Author: Carol Purves
Aware
We read in Luke 2 that Mary and Joseph took the infant Jesus to the temple to be consecrated as the law of the Lord had instructed. It was probably a busy, bustling place with people making sacrifices, offering prayers, asking for prayers as well as parents seeking consecration for their babies.
The prophet and widow, Anna was also there as she was daily, worshipping God. Because of her closeness to God she recognised this baby as being the ‘redeemer of Jerusalem.’ God immediately told her that this was the Saviour of the world. Distraction or inattention to God’s word would have made her miss this moment
How close are we to God? How often do we miss His opportunities because we are not focussed on Him? The clamour of this world is loud and insistent. It is easy to miss the still, small voice that God uses to get our attention. God speaks to our hearts, He doesn’t put up a banner to attract us. We need to listen. What blessings we could be missing unless we do. What joys we could be sharing by giving attention to heavenly matters.
What is God whispering today? What are we missing? May we turn our eyes to Him.
He Clothed Them
‘The Lord made garments of skin for Adam and Eve and clothed them.’ Genesis 3:21
The first couple were banned from the Garden of Eden because of their sin. When Adam and Eve learned the difference between right and wrong, they also realised they were naked. The most terrible thing had happened, God’s first couple had sinned so badly that banishment was the only answer. Their future lives would be spent in painful toil. Today we are still suffering from that Fall.
But even on that day there was a glimmer of hope. God saw their nakedness and had compassion on them. In spite of everything He still loved them, His love was not broken. God knew the enormity of their actions and the suffering that mankind would have for millions and millions of years. He alone knew but He took the step of slaughtering some of His created animals to give them skins for clothes. The sacrifice of these animals seems to be a foretaste of the blood shed by Jesus.
How great was God’s love. The whole of creation for all time had been cursed, but God in His great love saw their nakedness and clothed them.
I
My Neighbour
How far should we go in our Christian hospitality? As so often happened Jesus made His point by telling a story. In Luke 14 we read the story of the Great Banquet. ‘A certain man’ had prepared a banquet and had invited all the usual guests. It seems that without exception every one of them made an excuse. They sounded reasonable but the host was still angry (verse 21)
The servants were instructed to spread the net wider and go out into the streets and alleys and invite the poor, crippled, blind and lame. But it seems there were still empty places. So the servants were again sent out into the roads and country lanes. The banquet room was now full.
This parable was also meant for us. Like the servants we need to go where our Master sends us. Guided by the Holy Spirit we need to share the Good News with everyone, not just the respectable. Our visitors will leave crumbs on the carpet, scuff the paintwork and slurp their tea. In church they will not know how to behave, talk through the prayers or pop out to the toilet (or a smoke) during the sermon. But what joy there will be in heaven and our lives when they learn to love the Lord! They will still drop crumbs on the carpet. It doesn’t matter.
The Resting Place
I had bought a new bed. After the first night sleeping on it, I realised how very uncomfortable my old one had been. Although the mattress was thicker and higher than the previous one, I experienced a very comfortable night’s sleep.
That’s more than could be said for Jacob in Genesis 28:11 ‘Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.’ No comfortable mattress and duvet for him. Maybe his discomfort caused him to dream, as he saw a stairway set up to heaven and angels ascending and descending on it. I love the children’s drawings where some angels are depicted up side down, obviously they are the ones descending!’
After hearing God’s promises to him Instead of saying ‘the Lord your God,.’ he could now say ‘the Lord my God. He also promised God a tenth of his wealth. This was a practice that started with Abram. Genesis 14:20 An action which is still practised by many Christians today. We can also pray for people who have learned to say ‘the Lord my God.’
Whether we sleep on a stone or comfortable bed we can all know the presence of God and the change it will bring to our lives.
With Passion
My friend, Barry, loves running in marathons. Every Saturday he does shorter runs to build up his strength and stamina. Before the big race he eats the right amount of food, has the right amount of sleep and talks about nothing else. He is obsessed.
I have another friend (yes, I have a lot of friends) who knits for charity. It seems babies nowadays seldom wear knitted garments made by loving relatives, so she knits for charity which needs hats, mittens, gloves and scarves. This friend, Pauline, is always knitting wherever she is. At any meeting you can hear the click of her needles, on the phone when you ask her what she is doing, the answer is always, knitting. She is very obsessed with her useful hobby. I know of others who have an obsession like football, baking, gardening, fishing or sailing.
These are all good things, but what is our all-absorbing, time-consuming passion. May it be Christ. May all our thoughts be about Him. May we long to read more about Him in the Bible, listen avidly to sermons and mix with like-minded worshippers. Our closeness to God won’t happen by accident, we need to work on it, we need to practise our faith, We need to be passionate like the early disciples . Then our light will shine before men and we will want to know him more and more.
In a Queue
It seemed like a simple problem; my newspaper hadn’t been delivered, so I phoned to chase it up. I found myself in a queue which I was told would be one honour and forty minutes Should I give up or hang on? Deciding to hang on rather than hung up, I waited. This then restricted what I could do . I couldn’t make other calls or go out or drive the car. Thank goodness phones are not fitted to the wall like they were when I was young. Nevertheless, my afternoon was quite unprofitable.
God doesn’t put us in a queue. He’s not like that. He knows immediately when we cry out to Him, ‘Lord, what shall I say to this person?’ Straight away I’m given the words. I pray for my friends and their circumstances. My God hears. I am about to make the wrong decisions, God is there. Scripture is full of of God’s promises. ‘When you call on me, I will answer.’ Psalm 91:15. ‘Before they call I will answer. Isaiah 65:24.
By the way I never did receive my newspaper.
He Never Got There.
When Moses was called by God to lead the people of Israel, he had already experienced many adventures. ‘I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’ Exodus 3:10. Moving to Exodus 7:7 we have further evidence that Moses was 80 years old and his brother three years older.
But then it was another forty years that the Israelites had to spend wandering in the wilderness, a journey that should have taken eleven days. Then at the age of 120 God told Moses ‘Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan.’ Deuteronomy 3:27.
Moses never did set foot in the Promised Land. He spent many years looking forward to entering the land that the Israelites had been promised, but because of disobedience it was denied to him and his whole generation.
There are times in our own lives when we can feel like Moses. We spend many years in Christian work and never see its completion. Or we invest much time into the sharing of the gospel with a particular person, but we never see them coming to faith.
We need to remember that God works in His own particular time, which is not ours. He will be the One who works out the completion of our work and witness. Our only task is to be faithful.
All That Is Needed
A shortage of bread, a shortage of meat and now most important of all, a shortage of water. Exodus 17:1 But the Israelites had another shortage, a shortage of memory. The lack of bread had been solved by God by the provision of manna, the meat shortage had resulted in quail, another provision from God, but now at Rephidim there was no water. The Israelites were having a tough time of it. A trust in God would have saved them so much heart-ache.
In verse, 4 of Exodus 17, Moses is in despair, ‘What am I to do with these people? They are about to stone me.’ As in the past God has the answer. ‘Strike the rock and the water will come out of it for the people to drink.’ verse 6.
Unlike the Israelites, God is consistent and faithful. Consider the hymn ; ‘How firm a foundation, You saints of the Lord’ by Robert Keen.
‘Fear not, I am with you, oh be not dismayed. For I am your God and will still give you aid.’
God has never let us down. Why do we worry about Him failing now? He is true to His promises. He has promised to care for us, to guide us and protect us. Worry is unwarranted. He cannot fail us. Look at all the evidence we have in the Bible – David, Elijah, Gideon, Paul, the apostles. Those listed in Hebrews 11 all put their trust in God, He is ever faithful.
The Reply
The nurse was bandaging my damaged fingers when I made the comment that I was pleased she had nearly finished as I had a meeting in another town. I should have been ready for her question ‘What sort of meeting? I only hesitated for a moment before I said ‘ A Bible Study.’ Her response was one word followed by by an awkward silence. ‘Oh.’ If I had said a book club or cookery session, there would have been no awkward silence and maybe a comment..
Why does this happen? Are people afraid? Are they being challenged by their sin? If there was just a lack of interest they would probably have made a polite reply.
Mind you, not every reply is like that. I said to a taxi driver one day. ‘I’m going to a Bible Study’ and he quickly asked ‘What is your favourite Bible verse?’ I proved God does give one the words when needed. I was quickly able to quote John 3:16 ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.’ I then added that the promise was for those who believed and not for those who didn’t. It turned out he had gone to Sunday School as a child, but had neglected Christianity as life progressed. So sad, he didn’t realise what he is missing.