Coaching

I have been really enjoying watching the gymnastics at the Olympics over the last couple of days.  I am always amazed by how flexible and strong the gymnasts are, and by how effortless it all appears.

I have just been watching the uneven bars and have been amazed, not just by the gymnasts, but by the coaches.  Apparently they have to remain under the bars whilst their gymnast competes, which is called 'spotting'.  They are there for the safety of their gymnast. 

Some of the coaches I have seen this afternoon have been literally millimetres away from the gymnasts as the gymnasts have swung from bar to bar.  Every time the gymnasts looked as though they might fall, the coaches would reach out a hand, ready to steady them or grab them.  But if they do touch the gymnasts whilst they are still on the bars, there is a penalty.  Consequently, the coaches have the tricky job of needing to be ready to step in and support the gymnast if needed, but maintaining their distance if not.

Of course, the gymnast hopes they won't need the support of their coach whilst they are competing, but it is reassuring to know they are there.

Jesus told His disciples that He would send them a 'coach'  when He returned to heaven; someone who would encourage and support and protect them:

"When the Friend comes, the Spirit of Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is.  He won't draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said."

[John 16:13-14 MSG]

Our coach is the Holy Spirit.  Someone who is on our team and wants the best for us; someone who will support and uphold us; someone who will always be there for us, ready to pick us back up when we fall.

He holds us by the hand and guides us into a deeper understanding of ourselves, and of God.  He doesn't draw attention to Himself, in the same way that a gymnast's coach doesn't draw attention to himself.  But He is always ready to step in and help us, whenever we need it.

That's the kind of coach I want.

"Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."

[Psalm 37:24 NLT]

Laundry

I'm one of those odd people (perhaps the only odd person?) who rather enjoys ironing.

I like how mindless and repetitive it is, and the fact that you can watch TV whilst you're doing it, or listen to music.  I love the smell of clean laundry wafting around the house.  And, most of all, I love the satisfying feeling as the creases disappear as you steam over them with the iron.

I don't, however, enjoy ironing anything made of linen.  It's not the ironing itself that I dislike, so much as the futility of it.  It seems an utterly pointless exercise, as the moment you start wearing linen, it it is creased again and needs ironing all over again.

I think life is a bit like ironing - or laundry - too: things get dirty and stained and creased and wrinkled and need cleaning up and smoothing out.  And in the same way that we wash and iron our clothes regularly, we need to 'wash' and smooth out our lives on a regular basis too.

We need to make them new again.

But we can't do this by ourselves.

David asked God to forgive him, wash him clean and make him new after he had slept with Bathsheba (someone else's wife):

"Generous in love - God, give grace!  Huge in mercy - wipe out my bad record.  Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry [...] Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean, scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life."

[Psalm 51:1-2, 7 MSG]

Although God is more than capable of answering this prayer, I think it's easy for us to forget that this is an ongoing process and that this is a prayer we will find ourselves uttering again and again.  Our lives get 'mucky' and we need forgiveness.  We need cleaning up over and over and over again. 

And so we ask God to 'wash' us and clean us up, to 'iron' us and smooth things out.  And we get mucky again.  And God washes us again.  And we get mucky again.  And God washes us again.  And we get mucky again.  And God washes us again.  And so it goes on. 

And God is always faithful and always ready to forgive us and pick us up and dust us off and send us out again, dressed in new, clean clothes.

"Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him."

[Colossians 3:10 NLT emphasis mine]

Stirred, Not Shaken

James Bond is well known for - as well as now escorting the Queen to the Olympics - his signature drink: a martini. Shaken, not stirred.

Yesterday I wrote about the different 'rocks' in our lives: the difficult circumstances which can shipwreck us and leave us feeling shaken. However, whilst we may feel shaken, the Bible tells us that if we trust in Jesus and build our lives on His solid rock - His word and His truths - we might be stirred (moved slightly), but we won't be truly shaken.

Jesus said,

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
[Matthew 7:24-27 NLT]

If we work the truths of the Bible into our lives and follow its teaching, we will find a secure and solid foundation for our lives. We will be able to say, as Paul did:

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."
[2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV]

Stirred, but not shaken.

On the Rocks

I have seen lots of steep cliffs and jagged rocks this week on holiday and I have heard lots of tales of shipwrecks.

Dramatic tales of boats which have been smashed and shattered against the unforgiving coastline. Ships wrecked and lives lost on the rocks.

Sometimes our lives can be 'shipwrecked' too: we come up against unexpected and unforgiving 'rocks' of our own and we find our lives (or, at least, aspects of our lives) shattered.

Jobs are lost, money is tight, relationships fail.

Our lives are on the rocks.

But when we find ourselves shipwrecked, there is one Rock in whom we can trust.

“There is no one holy like the Lord;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God."
[1 Samuel 2:2 NIV]

This Rock won't shatter our lives, but will save them; He won't ruin our dreams, but will restore them; He won't shipwreck our hopes and our hearts, but will provide a solid foundation on which we can build anew.

"He alone is my rock and my salvation;
He is my fortress, I will never be shaken."
[Psalm 62:2 NIV emphasis mine]

When we find our lives on the rocks, let's remember that we can always trust in the Rock.

View Points

At the beach yesterday and again today, I spotted something that I had completely forgotten existed: the old-fashioned viewfinder.

Simply pay a modest 20p (and what else can you get these days for 20p?)
and you can use the telescope to take in the view around you and zoom in on interesting scenery/landmarks/people etc.

It gives you a different perspective on the same view.

Another point of view.

It helps us to see things which we would otherwise struggle to see.

In the same way, God's word can give us a different perspective on our lives. It can help us to see the unseeable, to zoom in on the smaller details, which we would otherwise miss.

Paul said,

"We live by faith and not by sight."
[2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV]

We live, not by what we can see and understand or by what we can perceive, but by trusting God and seeking His perspective. By seeking His view of things and by asking Him to show us things which we can't see. And most of all, by trusting that there is more to see.

"Keep your eyes open for God, watch for His works;
Be alert for signs of His presence."
[Psalm 105:4 MSG]

Use the Bible as your viewfinder, to bring your world into focus. And keep your 20p.

Tides

Summer has finally arrived: I have been swimming in the sea.

I love swimming in the sea. And I much prefer it to swimming in a pool, or even in the river. I love paddling tentatively at the water's edge; splashing and swimming around in my own space, and the unending blueness that stretches out, blending into the horizon.

And most of all, I love the waves.

I don't pretend to understand in too much detail what creates the waves (I remember a little from GCSE Geography, but not enough to make much sense here), and I understand in even less detail why the tide goes in and out, except that it has something to do with the moon...

What I do know, though, is that the tide is always regular and reliable. Out and in and out and in and out and in.

Like breathing.

Over and over again.

Regardless of the weather, regardless of the time, regardless of the time of year. The tide is constant.

It is the refrain of beach life.

And God's faithful and enduring love is the refrain of our lives.

Psalm 136 was written to remind the Israelites of all of the different times that their God had been with them and it can remind us of His faithfulness too. Each event that is described in the Psalm is followed by "His love never quits" or "His love endures for ever" in the NIV translation.

"Thank God! He deserves your thanks.
His love never quits.
Thank the God of all gods,
His love never quits.
Thank the Lord of all lords.
His love never quits."
[Psalm 136:1-3 MSG]

In the same way that we can trust that the tide will continue its cycle day after day, year after year, we can trust that God's love will continue day after day, year after year. Whatever the circumstances.

His love never quits.

Queuing

Queuing.

Along with having a stiff upper lip, a fondness for tea and a propensity to talk about the weather at any given opportunity, us Brits are known for queuing.

Regardless of the reason, we are excellent at forming a perfectly neat line and patiently waiting our turn.  In fact, for big events - the release of the 7th Harry Potter book, the Diamond Jubilee, The Royal Wedding, for example - we will make an event of queuing itself by taking tents and picnics and setting ourselves up well in advance of the actual event.

I was lucky enough to be on The Mall on the Saturday of the Jubilee weekend.  Whilst we enjoyed the concert, part of the fun of the day was the hour or so we had beforehand, waiting for it to start.  Everyone was very friendly and chatty and there was a feeling of excitement and anticipation.  There were lots of people who had even camped out over night and lined The Mall with their patriotic tents, picnics and Pimms.  Everyone was having a brilliant time, even waiting for the main event.

We enjoyed waiting.

In the last week, I have been in several queues, mainly in different shops.  I have had to wait no more than three minutes (one as short as fifteen seconds) at any of these different checkouts but, on several occasions, the cashier has apologised for the fact that I have had to wait.

This seems to go against the very thing that the British were made to do.  Obviously no one likes queuing for an unnecessarily long time especially in a shop on a sunny day.  But do we really mind waiting that much?

My first reaction would be to say no, but when it comes to prayer and waiting for God to respond, it is rather a different matter.

I can be patient in a 'real' queue, I can chat to the people around me who are also waiting, I can even enjoy myself waiting in line.  But I never seem to apply the same principles to when I'm waiting for God.  I'm not particularly patient, I don't often talk to people in a similar situation and I certainly don't enjoy myself.

I think part of the difference is that in a real queue you can at least see it moving; no matter how slowly, there is a feeling of progress as you wait.  But when we pray and wait for God, there can sometimes feel as if there is no progress at all.  And that's when we have to stop relying on our own understanding and trust with hope that God is doing something behind the scenes.

"Wait, Israel, for God.  Wait with hope.  Hope now; hope always!"

[Psalm 131:3 MSG]

I think I would do well to make the following verse my mantra when I find myself in a spiritual 'queue':

"God, the one and only - I'll wait as long as he says.  Everything I need comes from him, so why not?"

[Psalm 62:1 MSG]

Why not indeed. 

Packing Light

I am not very good at packing.

Or rather, I am far too good at packing.  I pack for every eventuality and weather condition.  I pack wellies alongside my swimsuit; suncream and sunglasses alongside my umbrella. 

I am prepared for anything.

Except I am always over-prepared.  I never need everything that I have packed and I end up lugging all of that excess weight around with me. 

And it is tiring.

I am going away tomorrow and have challenged myself to 'pack lightly'.  I have managed this once before (very successfully I might add), but it makes me feel really uncomfortable.  I don't like the feeling of being 'unprepared' or 'underprepared' for things.

I do the same in life sometimes as well.  I try to prepare myself for every eventuality or outcome.  I plan for different situations and 'carry' them around with me 'just in case'.

And that is tiring too.

Jesus knew our tendency to 'overpack' in life and to carry too much around with us - especially those things that we were never meant to carry.  He urged us to lay down our heavy bags and take up His light load instead:

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” 
[Matthew 11:28-29 NLT]

When we pick up the load that Jesus gives us, we find that it is manageable and easy to bear.  We don't have to lug around our past mistakes or our failed dreams; we don't have to bear grudges or the sins of others; we don't have to carry our guilt or our shame; we don't have to carry the thoughts of who we 'ought' to be or who we thought we could be.

We don't have to carry more than we need to.

We can give all of those things to Jesus and take His 'yoke' which is easy to bear - a yoke of grace and forgiveness and love and acceptance.

Let's accept Jesus' 'yoke' and learn to pack light. 

Shades of Sepia

I bought myself a new pair of sunglasses at the weekend. I always think the world looks better through sunglasses: the sepia tints soften harsh lines and give everything a golden glow.

When I look at the world through sunglasses and see everything shaded with sepia, I am reminded of old photographs.  Old photographs of distant family, or towns and cities in the "Olden Days".

There seems to have been an increased popularity in sepia toned photos lately: not just in the way photos can be edited, but in discovering and framing and selling old sepia photographs and recreating a 'vintage' feel.

I think we like sepia because we like to be reminded of the past.  Or, at least, to be reminded of what we think of as "The Past": a time when the world was safer, when people were kinder, and life was easier.

We are nostalgic about this imaginary past.

But, originally, the word "nostalgia" didn't mean a sad or painful longing for the past so much as a painful longing for home.  It was an extreme form of homesickness, a desire to return to the safety and comfort of home (The Greek word "nostos" means "to return home" and "algos" means "pain").

I think we all suffer from a kind of nostalgia; not so much a feeling of longing for the past per se, but a longing for home.  Our true home.

The Bible tells us that our true home is with God in His Kingdom. 

"You're no longer wandering exiles.  This kingdom of faith is now your home country."

[Ephesians 2:19 MSG]

But although we have a new home, we don't see or know or experience the fullness of it whilst we're still on earth.  And so we long for the day when it will be completed and everything will be made new.

"Look!  God's home is now among his people!  He will live with them, and they will be his people.  God himself will be with them.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.  All these things are gone forever."

[Revelation 21:3-4 NLT]

Rather than looking back on "The Past" with longing, let's look to the future - to our real home - with longing and excitement and expectation.

"Look ahead with joy.  Anticipate what I'm creating: I'll create Jerusalem as sheer joy, my people as pure delight."

[Isaiah 65:18 MSG]

True nostalgia.

Aftersun

[If I was planning out the order of these posts, today's would follow on nicely from one a couple of weeks ago (the last time the sun made an appearance): "Transformed". If you haven't read it, why not do so now?

[http://thegoldenandthegrey.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/transformed.html - what a lovely little bit of self-promotion!]

Anyone who saw me yesterday afternoon or evening may have thought I was in fancy dress as a lobster.

Unused to the sun in recent weeks, I had forgotten to apply suncream before spending the afternoon outside.  By the time I realised, I thought I would be okay: I don't usually burn.  But by the end of the evening, my neck and arms were radiating and pulsing with heat and I was glowing like a beacon.

It was not a good look.

Thankfully one of my friends supplied me with aftersun which I applied regularly and liberally and by the end of the evening things had settled down a bit.

I have always known that the purpose of applying Aftersun was to protect and moisturise our skin, but I was surprised to discover it is now also being promoted as an effective way to "prolong your tan".

It got me thinking: What do I do to protect and prolong the things I learn when I have been bathing in God's light?

When we feel God speaking to us, or giving us a verse, or a picture or a word, do we simply enjoy it for a moment and then let it fade?  Or do we use a spiritual form of 'Aftersun' to make sure that what we have learnt doesn't disappear when we go through dark and difficult times?

How do we make what we learn stick?

James tells his readers to act on what they've learnt, to put it into practice. 

"Don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.  For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.  You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.  But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it."

[James 1:22-25 NLT emphasis mine]

It's the same with us: in order to get things to really stick, we need to do something with what we've learned.  Write it down somewhere [I like writing things on my mirror], journal it, share it with others,  live it out.

Find a way to make it real in your own life.

Find a way to make it stick.

Reflections

Isn't it strange how we never really know what we look like, apart from in photos?

We always see the opposite of what everyone else sees when we look in a mirror; we are used to seeing ourselves reflected.

For example, I am used to my parting being on one side of my head and it looks strange when I see myself in photographs and everything is reversed.  But it is even stranger still to know that that is what I look like to everyone else.

We never see what everyone else does.

It got me thinking about how often this is the case spiritually too: we often don't see ourselves the way others do either.  We overlook our gifts and talents and emphasise our flaws and failings.  So often we see our weaknesses looming over our personalities and eclipsing the good things God has given us.

Recently, we spent some time at Small Group sharing what we felt were each other's strengths and gifts and I think we were all completely surprised by some of the things that other people saw in us.

For me, people saw some things that I have always longed for them to see, but never believed they would.  Or some of the things that were said were the exact opposite of what I would have said about myself.  They were things that I struggle to believe about myself.

We often fixate on the negatives.

It felt strange to hear and read these words and to realise that this is how other people see me.  That when they look at me, this is what they see.

And it felt strange to be presented with this image of myself, which is so different from the one I am used to.  A bit like seeing what I really look like when I see myself in a photograph.

I want to spend less time indulging the negative thoughts that I have about myself which limit and restrict what I think God can achieve through me, and reflect instead on the real me, believing the positive things that God has said about me.

And the more time we spend in His presence and reading His Word, the more we will begin to reflect His glory.  And the more like our real selves we will become.

"But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord — who is the Spirit — makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image."

[2 Corinthians 3:16-18 NLT emphasis mine]

This is the chorus from a song I love about how we see ourselves: 'You Are More' by Tenth Avenue North -

You are more than the choices that you've made,

You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

'Cause this is not about what you've done,
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been,
But where your brokenness brings you to

This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.

That's what I want to see when I look at my reflection. 

Near Death Experience

When I moved into my flat just before Christmas last year, I did a 'big food shop' and overspent on all sorts of things to set me up for the next few months.

One of the things that I bought was the obligatory basil plant.

It sat on my window sill in a cheery blue pot and I occasionally watered it and, even less frequently, actually used the leaves in any form of cooking.

Until one sad morning when I realised that insufficient watering had led to a withered, wilted, yellow, dry plant.

It was on its way to the bin when I thought: It's pretty much dead.  Why not water it and see what happens?  It's not like you can drown it.

So I did.

I drenched it in water and by the end of the same day, it had been restored to life.

But this is not the basil plant's only near death experience.

This has happened at least six times since.  I don't know why, but I manage to forget to water it for days on end.  And then just when it seems as though I really will have to admit defeat and throw it out, I water it and it is miraculously restored to life.

Nearly seven months later, it is still going strong.

It can be the same with us and our faith: we can feel dried out, shrivelled up, weary, hopeless, fed-up and ready to give up.  But in these times, if we immerse ourselves in God's Word and drench ourselves with His love, we can be restored.

"Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst - not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless live."

[John 4:14 MSG]

"He leads me beside quiet waters,

He restores my soul."

        [Psalm 23:3 MSG]


          "I'll refresh tired bodies;
          I'll restore tired souls."
          [Jeremiah 31:25 MSG]


When we're experiencing 'near death' moments in our faith, let's give it one last go; let's soak ourselves in God and His Word and His love and see if that doesn't revive our souls.

Scars

Scars.

We all have them.

I have several on my wrists from baking-related incidents and a jelly-fish scar on my upper arm. 

Some people are proud of their scars and love showing them off and recounting how they got them.  Some people will do anything to remove them - there are oils and creams and operations to get rid of them, so that we appear flawless.

And sometimes we have scars on the inside too.

But rather than trying to hide our scars, sometimes they are useful.  As Dumbledore says,

"Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground."

Scars can be useful.

They don't have to define us, but they show us what has happened in our lives and, more importantly, what God has done in our lives.  When Jesus was resurrected, He still had scars and it was because of these that the disciples (and Thomas in particular), believed:

"He [Thomas] said, 'Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it.'  Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room.  This time Thomas was with them.  Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, 'Peace to you.'  Then he focused his attention on Thomas.  'Take your hand and stick it in my side.  Don't be unbelieving.  Believe.'  Thomas said, 'My master!  My God!'"

[John 20:25-28 MSG]

Scars show our injuries and our pain, but they also show God's healing and His power.  And they can help other people to believe when we aren't afraid to share them.

        "So praise God we don't have to hide scars

        They just strengthen our wounds, and they soften our hearts.

        They remind us of where we have been, but not who we are

        So praise God, praise God we don't have to hide scars

 

        There once was a King who so burdened with grief

        Walked into death so that we could find peace

        He rose up with scars on his hands and his feet

        By them we are healed, by them we are healed.

        So praise God we don't have to hide scars

        Yeah we know His are covering ours."

 

        [Johnny Diaz 'Scars']

 

We can't get rid of the scars on the inside, but we can use them to point people to the one who knows our pain and who can heal us.

 

 

 

Coffee, Cups and the Cosmos

Whilst I like coffee, I'm not one of those people who is completely fuelled by it.  You know, the sort of person who is dangerous to approach in their pre-coffee state, or is completely useless before they've had their morning cup (tea, on the other hand, is another matter...)

However, our church is full of coffee people.

It is in such popular demand that we have come perilously close to running out of coffee on several occasions.  And this has sometimes been coupled with the equally devastating problem of no cups.

Naturally, this discovery, less than an hour before the service is due to start, has led to a panic for the hospitality team and an emergency trip to Sainsbury's for coffee and cups.

However, a few times, even though we have looked everywhere for coffee cups, someone else has gone to "have one last look" and has returned joyfully wielding coffee and/or cups.  Somehow, somewhere, we have found coffee where we thought there was none.  We have found something where we thought there was nothing.

In the same way, Genesis tells us that God created the world from nothing.  In his modern retelling of the Bible ("Word on the Street"), Rob Lacey rewrites Genesis 1:1-2 like this:

"First off, nothing. No light, no time, no substance, no matter. Second off, God starts it all up and WHAP! Stuff everywhere! The cosmos in chaos: no shape, no form, no function– just darkness ... total. And floating above it all, God’s Holy Spirit, ready to play."

Now, whether you see the creation story in Genesis as the literal word of God or an allegory, the message is the same: God has the power and the ability and the resources to create something out of nothing.

Why does that matter?

Not only does it show us God's power, it gives us hope when we feel at the end of ourselves and as though we are stuck in a dead-end situation. 

"When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead-end, because I am God, your personal God."

[Isaiah 43:3 MSG emphasis mine]

When we feel that there is no answer to our problems, when we don't have the energy to keep going, when we don't have the money to pay the bills, when we don't have the coffee to fuel the church, God can make something out of nothing.

Life and Death and Words

I am one of those people who is fascinated by words.

I love finding out their origins and finding root words which they have in common.  For example, obvious though it may sound, I realised just the other day that the word 'knee' and 'kneel' are related.  Fascinating!

And words are powerful.

It is with words that we construct our understanding of our world, our beliefs and our selves.

They have a life and a power of their own. 

As Dumbledore says,

“Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.”

In the beginning, in Genesis, God could have created the world and everything in it with His hands.  He could have sculpted and crafted everything physically.  But, instead, He chose to bring things into existence through His words, through His voice.

"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light."

[Genesis 1:2 NIV emphasis mine]

Words are powerful. 

They have the power to bring things into existence, to bring light to dark places, to bring hope to places of despair.  The words that we use to describe ourselves and others either give life or destroy it.  They either create or kill.

"What you say can mean life or death. Those who speak with care will be rewarded."

[Proverbs 18:21 NCV]

"Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit - you choose."

[Proverbs 18:21 MSG]

You choose. 

Sometimes I know that the words I choose to use to talk about myself, to talk about others, to talk about my past or future, are not life-giving.  They limit and restrict and choke things. 

But I want to give life with my words.

What do you create with your words?

Home Sweet Home

Last year, I became a grown up.  I bought my first home: a lovely little flat.

I have since spent my time and my pennies decorating it and furnishing it with pretty things.  And I have thoroughly enjoyed choosing furniture and photo frames and fabric.  I have picked out things that I like and that suit me.

I have made it my own.

In the same way, Jesus told His disciples that He was going ahead of us to prepare a room for each of us in His Kingdom:

"There is plenty of room for you in my Father's home.  If that weren't so, would I have told you that I'm on my way to get a room ready for you?  And if I'm on my way to get your room ready, I'll come back and get you so you can live where I live."

[John 14:2-4 MSG]

Sometimes, we long for this heavenly home, because we feel out of place and uncomfortable "in the world".  We feel as though we don't belong.

And that is true.  As Christians, our home is no longer in this world.  Jesus calls us out of a world which denies Him and doesn't acknowledge Him as Lord and into real relationship with Him.

"If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world."

[John 15:19 NIV]

A "Christian catchphrase" that gets tossed around a lot is "in the world, but not of the world." Whilst we still live in the world and are called to engage with it, we are only temporary residents here. This is not our home.

Perhaps we should see ourselves as 'renting' whilst we are on earth.  We can enjoy the experience and enter into it fully, without being shaped by it, because we know it isn't permanent:

"Don't copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."

[Romans12:2 NLT]

Let's never lose sight of the fact that this isn't our final residence.  This is not our Home Sweet Home.

These are some of the words from Where I Belong  by Building 429 [video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOtsB4O1p3o]

         "All I know is I'm not home yet

         This is not where I belong

         Take this world and give me Jesus

         This is not where I belong."

Full Repair

Split ends.

I have a love/hate relationship with them.  Of course no one wants split ends, they make your hair feel rough and frizzy and look dull at the ends.  But there is something tremendously satisfying about eradicating them.  Either by finding and trimming or, more severely, by pulling them out from the roots.

As a result of dyeing my hair too often and too much heat styling, I seem to have nothing but split ends.  I have just treated myself to some "Full Repair" Shampoo, Conditioner and Intensive Serum, which I am hoping will transform my dull, dead ends. 

Whilst all of the products will hopefully smooth my hair and improve the look and feel of it, I doubt if it can really fully repair my hair.  What my hair probably needs is a good trim, but I am hoping to postpone the need for a cut as long as possible. 

I am hoping this will be a quick fix for my hair until I can afford a proper cut.

Sometimes we have the same approach to our faith or to the 'broken' things in our lives: rather than taking the plunge and trimming, or "cutting off" the dead things, we look for a quick fix.  We look for something that will smooth things over and improve the look and feel of our lives.

But, in order for us to grow, we need to get rid of the dead things in our lives, not just cover them up or smooth them down.  Jesus said,

"I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more."

[John 15:1-2 NLT emphasis mine]

The reason for cutting off the dead branches in our lives is not simply to get rid of the things that aren't producing fruit, but in order to ensure more growth.

Sometimes a full repair is only possible with a proper trim.

Control Freaks and Picket Fences

I was recently called a Control Freak by a friend.  It was completely justified.  I am a total Control Freak.

I like to know everything that's happening.  I like to be in charge.  I like planning and preparing for different outcomes.  I like to feel organised.

And I'm not alone.  As Mary Alice says in Desperate Housewives,

"Control.  It's extraordinary the tactics people employ to obtain it: some rely on deception, while others engage in outright trickery.  Then there are those who resort to extortion.  Why do we fight so hard for control?  Because we know to lose it is to put our fate in the hands of others.  And what could be more dangerous?"

Control makes us feel safe.  It makes us feel powerful.  It is a form of protection.

But I have realised recently that so many of the things that I spend my time and energy trying to 'control' are, ironically, out of my control.

I spend my time fussing and worrying about other people's opinions of me, about their expectations of me and whether or not I am 'meeting' them.  I spend my time trying to plan for different events and 'covering' all eventualities.

And in all of this, I forget the only thing over which I do have real control: myself.

I can only really control my own thoughts and opinions and beliefs and desires and hopes and dreams and actions and words. 

And that is hard enough.

Fences demonstrate the boundaries between gardens and it would be strange and unnecessary if I took it upon myself to tend to someone else's lawn without their knowledge or consent.  It is not my responsibility. 

In the same way, I need to learn where I end and other people begin. I need to learn what is within my 'control' and what I can realistically change and influence. And then I need to learn how to 'control' what is mine.

If we don't have healthy 'fences' or boundaries between us and others, we will exhaust ourselves trying to take care of other people who should be taking care of themselves.  And we will open ourselves up to attack in all forms if we don't have secure boundaries around ourselves.

"A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls."

[Proverbs 25:28 NLT]

Rather than exhausting my resources by trying to control others, I need to understand what it truly means to control myself, to develop self-control.  For it is in developing an awareness of who we are (and who we aren't), in Christ, and growing in self-control with the help of the Holy Spirit [Galatians 5:22], that we find real safety and security.  That is where we find true power.

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

[2 Timothy 1:7 NIV, emphasis mine]

Microwave Meals and Take-aways

Aah, the weekend.  A time for relaxing and resting and recuperating.  A time for taking it easy.

And one of the main ways that we take it easy at the weekend is to indulge in microwave meals or takeaways.

Apparently us Brits consume a whopping 2 billion take-aways a year and 40% of us order one once a week.  Combine that with the fact that 83% of us regularly purchase microwave meals due to convenience and you have some pretty hefty statistics.

They are so easy and convenient and (usually) tasty.  We can put in the minimum amount of effort - simply making a phone call, or ordering online, or pricking a cellophane wrapper and pressing a few buttons - et voila, we have a meal in minutes.

But unfortunately these convenient meals aren't very good for us.  It may be cheaper and easier for us to microwave something rather than spending a long time peeling and chopping and boiling and baking, but these meals are usually loaded with fat and sugar and additives.

Whilst it takes longer to prepare and cook a 'proper meal', it is much better for us when we do.

Sometimes our faith can be like this, too - we want something quick and convenient.  Something not too costly and which requires the minimum input from us.  Something from which we can get 'nourishment' without having to 'cook'.

We don't always want to put in the effort.  And we don't always like waiting. 

But sometimes waiting is best for us.  We grow in the waiting.  Our faith is stretched and strengthened in the waiting.

"Waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother.  We are enlarged in the waiting.  We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us.  But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy."

[Romans 8:27 MSG]

"God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks.  It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God.  It's a good thing when you're young to stick it out through the hard times."

[Lamentations 3:25-27 MSG]

We can choose to eat raw, uncooked food before it's properly 'done'.  In most cases, it probably won't harm us too badly, but we won't get much nourishment from it.  We won't get as much from it as we could.

It's the same with our faith.

The proof, as they say, is in the 'pudding'.

Does Prayer Work?

Does prayer work?

It's a question asked over and over and over.  By people who are seeking God.  By people who are doubting God.  By people who are questioning God.  By people who love God.  By people who hate God.  By people who are angry at God.

Does God hear our prayers?  Does He care?  Does He answer them?  Why does He answer some prayers and not others?  What makes Him answer our prayers?  Is there a 'right' way to pray?  Is there a 'wrong' way to pray?  Do His answers relate to our faith?

Does prayer work?

Many people ask the question.

But I don't think it's the right question to ask. 

Prayer isn't a mechanism or a magic formula.  It isn't a cosmic shopping list, or a 'request slot' with God.  Prayer isn't about me and what I want.  Prayer isn't something that works or doesn't work.

Prayer is talking to our Father in Heaven.  Prayer is a conversation with our Creator.  Prayer is relationship.  In the same way that human relationships are built on communication, our relationship with God is built on prayer. 

When I chat to family or friends on the phone or face-to-face, I don't simply ask them for things.  And I don't judge their love for me on whether or not they meet my demands.  Of course, there are times when I do ask for things from them, but that is part of my relationship and conversation with them, not the whole relationship.  Most of the relationship is built on chatting and sharing, talking and listening.  Learning more about the other person - their thoughts and beliefs, their likes and dislikes.  Learning what they are passionate about and what they value.  And it's about sharing my thoughts and beliefs and values and dreams and hopes and fears.

Prayer is the same.

It is about falling in love with God and partnering with Him to fulfil His work in this world.

Jesus advised His followers to pray like this:

"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God.  Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage.  The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.

The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant.  They're full of formulas and programmes and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God.  Don't fall for that nonsense.  This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need.  With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply."
[Matthew 6:6-7 MSG]

Perhaps instead of asking Does prayer work? we would be better off asking What is prayer? and spending our time developing our relationship with God.

[The most useful and beautiful book I've ever read about the question of prayer is "God on Mute" by Pete Greig.  I strongly recommend it.]

Abandoned

Ah, the English Language, a complex and confusing mix of words with varied and interesting origins.

Take the word cleave for example: it can mean both to split or sever or separate, and to stick together or be strongly attached.  Two completely opposite meanings wrapped up into the same word.

It's the same with the word abandon.

On the one hand, it means to desert or leave someone or something with no intention of returning.

To be abandoned is passive.  It is something that happens to us.  To be abandoned and isolated is our biggest fear, because we were made for attachment and connection and relationship.

John Townsend says,

"Attachment, or bondedness, is our deepest need.  This is because it is also the deepest part of the character of God.  The Bible goes so far as to identify the very nature of God with love: 'God is love' (1 John 4:8) ... Just as connectedness is our most basic need, isolation is our most injurious state.  The most severe punishment in prisons throughout history has always been solitary confinement ... Whatever is cut off tends towards deterioration."

To be abandoned is devastating.

On the other hand, to abandon yourself means to intentionally and willingly give yourself over to something, to surrender to it. It is active, it is a choice.  It means to show a complete lack of inhibition or restraint.

"Abandon" literally translates from the Old French as "a-" - without + "bandon" - control.  Originally, it meant to 'bring under control', later to  'give in to the control of' or to 'surrender to' someone/something.

We can give up our control and surrender to something/someone when we know it's safe.  We can surrender to God when we understand that He is safe.

        "I will never fail you.
         I will never abandon you."
         [Hebrews 13:5 NLT]

"Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

[Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT]

We can abandon ourselves to God, because He won't abandon us.  Ever. 

Freefall

I always feel sorry for people who either a) say they don't dream or b) seem to have really dull dreams.  Given that you can do anything in dreams, some people's dreams just seem a bit too much like everyday life.

I like the kind of dreams that couldn't really happen in 'real life'.  Dreams where you fly, or are chased but never get caught.

Or those dreams where you fall and wake up just before you land.

Whilst I don't know that I would ever be brave enough to actually sky-dive, I love the sensation of falling in dreams.

Complete freedom.

Total abandonment.

No strings attached.

God offers us this complete freedom too:

"Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people - free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds.  And not just barely free, either.  Abundantly free!"  [Ephesians 1:7 MSG]

But in order to experience this freedom, we need to let go of everything we're holding on to.  In the same way that to sky-dive, you have to leave the safety of the plane and trust your parachute, we have to leave the safety of our own understanding and trust God.  Trust what He has said and what He has done.  Trust that it is enough and that we can't add to it with our own efforts. 

We can't put our trust in God and in ourselves.

 "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own.  Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go."

[Proverbs 3:5 MSG]

 
        "You tell me I've been made free

You give me everything I need to walk in my dreams

You whisper words that free my soul

You're the reason I have hope

You're everything I need and more

You made me

You made me free."

[Dara Maclean, Free]

 

 

You can't freefall if you're still holding on.

 

 

When Life Hurts

As R.E.M sang, "Everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes."

We live in an imperfect world with imperfect people who make imperfect choices.  And the result is that we get hurt.

Pain, in this life, is unavoidable.

Pain is a sign that there is something wrong: it points to the fact that things are not as they should be.  Pain prompts us to put things right.

It shouldn't be ignored.

As Taylor says in Gilmore Girls,

"Pain is your body's way of saying 'I'm not alright now, but I will be soon.  You've got to listen to your body.  You don't want to shut it up too soon ... that's called death.'"

We can ignore pain, we can dull the ache with pills and medicines, we can distract ourselves and bury the hurt.  But it never really goes away.

In order to heal, we need to let the wounds breathe.  We need to bring them out into the open and bring them before God.

"If your heart is broken,
You'll find God right there;
if you're kicked in the gut,
He'll help you catch your breath."

[Psalm 34:18 MSG]

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

[Psalm 147:3 NIV]

These are some of the words from 'The Hurt and The Healer" by MercyMe (full lyrics at
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/mercyme/thehurtthehealer.html) 

"You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I’ve fallen into Your arms open wide
When the hurt and the healer collide."

Whilst being hurt may be unavoidable, staying hurt isn't.

Transformed

If you are British, let me remind you of something with which we all used to be familiar.


The sun.


Pronounced as in "bun" or "done", it is a burning ball of gas around which the earth rotates and upon which all life depends.


If you live in the UK, you may well have forgotten that this exists, as it has been many months since the sun has been sighted on our island. In days gone by, we used to talk about "sunbathing" and getting a "suntan". The summer months would be spent relaxing in the garden or on the beach, reading a good book and soaking up the sun. And at the end of a long day in the sun, the more "sunned" your appearance would be.


It's the same with our relationship with God - the more time we spend with God in His presence, the more like Him we become.

"As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light."

[Matthew 17:2 NLT]

And as we spend more time in the presence of the Son - worshipping Him, reading His word and praying - we, too, will be transformed. Our faces will shine and reflect His glory.

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory."

[2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV]

Whilst we don't stand much chance of getting a suntan this Summer (in Britain at least), we can always bathe in the light of the Son and be transformed into His likeness.