Jesus introduced it like this:

⁵ “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. (In other words, no reward from God – just from people)⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matt 6:5-8)

You may remember, from our last devotion in verses 1 – 4 that Jesus said something similar about giving to the needy. Do it in the Secret Place where only your Father in heaven sees. Don’t give or pray to try to win the approval of others. “An audience of one” is all that is important – the Lord himself. And his rewards last for all eternity.

Jesus then said, ““This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed (holy) be your name…’” (Matt 6:9)

The Bible has much to say about God being our loving Father, His presence in Heaven and His holiness. Consider these verses for example:

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

¹³ From heaven the LORD looks down

and sees all mankind;

¹⁴ from his dwelling place he watches

all who live on earth—

¹⁵ he who forms the hearts of all,

who considers everything they do. (Ps 33:13-15)

​¹ In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³ And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Is 6:1-3)

Our Father in Heaven, sits on His throne, exalted above all things and sees the heart of every human being. But He also loves us deeply, constantly inviting us into his presence through prayer and through faith in His son, Jesus.

Jesus taught us to respond to that invitation by speaking simple words, beginning with, ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed (holy) be your name…’. He knows the Father hears it, and He knows the Father sees us. And he knows the Father loves to call us His children. 

¹ “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matt 6:1-4)

I wonder if you have heard the phrase, “an audience of one”. It speaks of doing something quietly, knowing only one person can see – the Lord himself. No-one else knows about it. It is a secret between you and God.

When we are in a relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ, when we are secure in His love and our hearts are open before Him, we don’t need to seek approval from those around us. We can be content in the knowledge that God sees and that’s enough.

In two separate psalms, David talks about the Secret Place. In both cases, he is referring to being in his mother’s womb. For example, in Psalm 139 he prays,

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body; (Psalms 139:15-16)

The Lord’s eyes saw him. Can there be anything more wonderful? We started out our life in the Secret Place, where only God saw us. The psalm also describes how Lord carefully formed us and made detailed plans for our lives. Many years after David wrote the psalm, Jesus called us to continue in intimate relationship with the Father, spiritually dwelling in the Secret Place, seeking only His approval for the decisions that we make.

The word, “reward” is used three times in this passage. Some of us might have been taught that we shouldn’t do things to seek rewards, but the fact is, the Father loves to reward us. We don’t earn His rewards (He doesn’t owe us), but He does love to bless us when we do the right thing.

Those who give to the needy with an attitude of showing off, or trying to win the approval of human beings, “have received their reward in full”. The honour given by people may feel good at the time, but it won’t last forever. Describing a sports hero or an actor we sometimes hear the phrase, “you are only as good as your last performance”. Human praise is fleeting. But the Lord’s rewards are for eternity.

The Secret Place is a place in fellowship with God through faith in Jesus Christ where we are loved and where life has meaning and purpose. And the rewards found there last forever. 

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt 5:43-48)

I wonder if you have ever had an enemy. Somebody who opposes you, tries to hurt you, someone who takes delight in discouraging you; maybe they have even bullied you in some way.

Here, Jesus instructs us to love them and one way, he says, to do that is to pray for them. We may not feel we have love for an enemy, but we can choose to do love - by praying for them. That might seem difficult to do but sometimes praying for a person can have surprising results. Here’s how it works. Praying for a person we struggle with can potentially achieve two things:

First, it can soften our heart towards forgiveness and away from retribution. It can help us to see the person as broken and needing Jesus. The person who has not shown love or respect to us is still loved by the Lord. He died for them too. If we can make a decision to pray for the person instead of nursing our wounds, or entertaining ways of getting even, the Lord uses such prayers to change our hearts to be more like Him. Praying for an enemy invites the Lord to have His way in us.

Second, it may be your prayer or my prayer that God chooses to bless and bring that person to repentance and faith in Him. If your enemy is going to change, it is more likely to occur on the back of compassionate prayer than from anger

Think of people in your life now or people you have known in the past. Those who have hurt you. People who have made your life difficult. Pray that they come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Or, if they are believers, pray that they come to a deeper understanding of the Lord and His ways.

If you can, pray these words over them from Numbers 6 v 24 – 26.

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ ³⁹ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹ If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” (Matt 5:38-42)

Have you ever wanted Payback?

There are literally hundreds of movies about revenge. In fact, IMDB (the go-to website for information on any movie) has even created a list of the “50 best Revenge movies of all time” – including several that many would call classics.

People love to hear stories about someone getting what they deserve. But is this what things look like in Jesus’ new world – the Kingdom of God?

Imagine a Roman soldier in Jesus’ day forcing an elderly gentleman or a young mother to carry his heavy bag for a mile. Or imagine today an unfair boss expecting an employee to work extra hours for no extra pay, doing an unpleasant job that the manager was too lazy to finish himself.

I am sure we can all think of many other unfair scenarios. Perhaps you have experienced some yourself.

Even worse, now think about the Roman soldier striking an innocent person on the cheek in Jesus’ day. Or a business owner suing a person living in poverty for the only garments they have for the cold winter nights.

At first glance these words seem like Jesus is saying, “just be weak; just be a victim; don’t stand up for yourself; let people walk all over you!”

Is Jesus encouraging a victim mentality? Is he promoting injustice?

The answer is no; he isn’t! There are times when we do need to defend ourselves, speak up when something is wrong or stand up for others, but there is a difference between defending yourself, and exacting revenge. If we have the power to protect somebody in danger, we must do so. If we can diffuse a bad situation peacefully (even if it means refusing to hit back, or blessing somebody with more than they deserve), it is surely better than letting anger and retribution rule the day.

Jesus’ words here are about overcoming evil with good, responding to hatred and anger with mercy and grace.

I don’t know about you, but I would rather be in a world like that - a world of mercy, grace, kindness - than one where revenge is unrestrained. 

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ ³⁴ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; ³⁵ or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. ³⁶ And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. ³⁷ All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matt 5:33-37)

Would you say that you are a truthful person? Would you say you are an honest person? Most of us would agree that lies often have the potential to be destructive or hurtful and can easily break trust. In today’s passage, Jesus is encouraging honesty. To lie for our own gain or to hurt another is clearly wrong. A person of integrity will be truthful.

“I swear on my mother’s grave!”, we have all heard people say. Or “On the life of my children, what I am telling you is true”.

In Jesus’ day, people would swear oaths in a similar way to emphasize that what they are saying is true. So, they might use the name of God.

But, some leaders, lacking integrity, might swear an oath in the name of something less than God, like Heaven or the city of Jerusalem, or something created by God, if they planned on not quite speaking the truth.

It might have sounded good and even convincing (for example, “I swear it’s true on the name of our beautiful city Jerusalem”, or “this is as true as the hairs on my head”), but they may not be telling the whole truth.  

So, what is Jesus teaching here? Jesus is teaching that “swearing” is not necessary if people know that you are a truthful person. A simple statement or answer to a question, like yes or no is enough.

What about so called “white” lies – withholding truth because you don’t want to hurt somebody? Do we say yes or no, tell it as it is, regardless of the effect the truth might have on a person. A good rule of thumb is to say that truth must always be balanced with genuine love. Paul encouraged us to speak the truth in love in Ephesians 4 v 15. If a truth will hurt another, perhaps we need to ask first if God’s wisdom counsels us to stay quiet; or maybe we can find a way of sharing the truth in a way that is kind.  

Let’s start here, though, with the reminder that we live in an imperfect world and that God is a God of forgiveness, love, and grace. He mends broken hearts and helps us in our pain, giving wisdom in difficult decisions. Having said that, for the purposes of this devotion, the Scriptures are clear that the Lord created marriage, in Genesis chapter 2 v 22 – 24, and that He hates divorce (Mal 2: 16 NASB).

In the next part of His sermon, Jesus said, ³¹ “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³² But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” Matthew 5:31-32

In Jesus’ day there were two schools of thought about divorce. Rabbi Shammai taught that divorce can only be permitted for very serious offenses. Rabbi Hillel taught that a man can divorce his wife for any reason, however ridiculous. If she burnt a meal – she’s out! If the husband prefers the looks of another woman, he can divorce his wife and marry the other!

Jesus was probably referring to the second school of thought here in the Sermon on the Mount. Notice that He is talking to men, and He emphasises how the wife becomes the victim. This is important. Jesus is challenging every man to think about what is best for his wife. To not just think about himself.

Whenever there is a relationship breakdown, whether it is just a petty argument or something as serious as seeking a divorce, the hardest thing to do is to start thinking about what is best for the other person. Perhaps there would be fewer divorces in the world if people gave the highest priority to what is best for the person they have married.

Staying with the focus on men, Paul taught that husbands must love their wives as Christ has loved the church in Ephesian 5: 25. There is no condition here. It is not ‘love their wives’, if the wives do their part. It is ‘love their wives as Christ loved the church’. Full Stop!

I once heard somebody say that marriage is not 50-50; it is 100-100. In other words, we give to our partner without conditions attached. In Jesus’s comments about divorce in the Sermon on the Mount it is easy to focus on the parts that talk about adultery and whether there are circumstances that permit divorce. I have a feeling Jesus also wants us to try looking away from self for a moment and consider what is best for the one I married. 

²⁷ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. Matthew 5:27-30

Sexual attraction towards another is one of the most powerful forces that God has created for good (inside marriage), but it is also the most manipulated by our enemy, the devil, for evil.

Everybody knows that committing adultery is morally wrong and destructive, but Jesus takes the Old Testament command a step further. He tells us that even if we look at another person (which includes pornography) and allow our imagination to desire adultery, that is no different. It is still morally wrong and destructive.

Jesus died on the cross to take the penalty for our sins, providing a way that we might receive forgiveness and freedom. Then He gives us His Spirit to empower us towards living a new and clean life. But the emphasis here in the sermon is on how serious adultery is, even if it is imagined adultery. It is not something to gloss over or take lightly.

Jesus’ comments about cutting off parts of the body are obviously not to be taken literally (otherwise there would be a lot of people walking around with missing hands and eyes). Rather, He wants to underline how important it is that we take steps towards guarding our minds, not submitting to temptation.

Paul wrote to Timothy, “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22). Sometimes it is as simple as that – flee the temptation! Delete the webpage; switch to another channel; walk away from person who might lead you astray.

I wonder, in which way does the devil tempt you in this area? Is God challenging you about what you watch on TV, or what you browse on your computer? Do you need to take control of any stray thoughts you might have about a person other than your husband or wife? What do you need to do to keep temptation away?

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” Matthew 5:21-22

We asked the question that as followers of Jesus, how might we encourage an alternative narrative where our words heal and restore rather than hurt and divide? One answer is to ensure that we speak with grace towards each other, being careful what we say.

Jesus offers some more answers in the next part of his sermon. He continued, saying:

²³ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

²⁵ “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” Matthew 5:23-26

The reality of life is that sometimes we do hurt and offend others. We may not always mean to, but when we are angry or stressed, we might say things we later regret. We might make a decision we didn’t realise would cause trouble for others. We can try to avoid hurting others by being careful with our words, but if an offense has been caused, what can we do to put it right?

Verses 23 – 24 of Matthew 5 reminds us that our relationships with each other are important to God. So much so, Jesus says that we should seek to put them right even before worshipping God or participating in church activities (“offering your gift at the alter” in verse 23). It seems the Lord wants us to make it a top priority to be reconciled with those we might have hurt or offended. Above anything else. We need to go to the person and try to mend the relationship.

In verses 25 – 26, the situation described is even worse. Imagine wronging a person so badly that they decide to take you to court. Jesus obviously doesn’t want things to get that far. Again, he encourages us to go to the person and talk to them. Try to find a peaceful solution.

Hurts are easily caused by words, but restored relationships can be found through words too. Words have power and God has given us the authority and freedom to wield that power. Let’s resist the urge to divide but lean towards the precious art of reconciliation.

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” Matthew 5:21-22

I’m sure we would all agree that, in most cases, to kill a human life is wrong. Jesus reminded us of that in these verses, referring to the 10 commandments in Exodus 20. After quoting the sixth commandment (“You shall not murder”), He then listed 3 examples where emotions and speech will also be held accountable: anger with a brother or sister, an insult to a brother or sister, and an offensive remark to someone.

God is not just interested in our outward actions but how we treat each other with our words and what lies within our hearts.

Sometimes anger is justified (for example, when we see somebody being bullied, or when we hear of regions of the world that suffer without food or clean water), but “anyone who is angry” refers to unrighteous anger in this case, the sort that comes out of hatred or self-importance.[1] This is the sort of anger that festers in the pool of hurt pride, the kind that is expressed unchecked when we forget to have mercy or compassion.

To say “Raca” to a brother or sister is the same as insulting somebody’s intelligence. It is the same as calling a person a moron or stupid, with deliberate intention to belittle them. Even if we do this in jest a humble person will check his motives and be sure that the person on the receiving end truly receives it in good humour.

In Jesus’ third example, to say “you fool” goes deeper than “Raca”. It assaults a person’s character, like accusing someone of being corrupt. In a world where verbal barbs are traded without restraint on social media or in the public arena, how might we as children of a new Kingdom demonstrate a different reality? How might we as followers of Jesus encourage an alternative narrative where our words heal and restore rather than hurt and divide?

The verses that follow will begin to address that, we will examine these in next week’s devotion. In the meantime, The Bible has much to say in other places about how God wants us to treat people, especially when emotions are running high. Here’s just one example from the Apostle Paul: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6

[1] See 1 John 3: 15

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 5: 17 - 20

When was the last time you read any of the ‘law’ books in the Bible – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers or Deuteronomy? Some of it can be hard going, but all of it is God’s Word. Not all the commands are practised by Christians today (for example, child circumcision, animal sacrifice), but every instruction tells us something about God and the world we live in.

Jesus said he came to fulfill the law. What does that mean?

Some have suggested that the whole of the Old Testament (including the law books), can be summarised by Deuteronomy 6: 4 – 5: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”[1] Jesus agreed with this and then added, “Love your neighbour as yourself” in Mark 12:29 - 31. In fact, it can be argued that much of Jesus’ teaching was rooted in quotes or principles found in the Old Testament. We see this in the next section of the Sermon on the Mount. For example, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)

Jesus fulfilled the law by teaching a deeper understanding of it.

Another way Jesus fulfilled the law was by pointing us to the Father, so that we may obey Him and love Him. We know the law was given to reveal God’s holiness, to set Israel apart from the other nations, define and expose sin, introduce justice and point us to Christ. But it was also given to reveal the heart of God.

Every commandment and every principle said something about God’s love, generosity and kindness. And they revealed a holy God who will judge. So for those who never saw past a list of do’s and don’ts, Jesus embodied The Lord’s love and holiness. He fulfilled the law by living it for all to see. No wonder he said that those who practice the commands (those who follow His example) will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Not in a self-righteous way like the Pharisees but like Jesus – motivated by a desire to please His Father in Heaven.

[1] E.g. Experiencing God by Henry and Richard Blackaby p 82

Jesus was delivering a message that we call the Sermon on the Mount. He had just told his listeners that they are the “salt of the earth”. Those whose lives will preserve the faith and add the flavour of God to a lost world. Now he is calling them light.

On a different occasion Jesus said “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life” (John 8: 12). He said this after refusing to condemn a woman caught in adultery. Instead, Jesus chose to highlight the hypocrisy of her accusers. It is a dark world where condemnation and self-righteousness rule, but Jesus is a different kind of leader. His ministry is one of light. In His kingdom, there is life, hope, love and forgiveness.

It was some time before this incident that Jesus sat on a mountain and preached the Sermon on the Mount, teaching new followers that they will be the light of the world. Their lives will reveal a kingdom different to the world around them. A kingdom of life, hope, love and forgiveness.

And He speaks that message to us today. We are the light of the world. Our destiny is to shine a light of life, hope, love and forgiveness in the darkness around us.

We can do this by the things that we do.

Being salty is who we are (Who we are in Jesus); being light is what we do

What do we do? We let the light shine. We do not cover it up. We don’t hide it. We hold it up. We let it illuminate the house.

A light bulb doesn’t create its own light, it is hooked up to a source of power and it shines. Unapologetically. The good it does is seen by others, not to bring glory to itself but to fulfill the purpose for which it was made.

So, we too are called to shine. Unapologetically. To be “in Christ”, full of the Holy Spirit, and so hooked up to the source of power. To do good deeds that glorify our Father in Heaven

What sort of good deeds? What did Jesus mean? Many things have been suggested by followers of Jesus over the years, but let’s start with declaring truth. Light is a word often used in the Bible to describe the revelation of God’s Word. We declare truth. Truth is then accompanied by love – love, with its multifaceted faces of God’s attributes: patience, kindness, generosity, mercy, forgiveness and so much more.

As these attributes inspire good deeds, they reveal our Father in Heaven. “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

After the short “Blessed are…” phrases at the beginning of the sermon, often called the Beatitudes, Jesus said:

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. (Matthew 5:13)

In the Old Testament, Job asked the question. “Can flavourless food be eaten without salt?”[1]. The answer, of course, is yes, but it would taste a lot better with salt and other seasonings. In New Testament days, salt was a preservative (keeping meat fresh before the days of coolers or fridges) and a condiment, adding to the flavour of a meal.

As many commentators note, Christians have the call and authority to bring God’s life to those around them and we have the power to bring positive change to our communities. To be a preservative of the faith and to add the flavour of God to a lost world. Writer, Ken Mongomery says that we, as the salt of the earth, “participate in the flavour of the redemptive kingdom of heaven”[2].

In other words, by being salt in this world we give people a taste of Heaven. By sharing God’s love and truth to those in our schools and streets, workplaces, and neighbourhoods, we crack open the door for the lost to glimpse a view of the eternal Father who is offering His love to them. Our saltiness has the ability to reveal a new world accessible to all: God’s powerful story of love, sacrifice and redemption.

Perhaps a good question to ask today is: “what do I need to do to be salt (that is, the life and flavour of God) to people in my street, my study group, my family, my workplace, my community?”

Jesus warned of salt losing its saltiness. Salt mixed with other substances might become diluted. Thrown on an icy road, it will be less effective or less noticeable in a bowl of soup.

Our lives, once purified by the saving power of faith in Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross, may become less effective on the world around us if mixed with the values we were once rescued from. A lack of purity makes us bland and tasteless.

No wonder it would be “thrown out and trampled underfoot”. The last thing the world needs is Christians who claim to be followers of Jesus (that is, salt – preservers of the faith, spreading the life, truth and love of God), but who mix their lives with compromise. They would rightly be rejected – thrown out – by those searching for truth. Those looking for faith are looking for something that is real and pure. Faith that is salty.  

[1] Job 6: 6 NJKV

[2] From Themelios Theological Journal, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/about/

for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23

God loves a pure heart. When King David was chosen (way back in the Old Testament) to be King of Israel it was because God saw his heart. We read, “the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart” (1 Sam 13:14). Even after some terrible mistakes, years later, his prayer to the Lord was still “Create in me a pure heart, O God,” (Ps 51:10). God saw a pure heart at the beginning of his call and David was still depending on God for purity of heart years later.

In Jesus’ day, what’s important to God has not changed: The next beatitude in our Sermon on the Mount series is, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matt 5:8).

Let’s think what it might mean to guard your heart, as we read in Proverbs 4: 23.

Our hearts, in terms of who we are, (that is, our emotions, thoughts, feelings, innermost secrets, desires, who we are deep down) are precious. They are made by God, but they are tainted by sin. Having said that, they are also being transformed by faith in Christ and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.

But that makes them vulnerable. Look at these verses in the book of Proverbs:

·      ^“Anxiety weighs down the heart,

but a kind word cheers it up” (Prov 12: 25).

·      “Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life” (Prov 13: 12).

·      ^“Even in laughter the heart may ache,

and rejoicing may end in grief” (Prov 14: 13)

Anxiety. Hopes deferred. Heartache. Grief.

When anxiety gets in, it’s like a heaviness, weighing down, poisoning our joy, stealing our peace. When hopes are dashed or delayed, it can feel like the energy drain of a fever.  And what can be worse than being in a room with others who are enjoying life, but have no idea of the pain you are in?

When the stuff of life happens, if we are not careful, we give permission to harmful emotions to enter and take up residence in our hearts – anxiety, disappointment, discouragement, anger, pain… and so on.

The author of Proverbs pleads with us to guard our hearts. The old NIV says, “Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life”. I am to guard my heart because it is the wellspring of life. That is, a source of new living water. A source of God’s life. A pure heart, one guarded against negative emotions and sin, can be a source of God’s love and life to those around us.

Jesus promised that those with pure hearts are blessed because they will see God. Perhaps a clean and protected heart will see God moving in ways far beyond our natural abilities to do good. The pure in heart will see God in ways we cannot even imagine. 

¹ As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, my God.

² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God?

³ My tears have been my food

day and night,

while people say to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

⁴ These things I remember

as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go to the house of God

under the protection of the Mighty One

with shouts of joy and praise

among the festive throng.

⁵ Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God (Psalms 42:1-5)

When you look at the world, what do you see? When you watch TV or catch a video on your phone; when you scroll through Facebook or Instagram, what kind of things stand out for you?

For some, it might be a hope that others have ‘liked’ something you posted yesterday. For others, the latest trivia might grab your attention. Or a cute photograph. Perhaps a feel-good story.

For those who are compelled to stay in touch with national and international events, it is rarely good news that makes the headlines. Another conflict in another country. Another scandal.  

I wonder, do you ever try to look with spiritual eyes? Do you ask yourself “I wonder how God sees all this”? And therefore, “How may I view the world with His heart – with a heart of righteousness”?

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matt 5: 6). In other words, blessed are those who want to see things from God’s perspective, Blessed are those who want righteousness to reign.

The writer of Psalm 42 has been living in troubled times, and he remembers better days (v 4). He knows God is the only one who can change things. Like a deer desperate for water on a hot, dry day, the psalmist is thirsty for God’s presence. For God and His righteousness to come.

How might we reflect that desperation today? Perhaps it starts in our prayer life. Pray for salvations to occur; pray for God’s love, help and peace to reach those who need Him. Pray for God intervene in events we see on the news. Pray for God to reign in your workplace, in your street, in your town, in your city, in all the dark places.

Those who hunger and thirst will be filled. What will they be filled with? Some suggest a deeper relationship with God and a transformed heart. But perhaps they will also experience the satisfaction of seeing God turning things around in ways we can’t even imagine.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

We are looking at the short “Blessed are…” phrases at the beginning of the sermon, often called the Beatitudes or “beautiful attitudes” as somebody once said.

The word “blessed” can also mean happy, but specifically the person is happy because they have received God’s favour.

The third beatitude is:

Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).

I wonder if Jesus was thinking of Psalm 37 when he said this. David, who wrote the psalm, encouraged his hearers to resist any impulse they might have to envy those who gain by doing wrong. On the contrary they are to trust in the Lord for all things, to do good, to be patient, to refrain from anger or frustration. He says:

A little while, and the wicked will be no more;

though you look for them, they will not be found.

But the meek will inherit the land

and enjoy peace and prosperity (Psalms 37:10-11).

A person who is meek will have a calm temper, not easily provoked. He or she will be patient and humble. They will want to do good. Matthew Henry said: “Meekness is calm confidence, settled assurance, and rest of the soul. It is the tranquil stillness of a soul that is at rest in Christ. It is the place of peace. Meekness springs from a heart of humility, radiating the fragrance of Christ.”

The Lord wants every one of His children to experience a heart at rest. He wants us to know the peace of trusting in Him.

What might it mean that the meek inherit the earth, or the land, as David stated in his psalm? What is the earth or land in these metaphors?

Some have suggested that inheriting the earth means to find peace with God or peace in human relationships. Or both. The inheritance may refer to other forms of spiritual blessing, either in our present life or in the future. For example, it might manifest as the favour of God upon yours or my life today in terms of answered prayer, or rewards in the new earth after Jesus returns.

Perhaps the important point though is that the new world – the new Kingdom – inaugurated by Jesus, is not one where the strongest or loudest win. The bully and the one driven by pride has no place in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord lifts the humble.

Jesus modelled meekness for us. He washed his disciples’ feet instead of expecting the service from a household slave. Despite being falsely accused, Jesus responded without any anger or threat. And he submitted himself to His Father’s will to suffer and die for our sins.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. The one who resists the temptation to place ego on the throne, finds his feet on holy ground, blessed by God and placed there by Him. 

Last time, we examined the opening lines of the sermon:

Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

We said that those who are poor in spirit know their need of God. They are desperate enough to seek his face. In every part of their lives, they are dependent on God’s love, His mercy, His strength and His guidance. The poor in spirit are not ashamed to recognise their weaknesses and look to God for help.

And Jesus describes such a person as blessed because they will know and experience God’s Kingdom.

Next Jesus said this:

Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:4).

Like the first phrase describing those that are poor in spirit, the next phrase referring to the act of mourning is not one usually associated with a season of blessing. How can death be a good thing? What is Jesus saying?

In Psalm 51, the author David is very aware of his own sinful actions. He has done wrong, and he is sorry.

⁷ Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

⁹ Hide your face from my sins

and blot out all my iniquity.

¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence

or take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalms 51:7-12)

David knows his sins are before God (v 9), and only God can wash them away (v 7). As he examines his heart, he faces the uncomfortable truth that he is not the person he wants to be. He realises only God can change his heart (v 10). He not only admits the things he has done wrong, but he also feels sorrow for those things. John Stott says, “It is one thing to be spiritually poor and acknowledge it, it is another to grieve and mourn over it. Or, in more theological language, confession is one thing, contrition is another”.[1]

In Matthew 5: 4, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” In other words, God’s favour is on those who are sorry for their sins, who mourn for them, who want to do better when they mess up. Christ died on the cross so that our sins may be forgiven and that we may receive His comfort – his help to change.

The Apostle John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Blessed are those who are truly sorry for their failings before God. The Lord delights in forgiving, comforting and helping us to do better.

[1]From The Sermon on the Mount by John Stott p 41

Matthew 5:1−3 tells us that “when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. The first thing He said was:

Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

What a strange way to start a message. Blessed are the poor in spirit. How can poverty be a good condition for anybody? It doesn’t feel like something to aspire to. But Jesus is at the beginning of something important. This sermon, found in Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7 is about to shock some, pack many surprise punches, and introduce his hearers to a very new kind of world. He is going to shatter the ideas people have about faith and religion and show them what God is really like.

And he kicks off with this: to have any hope of entering into God’s Kingdom − the Kingdom of Heaven, you have to be poor in spirit. You have to know you need God.

This is not a new idea. Back to the Old Testament we heard the call to:

Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name;

make known among the nations what he has done.

Sing to him, sing praise to him;

tell of all his wonderful acts.

Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Look to the LORD and his strength;

seek his face always. (1 Chronicles 16:8-11, italics mine)

This is Asaph, the chief of musicians leading the singing of praise to God, after King David had defeated the Philistines, and the ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem amid great celebration. Asaph exhorted everyone present to seek God’s face. Always.

What might it mean to seek God’s face?

At another moment in David’s life, he prayed, “My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face, LORD, I will seek” (Psalms 27:8). David recognised the yearning in his own heart for the presence and wisdom of God. Perhaps the first step in seeking God’s face is to recognise how spiritually poor we are without Him. To listen our own heart’s cry for the living God.

In Psalm 63, David describes his search for God like a man desperate for water in a hot, dry desert:

You, God, are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

I thirst for you,

my whole being longs for you,

in a dry and parched land

where there is no water. (Psalms 63:1)

Then, following this description, he moves to worship. He sings from the depths of his heart, and he prays every time he wakes in the night.

What better picture can there be of a person who is poor in spirit? As we have said, those who are poor in spirit are those who know their need of God. They are desperate enough to seek his face. In every part of their lives, they know they are dependent on God’s love, His mercy, His strength and His guidance. The poor in spirit are not ashamed to recognise their weaknesses and look to God for help.

And Jesus describes such a person as blessed because they will know and experience God’s Kingdom.

¹ We praise you, God,

we praise you, for your Name is near;

people tell of your wonderful deeds.

² You say, “I choose the appointed time;

it is I who judge with equity.

³ When the earth and all its people quake,

it is I who hold its pillars firm.

⁴ To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’

and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.

⁵ Do not lift your horns against heaven;

do not speak so defiantly. ’”

⁶ No one from the east or the west

or from the desert can exalt themselves.

⁷ It is God who judges:

He brings one down, he exalts another.

⁸ In the hand of the LORD is a cup

full of foaming wine mixed with spices;

he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth

drink it down to its very dregs.

⁹ As for me, I will declare this forever;

I will sing praise to the God of Jacob,

¹⁰ who says, “I will cut off the horns of all the wicked,

but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.”

If we were to ask, say, 100 followers of Jesus, “why do we worship God?”, I wonder what replies we might receive. I am sure some will talk about the wonder of His creation – the stars and mountains, the flowers and creatures. Some will no doubt reflect on their own journey so far and express gratitude for what the Lord has done; and some might try to picture him on his heavenly throne ruling as sovereign and king. But perhaps not many will say that they worship the Lord because He is a judge.

And yet, this is the focus of the psalmist, Asaph, in today’s reading. Asaph praises God for His imminence (his name is near in v 1) and for His “wonderful deeds”. But he is not reticent to exalt the Lord as the one who judges. In fact, he knows that worship is the only appropriate response towards one who sees and knows all things. The one who will cut off the horns, that is, strip away the strength of those who defy him. The one who has the power to lift up or cast into eternal death.

A God who judges is an uncomfortable thought for some in our modern world, but it is an essential truth. God will judge the people of the earth, past and present. Arrogance and boasting will melt away before the throne in Heaven. No-one will be able to exalt themselves in His presence.

So, let’s praise Him today, not just for those attributes that are comfortable – his beauty, his love. His greatness. Let’s praise him for his justice, for the good news that he is a God who deals with wrongdoing and evil. For the truth that He is a Judge. And will judge in righteousness and holiness. 

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:11-16)

Paul was like a father to Timothy. I bet he was a great mentor, cheering him on, encouraging him and speaking positively into his life. There is a hint in this passage that Timothy might have struggled with a lack of courage or confidence, but Paul knew him well enough to say, “don’t let anyone look down on you”.

One line that jumps out to me though is, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers”.

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Any good pastor or Christian coach will want to say something like that: In other words, “Don’t let temptation overcome you. Walk away from the wrong people. Keep pressing into God. Keep believing. Keep loving those around you.” That’s the “watch your life” bit. Then, “Don’t neglect the reading of Scripture, listen to sound teaching. Let God’s Word challenge and change you.” That is, “Watch your doctrine!”

But Paul gives an unexpected reason: “if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers”. And your hearers. Don’t just do these things because they are good for you, Timothy. Your life and doctrine affect those around you too.

It strikes me that this is probably true for you and me as well. Our lives and what we believe are not just personal choices. They profoundly touch the lives of those we live in close proximity to – our choices and beliefs affect our loved ones, they influence our work mates, and they rub off on our friends.

Perhaps this adds a new incentive to watching our lives and watching our doctrine. We are not islands. Like it or not, the cords that bind us to those around us also transport our values and attitudes. What connects us can inspire for good or drag down for evil.

Let’s be careful how we live our lives and preserve sound doctrine, not just because it is the right thing to do, and not primarily because of the health and blessing we are likely to receive as a result. No! let’s do it because we care how our lives affect others. Let’s watch our lives and doctrine closely for the sake of those around us. 

This is Paul writing to his younger friend and fellow minister of the Gospel, Timothy. A few verses later he adds, “Preach the word!”

In other words … You have learned the truth, Timothy. You are convinced of it. You have known the Holy Scriptures since you were young. They led you to salvation, they birthed faith in your heart, they drew you to Jesus. The Scriptures come from the very mouth of God, they are literally God-breathed and are powerful for teaching, refuting error, training, forming righteousness in you and in every hungry soul. They are more than enough to prepare you for service. The Scriptures will equip you. No! More than that, you will be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Scriptures are God’s Word. Preach the Word, Timothy! Memorise it, soak it up, then speak it out. Give it away! Be generous with God’s Word.

The are many ways to preach God’s Word and you don’t need to be a trained professional to do it. The Greek word translated as “preach” simply means to “to proclaim, to tell”, but with an urgency wanting others to accept the message. Proclaiming the Gospel is not the same as suggesting a good idea, rather it challenges the mind, convicts the heart and demands a response.

And it doesn’t need a platform or a gifted orator to do its work. God’s Word can unleash its power one friend to another. It can enter the heart of a stranger on the train, and it can slowly grow and create brand new baby-like faith in that relative you have been praying for since you don’t know when.

Because the Scriptures are God-breathed, they don’t depend on our skills or lack of them to accomplish their purpose. They simply journey and bear their fruit on the back of faith and obedience.

Preach the Word, child of God. First read it, soak it up. Make it part of you; allow it into you, invite it to be part of you. To form you, shape you, equip you. Then give it away. Share His Word like it’s the cure for every disease known to man. Proclaim it with conviction. Urgency. Preach it.

In Paul’s letter to Timothy, he goes on to warn that, “the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (2 Tim 4:3-4).

The opportunities to share God’s Word with this or that person may not always be there. So let’s take them as God provides them before they disappear.

Preach the Word!

Then the angel of the LORD told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”

The angel of the LORD also said to her:

“You are now pregnant

and you will give birth to a son.

You shall name him Ishmael,

for the LORD has heard of your misery.

He will be a wild donkey of a man;

his hand will be against everyone

and everyone’s hand against him,

and he will live in hostility

toward all his brothers.”

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16: 9−13

A well was dug at that place called “Beer Lahai Roi” meaning “well of the Living One who sees me”.

There is a beautiful moment in the Hollywood movie Avatar. Neytiri, the Na’vi warrior and princess of Pandora recognises the call and destiny of the movie’s hero, Jake Sully, the one she has been falling in love with. She says to him, “I see you!” meaning “I understand you; I see into your heart”. “I know who you are.”

Hagar must have felt very alone when she was running away from Sarai. Perhaps she even thought God had abandoned her. After all, Sarai and her husband Abram were recipients of the promises of God. God had spoken to them, and they were prosperous by His hand. Hagar had effectively run away from the people of God’s favour. Why would God care about her?

But God hadn’t forgotten her. He had seen her in the desert. He had seen her in her sadness, and after the angel spoke to her with instructions and promises, she could encourage herself with a new truth in her experience: ‘God sees me, too’; “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

Perhaps we can draw comfort from these words too. Maybe nobody was watching when that guy treated you unkindly, or when you were passed over again for that promotion. Perhaps no other soul was aware of how alone you felt the other day, and no-one can possibly understand the ordeal you have just been through.

But He sees you. And understands you and knows you. And He loves you. The One who, at times, may appear to only bless others, sees you too. Maybe like Hagar, we too can pray, “You are the God who sees me.”

The Thessalonians imitated Paul. They likely saw and heard every (or most) parts of his life as he “lived among them”. In fact, even though the message of Jesus was costly to them causing severe suffering by those who would persecute them, something about the lives of Paul and his team touched and inspired them deeply.

Paul is quick to point out the Holy Spirit’s role in their conversation and subsequent living. The presence of the Spirit was proof of God’s choosing and the joy in their hearts, despite daily hardships, was powerful evidence of God’s grace upon them.

But Paul also recognises that his life and example has influenced them. The Thessalonians imitated Paul. Yes, they sought to imitate the Lord, as Paul taught them about the life of Jesus, but they imitated him, (and his companions Silas and Timothy) too. They welcomed Paul’s message, his teaching and tried to live how they lived.

The Thessalonian believers then modelled Godly lives and Paul’s teaching to “all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.”

This is quite profound and hugely challenging, especially if we ask, “is anybody imitating me as a representative of Jesus?” Is anybody watching the way we live and wanting to copy it to the glory of God? Are you, am I inspiring others, who in turn will inspire still more to follow Jesus?

Well, before we dive into a hole of discouragement, perhaps we can take a step back and ask who is influencing you? Who is influencing me?

Is it popular culture? My sporting hero, or that person on social media? Is the TV or the internet influencing me? Perhaps the primary question to ask is “am I following Jesus”? Paul said, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil 3: 8). To him, knowing Jesus was the most important thing. Jesus wasn’t just an influencer to Paul, he was everything. No wonder Paul could confidently write to the Thessalonians about the fact that they imitated him. Because he wanted them to imitate Jesus. He sought to live as an example of his saviour, so that they might be inspired by a visible example of a life submitted to Christ.  

So, if we want to inspire others, if we want to model a godly life, then let’s ask ourselves this: are you living a life submitted to Jesus? If we are seeking to do that, then that is, surely, the best way to become a model to others. 

I wonder if God is saying that to you: “you have stayed in this place long enough and it’s time to move on. Go in and take possession of the land”.

Now, of course, there are times to “hang in there”, persevere with people or situations, and there are seasons when we must wait on the Lord. God is not in a hurry, and to walk away from a challenge or a difficult set of circumstances might not be the right thing to do. God may want us to go through it and grow through it.

But there are also times to leave and take possession somewhere else. How might we discern the difference?

Obviously, there isn’t a “cookie-cutter” answer to that question, but perhaps there are some clues in today’s verses.  

First, God’s people knew there was a big picture. A bigger picture than living next to a mountain. They were called to the Promised Land, not Mt Horeb. The mountain was always going to be temporary. Perhaps there are moments when it is appropriate to pray, “Lord, what is the big picture of your will for me? Have I become too comfortable where I am? Have I completed all the work you called me to do here? Is there a further horizon I must walk towards?”

Second, and related to the first, what has God already given you that you are not living in the good of? A calling or a sense of something more. What have you not yet taken possession of? The Lord said, “see I have given you this land. Go in and take possession…” Perhaps you have a talent that you can’t use where you are. Perhaps you have a sense of call that is not realised where you are currently serving. It might be that doors are closed at your own Mt Horeb that prevent you from improving and growing.

Within his sovereign purposes, God has a destiny for each one of us. Staying where we are when we need to embrace the challenges of leaving and moving forward may prevent us from experiencing the blessings that he has planned for us. It takes courage to listen to the voice that says, “it is time to break camp and advance”. But there is no other way to get to the Promised Land. 

I wonder if Timothy was ever afraid to “stand up and be counted”. These words from Paul to his protégé can feel quite confronting. Don’t be timid. Don’t be ashamed or afraid of being associated with me. Don’t hold back from proclaiming the truth of Jesus. Join me in the suffering that will come as a result.

This second personal letter to the young leader feels like a serious moment in Timothy’s life where Paul calls him to take a moment and count the cost for present and future ministry. Count the cost of a life dedicated to following Christ. Paul repeats the challenge in the next chapter: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Tim 2: 15). “Be strong” (2: 1), “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus”. (2: 3).

As uncomfortable as it is, perhaps we all need moments like that. Moments to reflect on our journey in God. Moments to remember that we too have the Spirit of God - a Spirit of power, love and self-discipline. That we are not alone. That timidity is not a gift of the Holy Spirit. That we are here to testify about him. To tell others about him, whatever the cost.

It is recorded, not in the bible but in other ancient texts, that later in life, when Timothy was about 80 years old, he tried to stop a public procession of the false god, Diana, by preaching the Gospel. The angry worshippers of Diana, beat him and dragged him through the streets, until finally stoning him to death. Timothy had found his courage and was not afraid to face death for his Lord.

Some say that young people today have less resilience to social pressures compared to previous generations. That may or may not be true, but at the end of the day, we all face the same choice as to what we say about our beliefs and where our loyalties lie. Are we ashamed of our Lord, afraid to speak of our faith in him, or do we welcome him into our lives in full view of others? Do we hide him away or do we proudly hold him close in public?

We don’t know if there will be suffering as a result. But we don’t do it alone. God has given us the Spirit of power and love. If a timid Timothy can speak of Jesus in front of an angry mob, maybe you and I can take a few steps today to leak out words of truth and actions of love to a world around us that is desperately in need. 

Within weeks of Paul and his team arriving in Thessalonica with the good news of Jesus, those who had come to faith were left without leaders, facing persecution and under intense pressure to recant their faith.

Paul, Silas and Timothy had been forced to leave. Those opposed to this new Christian faith had persuaded some local troublemakers to stir up the assembled crowd with lies about the team. They had no choice but to go.

Paul was desperate to return. “When we were torn away from you for a short time… out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you” (1 Thess 2: 17). However, for reasons unclear, they weren’t able to get back until Timothy finally made the journey on his own.  

In an age with no mobile phones or internet connection, the wait for news must have been excruciating. Had the church survived the persecution? Were they still meeting? With the longest standing church members barely a few weeks old in the faith on the day Paul and the team left, did they have any leaders? Who was taking care of these baby Christians?  

Eventually Timothy returned with the welcome news that the church had indeed survived and their faith was still strong. The young Christians were standing firm despite the challenges around them, but that wasn’t all. To Paul’s joy and amazement, not only were the Thessalonian believers still meeting as a church, but they were reaching out to their local community, to the wider area and even beyond. In fact, their passion for evangelism was the talk of the town for miles around.

What was their secret?

In the same first letter to the Thessalonians we get some insights: The baby Christians knew they were chosen by God; the gospel had made a deep impact in their lives; and they had experienced God’s supernatural power. None of them had been mentored with leadership skills, none of them could boast any kind of spiritual heritage, but despite their lack of knowledge and training, God used them. 

If we were to look for examples of spiritual maturity in the pages of the New Testament, we might point to well-known characters like Paul, or Peter, or those trained under them; those who have been faithful in serving God over many years, in which case you can forget the Thessalonians. They don’t qualify.

And yet Paul tells us they had become a model church to all others within hundreds of miles.

Now, I don’t want to minimise the importance of education, training and the maturity that comes with  years of serving God, but maybe we can learn from young Christians too; especially those who have experienced God’s love and power and the deep impact of the Gospel. 

Psalm 103, starts off with a short phrase that is often repeated in other Psalms: ‘Praise the Lord, my soul.’ The author says it again in verse 2, ‘Praise the Lord, my soul.’ And again, at the end of the psalm.

King David, who wrote these words, also wrote Psalm 57 and there is similar language here: ‘Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn’ (57: 8). David is telling himself to wake up and give glory to God.

He’s talking to himself.

My wife and I were chatting one time about how different people are and how those differences can often boil down to personality type – just one way that God has made each of us unique. However, we are also part of a fallen human race and in the process of being renewed. Not everything that makes me, me is necessarily as God intended. We all have a mixture of positive attributes in our personalities and negative ones that are yet to be made transformed.

For example, some of us will naturally have a more positive outlook than others. Others, not so. My personality type is melancholic which, according to some studies describes someone who is analytical (yep, that’s true), task orientated (tick), self-motivated (yes), a perfectionist (oh dear), but can be quite shy and ‘deep’; and with a tendency to want to hide away occasionally. Actually, for some, discouragement, even depression is part of the story and can hit hard. But, hey, us melancholics can be really creative!

Without Christ, I would quite easily see the negative in most situations, but when I read the Bible, I don’t think I am alone. Look at the way David expresses himself in Psalm 13:

“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

and day after day have sorrow in my heart” (Psalm 13: 1 – 2)

When we read David’s soul-bearing poetry, some of it makes me wonder if he might have been a melancholic too. We don’t know of course but, if that is true, then he has got something important to say in this space: talk to yourself! When discouragement sets in, when there’s sorrow in your heart, speak to your soul! 

Our souls are fragile. We were once spiritually dead in our sins, but through Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection we have been ‘made alive’ (Eph 2: 1, 5). Now we are on the path of transformation, but we are still subject to temptation, discouragement, and spiritual attack.

For every Christian, there are times when we are tempted to dwell on the negative – and every personality type has a bad day. Perhaps those are the moments God would have us look in the mirror and talk to our inner selves: “Awake! Come on! Today is a new day and we are going to praise God and trust him!”

This devotion is one of many you can find in my book Bite-size Devotions for the Busy Christian, published by Kharis Publishing and available through any Amazon website. 

There’s food to buy, things to cook and bake, decorations to put up.  

And I wonder if you have bought all your presents. Done all the wrapping?

Let me ask you: Are you the type who does their Christmas shopping at 4pm on Christmas Eve; or the type who has everything bought and wrapped by August?

For those who prepare for Christmas well in advance, you may be interested to know that preparations for the first Christmas took a great deal longer.

It all started way back in the book of Genesis.

In Genesis chapter 3, we are told that a descendant of Eve will come and destroy the work of the devil. Many years later, in the book of Deuteronomy, we read of a prophet like Moses who will be raised up from among God’s people, Israel. Thousands of years later, Jesus said, “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.” (John 5: 46)

In the book of 2 Samuel, a prophet declares to King David that his royal throne will be established forever. Jesus would come from the line of David, who in turn came from the line of Judah.

The Prophet Micah (prophesying hundreds of years before Jesus) said,

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

though you are small among the clans of Judah,

out of you will come for me

one who will be ruler over Israel,

whose origins are from of old,

from ancient times.” (Micah 5: 2)

Somebody from Judah’s line will come - a ruler, whose origins are from old. (I wonder if that means from eternity past – Heaven perhaps?). That person is going to be born in Bethlehem.

And Isaiah prophesied “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.” The baby will be born to a virgin. We know Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus.  And the prophecy said he will be called Emmanuel, which means God with us.

By the time Jesus was born there was great expectation of a coming king, a Messiah, from the line of Judah, through David, yet coming from eternity past; a prophet like Moses; he will be born of a virgin, and he will be God walking among us.

So, the time came for a secular government to announce a census, which meant that the newly married Joseph and Mary (pregnant with child) had to travel to Bethlehem. Upon arrival, she gave birth to a child. God with us in human form had arrived. The first Christmas was literally thousands of years in the making. 

We often see these printed on Christmas cards or displayed in churches. Mary is crouched down beside the newborn Jesus who is lying in a straw-filled manger. Joseph, her husband, leans over close to her shoulder and then, further out, a handful of shepherds with their sheep and lambs look on in wonder. On the opposite side to the shepherds, Magi (or “wise men” as they are sometimes called), dressed in expensive robes and embroidered turbans present their mysterious gifts.

Everything is arranged and posed for the perfect photo opportunity.

The original Christmas events, of course, were nothing like this! The Magi likely arrived some considerable time after the birth (up to two years), so they never met the shepherds. Having just given birth, Mary probably did not feel like smiling for any camera, had they existed; and then there would have been the smell! A variety of animals in close proximity with everything that comes with them.

But what the scene does show us is a snapshot of the kind of people God loves to bless and include in His plans.

Nine months before, Mary, a young and innocent teenager, had said ‘yes’ to God’s announcement that the Holy Spirit will grow a new life within her, even though she faced the risk of being shamed and losing her husband-to-be, Joseph. In an extraordinary moment, when we might imagine the angels in Heaven holding their breath in anticipation, she simply said, “May it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1: 38).  

We meet Joseph in Matthews gospel after he has found out the news. The feeling of betrayal in his heart would have been overwhelming, but even before the angel fills him in on the details, he puts his mind at rest, and Joseph’s plans to call off the wedding are replaced with genuine kindness and compassion. This descendant of David has a heart like God’s.  

Joseph and Mary do get married, of course, and head to Bethlehem to fulfill the requirements of the Roman census. On the night of the birth, local shepherds also have an encounter with an angel, and then more angels. You have to ask: why would God choose shepherds? Shepherds were not found in the upper echelons of society. Shepherds were nobody. But God loves the humble and so he chose them to hear his big announcement.

Finally, stargazers from another land were drawn to the Christ-child. For reasons known only to them, they were compelled to honour the boy and his parents with gifts that speak of royalty (gold), relationship with God (frankincense that was burned in the temple) and a message that, somehow, his death will be important (Myrrh). The Magi were seekers and worshippers. They were people who recognised God’s leading and simply obeyed.

There it is – a simple nativity. Each character representing real people who have an incredible story to tell. 

The walls, furniture and utensils would be made from materials given freely by the Israelite community, from young and old, from everyone ‘whose heart moved him’ (Ex 25: 1). The donations were so generous that Moses was eventually forced to call for a stop to the giving (Ex 36: 6).

It is one particular aspect of God’s instructions to Moses that fascinates me – in Exodus chapter 28: the design of the priests clothing, their uniform for carrying out their duties. The first couple of verses outline God’s purpose for Aaron and his sons to wear special garments – ‘for glory and for beauty’, it says. The reason they had particular clothes to wear was for glory and beauty.

Nearly every other item to be manufactured for the tabernacle had a clear function. The alter was made to burn the sacrifices, the lampstand to light the room and the ark to contain the 10 commandments. What were the priests’ clothes for? Glory and beauty.

Today, God requires no tabernacle to meet with his people. Jesus’ death on the cross has provided a way for us come into his presence through a simple prayer of repentance and faith. Collectively we become building blocks of a new holy place – the church. The New Testament is clear: every time we gather together in his name, God is there too.

So, what are churches for?  Why do they exist? I’m sure, between us, we could come up with a sizable list of functions, from preaching and teaching to ministering to the poor, to sharing the Gospel and so on, but I wonder how many would say, ‘churches exist for glory and beauty’?

You see, the church is also described as a bride, so, question: what is usually said of a bride as she walks down the aisle towards her husband-to-be? Easy - She is beautiful! Right?

I recently, and quite suddenly, saw all of this with new eyes as I was thinking about the purpose of the church today. We congregate in churches, and we do the work of serving and building. We carry out the functions of church, but it struck me that we are also called to be beautiful – to radiate the beauty that God gives us; to shine in the world, boldly declaring what he has done, reigning in life as sons and daughters of God, doing his work, and revealing his glory. We were created to be beautiful.

No wonder Jesus said, ‘let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven’ (Matt 5: 16). When we serve God with all of our hearts, according to his mighty plans and purposes, we not only fulfil the functions of church, we display glory and beauty too.

One day we will see a church of every tribe and nation surrounding the throne of the lamb and I bet many will spontaneously fall to their knees and declare, ‘this is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen’.

I believe God wants us to be able to say that about the church today. Imagine us serving well, building well, with pure hearts and true to his plans. Then, maybe a new generation will discover Jesus and, with tears of joy, say of his church, ‘this is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen’.

This devotion is one of many you can find in Bite-size Devotions for the Busy Christian by me – Terry Nightingale, published by Kharis Publishing and available through any Amazon website. Maybe this would make a good Christmas present for someone. 

We all expect young children to put small objects in their mouths (and we try to stop them, of course), but then there are the adults.

One man in Croatia was found to have a lighter in his stomach. He had intentionally swallowed it whilst at a police station because it contained a small quantity of drugs and, therefore, incriminating evidence against him.

Another, a 29-year-old in Ireland, swallowed a small cell phone and then there was the story of the 18-year-old who was trying to induce vomiting with a toothbrush and, well, you can guess the rest!

Some things are not meant to be inside us.

Have you ever wondered why are there so many accounts in the gospels about the Pharisees and about their rules and Jesus’ confrontations with them? So serious were those conversations that Jesus felt the need to say to his disciples, ‘Be on your guard against the yeast (the teaching) of the Pharisees and Sadducees’ (Matt 16: 6). We know that ‘All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness’ (2 Tim 3:16), so why do we read so many stories about these guys? Surely, Pharisees don’t exist today!

I was talking with a friend a while back. I had gently challenged him about a particular attitude he was displaying when he asked, ‘Do you think I am a Pharisee?’ Taken aback, I said ‘no, but I think there may be a hidden Pharisee in all of us.’ That may seem a bit of a stretch, but for me if I am honest, I know there is one in me. I try to hide him, but he is definitely in there.  What is he up to? Well, like a virus, he is silently trying to spread his influence. So, in what ways does he try to influence?

Let’s try something different. Let me invite you to participate in the ‘Do I have the Pharisee virus?’ test. Are you ready?

1.    How hard do you work to look good on the outside? I am not talking about a new haircut to make you even more beautiful; I am talking about your secret desire that everyone you meet will believe that you are a good person? In other words, do you seek the praise of others more than the praise of God?

2.    How easy is it for you to apologise? Or are you just never in the wrong? Do you recognise moments when you fall short of God’s best or you or do find it hard to admit a fault?

3.    When you meet someone who lives, let’s say, a ‘colourful life’ – do you compare yourself to them? Do you think you are better? When was the last time you prayed, ‘have mercy on me, Lord, a sinner’?

So, how did you get on? Did you think you tested positive or negative for the Pharisee virus?

It is so easy to read the Gospels and pass judgement on the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, but perhaps it takes some humility and courage to recognise that, sometimes, there may be a little Pharisee inside us too. Let’s make an agreement together: our hearts belong to God; the Pharisee has no place there!

This devotion is one of many you can find in Bite-size Devotions for the Busy Christian by me – Terry Nightingale, published by Kharis Publishing and available through any Amazon website. Maybe this would make a good Christmas present for someone. 

He had been offered a role in an organisation where his unique abilities and connections would be vital for the next phase of their vision.

He was flattered with the offer but extremely reluctant to accept it. The trouble was, he had worked for the company several years previously and, although under different management back then, he had not found them willing to embrace his ideas. In fact, the feelings of rejection were still quite raw.

The organisation had moved on since that time with the new leadership team taking it in an exciting new direction, but my friend could only see the pain he felt eight years ago. While we were talking, I found myself thinking of Moses. 

Moses had left Egypt out of favour and under a cloud. After a misguided attempt to win justice for a fellow Israelite, he not only felt the rejection of his own people but the sentence of death from his adoptive father – the Pharaoh. Moses had no choice but to close that chapter of his life and move on.  

Years later, and now with a wife and family, God called him back, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt… the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.’ (Ex 3: 7 - 10). I wonder what went though Moses’ mind.  

The first question he asks God is, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ In other words, ‘Lord, I burned that bridge decades ago, they didn’t want my help then; I’m sure as heck they don’t need it now.’ But God had to reassure Moses that things were different now: the elders of Israel will listen to him and there’s a different Pharaoh on the throne.

A lengthy conversation ensued between the Lord and Moses and the reluctant prophet finally agreed to do the job.  

The end of the story is worth noting. Moses led his people out of slavery, away from the threat of the Egyptian army to the mountain of God where the community was effectively re-born as people of the living God.

History as we know it flowed from that moment.

Moses submitted to the pain of revisiting the past and a nation was established amidst miracles and wonders. For God’s purposes to move forward, one man had to step back into a place he thought he had walked away from. For Moses, returning to Egypt would have felt like going backwards, opening old wounds, but in God’s master plan it was the key to a significant advance of His purposes.  

I wonder if God is calling you to return to something or someone. Life may have moved on, but God is a God of history as well as the future and the two are more than linked. In order for God to bear his fruit in and through you in the future, maybe he is calling you to walk through an old familiar door – even if just for a season. God may have unfinished business for you to attend to in order for you to step into the future.

This devotion is one of many you can find in my book Bite-size Devotions for the Busy Christian, published by Kharis Publishing and available through any Amazon website. Maybe this would make a good Christmas present for someone. 

For me, there is one message that rings out throughout the book loud and clear: God will do what he has said he will do.

God gave the people of Israel a king. God told him through the prophet Samuel that he will appoint him leader over Israel and, of course, he did, but after King Saul failed to obey God, he was informed that the royal line will no longer continue through his family. In fact, another king will be chosen. David was secretly appointed and anointed half-way through the book.

In contrast to Saul, David understood the certainty of God’s promises and he sought to trust God and obey him. Even at his lowest point in the Cave of Adullam when the armies of Israel were hunting him down, led by a jealous and angry Saul, David declared that God is the one who ‘fulfils his purposes for me’ (Psalm 57:2)

In other words, God will do what he has said he will do.

And that’s a promise for us today. If you are a follower of Jesus like me, then you stand at the other side of the cross to David – forgiven through repentance and faith, and now with a whole new set of promises.

Jesus told us that he will never leave us, he will never drive us away because we belong to him (John 6: 37). If we take prayer seriously, developing our relationship with the Father in the secret place, we will be rewarded (Matt 6: 6). If we seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, then all our needs will be met (Matt 6: 33), and so much more.

I have a pinboard on the wall of my study and over the years I have attached verses that have spoken to me, helpful thoughts that have come through prayer and prophetic words spoken over me by others. I consider them promises from God and every now and then I will read them afresh and cling to them.

Why? Because, like David, I believe God is the one who fulfills his promises for me.

When the tough times come, when there are Goliaths still to kill and when there is nothing we can do but just sit in the secret place and wait, one thing is sure: God will do what he has said he will do.

“My soul glorifies the Lord

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

holy is his name.

His mercy extends to those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

to Abraham and his descendants forever,

just as he promised our ancestors.” (Luke 1: 46 – 55)

Mary, the mother of Jesus, composed these words while staying with her relative, Elizabeth. She had only just received the mind-numbing news that she was pregnant without any physical contact with a man. A baby will be born to you, someone great, a king, the son of the Most High, said the angel who had visited her, one who has been supernaturally placed in your womb.

Upon Mary’s arrival, Elizabeth prophesied, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! (Luke 1: 42). The mother-to-be must have felt so overwhelmed that all she could think to do was break out into spontaneous worship.

The song Mary sang, tells us a lot about God - she clearly wants all praise to go to him. But her words tell us important things about her too.

Mary is humble, in the sense that she knows she is blessed among women, but she is also aware that she doesn’t deserve it. When she refers to “humble state of his servant” she is describing what some might call her “lowly state” – in other words, she is not from a wealthy or influential family.

Second, even though Mary had no choice but to face the enormity of what lay ahead, there is no sense of complaining in her song. “the Mighty One has done great things for me” she sings, giving praise and declaring the holiness of his name.

And finally, Mary’s worship reminds her soul that she is a just a part of God’s much bigger plans. It’s not all about her. God’s mercy extends to all generations, no ruler can stay in power if they are against him. He is the Lord of Israel, faithful to their father Abraham and all descendants after him. The Lord lifts the humble and scatters the proud.

This is humility at its best. Mary doesn’t deny the importance of her calling. She knows all generations will call her blessed. But she knows she hasn’t earned it, has done nothing to deserve it and so she places herself as a simple servant within God’s great power and purposes. 

This is God, speaking of himself. Verses 6 – 8 are not the words of a human, but the recorded words of Almighty God. This is what God wants us to know about him. Whatever questions we may or may not wish to ask him, these are the truths The Lord wanted Moses to hear, and therefore the truths he wants us to take on board.

First, he is the LORD. He repeats it: “The LORD, the LORD…”. No-one or no thing is more powerful than he. He is the sovereign creator of the entire universe. In wisdom and authority, he is above all other things.

Yet, perhaps paradoxically, he is also compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness. His greatness and strength never drive him to selfishness or cruelty. He sees our weaknesses and responds with compassion and grace. He hates the wilful sin that occupies the human heart but chooses to slow his anger and act in love instead.

This portrait of the living God is vibrant with love and forgiveness. Despite the darkness that stains the human condition, The Lord is quick to offer new life, sins forgiven, and rebellion paid for by the mercies of God. He will even forgive wickedness.

The Lord wanted his people to know that his love abounds. Anything that abounds exists in large amounts. It is rich and overflowing. The Lord’s love for us is beyond measure, impossible to count or quantify, too big to fully grasp.

But the Lord also punishes. He is a God of justice. The guilty cannot escape him and their punishment even affects their children and grandchildren, a strong encouragement towards genuine repentance.

In just a few short words, God revealed his sovereignty but also his love. He let Moses know of his unwavering commitment to justice, as well as his deep desire to forgive and bless. He spoke of his faithfulness, in order that we might be faithful to him.

What an amazing picture we have here of God. 

  Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. (Matt 14: 22 – 30)

The phrase, to “step out in faith”, probably comes from this occasion.  We usually say it when we are thinking of taking risk. For example, “I’m not sure if I’ll get this job I am applying for, but I am going to take a step of faith”. But what is our faith in when we say that?

We know from other stories in the gospels that Jesus loved faith. And still does. He loves faith in him. He praised the centurion for his clear, no-nonsense understanding of Jesus’ authority to heal the sick. And he comforted the woman with the terrible bleeding condition with the words, “Take heart, daughter, your faith has healed you.” (Matt 9: 22)

But Jesus doesn’t force us to have faith. He waits for it, patiently, to be expressed. He didn’t say to Peter, “come on, join me on the water, You can do it, just try!” He waited for Peter to form his own response to the situation. I think he does the same with us.

Peter didn’t take a risk based on the probabilities of being successful. He didn’t close his eyes, lean his foot down on the surface of the water and hope for the best. He saw what Jesus was doing, spoke to him, formed a plan in his mind, checked it out with him (“Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water”), waited for Jesus to reply, and then, (and only then) he put a foot over edge of the hull, planting it on the choppy waters, and the rest in history.

Peter’s faith was on the Saviour in front of him and The Lord’s word of encouragement to step out. I think there are some important keys here.

First, try to discern what the Lord is doing. Don’t just assume he will bless a risk, if you haven’t worked out what his plans are. Second, when you have a sense of God’s will after prayer and seeking his face, ask him: “Lord, if this is you, please confirm the decision I need to make”.  Third, when you have the green light to go, that is, the peace of God to proceed (as long as it involves no disobedience to Scripture), you are ready step out.

Is God calling you to take a step of faith?

“Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” (Deut 30 :11 – 20).

God’s Word is never far away. If you are a follower of Jesus, like me, the Scriptures are within easy reach. We have Bibles on our shelves, worship songs on our phones that remind us of the God’s truths, and endless opportunities to hear sermons or podcasts online.

However, we can’t just assume his word is in our hearts or in our mouths. We must invite God’s law, his stories, his instructions and principles, his encouragements into our souls, beyond the intellectual, beyond information level to affect our choices and our will. We must allow it to make us uncomfortable so that we change. We must speak it to our innermost beings.

Moses set before the people a decision. Life or death. Life meant loving him, walking in obedience to him and keeping his commands. Death meant choosing other gods and losing out on everything the Lord wanted to give them. Choose life.

The same speech could be given to us today. We have received new life and the forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ’s death on the cross. But life is still full of decisions, with consequences. Will we invite the Lord’s word to challenge us and mould us? Will we love him first or will we drift to the gods of this age and miss out?

Choose life. 

throughout all generations.

Before the mountains were born

or you brought forth the whole world,

from everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Ps 90: 1 – 2),

My brain can’t get a grasp of what “everlasting to everlasting” means. People talk about eternity past and eternity future, but I find it impossible to imagine. All I know is that his infinity is one of the many ways God is vastly superior to me. To us.

“From everlasting”. Was there a beginning to God? The Scriptures don’t allow us to believe that. Somehow God has always been and always will be. And over that seemingly impossible span of time, he has always been in charge. He has always been God. He will always be God.

Before the mountains were born, before our planet spun on its axis, he has been the sovereign God. When people were created, he invited them to dwell with him. Even though many rejected the call, he held out his hand. Today, The Lord still holds out his hand.  

Later, in Psalm 90 we read:

“Teach us to number our days,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps 90: 12)

This is a stark reminder of the brevity of life on earth. God may be everlasting, but we are not here forever. Our souls will live on, but what will we do with the limited time we have before we die? Will we live intentionally, making the most of our time, loving God, and doing his will, or will we waste the opportunities set before us? Will we “number our days” -that is, put them to good use?

All human beings, like you and I have a paradoxical existence. We are temporal and we are eternal. We are not from everlasting, but eternity is laid out in before us. Faith in Christ will lead us to the dwelling place of God, but will we still number our days? Will we take seriously every minute, every day? Will we do everything we can to further his kingdom? Will we love the lost and feed the hungry? Will we carry out his will?

The psalmist (this is a prayer of Moses) believes that we will gain hearts of wisdom if we number our days. A finite life on earth lived with purpose, under the sovereignty of God, will feed the fertile soil where wisdom wants to grow.

Peter encouraged us to live with purpose, “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ… make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1: 5 – 11). 

At the risk of taking verse five out of context, this has to be one of the most encouraging statements in the Bible: “I will never leave you nor forsake you”. “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Joshua had seen firsthand the extraordinary relationship God had with Moses. “The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (Ex 33: 11). Through Moses, The Lord had performed incredible miracles and executed deadly but righteous judgements. Moses had friendship with the almighty, sovereign God. God gave him the power to bring water out of a rock and part the Red Sea. And now Joshua is being told that The Lord will be with him in the same way.

I don’t know about you, but if I were Joshua, I would really struggle to get my head around the enormity of all that.

And yet, if we read our Bibles, as followers of Jesus, we have stepped into a not dissimilar relationship with God. We are told in Ephesians 2 that we are “raised us up with Christ and seated… with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2: 6). We are forgiven and cleansed from sin, we are adopted into his family, and we are now spiritually “in Christ”, where he is at the right hand of the Father.

Our prayers are not only heard, but we have been given authority to speak in his name, make disciples of all nations, heal the sick and cast out evil spirits. And to top it all, Jesus told his disciples (and therefore also us) “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28: 20). In other words, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

The One was a friend to Moses and Father to the eternal Son, is with us and will never leave us or forsake us.

I don’t deserve it and nor do any of us! But we can live in the good of it and start using the authority he has given us to change our little corner of the world. 

“Only be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when he said to me, “Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children.” You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice. He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. And the LORD directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess” (Deut 4: 9 – 14).

Be careful. Watch yourselves closely. Don’t forget what you have seen and known. Keep them in your heart. Teach them to your kids and grandkids.

“Watch yourself” is an odd instruction and is probably more commonly used today as a warning against having an accident. “Watch yourself on that muddy slope”. “Watch yourself with that hot pan”. Today we hear it as a call to be careful.

Although Moses is speaking to the whole nation, he personalises it for every individual. He is calling every person to be careful. The fate of the nation depends on the choices of each person in it. So, watch yourself, he says, each and every one of you. Decide now what is important. Make intentional decisions today about what you will choose. Let those choices and behaviours directly relate to what you have seen the Lord do and what you have heard him say. Don’t forget any of his words and deeds.

In fact, people, you will likely have children one day, so make habits now to daily remember the Lord and fix them in your life. This will help you to pass them on effectively to the next generation. Your personal response to serve the Lord is vital. Remember: this is all bigger than any of us.

For his sake and his purposes, and for your influence upon those around you, watch yourselves closely.

Perhaps this is still a call to the church today. Watch yourself, each and every one of you. Decide now what is important. Make intentional decisions today about what you will choose. Let those choices and behaviours directly relate to what you have seen the Lord do and what you have heard him say. And don’t forget any of his words and deeds. For his sake and his purposes, and for your influence upon those around you, watch yourselves closely.

As Paul wrote to Timothy, “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim 4: 15 – 16). 

So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank” (Num 20: 6 – 11).

The Lord was not happy with the way this played out. His instructions to Moses were to take the staff, which he did, gather the assembly together, with Aaron’s help (tick!) and then speak to the rock, with everybody watching on.

No tick for the last instruction.

Instead of speaking to the rock, Moses spoke to the people. Actually, he vented his anger at the people and said, “must we bring water out of this rock?” Moses then struck the rock twice with his staff, which the Lord had not told him to do.

You may know the end of the story. In verse 12, we read, ^“But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honour me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” In one stupid moment, Moses lost his ticket into the Promised Land.

What did he do wrong?

Perhaps the first thing is that Moses didn’t follow the Lord’s specific instructions. He improvised out of frustration. It is amazing to me that the Lord still went along with it, providing the much-needed water. I guess his compassion for the people outweighed any thought He may have had to hold back the miracle.

Second, the emphasis on “we” in Moses’ question, “must we bring you water out of this rock?” does suggest that he thought of himself a little too highly in that moment. If Moses had followed his orders to the letter, the Lord would likely have honoured him before the people, as he often did. Instead, Moses stole the glory that belongs only to the Lord and paid the price.

Doing the will and work of God is not to be taken lightly. When the Lord entrusts us to serve him in any kind of leadership role, we stand on holy ground. The question is, will we honour him as holy by obeying his instructions and will we honour him as holy by giving the glory to Him?

The most humble man on earth failed to be humble by the waters of Meribah and it cost him dearly. Let’s not make the same mistake today. 

Poised with anticipation, the second-generation children of Israel are preparing to take the land – the land the Lord promised to them. The book of Deuteronomy is full of speeches given by Moses reminding them of the law, recalling their disastrous short history so far, and then calling them to renew their covenant with God.

In this speech in chapter 7, the Lord, through Moses, is carefully informing the Israelites that they will not conquer the current inhabitants in one single military campaign. They will take possession of the land “little by little”. “You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once”, says Moses.

This is an interesting detail, because some battle-ready tribes may be keen to get on with the job. The sooner we get in there, the quicker we can make it our home, plant crops, build permanent shelters etc.

But the Lord is calling them to be patient. It is not going to be a done deal in one day, or a week, or a year. This new season of conquest needs to take place gradually, and the reason is given: “or the wild animals will multiply around you”.

If the nations were eliminated all at once, the overall balance of the ecosystem would be affected. With a sudden depopulation everywhere, and time passing until all families could be transported to their new homes, there would be fewer people present to control the environment, particularly predators dangerous to human beings. A slower campaign of possession would provide a better chance of creating new communities that are livable and safe.

This is a great example of God’s timing revealing his superior knowledge and wisdom.

There are times when I want the Lord to answer a prayer straight away, or in a particular way. Why do I have to wait, when God can do a miracle in a moment? The thing is, although we know he sees the bigger picture, we don’t always trust that what he sees is as important as the issues at front and centre of our minds.

When I want God to act quickly, I have no view of the rest of the ecosystem. The other people affected, his will in multiple scenarios around me. It is not just my needs he has promised to take care of, but countless others. The pieces of the jigsaw need to come together in just the right way. His timing is perfect. 

Later a conversation between them goes like this:

“Where is your wife, Sarah?” they asked him.

“There, in the tent,” he said.

Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh” (Gen 18: 9 – 15).

They say laughter is the best medicine, but Sarah’s response to the Lord in this story is not one of joy or amusement. This is a laugh of disbelief, almost sarcasm, “Oh sure, that at age one hundred, I would enjoy intimacy with my husband, and that things in my very old body might start working again, like they did many moons ago, so that I may bear a child! I’m old enough to be a great, great grandmother!”

What hasn’t hit her yet is that we are talking about Almighty God here. Is anything too hard for the Lord?

I wonder how easily you and I turn to disbelief, even sarcasm.

“Oh right! (some might say) So you expect me to just ‘let go’ and sail along in some bliss-filled imaginary, Christian bubble, forgetting the fact that the money is due tomorrow, and I have zero dollars in my account.”

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

“I have tried all those things you are talking about. They don’t work. Nothing works!”

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

“It’s funny, I used to have faith like you. I prayed all the time. I still believe of course, but in my own way. God helps those who help themselves” Is anything too hard for the Lord?

No, nothing is too hard for the Lord. He can bring new life to a hundred-year-old woman, he can cause that baby to grow and eventually become a father himself. The Lord can form the generations that follow into a bigger and bigger family until they become a nation. He can mould that nation into a people he calls his own and he can birth his own substance as God incarnate, Jesus Christ, His Son right in the heart of that nation and into the middle of history.  

And he can cause that Son to do something so unexpected, so profound, so universe changing as to provide salvation and new life through his willing death on the cross and then powerful resurrection from the dead. God can take a hundred-year-old lady and create children for himself so numerous as to be beyond counting.

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

We do tend to complicate things, don’t we? I saw a photo recently of some “do-it-yourself” plumbing where a guy had tried to connect a water pipe to his toilet cistern. What should have been a fairly straightforward job turned out like a long, plastic snake with twists and curves in every direction. The caption underneath read, “I only had bends in my truck”.

Like many, I tend to subscribe to the notion that the simplest solution to a situation is probably the best one. In a way, I think Jesus is saying the same thing here. Knowing the Father, receiving the Kingdom of God – well, even a child can do it!

After Jesus had uttered these words, an affluent young man approached him with a question: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10: 17). The ensuing conversation saw Jesus quickly put his discerning finger on the pulse of the man’s real need: to let go of his dependence on possessions and self-righteousness. You don’t need religious pride or riches to enter the Kingdom of God, it’s much simpler than that.

After the man left, “disheartened”, Jesus’ disciples probably had a ton of questions, but Jesus took the initiative: “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” in v 23, and then “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!

It is interesting to note that this is the first time Jesus has called his disciples, “children”. Is he deliberately calling them children to make a point? I think he is, with a touch of irony. In other words, Don’t be like that rich guy, don’t think you can earn your way into God’s kingdom by works, religious deeds, wealth or human importance. It really is much simpler than that. Enter the Kingdom the same way a child enters any relationship: trust, a personal connection. Humility. Unspoken faith in one who offers a loving and safe relationship.

We enter the kingdom by coming to Jesus, knowing that He loves and forgives. We have empty pockets; in that we have no payment or merits to offer but we are drawn to His love. And in the warmth of acceptance and belonging, we are happy to live for Him and do His will. 

He answered, “No, I will not go; I am going back to my own land and my own people. ”

But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes. If you come with us, we will share with you whatever good things the LORD gives us” (Numbers 10: 29 – 32)

Years ago, a friend of mine wrote a song for our church, based on this passage, called “Come with us and we will do you good”. I don’t recall the tune or the rest of the lyrics, but I do remember that we sung it most weeks. The basic idea of the song was that as followers of Jesus, we are wonderfully caught up in God’s plans for the world and motivated to share the good news of Christ’s death, resurrection and new life through faith in Him.

We, along with other believers around the world, were excited about our mission, we felt our lives had purpose and we wanted to invite all and anybody around us to join us in that journey.

Come with us. God is with us. There are good things to come, and we want to share them with you.

When Moses’ brother-in-law (that is, Hobab) started to feel the draw to return to his home country, Moses effectively said three things to try to persuade him to stay with him and the travelling Israelites enroute to the Promised Land. First, you will be treated well, “for the Lord has promised good things to Israel”. Moses is not offering an easy life, he knows that the immediate future promises nothing but tough, wilderness living. But he can guarantee the faithfulness of God both now and in the Promised Land ahead.

Second, he effectively says ‘we need you’. We need your eyes and experience to choose the best places to camp on the way. We are not asking you to join us to bolster numbers, we want you to play your unique part with the gifts and abilities the Lord has given you.

And thirdly, Moses promises, that Hobab will share in all the good things that God gives the Israelite community. ‘Come with us, it may not be easy, but God is with us. There is a glorious future ahead and your gifts and abilities will help us to get there. You will share in the joys and blessings the Lord gives to us. Come with us and we will do you good.

When we share our faith with those who don’t yet know Jesus, we are giving the same invitation. Come with us, repent of your sin and ask Jesus to be Lord of your life. The days in front of you may not always be easy, but Jesus promises to never leave you. And we will love and support each other along the way. There is a glorious future ahead, and your gifts and abilities are vital to God’s great purposes. Come and share the joys of a new life in Jesus Christ. 

Or… in Isaiah’s vision in chapter 6, he is somehow permitted to see with his own eyes the magnificent splendour of the Lord on His throne. One seraph calls out to another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)

Not just one “holy” but three. The Lord is Holy. Holy. Holy. In other words, let that truth be underlined and highlighted, meditated on, etched into our consciousness. Our God is a Holy God.

However, when we reach Psalm 136 and what looks like a history lesson for young Israelite students, we find a phrase being spoken, not twice, not even three times.

Twenty-six times, in fact.

His steadfast love endures forever.

Our psalmist takes us on a sweeping tour of the Pentateuch from Creation to the edge of the Promised Land and at every turn, he is compelled to remind us, “His steadfast love endures forever”.

From the outset we are called to give thanks. Why? For (or because) His steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks ^“to him who by understanding made the heavens…

for his steadfast love endures forever” (Ps 136:5).

Gives thanks “to him who divided the Red Sea in two,

for his steadfast love endures forever” in verse 13.

“and gave their land as a heritage,

for his steadfast love endures forever in verse 21.

Twenty-six times.

If there was one truth the Lord wanted to impart, branded into the conscience of every Israelite soul, it was that His love is steadfast, unwavering and unchanging. And that this love is not fleeting but continues for all time.

It turns out this is a truth permeating every book of Scripture. Every poem and prophecy, every song and story, every letter and law, over and over and over: His steadfast love endures forever.

It will not fade away. It will not give up. It will not grow weary. The Lord’s steadfast love endures forever.

It radiates with the morning sun and stays close through the darkest night. It keeps the line open for our prayers and forgives us when we fall short of His best. It disciplines us for our good and welcomes us into the Lord’s presence - 24/7. The Lord’s steadfast love endures forever.

We can rely on it, plant our faith in it, stand on it in the battle and rest in it on our beds. The Lord’s steadfast love endures forever.

It is precious beyond price. “Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever” (Ps 136: 26). 

However, God made it clear to Moses that he would not be permitted to see His face.

Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” (Ex 33:18-20).

Whether God has an actual physical face is, perhaps, a topic for another conversation, but The Lord has made clear that we will not get to know Him in the same way we might a friend or a spouse: by seeing with eyes and subconsciously noting the others’ expressions. However, we will know Him through other ways He chooses to reveal himself.  

So, what is the face of God that we can see? Moses was invited into the presence of God (a few verses earlier), entering a tent marked by a pillar of cloud where, we are told that “The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (Ex 33: 11). Assuming the Bible does not contradict itself, what might that mean? Especially as we are exhorted to “seek God’s face”, for example, in Psalm 24.

One explanation may be found in Numbers 12: 8, where The Lord, speaking about Moses, said to Aaron and Miriam: ^“With him (that is, Moses) I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD.”

And earlier in the book of Numbers we read, “When Moses entered the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant law. In this way the LORD spoke to him” (Numbers 7: 89)

Moses saw the form of The Lord, but got to know Him through what he heard,

Just as there are an infinite number of ways that a message can be sent through facial expressions, so The Lord has no limits as to how He might convey His words and His heart to us through His voice. And, of course, the idea of God’s voice can mean many things.

For some it might be an impression laid on their heart or a nudge on their conscience. It might be a verse of Scripture, silently bringing a new perspective to a personal situation. It might be a peace that came out of nowhere, or a sense that I must keep praying until he says it’s enough.

However the Lord chooses to speak or show himself, the song of Asaph is an ongoing call throughout the ages and down to today: “Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always” (1 Chronicles 16:11). 

By guarding it according to your word.

¹⁰With my whole heart I seek you;

let me not wander from your commandments!

¹¹I have stored up your word in my heart,

that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119: 9 – 11)

When I was growing up in the UK in the 1970s, I would often hear people talking about keeping something “for a rainy day”. That is, saving money in case it is needed in the future. The rainy day could be any crisis when funds are short. The idiom is still used today

The psalmist in our reading has been asking how he might keep his way pure. How he might live his life with moral integrity. He wouldn’t just be thinking about sexual purity, as important as that is, but other areas of his life too. He would be mindful of his speech and his choice of words, as well as his thoughts and actions, hoping they are good and righteous in the sight of God.

In this short section of an 8-verse stanza, the psalmist let’s us know what he is putting into practice to try and live a life he can be proud of.  At first sight it might seem like a human attempt to be Godly. We all know that we cannot overcome sinful tendencies in our lives without the grace of God. It is because of what Christ has done on the cross, that we have hope of “being transformed into His likeness”.

But the psalmist, even though he knows nothing of Jesus (because this was written before Jesus came to Earth), does know that He needs God’s Word. The Lord and His spoken and written word are his hope. So, he will guard his way (that is, think carefully about his decisions) by measuring it against what God has said.

He has committed himself to seeking God. He will not stray from the ideal that The Lord’s commandments must be his number one source of inspiration.

And he has stored up the Word of God in his heart.

What might this mean?

Obviously, memorisation can help. If we read something often enough, we can start to remember it “off by heart”. Learning portions of scripture was a normal part of my diet in the Sunday school of the little village church I grew up in. Perhaps this is a lost practice in today’s world, but well worth recovering if we are to raise a generation strong in the Word of God.

But perhaps the need is more basic than that. Do we even read the Bible regularly? There is something about absorbing Scripture through the eyes, perhaps even speaking it out, and then letting it marinate in my mind and heart, imagining the story, applying it to my world, letting it move me, challenge me, that can only happen as the Holy Spirit engages with our spirits, breathing life, inspiring hope.

I remember Bible verses that speak to my soul, and I can’t forget stories that shock me or hold me accountable.

And all this quietly stores up in the recesses of my mind and heart, for the day when God will bring it to the surface and use it. 

if Israel would only follow my ways,

¹⁴ how quickly I would subdue their enemies

and turn my hand against their foes!

¹⁵ Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him,

and their punishment would last forever.

¹⁶ But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;

with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” (Ps 81:13-16)

If only I had listened to God. The decision I made that I knew in my heart-of-hearts was not the Lord’s will. If I had only read God’s Word and sought Godly counsel, things may have turned out differently.  

Psalm 81 sounds like it is set in the midst of a national festival, possibly the Feast of Trumpets or the Feast of Tabernacles. The first few verses explode with energy, music and joyful shouts of celebration, commemorating the ancient stories of God’s powerful rescue of a people from slavery in Egypt.

But then a mystery voice cuts the moment. The scene was only a dream, a memory, as if a sleeper has awoken to a harsh reality. Those days are long gone. God did do those things, and the sleeper remembers what the Lord said at the time:

“⁸ Hear me, my people, and I will warn you—

if you would only listen to me, Israel!

⁹ You shall have no foreign god among you;

you shall not worship any god other than me” (Ps 81: 8 – 9)

The one rubbing his eyes from sleep hears more from the Lord, spoken years later:

¹¹ “But my people would not listen to me;

Israel would not submit to me.

¹² So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts

to follow their own devices” (Ps 81: 11 – 12).

It is a frightening thing for the Lord to give people over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own devices. The reality of life for the one remembering and writing this psalm is that he and his family, and his nation, are exiles, held captive in a foreign land, a punishment inflicted by the Lord for continuous disobedience and the worship of false gods.

The Lord is a forgiving God, but he never lets us escape from the consequences of our decisions.

Human beings can be stubborn and, if we are honest, that includes you and me. Even as believers, we might sometimes pay more attention to our emotions and the spirit of the age than the Word of God. The mystery voice reveals the heart of our God, “if my people would only listen to me”.

The Lord wanted His people to be fed with the finest of wheat and be satisfied with honey from the rock. Today, He still wants the best for us. Life. Beautiful, purposeful life with an eternal celebration of relationship with the Father through faith in Jesus, within the bounds of His Word and His Ways and under the protective umbrella of the Lordship of Christ.

“If my people would only listen to me”. 

and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

“The LORD makes firm the steps

of the one who delights in him” (Psalms 37: 4, 23)

Like much of the sayings in The Book of Proverbs, David has written a psalm contrasting the fate of the wicked with the righteous. In his black and white view of the world (compared to today), the righteous will shine like the dawn, enjoying peace and prosperity, while the wicked, though temporarily successful in their schemes, will eventually lose their power and perish (or “go up in smoke” v 20).

One of his reasons for composing the psalm is simply to say, “do not fret” (he says it 3 times). Do not be overly anxious when bad people continue to be bad people – God will hold them accountable.

Life, is of course, more complicated than that and God’s people are called to respond actively, not passively, to injustice in the world, the needs of the poor and destructive ripples that can flow from compromised leaders and flawed human beings.

But for those who seek to honour God with their lives, David’s psalm is timeless. Trust in the Lord; commit your way to Him; be patient. David then ends his psalm with a promise:

“The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;

he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

The LORD helps them and delivers them;

he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,

because they take refuge in him” Ps 37: 39 – 40.

How might we take refuge in the Lord? One way is by delighting in Him.

The Westminster catechism tells us that “Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever”. We exist to worship Him – yes! To give glory and honour to Him – absolutely! But to enjoy Him too. To delight in Him. God wants us to find joy in Him.

When we stop and find space in the day to shut out our worries and stresses, we might reflect on how much the Lord has done for us. How He has changed us, transformed us from the person we once were. We can marvel at the fact that He includes us in His plans, even though we don’t deserve it. We can remember specific times of encouragement, a word that spoke to us or a remarkable answer to prayer.

We can be grateful for what we have. Material things. Money, the ability to earn money but more importantly, people. Those the Lord has brought into our lives and made precious to us. And the relationship with have with Him – our Father in heaven. Always present, always sovereign, always patient. Always kind.

So much to enjoy. And we haven’t even started to talk about the wonder of His creation, which we can delight in as we walk through that park or along that beach, side-by-side with the One who made it.

The promises of David's psalm are “firm steps” and the desires of our heart for those who delight in the Lord.

To be honest, I think to have a heart that daily delights in our maker is reward enough, but it is comforting to know that while we are simply enjoying Him, He is quietly planning good steps ahead for us. 

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered.

 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” (John 21: 1 – 7).

One of the things I love about Jesus, is that no word or action is ever wasted. We know from other post-resurrection accounts that Jesus was not always recognised straight away. His appearance had changed in some way. Mary Magdalene didn’t know it was Jesus she saw outside the empty tomb and the two travelers walking to Emmaus spoke to him for the better part of a day before they figured out who He was.

Is it possible that that same thing is happening here? I think it is. Jesus does something that will make His disciples realise who He is. Particularly for Simon Peter and John. He repeated the very first miracle they ever saw Him do.

Recorded in Luke’s Gospel, we remember the account of Jesus calling His first disciples. Simon Peter seemed happy for Jesus to teach from His boat with the crowds gathered at the water’s edge and while he and his mates cleaned the nets. At the end of His teaching, Jesus told Simon to put the boat out again and throw the nets over. Even though the fishermen had worked hard all night with no catch (and had only just washed the nets), Simon did what he was asked.

Just like today’s story there was a huge catch of fish, way beyond normal expectations. No wonder the same disciples three years later exclaimed with a gasp, “it is the Lord!”. It’s Him! We have seen this before. Only He can do that.

God granted us a powerful gift when He gave us the ability to look back and re-live a moment. Although some life events can be painful to recall, the Bible is full of encouragements to remember the good. And good memories of the Lord at work may help us understand the present.

For example, a “blast from the past” recollection of a person may be a prompt to pray for them. An intentional look back to God’s grace on your life can only increase thankfulness and trust for the future. And perhaps when we are mindful of the Lord’s dealings in our lives, not forgetting what He has spoken and what He has done, we might more easily recognise His presence and His voice today. To be able to say again of His leading, “it is the Lord! This is what He wants me to do today”. 

The LORD said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (Ex 4: 10 – 12).

I sometimes wish that my mind could be quicker than it is. To be able to give a witty response to every situation and make the world laugh around me. To say just the right thing in the moment.

But Moses isn’t complaining about a shortage of comedic skills, or even a lack of wise rhetoric. His problem may have been more basic.

Some have suggested he had a speech impediment, making it difficult for him to express himself with confidence. Perhaps he didn’t feel he knew the language of the Egyptian royal court well enough to be understood. Or he might have been prone to panic attacks with the thought of standing up in front of others and making a speech.

Whatever the reason, Moses considered himself “slow of speech and tongue” therefore believed God had made a huge mistake in choosing him to be His spokesperson.

Towards the end of Jesus’ life, there is a hint that He guessed some of His disciples might struggle with public speaking, or even just articulating their faith to others when they needed to. “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say” (Luke 12: 11 – 12).

In both of our passages today, the Lord promises to teach the person what they need to say.

I have found in my own life that speaking well does not come naturally to me. In my early years as a high school teacher, I did not have the natural confidence to address uninterested teenagers. And years later, serving in pastoral ministry, I will still agonise over the right words to share with a brother or a sister in a sensitive conversation.

But one thing I can say is that the Lord does help. He does give wisdom when you ask for it, even if you have to pray about it for a while, chew it over or seek advice. Over time, he has graciously allowed me to learn boldness, particularly when I know He has given me something to say.

And he can do the same for you.

One of the best preachers I have ever known, would often struggle with a stutter when he spoke. I think God helped him more than anyone knew, but He kept my friend reliant on Him at the same time.

The Lord will help us and teach us what to say, but never to the point where we become proud of our wisdom or oratory skills. If we can get that balance right, what an amazing thought it is that we might be a spokesperson for God himself. 

What god is as great as our God?

You are the God who performs miracles;

you display your power among the peoples.

With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,

the descendants of Jacob and Joseph” (Ps 77: 13 – 15).

This is a really good question to ask: What god is as great as our God?

Gods (with a small ‘g’) in the Bible were, of course, not gods at all. They were man-conceived and man-made. The writings of the Old Testament often refer to them as idols, statues of earthly creatures or representations of how ancient peoples imagined their deities would appear if they could see them. Made of wood, stone, or metal, some were small and portable, kept in tents or family dwellings; others were large, towering over worshippers in their temples.

Isaiah 40 describes the stupidity of creating idols, when they are compared to the living God.

“With whom, then, will you compare God?

To what image will you liken him?

As for an idol, a metalworker casts it,

and a goldsmith overlays it with gold

and fashions silver chains for it.

A person too poor to present such an offering

selects wood that will not rot;

they look for a skilled worker

to set up an idol that will not topple.

Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

Has it not been told you from the beginning?

Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth (Is 40: 18 – 22)

Idols can topple over. Our God sits enthroned above the circle of the earth.

Why pray to something that humans have created, something that needs help standing up, when the One ruling the heavens and seated on the throne invites us to pray to Him? The One who performs miracles; the One who displays infinite power; the One who redeems us with His mighty arm. He invites us to worship and pray to Him.

Our modern-day idols are just as worthless. We might not bow the knee to a wooden statuette, but how important to us is our social media status? Or the praise of those around me. Do you care about those things more than you care about who you are in God? If you are not sure, compare your average daily screen time with the time you spent reading the Bible this morning, Who do you draw your value from? You contemporaries or your heavenly Father? Do you worship the desire to be liked by others, or do you worship the One who created you, formed you and loves you?

Just like the ancient statues of stone or gold, our present-day idols only hold power if we give it to them. If we lean on them for favour, love, or fortune, we will surely only discover empty and lifeless promises.

But worship the Living God and bow the knee to Him and a whole universe of possibilities open up. Because… what god can possibly be as great as our God?

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight” (Prov 3:5-6).

Sometimes when I am finding it hard to find a place of peace and trust, it is because I have started to imagine all sorts of possible scenarios that might play out. I see in my minds eye all the worst things that can happen. All the unpleasant conversations that might take place.

In this 3-part devotion series, we have examined what it might mean to trust in the Lord with all your heart. We have suggested that a conscious focus on the attributes of God that particularly speak to the human heart can help us as we navigate life’s challenges. For example, if we remind ourselves that God is kind and God is faithful, we might more easily find the peace that we need because we know He will be faithful and kind towards us.

And if we avoid the temptation to link our faith with what we think we know about a person or what we might believe about a situation, we can instead rest in the truth that God sees and understands all things, and so we can trust Him.

The third line of this proverb simply tells us to submit to Him. In all our ways. This sounds to me like a reminder to declare that He is Lord. The Scriptures constantly tell us that the Lord is on His throne and that Jesus reigns at the right hand of the Father. He is sovereign, no-one is higher than Him. But sometimes we need to consciously submit all of our decisions, all of our problems, all of our comings and goings to His Lordship.

Regardless of how we may want a situation to play out, we must come to a place where we can say, “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”. Lord, you are a kind and good God and your have your perfect will. You have greater knowledge than me. While I sometimes base decisions on my assumptions, you see the actual truth. So, I submit my ways to you.

With these instructions in place that Lord promises He will make our paths straight. What does this mean? As we said in the first devotion in this series, a straight path implies that we won’t be zigzagging all over the shop trying to find peace or struggling to make sense of a situation.

A straight path will have no turns trying to distract us from our destination – a life of fruitfulness and purpose under the guiding hand of God.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight” (Prov 3:5-6).

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight” (Prov 3:5-6).

In the first 4-minute devotion in this series, we said that our trust in the Lord during difficult situations, sometimes needs to move from our heads to our hearts. It is one thing to declare our faith in God and meditate on His promises, which are both good things to do during life’s pressures, but it is another to find a heart at peace throughout the ordeal.

We suggested one thing that might help: to think on those of God’s attributes that particularly speak to the human heart. For example, God is kind, and His everlasting kindness is always directed towards us. And God is faithful. God keeps His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments. As spiritual descendants of God’s chosen people through faith in the risen Christ, His faithfulness will always reach to us.

The second instruction in this short proverb is to “lean not on your own understanding”. In other words, look beyond the limits of your thinking and imagination. I have found that simple trust in God during challenging circumstances can be easily killed when I allow my mind to wander. When I think I understand every part of the situation; when I cannot see a way through, when I make assumptions about other people. When I put too much confidence in my own understanding of what is going on.

A friend of mine tells the story of working with a person whose attitude towards him seemed uncaring, rude, and even, at times, hostile. He wondered what he had done to offend him and even became afraid of “saying the wrong thing”. He felt he had to “walk on eggshells” around him. He struggled to come to terms with the thought that a Christian brother would behave like this workmate.

Until, one day, he realised that his partner was displaying some symptoms of a mental health condition. A well-known neurological disorder. The man wasn’t meaning to be rude; his brain was just wired differently. With a little more understanding of the situation, my friend was able to pray for a new perspective and trust God for a way forward.

When we focus only on what we think we know, when we forget to question our assumptions, when we believe we have all the facts (when we don’t), it is easy to lean on our own understanding, instead of trusting God to solve the puzzle from the view He has of the bigger picture.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight”.

Seeking the Lord for His understanding is so much better than making judgments with only a handful of the facts.

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight” (Prov 3:5-6).

Christians can, on occasion, find it hard to trust God in the situations that they face. It is not that God is not trustworthy, more that we can sometimes struggle to look away from the things that make us anxious, to a place where we rest in the peace that God wants to give us.

Today’s two verses from the Book of Proverbs give us three instructions that I believe help us to obey Jesus’ teaching in Matt 6 when he said, “do not worry about your life” (Matt 6: 25).

First, “trust in the Lord with all of your heart”. If you have been a follower of Jesus for any amount of time you will have read many verses that tell us, or encourage us, to put our trust in God. We can speak out our faith in God in difficult circumstances and we can read stories of others who have remained steadfast, hanging on to the promises of the Lord through life’s challenges.

But sometimes the concept of trust stays in our heads (that is, “I know I need to put my faith in God in this situation, so I’ll just keep saying the verses”) but it doesn’t reach our hearts. God wants us – you, to trust Him from the depths of your heart. How do we do that?

I am still learning this, but I find it helpful to think about those attributes of God’s character that particularly speak to the human heart. Here are a couple that speak to me:

First, God is kind. Following the Lords severe judgment of the nation of Israel by way of their Babylonian captivity, He made this promise to His children through the prophet Isaiah,

“In a surge of anger

I hid my face from you for a moment,

but with everlasting kindness

I will have compassion on you,”

says the LORD your Redeemer (Isaiah 54: 8).

God is a God of compassion, and His everlasting kindness is always directed towards His people – towards us. Therefore, He will treat you kindly in your situation.

Second, God is faithful. What does it mean that God is faithful? Deuteronomy 7: 9 reminds us that “…he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”

A thousand generations is a very long time. If five generations is about a hundred years, then a thousand must be at least two hundred times that. As Christians, our spiritual roots come from God’s chosen people in the scriptures, way back in history. And Christ himself. Jesus perfectly loved His Father and kept His commandments. Therefore, God faithfully keeps His covenant of love to Him and therefore, also to us.

In other words, God is faithful to us because He is faithful to His Son and to His people. And so, God will be faithful to you, in your situation. He will not let you down. He sees it all and knows how to work it out.

Therefore, you can trust Him with all of your heart. And the promise is: He will make your paths straight. We don’t need to be zigzagging all over the shop trying to find peace or struggling to make a decision. We can trust Him with all of our heart. 

I wonder if you have ever pondered a memory where, on reflection, if God hadn’t answered that prayer, if that thing hadn’t happened, if that person hadn’t arrived when they did, your situation might have turned out very differently.

Sometimes we only see the hand of the Lord when we look back afterwards.

I remember a time, when for a long season, I couldn’t work out what God was doing. A couple of people, good people, misunderstood my reasons for a decision that I made, and they began to think the worst of me. I tried to explain what was going on, we had several conversations, but things just went from bad to worse.

There isn’t space here to tell the whole story, but as things continued to go pear-shaped, I struggled to discern what God was up to. Until I realised (very slowly) that The Lord had plans I knew nothing about. New plans for me and new plans for the others involved in the situation.

Now, when I reflect on that portion of my life, I realise, like the psalmist, that if the Lord hadn’t been on our side (or “for us”, as he promises in Rom 8: 31: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”), if He hadn’t granted me wise counsel form another brother at just the right time, if circumstances had played out differently, well… I dread to think how things might have turned out.

But the truth is, God fulfilled his purposes, and He answered prayers, even though some answers were unexpected. He made me realise how much I needed Him, and He challenged me on a few things too.

If the Lord hadn’t been on my side, if (with His help) I hadn’t clung to His promises, remembering that He is the Maker of heaven and earth (and so can do anything), I might not have seen the victory. I might have missed the new thing He was creating.

When stuff happens, it is easy to take our eyes off the Lord, to forget that as His children, He is “on our side”. It may take a while to realise that he is readjusting some plans and expectations, so that “our side” is shaped to His purposes, but He will keep us safe in the battle that gets us there.

Remember: The Lord is on your side. And His purposes in your situation are good purposes.

teach me your paths.

Guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long” (Ps 25: 4 – 5).

I don’t know if David intended this when he wrote Psalm 25, but it seems to me there is a big difference between God’s Ways and His Paths.

The phrase “God’s Ways” in the Scriptures can refer to several things. It might be His plans or his actions, or His decisions, but it is always related to His character. His ways are who He is, seen by what He decides to do (or not do). It describes how His principles shape His will; how His wisdom drives His judgments and choices.

If we were to liken these descriptions to a human analogy, God’s ways are like the rules and principles of safe driving - the rules of the road or Highway Code as it is referred to in some countries. With that picture in mind, God’s paths can be His directions to your destination.

When we pray, “show me your ways” we are asking Him to reveal to our minds and hearts how we can drive our lives within the wise and safe boundaries of His will and within the principles of His Word. When we pray, “teach me your paths”, this overlaps with a desire to know His ways, but it is also asking for specific guidance.

“Lord, what is my destination?” “How do I get there?” “Do I go the long way round, or is there a shortcut?” “Is there a blockage in the road some distance away that I don’t yet see?” “Do I turn left here or right?”

Sometimes I think I need to pray something like, “Lord, teach me to recognise your paths”. The Lord doesn’t need to change the way He speaks, but I need to learn to how hear and discern His voice better than I do. If I am driving the car of my life too fast, the Lord’s directions to take a slow detour may not be heard above the roar of the engine.

The Ways of the Lord are referred to four more times in Psalm 25. God instructs sinners in His ways and the humble are taught His way. The ways of the Lord are loving and faithful and those that fear the Lord are given first-hand instruction as to the ways they should choose.

Our loving Heavenly Father has much to teach us on our journey towards His destination. He wants to transform our minds and our characters to be more like His, so that while driving safely, we move with passion and purpose. He also wants to teach us how to read His map, what speed to drive down each part and where and when to stop and take a break.

Sometimes we may come to a fork in the road and wonder which way to go. He may whisper “this way” to those who can hear, or He may say, “You choose. You know my ways, I have equipped and empowered you to make good decisions”. 

God wants his people to be mature in their faith, full of Christ, equipped for every task, “Built up”.

The apostle continues: “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph 4: 11 – 16)

I want you to notice that although we rightly celebrate and honour the role of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers as they equip us to serve God, mould us towards unity and increase our knowledge of Jesus, the responsibility for growth also lies on us.

Paul tells us we can grow by speaking the truth to each other in love, and we can grow by building up one another in love. Paul sees growth as a together activity. Within a community that is soaked in love.

Like a human body, the parts of Christ’s body cannot exist on their own. We are joined to each other, “held together by every supporting ligament”. We grow in our faith as a unity. Together. Together in love.

The body of Christ “grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work”. I can convince myself that I am growing in my faith as I study Scriptures on my own. That is an important part of my day, but if I only read God’s Word in solitude, I don’t hear the insights of those who are different to me. I miss the joy of seeing a verse impact a friend in a new way, and I’ll lose the benefit of a brother’s Godly challenge as he speaks the truth in love.

I can try to be brave as I face life’s challenges, seeking the Lord for help, waiting for His promises to come to pass. But on my own will never be enough. There will always be something missing. As God’s children, we are joined, held together, which means my tears become your tears and your sorrows become mine. The new creation of God’s people under Christ as the head, and shepherded by his appointed leaders, still needs to “build itself up in love, as each part does its work”.

Building and growing is not a solo activity in the New Testament. It requires the challenge of sharing my life with others; opening up when I’d rather face the darkness alone. Finding the work Christ wants me to do to strengthen his body in the place where he has called me to serve alongside others. 

Both had been forced into custody following an offense with their master and one morning they woke up, each one remembering a vivid dream. As they relayed their dreams to the young Hebrew, Joseph was able to interpret them. With chilling accuracy.

Within 3 days, the Egyptian king called for his officials to be released from their chains, one being restored to his original position in the court, the other to be executed. Joseph’s predictions had not only come true, but they were correct even to the details as to how the executed man will die.

Joseph was not a popular brother growing up among members of his family. He was clearly daddy’s favourite and there were times when humility and wisdom might have gone a long way. Some would likely have called him arrogant, but one thing rings clear throughout the biblical narrative and that is that he had a call on his life. God had purposes for him, and he knew it.

So, when he found himself confined in a foreign jail, he must have wondered about God’s plans for him. Were they all in his imagination? Were the dreams he had as a teenager just silly dreams, meaning nothing? Did hope evaporate years ago?

One thing that impresses me, though, about Joseph in this story is his attitude to God and his attitude to others. As hard as it must have been from him to live for so long in basic prison conditions, he does not appear to be self-focused. It is Joseph who notices that Pharaohs officials are troubled as they reflect on their respective dreams. He then takes the trouble to ask, “Why do you look so sad today?” (Gen 40: 7).

When they told him their predicament that they knew of no-one to help them understand their dreams, Joseph was quick to offer help.

But he was also quick to give glory to God. “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.” (Gen 40: 8).

Joseph could have made any number of self-serving decisions that day. He could have been so absorbed in his problems that he failed to notice burdens others were carrying. He might have seen the concerned looks on the faces of his fellow prisoners but then choose to look away and ignore them. He might have helped them interpret the dreams but then claim that his skills came from his own cleverness and greatness.

Instead, Joseph, chose to care for those around him and give glory to God. I think God saw that. I think God saw that Joseph was faithful to sense The Lord’s promptings away from the limelight and do His will.

On that day, the favourite son of Jacob was faithful in small things, and if you know the end of the story, we know that God eventually trusted him with a ministry the size of the nation.

The master in Jesus’ Parable of the Talents says to one of the servants, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matt 25: 21)

I believe that is the heart of God towards us as we seek to be faithful to Him in the small things of life.

400 years is a long time. I have problems waiting 20 minutes for an overdue doctor’s appointment but 400 years! God waited that long for His purposes to be completed. Why would God allow His people to be servants (enslaved and oppressed as the CSB puts it) for so many years?

The writer of Genesis tells us a little more in the next couple of verses: “As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete” (v 15 – 16).

God was not in a rush for the descendants of Abraham (then, Abram) to enter their Promised Land because “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete”. Basically, Abram, your kids and grandkids and great grandkids etc are going have to wait because the Amorites haven’t finished sinning yet! Why would God be content with such a slow-moving timetable?

And what have the Amorites got to do with anything?

The Exodus narrative is a key theme of the Bible. The story of Moses leading God’s people out of enslavement (when the 400 years was eventually up), is told and re-told many times throughout the Scriptures. The Lord often referred to himself as “…the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves (Lev 26: 13).

Centuries later, the prophet Jeremiah reminded God’s people of that truth (in 7: 21) as did Hosea: “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son” (Hos 11: 1).

When Matthew describes the Christmas narrative of Joseph, Mary and their newborn, Jesus, fleeing to Egypt to escape the clutches of a jealous king Herod, and their eventual return to Israel, the same Hosea reference to the Exodus story is quoted, suggesting Jesus as a fulfillment to it.

A grown-up Jesus miraculously met with Moses on the Mount of transfiguration and our Lord eventually became the Passover lamb. The meal before the Exodus evolved into a meal of bread and wine signifying for all time Christ’s death for our sins on the cross.

God seemed shockingly patient with the Amorites as they continued to sin before Him for hundreds of years, whilst His people quietly formed themselves into a nation, waiting for his salvation.

Time ambled on through centuries and millennia, occasionally marking an instant of God’s presence or intervention (e.g. Esther being raised to Queen “at such a time as this” to save God’s people from annihilation), God patience always waiting for the perfect moment for the next step of His plan: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom 5: 6)

God is infinitely patient because He knows His timing of all things. He sees all the circumstances, knows when the variables will fall into place, and like Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, “…is never late, nor is he early, (but) he arrives precisely when he means to”. 

When David wrote Psalm 23, the great king and war hero likened himself to a sheep! I have to admit - not the first animal I would think of to try to describe the man. Surely a bear or a lion – the very creatures he had once defeated in face-to-face combat (see 1 Sam 17: 34 – 36).

But the once shepherd, in prayer before Almighty God, saw himself as a sheep. With His Lord as the shepherd. Probably because the battle-hardened soldier king knows what it feels like to have your strength sapped from your very core.

And with that in mind he wrote this…

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

 He restores my soul…” (Ps 23: 1 – 3)

The rest of the psalm talks about enemies and dark valleys but here at the beginning, David has found peace. We don’t know the specific context of Psalm 23, but David experienced enough traumatic adventures during one lifetime to last several. And if this psalm is anything to go by, there must have been at least some occasions when David found the Lord putting him back together, Restoring his soul.

Can we glean anything from these few lines to help us in such times?

First of all, David declares “I shall not want”. This is a bold statement of faith. Whatever the enemy may throw at me, The Lord will give me everything I need. I need not fear that I am going through this on my own. My Father in Heaven and great provider, knows what I need before I ask him, as Jesus taught in Matt 6: 8. And He is with me.

David then describes the Lord, making him lie down in green pastures. I don’t believe that the Lord forces us to do anything (even though He could). But David has learned to sense the promptings of the Spirit and discern his leading to the point where he knows the green pasture is where he is meant to be.

In this place of peace, the sun is warm and there is plenty to eat. He can feed on God’s Word as well as the food God provides and he might even catch up on some well-needed sleep.

The Lord then leads David beside still or quiet waters. Jesus once described the Holy Spirit as water in John 7. We are told he “said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive” (John 7: 37 – 39).

There is obviously a difference between quiet waters and a river, but the point is there is an invitation to drink. Just as David was led beside quiet waters to drink.  To drink of the Lord. To drink of His Holy Spirit.

No wonder he found his soul restored. 

“Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them” (Luke 4: 40).

If you have been Christian for a while, you will know that there are times when the healings or miracles don’t happen. There can be good reasons, for example, James writes that we can “ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives” (James 4: 3). For as long as I can remember, I have preached that we can’t claim a healing as a guarantee, but when we ask, we come to the One who hears us, loves us and wants the best for us. He is the One who healed back then and can still heal today.

But somehow, I feel I am missing something when I teach that way. I feel like I am making excuses for God. The bottom line is that Jesus was constantly willing to heal and there were times when the gospel writers noticed that every person asking Jesus for healing received it. He also encouraged His disciples (on several occasions) to ask, assuring them they will receive what they have asked for.

Much has been written (and preached) on this subject and depending on your church or denomination’s theological perspective, conclusions will be formed, ranging from an acceptance of suffering instead of praying for the healing, to an expectation of miracles on a regular basis. And anything in between.

Where does the Bible sit on this? A small devotion like this one cannot do justice to that question, but one thing that strikes me is Matthew’s observation that when Jesus was asked if He was willing to heal the leper (make him “clean”), which would also have restored him to his community, He responded in a heartbeat, “I am willing; be clean”. Without hesitation Jesus ministered love and power to those who asked.

Jesus was willing, and on numerous occasions the gospel writers noted his compassion. When we come to the Lord in prayer, we come to the One who is moved with compassion and willing to help.

Jesus’ words and actions always mirrored the heart of the Father. To encourage us to be bold in our asking, he even appealed to our desire as human parents to give the best for our kids. So how much will our Heavenly Father want to give to us? “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matt 7: 9 – 11).

I still don’t understand why some people don’t receive the miracle they are praying for, but I do believe we come to the One who loves us, is full of compassion and is willing to step in and help us.

In a heartbeat. 

I used to think that this was about people becoming Christians and not pursuing other religions. I think it includes that interpretation, but I also believe there is more to it.

One of the amazing things about God is that when He created human beings – when he created us – he gave us the power of choice. We are not robots. That’s why Genesis 3, the story of Adam and Eve, and their decision to disobey God is such a shocking story.

Why would God create people with the choice to reject Him?

I guess the simple answer, is that He wants love to be genuine. If we are to put Him first, to pursue Him and do His will, it must be because we have chosen that from a heart of love and gratitude.

The choice laid before us in these two verses is the broad way or the narrow way. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.”

Narrow can feel like a negative word, can’t it? It has negative connotations. We talk about some people being narrow-minded or having a narrow point of view.

And so, many have concluded that Christianity is therefore a religion of restrictions. You can’t do this; you can’t do that. No smoking, no gambling, no drinking; no movies, no having fun of any kind!

And this verse, they say, proves it!!

I am so glad that these words come at the end of the Sermon on the Mount and not the beginning. Earlier in the sermon, in Matthew chapter 5, Jesus said to his audience, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. Later He talked about doing things “in secret” where only the Father sees but where the Father loves to reward them. And then Jesus encouraged His listeners to pray to the Father directly asking Him for all of their needs and be participants in His growing Kingdom (as they pray “your kingdom come”). Jesus has been wonderfully drawing them (and us as we read it today) into a love relationship with the Father.

This is not a religion of restrictions, but a Kingdom of love and purpose and blessing. We are not being forced to sit in a prison of misery; we are being invited by the creator of the universe to join Him in His work of healing and salvation around the world.

The road that leads to destruction is broad because there are an infinite number of ways to reject God and put ourselves first. The road to life is narrow because there is simply one path: a relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ. Yet that one path leads to infinite possibilities of what life with Him can look like.

Sadly, many do not see it. Many just want to do what they want to do with their life. 

The famous Ten Commandments contained four that related to the Israelites’ relationship with God and six that spoke of how they should treat each other. Jesus summed them up when he answered a question from a religious teacher about which of the commandments might be the most important.

Jesus simply said, “‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12: 29 – 31).

Paul reiterates all of this in his letter to the Romans. If we do not set out to hurt or harm another but choose rather to love the person who has wronged us, we have fulfilled the law that commands us to not murder.

If we honour others above ourselves, seeking to give recognition of a job well done, instead of taking it, we turn our jealousy and covetousness into love, fulfilling the command not to steal.

The Ten Commandments carved on stone tablets were always meant to be carried in human hearts. God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah,

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts” (Jer 31: 33).

The writer to the Hebrews picks this up, reminding us that we have direct access to the Father in the Most Holy Place through the blood of Jesus and that therefore, we can draw near to God, know that our sins are forgiven, hold on to His promises and “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Heb 10: 24).

As children of God, we have all the resources of Heaven available to us to fulfill the law. Not by self-righteous acts of religious activity but by genuine love, for our neighbour and for each other. By good deeds inspired by the cross. By pouring out on the world around us the same love the Father has lavished on us.

As Paul writes, both the acts of love and the people that love in Christ’s name, take the law once carved in stone and infuse it into living and breathing human souls, who, in turn share it with each other as co-members of Christ’s body and radiate it out to a dying world.

Christ has fulfilled the law. Love continues that work.

He saw through their duplicity and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent” (Luke 20: 20 – 26).

In today’s story, those trying to trap Jesus into saying something that might harm His ministry heard him say, “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Jesus used the opportunity to remind the “spies” that everything belongs to God. Lifting the story into our day, when we give something to Him, like our time, our love, or our money, we are simply returning to Him what He already owns. What He has already shared with us.

We give Him our time because he has given us a lifetime. We love Him because He first loved us. And we give him portions of our possessions and wealth because he gave us the ability to earn them.

Is there anything we can give to God that He didn’t already give to us? Let me suggest two things. First, our thanks. God has no reason to say, “thank you” to us, but 1 Thess 5: 18 reminds us to give to him “thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” God doesn’t force us to express gratitude, but it is certainly His will. What parent wouldn’t find joy seeing appreciation in the excited heart of her child? In comparison, there is so much that we can thank the Lord for. Perhaps our excited and grateful hearts bring joy to our Father in Heaven in a similar way.

Second, thanks must surely lead to worship. “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendour of his holiness” (Ps 29: 2). Again, God doesn’t give us worship, but we can certainly pour ours out to Him.

“…give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Caesar may have given the Israelites in Jesus’ day some level of peace, a road system and trade networks but God gave them life, His Word and His Son. Oh, and He created Caesar.

Everything comes back to a generous and loving God. How can we ever live a day without a “thank you” on our lips and love in our hearts? 

Would you say that you are a truthful person? An honest person? Most of us would agree that lies can be destructive and can break trust. But what about so-called, “white” lies – withholding truth because you don’t want to hurt somebody?

In today’s passage, Jesus is encouraging honesty. To lie for our own gain or to hurt another is clearly wrong. A person of integrity will be truthful. But this must be balanced with genuine love for those around us as Paul teaches in Eph 4: 15: “speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ”. We speak the truth in love so that we may all grow together in our faith, recognising that we are strongly connected to each other as Christ’s body.

Or, to put it another way, we don’t lob truths or opinions at each other from a distance, we share honestly with kindness and gentleness and in close proximity. In fact, if a truth might hurt another we need to ask, first, if God’s wisdom counsels us to stay quiet; or to find a different way of reaching the same goal. 

Jesus is also teaching that “swearing” (e.g. “I swear I am telling the truth, on my mother’s grave”, or “on the life of my children”), is not necessary if people know that you are a truthful person. A simple statement or answer to a question, like yes or no. is enough.

In Jesus’ day, people would swear oaths in a similar way to us to emphasize that what they are saying is true. So, they might use the name of God.

But, some leaders, lacking integrity, might swear an oath in the name of something less than God, like ‘Heaven’ or the city of Jerusalem, or something created by God, if they planned on not quite speaking the truth. Or the whole truth.

It sounded good (“I swear it’s true on the name of our beautiful city Jerusalem”, or “this is as true as the hairs on my head”), but they may be lying.

Assuming that everybody reading this (or listening to it) is keen to be a truth-teller, if some struggle to trust information shared by us, will it really make any difference if we try to validate it by making reference to somebody’s grave. Or our children.

The Bible teaches us to speak the truth, clearly and simply, but always from a place of love and genuine commitment to one another. A family with those values at its core will never need to question the truthfulness of words shared by another.

There are literally hundreds of movies about revenge. In fact, IMDB (the go-to website for info on any film) has even created a list of the “50 best Revenge movies of all time” – including several that many would call classics.

People love to hear stories about someone getting what they deserve.

But I wonder what all this looks like in Jesus’ new World – His new Kingdom.

Today we are going to read something from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. We might say, this describes how Jesus wants us to live; or what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. It is certainly different to the world around us.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Matt 5 :38 – 42).

At first glance these words seem like they are saying, “just be weak; just be a victim; don’t stand up for yourself; let people walk all over you!”

Is Jesus encouraging a victim mentality?

The answer is – No, He’s not!  Yes, sometimes we do need to defend ourselves (or defend others) but there is a big difference between blocking ourselves from harm and exacting revenge. If we have the power to protect ourselves (or somebody else) in danger, we must do so. However, if we can diffuse a bad situation peacefully, for example, refusing to hit back or blessing somebody with more than they deserve, it is surely better than letting anger rule the day.

Imagine a Roman soldier in Jesus’ world, picking on a frail old man, demanding that he carry a heavy load for him for a whole mile, even though the young soldier is more than capable of picking up his own things. But, instead of the man refusing to comply or becoming angry, he looks at the boy, not much older than his grandson, as says, “Son, I am not going to carry this bag for 1 mile, I am going to walk with you for two. You may wonder why. Well simply this: I serve a God who gives us more than we deserve, who pours out blessings both on the Godly and the godly, who reaches out to us even when we want nothing to do with Him. It’s called Grace.  I just wanted you to experience something of that grace.

Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount are not about becoming a victim but about overcoming evil with good, responding to hatred (or anger) with mercy and kindness.

I don’t know about you, but I would rather be in a world like that than one where revenge is unrestrained. 

Above all else. Above everything.

The first 6 verses of the book of Proverbs tell us its purpose. The various sayings are for gaining wisdom, instruction, for understanding words of insight and learning about prudent behaviour, discretion, and discernment – so that we will do what is right and just and fair.

And, in order to live in the good of these teachings, we are told we must embrace the Fear of the Lord. “The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (1: 7) or the beginning of wisdom (in 9: 10).

But today’s verse (chapter 4: 23) seems to go even deeper – Above all else; above everything else – guard your heart. Why? Because it is the wellspring of life. God puts a high value on what goes on in our hearts.

The book of proverbs has a lot to say about the human heart. For example, ^“My son do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart” (Prov 3: 1) and “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Prov 3: 5).

Then there are other references to the heart that show how vulnerable it is, like, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones” (Prov 14: 30) or “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Prov 17: 22). “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up” (Prov 12: 25).

The human heart is fragile. That’s why we need to protect it; to guard it.

When the stuff of life happens, maybe we don’t mean to, but, if we are not careful, we give permission to harmful emotions to enter and fester in our hearts – anxiety, disappointment, pain, which if left untreated can lead to… self-pity, anger, depression, cynicism… No wonder the writer of this proverb (4: 23) pleads with us: “Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life”. 

What does wellspring mean”?  A wellspring is a well head; a place where a spring comes out of the ground. A source of life.

God made our hearts to be sources of life.

When we keep the Lord’s commands in our heart, when God’s Word is welcomed there, they become a source of life inside us. When we trust Him with all of our heart, we invite the strength and wisdom of God into its depths.

Jesus once said, “the Kingdom of God is within you”.

How do we guard our hearts? Jesus also said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matt 5: 8). In other words, keep it pure. Continually pursue purity of heart – in our thoughts, attitudes, reflections, emotions.

Paul said it best: “…brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Phil 4: 8).

Let only Godly things in your heart and you will guard it well. 

This is such a thing as a healthy fear of God. Moses commanded the Israelites to “Fear the LORD your God, serve him only” in Deuteronomy 6: 13. God reveals His fierce anger and is not reticent in letting us know that He is a God of wrath.

Yet the Lord is also kind and patient. God has shown us another side to His heart. We are told that “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love”, (Psalms 145: 8).

How might we hold these apparently opposing truths together? How might we dwell in the peace and security of the Father’s love at the same time as acknowledging His right to unleash His anger?

I think part of the answer may lie in this reading from the prophet, Nahum. One of the minor prophets in the Old Testament, he recorded God’s words against the Assyrian Empire before its downfall in 612 BCE, particularly its capital city, Nineveh. To those in opposition to God, “The LORD is a jealous and avenging God” (Nahum 1: 2); but to those who trust Him, He is a refuge, a good and caring God”.

Can God be both? Absolutely! For many though, a question can still hang unresolved: how might I live in both fear of God and safety in His refuge? Can we be both scared of God and secure in His love at the same time?

A deeper study is needed to unearth everything that Scripture says about the question, but, for the purposes of a short devotion, Nahum offers some help.

First of all, the Lord is good (Nah 1: 7). This is a fundamental truth as we consider the many facets of God’s character. He is good. He has always been good. He may deal with sin and rebellion, but that never contradicts the goodness that defines the core of His being. God is a good God, and we can build our lives on that simple truth.

Second, he is a refuge in times of trouble. This also speaks, I believe, albeit indirectly, of His mercy. Whether we have sinned or are a victim of attack, he offers safe shelter. The Lord loves to both forgive and protect. But to those who willingly oppose Him, to those whose hearts are closed to repentance, He will act according to His wise judgement.

Third, He cares for those who trust Him. We don’t fear evil from someone who lovingly takes care of us. God doesn’t pour out His wrath on those who put their trust in Him. He may lovingly discipline us. We may sin at times and continue to fall short of his best for us, but He is always committed to responding as a good, loving Father to every penitent and trusting heart.

In the Old Testament, we learn of individuals finding success as they prayed and trusted God for help. Abraham’s servant found success in finding a wife for Isaac. We are told that Joseph was successful in everything he did in Egypt – even during his years in captivity. The book of Proverbs tells us that The Lord “holds success in store for the upright” (Prov 2: 7)

Interestingly, the word doesn’t exist in the New Testament!

However, the New Testament does have a lot to say about fruitfulness.

Now, the New Testament doesn’t suggest that success is a bad thing (God often does help us to do things well), but the New Testament’s emphasis on fruitfulness does show us (as members of the body of Christ) how our Father in Heaven invites us into His purposes and how He loves it when we bear fruit for the Kingdom of God.

Jesus put it like this: “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15: 8). 

Much fruit. 

What is the fruit he wants us to bear? What does it look like?

One obvious answer is found in Paul’s letter to the Galatians 5: 22, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” God wants to grow and develop those characteristics in our hearts, and it is an ongoing process throughout our lives.

How does He do it? Well, one way is through difficulties, trials, challenges, suffering. James 1: 2 – 4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

That sounds like good, spiritual fruit to me.

The second type of fruit is together fruit. God wants churches (or Christians working together) to be fruitful.

In Mark chapter 4, we read the famous parable of the Sower, the analogy of sowing God’s Word into different environments. Verse 20 is a description of fruitfulness: “Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

A few verses later, Jesus shares another parable. “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

When the kingdom of God is present, when God’s Word lands on good soil, there is fruitfulness. There is natural growth. Sometimes, we may not even be able to explain it. But it happens.

When the soil of believers serving the Lord together is right, in a good and healthy environment, the plant will just grow naturally, and healthily – first the stalk, then the head…

Fruitfulness.

“Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe” (John 20: 24 – 27).

My wife and I had the privilege recently of seeing the Christian band “We are Messengers” in concert. One song stood out for me. The chorus goes like this:

It's in the empty tomb

It's on the rugged cross

Your death defying love

Is written in Your scars

You'll never quit on me

You'll always hold my heart

'Cause that's the kind of God You are

(Songwriters: Phil Wickham / Darren Mulligan / Kyle Williams. God You Are lyrics © Centricity Music Publishing, Be Essential Songs)

Jesus had scars. He used them to prove to Thomas that He was the one who had been crucified, and that He had clearly risen from the dead. The scars of Jesus revealed a story of life, suffering, death and new life.  

Most of us have scars. Sometimes we can even be a little proud of them as we re-tell the story of this operation or that sports injury. But some scars we keep hidden and we wish they would go away.

We know something of the emotional toll that the crucifixion brought upon Jesus. The night before. “He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matt 26: 37 – 39).

We don’t know if Jesus had emotional scars, but we do know that He experienced the enormity of both physical pain and emotional stress. The amazing this is, He didn’t have to. He was God. But he revealed His love for us by enduring those things. The scars he showed Thomas that day were not just proof of life but proof of love. God’s love was written in those scars.

So, what do we do with our scars, especially the painful ones? The ones inside.

First, talk about them to Jesus. He knows what physical pain looks like and when it comes to fear, dread, betrayal, hurtful words… the list goes on, He gets it. Take time bringing them to Him.

Then as you share those burdens with Him, remember His scars and the reason for them. His scars happened because the Father wanted you to know how much he loves you. And He is with you right now as you process your own scars with Him right next to you.

Then, following a victory against the Amalekites, Saul failed to follow simple instructions concerning the spoils of war. Later, after Samuel’s death, Saul, still king but desperate to hear guidance from God as he and his men faced another Philistine threat, sought help from a medium, knowing full well that such practices were against God’s law.

In one of the strangest stories in the Bible, God permitted the medium to arrange a conversation between the recently departed Samuel and Saul. But it was not a pleasant one for Saul. The prophet reminded the king that God’s judgment had already decreed a new king will arise from a different family line. Saul’s royal line will start and finish with him.

He went on to say, “Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today. The LORD will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines” (1 Sam 28: 18 – 19).

This may seem like a story about God’s judgment, but I think it grants us a revelation into His kindness. Let me explain.

First, note that Saul was still king the day before his impending death. Even though God had previously made clear that the king’s reign would come to an end, He spared Saul the embarrassment of a public demise. He allowed Saul to continue in ministry until the day of his death.

Second, when Samuel informed Saul that he and his sons would die the next day, he made it very clear that they will be “with me”. They will die and be in paradise. Even his army will only be captured for a season. They are and will be still called the “army of Israel”.

God may be a judge, but He is also kind. God is unafraid to confront and deal with sin in our lives, but He is full of goodness and compassion. David reminded us in Psalm 30 to “Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people; praise his holy name”, and then gives a great reason why:

“For his anger lasts only a moment,

but his favour lasts a lifetime;

weeping may stay for the night,

but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Ps 30: 4 – 5).

I believe God would rather share his love than His discipline. Like any good parent, He will deal with sinful attitudes and behaviours, but only to bring about the goals of righteousness, transformation and reconciliation.

The prophet Jeremiah gave us a glimpse into the heart of God, when the Lord spoke through him to a disobedient nation saying, ““I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” (Jer 31: 3). 

“When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favour to the Jews, he left Paul in prison” (Acts 24: 27).

“Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined” (Gen 39: 20). “When two full years had passed…” (Gen 41: 1).

I don’t know what it feels like to spend a night (or longer) in jail, but I do have some experience of feeling confined. At least in the sense of experiencing restrictions, either because doors of opportunity were not opening or because the organisation I was working for seemed reluctant to release me into new things. Or even hear new ideas and perspectives.  

I am guessing that you might have lived through something like that too. Most people have.

Many years ago, I felt a call into Christian ministry, but a long time passed until I found a place where others around me confirmed that call and encouraged me to step out. I would sometimes wake from a dream where I am about to preach to a congregation (or lead them in worship), but then something happens to stop it at the last minute. Several guitar strings break at once, or traffic stops me from arriving at the venue on time.

I guess my sub-conscious mind was reflecting the feeling that life was forcing me to wear a straitjacket. I had so much to give but nowhere to express it. I felt confined.

I remember listening to a sermon by the great UK preacher, Terry Virgo, around that time. He was speaking from Isaiah 49 and drew attention to verse 2: “God concealed me in His quiver”.

Ps Virgo felt the Lord wanted to say that we are created as God’s arrows. We are made for flight and action. We are designed to have the greatest impact on a world desperate to know God’s love and truth. But there are seasons in our lives when He deliberately conceals us in His quiver. For a time. It might be a long time.

I wonder how Paul and Jeremiah and Joseph each felt when they were imprisoned. Paul was on his way to Rome, and we might imagine him penning some of his most important letters whilst in the jail cell. But he didn’t. In fact, we have no idea how he spent the time.

Occasionally Paul had opportunity to speak of his faith before Roman officials and Jeremiah occasionally spoke to messengers from the king enquiring about the threat of Babylonian invasion. But the rest of the time – who knows?

The other thing Terry Virgo said was that the archer in ancient times sometimes wore his quiver over his chest. The arrows were next to the archer’s heart. We may never know why God confines us for a season, but we do know that we are never far from His heart, and he will shoot the arrow when the time is right. 

First, because we are Impressed with Him.

Alisa Camplin is an Australian aerial skier who won gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics. An excerpt from a newspaper article at the time said:

“Camplin’s passage to the Olympics involved seven years of hard labour, with a procession of increasingly difficult somersaults and some awful accidents. She broke her collarbone and a hand, separated her shoulder, dislocated her sternum twice, ripped her hip flexor out of her groin, broke both ankles, tore her right knee and cracked 12 ribs. But after she soared through two perfect triple twisting double somersaults to win the Olympic gold medal at Deer Valley, she felt all the agony had been worthwhile. In 2002/3 she won the World Championship and the World Cup title.”

Impressive huh? And it is easy to shower her, and others like her, with well-deserved praise. Therefore, how much more should we be impressed with God?

Light travels at 300,000 km/s, so it can travel around the world during the click of a finger.

Light needs just 1 second to get to the moon and 8 minutes to travel to the sun. It would take a day for a flash of light to reach the edge of our Solar System and, at the same speed, 4.3 years to get to the nearest star (Alpha Centauri).

After that, it would be 2 million years to find the nearest galaxy.

There are billions of Galaxies. God’s universe is very big. To say we are impressed with God is an understatement at best but that is our first ‘I’.

Why worship God? Second: Because his love is Infinite. “…the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him” (Ps 103: 17).

And look at the quality of that love. Paul attempted a summary in his beautiful description of love in 1 Corinthians 13, often read at weddings: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Cor 13:4 - 7)

And that love is for all time. Forever. God’s love towards us is infinite.

The third “I” and reason to worship God is that He Identified with us.

Jesus, “made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death —

even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:7-8).

The same writer, Paul also wrote: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).

Jesus humbled himself to become human, even submitting to the taunts and nails of those he had created in order that he might die in our place. He identified with us by stepping into the mud with us, and he did that to save us from it.

If these reasons weren’t enough, the fourth reason to worship God is because he is Intimate.

“I will never leave you; I will never abandon you” (Heb 13 v 5).

“And I will be with you always, to the end of the age" (Matt 28 v 20)

“Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, LORD, for you are with me” (Ps 23: 4).

Intimate means ‘close. Very close. The Lord is never far away. And always worthy of our worship. 

Today, we are going to look at two occasions when the Apostle Paul allowed us into His prayer closet. In each case, he tells us what is on his heart to pray. These can guide us in our conversations with God too. From each passage, I have constructed my own prayer. Maybe the Lord will inspire you to do the same – either a prayer for yourself or one for others in your care.

The first one is from Ephesians 1:16-19 (CSB)

 “I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength”.

Here is a personal prayer based on this: “Lord, I want to know you better. As I read and meditate on your Word, please fill me with the Spirit of wisdom. Please deepen my understanding of You with revelations of holy truth. Let the eyes of my heart be opened to all that you might reveal to me – the depths of future hope, a clearer grasp of your calling and will; and the riches of all that is available to us though faith. And Lord, let me not limit you by small thinking. Your power and strength are infinite and mighty. Amen”

The second passage comes from Colossians 1: 9 – 12 (CSB). It is similar to the first, but it has some important additions.

“For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light” .

Here's a prayer on behalf of a group of people: “Lord, please fill us with the knowledge of your will. Our heart’s cry is to do the things you have called us to do. We ask this because we want to live lives that are pleasing to you; lives that bear good fruit in the places you have put us.

And Lord, we pray that we can keep growing in our knowledge of you. We ask that you might mould us and strengthen us to the shape you want us to be, that we might become people of endurance, patience and great joy. Amen”.

We do rely on people, don’t we?

And, to a certain extent, rightly so. Children and infants need their parents to provide for them and nurture them. In fact, any successful group of adults, from professional footballers to military units to an orchestra playing a symphony need each other to achieve the goal or create a greater whole.

God made us to exist and function, flourish and grow in the context of community. Family. Team. Paul goes further to describe our life together like a human body: “the body is not made up of one part but of many” (1 Cor 12: 14).

He goes on: “God has put the body together, giving greater honour to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it” (1 Cor 12: 24 – 26).

God has created humans to be connected, especially in local churches. We are to love and serve one another, sharing in each other’s sufferings and difficulties as well as our joys. The Lord provides leaders for us, whom we are exhorted to treat with respect: “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching” (1 Tim 5: 17).

So, with all of that in mind, the phrase at the end of Isaiah 2 above, might seem a little puzzling. Stop relying on humans and definitely don’t hold them in high esteem!

Isaiah is prophesying to a people who have become proud, worshipping idols and relying on their own resources and abilities. But the Lord almighty has already planned a day when the people of God will learn humility. The Presence of the Lord will remind them to fear Him once again.

No longer will they rely on themselves or foreign nations to do the things only God can do.

There is nothing wrong with honouring others if we honour God more. There is no sin in trusting a brother or sister to play her part in the team as long as our ultimate trust in life is in our Father in heaven. And there’s no shame in receiving praise for a job well done as long as you know it was the Lord’s Grace and provision that got you there.

How heavily do you lean on others? Those who have but a breath in their nostrils. A breath that God can call home at any moment. Paul’s picture of a human body speaks of giving more than receiving. Loving others. Serving others. Sharing in their sufferings. Honouring those who preach and teach. Giving out rather than relying on. Valuing those whom God gives us, rather than esteeming a person in the place of God.

How would you describe your faith when things are going well for you?

When the bills are in and I have no money, when that relationship is tense again, when another deadline is looming and I don’t know how to fit everything in, it is easy to pray. I can find the scriptures that promise He will provide my needs, I know what James says about asking God for wisdom, and God has shown me that if I seek His Kingdom first, particularly with my time, then He will take care of everything else.

When I need God, He is there. He is faithful. And He doesn’t let me down.

I wish I could say that I have the same drive to seek the Lord’s face when life is good. When I have no need for Him. I wish I had the same passion – all the time - to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, just because He is amazing; just because I love being with Him.

Why are there days when I have to make myself do that? Even though I love God with all my heart.

Hosea’s prophetic word to Israel in the 8th century BC reveals something of their (and our) human nature. The prophet was instructed to “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her” (Hos 1: 2), and that arrangement would mirror the relationship God had with His people.

When the people needed God and called out His name, He was there for them because He loved them, but more often than not, “a spirit of prostitution (was) in their heart”. The prophet lamented, “they do not acknowledge the Lord” (Hos 5: 4).

The book of Hosea is an intense and painful read. The Lord sees those he loves, the children of Israel, like a person who is sick, with painful sores, plagued with a disease of his own making. But whenever God healed him, the sin in his heart remained deeply entrenched. And even when calamities returned as a result, the nation preferred to look everywhere but God for help. They didn’t always turn to Him. They were unfaithful to the One who created them, provided for them, and loved them.

I know that my relationship with God today is very different to ancient Israel’s, not least because Jesus took my sickness and sores – that is, my sin – and crucified them to the cross. Israel in Hosea’s day was headed towards judgment by the hand of Assyria, while we, as followers of Jesus are on a journey towards life with Him.

But I cannot escape the fact that it is still, sometimes, a battle to be wholly devoted to Him. I am being transformed, by the grace of God, but my heart can easily become satisfied. And proud.

When things are going well, I conclude it must be something I’ve done. I rejoice in the win and feel very smug. When it comes to prayer, I can’t think of anything I need today, so it will be a short prayer time.

Back in the 8th century BC, the Lord in His infinite love and mercy, continued to call his people to him, despite their fickle relationship with Him. He longed for the day when He could “heal their waywardness and love them freely…” (Hos 14: 4). A new relationship where the Lord will “be like the dew to Israel; (who in turn) will blossom like a lily” (v 5).

A new relationship when fruitfulness will lead to thankfulness and new beauty and creativity. Perhaps that is the better direction to go when I have run out of things to ask for, when life is going well. An even deeper relationship with God defined by thankfulness and creativity.

“If there was no resurrection, then the payment Jesus made as the sacrifice for our sins was rejected. If there was no resurrection, then the whole Bible was written by liars or lunatics. If there was no resurrection, then there is no hope.”

I’m so glad that the resurrection was real.

Is real.

Powerfully real.

Today, let us remind ourselves of its glorious truth.

Starting at Pentecost, the resurrection dominated the preaching of the Apostles: “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him” (Acts 2: 22 - 24).

In just a few words, Peter has said it all. “Jesus – the one from Nazareth, you know him! You know the miracles he did. Even though you put him to death, it was all part of God’s great plan to conquer death.”

Peter said the same thing to astonished witnesses of a lame man’s healing at the Temple Gate in the next chapter of Acts. “You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead” (Acts 3:15) and then to the household of Cornelius: “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen” (Acts 10: 39 - 40).

News of the mighty miracle resounded throughout the ancient world as believers travelled far and wide, taking the news with them. The persecutor, Saul became the Paul, the loudest witness and proclaimer: “Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead,” (Acts 13: 26 - 30)

And as Paul, and others, continued to share this stunning truth, the profound implications of it created a hope beyond their wildest dreams. The early writings exploded with celebration:

“He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification”, wrote Paul to the Roman church in chapter 4: 25, and then to the Corinthian church: “By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also” (1 Corinthians 6:14).

Peter also marvels at the life to come: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1: 3 – 4).

Amen. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.

and make his face shine on us—

² so that your ways may be known on earth,

your salvation among all nations” (Ps 67: 1 – 2).

The imagery of God’s face shining on us signifies His kindness towards us or His favour – that is, His joy, light, peace and prosperity into our lives.

Having said that, the first two lines of this psalm, makes the psalmist’s prayer sounds rather selfish doesn’t it! “Lord, bless us. Lord, be gracious to me”. “Lord, it doesn’t matter about anyone else, just pour out your blessings and good things on me.”

But we only need to read the second verse to see that the two are connected: “so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among the nations”.

The psalmist is praying for the Lord’s blessing, for the benefit of the nations around them. So, too, can we pray for the Lord’s blessing for the benefit of those people around us.  As we walk in fellowship with Him, living in His light, drawing on His daily grace, we can pray that the presence of a Holy God may be noticed by our neighbours. Our family. Our place of work.

In other words, God’s “ways” become visible, because the one submitted to the Lord lives differently to her peers. She knows the love and favour of her Father in heaven and so her demeanour, her choices, her language speak daily of realm where the Lord reigns and where His love and influence bring life and peace.

As we live in the grace of God, under the warm light of his face, those in darkness may sense the gulf between their world and ours, even if they can’t articulate why or what it is. And wouldn’t it be great if that gulf, along with the demonstration of His ways in plain view through the life of God’s child stirred a cry for help from the unbeliever?

“Lord, if you are there. I want what she’s got. Let me experience that joy and peace that seems to radiate from her. She talks of being saved, please give me that salvation too”.

“The Lord’s face shone on Moses with unique effect: ‘When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD’” (Ex 34: 29).

Our faces may not glow from reading God’s Word or because we have spent time with Him in prayer, but we should expect His Presence to change us. And that change to be noticed by those in our orbit. Paul reminds us that we leak the aroma of Christ (in 2 Cor 2: 15) and Jesus told his followers that they were the light of the world (Matt 5: 14).

We are the vessels God chooses for His ways to be known on earth, a beacon of hope for the nations. 

In Christ Jesus. What does that mean?

Paul also speaks of us being with Jesus: “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). And we have a third point of view with the revelation that Christ is also in us: “God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

Professor N.T. Wright, referring to Paul’s writings says, “Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah God promised to Israel. If that is so, (Paul) can see all those great narratives from Scripture, rushing together to one point, so that now, in and through Jesus himself, it has all come true and it will all come true.”

The entire span of history, from Genesis to Revelation, the Patriarchs, the Exodus, the Promised Land, the Exile; the promises of one to come – a Messiah, God’s law written on human hearts, a new and powerful work of the Holy Spirit; all are fulfilled in and though the life and death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is in Christ’s life, death and resurrection that the great plan of salvation is complete.

When we believed the Gospel story and confessed our sins through a simple prayer, we became part of the new creation of God’s family with Jesus as the head. We were caught up in the new assembly of God’s redeemed people. Our lives became entwined into the great story of Jesus bringing everything together towards the promise of God dwelling among His people.

When Paul reminds us that we are in Christ, one of the truths he is imparting to us is that we are in His story and now part of His eternal purposes. We are no longer lost or “dead in our transgressions and sins” (Eph 2: 1). Forgiven and cleansed, we are adopted, never to become unadopted. Where He goes, we go. We have joined the Glory train en route to a new Promised Land with him.

When Paul declares that we are with Christ, he is pointing out that we now occupy the same spiritual ground and authority that our spiritual head holds. Christ is seated in the heavenly realms, raised to the right hand of the Father. He has lifted us to the same position. Our prayers therefore carry weight and authority.

When Paul speaks about Christ being in us, he is describing the presence of Jesus, through the Holy Spirit in our very souls. Every day. Every moment.

No wonder Paul needs different ways of describing the earth-shattering truths of our new relationship with Jesus. In Christ, with Christ, Christ in us – all elements of a beautiful tapestry depicting our rescue from spiritual death to becoming children of God. 

It didn’t take long. I remembered a conversation the previous day that had left me unsettled and I also found myself reflecting on an email that was sitting in my inbox.

God has been showing me of late that I need to stop. Regularly. At least once a day and this was reinforced by a Psalm, I found myself reading. Psalm 116: 1 – 7 says this:

“I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;

he heard my cry for mercy.

² Because he turned his ear to me,

I will call on him as long as I live.

³ The cords of death entangled me,

the anguish of the grave came over me;

I was overcome by distress and sorrow.

⁴ Then I called on the name of the LORD:

“LORD, save me! ”

⁵ The LORD is gracious and righteous;

our God is full of compassion.

⁶ The LORD protects the unwary;

when I was brought low, he saved me.

⁷ Return to your rest, my soul,

for the LORD has been good to you.”

The author sounds like he was once in terrible trouble, close to death and overcome with distress and sorrow. But the Lord saved him. He heard the psalmist’s prayer – his cry for mercy and now his heart is full of gratitude.

It is the last verse that struck me though, where he speaks to himself – to his soul: “Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.” Return to your rest.

God created us to be children of God. He redeemed us by the precious blood of His Son, Jesus through His death on the cross so that we are at peace with Him. We are welcome in his Presence and in His family. We are created to be people at rest in God’s presence.

I believe therefore that this our default position, our factory reset if you like. In normal life, under everyday conditions we are designed to be at rest in God.

Circumstances disturbed that rest for the Psalmist, and he was temporarily torn away from it. So, at the end of his ordeal, he takes control of this thoughts and his emotions and commands himself: “Return to the state of rest that God has given you”.

How does he do that?

I believe a clue is found in the second half of that verse: “for the LORD has been good to you.” He is appealing to his mind and his memories to remember the goodness of God. “Soul! You can return to your place of rest because you know God takes care of you. Has always taken care of you. You don’t need to carry anxiety. There is no need to worry about tomorrow, about this or that possibility because your Father in Heaven is a good God; a faithful God.”

I’m happy to say that it didn’t take long for the anxiety to leave me that morning, particularly when I re-focused my thoughts on God’s goodness. 

Many of you have written back to say what you would say to that younger version of you, if you had the chance. There were so many good responses. Here are some of the ones that stood out for me.

First, a few made me laugh: “Just dance” quipped Gennie from Angeles City, Philippines while Brian from Northampton, UK expressed what might have been a recent regret, plaintively writing, “Don’t dispose of or delete any notes/assignments, essays, sermon notes, or any similar material when you retire or move house.” I’ve been there, brother, message received!

Yvette must have been emerging from a full-on morning of school run chaos when she typed, “Four kids is too many kids!!” (she wrote to me later to tell me how much she loves each one of them).

There were some who felt they would not send any message to their younger self, reminding us that it is often in the most difficult times when we don’t know what to do, that we learn to seek God’s wisdom and trust in His sovereignty. Receiving a message from the future with detailed instructions of how to survive the crisis would deny us the opportunity to experience the Lords leading and faithfulness.

An excellent point of course, but, for the rest of us who didn’t think of that: “It's never too late to repent, and it's never too late to admit that our ideas and plans and schemes get ahead of God's will in our lives sometimes. Stop – Pray - Be still - go to the Word of God and wait for the leading of the Holy Spirit. Read the Word and then Do It!”, said Dave from Springfield, Tennessee

Steve (from Camp Verde in Arizona) had a list:

·       Don’t be so lazy. You have potential use it.

·      Be more disciplined.

·      Listen to God’s call when He calls you the first time.

·       Your parents have been where you are, listen to them. Like God, they want what’s best for you.

Vernon from Ansbach, Germany (Deutschland) had a longer list:

o  Life is very brief, regardless of how long you live.

o   Every moment of life is a precious gift.  Don't squander the gift of life.

o   Older people might look different, but they think and feel much the same way as you do.

o   Find a spiritual discipline that is meaningful and relevant to you.  Practice it daily.

o   Seek opportunities to spend time with the dying and terminally ill.  They have much to teach you.

o   When you make a mistake or hurt another person, apologise, and say, "I'm sorry."

o   Avoid intoxicants.  They numb your spiritual awareness.

o   Remember that everyone you meet is carrying one or more heavy burdens.

o   Anger is usually caused by fear.

o  Tell the people you love that you love them.

Clive from Newry, Northern Ireland would tell his younger self to “read more, think more, love more, believe more, question everyone and everything more. But most of all, play more!”  And David from St Austell in the UK would want the one who trod the paths before him to “take more calculated risks”.

Thanks to all who contributed, Sorry I couldn’t include everybody’s.

But let me finish by stating the obvious: we cannot change the past. We can, however, “Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise” (Prov 19: 20)

If you could send a message to your younger self, what would you say? What Godly advice would you give?

Here’s my thoughts. Warning Mr younger self – this could be confronting!

1.     Don’t be so sensitive!

2.     Be true to who you are; share your heart from time to time but never play the victim.

3.     You can be a real idiot sometimes, can’t you? You know that!

4.     Take responsibility for the decisions you have to make but listen to alternative perspectives. If the decision is a big one, actively seek out the wisdom of others. Especially those who might know stuff.

Now, remember this…

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your

heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight (Prov 3: 5 – 6)

5.     It’s not a case of whether you can trust God, it is more about whether you choose to. God is not limited, but you are. You are limited in your imagination to really grasp how big and powerful God is; how wise and loving and kind He is. So, stop basing your faith on your tiny knowledge and understanding. Base it on the truth of God’s Word.

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your

heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight.

6.     Stop being such an idiot (I know we have already had that one!)

7.     Remember that human beings are complicated (like you). They are never black and white, and you have not taken the journey that they have been on. In fact, cut them some slack, because some people will do that for you when you least deserve it.

8.     God will send you people who will be a blessing, people who will challenge you and some who will do both. Treasure each one.

9.     At this stage, I don’t know how things will end, but aim to finish well. All the best Christian leaders are saying this: be consistent, show up. Whether you find yourself thirsty in the desert or swimming in the season of miracles, keep the daily disciplines (of love, faithfulness, prayer and God’s Word) until your time is up.

10.  In all things, your number one priority is that The Lord’s name is glorified. Pray for this, that in times of challenge, heartache, conflict, misunderstandings and even betrayal, your response to each will be one that is honouring to God.

I wonder what messages you would send to your younger self.

I don’t mean that we can make up a picture of Him, some sort of imaginary concept; some abstract thing where one might say, “this is what the idea of God means to me”.

I mean, which aspects of the Father’s love, mercy, beauty, and power have we known by experience to be true? Which attributes of God’s character as revealed in Scripture have particularly touched and shaped your life so far?

In other words, as you reflect on times in your life, when God came through with peace, or provision, with direction or help, who was He to you in those seasons or moments?

After the Lord parted the Red Sea, destroying the Egyptian army who were bent on killing the Israelites, Moses and his people sang, “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation” (Ex 15: 2)

When the Lord delivered David from the hands of all his enemies he sang, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer” (2 Sam 2: 22)

When David took a moment to reflect upon the Lord loving care for him, he wrote, “The Lord is my shepherd” (Ps 23: 1)

In an uncertain world, with superpowers pitted against each other, the prophet Nahum reminded God’s people that “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble” (Nahum 1: 7).

When Paul wrote to the Philippian church, encouraging them not to submit to anxiety but in every situation bring their needs and requests to God, he began by remining them, “The Lord is near” (Phil 4: 5).

We learn who the Lord is by His effect on our lives. Yes, we can read that “The Lord is my portion and my cup” (Ps 16: 5) or hope in the promise that for those who refuse to let the Lord’s wisdom out of their sight, “the Lord will be your confidence” (Prov 3: 26 ESV). But there is another, deeper dimension to “Knowing the Lord” or knowing who He is when He graciously allows us to experience His working in our minds, hearts, homes and lives. In all our comings and goings.

Who is the Lord to you? How have you experienced Him so far?

It is good to stop and think about that. To remember moments, like opening the page of an old photograph album and smiling at a memory. And then give thanks. To enjoy His presence in that moment. To be His child. Safe. Secure. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Ps 27: 1)

The Lord is. He is Present, Holy, Almighty, Kind. Full of love.

He is real. Alive.

He is Interested in you. In everything about you.

And He is active in His World. Carrying out His will.

Because He is God. He is the Living God. The Lord is… God.

Harassed by a demon-possessed slave girl, beaten with rods and then thrown into prison, I don’t think anyone would say that Paul’s experience of planting a church in Philippi was an easy one. But the powerful conversion of a local business lady, Lydia, and her whole household; Paul’s miraculous release from jail and the conversion of the jailer and his household, revealed the presence and power of a mighty God.

No wonder Paul was able to remind the Philippian church that their humble beginning was a good work of the Lord. And if He did a good work back then, He is more than able to continue doing a good work today and into the future.

The same promise belongs to you and me, so what sort of ways might God continue His good works in and through us?

First, He can change us to be more like Jesus. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Cor 3: 18)

God loves us so much that he wants our unique personalities to reflect the love and character of His Son. The more we become like Him, the more His glory is revealed in us.

How do we become more like Him? Jesus spoke of us being branches in His vine. Every vineyard owner wants to see grapes of the highest quality, so she tends to the plant, making sure it has all the nutrients it needs. And she prunes it.

According to John 15: 2, Jesus “cuts off every branch in (him) that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

The hardships of life, the challenges, even the pains and sorrows are not wasted in God’s economy. The Lord uses them to prune, in order that the work He began in us may find completion. In order that we may become like Him.

But there are things we can do to contribute to the process. “Remain in me”, Jesus continues, “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine” (John 15: 4). “Stay close to me”, he seems to be saying, “and then pray bold prayers”. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15: 7). It is to the Father’s glory that we bear spiritual fruit in our lives – “so ask of me what you need”, He says.

No wonder Paul encouraged the Philippians by saying “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3: 12 – 14).

The Lord will complete the work He started in us. He will transform us to be more like Him. He will make us fruitful, but we need to cooperate with him by doing everything we can to run the race that is in front of us, staying close to Jesus, sparing no request back in our prayers, and holding on in faith when His secateurs do their pruning work. 

all that we have accomplished you have done for us” (Is 26: 12).

At the risk of taking a verse out of context, something strikes me every time I read this line in Isaiah.

We celebrate human accomplishment – a new Olympic record, a heart-stopping performance on stage, a child raised in poverty earning her first million. There seems to be no limit to what we can achieve when we put our minds to it.

But when you think about it, despite the grueling months of training and focus, despite the sleepless nights and long days of hard work, and don’t even mention the knockbacks and disappointments that plagued you on the way to success, can we really say that I or that person got there entirely by our own skill or determination? Do we deserve all the glory?

Don’t get me wrong; achievements should be celebrated, and we all need encouragement along the way but where does God fit in the awards ceremony or on the Olympic podium?

At a time when God’s people trusted in their own strength or in the empty promises of human allies rather than their Creator and Redeemer, Isaiah calls them to remember who they are. They are citizens of a different city; they are children of the living God. Yet many chose to exalt themselves rather than look upon the One who is The God of Israel. That the Lord has revealed His grace and majesty throughout the known world made no difference to those who could not see it. Or didn’t want to see it.

Eph 2: 8 – 10 reminds us that “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Our creation and salvation are gifts. Undeserved and unmerited. We contributed nothing to the deal. We literally are God’s handiwork. That ability you have to play a musical instrument, the instinct you have developed to make that deal and hold back on the other; the fitness level you have worked so hard to achieve – it’s a gift. We may have honed and practiced it and we may have found the inner strength to keep going when another barrier got in the way, but who gave us the raw materials to begin with?

Who set up that friend to encourage you just when you needed it? Who opened that opportunity when it seemed all doors were closed?

“Lord, you establish peace for us;

all that we have accomplished you have done for us”.

No achievement is absent from God’s provision. We play a part, but we cannot accept the glory that belongs to our creator and saviour. As much as we might enjoy the applause, as the song reminds us: “yet not I, but through Christ in me”.  

So, Jesus would also have been an older brother John looked up to, especially as his rabbi and teacher, and therefore it is not surprising if Jesus had a special affection for him.

In that kind of relationship, not only would Jesus have been especially protective of him, but he might also see what John could become. Have you ever wondered why Peter, James and John were chosen for some missions that the other nine disciples were not? (For example, to accompany Jesus on the mount of transfiguration in Mark 9).

I want to suggest that from the first time Jesus met John he saw what John could become.

What was John like as a young man following Jesus? He was passionate for the things of God – even before he met Jesus, it is very possible he was already following John the Baptist. He continued in his enthusiasm as a student of Jesus, although he might have been a little too zealous in his black and white judgment of others, for example suggesting fire from heaven upon a village that gave an unwelcome reception to Jesus.

Searching other Scriptures, we find that John was ambitious – to serve God, for leadership, for a position. But with a distinct lack of wisdom (and humility). In Mark 10: 37, he and his brother James had no qualms asking for the top positions in the life to come.

And yet Jesus loved him! He was the one who Jesus loved. He saw through the immaturity, looked past the rough edges because he knew his life could change. Jesus knew what John could become.

Just like He sees what we can become. How our lives can change.

When we start looking at John later in life, we see some contrasts to earlier behaviours and attitudes. For example, in Gal 2: 9, John is now a respected leader – a ‘pillar’ or column. A strong support. In his letter that we call 1 John, we find the one who had once wanted to call down fire from heaven, now makes an impassioned plea to those in his care to love one another (in 1 John 3: 11).

What made the difference? Obviously, Christ’s death and resurrection and then a new age of the Spirit starting in Acts 2, but the internal workings of the Holy Spirit in the heart of John are visible only to the Lord. What joy it must have been for Jesus to witness the beginnings of transformation while with John on earth and then continue throughout his life. Until the day he can be entrusted to write, not only one of the four gospels, but be the recipient of God’s most powerful prophetic message in the book of Revelation.

God sees what you can become too. 

Take Jonah, for example. God spoke his Word to him. It was very simple – ‘go to Nineveh and preach against it; tell them my judgment is coming’. But Jonah didn’t think that was such a great idea and he rebelled – by 180 degrees, in fact. He ran (and sailed) in the opposite direction in the hopes he might find somewhere away from the Lord’s presence. So, God had to do some careful persuasion.

A great storm came upon the boat, and we all know the story. At Jonah’s request, the sailors tossed him into the ocean and the wind and waves died down. Jonah was swallowed by a large fish, where he remained for three days and three nights.

It was here that Jonah learned how to repent, and in particular, how to repent with prayer. In graphic detail, he describes, in Jonah chapter 2, the moment of sinking in the ocean, becoming entangled with seaweed and unable to find his way back to the surface. He was pretty sure he was going to die.

Sometimes, God allows distressing things to happen in our lives when we disobey him. Why? In order that we might call upon his name and return to him. Jonah knew he had messed up while he was still on the boat, but it was only in the dangers of the open sea that he called out for help. And it was only in his suffocating imprisonment in the fish that true repentance began to occur.

Jonah probably spent a great deal of time in tears and this chapter reveals a man in fear, deep sadness and regret. Repentance with God can sometimes begin with an honest conversation about how you feel right now or how you felt in a moment back then. But we must go deeper if we are going to allow God to bring healing and birth spiritual fruit in us. 

Surprisingly, Jonah is also thankful. He is thankful for God’s mercy and faithfulness towards him despite his earlier decision to run away. Giving thanks in times of reflection is an important part of recognising God’s sovereignty in all things. When we give thanks, we are acknowledging that only God has all the power and authority. He is the one who forgives and blesses, and only he can create good out of the bad.

Verse 7 seems to signal a turning point: ‘When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple’. Jonah had probably been praying non-stop from the moment the fish swallowed him, but at this point, his prayers seem to change direction. He speaks of remembering and praying towards God’s holy temple.

What does he remember? Perhaps it was his failure to obey the Lord’s instructions, but then God’s holiness hits him with new understanding. God hates sin and cannot live with sin. Yet, despite that, God has allowed Jonah to enter into his holy presence and receive his forgiveness. It is an awesome moment of both humility and restoration. Jonah deserves separation from God, yet God has engineered circumstances to draw a rebellious man into his very presence so that his heart can be changed.

Jonah’s next response is to worship. He talks about offering sacrifices with songs of praise. As we imagine Jonah in a dark, slimy fish’s stomach, we hear a solitary voice singing! There is music in his heart and a deep compulsion to worship his Father in heaven. Despite his circumstances, the man has found peace and he now knows, deep in his heart, who his saviour is.

Lastly, we find this curious phrase, ‘What I have vowed I will make good’ (in verse 9). This is likely Jonah’s way of saying that he will now turn back 180 degrees and follow God’s commands. He will seek to obey him from now on. He will go to Nineveh as God instructed him and he will do what God wants him to do. This is true repentance - a re-commitment and a reorienting of the heart to full submission to the Lord’s purposes.

Today’s devotion was an excerpt from my book Looking Back to Move Forward: embracing setbacks for greater fruitfulness, available through Amazon and all major outlets or my website www.terrynightingale.com

This is Philistine – enemy territory, where David and his men have been hiding from a jealous King Saul, who has been trying to kill him. It had been a questionable decision to live there, because, as some have suggested, it revealed a lack of trust in God to protect him. But right or wrong, that’s what David had decided to do. 

As they approached Ziklag, they realised that the unthinkable had happened. The Amalekites had paid them a visit and “they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So, David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep” (1 Sam 30: 3 – 4).

And if that wasn’t bad enough, we are then told “David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters” (v 6a).

This is extreme pressure. Even men loyal to David are turning on him.

But look at David’s response: “David found strength in the Lord his God” (v 6b)

Imagine the pressure David would have been under. The fear of harm coming to his loved ones. The guilt of feeling that it was all his fault (“if only I had trusted God and stayed away from Philistine territory”) and the pain of close friends turning on him.

But David found strength in the Lord his God.

How did he do that?

We don’t know for sure, but we do know the sort of things David prayed in the form of his psalms.

For example, Psalm 25: 1 – 7 starts like this:

“In you, Lord my God, I put my trust” (v 1).

David’s first thought is not to stare at the problem, but to declare the sovereignty of God.

He then expresses his trust in God, both here and in the next verse.

So, David declares truth first, faith second and next he asks for what he needs.

“Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me” (v 2).

David doesn’t just face a battle against a physical enemy, but he faces inner battles against fear, guilt, and doubt”.

He continues:

“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long” (v 4 - 5).

In other words, “Lord, show me what to do”.

In the next verse he asks, “Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old” (v 7)

Here David is expressing faith in God’s character:

God is a God of mercy.

He is a God of love.

And that has always been the case.

Finally, in this part of Psalm 25, he prays:

“Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good”.

David’s faith is not in his own righteousness, he knows he deserves nothing. His faith is in the love of God and the goodness of God.

In summary, David declared the truth of who God is, and then expressed his faith in Him. He then confidently asked for what he needed whilst reminding himself of The Lord’s love and goodness. Perhaps that is how he found strength in the Lord his God: declare truth first, faith second, and then ask Him what you need.

I wonder how seriously we take the Word of God.

The Lord says he wants His Words fixed in our minds. Paul wrote, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12: 2).

The moment we came to faith, our minds needed a complete overhaul, a deep clean. The only thing that can effectively do that is the words of Scripture. We need to read it, study it, meditate on it, wrestle with it, chew it over and over, remember it, pray it, apply it.

We are also called to fix God’s word in our hearts. He wants us to desire it, to love it, to want it more than anything else, to find joy in it, to know it’s hope and peace.

“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds”.

Then tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. For thousands of years Jewish believers have worn phylacteries – small leather boxes worn on the arm and forehead containing texts from the Torah – the first 5 books of our Old Testament. What do you think we can do, with today’s technology to keep our precious Scriptures nearby, before us, around us, on us?

Then we are to teach God’s Words and talk about them. To our kids, to our loved ones. Not simply reciting them, but discussing them, debating them, asking, hearing, listening, exploring their meaning. Agreeing. Disagreeing. Learning from each other. Paul encouraged the Ephesian believers to “speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” (Eph 5: 19).

We are do this in our homes, we can do this when we walk along the road, when we are travelling together our cars, as we wait at the school gate, when we are shooting the breeze with a beer in hand.

And we are fix His words when the conversation is just between Him and you. When you are alone with God. When there is no-one around to distract you. When only He can hear your thoughts. The last thing in your head before you fall asleep and the first when you wake and get up.

“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

The prophet Samuel was dead and the king, Saul, with the Israelite army, found himself going to war with a fast-approaching Philistine army.

Although Saul was an experienced soldier and army commander, on this day he “was afraid; terror filled his heart” (v 5). So, we are told, “He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets” (v 6).

Saul tried accepted ways of seeking God at the time. For example, he would have known the story of Joseph and how God spoke by way of a dream to Pharaoh. Perhaps Saul and his men had slept, and no dream had presented itself.

The Urim and Thummin were stones or sticks, one black and one white, kept in the high priest’s breastplate that were tossed to the ground to seek God for a yes or No answer. We are not quite sure how it worked but obviously, it did not give a satisfactory result for Saul.

Saul would have known about Balaam as a prophet and more recently Samuel as people able to interpret the times through prophecy. If there were prophets present – nothing helpful was given that day.

Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer.

And that can be true for us. God may never answer us about some things (For example, why did this or that happen?) Or if He does answer, it may not be straight away.

Sometimes the Lord answers, but we fail to hear, or understand.

What might we do during such times?

Most would agree that Saul’s next decision was the worst one ever. He found a medium, explicitly against God’s law (“Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God” - Lev 19:31), and the woman obeyed Saul’s command to “bring up Samuel” (1 Sam 28: 11).

Putting aside theological questions about whether a dead person can be “brought up” (a separate devotion, perhaps?) Samuel proceeded to repeat words that the Lord had previously spoken through him while he had been alive but went further to inform Saul that the battle with Philistia will not turn out well. In fact, he and his sons will die.

I wonder if he regretted consulting the medium!

So, what can we learn here? What can we do when God is or appears to be silent? Let me suggest two things.

First, as we study 1 Samuel, we see that Saul was not a humble man, and his downfall came as a result of disobedience to God’s instructions. So, let’s learn from that and adopt a posture of humility. For some, that might mean confessing sins. For all of us it surely means taking time to worship God.

Second, we can obey him. Maybe God has spoken to you in the past and you haven’t yet done what He said. We can also go back to Bible verses or stories that have spoken to you in the past and meditate on them.

Job was a man who hit the silence of God. For 37 chapters, we saw him sitting in pain, having lost everything; desperate for answers; battling with unhelpful advice from his friends, and feeling that even God had abandoned him – and not knowing why.

But God did eventually speak to Job and although He didn’t answer all of his questions, he said enough to remind him that the Lord is sovereign over all the Earth.

Sometimes, when God is silent, that’s all we need to know.

The experts will tell us that most adult bodies require something between 7 and 9 hours per night if we are going to feel refreshed in the morning and function well throughout the day.  

Those who study this stuff are keen to point out the physical healing that takes place during the sleep cycle, along with growth and the formation of memories. If we don’t get enough sleep on a regular basis, concentration the next day will likely be affected (as well as mood) with possible negative effects on heart and blood pressure. So, what does God have to say about the subject? 

Here’s one story in the form of a psalm: Psalm 4. Written by David, it takes us to the prayers of a man in great distress. He is desperate for God to hear and answer, anxious for relief from his situation, and crying out for mercy. It would be easy to imagine this man, wide awake, on his knees, and searching for God in the cold loneliness of the night.  

“Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer” (Ps 4: 1) 

During the next 4 verses, David seems to be entertaining angry and imaginary conversations with those who have wronged him.  

“How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies? You can be sure of this: The Lord will set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him” (v 2 – 3 NLT) 

How many of us, like this, have stewed over previous unpleasant exchanges, well into the early hours, rehearsing things we would really like to say in person? 

In verses 4 and 5, David speaks more generally, still imagining his adversaries (who are probably also tossing and turning), but now including his own soul on the receiving end of his words. His message is clear: it’s time to assume a new posture of humility and trust in the Lord. 

“Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds and be silent. Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.”  

In other words, “maybe we are all angry about this situation, but let’s not sin. Let’s not do anything we will regret. Let’s examine, each one of us, our own hearts before the Lord. Let’s try to offer the sacrifice of a contrite heart and put our trust in Him.”  

David returns to addressing the Lord in the next two verses, declaring that joy and all good things come from Him. Those who cause our anxiety may take our peace for a season, but let’s take it back. Let’s ask for The Lord’s light in the situation and meditate on it. Then pray for His joy and feel its warmth.  

“Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?” Let the light of your face shine on us. Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound” (v 6 – 7) 

No wonder, David can now calm his heart, fix his trust back on God and declare,  

“In peace, I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (v 8 ESV) 

As I think about my own sleep patterns, I may be getting older, and I may not need as much shut-eye as I used to, but I do believe the Lord wants me (and all of His children) to know a heart at peace with Him, as each night our heads hit the pillow. 

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  

Blessed are those who mourn, 

for they will be comforted.  

Blessed are the meek, 

for they will inherit the earth.  

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 

for they will be filled.  

Blessed are the merciful, 

for they will be shown mercy.  

Blessed are the pure in heart,  

for they will see God.  

Blessed are the peacemakers,  

for they will be called children of God.  

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,  

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5: 3 – 12). 

Some of these people don’t sound blessed, do they?  

I mean, those who are poor, people who are mourning loss, those who taste persecution. Or meek people who sound like they are too frightened to even show themselves. Some of the descriptions here don’t feel very attractive.  

Even at the beginning of His ministry (where Matthew places this teaching), we hear Jesus preaching about a very different sort of kingdom. This is not a rally cry for this strong. This is an upside-down world where God’s favourites stand zero chance of attaining any kind of worldly success or influence. But it’s a place of genuine hope for the humble.  

The poor in spirit know how much they need God. They need Him for everything. Even things most people take for granted. Therefore, the kingdom of Heaven is at their disposal.  

Those who know the pain of loss will find the comfort of the Father. The meek, who others see as weak because they will never win by hurting or dominating others, will find great reward in God’s new world.  

Those who are hungry, not for personal goals or dreams, but for things that are good in God’s eyes will be filled to the brim. The merciful will know what it is to be treated with mercy; the pure in heart will see the Lord in places where most fail to recognise Him.  

The Lord will be especially pleased with those who strive for peace; those who will pay any price to mend a fracture or bring the lost one home.  

And finally, blessings are gift-wrapped and ready in-store for those who are insulted, misunderstood and falsely accused, simply for doing the right thing. For following Jesus and conducting themselves His way. Nothing can stop the rewards to come.  

I don’t think I am sinning more; in fact, by God’s grace, I believe He has changed me in profound ways since the day I put my trust in Him. But I feel like I am more aware of ways that I still need to change. An unclean thought in my mind, a critical word on my lips; my conscience still stings me when these things happen.  

I see my impurities more clearly and I don’t like them. Perhaps this is part of the struggle Paul described in Romans chapter 7: “So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being, I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” (Rom 7: 21 – 24).  

Paul went on to write that the only hope he had for freedom and continual change towards Christ-likeness was Christ himself: “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom 7: 25) 

So, did Paul eventually achieve a sinless life whilst still on the planet? Sinless perfection? I don’t think so. To live a life without any wrongdoing this side of eternity feels impossible to me. Too difficult to attain.  

So, when we read Jesus’ words in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount at the end of chapter 5, we can be forgiven for feeling confused, discouraged even. Jesus said, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Be perfect? Surely, that’s a bar too high! How can anybody achieve that? 

Jesus’ challenge in this section of the sermon comes at the conclusion of comments about how we should relate to those we might call enemies. We are to love them and pray for those who wish to do us harm. This was countercultural to the Jewish mindset of the 1st century who felt that they had a God-given right to judge and hate their enemies.  

But Jesus had a knack of taking the Hebraic law from words on a scroll to the conscience of the heart. For example, “You may not have physically murdered anyone, but can you honestly say you represent your Father in heaven if you harbour hate in your heart? The same goes for committing adultery compared to just thinking about it.” (my paraphrase of Jesus’ words earlier in the sermon) 

In other words, to those who thought they were “righteous” before God because they obeyed the 10 Commandments, Jesus challenged their thought life. Did it match up? So in the section about being perfect, Jesus is saying, “If you hate your enemies and only love those who love you, what makes you different to the idol worshipper down the road?”  

In other words, if you think you are perfect, then prove it by displaying a clean and pure heart.  

Fortunately, most of us who are aware of our sins and our shortcomings are far from believing we are perfect. We know we have a way to go, and we rejoice in the grace and mercy of God.  

To the self-righteous, Jesus said “You think you’re perfect?  This is what perfection looks like – your inner integrity needs to match what you believe is on the outside. Seek to be that! And when you realise you are not there, call out to the Father for His help.” To the sinner, saved by grace, he says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit – those that know their need for God. The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to you” (Matt 5:3) 

His strength will not be in the intimidation of others, or even of natural physical strength. He will have no power due to a high position in society.

Instead, He will deliberately put himself in the path of the worst of human behaviour – like putting yourself in the way of a thundering train, except the train rages with hate and wants your blood.

Matthew describes the moment when Jesus was arrested, and he includes the detail of Peter cutting off the high priest's servant’s ear. Jesus, to Peter's amazement, simply tells him: “Do you think I cannot call on my Father and he will at once put at my disposal more than 12 legions of angels?” (Matt 26: 53).

He tells him to put his sword away and chooses instead to be unprotected. Vulnerable. The one who had once commanded stars into space, and who had spoken life and health into the sick and dying, at this moment in time chose to take anything cruel people and the demons of hell might throw at him.

The next thing that strikes me is how misunderstood he was in this situation. 'We considered him stricken by God', foretells the prophecy in Isaiah (53 v 4). God must be angry with him because, surely “Cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree” (Gal 3: 13). Some called out: “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in 3 days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the son of God” (Matt 27: 40). Translation – ‘you think you’re so great? Prove it by coming down from the cross. You can’t do it, can you? Because obviously, God is against you!’

With no shield or army to defend Him, no cheer of encouragement from the crowd and no understanding from people as to why God would allow all this to happen, the third thing that strikes me is how obedient he was. Submissive to those who arrested Him; obedient to His Father in Heaven.

“…as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” (Is 53: 7)

 “…it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer” (53 v 10).

“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will (Matt 26: 39).

Sacrifice and suffering, resulting in death was the action that was needed. The Father asked it of His Son, and the Son asked His Father if there was another way. There wasn’t. So, Jesus walked into the clutches of his executioners, voicing no sound of resistance.

“After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors” (Is 53: 11 – 12)

The vulnerable, misunderstood Son of God gave His life in obedience to the Father’s plan, so that eventually we might realise it was the only way for our sins to be taken away, borne by Him and then left in the grave. It was the only way for us to be brought back to life.

Ironically, it was this decision that motivated the Lord to scatter them anyway. He did it by confusing their language so that they would separate according to who could understand each other. I imagine each group moving away from the others until different gatherings were found all over the planet.

At surface level, we find ourselves asking ‘Why does God seem threatened by these people building a tower?’ (v 6). Surely what they are building was not a big deal. For example, they could have been constructing some form of Ziggurat. Made from sun-baked clay, these were built by many ancient peoples in that period of history. They could reach as high as 30m. Let’s say, for argument's sake, Babel’s reached 100m.

Bearing in mind, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai stands at 828m, why was this tower (or Ziggurat) in Genesis 11 a problem to God?

When we look at the previous two chapters, we find that these people were descendants of Noah, the sole survivor (along with his immediate family) of the worldwide flood – a time of judgment from God because “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time” (Gen 6: 5).

At the end of the flood, they were told to “increase and multiply on the earth” (Gen 9: 7), but by settling in Shinar they were disobeying God – they didn’t want to increase and multiply; they didn’t want to be scattered (v 4).

Instead, they chose to stay and make a name for themselves.

“We don’t care what God wants; we will do something that exalts us.”

God’s judgment came, the tower remained unfinished, and people became divided through language. And people have been divided through language and culture ever since.

On the Day of Pentecost, in Acts 2, we note that the believers in Jesus were all together in one place” and “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (or languages) as the Spirit enabled them”.

Visitors to Jerusalem “came from every nation under heaven”. Descendants of those scattered back in Genesis 11 heard the praises of God in their own language as the Spirit gave utterance. Many then believed Peter’s message as he proclaimed Christ, risen from the dead.

No longer scattered, God brought people together as language led people to unity and a common faith in Jesus. 

Pentecost was a moment in time when God started to reverse the effects of the ancient story of a tower in a place called Babel. Instead of language dividing, language united people. God had already done a new thing through Christ’s death and resurrection; now he was doing a new thing through the power of the Holy Spirit

No wonder Paul urged the Ephesian church to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4: 3).

Let’s be careful to do everything we can to maintain the unity of the Spirit. There are many things that divide, and opinions outnumber the stars in the sky but look carefully for Pentecost moments. Moments when the Spirit invites unity despite differences in culture and language. 

Volunteering to face off with the Philistine champion, Goliath, he shunned the shallow incentives offered by King Saul. Ignoring the wealth, tax incentives and opportunity for social advancement by marrying the king’s daughter, he simply asked, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Sam 17: 26)

After soundly defeating the giant, he became a household name. Unfortunately, his newfound popularity placed him in the sights of a now envious King Saul and, in time, jealously drove the king to make multiple attempts on David’s life.

David escaped harm by fleeing the nation’s capital, but on a couple of occasions, he had the opportunity to fight back. Fellow soldiers urged him to retaliate and strike the king down, but his response surprised them: “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord” (1 Sam 24: 6).

David’s heart was to honour God with all of his actions, despite his unjust treatment by the king.

But cracks soon started to show in the heart of this otherwise Godly man. Some commentators believe that his next decision marked the beginning of a slow descent to compromise.

“One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul”, lamented David in 1 Sam 27: 1, “the best thing I can do is escape to the land of the Philistines…”

David took his family and private army to the city of Gath and King Ashish. Interestingly, he has been there before. In chapter 21 of 1 Samuel, David, then on his own, sought shelter in the same city, but he was so afraid of being captured and killed that he pretended to be insane. This place proved not to be a safe haven and, at the time, he snuck away as soon as he could.

So, it should come as a surprise to us, that in 1 Sam 27: 2, he has gone back to the same guy. Why go back there?

The immediate result of David and his men fleeing to Gath was that Saul gave up his search for him. So, good result, right?

Maybe. But here’s the problem. First, there was no prayer here about going to Philistine territory. These people were God’s enemies as well as Israel’s. There was no seeking of God. No consulting of the ephod or prophet. David ‘thought to himself’ (we are told in v 1), instead of asking God what He thinks.

Secondly, David and his men proceeded to indulge in some, let’s say, dubious practices. Every time he and his army went out to battle, they gave the impression to Aschish that they had been attacking their own people, hiding from him that they were, in fact, still wiping out Israel’s enemies.

So, David abused the king's trust by lying. We might say he pretended to be someone else again. It seems that every time he goes to Gath, he lives a lie. Here in chapter 27, David is not being truthful about who he is and what he is doing. David has compromised his integrity.

It makes me wonder how often I or we are tempted to live in enemy territory, to compromise who we are in Christ, to absorb ungodly attitudes, and to hope for things in the world that only God can provide.

In going to Gath, David looked to ungodly humans for protection instead of God and, although he gained short-term peace (for 1 year 4 months,), it was at the cost of a clear conscience.

When we compromise, we lose something of our transparency, our truthfulness, our innocence and our integrity.

Reading further in 1 Samuel, we see the consequences of David’s compromise. In this case, his actions put his family in terrible danger.

More than ever before, our world needs followers of Jesus who shine a clear, bright light, with no compromise. 

I recently heard a Christian brother share the view that, although this verse is often quoted, rarely is it spoken in relation to the previous verse. In other words, we hear this wonderful truth as a stand-alone verse, but what is its message in context?

The previous verse says this: “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (Heb 13: 7).

In the midst of concluding remarks by the author of Hebrews, he calls his readers to remember their leaders – the ones, perhaps, who brought them to faith, or the ones who have in recent times nurtured their faith—the ones who have faithfully ministered God’s Word to them.

He exhorts them to think about their leaders’ way of life. What might that mean? Perhaps he is referring to their integrity, their character. Certainly, the readers are challenged to imitate their leaders’ faith.

But he doesn’t just draw attention to their leaders’ way of life, he wants them to see the outcomes of their leaders’ way of life. In other words, ‘Look Hebrews, don’t just make note of what Godly living looks like, see the outcomes, the fruit of Godly living. Be inspired by what a Godly life can achieve. Jesus Christ was the perfect example of a beautifully fruitful and glorious life. And he is the same today and will continue to be the same forever through the lives of those who love Him and serve Him.’

What was it that Jesus once said? “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit” (John 15: 5b)

Positive outcomes in life are usually the result of positive inputs. Luck can play a part in some things, but, in general, a successful musical recital comes out of the many hours of focused practice. Consistent high performance on the field or track has been earned by the gruelling training away from the crowds. Positive outcomes flow from positive inputs.

If our spiritual outcomes are those to be noticed by others; helpful, and even inspiring to others, what are the required inputs? Today’s verses each give us a clue.

Jesus said, “Remain in me”. In other words, ‘keep your faith through your prayer life directed toward him. Don’t start drifting off into independence and self-achievement. He followed with “and I in you”, a few verses later in John 15, we hear the exhortation for His words to remain in us. God’s Word is to be in us, active, available, on speed dial, soaking/marinating in our minds and hearts, spoken out, lived out and talked about.

And as we remember the leaders that inspired us, we note their faith that came from the Word in them. The same faith can define us too because, “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever”. 

But I am fascinated by this: “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22: 16).

The morning star in Bible days was traditionally the planet Venus and it was sometimes a reference to the rising sun. Jesus is also using the term to describe himself.

What might Jesus be saying here in Revelation 22?

The morning star as the rising sun heralds a new day. I often watch sunrises out of my bedroom window and the emerging colours embracing the clouds can be breathtaking. Jesus also heralds a new spiritual day: Forgiveness and relationship with God through His sacrifice on the cross.

Although scientists tell us that the sun has a finite life span, it is a very large number of years, and from our perspective, it is constant and reliable. It will rise in the morning and set in the evening without fail. Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever. He is faithful and glorious forever.

Can you remember a time when Jesus shone like the sun?

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him, I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matt 17:1 – 5)

The disciples saw something of the Glory of God in Jesus.

Before Peter, James and John, Jesus was revealed in literally a new light. Seen alongside Moses (representing the law) and Elijah (representing the Old Testament prophets), the voice of the Father confirmed him as the new and living fulfilment of every promise in Scripture.

When people saw Venus rise in the early hours of the morning in Bible times, they knew the sun was also about to rise. Dawn was on its way. Venus represents the hope of a certain future, a very bright hope.

So, when Jesus describes himself as the “Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star”, he is the promised Messiah, the fulfilment of the Hebrew Scriptures, the hope of salvation and eternal life, faithful and glorious, and even more wonderful than a beautiful sunrise.

“For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honour and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him, I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:16 – 19).

But there are different ways of reading and sometimes the Scriptures encourage us to speak God’s Word. Out loud.

King David, the worshipper, is not afraid to put voice to his love for the Lord: “My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever” (Ps 145: 12). The apostle, Peter, even seems to suggest that this is our central purpose: “you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2: 9).

In other words, we exist to declare praise and truth. Out loud.

“And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should” (Col 4: 3 – 4).

So, we speak God’s Word back to the Lord in worship, and we declare His Word to those who are lost. We also speak God’s Word to ourselves.

David has no qualms talking to himself in Psalm 42: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God…”, repeating the questions and exhortation later in the psalm and in Ps 43: 5.

When we speak to our souls, we remind ourselves of Biblical truth. When Moses was preparing the second-generation children of Israel to enter the Promised Land with the speeches we now know as the book of Deuteronomy, he wanted to impress upon them the life and death importance of obedience to God’s Word.

He said, “the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it” (Deut 30: 14).

Although the testimonies of God’s faithfulness and laws would have, to a certain extent, resided in their memories – their minds, the Lord wanted His Word in their hearts (where they will desire relationship with Him and obedience), but also in their mouths. They were to continually speak it out. They were to voice it to the Lord in worship, to each other, to their children (see Deut 6: 7) and to their own souls.

The word was to be in their mouths, “so that you can do it”.

What else?

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10: 8 – 9)

The believers in Acts 4 claimed Psalm 2 as their own, speaking it out with one voice. As a result, they were filled with the Spirit and with boldness.

Remarkable things can happen when speak God’s Word - salvation, the bold declaration of truth through worship and evangelism. And then power and transformation. 

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We didn’t sin. As far as we know we haven’t mistreated anybody. But something went wrong, something hit the fan and we have been caught in the ugly mess.

It doesn’t seem fair.

When David found himself on the end of King Saul’s insane jealousy (and almost on the end of a spear), he asked “What is my crime?”. That reminds us of another time someone was arrested and punished with no evidence of wrongdoing. “What crime has he committed?”, asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” (Matt 27: 23)

Sometimes people are innocent, but the storms still rage against them.

For us as believers and followers of Jesus, it is part of living in a fallen world. A world tainted by sin and occupied by humans who are “dead in their transgressions and sins” (Eph 2: 1). It is also part of being on a journey toward the Kingdom of God and Christlikeness.

I came across this phrase: God uses the storm to form and transform. If we are willing, God will use the storms of life, to form Christ in our hearts and transform us from disobedient sinners to willing saints. From lost sheep to men and women of faith.

After King Saul tried to kill David, the young man ran for his life. And tough times followed – there were tears and there was loneliness, fear, temptation, and anger. Being pinned to a wall by a spear was only the beginning of David’s problems.

But in those early years before becoming king, David sought to do what was right. To obey God and trust God. For example, he refused to retaliate against Saul when the King tried to kill him, numerous times. In his early days of being on the run, he instinctively ran towards communion with God. Psalm 57 reveals the prayers of the young man hiding in the cave of Adullam, expressing praise and faith in the Lord’s power and might.

What drove David to lean towards good choices, towards righteous decisions, even when the storms hit him at that time? Perhaps a clue is found in his attitude. The attitude that says, ‘I will keep my integrity (through this difficult time), I will not pay back evil for evil, but I will put my trust in God’.

No wonder some say David is a shadow, a forerunner, a type of Christ. When we think of Jesus,

the Apostle Peter wrote to the churches, Jesus “committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” (1 Peter2: 22 – 23)

Jesus was the perfect fulfilment of the king who had a heart after God, who in the storm of betrayal cast his hope in the greatness and faithfulness of the living God.

Next time you face a storm, remember that God is in it. In fact, God uses the storm to form and transform. 

https://youtu.be/pYALQylXJ7M for visuals

(for more like this go to https://terrynightingale.com/)

This is a simple message about Timothy, the Apostle Paul's great friend and helper. How God can take an ordinary person like you and me and make him into something extraordinary.

You can find out more about Ps Jay's podcast by visiting thedailysabbath.com or @dailysabbath on Instagram

because the Lord has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners.’