The Key

‘God holds the key to all unknown and I am glad.

If other hands should hold the key, or if he trusted it to me might be sad.’

John Parker

Our future is in safe hands. God knows and controls what is to become of us. By looking to Him we will be kept safe. Without the help of the Holy Spirit we might be tempted to give the key of our lives to another – to money, to popularity, to possessions. We need our futures to be unlocked by God. He alone can keep our souls safe. More than that, Jesus Himself is the key. He has given Himself for our safety.

Not On My Own

I was struggling to cope although my troubles were small compared to those of many people. The worries were becoming too much for me and my aging body was failing to cope. I tried to sort out each problem before they became too much for me and I became ill with the stress.

But I wasn’t meant to cope alone. I have a loving Father who is waiting for me to cast my burdens on Him. I have the Holy Spirit who will protect and guide me. What is it about we humans who think we have to cope alone? Why are we so arrogant? There is no way we can successfully manage, we are foolish to try. The Bible is full of people who were guided by God. Our circumstances are different, that was another era but God doesn’t change.

‘He leads me beside the still waters, He refreshes my soul, He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.’ Psalm 23:2-3

Praise

I’m not sure that praise comes naturally to us, though it should be an integral part of our being. We have so very much to praise and thank God for. Even in the worst of circumstances there is a great deal to sing praises for. Instead, we have a tendency to moan about things we can’t change; especially about things we can’t change.

We only have to read the psalms to find praise bubbling up from David and others. They worship through the natural world, through others and through the presence of God. The New Testament asks us to pray without ceasing. When we stop to think about it, our lives should overflow with gratitude. There are the blessings we have here on earth and also the blessings from the life to come. ‘Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of God for ever.’ Psalm 23:6

Technology

I am one of the many people who struggle with technology as I was born at a time before we had computers and smart phones. When there is an alternative I avoid using the computer. Many times with my mobile phone I get to screaming point. I’m told that things change so rapidly that even experts sometimes struggle, so what chance do I stand. God as the creator knows all about technology, He invented it; He’s just waiting for us to catch up.

But like everything there is also a good side to it. Without computers I wouldn’t be able to send my small meditations round the world. There is no other way I could easily contact Singapore and Spain, America and Armenia. This is a privilege to share my thoughts with in Great Britain or Russia. May we use this form of evangelism to share the good news round the world.

Letter Writing

Is letter writing going out of fashion these days? Texts and emails are quicker forms of communication, but not so durable as they tend to get lost somewhere on the phone. I suppose even love letters are sent by text these days! Fortunately I have a stash of love letters tied up with a pink ribbon and fading at the edges. I still have the last and only letter which my mother wrote to me shortly before she died.

History has thrown up letters of importance. Henry VIII wrote letters to Anne Boleyn while still married to his previous wife. Martin Luther King wrote many important letters from prison. Probably most poignant have been the letters written from the trenches, which were kept and treasured for many years, especially if they were a final communication.

Today we probably only receive the letters which accompany Christmas cards. It is exciting to realise that a friend or relative has taken the time to sit down and keep us up to date with their news. With a physical letter we can take it out and read it again and again.

As a writer I write a letter each day to God. I find it easier to express my feelings and thoughts by actually putting them down on paper. Being Christians the greatest letters we have are in the Bible. We can read them and study them every day. At each prayerful reading we will receive more wisdom, guidance, comfort and love. As it says in the psalms ‘Thy word in light to my feet.’

When to Witness

I’ve just started to become friendly with a new neighbour, Audrey, that I’ve begun to meet on the bus. Taking the conversation very slowly I had been able to tell her I was a Christian. She had been to Sunday School when she was a child but had fallen out with church. I noticed that when she spoke to others on the bus, she spoke roughly to them but became respectful when speaking to me.

I had hoped to meet her on future occasions and gradually speak to her more about my Lord. Then I learned that she had moved away and i wouldn’t be seeing her anymore. I felt guilty that I hadn’t spoken more firmly about my faith but realised that it was friendship evangelism I had been working on, though obviously not with Audrey. Then I looked at the matter logically.

I would not have been the only link in the chain of her learning more about You. I was probably just the smallest one in a list of many. Then, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict. Everything I said or left unsaid was of no consequence. As I had always prayed about the matter I knew God had directed me and I could safely leave the matter with Him.I do miss Audrey.

Not Even 40 minutes.

Moses spent forty days and nights with God on Mount Sinai; no wonder his face shone. I realise how difficult I can find it to spend even forty minutes with God. So many thoughts flit though my head which do not involve connecting with God. My thoughts are completely inconsequential and don’t need to be thought at that time.

We want people to see Jesus in us but the only way that will happen is spending more time in His presence. I can despair of myself. The devil is wily, even invading my time of prayer and contemplation. The more I struggle the less I seem to succeed. The truth is I can’t do it in my own strength; I am too weak and feeble. Help is needed.

The help of the Holy Spirit is what is needed. Until the time comes when our ‘faith will become sight’ when our whole being will be centred on God, divine intervention is needed.

Looking in the Wrong Place

My friend from Japan is always getting lost on our British roads. One day she was most indignant. ‘They had no right removing the sign.’ When pressed she explained, ‘There used to be a sign at the roundabout, directing one to the hospital. Now it’s gone.’ After further investigation, it was discovered the sign was still there but she was at the wrong roundabout.

How like mankind as a whole. We look for God in the wrong place. Is God to be found through money and possessions? This begs the question, how much money is enough? Money can be lost, possessions can be depleted. Is our salvation through our friends and family? We’ve said so many times before, they can die, move or let us down. Being thought important and having a prestige can easily float away. Ask any politician or person in a place of leadership. The general public are fickle. Today’s heroes can be tomorrows villains.

The right place to look for happiness, salvation and fulfillment is with God. Nowhere else is the right place.

My Way/Your Way

I’m a great person for making lists. My to-do list had become important to me. (I have a friend who when they have completed one task, makes a new list omitting the finished task. I’m not as bad as that!) But I found that I was depending on my list too much and the day didn’t always go the way I’d planned it. I found that i was resenting things that intruded into my carefully planned time and became upset when people wanted my attention.

This was until I realised that I’d got it all wrong. I still make to-do lists but the first item is always ‘Ask God what His plans are for my day.’ Acting outside His will is a waste of time, because He sees the whole picture and knows what is best for me and others. He alone knows who needs my help or a listening ear during any particular day. God is aware of what mishaps may happen to me and He alone can prepare me.

I now wake up not knowing what the day may bring but knowing that I have a God who is in control and has planned the best for me. It is so exciting to be in God’s hands.

Name Change

‘How come your husband is called Pop when you have no children?’ ‘He was christened Lawrence which became shortened to Lolly, then Lollypop and finally Pop!’ It was explained. Pop is not the only one to have his name changed. It happened quite a bit in the Bible.

God changed the names of Abram and Sarai to Abraham and Sarah. After his encounter with God, Jacob’s name was altered to Israel. Joseph was given an Egyptian name – Zaphenath-paneah to fit in with that culture. Hoshea’s name meaning ‘salvation’ was changed to Joshua meaning ‘Yahweh saves.’ King Solomon, meaning ‘peaceable’ was altered by the prophet Nathan to Jedediah (beloved by God). Naomi after all her tragedies changed her own name to Mara – ‘bitter’. Daniel and his three friends had their names altered to fit in with the Babylon culture.

In the New Testament Simon whose name meant ‘one who hears,’ was changed to Peter meaning ‘rock’. At that time that would have seemed a strange choice but it proved that that was his final true character. Jesus had His own name fore-ordained for Him. Even I have had my name changed. I am now called a ‘Child of God.’