Category Archives: praise

On being the clay, not the potter…

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Here, O my potter, is thy making stuff!
Set thy wheel going; let it whir and play.
The chips in me, the stones, the straws, the sand,
Cast them out with fine separating hand,
And make a vessel of thy yielding clay.

(George MacDonald, The Diary of an Old Soul, 1905)

The Lord says…”You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, “He did not make me”? Can the pot say of the potter, “He knows nothing?

(Isa 29.16)

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord; “Go down to the potters house and there I will give you my message.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.”

(Jer 18.1-6)

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

(1Thess 5.23&24)

The image of the potter handling clay, skilfully shaping and raising the material to create a useful and/or beautiful piece of pottery, is one which occurs several times in scripture to demonstrate the gulf between creature and creator. It is ridiculous to imagine the clay on the wheel stiffening indignantly under the potter’s hands and objecting to the relentless shaping process! In just the same way, as those who believe in Jesus, and who trust that God’s goodness underlies all he does, we submit willingly to the skill of our creator and Sovereign – especially when we cannot understand what he is permitting!

The verse by George Macdonald quoted above has caused me also to think about where the burden of responsibility lies between potter and clay as regards the removal of impurities…. I believe that it is not the task of the believer – the clay if you like – to be obsessed with looking for imperfections. The potter sees from a totally different perspective, and it is his objective goodness which leads him to reveal to us first one persisting sin, and then another – that we might in turn repent and, as his submissive and willing clay, put that sin behind us and move a step nearer glory. It is for the potter to decide which impurity to deal with next, and for his skill to decide how it should be done. As the clay, we have no idea what is right and good!

I accept that I will not be free from the remnants of sin, embedded in my body which will one day die, until I am made new in resurrection. And then I yield to the One who knows exactly how the rest of my life will be used under his skill, to melt and rub away all that is not like Christ in me, and to reveal the person that he made me to be. That is his responsibility, not mine. It is not for me to spend my days prying inward, determined to find sin in every corner, and utterly failing to live joyously in the freedom which is mine as a forgiven child of God. Such a life is filled with negativity, is blind to the glorious light in which I now live.

Will my Father not reveal what needs healed or cast out in his own good time? I am called rather to praise him, to live for and with him in love and gladness, looking for and doing the good things which he has prepared in advance for me to do. While it is wrong for a believer to live as though they were sinless – we should be alert to temptation, and not depend on our own strength to resist it – yet it is also surely wrong to live as though we had to earn our forgiveness by the diligence of our sin-hunting and self-examination…

Loving heavenly Father, thank you that I am utterly forgiven because of the death of your Son, my precious Jesus, on my behalf. Thank you that sin no longer defines me, and I am whole, free and glorious in Christ. Let me live then trusting in your refining and shaping hand. You will reveal to me what needs to be repented of, at the right time and in the right way. And your spirit will enable me to receive and respond to that revelation, in repentance and faith. And let me live in the meantime as one focussed on your goodness, on your kingdom, and continually thrilled by your love. Make me more like Jesus, for my blessing, and your glory, Amen.

Full to overflowing!

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And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fulness of God.

(Eph 3.17&18)

Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge.

I say to the Lord, “you are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”… Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

(Ps 16.1,2,5-11)

You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

(Ps 23.5&6)

What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

(Ps 116.12-14)

Sometimes we ask if a person is a “glass half-full or half-empty” type, meaning to learn if they look on the positive or negative side of life.. but in one sense surely all those who believe in Jesus as Saviour must be neither of those things! We are those for whom our glass is continually full to overflowing, because we have been delivered from darkness into light, forgiven and cleansed, and set on the path to eternal glory – and all by the abundant goodness of God in Jesus. And absolutely nothing can ever separate us from Jesus again, no matter how grievous or inexplicable.

Our ‘salvation cup’ is completely full, because Jesus has done everything on our behalf and holds it out to us so that we might accept his priceless gift and come home to God our Father. There is no room in that cup for our good works, our piety, our bible knowledge and habits of devotion – Jesus’ perfection has filled it. All we are able to do is to lift the cup in grateful worship, and praise to the one who gives it to us, exalting his name and doing all in our power to honour and make him known!

Our ‘love cup’ is completely full, because God has chosen us to be his beloved children – chosen and saved, adopted and assured eternally of our place in his kingdom. While we live in a sin-sick and darkened world, we may meet with rejection by others, our relationships will be flawed, and death will come to wound our hearts. But, the love of God is greater than all other loves combined, and has no interruption, no corruption, nothing to diminish its power in our lives to nourish, sustain and transform.

How marvellous, how wonderful, to be the object of divine love; to be the recipient of grace and to know as my Father, the Creator and Sustainer of all things. How astonishing, to have personal communion with the immortal, invisible and only wise God, and to find as I approach the great I AM, that I am met not with the deserved devouring fire of judgement, but with the voice of love, the outstretched arms, and the eternally-patient, forgiving heart. And this is all through Jesus, my pioneer, my elder brother, my shepherd, my champion, my master and my friend.

Heavenly Father, author of the plan of salvation and creator of all that is, I praise and worship you today today; make me glad to overflowing so that guilt and shame are washed out, since there is no room for anything but the joy of being thus beloved, saved, secured and cherished. All through Jesus my Lord, your Son, Amen.

Cause for celebration

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And rejoice before the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name….. Be joyful at your festival

(Deut 16.11&14)

“Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below – you who keep your covenant of love with your servants… But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!”

(1Kgs 8.23&27)

Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, ‘Amen, Amen!’ Then they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground…. Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’

(Neh 8.6&10)

‘You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’

(Jn 4.22-24)

Human beings live with a great dilemma – whether they recognise it for what it is or not… I believe that we are made, in love and wisdom, by the author of creation itself, by God who is outwith time and space, whose power and majesty, holiness and glory are beyond our comprehension. We are made to be in relationship with God – we are loved, and designed to be fulfilled in that mutually delighting context. BUT, because of the stain and brokenness caused by our rebellion and pride, we cannot ever enter into that state of total fulfilment and satisfaction, we must be ever searching and never finding, always hungry and never filled. No other source of satisfaction can take the place of our Father God in our hearts, no other purpose can truly absorb and rightly use all our gifts and abilities.

The story which is revealed through the history of God’s interaction with people, first with Abraham and ultimately with the Jewish people, is a story of redemption, of putting right, of making it possible for God to dwell with his people again and for them to know and love him, thriving in his presence. That purpose was fulfilled, not only for the Jewish people, but for all nations of the earth, in the work of Jesus Christ and through him alone we see hope for our transformation and restoration, for the inauguration of God’s kingdom as it was designed to be.

Because of Jesus, we can know our maker; because of Jesus, we can come into his presence without fear, and with the eagerness of beloved children; because of Jesus, we dwell continually in the light of God’s smile and under his providing and directing hand; because of Jesus, we know who we are, and whose we are, and our lives have purpose.

The unimaginable greatness of our God should bring us to our faces on the ground in worship and awe; and the love of our God, through Jesus, should bring us to our feet and cause our voices to ring out in praise and loving thankfulness for such limitless grace. Of all the creatures under the sun, Christians should live each and every day with a wellspring of delight, joy and hope, because we have seen the face of the Eternal, and it is love, forgiveness, transformation. It is the face of Jesus Christ, who made his dwelling among brokenness in order to make all things new, in order to destroy the power which kept us blind, powerless and shut out from the life and light of God’s love.

Almighty God, dwelling in glory and purity, unrivalled in power and majesty, I worship you today. It is because of Jesus that I can know the One who knows and loves me; because of Jesus I can be at home with you – at the seat of life in all its fulness, which is your life dwelling in me by the Spirit.

Let me honour the privilege which is mine through Christ, let me never forget that I dwell by your grace within the care of your love and am safe forever in your family. Let this glorious truth underpin my days; let it sweeten every bitterness or disappointment; let it be my strength for the trials and my crown of joy in every situation. For the sake of your Son, my Saviour, Amen.

Real life, real faith..

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There, by the Ahava canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from our enemies on the road, because we had told the king, ‘The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his anger is great against all who forsake him.’ So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer…..

On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days…

Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel… they also delivered the king’s orders to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.

(Ez 8.21-23,31&32, 35&36)

A song of ascents.. When the Lord restores Zion’s fortunes, we should be like dreamers. Then will our mouth fill with laughter and our tongue with glad song. Then will they say in the nations: “Great things has the Lord done with these.” Great things has the Lord done with us. We shall rejoice.

(Ps 126.1-3; R Alter translation)

There is a task to be undertaken, something we are to do for the Lord – perhaps the life-long task of parenting; or the calling of godly living as a single or married person: perhaps something immediate and challenging, like a difficult conversation, or committing time and energy to a particular project. Every day, we are called to accept the duties and privileges of living as God’s image-bearers in our families, our communities, and to fulfil our tasks as well as we can for his glory and our blessing. Every day, there are choices to be made about how we live, what our priorities are, and whether we trust God to be sovereign over and in all that happens.

Ezra gives us so much to meditate on as he obeyed God’s call and undertook to lead a cohort of exiles back from Babylon to join the group already established in Jerusalem. His task involved a large and long term goal – the establishment of God’s law as the rule of life for all the people of Judah and Jerusalem – which was to be achieved by small daily steps of obedience and faith.

First, they had to get there.. a journey of many miles which took three months across potentially dangerous lands. Ezra recognised the risks – exacerbated by the fact they they carried great wealth with them – and began by calling the people to pray, committing themselves to God in faith, and asking him to honour his name and reputation by protecting them. There is no record of a particular answer, except in the actual experience of the travellers, which spoke clearly of God’s keeping! They asked, and then set off to act – demonstrating faith by living as if God’s promises would be kept.

Having first asked for help, and then experienced it as they obeyed, the people then formally and gladly thanked God for doing as they had trusted him to do! They had experienced the shielding love of God, and now worshipped and praised him for his faithfulness and grace to his people.

It is simple, and yet sometimes so difficult to do:- to ask, to act in faith, and then to take time to give God praise as we see and experience his work. We are tempted to wait for answers before undertaking the work, to look for supernatural guidance, when our sanctified common sense is there to direct us step-by-step. Ezra didn’t wait for a vision; he prayed and then went… Each day, I have the opportunity to take the next steps of service and obedience in the work to which I am called, the small tasks which are building God’s kingdom and fulfilling my purpose for his glory. Will I not trust the Lord to provide what I need for each task, each step? To live steadily and attentively by faith, is to live in thanksgiving, on the basis that what God has said, he will do – may I grow in such faith, that I might, like Ezra, be useful to my God and King.

A prayer for the new year…

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Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. There is no-one holy like the Lord; there is no-one besides you’ there is no Rock like our God.”

(1Sam 2.1&2)

Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands.

Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may obey your precepts.

Make your face shine upon your servant and teach me your decrees. Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.

(Ps 119.129-136)

“I am the Lord’s servant, ” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation..”

(Lk 1.38,46,47&50)

I am a child of God. I am a beloved daughter of the King of Kings, and my place in his love, my inheritance, is assured to me. The death and resurrection of Jesus has broken the power which bound me in rebellion against God, and now I am learning what it is to fulfill my calling, my vocation, as one who – in loving and worshipping God – is able to care for the world which He created for us to cherish, and to love people in his name. I am one in the great kingdom of priests, a divine image-bearer to a lost humanity and bearer of good news – the hope which is ours in Christ Jesus. I am slowly becoming fully human, even as Jesus is!

What an amazing and encouraging way to face a new year, with all its unknowns. I have meaning and purpose, I am absolutely secure in the love of God himself, I am fully known and totally accepted. I echo the words of Hannah and Mary, women who trusted God and praised him, not waiting for the fulfilment of their prayers. My soul rejoices in God, my Saviour; there is no Rock like my God!

Almighty God, rock and refuge of your people down the generations, and our deliverer from all that would keep us in exile, far from you and unable to fulfil our calling, I praise you today. I thank you for the revelation of your nature, of the divine purpose to which we are called, and for your great act of salvation by which we are restored and set free to love  and serve you in your creation.

Lord God, I pray with the psalmist for your mercy, that I might receive your direction for my life and not be swayed by the opinions of those who do not know you. I pray that I might be useful to you, in honouring you and serving your people. Grant me an ever greater love for others, that I might be available to them in your name. Grant me your wisdom in speech, in action, in prayer.

Thank you for those divine encounters, when you have used me to bless others in your name, to be light and hope and help. Lord, in your mercy, grant that I may continue to serve you in this way, not shying away but opening my heart to those in need. Let me trust that a passing word, or smile may be enough, and grant me faith to leave them in your hands as I go.

I pray today for those whom I have left behind in 2023 – those encountered in passing, and also those from whose lives I have been withdrawn – by your will and to my sorrow. Lord God, have mercy on us all in our vulnerability, sustain us through loss and change. I pray for those I will meet in 2024, those who will be encountered in passing, and those into whose lives I will be drawn. Lord God, may I be a blessing, never a curse or a barrier to faith and obedient living. 

Father, I confess my lack of love, my disinclination for hard tasks, my fretfulness and so many things that make me hard to live with. Thank you, that in Jesus I am forgiven. I pray that those who suffer by my faults and neglect might, by your grace, be strengthened and healed. May I meet them with humility and love, seeking to give and not to receive.

Loving Lord Jesus, I pray for those who hurt me. May I meet them with love, may I forgive as often as I remember the hurt, and  so obey your command and live as you lived. Let the hurts which others inflict on me only drive me deeper into your love, and make me ever more tender-hearted.

I am your creation, and re-creation. I am your handiwork, to be used for your glory in any way you choose. Let me accept and rejoice in your directing of my ways, even when I find them painful, or tedious, even when they appear to me pointless. Keep me teachable, humble and responsive, and may I find that in the quiet tasks of daily life, you are present and I can live for you there. 

Let me become more and more like Jesus, more fully human, more worshipful and eager to obey your will and to minister your love. Be glorified in me, through my Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

A patchwork of praise and petition..

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To the lead player, a David psalm.

In You, O Lord, I shelter. Let me never be shamed. In Your bounty, O free me. Incline Your ear to me. Quick, save me.

Be my stronghold of rock, a fort-house to rescue me. For You are my crag and my bastion, and for Your name’s sake guide me and lead me. Get me out of the net that they laid for me, for You are my stronghold.

In Your hand I commend my spirit. You redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth. I hate those who look to vaporous lies. As for me, I trust in the Lord. Let me exult and rejoice in Your kindness, that You saw my affliction, You knew the straits of my life. And You did not yield me to my enemy’s hand, You set my feet in a wide-open place.

Grant me grace, Lord, for I am distressed….. For all my enemies I become a disgrace, just as much to my neighbours, and fear to my friends. Those who see me outside draw back from me. Forgotten from the heart like the dead, I become like a vessel lost…

As for me, I trust in You, O Lord. I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand – O save me from the hand of my enemies, my pursuers. Shine Your face on Your servant, rescue me in Your kindness. Lord, let me not be shamed, for I call You….

How great Your goodness that You hid for those who fear You. You have wrought for those who shelter in You before the eyes of humankind. Conceal them in the hiding-place of Your presence from the crookedness of man……

Love the Lord, all his faithful, steadfastness the Lord keeps … Be strong, and let your heart be firm, all who hope in the Lord.

(Psalm 31.1-12,15-18,20&21,24&25: R. Alter translation*)

A few years ago, I received a new translation of the book of Psalms, by a notable Hebrew scholar, annotated with his own observations on the texts and their meaning. I have dipped into it occasionally since then, and often find that the sparse and fresh expression of texts which in older translations are very familiar, is refreshing and enriching. This particular psalm is introduced with the observation that many of the phrases and images are echoes of other psalms and parts of the bible – the books of Job and Jeremiah. I loved the idea that the author, whoever they were, did not hesitate to take words and ideas from all over their scriptures in order to praise God and to express their prayers.

Jesus makes a very explicit point in teaching his disciples, that prayer is not about the cleverness of one’s words, or the length of one’s sentences, but about honesty and straight-dealing with our God, from whom nothing is hidden. And I think that we should never be ashamed when we find ourselves using the words of others to praise or bring our petitions to God – when someone has found ways to express what we think and feel in powerful ways, we naturally find ourselves using their images and words ourselves!

The danger in using other people’s words comes when we do so unthinking, relying on their clever or powerful language to make our case, instead of truly meaning what we say. I know that some particularly well-beloved hymns are very difficult to sing meaningfully because I know them off by heart and can repeat the words parrot-fashion… that is not worship, or prayer.

In this case, we find the psalmist gathering images which speak powerfully of God’s care, of strength and refuge, of deliverance and reasons to hope – ultimately, hoping in God’s desire that all be done to honour his name and glory… so that His name will be hallowed and exalted as his power, love and justice are witnessed at work on behalf of his people. There is urgency, and passion, and also a deep understanding of God’s faithfulness to those who trust in him alone. As I read these words in a fresh translation, I am stimulated to think about where my trust is, and to make this psalm a true prayer of my own.

Let us rejoice that we have so many sources from which to draw as we come to God in prayer and praise – all the riches of the Hebrew scriptures; all the dynamic and beautiful texts of the gospels and letters; the incredible treasury of texts written by saints through the ages of the church and the hymns and songs which God’s people use in worship. May God keep us sincere and truthful in our prayer and praising, no matter where our words come from, fiull of thankfulness for his goodness to us in every way.

(The Book of Psalms – a translation with commentary: Robert Alter, 2007, WW Norton &Co Ltd London)

Who is this that speaks?

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 ‘Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge…

Jesus said.. ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die..

(Jn 5.24-27; 11.25)

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades … These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds…

These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. I know where you live… These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds.. These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds….. These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds…..

Then… I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to  break the seals and open the scroll?’… Then one of the elders said to me, ‘..see, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll..’ Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the centre of the throne… And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.’

(Rev 1.18,2.1,12,18; 3.7.14; 5.5-10)

It is easy for the cares of the world to distract us, for the evil one to beguile us into focussing on humankind and thus lead us into despair, for our own failures to hobble us and hold us back from joyful living. One of the best antidotes to doubt, fear and despair is to bring ourselves back to the truth that we have received about God, about Jesus Christ, about the good news of salvation and all that is purposed for this world by our Maker.

As we find ourselves becoming uneasy and distracted, or even better, before it happens, we can choose to turn our thoughts to the realities which are revealed through scripture, and gain a true perspective, a safe rock on which to stand against the tide of doubt. What better subject to choose for such meditation than the name of our saviour? In the thinking of the writers of scripture, a person’s name is considered as denoting their character and purpose, something which we tend to forget. But once we take this on board and begin to look for all the ways that Jesus is described throughout scripture, we quickly find our minds  lifted onto a very exalted and thrilling plane!

There are so many wonderful ways in which Jesus is described and named for us through the narrative of the bible, and I commend them all to you as worthy sources of fruitful thought and meditation. Today I quoted  some of the names given at the beginning of John’s Revelation – spoken by the One who is counted worthy to receive the praise of the hosts of heaven and who yet knows us, our deeds and all our circumstances.

Read these wonderful names to yourself again, read aloud and savour the majesty and power which they signify. Then remind yourself.. “It is this person in whom I trust; this one who calls me beloved; this one who has promised to bring me safely home; this one who calls me to serve him while life remains in my body; this one who calls me to trust amidst chaos, pain and darkness.”

When I remember to whom I pray, and of whom I witness, and for whom I live, I bow in adoration and praise, rejoicing to be counted among his people and exalted by the honour of being known by his name. Then, I stand my ground with a renewed confidence and trust with renewed hope that He will indeed do all things well. Glory to him in and through all!

Finding the right words…

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By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.. Everything’s falling apart on me, God; put me together again with your word.. You’re my place of quiet retreat; I wait for your word to renew me…. Every word you give me is a miracle word – how could I help but obey?

Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning.. steady my steps with your word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me.

(Ps 119.105,107,129&130,133, the Message translation)

God put me to work from the day I was born. The moment I entered the world, he named me. He gave me speech that would cut and penetrate…..The Master, God, has given me a well-taught tongue, so I know how to encourage tired people… Who out there fears God, actually listens to the voice of his servant? For anyone out there who doesn’t know where you’re going, anyone groping in the dark, here’s what: Trust in God. Lean on your God!

(Isa 49. 1&2; 50.4&10, the Message translation)

Then Jesus gave the twelve their chance; “Do you also want to leave?” Peter replied, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, of eternal life….”

(Jn 6. 67&68)

I heard a loud voice behind me, trumpet-clear and piercing: “Write what you see into a book… ” I turned and saw the voice.. I saw a gold menorah with seven branches, and in the centre, the Son of Man, in a robe and gold breastplate, hair a blizzard of white, eyes pouring fire-blaze, both feet furnace-fired bronze, His voice a cataract, right hand holding the seven stars, his mouth a sharp-biting sword…. I saw this and fainted dead at his feet. His right hand pulled me upright, his voice reassured me..

(Rev 1:10-17, the Message translation)

Our words are so powerful, to wound or to heal; to discourage or to build up; to speak love or to spread hate. We are warned to beware of hasty speech, to guard our tongues from thoughtless utterances and to make sure that what we do say is kind, wholesome, constructive and God-honouring.. it is wonder that most of us dare to speak or write at all, and no surprise that we so often fail in courtesy, wisdom and gentleness, causing unnecessary pain and too often bringing our Lord into disrepute by our hasty words.

What a relief then to consider how different is our God; to read of the power of his words, of their purity and truth; to reflect that where we fail, he never does. The Saviour of the world, the coming King and Anointed one who comes to fulfill God’s purposes of redemption is perfect in speech, in finding the right words to accomplish all that he desires for us. He can comfort, strengthen, rebuke and command – all in the right way and at the right time!

He speaks the words of life, and he is the Word of Life – by whom all things were made at the direction of the Father. What a wonderful companion for our lives, and what a guide to introduce to our fellow travellers as the infallible and unfailing support for the journey. How marvellous that we, as mere creatures and specks in a vast universe, can know the maker and sustainer of all that is! Because our God speaks, we can know him.

I am so thankful for all those who have taught and encouraged me over the years to trust the word of God, to handle it responsibly and to grow in wisdom in understanding it. I am so thankful to have the bible in my own language, and to have so many resources to help me use it well – a privilege which so many still lack.

Heavenly Father, I praise you for the Living Word, for the Voice that speaks truth and love, that calls me to come into your presence with confidence and to be at rest there. 

Living Word, I rejoice to know you as my Lord and Saviour, to hear you find the right words to comfort and restore me, to find fresh strength and new wisdom as I hearken to you by your Spirit.

Holy Spirit, may the word in me bear fruit for the glory of the Lord and the building of his kingdom. Thoroughly work it into my thoughts and understanding, so that no part of me remains unchanged, unresponsive or dishonouring to him. Amen.

You are what you eat….

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The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple… They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.

(Ps 19.7&10)

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine – the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers up all nations; he will swallow up death for ever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

(Isa 25.6-9)

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the son of man will give you… For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world… I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry… If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever.

(Jn 6.27,33,35&51)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

(Phil 4.6&7)

We are broken and beautiful creatures, living in a broken and beautiful world, where nothing is ever completely perfect or utterly reliable, or free from pain and doubt. On this side of glory, we are sure of nothing, except our own craving for security, significance and purpose. As a follower of Jesus, I believe that I am in the best possible place to deal with the uncertainty of life in this world, because I have wisdom, perspective and a reason to hope that I will live in a perfect world, and I am therefore not utterly broken by the disappointments of this life.

In Jesus, I am freely given all I need to persevere in this life, glorifying God and putting my trust in him alone, instead of wasting my energy and breaking my heart over things which will pass and let me down. The question is whether I fully appropriate all that is mine in Jesus – do I make it my own, do I live by it?

In every situation in life, I can choose whether to react by focussing on the unknowns, on the (often valid) causes for anxiety – or to focus on the truth about God, about his power at work for good, and his character of love, faithfulness and mercy. What do I feed my spirit with day by day as I navigate this beautiful, broken world? Do I feed my fear, or my faith?

The bible talks about meditating on God’s word, which means pondering, repeating it to oneself, chewing it over in the same way that some animals repeatedly chew their food. It is a vivid image which conveys the sense that we are feeding on the word, finding nourishment and health, getting all the goodness out of it.

But it can be very easy to feed instead on my anxieties. When I am in difficult circumstances, am I meditating on all the things I can’t understand or control? On the things that I regret, or resent? On the ways I have been hurt or disappointed? On ways that I can take control, create some illusion of authority over my life? Or on the consequences of my actions, those things which may be hard for others? – that kind of chewing is not healthy for me, leads to spiritual weakness, and fear over the future

While those things may be true or real in my experience, I can see that making them the centre of my attention is not going to help me. Instead, I am invited to bring the whole messy bundle of worries and questions to my God, laying them at his feet and choosing a different diet for my mind.

As I choose to meditate on God’s word, on what is true about him, and what he says is true about me then I focus on facts, not unanswerable questions. As I choose to chew over my blessings, the faithfulness of God to his church and to me, then I have reason to praise him and to find hope.  As I choose to worship him for who he is, regardless of what is happening and remember that he is God and I am not, then I remember who is truly in control and find peace. This kind of chewing is healthy for me, it feeds faith and builds resilience, maturity and hope for the future.

Let the consequences of your obedience be left up to God:

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)

Loving Father, so much of my trouble comes from trying to work out all the details, not only for myself but for others. Let me learn to trust you with all the consequences of my obedience, and to remember that you love my precious people even more than I do, and are infinitely more able to work your plans for their good than I can imagine!

Lord, let me feed faith, by feeding on your word, by praising your greatness, by choosing to look at you and not at myself. Make me stronger, more resilient, a more faithful witness to you as I choose those things that feed faith, and reject those that feed fear. Help me to keep on doing this, day by day and hour by hour, for your glory and the blessing of many.

Joining in the chorus!

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Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all peoples.

For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendour and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy, they will sing before the Lord, for he comes, to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.

(Ps 96)

Today, the world has been singing. Today, the Lord woke me to a glad heart and a thankful spirit, as I looked out on spring and the miracle of renewal after winter. Today, the Lord put a song into my heart, a song of thankfulness for all the many gifts which I have received, and all the ways in which He makes my life sweet. Today, I joined the chorus of creation, from the great striding bass notes of mountain and ocean, up to the top line melody of birdsong and delicate flowers. Today, I sang too.

Friends, it is not always easy to lift our eyes beyond our troubles, and those of others, in order to be reminded of the truth about our God as He reveals himself in creation – in its complexity, beauty and power. But when we are able, it is surely one of the most refreshing and encouraging experiences. To celebrate our Creator and delight in his creation is to do what we are made to do. To choose to praise him in spite of the very real trials and troubles of our lives and our world, is to glorify and honour the only one who can rightly address those troubles, and perfectly work all things together to fulfill his plans.

To praise God is to defy the devil. To praise God is to proclaim his greatness to a world which doesn’t want to know him. To praise God is to affirm the faith which He has given us in His character and promises, and to offer an acceptable sacrifice to the Almighty. To praise God in the midst of our messy and broken human lives is to shout aloud that we believe the best is yet to come, and that through our Saviour, Jesus, we will be alive to see it – more alive than we have ever been!

Let us then pray for one another, to be granted the strength and vision to praise our God, no matter what else is happening to us. Praise restores our perspective; praise puts our focus on God – who alone can aid and does sustain us. Praise enables us to affirm with Paul these wonderful truths:-

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No!

In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Rom 8.35)