Christ in us; the HOPE of glory

I’ve been reflecting, as so many have, throughout Advent on what I hope for. REALLY hope for. And though I can list many ‘hopes’, I know that there is really only ONE hope and that is Jesus.

“Christ in us the hope of glory.”

The hope of glory. The hope of living in a beautiful, perfect world of ‘no more suffering, no more tears’. The hope of being with Jesus, the most perfect and beautiful man who ever lived. A man who has brought hope and healing to all, whoever and wherever they are.

I’m constantly challenged by a wish, a stirring, a hope of doing more. A deep need within me to grab hold of a life of sacrifice for others because of Jesus. A holy unrest.

But what can I do? I think of a time in my life when I lived more simply and humbly, serving in a rural community in Kenya. I look at my daughter and son-in-law, among others, serving refugees in dark places. I consider my life now – my easy, comfortable, every-day-without-danger-or-inconvenience life – and recognize how my selfishness get in the way of my serving. For who REALLY wants to put themselves out for others?

My ponderings are brought short by a blog from 24-7, where there is a quote from a refugee on Samoa: ‘This complaining will only bring you deeper darkness”.

I ‘complain’ to myself that I’m not sure of my calling. Or I don’t know how to practise it. Excuses and complaints.

I am not in a position to do the ‘big’ things any more (read: at the moment; who knows what the future may bring?) but I can do the ‘little’ things.

Simple hospitality – inviting colleagues to my home; befriending whoever crosses my path; mentoring, sharing what God has given me with others; welcoming the stranger. Taking time.

And as Linda Sourris says in this blog, as she talks about inviting refugees into her home: “So when we open our home, we try most of all to bring them Jesus.”

THAT is a calling. To bring Jesus. Whenever, wherever, to whomever.

Jesus. The hope of glory.

Angels. Bringers of peace for troubled hearts. Beckoning to adventure.

The appearance of an angel does not normally inspire peace in the heart of those who encounter him. To the contrary, an angel causes fear and confusion. His appearance is, after all, outside the normal sphere of human activity.

Zechariah was one such. In the dark and gloom of the Holy of Holies, the Innermost Presence of the Mighty One, something so strange and supernatural occurred that he was gripped by.fear.  Unable to move, he cowered in front of a mighty being, glowing with unaccustomed light. Did he wonder if it was God himself appearing? for no one can see His face and live.

The Messenger brought peace. "Don't be afraid, Zechariah." Fear could go, for God knew Zechariah by name. The message was for him and no other.
The Messenger brought hope: peace in the future. For Zechariah could have peace with God, now knowing, after so many years and tears, that God had heard his cries.
God listened.
God AGREED with Zechariah.
God promised.
Zechariah no longer had to be afraid.

Nor did Mary. What was she doing when Gabriel appeared to her? Walking home from the market; baking bread; perhaps sweeping the house, squinting to get the dirt out of dark corners when light came in and shattered her peace. "“Don’t be afraid! God is pleased with you..." "

So Mary said, "Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.
Let it be with me just as you say."
And peace entered her heart.

Joseph, too. (Oh, so many angels, so very busy with the Good News of the Saviour.) A good and kind man, compassionate for an unfortunate girl, wanting to just send her away quietly without the disgrace and punishment her unwed pregnancy deserved. BUT GOD sent an angel in a dream. This angel, too, brought the promise of peace: Joseph should not be afraid to marry Mary for she was pure and godly.  Surely Joseph clung to this message, facing condemnation and ridicule for marrying the girl pregnant with a child not his own. For who would believe in an angelic visitation on the word of a girl?

So many angels. So much fear. So much promised peace.

And when we have peace, we have hope. Hope to sustain us on the adventure of life. Tom Herring, Jonny's good friend, writes:
"The toil of a difficult journey is certainly eased when shared with good friends.

What makes an adventure?  A key element that makes adventures fun, is the fact that they have an end. The sense of achievement we feel that we managed to survive, that we had what it took to see it to the end, is what makes good memories. There are probably not many people who would enjoy spending the rest of their life fighting for survival in a remote jungle. The best part of getting lost, is when you find your way home.

The great adventure  I believe that for all of us, life is supposed to be an epic adventure – one full of fun and discovery. My wife likes to say that ‘we were born for a life full of risk and full of play’. We made this a foundation of our relationship, and now aim to build our family on it. It guides our decisions, as we choose to embrace risk and savour the unknown.

But sometimes life doesn’t seem like a good adventure. It can become a frightening, unenjoyable journey. All of us can feel overwhelmed by challenges and difficulties, or confused about what to do in certain situations, perhaps with no one to turn to for help. Sometimes life can simply be boring.

I think that one of the main reasons life becomes this way, is when we no longer expect good things to happen.

How to Illuminate the darkness  To live an adventure, for the sense of fun and delight in the journey to remain, we need hope. Expecting good things is like turning on a torch that illuminates the path before us, no matter how dark or difficult it becomes. It enables us to stand up and continue our journey, and remember that we’re headed somewhere great.

How to get hope   Despite what many think, hope isn’t based on circumstances. It isn’t a personality trait, like being optimistic. It is an underlying certainty that what lies around the corner, is good – even when there’s nothing promising on the horizon.

This may sound like wishful thinking or foolishness. How can I expect something great in my life if there is no rational reason for it to happen?

Expecting positive things to happen terrifies most of us to the core, because it sets us up to fail. I’ll only be disappointed, We think. The truth is though, is that little good can happen in our lives without the presence of hope. It creates an enabling environment inside of us, where new things can grow. Instead of being crushed by our circumstances and remaining stagnant, it enables us to push on, and overcome, like in every good adventure.

‘But I’ve had a hard life, nothing good ever happens to me’, some people say. If that’s you, learning to believe that good things are on the way is even more necessary. To move on and start enjoying the journey, hope is essential – no matter how terrifying it may be. Otherwise the cycle of lack and struggle is likely only to continue.

If you want life to be an adventure rather than drudgery, dare to believe good things are on their way for you. By nurturing that kind of belief, you will find yourself going about life in a very different way. You will keep fighting and taking risks, pushing through adversity, getting stronger, becoming wiser, and most of all, each day you will become younger and more filled with life."

And we think of the angel stories and we accept the peace they offer but we fail to engage with the incredible adventure of faith laid out before us: Zechariah facing ridicule, Mary facing scorn and even death, Joseph facing...scorn and ridicule... This is peace, when we step out on the adventure which God sets before us even in the face of scorn and ridicule.  For when we are not afraid, we have peace...

Hope arises

Zechariah hopes

faithfully serving

as he waits for the Messiah.

Elizabeth waits

anticipating John's birth

praising God's goodness.

Mary expectant

a miraculous promise

of fearful wonder.

Joseph still ponders

the angel's startling message

of reassurance.

Shepherds soon rejoice

in heaven's bright announcement

of the Saviour's birth.

Magi, wondering

at the strangeness of a star,

are called to journey.

These strange happenings

echo down the centuries

with undeniable truth.

The ageless story

brought to life in humble hearts

speaks eternal love.

Hope kindles again

in hearts laid low by darkness

this Christmas season.

Waiting for perfection

Hope. Hope for...
something better,
suffering's end,
happiness.

We want perfection. We want no more pain, no more suffering, no more tears, no more mourning...no problems, no troubles, no hindrances, no annoyances...

Perfection not available this side of heaven.
We hope, we long for it, because God "has also set eternity in the human heart". He puts questions in our mind about the past and the future. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end.

Psalm 42 puts it like this: "These are the things I go over and over, emptying out the pockets of my life.
I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd, right out in front, Leading them all,  eager to arrive and worship, Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving—celebrating, all of us, God’s feast!

Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He’s my God.

When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse
everything I know of you,
...God promises to love me all day,
sing songs all through the night!
My life is God’s prayer."

And so Louie Giglio reminds us of hope. Reminds us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith...

We wait. We wait for perfection. We wait for eternity. We wait for the Promise of Eternal Life.

We wait for Jesus.

Hope builds

Hope in the midst of darkness.

Hope in the silence of centuries.

Hope in the season of anticipation.

Hope in the quietness of loving hearts.

Hope in the Light of the world.

A mother's hope: Oh, could it be true?

This wonderful, unbelievable news
of a babe, as yet unstirring,
nestled in her barren womb:
Oh, could it be true?

Could she be a Sarah,
bearing an Isaac in old age?
Or childless Rebekah,
pregnant through her husband's prayers?
Oh, could it be true?

Would she be like Manoah's wife,
bearing another Samson,
leading Israel,
turning many back to God?
Oh, could it be true?

Would she, like Hannah,
give  birth to another Samuel
after many years of weeping?
Oh, could it be true?

Elizabeth paused, remembered.
She remembered God's faithfulness throughout the generations.
She remembered God.
She believed. And rejoiced.
No longer ashamed. No longer disgraced.

Yes, it would be true.

Luke 1:24 - 25

Hope in a Promise.

Elderly Zachariah. Living with

the legacy of lost hope

in the silence before the Coming.

No word from God for centuries. Four of them, to be more or less exact. 

Silence throughout generations 

upon generations 

upon generations 

of stories remembered and hope deferred.  

Heartsick.

The silence of God to the nations

echoed hollowly

in Elizabeth's empty womb.

So on that day

among many of faithful service

Zechariah drew the chance

of a holy encounter. 

Entering

the presence of God himself

in his holy temple. A

death-defying experience,

for who can see God and live?

No wonder, then, at 

the angel's appearance,

Zachariah was paralyzed with fear.

Death suddenly

seemed a probable option.

Yet HOPE was promised.

New life in barren womb.

Spirit fresh in unborn babe

promising renewal.

God gifts a prophet to His people.

"It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God, working the shift assigned to his regiment, it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense. The congregation was gathered and praying outside the Temple at the hour of the incense offering. Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense. Zachariah was paralyzed in fear.
"Don’t fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John. You’re going to leap like a gazelle for joy, and not only you—many will delight in his birth. He’ll achieve great stature with God.

“He’ll drink neither wine nor beer. He’ll be filled with the Holy Spirit from the moment he leaves his mother’s womb. He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God. He will herald God’s arrival in the style and strength of Elijah, soften the hearts of parents to children, and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics—he’ll get the people ready for God.”

Zachariah said to the angel, “Do you expect me to believe this? I’m an old man and my wife is an old woman.”

But the angel said, “I am Gabriel, the sentinel of God, sent especially to bring you this glad news. But because you won’t believe me, you’ll be unable to say a word until the day of your son’s birth. Every word I’ve spoken to you will come true on time—God’s time.”

Meanwhile, the congregation waiting for Zachariah was getting restless, wondering what was keeping him so long in the sanctuary. When he came out and couldn’t speak, they knew he had seen a vision. He continued speechless and had to use sign language with the people.

When the course of his priestly assignment was completed, he went back home. It wasn’t long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived. She went off by herself for five months, relishing her pregnancy. “So, this is how God acts to remedy my unfortunate condition!” she said.  Luke 1:8 - 25

Advent. Hope in a hurting world.

Hear
Our
Prayer,
Elohim.

Hear from your people, God:
your lost, sad, frightened people
who wander in darkness.

Our hearts yearn longingly
for light, wisdom and courage
to live our lives aright

Praying for strength to face
days of endless confusion
in a sorrowful world, But

Elohim is here! He
of strength and power from the
beginning of time brings

HOPE as helpless human,
unborn babe who comes to be
with us. Emmanuel.

Encouragement in times of panic...

Psalm 43:5
Why am I discouraged?
Why am I restless?
I trust you, Lord!
And I will praise you again
because you help me,
and you are my God.

Reading a Bible plan by Louie Giglio, based on his new book Comeback.

There was a time he was overwhelmed. Waking up, as I have done, in the middle of the night with what sounded like a panic attack.

Sometimes, when this happens, I manage by just breathing; Bob's prayer:

"A Prayer: Gather my scattered thoughts, Lord

God, today my thoughts are scattered like scraps of paper across a parking lot, like leaves blown down the street on a windy day in autumn.

Help me now to release those fragments. There will be other times for brain-storming. Let this be a time for brain-calming.

I breath in -- and out -- slowly.

And again.

I relax my shoulders.

I begin to gather my thoughts around Jesus Christ my Savior. There is no other thought or task more important than Him. No other person or appointment rivals my Lord.

You wait to meet with Me in this hour. You know me, love me, and now You have words to give to me. Through the written Word, the Spirit of God will refocus my priorities.

You will give guidance for the major tasks of this day. You will assure me that my acceptance is based on grace not works.

I am not responsible to save the world or any part of it. But can simply hear my Master's voice and obey as a willing child.

I rest in You. You have charge of my life. You have control of my day.

I am eager to hear Your voice, and take Your hand now, and share what is on my heart."

Sometimes, though breathing and praying, I am still absolutely, completely, overwhelmed... by just everything. The past, the present, the future...

So Louie's words spoke to me:

"all I could think to say (was) God, please, please help.

There was no bolt of lightning. No fast fix. No immediate cure. But the smallest snippet of a Bible verse floated through my head from Job 35:10, about how God gives us songs in the night. I said, God I don’t know what else to do. But if you’ll give me a song tonight, then I’ll praise you.

The little song wasn’t a promise that God would heal me then and there. Yet God was still a healer, and I believed in him and in his purposes. That was enough for the moment—and it was the beginning of how God created a comeback in my life."

Louie says: "If you’re in a dark place like I was, know that you’re not crazy and you’re not alone. Maybe you have a struggle similar to mine. Maybe you have conflict with your friends, coworkers, or relatives. Maybe you’re battling to overcome an addiction. Whatever the cause, life hasn’t turned out for you the way you hoped. The good news is that Jesus can meet you there and offer you a comeback. He can redeem even the worst circumstances for his glory and your best. And he offers this comeback to you right now."

So Louie starts by looking at Moses. A familiar story.  Yet "at a time when many would be thinking about their last chapters on this earth, God spoke to Moses out of a burning bush and called him to a position of leadership. “I know it looks like life has passed you by,” God said, “but I’m going to use you..."

I love it. At a time when I am thinking about retirement and feeling that in some ways life HAS 'passed me by', these words are hugely encouraging. Moses had a speech impediment and, to quote Louie, 'lousy self-confidence'. 

And yet, and yet - in spite of it all, he obeyed God, with resultant blessing.  "...the entire story of humanity is a story of people who have stumbled and fallen, yet somehow in this ocean of God’s grace and mercy, he provides a comeback for anyone who puts their faith and hope in Jesus. In the end, we find that no matter what we might be walking through, we can still have confidence that Jesus is the God of the comeback and that our story is not over as long as Jesus is in it.

Everybody needs a comeback, and everybody is offered a comeback. No matter what our obstacles are, no matter what mistakes we’ve made, no matter if we’re in a season of wandering or darkness, God’s purpose and plan will still prevail."

Hope indeed. And where to start? Here is a good place...Psalm 95...
"Sing joyful songs to the LORD! Praise the mighty rock where we are safe. Come to worship him."

Finding joy

Words of wisdom from Mary de Muth for putting joy into our lives. So simple, so practical, so helpful.

"Debbie (or Donald!) Downer would say: that person betrayed me.
Joy would say: Because that person hurt me, I am more apt to run to Jesus in prayer for her, for me.

Debbie Downer would say: I will never succeed at this dream.

Joy would say: In my weakness, I'll place this dream at the feet of Jesus and let it go. It'll be an adventure to see what happens next.
Debbie Downer would say: I am a failure.

Joy would say: I failed at this thing, but it doesn't mean I'm a failure. Because of Jesus, I am loved and worthy and set free.

Debbie Downer would say: This illness will never improve.

Joy would say: I don't know whether or not this illness will leave or stay, but I can ask God to teach me more about His empathetic ways through this trial, and I can always, always grow closer to Him through my suffering.

Debbie Downer would say: The money worries are only mounting.

Joy would say: God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Even if I went bankrupt, I would still have God with me, which is always better than things. Besides, this financial worry increases my reliance on God, and it makes me more empathetic toward those with money struggles.

Debbie Downer would say: This situation is unfair. I was misunderstood and taken advantage of.

Joy would say: It hurts to be misunderstood and taken advantage of, but in this painful place, I have an ally. Jesus absolutely understands what it's like to be misunderstood and taken advantage of.

Debbie Downer would say: I am utterly alone.

Joy would say: My relationships may have faded, and it makes me very sad, but I will always have Jesus with me. It is a fixed truth I can rely on.

Oh how I resemble dear Debbie Downer!

But today, as I write this, I'm dethroning her and sticking JOY in her place.

10 Ways to find joy, to Dethrone Debbie or Donald Downer:

1. Memorize 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

2. Get in the habit of stepping back, then asking, "What can I see about this situation that is the exact opposite of the way I'm perceiving it?"

3. Ask God to remind you when you're walking down the downer path. Be brave to share your bent toward negativity with a friend who will pray for you and ask you occasionally how you're doing in this battle.

4. Take a walk. Changing your place and getting outside (and the act of walking) helps re-set you.

5. Grab a piece of paper and write down ten things you are thankful for.

6. Find someone who has a difficult situation and tangibly help THEM. (Write a card, email, send a gift, say a word of encouragement.)

7. Turn on your favorite worship song and sing louder than Debbie Downer!

8. Draw a picture of what your life would look like if joy was at the center.

9. Get on your knees and pray, asking God to lift the weight of disappointment from you.

10. Make cookies, then give some away."

The Cornerstone

And so I seek Jesus, for he is - he HAS to be - the foundation of my life. The cornerstone.

Christ alone, cornerstone,
weak made strong in the Saviour's love,Through the storm
He is Lord
Lord of all



My hope is built on nothing lessThan Jesus blood and righteousnessI dare not trust the sweetest frameBut wholly trust in Jesus name

Christ alone; cornerstoneWeak made strong; in the Saviour's loveThrough the storm, He is LordLord of all

When Darkness seems to hide His faceI rest on His unchanging graceIn every high and stormy galeMy anchor holds within the veilMy anchor holds within the veil

Christ alone; cornerstoneWeak made strong; in the Saviour's loveThrough the storm, He is LordLord of all

When He shall come with trumpet sound,Oh, may I then in Him be found;Dressed in His righteousness alone,Faultless stand before the throne.                      Hillsong, 2012

Peter reminds that Jesus is precious to me, but not others.

"To you who trust him, he’s a Stone to be proud of, but to those who refuse to trust him,

'The stone the workmen threw out
is now the chief foundation stone.

For the untrusting it’s

'. . . a stone to trip over,
a boulder blocking the way.'

They trip and fall because they refuse to obey, just as predicted."

But i do not need to fear those who oppose the Good News:
Matthew Henry says, about Isaiah 8:14 which Peter quotes here: "The believing fear of God preserves against the disquieting fear of man."

The Lord All-Powerful
will destroy the power of death
and wipe away all tears.
No longer will his people
be insulted everywhere.
The Lord has spoken!

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. He is my support, everything on which my life is based:

"But you are God’s chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. The Scriptures say,

Once you were nobody.
Now you are God’s people.
At one time no one
had pity on you.
Now God has treated you
with kindness."

We ARE God's people, we who believe.

Me too. Even me.

Once I was nobody.

Now I am God's chosen.

God has treated - and treats me - with great kindness.

How can I do any less towards others?

Save me, God, from my sin and selfishness!

Living generously

I read Peter's call to holiness, to right living, to a generous life: "So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. (Put all your hope in how kind God will be to you when Jesus Christ appears.)Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. 
As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”

And I have just written of living generously, and the cost to my self will, the need to kill my selfish desires:

Living generously
is not about giving out of my riches
but my need.

I forgive my enemy
the friend who has betrayed
the colleague who has put me down

open-handedly giving away
my need to win the argument
my desire for love and rognition
my wish for revenge.

  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Living generously
is not about benevolent feelings
but selfless actions.

I bless my enemy
do good to the friend who has betrayed
speak well of the colleague who has put me down.

grudgingly putting away
a desire to wound
yearning for a nasty response
craving harm.

  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Living generously
shows me how far short I fall
of perfection.

And how can I do this? Because I have received the gift of life that is Jesus. Because he has saved me from condemnation  because he loves me. Because I can be joyous and endure because of him.Because.

I set my mind on things above.

Trouble

Wonderful post from Devotionals Daily, from Sheila Walsh. Reposting here for reference - for the day I will need to be kickstarted into remembering God's promises in the day of trouble.

        

You keep track of all my sorrows.You have collected all my tears in Your bottle.You have recorded each one in Your book. - Psalm 56:8 The Sacred Ache: No Tear Forgotten by Sheila Walsh, God Loves Broken People In the midst of our pain and grief—and especially at the front end—we may imagine God has abandoned us, forgotten us, dismissed us, or simply ignored us. We’re not the first occupants of this broken planet to feel this way, nor will we be the last. Even a quick stroll through the Psalms reveals how often human thoughts wander down this shadowy pathway: “My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long?” (Psalm 6:3). “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” (Psalm 13:1–2). “How long, O Lord? Will You hide yourself forever? How long will Your wrath burn like fire? Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility You have created all men!” (Psalm 89:46–47). “Relent, O Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on Your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble” (Psalm 90:13–15). The prophet Habakkuk got in the act, too, crying out, How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but You do not listen? - Habakkuk 1:2 That’s how we feel, and God seems to have no problem with our expressing it. So when you cry out to the Lord, asking Him your own version of “How long?” recognize that you’re in good company. But please don’t leave it there. Don’t allow your ache to remain merely an ache. Remember the truth, and allow that truth to seep into your troubled mind so that your ache might begin its transformation into something sacred. Remember what David whispered to God, after yet another near-death escape? You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book. - Psalm 56:8 Why would He do that? Why would God keep track of all our sorrows? Why would He collect all our tears in a bottle? Why does the Lord record each heartache, each grief, each sadness in some divine journal inscribed with heavenly ink? It’s because He has plans for those things. It’s because He wastes nothing. He intends to fill our sorrows and tears with His expansive love. This was the glorious expectation of both the prophets and the apostles when each said of God: He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. - Isaiah 25:8 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. - Revelation 21:4 When we remember this — when we recall that God does in fact notice our pain, that He collects each tear in a bottle so that one day He might replace each teardrop with an ocean of divine love — our souls stop shrinking and begin to expand. The small world of our pain gives way to something boundless... beyond measure... beyond our reckoning. God’s incomprehensible love. This is the biblical truth. This is the Christian’s hope. And this is the sacred ache. Excerpted with permission from God Loves Broken People (And Those Who Pretend They're Not) by Sheila Walsh, copyright Thomas Nelson.       Move from feeling terminally hopeless into the arms of the One who brings hope and healing.... Join us as Sheila Walsh candidly shares the harrowing story of how she quickly spiraled from co-hosting the 700 Club into a psychiatric ward and the extraordinary journey back from the brink of debilitating depression and anxiety. Get practical, real, and hopeful help as Sheila shares how the truth which she .thought would kill her, actually saved her life                              The Other Side of Brokenness  If I could write only one book in my  lifetime, I would ask God to make it this one, the very book you now hold in your hands....―Sheila Walsh God loves broken people. And when weary, wounded men and women find a way to open their bruised hearts and somehow welcome Him into their personal darkness, they will find a love beyond anything they have ever known. When the glass house Sheila had lived in for so many years came crashing to the ground, she began a new life outside the safety of those walls. No, it didn't feel good, nor safe―not at all. But it felt true. Sheila saw herself as a broken lamb limping after the Shepherd, not knowing where He was going, but knowing that wherever He went, she wanted to go with Him. In twelve stirring, insightful, and deeply revealing chapters, Sheila Walsh shows how personal brokenness can open doors of intimacy with Jesus Christ that might never open in any other way. It's not that God loves broken people more than those who imagine themselves to be whole―it's simply that they know they are loved. They dare to believe it . . . and through such trust, a new wholeness emerges from yesterday's broken pieces. Learn more about God Loves Broken People....

Hope

I loved this post from Lisa Burgess:

When we need hope, "the real source of help is that the Spirit of the Lord is among us.

It is God’s presence that matters most.

His presence is more powerful than any prayer I can lift. His presence is no daydream or illusion but a fact and  my reality. He is here; he is with us; he is present.

And there is my hope: in the power of his presence.

Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!Psalm 105:4

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.Psalm 16:11

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.Romans 12:12

Advent. Light.

In the midst of the darkness,
hearts craving for light,
we hear You.

You call to us from above,
sending THAT bright star
to tell us.

Your light comes into our world,
giving us such hope
in our gloom.

You, Lord, are the One who saves.
Our eyes are dazzled
by your brightness.

Now we can see by Your light
there is no return
to darkness.

Hearts steadfast on you
lead sombre thoughts
out of sorrow.

In the midst of the darkness
our soul eyes see you:
we rejoice.

Advent. Darkness

In the darkness

of the late afternoon

a heavy sadness

comes upon my soul.

This Advent is a lonely time.

Loved ones so far:

my heart longs to see them.

I am so burdened

by this sense of distance.

This Advent, I long for peace.

Mary, without

mother, sisters or friends

waited all alone

for the coming babe.

This Advent is a waiting game.

In the darkness

of the late afternoon

I give Him my pain

and look up with thanks.

This Advent will be a joyful time.

I keep my eyes

fixed hopefully on Him

who is my Saviour

in these troubled days.

This Advent, I choose to praise.

Louie speaks of waiting.  Lisa writes so beautifully of waiting in the dark:

There is a time
in that long last hour
we begin to believe
it will always
be night

In the spreading pool of dark
there is a silence
so profound
it carries
weight

And cold?
It fills us

Immobilized by
this invading
lack of
light

We are numb

Speak to the night
my heart

Speak to the night
a word of hope

This bitter blackness
This copious and
convincing cold

Cannot
Will not
Shall not
last

Hold on
to this

Salvation
comes

-lisa, 15 December, 2013

Temptation and discouragement

Studying Luke with Good Morning Girls, we've reached Jesus' temptations. I've been teaching at school about it this last week, too.  Only to seven year olds, but that doesn't change Truth.

My truth is that I have been tempted severely. Not, of course, as much as Jesus, but it's been a big deal for me.
Tempted to give up on church.
Tempted to give up on reading the Bible.
Tempted to give up on praising and worshipping God.

You'd think that might have been enough. Oh no, I need to catalogue the whole long list. I need to stare Lies in the face and rediscover Truth.

Tempted to give in to self pity.
Tempted to give in to feelings of loneliness.
Tempted to give in to discouragement.

Tempted to refuse to forgive those who have hurt me.
Tempted to give up on loving.
Tempted to hate.

I've struggled.

I've been at the Point of Despair, worn the Black Dog of Depression around my neck, tasted the Fruit of Bitterness, gazed into the Pit of Destruction. 

Tempted to give up, give in,

My mind knew I needed to read Scripture. I managed, a little. Bits of a few Psalms.
My spirit longed to dig in, to study, to express my feelings in writing. I couldn't.
My soul recognised its thirst.

All I had left were prayers. Itty bitty, scattered, incoherent, doubting, inelegant prayers. At times, I could scarcely form the words.
I could barely pray for others, let alone myself.
Yet I found myself encouraging a friend recently diagnosed with cancer; another whose husband is struggling; crying out to God for my children.

I recognised I was tired.
I knew I had had a mildly stressful, draining time at work.
I tried to be easy on myself.

I can still barely pray, study - I am prevaricating now, as I write.

But I AM back here.
I DO have Bible passages open.
I WILL be reading the latest devotionals on the ongoing study.

There IS hope. Because God heard my broken prayers. He enabled me to read a little of his Word. He breathed TRUTH into my life...

Psalm 40
I waited and waited and waited for God.
At last he looked; finally he listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn’t slip.
He taught me how to sing the latest God-song,
a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.

Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God,
turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,” ignore what the world worships;
The world’s a huge stockpile of God-wonders and God-thoughts.
Nothing and no one comes close to you!

I start talking about you, telling what I know, and quickly run out of words.
Neither numbers nor words account for you.
Doing something for you, bringing something to you—that’s not what you’re after.
Being religious, acting pious—that’s not what you’re asking for.
You’ve opened my ears so I can listen.
So I answered, “I’m coming. I read in your letter what you wrote about me, and I’m coming to the party you’re throwing for me.”

That’s when God’s Word entered my life, became part of my very being.

I’ve preached you to the whole congregation, I’ve kept back nothing, God—you know that.
I didn’t keep the news of your ways a secret, didn’t keep it to myself.
I told it all, how dependable you are, how thorough.
I didn’t hold back pieces of love and truth for myself alone. I told it all, let the congregation know the whole story.
Now God, don’t hold out on me, don’t hold back your passion.
Your love and truth are all that keeps me together.When troubles ganged up on me, a mob of sins past counting,
I was so swamped by guilt I couldn’t see my way clear.More guilt in my heart than hair on my head, so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out.

Soften up, God, and intervene; hurry and get me some help,
So those who are trying to kidnap my soul will be embarrassed and lose face,
So anyone who gets a kick out of making me miserable will be heckled and disgraced,
So those who pray for my ruin will be booed and jeered without mercy.

But all who are hunting for you— oh, let them sing and be happy.
Let those who know what you’re all about tell the world you’re great and not quitting.
And me? I’m a mess. I’m nothing and have nothing: make something of me.You can do it; you’ve got what it takes— but God, don’t put it off.

HOPE. a.k.a. TRUTH.

No more lies.

This is the wise advice from Jen at Good Morning Girls. (I put it here as I don't trust weblinks not to break...)

" 1. His sympathy is wise.
He knows those who belong to him better than they know themselves. He knows his sheep (Jn. 10:14) God knows all the intricate bits of our lives and every single detail of the difficulty and temptations that we face. He knows exactly what we are going through, and is therefore best equipped to help.

2. His sympathy is practical
Jesus does not simply give us words of kindness or compassion. He goes beyond this by acting in our lives to bring about perseverance, joy, power and grace. “Not satisfied with a mere expression of sympathy, Christ imparts skill to fence, power to bear, grace to overcome.” (Octavious Winslow, Christ and the Christian in Temptation, 1877)

3. His sympathy is tender
It is easy for some to view Jesus as this stoic man who only ever talked about spiritual things. It is hard to imagine Jesus and his friends sitting around talking about the weather, sandals, marriage or the new restaurant in town. Though Jesus was God he also was fully man and had emotions like you and me. He laughed and was joyful, he felt love and anger, he felt compassion even to the point of weeping for a friend who had died (Jn, 11:35). He feels a tenderness for you when you are being tempted. He has been there, he is a “fellow sufferer” and knows how difficult temptations can be.

“He is touched with our misery, touched with our temptation, touched with our grief.” (Octavious Winslow, Christ and the Christian in Temptation, 1877)

4. His sympathy is prayerful
I love this. Jesus prays for you – for me! He cares so much that speaks to the Father on our behalf, for our good (Romans 8:34; Lk. 22:31). Do you see the endless amount of grace and kindness Jesus pours out on us? Do you see what a generous savior we have? His prayer for our perseverance ensures our victory.

Just as the devil tempted Christ he tempts us as well. While he cannot take away our salvation he will try everything in his power to rob us of our communion with Christ, to make us weak and useless for the advancement of the kingdom of God. He sets his sights on you and your destruction because in Christ you have everything.

“Pirates do not set upon poor empty vessels; and beggars need not fear the thief. Those that have most of God, and are most rich in grace – shall be most assaulted by Satan, who is the greatest and craftiest pirate in the world.”
(Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, 1652)

But while Satan’s goal is our ruin, God uses it for our good, for the testing and strengthening of our faith (James 1:12-13).

Here are three ways in which we can resist.

1. Stay close to God’s word.
The Bible is a grace that God has placed in our lives. We need to read it and know it well because it is for our salvation, our growth and our protection.(Prov. 12:24; Gal. 6:16)

If we let go of God’s word, then Satan will take us by the hand and lead us into his snares. (Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, 1652)

2. Seek Wisdom
There is a difference between being educated and being wise. Wisdom is God’s word applied to our daily lives. (Prov. 15:24)

“It is not the most knowing Christian—but the most wise Christian, who sees, avoids, and escapes Satan’s snares.” (Thomas Brooks)

3. Be watchful
Satan is watchful for any opportunity to damage us. Whether it be in small ways or in big ways. He wants to steal our peace, pervert our conscience, break our joy and feed us guilt and despair. (1 Peter 5:8).

Satan will try and whisper all kinds of lies and reasons for us to to give in. Do not reason with temptations, but resist them by running to Christ for help. Say with Catherine Bretterege “Reason not with me, I am but a weak woman, if you have anything to say, say it to my Christ; he is my advocate, my strength and my redeemer, he shall plead for me.”

Indeed.

Advent thoughts - HOPE

This first week of the Good Morning Girls Advent study is full of HOPE. Stories of people looking to the future, living in hope and expectation, living by faith.

Yet Mary SEES: Luke 1:26 – 38 is the story of how Mary conceives.
“And Mary said,
Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.
Let it be with me just as you say.”

And Mary SAID. She SAID. She ACCEPTED, AGREED, WHISPERED, BELIEVED, UNDERSTOOD.
Would I?

The Word is LIGHT; LIGHT TO LIVE BY: John 1-1-4
“The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word.
The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one.
Everything was created through him; nothing—not one thing!— came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn’t put it out.”

Yet some were BLINDED: John 1:9 – 12 "but his own did not receive him" caught my eye - having conversations with people who just don't 'get' Jesus. They are HIS but do not RECEIVE him - The Message "He came to his own people, but they didn’t want him". Praying that this Advent will be different!

Amazing to think that Jesus can be our ETERNAL LIGHT. I woke up at 1am a couple of nights ago and was astonished to see the garden looking so clear in the moonlight - such a contrast to the pitchblack darkness we often see. Imagine being able to see clearly all the time, with no darkness at all: a faint image of what it is like with Jesus, both now in our lives and then when he returns. Praying we will see things that happen clearly in HIS light, not stumbling around in the darkness by ourselves.
Isaiah 60:18-20 says: “God will be your eternal light, your God will bathe you in splendour. Your sun will never go down, your moon will never fade. I will be your eternal light. Your days of grieving are over.”

Jeremiah HOPES (33:14 - 15 “The time is coming...” true for the here and now, the before and then, the soon and later... for the God Who Is, The God Who Was, and The God About to Arrive...

Romans 15: 12-13 in the Message ' And Isaiah's word*: there's the root of our ancestor Jesse, breaking through the earth and growing tree tall, tall enough for everyone everywhere to see and take hope! Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with HOPE!' (*Isaiah 11:10)

The readings for the four weeks are here. The study guide that goes with it finishes the first week with:
Hope came into our world!
Hope...
that God can still use this broken life and make something beautiful.
Hope…
that we don't have to be perfect to be loved by Him.
Hope...
that the best is yet to come.