sun shine

'So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.'*

It is great being a young person! There is so much potential, so much to see and experience, learn and try! This week I have been enjoying the warmer spring weather. The highlight was sitting in a park in a city centre with the sun on my back, and the trees budding with new leaves and flowers, the sound of music drifting on the cool breeze, and no matter which direction I looked, I saw people enjoying and relaxing in the sun! Some riding their bikes or walking a dog, some eating ice cream or having a picnic, some playing a ball game or just sitting and talking.

It called to mind a section in Ecclesiastes: 

'Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.'**

We can and are allowed to enjoy life, and see things, and 'walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes' within the boundaries of what is good and right. I'd prefer to live a life without regret, but I know that is not possible. But I definitely don't want to live in denial of the fact that there is Someone who wants me to live the best I can, who wants to see me flourish and rejoice.

'Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?'***

God is good and just. He mourns the fact that I sometimes take advantage of good things, or take what is not mine to have. And like any good parent, He disciplines and wants the best for us. He will one day ask, so what did you do? and why did you do that? Why did you ignore me?

Jesus reminds us of this day, and gives us a vision of just how detailed this judgement will be. He said "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”****

So, I enocurage you to rejoice in your youth, speak thoughtfully, let your heart cheer you, enjoy the sunlight. But do not forget, God cares what you do, and how you speak. God holds out salvation -being right with God- as a free gift. His grace is for everyone like the sunlight. One day, He will decide depending on our response to what He has already done for us. Just like we enjoy the sunlight, so too we can rejoice in the love He gives, not taking it for granted.

*Romans 14:12
**Ecclesiastes 11:7-9
***Psalm 10:13
****Matthew 12:36-37

I think

"Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable."*

Taming the mind, I think, is one of the hardest things to do. I feel that my mind is a bit like my tongue. I once asked my dentist if he has a lot of trouble with people's tongues when he is trying to work on their teeth. On the occassion I asked him, he told me that the previous day a woman had come in, and he had been unable to do anything for her teeth, as her tongue wouldn't allow any tools in! She had appologised profucely and yet, her tongue kept doing it's own thing!

At the beginning of the year I read a good book about humility. The conclusion included some 'thoughtful' tips to help learn how to be more humble. Dickson's first point was,

'we are shaped by what we love.'**

He reminds his readers that Cognitive-behavioural therapy suggests that 'thoughts can be transformed by actions just as actions are shaped by our thoughts'**. So, I ask you, what thoughts are you thinking and how are they affecting your actions? and what are you doing that is affecting your thoughts? What do you love to think about?

I'd like to suggest one thing to do to start shaping ones actions in the direction which brings life to it's true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable fullness.

It is more than just a good way to think, it has a bigger impact than just enabling you to be more thoughful, generous, happy, or whatever. Rather, what we think about, who we think about, what we base our thoughts on, is essential to who we are!

'For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.'***

The Psalms often talk about meditating on God, his mighty deeds and laws, his faithfulness and power. I believe that that is true and pure, admirable and right, honourable and lovely. Setting our mind, not just our emotions, on God through the Spirit leads to life and peace!

It's not easy to 'set your mind on the Spirit', and so I pray and declare to God, like the Psalmist did ages ago, that God might teach me his ways, his paths, his commandments, his statutes... I know I cannot do it alone,

'Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!'****

St Paul encourages us to, 'Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.'***** And by doing so, we will be taking steps towards life and peace. Now, unfortunately, however much we study and set out mind on the Spirit, there will be times that we fail, because we are still human. But that should not give us cause to give up, I assume that the lady who was at the dentist first apologised and then they found another way to control that tongue so that the dentist could get to work. In the same way, God is powerful to help us when we fail to set our thoughts on things that are of the Spirit.

* Philippians 4:8
**Humilitas by John Dickson, p174
***Romans 8:5-6 
****Psalm 143:10
*****Colossians 3:2

set free

"'What is truth?' retorted Pilate."*

I don't want to go into too much philosophy, but logically, it is impossible to say 'there is no truth' because that in itself is a truth claim, and therefore proving itself wrong. (I will allow you to wrestle through that logic in your own time.)

Pontius Pilate asks a good question that, I strongly believe, can have only one answer. I do not think that truth is subjective, rather it is something that exists whether or not I -or anyone else- believe it. The Apostle Paul was right in saying that,

 'we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth'.**

I am convinced that the truth I have found, is searchable. It's not something I accidentally stumbled upon, but rather have explored and found to be as true as it promises! This is so because, God 'wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.'***

So who is this Truth that I have found, and now centre my life around? A man who declared himself to be Truth itself! 'Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."'****

I don't think it is an accident that we have documentation of such claims, rather, the God of Truth, has ensured that His Truth shall be preserved and shared. For He wants to be known...

'I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.'*****

As Pilate wondered at this man who stood before him in trial, he wrestled with the accusations put against the man Jesus, compared to what he saw firsthand, and was bewildered. His question is one that we all need answering, without truth, things don't make much sense. And we make decisions with disasterous effects, for Pilate that was giving Jesus over to be crucified.

If you believe in Jesus and hold to his teching, then, He promises, 'you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'***** Knowing that Jesus is the Truth, gives me the freedom to live and explore life in a way that enables me -and hopefully those around me- to flourish. I don't have to wonder about opinions or feelings or popular thinking. When I am having a bad day and I don't like the way life appears, I can know there are things that are constant. Somethings do not change, the Truth is constant; He is Love, the Rock, and Cornerstone on which all else hangs.

*John 18:38 
**2 Corinthians 13:8
***1 Timothy 2:4-6
****John 14:6
*****Isaiah 45:19
******John 8:32

balancing act

"So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."*

In London a few months ago I was privalleged enough to go and see Circus de Soleil. One of my favourite performances was the tightrope. The climax of their act involved two people balancing on bicycles on the tight rope, while between them on a pole resting on their sholders another man sat atop another bicycle. One needs great balance for such a performance! Sometimes trying to work out how we should live can feel like a great balancing act, one which if we fail at, will send us tumbling a long way. And so I ask, do we work to live? or do we live to work?

By working to live I mean that one works simply to survive, or that one works for the time one has not at work, for example, leisure. By living to work, I mean that one devotes their whole time, energy and identity into their career.

Last year I tried to learn more about what I considered the opposite of work; which is rest. In the process I also learnt some interesting things about work!

The first challenge was working out what 'work' meant. It obviously includes employment (a means of earning one's livelihood), but what if you do something you love? like sing!? When you get paid for what you love to do, does it stop being restful and a hobby and become a job, something one must do? Furthermore, does all work have to be -by definition- an effort and something we toil over?

Last week I went to a conference, one of the seminars was on work. I want to share some of the things I learnt there about this topic. It might give a better perspective on this balancing act than I was able to put into words over the past year's reflections.

Work is good: God created the world, and before the 'Fall' he had already given tasks to people; naming animals, taking care of the garden, etc. This work was designed to express worship to God.

Work is hard: people failed to do the task given them and so got fired from the garden. Work becomes toilsome, futile and a compulsory act of survival. This is something many of us can identify with to one extent or another, work can be a necessary but not desirable thing in life.

'Their day of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.'**

Yet, Work is culture building: it is through work that we have advancements in tecnology, wonderful works of art and music, language and culture. But when we are identified by freedom from work, then we live for the weekend and dispise the rest of life as a means of enjoying those 2 days a week! On the other hand, if we are defined by our relationship to work then every success and failure is attributed to us, we work all day every day with the outcome reflecting who we are and what we can achieve. Neither of these options is ideal nor desirable.

Work for the LORD, not self: those who are defined by their relationship to God, still work. It is not the freedom of work nor the relationship to it that are making them and giving them purpose.

'Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.'***

Worship God through work: part of working for the Lord and letting work be a worship of Him who created all things, including work, is to trust Him to provide. We do that by letting Him take care of the daily bread and other necesities, and instead focus our attention on the task He has given us; to seek His kingdom and righteousness.

So I conclude, don't live to work or work to live, but instead life for Jesus, work with and for your Creator.

*Matthew 6:31-33

**Ecclesiasted 2:23
***Colossians 3:23

hide-and-seek

'seek and you will find'*

I tried to calm my breathing, the space felt cramped, my hip started to ache and my left foot was going numb. But I dared not move, or else I would make too much sound. Standing in the back of a cupboard, with only enough room among the boxes for one foot, with just enough space among the clothes for myself, I didn't have too many options for how to move or where! While standing there, awkwardly waiting, I began to think (something one can do easily when given such circumstances!) about 'hide and seek'.

There are times when hiding can be uncomfortable, painful, and tiring. Hiding ones feelings or fears, opinions or doubts, from oneself and others. Staying quite, holding still, and wondering if anyone will find you, will notice the loud breathing or the rustle of a plastic bag near your foot. At the moment, I know sometimes I am consciously, and unconsciously, hiding from myself, from those around me, and from God.


Eventually I began to make 'peep'-ing sounds so that I could be found by my 4 year old cousin! Similar to my cousin, God calls out to us, trying to find us where ever we are hiding, for whatever reason.

'But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”'**

I am comforted to know that God cares enough to do the 'seeking' or else I would keep waiting and waiting in my dark cupboard!

 “...the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you..."***

Next it was my turn to seek and my cousins went and hid. Children are adorable when they hide, because often they choose the same spot every time and they also assume that if they can't see you, you won't notice them! As I looked in all the rooms I knew they were not, and eventually came to the 2 remaining places I knew they must be. To make my game believable I would wonder aloud of their whereabouts; 'are they behind the door? no' or 'is he under the bed? no'.

Sometimes, we can play dumb. It's a trap I fall into every once in a while of complaining that I cannot hear what God wants me to do, I tell myself if He wanted to say something he'd be here in my face. But, like a little child, God can be found in predictable places, namely with His people and in His word. I know God is always with me, but when I don't see or feel it, then I am learning that maybe I too can do some seeking: visit a church, call a Christian friend, or read my Bible.

'For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.'****

*Matthew 7:7
**Genesis 3:9
***1 Chronicles 28:9
****Matthew 7:8