In loving arms

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Sometimes, the child within  me becomes very tired and frightened, the effort of being brave and strong for others, of being patient and kind, giving without expecting anything in return, becomes too much. I want to run away and hide, to find that place where as a little one, I used to feel safe, and protected, a place to rest.

Yesterday, I saw a painting of a woman sitting with a child in her lap, a solid toddler, with heavy eyes and lolling head who was ready for sleep. The sense of heaviness in the child’s position really caught  my attention, and brought back those times when my own children would rest in my arms. When a little one is  tired and feels utterly secure, there is a particular kind of rest that comes to them, as every ounce of weight is relaxed into the arms that hold it. They stop holding themselves, and give the entire burden to the loving, surrounding presence.

And so I realised again, how blessed I am, because even as a grown woman, I have such a place of security to rest in. The God of heaven is my refuge, and not merely in the sense of a defence against danger, but also this loving, warm resting place. He knows my heart, and sees how like that tired child I am. There are many passages in the bible which talk about His care for His people, this one is particularly lovely:-

“In His love and mercy He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old”

Isaiah 63,9

These are the arms which surround us, which are bearing us even when we think we are alone with our burdens. As I struggle to bear the sorrows of those around me, or to find wisdom for a difficult decision, or feel grief for my own disappointments, my God is holding me. Will I let myself relax into that embrace, instead of sitting rigidly upright, tense and braced?

The apostle Peter writes to encourage early believers, and in turn also those of us come lately to the faith, telling them to “Cast all your anxiety on him“… and why can they do this? “Because he cares for you” (1Peter 5,7). Today, I choose to let go, to trust that the one who bears me, can bear my burdens also.

Today, let us take God at His word, and find rest for our souls as we are carried peacefully in His unfailing and intimately personal love for us.P1010432

On Friday morning..

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Thank you Lord, that in the uncertainty which we face today, we have so much that is unchanging.

If you are willing, then on Friday morning, the sun will rise and give us light and warmth: there will be air for us to breathe and work for us to do.

On Friday morning, we will have enough food to eat, clothes to wear, and clean water to cleanse our bodies and to quench our thirst.

On Friday morning, we will face the future in the confidence of children of God, who is above all powers, and directs all the affairs of men according to his will. Nothing can take away our security in him, or undo the salvation he has worked on our behalf. Our identity is unshakeable.

On Friday morning, we will have people around us who have no idea that they are beloved, that their souls matter to God, and no idea that in a personal relationship with Christ Jesus, they can find a life better than they ever imagined! Our calling is unaltered.

Oh Father, you see our tremblings and understand our fears. May we bring them to you on Friday morning, and in our weakness, may the strength and glory which is your unchanging love for us, be made evident, as we face the future in confidence because we face it as believers in Jesus. For His sake, let it be so.

 

A daily dose..

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meconopsis1

“Be joyful always;

pray continually;

give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5, 16-18

The author of these words, Paul, was not given to asking other believers to do things he had not done himself, so we must assume that he practiced joyful, prayerful thanksgiving – in all circumstances. This included experiences of shipwreck, stoning, imprisonment and beating, unfair trials, slander, and exhausting journeys. He does not say give thanks “for” all circumstances, although he might well have done, since elsewhere he writes of how “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8 v 28). It is a staggering thing to say to someone, especially those to whom he is writing in this letter, a tiny, new, and beleaguered church. We feel ourselves protesting, ” but how unreasonable can you be Paul?!”

And yet, and yet… perhaps the key is in the final few words, where Paul reminds us that we are “in Christ Jesus”. When I begin to consider who I am “in Christ”, I find a new perspective on the realities of life. No matter what is troubling my peace, or destroying my plans, I am absolutely secure in my place as a beloved daughter of the King of Kings. No matter what other people say about my status and achievements (or the lack of them), or about the ways in which I may have failed them, I am able to hold my head high because I matter enough to be died for.

So, if God is working in all things for my good, and it is His will that I practice giving thanks in all circumstances, then that must be the best way for me to approach all of life – the way in which God will transform me more and more into the likeness of my Saviour, His son. This business of giving thanks, is one of the key ways in which I can co-operate with this process of transformation.

There are many who do not claim to be believers who testify to the power of gratitude in their lives, although I struggle to know to whom they express their thanks. For me, as a believer, one of my greatest joys is knowing the One to whom I express my appreciation, and my pleasure in the gifts so freely given.

I have been greatly helped in understanding this by the writer Ann Voskamp, in her book ‘One thousand gifts, a dare to live fully right where you are‘,(Zondervan, 2010), which I thoroughly recommend. I can testify to the power of thanksgiving, to taking note of the ways in which every day I receive God’s love for me personally. It is often the beauty of the natural world that catches my breath, or a piece of music, what is it for you? Perhaps seeing a parent loving and laughing with a child, or the genuine bond between friends sharing time together.

Whatever it is, I hope that in the week ahead, you find yourself often giving thanks, for in so doing, you will be prayerfully expressing joy in God’s presence, and fulfilling God’s good purpose for you!

A loud song!

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Still waters

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel!

Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!

The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy…

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you,

He will quiet you with his love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah ch 3, v 14,15&17

The bible is full of songs and singing, and in most cases it is God’s people singing of and to him, in praise or lament, triumph and occasionally despair. I love to sing, I know that music is a gift which can bless both the maker and receiver of it, and that in lifting my voice I do a good thing. But here, God is described as singing over me, making music, making beauty, over me!

This soul, stumbling through her days, seeing her own weaknesses and faults, and weary of letting others down; this is one in whom God takes great delight. If only I could imprint this in the front of my mind, to carry it with me everywhere I go, like a shield against the wounds and struggles of life. When I feel useless and insignificant, this word tells me that God rejoices over me – not merely tolerating my presence, but like a lover, delighting in me, in who I am.

What kind of love is this?! Beyond our understanding, outshining our human loves as the sun blasts away all recollection of candlelight, enduring and unyielding, utterly to be relied upon. This love is what our souls need to rest in, where there is no need to strive or disguise our flaws in order to be accepted.

The One who loves like this is mighty to save; it is He who has turned back our enemy and taken away our punishment, so that we can be forever quiet and at peace – resting – in his love. He has done it,all for love of us. All praise and glory to his name, and may you find songs of gladness and thanksgiving on your lips through the days ahead.

A beginning…

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A voice says. “Cry out.”

And I said, “What shall I cry?”

“All men are like grass,

and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,

because the breath of the Lord blows on them.

Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,

but the word of our God stands for ever.“

Isaiah, ch 40, v 6-8

So what do I forget, all too often? I forget who I am, and I forget what is true about the world I live in and the One who made and sustains it.

I forget that in the end, all human achievement and glory will count for nothing, and that the praise and admiration of men is not where true peace and satisfaction come from.

I forget that it is not my own busy-ness which dictates my worth as a person, and my possessions are not the source of my identity and security.

I need to take time to remember the truth, the truth that sets me free to live in the light of eternity. I accept my insignificance, and transience, because the word of my God stands for ever, and that word tells me that I am a beloved daughter, one for whose freedom a great price has been paid, and who can never be torn from her Father’s side.

I take time to remember that the glory of the grass and flowers is the faintest echo of the glory that awaits God’s beloved children in the future He has prepared for us.

I remember that all my longings and desires are known to Him who loves me more than I will ever truly understand, and that He knows best how to fulfill those desires.

In remembering, may we find rest for our souls. May they be anchored in the truth of the word, so that no dazzle or distraction can take our peace away. In Christ, we are now and always, beloved, accepted, and sustained. Let us walk the days with him.