Category Archives: trust

Is this ok Lord?

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But, because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions –… it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no-one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

(Eph 2.4, 5&8-10)

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.. May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

(Heb 13.15,16,20&21)

We are saved to serve, not the other way around – good works are the fruit not the foundation of my salvation. I am on a path to glory, and the very act of walking daily along that way is a part of the means by which I am being changed – the daily choice to read the bible and to pray; the weekly choice to gather with others in worship; the willingness to respond to prompts to show love and care.. every small act of service is forming habits which are shaping attitudes, which – God willing – are resulting in lasting change.   

As believers, we are in the business of life-long learning, and it is God who is in charge of both the curriculum and the means by which it is delivered! Each of his children has their own unique path of learning and individual challenges to go through, each has a particular set of skills, strengths and weaknesses through which God – the ultimate teacher as well as the sovereign over all time and space – is bringing our lives into that pattern by which he works all things together for good, for the final revelation of his kingdom and our glorious future.

Perhaps, like me, you struggle with translating these great truths into the humdrum of daily life, and wonder whether you ought to be embarking upon some course of study/ some new discipline or good work, or pattern of life in order to become more mature in faith. We are all a work in progress, and rightly long to be finished! This is not an easy thing to settle; sometimes we are made uneasy in order to prompt us to change things! But I know for myself, all too often it is because I am comparing myself with other people that I feel this sense of lack, of needing to do/learn/perform in a different way. And I am not so sure that those impulses are from my Father. After all, we are human beings, not doings!

My very purpose in life – as the answer to the old catechism question puts it -is ‘to glorify God and enjoy him for ever’. That covers a great deal of ground, and surely leaves room for each and every unique child of God to be different in their own particular expression! It also leaves space for that expression to change in different seasons of our lives – after all, the busy and sleep deprived parents of young children are unlikely to have the energy and peace for prolonged seasons of intercessory prayer, or in-depth bible study! But they do have the task of parenting, of loving and raising children to know their Father in heaven, and to know what the gospel is and why it matters. Those of us in more peaceful seasons can help them by prayer, baby-sitting, and being involved in other practical ways!

We none of us have to do it all, or even be it all… we love, because he first loved us, and we look to take each day as his gift in which there will be good things prepared for us to do – and those might be as simple as noticing and rejoicing in colour, light and warmth; in the full-body joy of a running dog; or the deep-peace inducing sleep of a curled-up cat…

Dear Father, let us love you and be wise in what that looks like day by day. Deliver us from the curse of comparison, to look to you in delight and to give thanks for the abundance of your goodness to us – this is a good work! Let us rest in your sure work of transformation in us, as we live with you and as you work in us that which is pleasing to you – our likeness to Jesus, in whose name we pray, Amen.

When you feel like… rubbish

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Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord: O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, O Lord, kept a record of wrongs, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning…

(Ps 130.1-6)

Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

(Ps 143.7-9)

…he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

(2 Cor 12.9)

The enemy of God’s children dearly loves to bring them down, to distract and convince them that God doesn’t really mean what he says, and can’t be trusted.. I have to remind myself of this regularly, especially when, after a recent blog post in which I chose to firmly assert the deeply accepting and affirming love of my heavenly Father, I find myself assailed and overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, failure and a very strong desire to give up…

I know that our feelings don’t tell the whole story, but, for myself, I find they dominate the narrative very loudly, and it can be hard to live in a godly way with them. The current wave of negativity has become quite overwhelming, and I am having to force myself to find external things to focus on. I am thankful for duties and commitments which require me to listen and engage with others and ignore the internal noise.  I pray and trust that the season will pass soon, but just now, I need to be honest with my Father since only he really sees and understands me, and with him I can share my distress confidently, knowing I am held in love and cherished. The psalms give us a wonderful template for such lamentation, and remind us that God has always invited his precious children to cast their cares upon him – what a blessing!

Father, your child is feeling so fed up of herself and all the ways she falls short of perfection – how ridiculous that sounds, but you understand! She sees wise, learned, godly people, full of grace, serene and confident in you, steady in counsel and always joyful in service… and she sees herself, so far from these things in spite of her years, your grace and the teaching and example of so many saints. Is it alright that she is not ‘that kind of christian’? Remind her of your faithfulness, your mercy and your tender love which delights in her – even when she cannot delight in what you have made her.

Father, your child is appalled by her own indifference and lack of motivation to apply herself to learning, to the disciplines of growing faith, to the business of working in your harvest field. She sees others labouring with energy, praying with passion, and she is ashamed at her own lack of belief in the possibility of changed lives, of kingdom-building. Remind her of your power, which IS at work all around us all the time, whether we see it or not, and of your purpose which will be fulfilled.

Father, your child sees the years ahead and cringes away from the prospect of ageing, of life-narrowing. It all looks so grim and miserable, and she has no appetite for living victoriously in the face of such challenges. She is ashamed of such negativity, ashamed that her story seems always to be that of the fearful pilgrim, expecting the worst, and stepping out so reluctantly. Remind her that you have always been faithful, and that it is your strength which is her security. Remind her that the weakest vessels display your power and grace most marvellously, and that she need not be ashamed or depressed at the prospect of being such a vessel!

Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Reacting to fear…

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The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely 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)

“For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you”, declares the Lord, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

(Isa 41.13&14)

This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins…If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us… There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…

(1 Jn 4.10,15&18)

The valley of the shadow is the natural home of fear, the habitat of malice and evil. In shadowy places, we feel vulnerable and cannot see what might be pressing close around to threaten us. Fear comes when I feel unsafe, when I or those I love am threatened in any way. Fear is defeated when the threat is revealed to be weaker than I thought, or when something stronger than the threat is discovered which will act to overcome it on my behalf.

In this world of broken beauty, where sin continues to exist, we are all vulnerable and will suffer in many ways. But the gospel teaches me that for all who are safely hidden with Christ, nothing can actually deprive them of that which matters most for eternity – the love of God and our inheritance in glory. The testimony of God’s saints down the generations is that no matter what else it touches, evil cannot touch my salvation. In this overarching view of our lives, it is clear that God’s perfect love for us has the power to drive out all that causes us to fear. But on a day-to-day basis, I know that I continue to be afraid – what am I to do with that fear?

I was recently deeply encouraged to realise that I don’t need to feel guilty about feeling fear.. that may sound foolish, but am I the only one who gets cross with themselves because my knowledge of God’s perfect love somehow doesn’t stop me getting fearful? Surely our faith is in the ongoing work of God in our lives, and like everything else, our fearfulness – a legitimate response to real threats – is actually part of how we are made, a useful tool if we know how to use it, in navigating life with our Lord’s power and presence. It doesn’t mean that I don’t believe in God’s perfect love for me! It is in the very perfection of that love that my hope lies – for my fears as well as for every other aspect of my life until I go home to glory and am fully perfected myself. My God is patient, and knows how I am formed. My Lord knows what it is to be human, to grieve, to fear, to hurt, to hunger, to agonise over the trials of loved ones – all the deepest travails of humankind are held continually up for the compassionate and unfailing love of the Father to be met.

Since then I AM loved perfectly, my ‘fear-reaction’ becomes a spur by which I am driven to meditate on the love and trustworthiness of God, to remember that Christ meets me in my troubles and has known human suffering. IN all the muddly mess of my reactions to threats and grievous wrongs, I am met by God’s loving kindness, patience and understanding. Is this not good news for fearful souls like me?! Fear becomes a means of blessing to me, so its power is stripped away and I am released to walk on in faith. Throughout scripture we find exhortations to God’s people not to be afraid – our frail humanity is met with such gentleness, and never condemnation, only the encouragement to step out in faith and prove God!

Great Shepherd, I do believe your powerful presence is with your people in all their daily walk, and in the darkest valleys which they may walk. I want to walk fearlessly, but I know all too well that my fear erupts spontaneously and can be so hard to combat.. Let me not give up hope of learning to cling to you in my troubles, in such faith and dependence on your love that the fear is drained of its poison and blinding power, and I can indeed walk on, in your strength and your victory over evil. You will deliver me through all my dark valleys – whether I walk, or crawl, or am carried in your strong arms!

A sinner.. living with sinners

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As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Where can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember as I pour out my soul; how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.

My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon – from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.

By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life. 

I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.

(Ps 42)

Do you ever get overwhelmed by the sheer painfulness of living as a sinner among sinners? Of receiving within your own heart and life the impact of the sin of others, and living with the consequences of your own sin? I do, and right now, I am acutely aware of it.

Sometimes, it seems that I am being carried along and can bear with what others do to me, graciously trusting God for good to come from suffering, as the bible teaches it will. But not now, not today. Today I am frantic, desperate, battering myself as a wave against the cliffs, against what feel like unfulfilled promises, and with little appetite for persevering in hope. Although I have no obvious mortal enemies, yet I can fully identify with the psalmist who is crying to God for a clear sense of His presence and protection against all that is assaulting him.

How can I know God’s presence when I am only acutely aware of the ways that I am being hurt by others, not deliberately, only as a result of their own brokenness which should call forth my best forgiving love and compassion – even as my failures call forth the love and forgiveness of my Saviour? My despair and pain feel like a betrayal of God’s goodness, the voice of my accuser whispers, “If you were really mature as a believer, you wouldn’t collapse like this when others hurt you.”

What does the believer do in these circumstances? How may I ask for prayer for myself, and pray for my brothers and sisters as they also may experience this pain?

I take note of the psalmist’s wisdom in pouring the whole sorry mess out before God, who knows all the details and has an more intimate and profound understanding of His child’s reactions, both the healthy and the unhealthy ones. I take note of the wisdom which speaks directly to the frantic and despairing soul, exhorting a holding on, stubborn hope – that same stubbornness with which Jacob wrestled with the angelic visitor, determined not to let go until he had received a blessing. What blessing do I need in the midst of my own midnight wrestling? I need to know the presence of my God, the one whose song over me is of His love and eternal faithfulness

Perhaps it is ok to wrestle with wounds, with weakness and weariness; perhaps this fight itself is a means of blessing, since it drives me straight to the throne of grace for mercy and help in my time of acute need. My beloved Father knows me, and His love will not fail to minister to my wounds – and because He understands exactly how I am made, He alone can touch the places that most need comfort and healing.

Dear Father, your daughter is in a sorry state today, and she cries to you in her distress. Thank you for the relief of tears, for the kindness of friends and their prayers, and thank you above all for your goodness to her in ministering to her deepest need – which is to know your presence and lovingkindness that never fail. Surely, goodness and mercy will follow her and all your children down the days and years until the time of sorrows is forgotten. 

 

Whose work is it anyway?

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Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.

(1Cor 15.58)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

(Rom 8.28&29)

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

(Phil 1.3-6; 2.12&13)

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart… God disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

(Heb 12.2&3,10&11)

There is something of a mystery going on here; did you notice that quotation from Philippians, where Paul exhorts his readers to ‘work out’ their salvation, and then says it is actually God who is working in them! Who is doing the work?! 

This is one of those areas of faith where we must walk carefully – never falling into the trap that it is by our works that we are assured of salvation, and also avoiding the assumption that I only have to ‘let go, and let God have his way,’ in some passive surrender. I am saved by the all-sufficient work of Jesus, and nothing I can do will add to that supreme act of redemption, nor in any way enhance God’s love for me. I am also called – as a new-made child of God – to give myself wholly to living for and with my heavenly Father, growing closer and closer to my Lord Jesus (and therefore more like him), and depending more and more fully on the Holy Spirit within me to enable all these things. I must work… and yet, it is God who is working in me to fulfill his good purposes!

In sovereign omnipotence, the Almighty God is indeed working to bring all of history to the long-intended climax, the return of Jesus Christ as King of Kings, and the full revelation and establishment of his kingdom. In ways which I cannot begin to understand, this work includes the tiny details of my short and insignificant life – the Eternal One has made this human being his business, and has magnificent plans to include her in what he is doing. And I am invited to fully embrace, accept and eagerly align myself with that working – by the power of the Holy Spirit to submit, to commit, to keep on turning to Jesus. When I recognise the scale of the story into which I am now come as a beloved daughter, I am enthralled and amazed, and long to do all I can to engage with God’s work. 

It isn’t so easy when what I am called to is discipline, suffering, endurance and disappointment. But, if God is truly at work in me, and calling me to embrace that work, then this too is a means of grace. This is part of the work, and I am assured that God will complete what he has begun – so my griefs and labours are never wasted but are taken up and made part of his transformation of me into Christ-likeness.

Heavenly Father, thank you that I can trust you to work your perfect will in my life. Thank you that your Spirit enables me to align with that work, to bring my own fitful and limited powers for your transforming use. Thank you for stirring up in me the desire to embrace your work in my life, to accept your will and find your provision for each step. 

Let me work more and more in harmony with you; trusting that my labours are not in vain because you are directing and enabling them for your glory and the blessing of others. All that I do, is by your power, all the praise is to you, through my Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

The power…..

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It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else!

(Rom 1.16, the Message)

God can do anything you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!.. glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millenia! Oh Yes!

(Eph 3.20-21, the Message)

So, friends, we can now – without hesitation – walk right up to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The “Curtain” into God’s presence is his body. 

So let’s do it – full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshipping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.

(Heb 10.19-25, the Message)

“Can I be honest with you? I’m actually not that into prayer, it’s Jesus I’m into, so we talk.

I don’t believe in the power of prayer. I believe in the power of God. So I ask for his help. A lot”

(Pete Greig, May 2019)

One of the drawbacks of growing up in a christian family and culture is that one develops particular habits of vocabulary, which are not always very helpful when thinking about faith in the context of our unbelieving neighbours and the need to witness to and serve them. I grew up thinking that a prayer meeting was a totally normal thing, and that setting aside several hours every Saturday evening was a perfectly reasonable thing to do – that it was action, not inaction; a privilege as well as a responsibility. But here’s the thing that Pete Greig’s words brought home to me… I don’t think that prayer meetings matter because somehow if we screw ourselves up to a pitch of faith then we can make God do stuff. I think they matter because we come to admit to the Sovereign Maker and Sustainer of all created things that we are utterly powerless! And I would hope that I might remember to talk and think about prayer in that way when I talk about it with unbelieving friends – it’s not about me and my faith, or my prayers, it’s all about Jesus and what God has promised to do through him and for him.

We pray because God alone has the power to work ALL THINGS together for his good purposes in this fallen world of ours; we pray because God alone can bring salvation in Jesus’ name to the desperately needy hearts around us; we pray because only the eternal and holy God knows what is the right and proper thing to happen in any and every situation. I am so grateful that God does not ask us to work out what is right before we pray for it to happen – what hope do fallen humans have of every making such decisions?!

We can pray anywhere at anytime; which is an astonishing privilege and a never-ending source of comfort when we are faced by troubling situations (our own, those of dear ones, or the devastatingly widespread suffering of people around the world). But perhaps – like me- you find it helpful to prioritise prayer at times by meeting with others to talk to God about what is going on in his world, with his children; obeying his command to pray that his will might be done, and his kingdom come here on earth as it is always and perfectly done in the heavenly realms. I can bear witness to the fact that when I gather with others to pray, I always benefit; my own faith is strengthened and I am encouraged to persevere in obedience and love; I know that I have obeyed God’s command, and once again lifted the burden for others which He lays on my heart up to his throne for the demonstration of his power and love in deliverance and transformation. I would also bear witness that even when I cannot see the answers which I long for, yet still to pray is to be in the right place – before the Almighty, and worshipping him in Jesus as the only Sovereign God.

Dear friends, let us pray – and wherever possible, let us do it together for our mutual benefit, and for the glory of God and the proclamation of Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord!

Where is my security?

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The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it a wall too high to scale.

Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honour.

(Prov 18.10-12)

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

(Prov 22.1)

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.. Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?… For the pagan world runs after all such things and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom and these things will be given to you as well.

(Lk 12.22&23,25&26, 30&31)

I remember singing a children’s song – with actions – based on this verse in Proverbs about the name of the Lord being a strong tower. It was very popular, and our faces would be filled with glee as we waved enthusiastically from our imagined tower, signifying total security and peace. As an adult in a peaceful, law-abiding and prosperous land, reading these words makes me think how readily we behave more like the proverbial rich man, who considers his wealth as a strong and effective barrier to all trouble and grief. Our culture, grounded in an innate confidence in human abilities and a rejection of the possibility of our being entirely in the hands of God, simply throws money at problems in order to make them go away. Wealthy people spend to ensure privacy, peace, security, health and longevity, beauty and … more wealth.

If I were transplanted from my comfortable home, prosperity, health and freedom from physical threat to a land undergoing war.. where then would my security lie? All of a sudden the physical health which I prize so highly, is shown to be as fragile as eggshells, death is an ever present threat – where then is my security? In the end, no human ingenuity can protect us from death – although many would like to think it could. And that is the ultimate threat against which we seek security.

These verses are a strong corrective lesson to me when I have been carried away by the latest diet and exercise advice on prolonging life and delaying ageing; or when I am being tempted to imagine that a top-quality pension plan will ensure a long, happy and healthy retirement. NOTHING that we do as human beings can stand in the way of God’s will for us – and if I am to live till 99, then the Lord in his goodness will provide for me. If I am to die like my father at 69, then again, will I not be humble enough to accept that He knows best and that in his will alone I am secure? Worrying about it will not make a bit of difference to whether I am to live for another 9 or 39 years!

No, my focus and trust need to be continually brought back to God my Father; to his promises and his kingdom. If I am in any way wealthy, let me use the resources of money, time, health and opportunity in serving the kingdom and leave the business of ordaining my life’s future path to the One who alone knows what is best.

Almighty and merciful Father, thank you that you know how frail your creatures are, and that you know how readily we presume upon the riches of your gifts to us – be they health, wealth, peace or any other good thing. Forgive us when we elevate the gifts above the giver, and in doing so place our trust and hope in them. We may lose all these gifts so quickly, and yet never lose your love, your promises, and our place in your family and your kingdom.

Let us hold our riches on open hands, yielding them to you to be used as you desire and not clutching them to our hearts for dear life. Have mercy on those who are poor in this world’s good things – health, wealth, peace and security – and may we in our wealth be part of your merciful provision for them. Make us generous and cheerful givers, and deliver us from the fruitlessness of worrying about ourselves! For Jesus’ sake we pray, Amen.

A constant spirit…

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Who would true valour see, let him come hither; one here will constant be, come wind, come weather; there’s no discouragement shall make him once relent his first avowed intent to be a pilgrim.

Whoso beset him round with dismal stories, do but themselves confound; his strength the more is. No lion can him fright, he’ll with a giant fight, but he will have a right to be a pilgrim.

Hobgoblin nor foul fiend can daunt his spirit; he knows he at the end shall life inherit. Then fancies fly away; he’ll fear not what men say; he’ll labour night and day to be a pilgrim.

(J.Bunyan, 1628-88)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

(Eph 6.10-18)

Earlier this week, I was privileged to stand at the graveside of a man who had served his country, his community and his saviour with grace, constancy and love for many, many years. We remembered and gave thanks for his life, and reflected with gladness that now he is in the nearer presence of Jesus, and one day, we shall be with him in the new creation, when there will be no more farewells..

He was a man who could have come straight from Bunyan’s great classic of Christian life, Pilgrim’s Progress, and I would have called him Mr Standfast: a man who, once his loyalty was given, remained constant and unwearying in his duty. Like his loyalty to his country as a soldier, his loyalty to Jesus Christ as Saviour was unswerving, once given. He was blest with the happy temperament which never questions a promise, never considers whether it was really meant. Having committed himself to Jesus, he lived simply and contentedly trusting that Jesus would keep the promises  on which faith depends, and therefore there was nothing more to be anxious about!

We sang Bunyan’s great pilgrim hymn at the little church above the loch in Wester Ross, and I remembered my father who shared that same happy temper of complete assurance, and reliance on Jesus to be faithful. How blest we are when such saints come into our lives, reminding us that childlike simplicity is what we are called to, a foundational trust on which a rich and varied life can be built. Some of us are given rather less comfortable temperaments, and suffer from continual questionings, wrestlings and envy of those more stable characters! But the Lord knows each one, and our strivings, weaknesses and strengths are allotted to us as part of his great plan – he makes no mistakes. 

As a soldier, my old friend would have understood exactly where Paul’s exhortation to the saints at Ephesus was coming from – the need to be prepared, to stand firm in who and what we are, with the armour of God’s gifting and also the supreme confidence which comes from knowing we are under the leadership of a victorious captain. Even those of us who lack such constancy can grow steadier as we let the truth of our salvation shape our thinking – the truth of our security and the triumphant return of the Lord at the right time.

Almighty God, Father of our Saviour and victorious captain, Jesus Christ, we pray today for that constant spirit to be our portion. Let us never doubt your promises, but in childlike faith, live by them without fear. 

Let us live to glorify you; to love our neighbours; to exercise our gifts, resources and opportunities to the full in your service – and to enjoy being your beloved, secure and home-coming children. We are pilgrims on your narrow way, Lord God, guard and guide us safely to your arms and our eternal home. For Jesus’ sake we pray, Amen.

Remember, remember.. and give thanks

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Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided; urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way; sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided; Lord of the years, we bring our thanks today.

Lord, for our world, when we disown and doubt him, loveless in strength and comfortless in pain; hungry and helpless, lost indeed without him; Lord of the world, we pray that Christ may reign.

Lord, for ourselves, in living power remake us – self on the cross and Christ upon the throne, past put behind us, for the future take us, Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.

(T. Dudley-Smith, 1926-)

O Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief… I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. 

(Ps 143.1,5&6,8-10)

At the end of November 2023, my husband and I set off to travel to Lausanne, Switzerland, where he would be taking care of the (then vacant) Church of Scotland congregation during December. It was three months since we had left Gairloch, we had both been ill with COVID, and the autumn had been long and wet. We had no idea whether there was a long-term future for us in ministry, but meantime, we had five weeks in a comfortable flat in a beautiful city and the freedom to explore a new country. God was holding us, giving us grace not to look to the future (not too often anyway), and to appreciate the gifts which came each day.

As I look back to that time from this vantage point, 12 months later, I am quite simply brought to my knees in worship and thanksgiving. Our faithful, loving and wise Father kept us, enriched and blessed us until we were ready to hear from another congregation; until my husband’s weariness had been at least partly refreshed, and his sense of call to ministry reaffirmed by those weeks of serving in Switzerland.

We had watched the sun rise over Europe from the deck of the ferry, wondering what lay beyond that horizon; what lay beyond this brief season of caretaker ministry? I don’t think I doubted that God would provide for us, but how I struggled with waiting, with ignorance, with not being in control! And now as I remember, I give thanks for the daily provision of patience, beauty, and ultimately God’s good timing and the events which have brought us to ministry in Inverness.

God has provided good works for us to do for him here; He has given us a church family to belong to and a community to serve; He has given us fresh opportunities to use who we are and what He has given us all to His glory. How can we not be filled with gladness and gratitude?!

And so, as this year draws to a close and we face 2025 with all the pain, uncertainty and darkness which is abroad in the world, and which impacts our lives in so many ways, I have a choice. Will I remember how faithfully God has kept his promises, has provided, guided and inspired? Will I trust more fully this time, as He asks me to step into an unknown future? Can I sing with the hymn writer, and pray with the psalmist – leaving the past behind, and committing myself in childlike trust to a future path which God chooses and into which his Spirit will guide me?

Father, when she remembers your faithfulness, your child is ashamed of her lack of trust, and her fretfulness. You are trustworthy, you are good, you are patient and careful, and do all things well. Your world needs to hear about Jesus, and you have appointed your children to share the work of proclaiming his saving work; we who know him and can testify to his love and the transforming power of your spirit at work. May I, together with all your people, remember your faithfulness to your promises and be renewed in hope, in love and in faith. May we live with quiet confidence in you, and commit ourselves fully to Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, Amen.

Room to breathe

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When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid… It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans… Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord… I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation… Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures for ever.

(Ps 118. 5,6,8,19,21&29)

This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls..”

(Jer 6.16)

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children… Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

(Matt 11.25&29)

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.. I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.

(Ps 31.1,7&8)

I grew up in a house from whose windows one could see for many miles; could see the sea, distant hills and watch the weather moving across the landscape. In recent years that experience was gifted to me for a season, and how precious it was. Now I am back among buildings, with no distant horizons to gaze upon, and a sense of being hemmed in. The biblical picture of ‘a spacious place’ is therefore one with which I can strongly identify, as synonymous with the sweet rest which God gives his people as they depend on him.

To rest is to refrain from striving, and that is God’s gift to us in Jesus Christ. All our labours towards God are wasted time and effort, since nothing we do can achieve for us the deliverance and fulness which we desire. In Jesus, these things are offered to us freely, and in accepting them, we enter the inheritance of God’s children – which is rest from struggle, from futility, from fear, and the opportunity to live as we are designed to live.

We may certainly strive as believers to become more like our Lord, through studying his word and keeping in step with his Spirit. We also strive in his kingdom, to sow the seeds of gospel truth, to make disciples and to celebrate his goodness and unfailing love. But all these things are done from a basic position of resting, a freedom from anxiety and fear. Our labour is never worthless, and we are enabled for it by our Father in heaven. Our salvation does not depend upon it, and all we do is motivated by His love for us and our desire to respond to his generosity. We have nothing to prove.. how restful!

Thank you Lord for your covenant love, which endures for ever and is my inheritance. Thank you for calling me out of bondage into a spacious place, where I live in your presence, the object of your abundant care.

I am provided for, I need not strive; I can glimpse glories afar off, and walk in the light of your presence; I worship in the company of the redeemed, your people and in their company I walk in the old ways which you have appointed for our blessing. What bountiful gifts we receive from you!

You have won for your people the victory, and we follow in your triumph procession to inherit the land you have prepared for us, to know peace and perfect rest when the true King shall come in power. This is marvellous in our eyes, we rejoice to rest in you today, and worship you with glad hearts. Amen