Carol’s Blog

Dominoes

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A small group of us were playing dominoes. It was a very amateur friendly game, nothing professional about it. We even adapted some of the rules so that everyone felt included and enjoyed the afternoon. Even so, I found that there were a few strategies I could use to give myself a better chance of winning.

Playing dominoes is a bit like life, a matter of choices. We need make so many choices in one day, some big and some so small that we hardly notice them, What will we have for breakfast, what will we wear. Some decisions are far more important and take more thought, what career will I follow? Who will I marry?

All choices large or small will have consequences. If we choose casual clothes for a formal interview we are unlikely to get the job. If we make a wrong choice in choosing a life partner, it will affect, well, our whole life.

We do not need to be on our own when making our choices, especially the big ones. God can be with us every step of the way. ‘Take it to the Lord in prayer,’ we are urged. God knows the end from the beginning and has far more wisdom than us. He wants to hear from us. Talk to Him.

The Glory of God

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When Moses came down from the mountainside his face shone because he had been in the presence of God. Elijah was hidden in the cleft of the rock while God passed by because his God was too great for him to see. The Old Testament is full of stories of God’s great might and power. He is the creator of the universe and the means of our salvation. No honour is too great for him. He is worthy of all our praise and love. The hymn writers are always extolling His might. ‘Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.’ Isaac Watts, from Amazing Grace.

But are we loosing our sense of wonderment these days? We are more casual in our clothing, men seldom wear collars and ties. Footwear is mostly trainers and shorts are worn more often. The whole of life, especially in my own country is becoming more casual. This might in part be due to social media and is not necessarily a bad thing.

But it could be a bad thing if this is our approach to God. God has not changed although we have. He is still the holy God of the Old Testament, but as the God of the New Testament He has died for our sins, He is still an awesome God. He loves us as a friend but He is still an awesome God. Somewhere there needs to be a balance.

What Would Jesus Do?

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A few years ago there was a craze of wearing a bracelet marked with the letters WWJD – What Would Jesus Do! I imagine that by people wearing this bracelet others would ask what the letters stood for. This would then give an opening to explain the gospel to non-believers. I’m sure that often this worked and it was a unique way of engaging others.

I never wore one of these bracelets but as I’ve progressed in life I’ve learned that following Jesus is more than wrist=deep. What would Jesus do when, like me, He was tempted to tell a white lie to save the feelings of others? What would He do when having to choose between two good things?

The closer we live to our God the easier it is to do His will. Yet since my early years I’ve found how difficult that can be. As we say ‘life keeps getting in the way.’ Our following of Him can be with dragging footsteps or wandering feet. Our following can be half-hearted and shallow.. The enthusiasm we once had when we were younger can wane.

How we need the need of the Holy Spirit to keep us on track ‘I will exalt You, my God the King, I will praise Your name for ever and ever.’ Ps 1:145.

Only Five Loaves

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I can imagine his mother preparing his food for the day. She knew he would be out for a long time hoping to follow and listen to the young preacher. He would probably meet up with his cousins and his friends. He would need her picnic to keep him going. She was used to preparing food for him, he was out so often. What should she give him this time? She had already baked this morning. Four of her small loaves would be ideal. No, he was a growing lad; five would be better. Her husband had been fishing that night, she would include fresh fish. It was just for one person, anyway.

But Jesus had a different idea. He knew this was a meal packed for one but under His power it was going to feed thousands.

When we come to know the power and love of Jesus, it is for us individually. As the saying goes ‘God doesn’t have grandchildren.’ We can’t be a Christian because our relatives have been. The message of salvation is for us personally. But God wants that message to be shared with thousands. This story gives such a human touch, the stories in the Bible are for us. There are thousands and millions waiting to hear the word. He wants to use us distribution managers.

No Use

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‘I am no use where I am.’ Christians could chose to say this of their lives. This could be thought by mothers at home with their toddlers. Their talk would be baby talk with no intelligent conversation with little chance to witness.. Someone might have a boring job with no opportunity to talk with others or working from home. How could they share the gospel? Would they think they were of no use? If a person was retired or house-bound. They would be isolated, not of use to God!

But as Christians we believe we are where God has directed us to be. Therefore the logical conclusion is that if we are obedient we are where God means us to be. God also says, ‘Go you into all the world and preach the gospel’ If God wants us to tell others of the good news of salvation, He must have planned that we are in the right place. He has a patch for each one of us. We can’t poach where someone else is supposed to be. Then who would be working in the place where God intended us to be? It is planned that wherever we are, we are of the utmost use to God.

Revival

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‘Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.’ D.L.Moody

Christians today all round the world long for revival. We quote the revivals of the past and wish for those days to come again. But without one ingredient it can never happen. The revivals of the past were preceded by prayer. All night prayers, prayers in large groups and individual prayers praying alone. Day after day, year after year. and for even longer periods revival was prayed for.

We can never pray too much, we can never pray too earnestly. It is not just gentle, simple prayers that are needed. It is sacrificial time-consuming, pleading prayer that needs to flow from our hearts. God is listening, He needs to know if we are serious. We need to be compassion about the souls for whom we pray.

Prayer is the most important work of revival, it is not the revival itself. Prayer will move the hand of God. John Welsey said,’ God does nothing but by prayer and everything with it.’ We read in the gospels so often that Jesus prayed. His life was one long prayer. What better example can there be!

Quietness

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‘In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.’ Is 30:15

The other afternoon my friend and I went out for a coffee. We wanted to spend a little time together catching up on each other’s news. Although I had been to this cafe before, I had always been on my own then, so hadn’t realised what was so evident that afternoon. The whole time there was loud music blaring out.

We ended up shouting at each other just to be heard. I wondered why the next generation needed to be in constant noise. It was because of similar noise of music in the supermarket that I changed my supermarket.

On this particular afternoon I was pleased to get home and sit in the quietness of my garden as my headache gradually subsided. I have recently installed an app on my phone to distinguish different bird songs but on this day I closed my eyes and just listened to the rustle of the wind in the trees, distant child laughter and those singing birds. How fortunate I am that my garden is a quiet place with no noisy passing traffic.

No wonder Moses went up the mountain to escape the clamour of the Israelites , Elijah sat by the gurgling brook and Jesus sought out the desert places. Quietness equates to thinking and praying time.

What Age?

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God uses people of every age, none are too young or too old. We think of Abram, as he was then known. At the age of 75, he was a nomad wandering the desert with his wife Sarai, as she was also then known and his nephew Lot. They had much cattle and servants. The couple had heart-break because they were not able to have children but God asked Abram to set out on a long journey to the country of Canaan. Abram was obedient.

Many years later a young man who as a baby had been rescued from a basket in the bulrushes received a call from God to lead his people out of slavery from the Egyptians. In spite of his reservations and with the help of God and his brother Aaron, he obeyed.

Samuel was a young lad, not yet knowing the ways of the Lord but when God called him, after guidance from Eli, he obeyed.

Caleb was 80 when he asked God for a new divine assignment. He didn’t think he was too old. After guidance from God he was obedient.

Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist and his wife Elizabeth were old and unable to have children. Yet when God spoke to him and foretold that he would have a son, he obeyed God’s instructions though at first he argued with Him

Paul needed to instruct the young Timothy that he wasn’t too young to serve God and should ignore anyone who held his youth against him.

It is obvious that God doesn’t consider age in His callings and neither should we. When God calls, He equips. We are never too old or too young.