Encouragement

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‘Let us consider how we might spur each other on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting as some are in the habit of doing. ‘ Hebrews 10:25-24.

There was no zoom in the days of the New Testament. To meet up meant a journey on foot or by donkey. Think of the young, pregnant Mary travelling so many uncomfortable miles to Bethlehem.

Today we can use zoom and use other means of technology to meet up. It is invaluable for joining with those of another country, continent or those who are housebound. But there is no substitute for a handshake, hug or even a face to face smile. Those who are on their own and lonely long for a human touch. I was on our welcome team the other Sunday and I used all these forms of welcome and then followed it up by a greeting just for them.

Do we use zoom as an excuse for being lazy, not wanting to go out in the cold? Let us not use zoom out of habit, let us keep it for when it is the only alternative. Think how Jesus used a human touch. So rejoice that we have zoom and other means of communication, but let us also rejoice when we can meet together.

Compassion

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“Phew, it was the hottest day of the year. Perspiration ran down my back, my feet were sore and my burden seemed heavier than usual, though it would be considerably heavier on the way home.

Then I saw him, sitting under the tree, deep in contemplation His clothes dirty from his journey. My heart went out to him, not in the usual way, but in compassion. Though he was a man and I a woman, how could I help him. Give him a drink? On drawing closer I could see another problem. He was a Jew. We Samaritans had nothing to do with that hated race.

I came out of my dreaming, or was it actually a dream?’ I’m not in Samaria, but in my own country, Jesus isn’t sitting at the well, I don’t have a pitcher on my shoulder. But the compassion I had dreamed, persisted.

Is this the compassion that God feels when he looks at me and my broken life? How can I have compassion for others? There is my recently bereaved neighbour, I can show her kindness There is my friend I visited recently; she is in a lot of pain. Can I do anything to help her? Then there is the lonely young man at church. He is awkward, others avoid him. I can give him a smile and engage him in conversation

‘He has no hands but our hands to do His work today. He has no feet but our feet to send men on His way.’ Anon.

What Would Jesus Do?

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Many years ago it was fashionable for Christians, especially young people, to wear a bracelet stamped with the initials, WWJD – What Would Jesus Do? It was a reminder to ourselves that before we spoke, acted or even thought, we should stop and think how Jesus would have reacted in that situation.

Being young and impulsive I wondered how we would ever get anything done if we kept stopping and thinking through every situation. But the idea is to have more of the mindset of Jesus. We are asked to become reflections of Him. Consider 2 Corinthians 3:18. ‘We who with unveiled face all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.’ It is His intention that we should grow to become more like Him.

The way to do this is to be around Him more, which means praying to Him and listening to Him. Then we need to read what He says to us in His word. Finally we need to be around those who also love Him and are His friends (church). We will be able to learn from them.

In all this the Holy Spirit will help us. In the words of the children’s hymn, Away in a Manger, ‘Fit us for heaven to live with You there.’

Our Rock

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Being content in life is not just a matter of having or not having, it is a state of mind. The poor in riches and sources can be happy, while the rich can be discontented. We read in Hebrews 13:5 ‘Be careful in what you have.’ We learn in the New Testament that Paul knew everything about changing circumstances. ‘I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty.’ Philippians 4:12

As an iterant preacher there must have been days when Paul didn’t know where his next meal was coming from or where he would spend the night. During his life he experienced hunger, prison, beatings and shipwreck. Obviously his life was more extreme than ours but I’m sure many of us have experienced changing circumstances to some degree.

If we are up when things are good and down when things are bad, we will lead a fluctuating life. Our stability and hope needs to be in God and in God alone. We cannot live by our moods, we need the levelling power of Him. When our life is a see-saw of emotions, our God, who only wants the best for us, will be our rock. He will direct our paths.

No Pressure

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I like to do things my way but during my life I’ve learned to accept help. I still don’t like it when people’s help becomes dominance and they try to take control over my life. Maybe none of us do. Sometimes we have a friend who says, ‘If I were you I’d do so and so.’ Don’t we want to reply ‘But you’re not me.’ These people mean well but it is firstly God and then us who know how to run our lives. Our God is not like that, He is not an intrusive force. He leads us gently, ‘I have taken you by the right hand I will lead you.’ Isaiah 42:6.

God’s leading is gentle and kind. In our lives we often go down the wrong paths and get into difficulties. God doesn’t come to us with a big stick and say ‘I told you not to go that way.’ He knows only too well our frailty. His rebuke is soft and persuasive. He is our gentle Shepherd not avenging dictator.

The 23rd psalm puts it so well, ‘He leads me beside the still waters,’ verse 2. He offers a time of rest and recuperation. ‘He makes me lie down in green meadows,’ again verse 2. No wonder we welcome Him into our lives.

Endurance

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‘Blessed is the one who endures under trial ……. because that person will receive a crown of life James 1:12

It’s said that living life is like running a marathon, finishing is the important thing. Runners experience different periods of exhaustion during their race, but somehow they manage to find the strength to continue and finish.

Now I’ve never run a marathon, but I have lived a life. Some parts have been easy and smooth, other parts have been difficult. But during our lives we have all received encouragement to continue and we are now in the period of continuing and one day finishing.

As Christians we have special encouragements. We have the words from our God-inspired Bible. These words can help us on every occasion and seem to come at just the right time, the work of the Holy Spirit, no doubt. Then there is prayer and the chance to have dialogue with God. Like training for a marathon, the more we practise, the easier it becomes. In marathons we do not run alone, we do not walk the Christian life alone. We need fellowship with other Christians to encourage us along the way.

May we be able to say as Paul said, ‘I have finished the race, I have fought the good fight. now there is in store for me a crown of righteous.’ 2 Timothy 4:7-8.

Green

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I read somewhere that green was God’s favourite colour, maybe because so much of our vegetation and nature is green. I expect God loves every colour because He is the God of colour and light. And we know He loves what He has created because the Bible tells us so. ‘God saw everything that He had made and behold, it was very good.’ Genesis 1:31.

God gave us the rainbow as a promise that He would never flood the entire earth again. He could have given us a bow of just one colour. But instead we have the rainbow with seven magnificent colours and on occasions we even have a double rainbow.

What a variety of different greens there are! When choosing to dress in green, it is difficult to find two items of this colour that are exactly the same, the green variety is great.

As I look at my garden at this time of year, green is the predominant colour. Even the blooming hellebores, have very pale green flowers. But in my mind’s eye I can see my garden full of different colours as spring and summer come into play. Green might be God’s favourite colour but His variety of every colour shows His abundant love for us.

Dorcas

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She was such a lowly figure mentioned in the Bible. Yet Dorcas was described in Acts:36 as a disciple; not a bad accolade! She served her community by using her God-given talents for the help of others. She was a seamstress and made clothes for the neighbours and friends. ‘As verse 36 tells us, she was always doing good and helping the poor.’

Her appearance in our Bible was because she had died. After preparing her body, her friends sent for Peter who was in a neighbouring town. Dorcas had died but her friends faith was in Peter was great. When Peter arrived he was shown by the widows, all the garments Dorcas had made Those widows, like all widows in that country were not of importance. By the power of God Dorcas was raised from the dead. . He then requested for all the people to be told ‘especially the widows.’

We might be mere ‘widows’ or people of insignificance but God still has work for us to do. May this be the year when we when we reach God’s full potential for us. This will be done by listening to God’s message to each one of us.

Lowly Shepherds

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Although Christmas Day is now a week or so away I can’t get the shepherds out of my mind. In Bethlehem at that time shepherds were very low on the social scale, especially those on the night watch. Yet it was these shepherds who were the first to hear of the birth of Jesus.

The good news wasn’t given to the important religious leaders, kings, noblemen or temple officials. The first to worship the King were the shepherds. They would have come to the stable dirty and unwashed to see a baby in a dirty and smelly manger.

The only proclamation was from angels, no-one else received this particular message at this particular time but with the news was an instruction ‘Go and see this baby.’ Just suppose the shepherds had not obeyed, thought they were too busy with their sheep or didn’t want to leave the flock exposed to danger. They could have imagined it was only a dream. Maybe they could have believed but not obeyed. The Christmas story would have been so very different. They would have missed out on the most exciting experience of their lives, Mary and Joseph would not have had the chance to be thrilled by the visit

Shepherds in Bethlehem were considered lowly. That’s good, because I and maybe you are also lowly and unimportant in the world. I pray we too may be obedient.