Author: Carol Purves

‘Dad, why is the clock on the clock-tower telling the wrong time?’ ‘I don’t know, son.’

‘Dad, why is that woman wearing a funny hat?’ ‘I don’t know, son.’

‘Dad, why is that man handing out leaflets?’ ‘I don’t know, son.’

‘Sorry, dad, that I ask so many questions.’ ‘That’s OK son, it’s the only way you’ll learn.’

We ask many questions of God. Sometimes He will give the answer and sometimes He will make us wait until we’re ready to accept or understand the answer. But one thing about God, He always knows the answer to our many questions, He’s omnipotent..

I thoroughly enjoyed Bonfire Night watching the large council display from the comfort of my bedroom window. The crush of the 40,000 watching people and cold air didn’t bother me. The sky was illuminated with wonderful multi-coloured stars and flashes accompanied by massively loud bangs but is over after thirty minutes.

Quite unlike the displays that God lays on. His lighting up of the sky lasts all day long with a light so bright that to look at it can damage our sight. God’s display doesn’t last for just thirty minutes; it lasts all day and and He provides a lesser light by night. His clashes and bangs are literally earth-shattering. Though most enjoyable what a feeble copy is man’s display.

As dawn broke the skies were stormy and overcast. The dark clouds against the leaden skies were dashing across at a great rate of knots. The bowing, straining boughs on the tress were evidence of the howling winds. By being indoors myself, I was in the best place.

Against this wild scene I saw a solitary bird battling the elements. Wherever he was going he was on a mission and no amount of turbulence was going to top him. Sadly I know that many birds do not survive the winter, but I also know that God knows and cares for each one. If God can bother about a tiny insignificant bird I know that He also cares abut me.

‘His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He cares for me.’

Martin King Jr said ‘I may not yet be the man I should be, or with God’s help the man I someday will be – but thank God I’m not the man I used to be.’ In our Christian life are we on a plateau or are we climbing the heavenly hill? Is there holy growth in our lives? 1 Corinthians verse 26 asks ‘Brothers, think of what you were when you were called? before we were called we were dead in our trespasses of sin.

Then God did a wonderful work in our lives. We were saved of our sin, but there needs to be growth in our Christian lives. As the apostle Paul tells us in the first book of Corinthians, we should not remain feeding on milk but on solid food. It is easy to get in a spiritual rut and think we’re ok. .We can rest on our laurels. But we are battling against the powers of darkness, against this world, the flesh and the devil. We need as much strength as we can get. As Christian found in Pilgrims Progress, life is a struggle to get to the heavenly city.

Reading the book of the prophet Micah can be hard-going because of it’s sombre message. Alternating between messages of doom and hope there are nuggets of beauty and pointers to the coming Messiah. Micah 6:8 says ‘What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to walk humbly with your God.’

My home city has used part of this verse for their motto. As they have omitted the first few words and the last, it reads ‘ To act justly and love mercy.’ There is no mention of ‘What does the Lord require of you? and also ‘and to walk humbly with your God.’

We omit God from our nation and politics at our peril. There is proof at the present time that we do not have enough wisdom or foresight to govern our nation; Apart from God there is no-one who knows what is best for our nation. When we look at the world, ‘Christ is the answer to our every need.’

A great deal of our life is striving. We strive to get everything done, we strive to make ends meet and strive to ‘keep up with the Joneses.’

I do feel that this is not how God wants us to live. It is God’s will that we should rest in His love and not stress ourselves. In creation He has given us all beauty and resources that we can ever need. There is plenty of food for the whole world if only we would learn to share and not be greedy. There should be no hungry mouths or starving children. God’s resources are bountiful and plentiful. After all, God saw what He had made and it was good.

The beauty of the countryside lifts our spirits and feeds our souls. Jesus says rest in Me for My yoke is easy and my burden is light. No more striving; let us thrive with the Lord.