E.G.N.

E.G.N. – extra grace needed. I’m told that the minister of my church during my teenage years kept a list of all the members of the congregation. Then each week he would sit in the pew where they usually sat and pray for them. Beside the names of some people he had written the initials E.G.N. That stood for extra grace needed. No, we never knew who had that doubtful privilege.

Unfortunately we all know people like this. The words ‘walking on egg shells’ comes to mind. It is very easy to offend them, they can take what you say the wrong way. As teenagers we used to say that in heaven ‘their harp would be out of tune and the cloud they were sitting on would be damp.

You can see I wasn’t very good as a young person and probably should have known better. But I do hope I and my family weren’t E.G.N. people in our church!

Two brothers

Two brothers but chosen by God for different tasks. Moses was born to be a leader; God chose him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt into the desert towards the promised land for forty years. Aaron did not have the same leadership qualities but he had what we would call today the ‘gift of the gab.’ Moses did not have the confidence to speak up in front of Pharaoh but Aaron did. Aaron couldn’t perform the miracles that Moses did. Moses was the man for that job. The two brothers pooled their gifts to work for God.

We all have particular talents, which used with others will bring about God’s plans. We can’t take someone else’s talent, that belongs to them. God chooses the particular talent for each one of us.

A Cameo

The two year ago little girl staggered across the library clutching four large picture books. She waited with her hands on her hips and her sleeves rolled up as the library assistant stamped her books out. While her mother and the librarian talked briefly the youngsters hugged the pillar in impatient anticipation. She received the books back with a small jump of joy.

I could only imagine her excitement as she devoured her books at home. What a lovely introduction to the world of the library and the world of knowledge.

A Relationship

A relationship with God is not meant to be transitional, it is meant to be transformational. We are not just meant to go through the motions; it is to have a deep connection with Him. This is one thing which makes Christianity different from other religions. It is a relationship with the creator of the world and the Saviour of our Souls. God doesn’t want our activities and traditions; He wants to connect with us at the deepest level.

Is our faith too self-focused? There is a tendency these days to concentrate on what we can do, not what God can do. We spend more time examining ourselves, than exploring our Saviour and His reward.

Neighbours

Who is the neighbour I’m called to love today. It is my kind, helpful lady living next door as well as the unwashed man sitting next to me on the bus. It is one of my church leaders as well as Stefan who I see begging each day on the street. What can I do except chat with him? My neighbours is the woman in my book reading group who I don’t really like, as well as my best friend.. My neighbour is the relative who doesn’t like me, as well as my adorable little nephew

Neighbourliness doesn’t come with a filter.

Once and For All

I had a shower a few days ago and another one this morning. I will have a another shower tomorrow; because I am clean on one day, the grime and dirt of the day rubs off on to me and I don’t stay clean.

The treatment of my sin is not like that. I have sinned yesterday, today and unfortunately will sin tomorrow and the rest of my life. But I don’t have to be like the Pharisees who were continually needing to offer sacrifices for their sins. They didn’t remain clean and pure.

The blood of Jesus has cleaned me once and for all. The complete sacrifice has been made; nothing more has to be done. My sins are forgiven for ever. That sounds pretty marvellous to me.

The Queen’s Crown

Among the miles of words written about our late this Queen, I read this snippet. Talking with her chaplain, the Queen said that she would so love to live to see the Lord’s return, so that she could lay her crown at His feet. I imagine that is what she has now done.

We will not have a regal crown to lay at our Lord’s feet, but we will have a crown of our achievements, our sadnesses and our sorrows. There will be the crown of our failures and our repentance.

The size or importance of our crowns will not matter. The value of our offering will be accompanied by our thankful hearts.

Rejected Cornerstone

The chief priests, teachers of the law and elders planned to kill Jesus. He undermined their authority and on more than one occasion were reported as being afraid of the crowd. Their concern for human opinion was greater than their love of God. They failed to see that Jesus was the Son of God. Np wonder we read of the prophecy about Jesus ‘The stone the builders has rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this and it is marvellous in our eyes.’ in Mark12:

Do we care for public opinion more than our love of God?

Mother Theresa

Mother Theresa died 25 years ago this month. Her name is recognised all round the world for her work in bringing help to suffering humanity. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize she always appeared cheerful and deeply committed to God in her work but writing in her diary in 1958 she admitted honestly and surprisingly., ‘My smile is a great cloak that hides a multitude of pains. People think that my faith, my hope and my love are overflowing and that my intimacy with God and His union with His will fills my heart. If only they knew.’

A Trick Question

‘Should we pay tax to Caesar or not?

A trick question from the Pharisees; they thought they had caught him out with this one. As always He had the last laugh. By looking at a denarius He instructed them ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is Gods.’

It is a question we need to ask ourselves today. As a citizen of our country there are rules we need to obey unless they conflict with the laws of God. How blessed we are in this country that the conflict seldom arises.