one of the key factors in their deliverance was the prayers of many. Many people were standing together, united in their petition, praying for Paul and his companions. Paul and company were being lifted up in heartfelt and earnest prayer by many people who loved and cared for them.

Why is it so important that a large number of people pray? It’s not that God won’t respond to us on the strength of an individual’s prayer. But wow, the ripple effect of collective prayer is amazing! Paul indicates that when more people pray about the plight of others, the more people will also offer prayers of thanks for the way in which God works in the situation. The more people that pray, the more people are invested in the outcome; and the more who are invested in the outcome means there are more to offer gratitude for God’s mercies. Our faith is strengthened through being invested in prayer for others.

Currently, our ecclesia is praying for a brother and sister who are in a lot of peril in another country. We are invested in their story. We are praying for their deliverance. We praise and thank God for the mercies and miracles they have experienced so far. A greater petition comes through more people who pray. Then there can be greater praise and gratitude; and greater opportunity for faith to grow in many more people.

Let us keep praying for others! Let’s give thanks!

May God bless your day,

Love Sharon.

Faith Like Bartimaeus

“What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him. The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see.’” (Mark 10 v 51.)

I’m impressed by the persistence and single-minded pursuit for healing that Bartimaeus had. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, Bartimaeus knew that Jesus man could heal him of his blindness. He did not waver in his conviction and determination to get Jesus’ attention. Despite the fact that the crowd was trying to suppress his efforts, he did not give up. He cried all the louder. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” Bartimaeus was humble. He knew he needed the mercy of Jesus to become well.

At the call of Jesus, Bartimaeus cast his cloak aside in his eagerness to get to Jesus. Nothing was going to hinder him.

So far nothing had kept Bartimaeus from his mission. But there was one more step in the process. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. That was the moment Bartimaeus was given the chance to name what he wanted; and he didn’t hesitate to say what he wanted was his sight.

This was a significant and life changing moment for Bartimaeus. To have his sight restored would mean a completely different life-style for him. No longer would he be able to beg for food. He would have to learn a new skill or trade to be able to support himself. There would be much to learn. Major changes were ahead of him; and I don’t imagine it would be easy! It was going to take hard work to establish a new life and a means of providing for himself.

Bartimaeus’ faith is inspiring. He believed. He pursued. He was humble enough to ask for help. And he was not afraid of the hard work that would be ahead of him once he was no longer blind.

Would I have the same sense of conviction to follow through as Bartimaeus did? That is certainly something to think about!

In awe of Bartimaeus’ faith,

Sharon.

Easy Yoke, Light Burden.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11 v 29-30.

I’ve recently concluded another week in an overtired, overwhelmed, grumpy state. Again! It seems to happen quite frequently.

It’s caused me to think more deeply about Jesus’ invitation to come to him and find rest; to take on his yoke, because it’s easy and his burden is light. What does that look like? I’m fairly sure it shouldn’t look overwhelmed and grumpy! If that is how I end up feeling, then I suspect something is wrong with the fit of my yoke.

Sometimes, I make the burden heavier than what it need be. But fortunately, there are practices that can be implemented to help make Jesus’ burden feel as light as he promised it can be.

• Watch the attitude. Attitudes can make us feel really heavy. When I speak words like “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” it helps a lot. When I speak words of joy about the task or service I am doing, it makes it so much more palatable.
• Ask for help. I recently watched my daughter single-handedly organize an event for the youth group. She did it really well, but towards the end it became obvious that she was going to need some extra help. When she made that phone call, extra hands arrived to help, and the task was achieved successfully in the time it needed to be done by. Many hands make light work, they say. Sometimes an extra pair of hands is just what we need to achieve the end goal.
• Ask the Lord. Maybe the burden which I’m attempting to shoulder is not one I’m supposed to have. I suspect I take burdens upon myself which are unnecessary at times. If I take on only Christ’s burden, then I can believe that he will help me with it.
• Live in the moment. One burden at a time. My husband regularly reminds me of this. I have a bad habit of hanging the washing (or whatever I’m doing) while my mind is racing on to all the other dreaded things on my to-do list. It creates a sense of hurry and stress.
• Remember the rhythm of rest. It’s necessary to spend time at the feet of Jesus to be able to absorb his peace, strength and wisdom. And to be able to hand over any weariness and worry.

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened,” Jesus says, “And I will give you rest.”

So, here I am, trying to lean more into a lighter sense of burden, and a better fitting yoke; and to learn what that looks like!

Blessings,
Sharon.

Words That Acquit

“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12 v 36 – 37.

Our daughter has been travelling quite a bit recently. This has given her the opportunity to stay with a number of different families. I felt so encouraged by her comment of what she had noticed about one of the families she had stayed with. Over the four days she was staying with them, she was impressed by their words. They only spoke positive words, she said; and never spoke anything negative about anyone. What a tribute! I found that really inspiring.

Jesus said that words are important. We will have to give account of every empty word we have spoken.

Our words can be used to condemn or praise. Our words can be used to grumble or give thanks. Our words can be idle and thoughtless, or mindful and measured. Our words can be sharp and angry, or quiet and peace-inducing. Our words can encourage, or discourage. Our words can be used to speak truth or promote lie.

This theme is taken a step further in the book of James. He tells us that we are so fickle that we can produce both types of words in any given day. We praise and we curse (sometimes all within the same sentence!) He goes on to say that anyone who can control their tongue, is able to keep their whole body in check. Wow!

So I’m feeling inspired this week to become more aware of my words. Would you like to join me? I pray the Lord’s help to speak measured thought-filled words. To speak less, if necessary. And I pray for the courage to use more of the words that have the power to acquit: “I am sorry. I was wrong. Please forgive me.”

God bless you,
Love Sharon.

Hope for Laodiceans.

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.” Revelation 3 v 19

The opening lines of the letter written to the members of the Laodicean church were uncomplimentary, to say the least.

“You are neither hot or cold. You are lukewarm (which is disgusting!). I’m about to spit you out of my mouth.”
“You are wealthy, and lacking nothing. But you don’t realise that your reliance on material wealth has made you wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked!”

This is a harsh critique from the Lord Jesus. It makes me feel uncomfortable, because I realise how easily this could describe me. I too live comfortably, with no lack of material possessions; on which I rely a little too much.
I too can fall prey to living a lukewarm faith.

However, I was heartened by the concluding lines of the letter. There is hope, it seems, even for lukewarm Laodiceans.

Here is the antidote:

• Redirect energy into buying lasting wealth – gold refined in fire.
• Recognise rebuke and discipline as a sign of God’s love.
• Repent!
• Answer the door. Jesus is knocking, and wants to come in to share a meal and beautiful fellowship together. He wants a close relationship.
• To the one who is victorious in overcoming lukewarm tendencies, Jesus will give the right to sit with him on his throne.

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Let’s listen and take note!

With gratitude to all those who help and inspire me to grow a faith that is hot,

Sharon.

Living (un)Comfortably

“For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come” Hebrews 13 v 14.

Robert and I were having a discussion with a young couple about challenges to faith. What factors contributed to people being unwilling to adopt a faith-based life, we asked? The young couple immediately identified materialism as one of the biggest enemies of faith. It made life too comfortable; and caused people to feel less inclined to need God.

Robert agreed. He shared a story of a preaching campaign, where a group of people went door knocking to invite the public to come and attend some Bible seminars. One person engaged the door-knockers in conversation: “See this house?” he said. “See this boat, and this car? I’ve got everything I need. I don’t need your God!”

I have noticed an entirely opposite scenario when reading through the latter part of the book of Hebrews recently. It’s made me feel uncomfortable, because I realise just how comfortably I also am attached to material things.

Our Biblical predecessors chose to endure much hardship – living uncomfortably – with joy and acceptance. Exposed to public insult and persecution. Standing alongside others who were so treated. Suffering along with those in prison. Joyfully accepting the confiscation of property. Some chose to live a nomadic lifestyle in tents. Others had to wander in deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the ground. They did this, because they had their eyes fixed on a better life and an enduring place that was yet to come.

All of that stands in stark contrast to the things that often occupy my time and thoughts. I am often preoccupied about how I can improve on the home and lifestyle that I currently have. It’s made for sobering thinking: Would I be prepared to give up what I have, if that was required of me? With joy?!

I wish there were an easy answer to the insidious problem of being too attached to the material things of this life. I don’t have one. But maybe a good place to start is with awareness of the problem. It’s important to be grateful for what we have been given now, but keep it in perspective. Let us keep sight of the fact that there is something even Better in the future! Above all, let us keep praying that we might keep our faith – and share our faith – no matter what difficulties might lie ahead.

Feeling thought provoked by reliance on material comforts,
Sharon.

Elevated Thinking

“Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest” Hebrews 3 v 1.

I love the concept of this instruction – ‘fix your thoughts on Jesus.’ However, I must admit I don’t do it very often or consistently. Many urgent, worried, unimportant, emotional, mundane, unhelpful – even sinful – thoughts occupy my brain on a day-to-day basis. Fixing my thoughts on Christ is often only a fleeting event.

So today, I’m going to take a few extra moments to fix my thoughts on Jesus. I’ve just started reading the book of Hebrews, and those early chapters are a great place to start.

The Lord Jesus is the Son and heir of all things. He exactly represents God, and is the radiance of His glory. He was once made lower than the angels, but is now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death. Through his death, many sons and daughters are brought to glory, and he is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters – what a privilege!

He shared our humanity, so that through his death the power of death may be broken. All of us who are enslaved by the fear of death have been set free because of his selfless act.

He was made fully like us – tempted in every way, so that he can empathise with our weaknesses. He can help us when we are tempted. Unlike us, he did not sin, so is fully qualified to be a merciful and faithful high priest. He now lives forever, and is able to save completely those who come to God through him. He intercedes for us. He truly meets our needs, because he is holy, blameless, pure and set apart. (Hebrews 1 v 2, 3.  2 v 9, 10, 11, 14, 17, 18.  4 v 14-16.  7 v 25-26.)

What beautiful, uplifting and elevating thoughts to fill my mind with today. I encourage you to do the same. In fact, I challenge you to go further, and see how many more amazing thoughts about our Lord Jesus you can pursue. I would love to hear and be encouraged by them! Let me know your thoughts by emailing me: sharon@thinkythings.com.

Feeling inspired and uplifted today, by thinking about my wonderful Lord Jesus,

Sharon.

Faith Encouragement

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?”  (1 Thessalonian 3 v 7 – 9).

I received a moment of encouragement this week, similar to what Paul describes in the verses above.

I had the opportunity to help out at a ‘Learn English through the Bible’ class. It was my first time. During the interactive part of the class, I was able to hear some of the story and background of the person sitting next to me. It became obvious through our conversation that she was already a person of faith, and had some remarkable stories to share. At the end of our time together, she offered to pray (in her own language) for my husband Robert who is affected with Chronic Fatigue. I was touched by her thoughtfulness. I was also incredibly refreshed by the story she had shared with me of her faith journey.

Paul was in need of some encouragement. He was concerned about the Thessalonian believers, at a time when he was encountering distress because of persecution and hardships. When word came from Timothy that the Thessalonian believers were standing firm in their faith, he was encouraged and uplifted. He felt enlivened, and his joy was renewed with this news.

What deep encouragement can be experienced through hearing somebody’s faith story! It is so motivating and inspiring. When we observe somebody living a joy-filled faith-based life, despite their difficulties, we stand in awe. Their faith helps to renew our own faith.

Let us not underestimate how much valuable encouragement we can get from each other’s faith stories. Let us give that encouragement to somebody else; and may we also be inspired by those  who share their faith walk with us.

Feeling encouraged by the faith stories I’ve heard this week,
Sharon.

Live Your Story

“Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me” (John 21 v 22.)

I have been reflecting on Jesus’ words to Peter recently. The dialogue between Jesus and Peter had begun with Jesus asking Peter if he loved him. It had concluded with Peter asking Jesus: “What about John?” Jesus did not answer that question in quite the way Peter was expecting. Instead, Jesus redirected the question by saying, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

It’s hard to know from the script whether Peter really understood what Jesus was telling him, because after that conversation a rumour began that John wasn’t going to die.

What Jesus was actually saying to Peter was: “John’s story is his story, not yours. It’s not your business what John’s story looks like. My mission for you is for you to follow me. That’s your story, and what you need to focus on.”

I often need to be reminded of that too. It’s common for me to look at somebody else’s life and wonder why their life seems either easier, or maybe more challenging, than mine. I can be envious of other people’s talents or achievements. I can readily fall into an unhappy spiral of comparison.

So I take Jesus’ words to Peter, and remind myself of the significance of them. I imagine Jesus saying to me: “Sharon, live your story. Courageously live out the mission I have given you. Another person’s story is not for you to question or understand. That is their story. You must follow me!”

Encouraging you also to live your story courageously.

Love,
Sharon.

Dwelling

Psalm 23 v 6
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Goodness and mercy – what a beautiful combination to have follow me all my life.

The Lord, my shepherd, is Goodness Himself. For the sake of His name He will do nothing less than provide what is right and good for His little ones. Everything He does is good.
I pause and consider: If I am followed by goodness all my life, should I be viewing the ‘bad’ things differently? Those things that I dislike – the painful, the uncomfortable, the things I disdain – even these the good shepherd can use to form the basis of something good.
May we all have our eyes opened to perceive goodness, in all it’s forms, following us all our lives.

Mercy is something I constantly need. When weakness, waywardness and foolishness take me off track, I rely on His good mercy to bring me back and restore me. Mercy offers a reprieve from the punishment I deserve. His love, compassion and forgiveness are great.

May we always be awed by the great mercy we are shown all the days of our lives; and never take for granted the depth of sacrifice that this process has taken to achieve.

Where shall I dwell? The Lord’s house is the best place to dwell. It is safe. It is good. His presence is there, providing intimate fellowship. The Lord’s house is a place of worship, a place of rest, a place of service, a place of joy and companionship.
May we always desire to be in the Lord’s house, following His house rules and obeying His instructions. May we choose to be in the company of His other little ones, encouraging one another to draw close day by day to the Lord, our shepherd.

Praise to the Lord for His wonderful gifts. The Lord is our shepherd, we shall not be in want. Hallelujah! Amen.

May we be uplifted and sustained as we dwell with the Lord this week,

Love Sharon.

A Feast

Psalm 23 v 5
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

The Lord, my shepherd, prepares a feast of good things. He has offered me a place at the table He has prepared. There is abundance. My cup overflows with His generous provision.

Food and fellowship go hand in hand. At this table, there is sweet fellowship between the One who provides and the one who participates in the feast. At this table, enemies cannot hurt me. In the presence of the shepherd, enemies are powerless to cause harm. Surely it is good to have a place at this table.

In addition to the abundance of good food, my head is anointed with oil. Traditionally, oil was used for anointing to proclaim an elevation in status, as it was with David being anointed king. Or it was used for medicinal purposes for those who were sick or injured. I am awed by the implication of this oil: the sickness of sin in my life has been anointed and cleansed with healing oil; and I am offered the elevated status of being known as a daughter of God. Praise be to God for this amazing gift!

May my heart be filled with anticipation and joy as I look forward to the Feast of all feasts that will be shared in God’s Kingdom. This feast is the ultimate picture of fellowship, peace and joy. No more sorrow, no more pain. The biggest enemy – sin – is silenced, and has no place at this feast.
What a blessing!

May we be filled with wonder and awe at the invitation to be participants in the feast our Lord has prepared for us.

Love Sharon.

Valley of Shadow

Psalm 23 v 4
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.”

The Lord, my shepherd, has made me lie down in green pastures, He has led me by still waters, and He has led me in the paths of righteousness.
He has not made me walk through the valley of shadow; yet that is where I go from time to time.
One thing is certain about life: everyone will log some time in the valley of shadow sooner or later.

Sometimes I am in the valley of shadow because of waywardness and foolish choices. My stubborn will can resist the will of my shepherd. The lure of an easier life, the false promise of greater happiness, and the temptation to live a self-centred life beckon me into the valley of shadow. It may seem great for a while, but somewhere in this journey of self-gratification I taste the disappointment of disillusionment. I find it really is the valley that leads to death.
Yet even then, I find that my shepherd is still there; encouraging me to change direction and follow Him back to the path of righteousness.

Other times I find myself in the valley of shadow through no choice of my making. Loss, sickness, hardship, accident and life challenges. In these times, the valley of shadow can seem a dark and fearful place. A place of death and sadness.
Even so – especially in these moments – if I look carefully, I will find my shepherd is still there, walking that dark valley alongside me. He’s there, comforting, holding and reassuring. He tells me I need not fear.
Often I will find that His presence and comfort will come in the form of another person. Someone who is gives of themselves with a willing heart to be His hands and feet of compassion and support.

Each time I find myself in the valley of shadow, I must remember to keep looking and watching for the presence of my shepherd. He will be there, with repeated instruction to “fear not”. He will be there with His rod and staff – instruments used to guide, encourage, pull back or discipline.
I need to see the rod and staff as necessary implements of comfort and direction. They will aid me in the journey through the valley of shadow.

Yes, we will all spend some time during our lifetime in the valley of shadow. May we fear no evil.

With warmth and empathetic love for all who are experiencing the valley of shadow right now,

Sharon.

Righteous Paths

Psalm 23 v 3
“He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

With regret I leave behind the green pastures and still waters. My shepherd knows it’s time for the sheep to move. He leads His sheep along the righteous pathway. It is the best way; and my shepherd only does what is best for His flock. He is a righteous shepherd. For the sake of His holy name, He will always lead His sheep on righteous paths.

The righteous paths don’t always seem pleasant to me. Sometimes I resist them; they can seem steep, narrow and restrictive. It requires effort to keep climbing the path of righteousness. Sometimes I look longingly at the broad downhill path. That path looks easy. But my shepherd knows that the broad downhill path leads to destruction, and that is not where He wants His sheep to end up.

So together we keep climbing the uphill righteous pathway. As we go our shepherd teaches us all we need to know. He instructs us as to what is the best kind of food, and where to find it. He tells us of eternal things; all that we need to know to take us to our ultimate destination. He cautions us about the dangers out there, and why we need to stay close to Him. We discover that the righteous path is the best one. Not easy, but good. Our shepherd is so good. He only wants what is right and good for His flock.

I ask myself: Where do I resist the righteous path in my life? What prevents me from following my shepherd wholeheartedly along the paths of righteousness?

Let us bravely follow our shepherd along the righteous path through the next week.

With love,
Sharon.

Green Pastures and Still Waters

Psalm 23 v 2 – 3.
“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.”

I love the place of green pastures and quiet waters. Here I am well fed, and my soul thirst is quenched. I am refreshed and satisfied. In this place, I feel safe and comfortable. The food is wholesome and nourishing; the water is cool and sweet.

My senses are filled with the beauty of the green pasture and the quiet stream. It is good, and all is well with my soul.

I picture the shepherd singing as he watches his flock. The shepherd is watchful but relaxed. Everything about him proclaims that he is in control, but not hurried. He knows he has brought his flock to a good place, where they can be nourished and refreshed. It is a place where a little sheep can lie down without fear, trusting the watchful eye of the shepherd. I love this beautiful place.

I ask myself:
Do I take time each day to be nourished and refreshed by God’s Word? It is my soul food after all.
Do I spend time each day interacting with my Shepherd in prayer?

In these practices my soul is refreshed and restored.

May we find rest and restoration in green pastures and by quiet waters this week.

With love,
Sharon.

The Lord Is My Shepherd

Psalm 23 v 1
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

The Lord is the Shepherd. I am a sheep.

Because He is the shepherd, He is in control. He determines the going out and the coming in of His flock.

The Shepherd’s job is to direct, protect and correct His sheep. He has their best interests at heart. He watches over them; He does not want to lose any.

He knows His sheep by name. He knows each individual personality and idiosyncrasy; and He shepherds them accordingly. He knows what is best for them. He has a heart of compassion and care for His sheep.

He wants His sheep to grow healthy and strong – He provides the right environment for that to happen. His sheep lack nothing.

The Shepherd calls to His sheep. It’s crucial that the sheep hear His call and respond. There is much danger out there for a little one, so His sheep need to learn to trust the direction and discernment of their shepherd.

The Shepherd loves His sheep. He is firm, and will discipline where necessary. He is compassionate and patient with the many moments of folly that His sheep fall into. He speaks to them – sometimes softly and soothingly; sometimes with rebuke or warning.

The Lord is my shepherd. So I ask myself: do I trust Him? Am I listening for His voice? Am I responding to His call? Am I an obedient sheep? Am I submitting to His shepherding ways? Do I love my shepherd, as He loves me?

May we all learn be responsive and obedient to our beloved Shepherd.

Love Sharon.

Who Owns the Vineyard?

Mark 12 v 1
“Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: ‘A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place.’”

Jesus goes on in this parable to describe how the owner of the vineyard sent servants to the tenants to collect some fruit from his vineyard. But one by one the tenants mistreated, abused and even killed the servants that had been sent. Finally he sent his son. “Surely they will respect my son…”, he thought.

But the tenants saw this as an opportunity to gain the inheritance of the vineyard, so they killed his son.

I’ve been contemplating this parable from a personal perspective. It’s been extremely eye opening.

I thought of myself – my life – as the vineyard. A crop has been planted, and fruit is expected. God has put a wall and watchtower in place to protect the produce. He has put a winepress in to extract wine from the fruit. It has everything in place to be a fruitful and productive life.

So if God is the owner and planter of this ‘vineyard’, I am merely a tenant. I’ve been asking myself,  am I acting as a responsible tenant, or am I acting as the owner? Am I the one trying to control my life? Am I making decisions based on what I want? Am I disregarding the rightful owner, and pushing aside His Son because I’m taking control?

Am I acting as tenant of my life, or the owner?

The uncomfortable conclusion I came to, is that far too often I am acting as the owner. I want control. I want to make choices based on what is comfortable for me, rather than what is going to produce the most fruit.

Having had a glimpse at how easy it is to take ownership rather than being a mere tenant, I now pray that I can have the courage to relinquish the control that should never have been mine. It’s exhausting maintaining that sort of control anyway!

I encourage you to think about your own life too. Are you a tenant or owner?

Let’s all make a concerted effort to step back into the role of a responsible tenant, and let God be the rightful owner. He is the one who has the right to our ‘vineyard’s’ fruit.

Trying daily to release my right to control,

Love Sharon.

Climbing the mountain

Mark 3 v 13 “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.”

I had opportunity to climb a mountain recently. Actually, it was more like a steep hill. It didn’t take that long to walk the loop track, but it was plenty steep enough for me to be huffing and puffing; and my heart pounding hard in my chest. At one point near the top, we stopped at the lookout platform. The views from that vantage point were expansive, enabling us to see a vast sweep of countryside below. The air up through the bush track was sweet and clean.

Was it worth the exertion to climb the hill? Were the views, the sweet air and the beautiful bush worth the heart pounding effort? It certainly was, and I would do it again.

I had not particularly noticed from the Mark record before, that Jesus went up a mountain, and called those he wanted to come to him. From this vantage point, away from the distractions of life below, he appointed his special twelve, designating them to be apostles.

Those that he called were prepared to take on the exertion of climbing the mountain to go to him.

Answering the call of Jesus often requires effort and exertion for all of us. Living the Christ-life can seem somewhat akin to climbing a mountain at times. He hasn’t called us to an armchair religion! We need to do the hard yards. Sometimes that effort can seem too hard, and we might feel like we will never reach the top.

My encouragement from all of this, is to answer Jesus call to follow him – and to keep climbing. One foot after another. Don’t give up. Climb that mountain with others, like the disciples did together – it’s far easier to climb when it’s done in community.

The heart-pounding effort will all have been worthwhile when we reach the top and see the amazing views that we would have missed out on if we had not climbed the mountain. When we look down at the hurrying world below, we will see with fresh eyes and perspective that following the call of Jesus is definitely well worth the climb.

So I’m inviting you to keep climbing the mountain with me to answer the timeless call of Jesus,

Love,
Sharon.

Death to Reputation

Matthew 27
“When he [Jesus] was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, ‘Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?’ But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge – to the great amazement of the governor” (v 12 – 14).

I struggle to do what Jesus did in this passage – to refrain from defending myself in the face of accusation or criticism. It doesn’t even need to be accusation; quiet assumption makes me feel I need to put people ‘right’. I want people to have a good impression of me, so I feel the need to justify, modify or correct people in their perception of who I am.

I marvel at Jesus, who was able to crucify any human desire to have people understand him correctly. He made no reply to the chief priests and elders. He made no response to the thief on the cross who mocked him. He had no reaction to those who jeered at him from below, “If he is the Son of God let him come down and prove himself!”

In the end, it was his Father who justified and validated who he was. At his death, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, the earth shook, rocks split open, tombs were opened, and many dead people came back to life. The centurion and those guarding Jesus saw and believed.

But Jesus didn’t get to witness any of this. By the time the centurion and others believed, he had already relinquished his spirit, completely leaving all the impression management for his Father to deal with.

I am filled with a sense of awe at the self control and ability Jesus had to release his own management of his own self image.

Lord God, please help me to see where I am continuing to control my own image in the eyes of other people. Help me to see that this is your job, not mine. I honour, and stand in awe, of Jesus’ ability to put to death his desire to manage his own reputation. Then when you glorified your Son, all those who were willing to receive it saw and believed. Hallelujah! May his example inspire and motivate us all. Amen.

When Faith Needs Some Assurance

Matthew 11 v 2
“When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

I am grateful for the response John’s disciples received from Jesus after John sent them to ask if Jesus was the Messiah. He could have rebuked them for their lack of faith – he certainly did that at other times! But instead Jesus recognised that sometimes faith needs a little assurance.

After all, things were not panning out as John might have anticipated they would. Maybe John expected that Jesus would be more forceful about establishing his kingdom. Maybe John had even thought that he himself would be there as Jesus’ right-hand man through the process. But instead, John was shut up in prison, and Jesus was not doing anything about taking his rightful place as King.

John’s disciples would also have been confused. They had followed this charismatic unorthodox baptiser, thinking that something great was coming. But instead they had to watch him be thrown into prison, and the supposed Messiah wasn’t doing what any of them thought he should be doing.

Jesus’ response to John’s question was to encourage the disciples to tell John what they had seen and heard. More than that, Jesus tells them what they have seen: the blind are given sight, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.

John’s disciples would return to John and tell him those same things. The verbalising of these miracles would be the much-needed assurance for their faith.

We all have moments when things are not going as we planned or thought; when we wonder if the Lord really has this in control. When dreams are smashed, and life has thrown me a curveball, I take encouragement from Jesus interaction with John’s disciples, that it’s okay to ask for some assurance.

I have found that following the same process that Jesus gave John’s disciples is really helpful.

I ask myself: How have I seen the Lord working in my life to this point? Where have I seen him? How is he shaping and moulding me through life’s experiences?

As I sat with these thoughts, I remembered two instances in the past year, where we thought our finances were going to be in the deficit. Through ways in which we would never have imagined, the deficit never happened, and we were amply provided for. Recollecting these miracles was a welcome boost to my faith.

Let’s take time to recollect how the Lord has been working in our lives, and share those stories with others. It will give us some helpful assurance, and it could also be a great source of encouragement to others.

Grateful for the faith assurances that come my way,

Love Sharon.

Ordinary Life Turned Upside Down.

Matthew 2 v 23
“And he (Joseph, Mary and Jesus) went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.”

Whenever I’ve considered moving house, I have never planned on shifting to a lower socio-economic area than where I am already living. From my comfort perspective, I always want any move I make to be an upscale not a downscale.

When I read in Matthew 2 about Joseph responding to God’s warning in a dream to not go back home to Judea but to relocate elsewhere, my high respect for Joseph grew even more. Especially when I noted that the place he chose to settle his family was in the low socio-economic area of Galilee.

How did Joseph feel about the many uncomfortable changes forced upon his ordinary life when Mary’s baby was conceived? It would have turned his comfortable life upside down! Relocating to a poor area of town was just one of those changes. Previously he had to flee with his family into Egypt for a while, to protect this baby from being killed. As well as that, he would have had to endure the rumours that circulated among neighbours about the out-of-wedlock conception of Mary’s baby.

Without a doubt, any aspiration that Joseph might have had of living an ordinary, comfortable life with the lady he loved would never be realised. But it seems he accepted his lot without complaint or question. He is a remarkable man!

So I ask myself – and invite you to ponder the same question – how much am I prepared to let my ordinary life be turned upside down by the Son of God? Am I prepared to trade comfortable for uncomfortable, if that’s what’s asked of me? Am I prepared to endure slander or ridicule (or worse) for having Jesus as my companion and Lord? Will I surrender control of my life in favour of Jesus’ direction?

I’m trying to let go, and let God; but I’m needing all the help I can get!

Praying strength for this journey,

With love,
Sharon.

Breathe, Observe, Perspective

Ecclesiastes 3 v 12-13
“I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil – this is the gift of God.”

“Do you enjoy all you’re doing?”
My cousin had just listened to me relate my long list of activities I had been involved in – with still more to come.
It was a good question. All the activities were ones that I wanted to participate in, but I had to admit that the back-to-back activity had worn me out. Enjoyment had spread thin in the face of feeling too busy.
“God wants you to enjoy what you’re doing, not just be so worn down by it you can’t wait for it for it all to be finished,” my cousin pursued. “Finding satisfaction in your activities is a gift from God!”
She had a point. “So, what’s going to change?” she challenged.

The next day I chose to change things up a bit. Just some simple changes.

BOP: Breathing, Observing and Perspective.

As I sat in gridlock through three sets of traffic lights, I practised deep breathing. As I mowed the lawn, I thanked God for green grass and a thriving vegetable garden. As I stood at the supermarket checkout busy with Christmas shoppers, I observed the kind shopper who gave her place in the queue to the mum with a crying baby. I offered a quick silent prayer for them both.
As I sat in more Christmas traffic, I thanked God for the opportunity to listen to the radio, where the motivational speaker was exhorting her listeners to “find satisfaction in their everyday lives, and actively engage in gratitude.”

I reviewed my satisfaction gauge at the end of that day. It was definitely higher than it had been on previous days when I was just busy rushing, and forgetting to “be”.

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by frenetic activity right now, maybe these simple practices will help re-establish enjoyment in every day events.
Take time to breathe deeply. Take time to observe, and reflect gratitude. Find perspective in the midst of busyness – prioritise what is important, rather than being constantly driven by what is urgent.
After all, finding satisfaction in life’s many events is a gift from God. Thank you, Lord!

With gratitude for this moment to breathe and reflect,
Love Sharon.

Rock of blessing, or Stone of stumbling.

1 Peter 2 v 6 – 8.
‘“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.’

I have a rock in my back yard. Not an actual one; just a figurative one.

This ‘rock’ has the capacity to be an incredible blessing to me, and to be one that is very precious. It also has the capability of being a stone that I stumble over – something that I really don’t desire to have so prominently in my back yard.

To be honest, I have moments of responding to the ‘rock’ in both ways.

When my rock is precious to me, I see it as reliable and unmoveable, because it’s always there. I appreciate that it’s solid, and a place of shelter. It becomes my point of reference. It’s a tower of refuge and infinitely trustworthy. I welcome it to become the foundation stone for my house. I run to it for comfort.

But when I doubt the stone’s goodness and trustworthiness, I stumble over it. When I rebel against God’s righteous requirements, and want to do things my way, the stone is an impediment. When I react to the rock in this way, I no longer see it as precious. It becomes something that I trip over, and stub my toe on.

My Lord Jesus is both the rock of blessing and the stone of stumbling. It all depends on how I view him, and how I respond.

So I ask myself, and I ask you – what will we choose today? Will we appreciate him as a Rock of blessing, or disregard him as a stone of stumbling?

Oh Lord, may we see our cornerstone as precious; a welcome foundation to our lives.

Amen.

God With Us

Matthew 1 v 23
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).”

I’ve been particularly looking for and desiring to see glimpses of God this last week.
It’s been one of those emotionally draining weeks. It’s also the end of year time – which they don’t call ‘silly season’ for nothing.
Moments of sadness and overwhelm combine with trying to keep up with events, traffic, people, and getting all the things done on my ‘to do’ list. It’s tiring!

So I look for God, because I’ve needed that anchor for my soul. I look for Him, and I’ve seen Him in all sorts of simple and beautiful ways.

• The chance encounter in the street with an acquaintance, who reached into her bag and pulled out a bag of cashews, which she gave to me; just because she felt like it. How was she to know I was feeling sad that day? It felt like a special gift from God.
• The beautiful roses, which look spectacular in my garden right now.
• The glorious bloom of the Pohutukawa trees around the area at present.
• The heartfelt prayer of a friend, that filled me with warmth and gratitude.
• The reminder of Emmanuel in all the songs on the radio at this time of the year.

And I thank God for Emmanuel. He is God’s greatest gift to us. He is “God with us” – God with me!

Thank you, Lord, for Immanuel. In him I see You most clearly, and my heart overflows with gratitude.

Amen.

A Gospel to Share.

2 Timothy 1 v 8: “So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.”
Paul, in this letter to young Timothy is giving us another little snapshot of the gospel message in verses 9-10. These verses tell us:

1. God saved us and called us to a holy life.
2. Not because we deserve it, but because of His own purpose and grace.
3. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light.

Paul goes on to say that it was for this gospel that he was appointed a herald, apostle and teacher (v11). He saw his purpose with the gospel as one of proclamation, to be someone sent out to reach others, and to teach the gospel message.

This struck me with fresh realization: The gospel message is given to me to share. So, in what way can I be motivated and inspired to share it? What gifting and perspective of God’s message have I been given to share?

Maybe you can partner with me in this challenge: to discover what our purpose is with the knowledge of God’s gospel message, and to get on with sharing it. Maybe we are not all called to be teachers or missionaries, like Paul was; but we are certainly called to herald this precious gospel message.

In what way can we personally share it? Are we are we gifted to serve? Or gifted to encourage? Or gifted to teach, or one sent out to preach? Are we gifted to show love and compassion? Are we gifted with resources to share? Are we good at organizing? These are all traits that can be used as a platform for sharing that gospel message.

Each of us have our own unique part to play. The gospel can – and should be shared through us. I challenge myself, and I challenge you too – fan into flame the motivation to be a gospel spreader and sharer. Let us join with Paul, and all those who preceded us, to herald the gospel in whatever unique way we have been gifted to show it.
Amen.
Sharon Prins

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