Five Husbands

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How easy it is for us to be judgmental and narrow-minded.Jesus had no such inhibitions when He spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well. He broke many taboos and showed His loving and discerning nature.

Firstly, it must have been very deliberate for the group to travel through Samaritan at all. Jews would often travel many extra miles to avoid going through this country. Why was Jesus alone at a place where mostly women went to draw water? By asking about her husband Jesus knew exactly what He was doing. It was a very personal question to ask a despised foreigner of the opposite sex.

But we see a marvelous result when the woman asked ‘Can this be the Messiah?’ And the result was that they ‘came out of the town and were coming to Him.’ Maybe we should show more boldness in our witness!

Lost for Words

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We are often lost for words when describing God. One version of the Bible has used the most telling words they can thing of. It tells us that ‘God’s love is meteoric.’ What a lovely word. With meteors we think of luminous stars shooting across the sky from horizon to horizon, just like the love of God. ‘God’s loyalty is astronomic.’ Again the writer has turned to the skies.

‘God’s purpose is titanic,’ using the image of the sunken ship and the power of the Titan race. ‘God’s verdict is oceanic.’ The writer turns again to nature using the thought of water which covers so much of the world’s surface. The book of Proverbs is further evidence of this.

Whatever words are used, they are completely incapable of describing our God!

Called Two by Two

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We read that Jesus walked by the seashore and called Simon Peter and his brother to be disciples. A little further along He met and called the brothers James and John. I wonder whether it actually happened on the same day. If so it could be called ‘Recruitment Day!’ The other disciples were called individually. but these brothers came in pairs.

On many occasions God allows us to have partners as we do our Christian work. What a blessing that is when we are with someone who speaks the same Christian language as us, someone who understands rejection from the world. This companionship must be a great blessing. This would especially apply in a foreign culture or where persecution is high.

For those who are called to ‘plough a lonely furrow’ God is there as their companion and guide.

Not One Saved and Not One Drowned.

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Probably few of us witness such a spectacular and horrifying event as the drowning of the Egyptians in the Red Sea. The Israelites had passed through safely, then the waters closed over the Egyptian warriors. The Bible tells us that ‘were bodies of the Egyptians on the shore.’

One wonders how they could forget God’s wonderful miracle towards them. But then we only have to think of ourselves and how we easily forgot God’s bounty to us.

The story reminds of God’s great power especially over the natural world. Not surprising really as He created it. The waters parted as exactly the right time and then closed over at the right time again. There was nothing haphazard in God’s planning. There wasn’t one Israelite who drowned or one Egyptian who was saved.

‘Why Have You Forsaken Me.’

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‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.’ The anguished words of Jesus on the cross will be ones we never have to utter. Never at any time are we forsaken by God. From the beginning of time to all eternity God is there for us. We read in the Bible ‘For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.’ Ephesians 2:20 .Impossible though it sounds, God is always there for us. God means good for us and not evil. We read again ‘You created my utmost being. You knitted me together in my mother’s womb.’ Psalms 139:13

The sad thing is that we so often forget Him, disobey Him or use Him as a glorified Father Christmas.In national disasters we pray; in personal tragedies we remember Him and promise ‘if only You answer my prayer, I promise this and that. How about a bit more worshiping, praising and communication with Him!

A Hot-line

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Prayer is a hot line to God. When speaking to Him there is no waiting in a queue, or an anonymous voice saying ‘Your call is important to us.’ There is no endless Vivaldi being played. The Bible tells us that God answers even before we ask. As we pray to God for others, He hears and answers, though not always in the way we expect but always in ways which are the best.

Prayer moves the hand that moves the world and more things happen through prayer than this world dreams of. Prayer is asking God to do what we cannot. What a responsibility, what a privilege! We are making contact with the King of Heaven.““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““

Rooms versus Mansions

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In John 14 I’m sure that the translation ‘rooms’ is more accurate than the word I was brought up with ‘mansions.’ I prefer this word. And why not, I have many rooms in my house, I’m expecting heaven to be an upgrade. Our God will bestow us with mansions, castles, meadows, fields. God is not stingy, He is lavish. While a beautiful landscape or opulent building can impress us now, heaven will be more than we can ever imagine or think. God will delight to shower us with blessings.

So I will continue with my mansions. ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions ……… I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:1-2

A Prayer Away

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Do we ever feel we can’t do much for the Lord? How wrong that thought is. We can always pray for others. No elaborate words are needed, no physical effort or oodles of time. All is need is a few simple words, sitting in a chair and the ability to send ‘arrow prayers’ to heaven. Or when driving the car or waiting at the school gate. We can be of use where we are not. We can travel the world to be with our needy friends and relatives, but our prayers can place God at their side.

So often we feel we need to be doing and unless our Christian life is filled with activity it doesn’t count. Not so. The private life of unstinting prayer is what God often asks of us. There are no stars for the amount of time spend in prayer, just a God who knows and answers. ‘The kingdom of God is within us.’

St. Valentine’s Day

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I would make a special prayer and thought today for those who are lonely and looking for love. May we remember single-parent mothers or fathers who are struggling alone to face the difficulties of bringing up their children on their own. There is remembrance of those who are in abusive relationships, we pray for safety for them. We pray for those for whom romance is only a memory as they grieve a lost one. And finally we prayer that all may experience the total, unfailing love of You their God and Father.

Who Am I?

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‘What is your job?’ ‘What do you do?.On meeting a new acquaintance these are the kind of questions that we tend to ask. What we should really be asking is ‘Who are you?’

We are not defined by what we do. We can’t be described by what family we have. The misplaced questions can have various answers – nurse, brick-layer, accountant and mother, son, second cousin three times removed. These answers talk about our jobs and family relationships, not who we are on the inside.

The Bible gives us the best answers; we are beloved by God and we are redeemed. We are not servants but heirs. My identity is hidden in God.