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It’s been a fairly uneventful
day. So far! I’m off to my church house group this evening so who knows what
might happen there. I wonder sometimes if I should expect more, not necessarily
just in a church meeting, but in any part of life. So today I transported
Jane’s mum to her old folks meeting and I guess that was simply my good deed
for the day. Yes that’s the Boy Scout law still imprinted on me. I then visited
a friend and we listened to part of a Nicky Gumbel DVD sharing on church vision
at a leadership conference. Good stuff and a valuable way to spend a half hour,
being reminded of the importance of living a Godly life. But for sure that’s easier said than done, and
there always seems to be something that catches me out. We’re all on a journey
though and whilst we need to persevere in avoiding the obvious problem areas,
the only real way to grow in Godliness is by spending time with the Lord. In
some mysterious way as we draw close to him, he changes our heart’s desires and
that which has always tempted becomes a non-issue. But in the meantime he
‘covers’ over all our failings with his love and grace and especially
forgiveness… when we ask that is.
So how do I spend time with
God? The Bible is an essential part of my life. For me the message it shares
regarding my life is non-negotiable; so the wisest counsel from the closest
friend or the most profound message from a Christian minister, if it cuts
across any key teaching of the Word of God it simply has to be discounted. God
cannot contradict himself, so if scripture reveals the will of God then that is always
the higher authority. So every day I read some, often listening to an audio reading
as well. Over the years I must have read the whole Bible any number of times
and still find it enlightening. Then I believe that worship is the highest
calling of God upon my life. And it’s far more than just a musical experience,
really it’s a whole of life thing; it’s to do with loving God with all my heart
soul and mind, in every situation and every activity, no matter the challenge I’m
experiencing. It’s to do with laying down of both my concerns and also the
treasured areas of my life and focussing upon the Lord. He is the answer to my
every need and the source of every provision. Prayer is a key to intimacy in
worship and connecting with the heart of God. As I speak with the Lord he
changes my hearts desires by filling my life with his wonderful peace, and soothes
my every concern. Then he shows me the way I should go forward, directing my
steps that I might serve God purpose.
The Lord has given me a year
to exclusively mourn for Jane. It’s been intense. But May 24th I
intend to turn the page of my life and begin to move on. I expect I’ll trip
over myself at times and succumb to grief but more importantly I also expect
God to show up in a new way. My new life begins then. So yes I’m expecting
great things of the Lord. And I want to do my bit for the Kingdom of God. Part
of that is to do with becoming more like him.
Galatians 5:19-23
When you
follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual
immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry,
sorcery, hostility, quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish
ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild
parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before,
that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the
Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control. There is no law against these things!’ (NLT)
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