We all know what it’s like to feel like an outsider at times. Quite often I feel like I am too different or too quirky, to those of my own age, to be accepted. I have always found it difficult to fit in and make friends easily – to feel like I really belong.
In your personal life, you may have encountered racism, sexism or discrimination, that has left you feeling outcasted. The world can be a harsh place, and some people instead of accepting us for who we are, chose to segregate us and leave us alone. We never have to worry about any of this when it comes to God’s family. He accepts us as we are. There can never be someone who is too messed up, too hurt or too different for God. God loves us, for us. Our value comes from Him and He welcomes us all, just as we are.
“There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:28
“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.”
Ephesians 2:19
In the Bible, we read about how Ruth chose to be an outsider. Living in a culture that devalued women – especially those without husbands – Ruth was up against the steepest odds. Ruth felt the sting of sexism and the bite of racism. However, there was something about Ruth that wouldn’t allow hatred to stop her. She found her strength in God and learnt that a person’s worth is not found in the externals. The Book of Ruth displays the message of God’s wholehearted love for all people.
“Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.” But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to seperate us!” When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.”
Ruth 1: 15-18
Being a Christian makes us different to the world; we become outsiders. But that’s the whole point, we are meant to be different. We are to expect persecution and hardships because of our beliefs. Despite this, we must be like Ruth, embrace the truth of our value and be comforted that we are a part of God’s family. That we are chosen by Him, exactly as we are.
Be encouraged! Although you may feel excluded from the world, you will never be from God’s family. You will find no outsiders there!
If you’re feeling like I am, you feel like you’re long past hope. You’re ready to give up. There really seems to be no end to the Coronavirus and that thought stirs up so much distress within me. I’m beginning my 7th week of lockdown now, and there seems to be little progress being made. We are still living in the uncertainty of not knowing when things will begin to return to ‘normal’. Nevertheless, however bleak things seem to you today, even during this worldwide pandemic, there is still hope!
The acronym COVID-19, a word that usually creates fear and panic within us, can be changed to stand for something completely different.
COVID-19 = Christ Offers Victory In Distress 1:9 Joshua
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9
We need to remember that God is bigger than any storm or circumstance we face, including this Coronavirus. He will be with us always, so we have no reason to be distressed. But simply accepting this truth is not easy, especially when we are in the midst of such chaos; its only natural for our instincts to revolve around fear. Yet, we can be encouraged by reading the stories within the Bible, that show throughout history God has been right in the middle of every frightening situation, protecting and responding to the distress of His people.
In the Wilderness: The Israelites spent 40 years wandering through the desert! 40 years of journeying towards the promised land that God had given them. That’s a very long time! The days must have been intensely hot and I’m sure they were very weary. But God met them where they were; he made sure they had what they needed. They learned through every hard and grueling step, how much they had to rely on Him. We’re never left to wrestle through on our own in hard places. He doesn’t send us out to fight the enemy in our own strength. He just tells us to be still, to stand strong, and to know he’s fighting on our behalf. He never abandoned his people either. They kept pressing through and God continued to be with them, as He is with us now. Sure enough the Israelites were delivered out of slavery, brought through the wilderness, into the promised land!
“The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
Exodus 14:14
“The Lord replied,”I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest – everything will be fine for you.”
Exodus 33: 14
In the Lions Den: Daniel came face to face with a den full of lions – I don’t know about you, but that certainly seems a terrifying ordeal! Even though it seemed Daniel’s fate was doomed, there was hope! Daniel trusted in God and knew He would keep him safe. Just like us today, God’s hand of protection is over us, so there is no need for us to panic, we just need to fully trust Him.
“Daniel answered, “Long live the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.”
Daniel 6: 21-23
In the Storm: The disciples were experieced fishermen, so when faced with a storm you would think they were prepared. However, the storm they encountered was immense and far beyond their control, leaving them in despair and utterly terrified. Similarly, there have been many epidemics and even pandemics throughout history, and now we have many skilled scientists in the world. So, it seemed that we were prepared for COVID-19. But as country after country went into lockdown, the same fear and panic the disciples experienced loomed over us. While it is natural for us to be fearful, we must also remain steadfast in our faith, and remember that God is in control of all things, and He has the power to calm the storm.
“Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”. Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”
Matthew 8: 23-27
God’s victories promise that suffering won’t last forever. We can not see it now, but there will be an end to this time of lockdown. As we endure the ‘Coronavirus Storm’ we can be encouraged and hopeful in our faith, that God is with us and will protect us always.
I pray God will be with you today and that He will replace your distress with such a deep peace. I pray you will be comforted with His words, and hope will be restored in your heart. We have no need to be afraid if we put our trust in Him.
Spring is truly upon us. Flowers are blooming and birds have built their nests; Nature is once again returning to new life. Spring is a season of growth and new starts. Before our lockdown at school, in my Reception class, we were learning about ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. The children all had the opportunity to grow their own beans, linking to our story and also to the topic of plants and how seeds grow. Needless to say, some children’s beanstalks were more successful than others! There were many factors that influenced the seeds outcomes such as how much water they received, how much sunlight they received or how carefully the children handled their plants (some seeds just really didn’t stand a chance against those 4-5 year olds!)
Anyway, this all got me thinking about the illustration of seeds in the Bible and what they represent, especially in the Parable of the Farmer scattering seeds in Matthew 13. Jesus often taught through parables as this helped illustrate his teachings in a form that the people would understand, as they related to their prior experiences.
Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.That is why I use these parables,for they look, but they don’t really see.They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.“Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Matthew 13: 1-23
The seeds which fell on the footpath (v.4; 19) represent those who hear the message but do not understand it. The bird is Satan, who comes in to remove that ‘seed’, through our doubts, emotions or outside pressures. When we share the Good News with others, we can all plant the seed, but ultimately it is God who makes it grow.
“I planted the seeds in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. Its not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow”.
1 Corinthians 3:6-7
The seeds which fell on the shallow soil (v. 5-6; 20-21) are those people who hear and receive the message. However, as their roots of faith are not deep, when faced with problems or persecution they give up and resort back to their old ways. Perhaps this is something you struggle with; you want to believe but you just can’t fix your roots into anything. These seedling Christians need the most encouragement to develop their roots, and support to withstand in their faith when things get tough. We need to water them with our love and time, when they are searching for guidance. To be someone they can be accountable to, when they feel the need to return to old habits. Maybe you’re reading this and someone springs to mind that you know is in this situation – maybe it’s time to reach out to them?
The seeds which are among the thorns (v. 7; 22), illustrate the people who are overwhelmed with the worries of life or the lures of the world, which ‘choke’ them out of faith. Rather than being in the world not of the world, their vision is sidelined. It is because of this that no good fruit is produced because their focus is elsewhere. As Christians, there are times when our faith wavers and we find ourselves drifting away from God. We allow ourselves to be overcome by our insecurities, our desires, our difficulties, that we are pulled away from God instead of pursuing more of Him. I know I can sometimes allow my anxiety to grow into thorns of self-doubt and unbelief which begin to strangle my faith. However, through spending more time with God and focusing on developing my relationship with Him above anything else, I can begin to prune back these thorns and move into more fertile ground. We need to aim towards developing a strong, healthy relationship with God in order to grow and develop in our faith.
Finally, the seeds which fell on the fertile soil (v. 8; 23), are those who hear and understand God’s word, and try to prioritise Him and remain persistent in their faith. By deepening our roots further in Christ we stand a better chance of blossoming in our faith, which will produce good fruit. More than likely we probably will shift between being different ‘seedlings’ depending on where we are at with our faith, and the season of our lives we are experiencing. Despite this, it is important to remember that unlike my class of children, who were clueless at caring for their beanstalk, we as Christians are being nurtured by a gardener who knows exactly what we need to establish and thrive!
Another representation of seeds in the Bible is the mustard seed; the smallest of all seeds.
“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”
Matthew 17:20-21
Sometimes I feel I need to have BIG amounts of faith; that I need to have it all together, in order to be classed as a good-rooted Christian. But here, Jesus is saying all you need to have is a miniscule amount of faith to be able to do incredible things! There’s no requirements, other than to simply believe and have a little bit of faith.
So, by deepening ourselves in Christ, spending time with God and exploring His written words, we can nurture our environment to enable our faith and relationship with God to grow stronger and healthier. As well as focusing on ourselves, it is also important to look out for fellow ‘seedlings’, and ensure we give our encouragement, and support them with their own faith, instead of leaving them to wither.
Whether your faith is as small as a mustard seed or as big as a palm tree seed (which is the largest seed in the world), we must all focus on challenging ourselves to remain firmly rooted in Christ.
God Bless! 🙂
“Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”
I have always had a sense of adventure within me, but since I began travelling abroad a few years ago, the feeling has intensified. I love being able to explore new places and cultures and have definitely caught the travel bug! One of my favourite travel quotes is this: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – Lao Tzu. I love the idea of how every adventure I’ve taken and will take, has to start with just a simple step. Just like my travelling journeys, my life as a Christian also began with a simple step out in faith. In this blog post I’m going to share some of my testimony and some illustrations linking to the experience of travelling, that I feel reflect the stages of how our faith grows and matures.
My Christian journey started back in 2005 when I first started going along to a local church with my family. As I was only around 9 years old, going to church was mainly just a routine thing and was just a bit of fun – I didn’t really understand what Christianity was all about until I was a bit older. I can remember encountering God for the first time, when I was starting secondary school. I was really nervous about going and had a decision to make. My best friend at the time began hanging around with some new kids that I just didn’t feel comfortable being with. I had a choice to make, which looking back probably seems insignificant but at the time was HUGE for me – leaving behind my best friend and that security and going it alone, or to stick around with people I knew would not be good for me. I remember walking to school one morning by myself, debating this decision, when a bible verse suddenly came to me – Psalm 16:8: “I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me”. In that moment I knew what I had to do. I took courage and broke away from my comfort zone, and reflecting back, I can see how different my life would have been, if I had not took that brave leap of faith. That point in time, when I was at a crossroads, I chose to follow God and I became a Christian.
Once you’ve made the decision to become a Christian, it’s then time to move onto the Baggage Area. We all carry ‘baggage’ from our past experiences and choices, that can hold us back from following Christ. It’s hard to leave things behind that have had a hold over us for such a long time. Our learnt behaviours seem impossible to break, or too difficult to move past. However, when we become a Christian and surrender all our shame, our hurt, our insecurities over to God, He can begin to work with us. He can take our brokenness and restore it into something beautiful.
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
1 Peter 5:10
Just like at the airport, we need to leave our baggage behind and trust that it will all be taken care of, and move onwards in our new direction. Initially this is something that can happen when we first become a Christian, when we first repent of our sins, but I can honestly say there have been many times when I’ve revisited the baggage area and have tried to ‘reclaim’ it. But God is always there to gently pull us back onto the right track; we are never too far gone to seek His forgiveness.
“He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”
Psalm 103:12
“But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
1 John 1:9
As a Christian our passport from our old life alters to display our new identity; the identity we have in Christ. Through such amazing grace, we are now seen as a new creation. Too often our identities are based on what we do for a living or what we look like, the exterior part of us. But our true selves are discovered when we allow Jesus to fill us and transform us into the person we were destined to be.
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
2 Corinthians 5:17
Now, I can remember when I first became a Christian how exilerating it feels. The first few days you feel on such a high, like the sensation you experience at take off. The adreline pumping as the plane begins to soar down the runway. But as we begin to lift up higher and higher, that’s when it hits. It’s not so much the fear of flying, but the fear of falling. Similarly, the reality hit within the early days of becoming a Christian. The fear of what will people think of me, what happens if people treat me differently, what happens if I make mistakes etc.
I will be honest and say for the early years of following Jesus, I kept it very much to myself. I didn’t really tell people about my faith, and just kept my head down. My daily life and my Christian life were almost a separate thing. Until in 2010, God intervened. I remember going along to a youth meeting which was focusing on Baptism, and I was under the impression it was just going to be a discussion, where we’d learn about baptism, but when I got there I soon realised it was actually a meeting for those who were getting baptised. To say I started freaking out is an understatement – Was I really ready to be baptised? I was only 14, surely I was too young? Baptism at that point had always been something I thought I’d do when “I was older”. However the bible says in 1 Timothy 4:12, “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.”
So, I decided to do it. To declare my faith outwardly, to begin living for Christ publicy rather than behind closed doors. I became more confident in sharing my faith with my friends, and stopped hiding the fact that I am a Christian. It hasn’t always been easy at times, but with God strengthening and guiding me, it has been so worth it!
“And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 3:21
“And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.”
Galatians 3:27
Faith can be much like turbelance of a flight. Gliding along, everything going well, enjoying the journey and then BUMP! Your stomach flips and you begin to rock around, feeling giddy and sick at the uncertainty of what’s going on. Life is not a smooth passage, and we all experience moments where we are thrown out of our comfort zones, taken aback by something so unexpected we are left feeling unsafe. It’s important to remember that even when we hit moments of turbelance, we are not the ones who need to be in control. It’s the pilot’s responsibility to handle that, and they are the most experienced to do the job. Likewise, God is the pilot of our lives. He is in control of each and every situation, and knows exactly what’s coming up. He’ll flick the seatbelt sign on in plenty of time, to prepare us for what’s about to happen.
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10
“For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being.”
Job 12:10
“You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”
Proverbs 19:21
There have been times when I’ve been close to bailing out on being a Christian. But when I’m almost about to make that choice, God steps in to provide exactly what I needed to hear in that moment. Such a time was many years after first becoming a Christian, when I was at Soul Survivor (a Christian camp) in 2016. Prior to attending, I had been struggling with anxiety, insecurities and doubts, and was really at a loss of where to go next. It was during the worship one evening, that something washed over me and I just broke down. All the emotions and feelings that I’d been bottling up just came pouring out. It was then that a girl (who I’d never met) came and put her arm round me and said she had a message for me. As she began talking to me, the words she was saying spoke so directly; everything answered exactly what I was going through. It was such a surreal moment but I knew it was another encounter with God. That supernatural intervention restored my faith to a whole new level and encouraged me immensely to not give up on God. More recently, I had again experienced a season of doubt, where my relationship with God was weakened, and I was feeling lost, when God intervened and brought someone into my life. Through that person my focus was realigned and they encouraged me to prioritise my relationship with God above all else, and since then my faith has been renewed greatly. It isn’t always a direct supernatural experience that rebuilds our faith but sometimes it’s through the works of others.
You may be at the same point, where your faith is at breaking point, and you’re ready to jump. But I would encourgage you to hang on! Whatever you are facing today, God’s got you. I pray that He will speak to you today and tell you directly or show you through others exactly what you need, something for you to cling to while you ride out this confusion. As we journey through life, it’s inevitable that we will go through peaks and lows, but as long as we persevere with our faith and strive to seek more of Jesus, the end desitination will be so incredibly worth it.
As Christians we have that security that there is something amazing ahead of us, the ultimate, indescribable destination.
“Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me with live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.”
John 11:25-26
“And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.”
1 John 5:11-12
While the idea of arriving in the Caribbean, with its white, sandy beaches and crystal-blue sea, seems like a tropical paradise, that is nothing compare to Heaven. Jesus describes Heaven in Luke 23:43 as being “paradise”. While the Bible does not give detailed descriptions of what heaven is like, it does hint at the differences between life on earth. It is said heaven will be a place where there will be no more suffering, death, sorrow, crying or pain (Revelation 21:4); A place where we will spend our enternity amongst God. When we truly believe in Jesus and seek to follow His ways, we are filled with such a hope that we will arrive safely into God’s hand at the end of our life’s journey.
For those of you reading this today, who have yet to take that first step to becoming a Christian, I pray that God will speak to you and stir your heart. I pray He will reveal more of himself to you. For those, who have recently made the decision to follow Christ, I pray God will strengthen and equip you as you face testing times as you begin to develop your faith. And finally, for those of you who have been a Christian for a while, I pray you will be comforted and encouraged that you are not alone in the journey. Remember that we all have ups and downs with our faith, and that is not a reflection of you as a Christian, but rather the evidence of how God is shaping and moulding you to be even more like Him. Wherever you find yourself with your faith and beliefs, whether you’ve just become a Christian or you’ve been one for over 50 years, don’t forget we are all a part of one, big family all heading in the same direction towards a wonderful, eternal life with our Father.
Let’s be there for one another, supporting and strengthening each other as we journey through our lives, remembering that it’s okay to not be okay, and being comfortable to reach out when we are struggling with our faith.
We must remember we are alive, to thrive, not merely just survive because Jesus has set us free! We must make the most of the precious gift of life, whilst not forgetting the hope we have for the future, as we have so much more to live for.
The book of Haggai – you may not have really heard of it; I came across it quite by accident! – is the second shortest book of the Bible, yet it has a very important message within. Let’s take a look:
“On August 29 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshuason of Jehozadak, the high priest. “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.’” Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you!You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you!Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord. You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses. It’s because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops. I have called for a drought on your fields and hills—a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.” Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God’s people began to obey the message from the Lord their God. When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord their God had sent, the people feared the Lord.Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave the people this message from the Lord: “I am with you, says the Lord!” So the Lord sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God’s people. They began to work on the house of their God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,on September 21 of the second year of King Darius’s reign.“
Haggai 1
So, if we break this down into simple terms: The Jews were struggling to rebuild the temple. The renovations grind to a halt and all the energy they are putting into trying to better themselves just isn’t getting them anywhere. The outline of the ruined temple reminds them what they should be doing, but how can they rebuild a temple when they can barely look after themselves?
Does this scenario sound familiar? Aren’t we just the same as the people of Judah? If we put all our energy into the things WE want, we will still end up disappointed. Why? Because we need to “Get our priorities right!.” I know for a fact, this is something I struggle with daily, making sure God is my first priority. If you’re like me, my bible reading and prayer routine is usually tagged on to the end of the day, just before I go to sleep. Rather than being my main priority, and starting my day by focusing on God, it is usually my last thought and is how I end my day. It’s rather ironic when I end up in bed, worn out and complaining about the struggles of the day, that I realise maybe if I had put God first and listened to His instructions, things would have turned out differently. Just like the Jewish people, when they placed God as an after thought, they were not satisfied and were left disappointed. I use the excuse that I am too busy and I don’t have enough time: but when I actually look at my daily routine, I find that I have got so much time that I could be prioritising God within, instead of allowing myself to be consumed with distractions of social media and TV. I challenge you to evaluate how you spend your time – How much of your day do you fully give to God?
Haggai challenged the people to put God first, because when we make Him our first priority then God’s blessings will surely follow.
“When we put God’s Kingdom first, we’ll have all we need”
Matthew 6: 25-34
When we give God our full attention and prioritise Him, our relationship will be made all the stronger for it. A relationship with God is not one-way, but a two-way street. We will get out of it, what we invest in it. Once we trust that God knows what’s best for our life, and give Him the time and space to enable us to grow, He will provide amazing opportunities for us to get the most out of our lives. We must strive to put God first in all that we do.
If you knew you had one day left to live, how would you spend it? Personally, I would probably try to tick off as many things on my bucket list, eat my favourite meals and spend as much time doing the things I love and with those I love. How about you? What would you try to squeeze into your last 24hrs?
Jesus was faced with such a question. He knew he had one day left to live and guess what he chose to do. He washed feet.
“Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved then to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.”
John 13: 1-5
To me this is such a powerful reflection of who Jesus truly is. Even in His last moments, He spent them serving and blessing others. How incredible an image of Jesus’s selfless love for us. I’ve read the Easter story many times, and have never really stopped to absorb this. Such humility expressed by His actions, foreshadow that ultimate act of humility and love on the cross.
“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.”
1 Peter 2: 24-25
We do not know when our last day will be. Therefore, we should aim to live every day trying to be more like Christ. And I’m not saying we need to start washing each others feet! But to follow Jesus’s example of serving, and building each other up in humility and love. As we go about our daily routines, we need to share God’s love and grace with others, sharing the Good News, especially at this time of year. Remember Jesus died for us in public, so why would we choose to live for Him in private? We should be an example of Christ in our world, bringing more people to the knowledge of Him.
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
Matthew 5: 14-16
I pray that over this Easter season, you will be encouraged to follow in Jesus’s example and strive to be more Christ Like, blessing those around you and sharing God’s love and grace with others.
How often do children do things the first time you ask them? While I don’t have my own children, I do have a class full, and when it comes to them it’s a rare occasion they follow instructions first time. Instead, they would rather listen to me repeat myself over and over, very much like a stuck record, and then IF I’m lucky then they will do as I asked.
We, as adults, are very much the same. How often do we do things the first time we are asked by God? If I’m honest, I would compare myself to the children in my class. Mostly ignoring God’s instructions and instead continuing what I am doing, even though I can hear that voice telling me something over and over. Some of us find being obedient easier than others, and I think it also has much to do with the directions and situations we feel God is calling us to follow.
Consider Jonah. Here is a perfect example of how we are more than happy to be obedient to God when it suits us, and especially when it fits in with what we are comfortable with. God spoke to Jonah and told him to go to Nineveh, but Jonah had a very different idea.
“The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai:”Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgement against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord.”
Jonah 1: 1-3
Rather than follow God’s instruction, he stuck his fingers in his ears and instead turned and ran in the opposite direction!
“F-E-A-R: has two meanings: Forget Everything And Run or Face Everything And Rise. The choice is yours.”
Zig Ziglar
Clearly, Jonah opted for the ‘Forget Everything and Run’ route. And quite honestly I don’t blame him. The Ninevites were known for being a rather nasty bunch. So, when faced with the prospect of having to go there and deliver God’s message to the people, Jonah decided the job wasn’t for him. And we all know how things ended up for Jonah soon after. Cast overboard during a storm, followed by three days in the belly of a whale! A situation that does not sound pleasant by any measure. Jonah tried to run from God, a notion that is merely impossible.
“Am I a God who is only close at hand?” says the Lord. “No, I am far away at the same time. Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and the earth?”
Jeremiah 23:23-24
In the end, Jonah ended up exactly where God wanted him to be, and completed his instructions of delivering the prophesy to the people of Nineveh – even if Jonah was still very unhappy about doing so. If Jonah had simply obeyed God’s instructions first time, he would have avoided a short break inside a whale’s digestion system. Jonah did not want to go where God was calling him to, and similarly you may not feel ready to be obedient.
“When God calls us to step out of our comfort zone, He is not calling us to be comfortable in the situation, He is calling us to be comfortable in Him, in spite of the situation”
Stacy. L. Sanchez
When we are faced with moving in a new direction, it will naturally feel overwhelming or daunting. And like Jonah, we may not want to let go of what we want or think is best, and decide to start running in the opposite direction. But God takes us out of our comfort zones, in order for us to grow in spiritual maturity, to transform us and challenge our faith, to strengthen our relationship with Him. In such times, this is where we must learn to put our trust in God fully. In spite of where He is leading you, God knows the outcome and it is inevitably good! Therefore, you need only have faith and be freely obedient to His calling. You can either look at change as a scary, gloomy event or as an opportunity that can lead to something wonderful and far better than you have ever imagined. We must strive to take the other route of Fear – face up to everything that God has spoken to you and rise up to take the challenge He has set before you. Our choice is to either live outside His best for us, or to participate with Him in the bigger picture He has designed for our lives. When we try to run away from God we miss out on the joy of obedience.
What is it God is saying to you today? What are you been called to do? As I say to my class, time to switch those listening ears on! Be bold and be brave in taking those first steps to where God is leading you towards.
It has taken for everything to be stripped away, to realise how much I simply take for granted. Since these ‘lockdown measures’ have been in place, I have been reflecting on the things I would normally be able to do, that for now I can’t. All these things I just expect to have or do, and I never really considered how grateful and thankful I should be. How often do you stop and thank God for the things you have? Or are you like me and just take things for granted?
For example, I am blessed with having my grandparents live next door to me. Yet, I take this for granted. I have the opportunity to pop round to see them everyday, but I will usually only see them once or twice a week, just because I am ‘too busy’. Now, they are having to self-isolate and I can’t go round to see them. Although we can talk over the phone or mime through windows at each other, it’s not the same as being in the same room. It’s taken to not being able to see them, to realise how grateful I should be, that I can spend time with my grandparents daily.
It also felt so strange to be Facetiming my best friend earlier, rather than catching up with her over coffee. I have been blessed with such a great friend, and although we only live a few streets away, we may only meet up once or twice a month. I know life can get busy, but this time stuck at home, has made me appreciate the time we share together more. I know I need to make a bigger effort to make time for others – both family and friends. We should never take for granted the people we love the most.
Not only have I not been grateful for these things, there’s my job too. I absolutely love my job as a teacher, working with the children and making a difference. Too often though, I come home complaining about work and the little things that annoyed me that day. Whereas now, there has been such big changes towards schools because of the current situation, that I would give anything to have my class back, regardless of how challenging they can be!
Being able to go out and explore, whether locally or further afield is another area. I take for granted how fortunate I am to be able to travel abroad, that there are so many places I can visit right on my doorstep and that I have the ability to go out with my camera on long walks, taking in the glorious countryside around me. All of this has now been restricted, and again I know how thankful I should have been.
There are many, many more things we take for granted everyday. The fact we have food, a roof over our heads, a bed to sleep in, family, friends, holidays, entertainment, books, sunshine, work, love etc. Takea minute to think about things you take for granted? It’s the little things in life that matter the most. We need to appreciate what we have and be sincerely grateful.
The Bible teaches us that we need to be grateful and show our gratitude to God. Why? Because all good things come from God. We need to count our blessings and develop a thankful heart. It’s easy in the midst of our busyness to forget to do this, but we should learn to praise and give thanks to God for all He has done and blessed us with. We have so much to be thankful for, even all of the small things, which often we may forget to thank Him for, but they really are the biggest, most important things in this life.
“Let us come to Him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praises to Him.”
Psalm 95:2
“And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 5:20
“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Colossians 2:6-7
Something I am beginning to create is a Jar of Thankfulness. Each day I am going to write on a post-it note something I am grateful for. Even on our toughest days, there is still going to be something we can show our gratitude for. The Bible says we still need to be thankful even in the hard times.
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18
At the end of the year, I will then be able to look back through the jar and see for myself how greatly I have been blessed. It’s difficult to sometimes see it in the moment, but in this way it’ll be evidence of all the blessings I’ve received. If being genuinely thankful is something you feel you struggle with, or you just forget to do it, then why not create a Jar of Thankfulness too?
Today, I am thankful that even in this time of uncertainty, God’s love remains steadfast. That despite my lack of gratitude, and that I take His blessings for granted, God stills love me and always will.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.”
Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.”
So Joshua called together the priests and said, “Take up the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, and assign seven priests to walk in front of it, each carrying a ram’s horn.” Then he gave orders to the people: “March around the town, and the armed men will lead the way in front of the Ark of the Lord.”
After Joshua spoke to the people, the seven priests with the rams’ horns started marching in the presence of the Lord, blowing the horns as they marched. And the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant followed behind them. Some of the armed men marched in front of the priests with the horns and some behind the Ark, with the priests continually blowing the horns. “Do not shout; do not even talk,” Joshua commanded. “Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!” So the Ark of the Lord was carried around the town once that day, and then everyone returned to spend the night in the camp.
Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests again carried the Ark of the Lord. The seven priests with the rams’ horns marched in front of the Ark of the Lord, blowing their horns. Again the armed men marched both in front of the priests with the horns and behind the Ark of the Lord. All this time the priests were blowing their horns. On the second day they again marched around the town once and returned to the camp. They followed this pattern for six days.
On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times. The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the town! Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.
“Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel.Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the Lord and must be brought into his treasury.”
When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys.
We build walls for two main purposes – To keep things out or to keep things in. Similarly, we can build such ‘walls’ in our own lives.
Have you built a wall around yourself to keep people out? Is the purpose of your wall made for self-defence because you are afraid of getting hurt again? Do you guard your wall and refuse people entry into your life because you find it hard to trust?
Or perhaps your wall is built to keep things concealed? To keep things locked tightly inside? Are you afraid to truly be yourself? Do you fear people seeing the real you? Are the inside of your walls decorated with self-doubt, low confidence, anxiety?
Whether you are keeping people out or keeping yourself hidden – for me I find I have a combination of the two – or perhaps your walls are based on something completely different, God can begin to break down the wall one brick at a time. Removing your ‘wall’ might not be as dramatic as the fall of Jericho but it is just as possible. By simply following God’s instructions and trusting His directions, overtime your Jericho will begin to crumble. God will give you the strength to endure the demolition of your walls- He will remove that pain and the hurt, and will fill you with renewed hope. He will open your eyes to see your true beauty and purpose, and give you the courage to share this with the world.
“By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.”
Hebrews 11:30
It may not be a quick fix, but find comfort in knowing God is with you every step of the way on the road to removing your walls. Joy and hope await you on the other side. Soon you’ll be celebrating like Joshua and the Israelites at the victory of Jericho!
“Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!”
Matthew 6:8
In today’s society, money is important. We need money it seems for everything. And while I acknowledge that, we do need it, I feel we are becoming over-obsessed with the stuff. There is such a focus on increasing your salary, get rich-quick schemes, huge lottery winnings etc. – trying anything and everything to accumulate as much as you can. But at what cost? Sacrificing time spent with the family to pick up extra shifts, developing a gambling addiction trying to beat the odds or stressing yourself out over the income you are bringing home?
We should not become consumed with money because ultimately God will provide. However, in light of our present situation, with the country coming to an economic standstill, it is obvious that for some people they will be panicking and fearful of how they will manage; Maybe that’s you. If so, I want you to be comforted in the truth that God is in control and He will give you everything you need to get by; He knows exactly what you need before you ask! And it’s not just financial problems we are facing, but also the fact that many are panic buying, leaving shelves bare and empty. This fear of going without is causing us to act selfishly, and shows how we are trying to ‘fend for ourselves’, when we don’t need to do this. God will not let us go hungry. Even in the wilderness He provided the Israelites with Manna – Exodus 16. God is our provider: today, tomorrow and forever.
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life- whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for you heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Matthew 6:25-34
Jesus explains one end of the spectrum of God’s provision. He cares for the smallest of creation – so why should we worry? He gives as a Father ought: the things that are best for His children without hestiation and always at the right time. During these next few weeks and even months, when we are facing such unknown times, we can rest in the assurance that God will provide for us, and we need only pray and ask for His help and strength to get through each day, and to be able to trust more in His provisions.
STEADFAST 