WE'RE WELCOME

Hi everyone,

I saw something this morning that I felt compelled to write about, so here goes...

Colossians 1:15-17 tells us, "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist."

I saw a short video of preaching this morning on the reality that all creation—the sun, moon, stars, and the earth—obeys God. So when He calls us to Himself and we say 'no', then all creation will rejoice when He sends us to hell, based on that 'no'.

It troubles me. It is somewhat true, but there is an angle that is being missed in that short reel; it was only part of a sermon after all, and I don't know what else was said, and there is a danger of judging the whole message on a two-minute portion. 

So what is that missed angle?    

RELATIONSHIP.                                                

Creation has no choice. 

We do.  

Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

This is clarifying and terrifying in one moment.  We, not the rest of creation, were created in His image. He made us to love Him, choose Him, walk with Him and represent Him to creation.  The earth is the place we get to do that. It is the beautiful setting in which this relationship unfolds.

So why would He send us to hell?

Imagine if I didn't like you, showed no interest in you, or even worked against you. You would be a fool to welcome me into your home.  If I feel the same way about your children, you would be worse than a fool to let me into your home.     

God has made a way through the life and love of Jesus for any animosity to be over. 

John 3:16-17 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." 

He has done all He could to make a way, yes, even that massive curtain that kept us out of His presence in the temple was ripped from top to bottom on the death of Christ.  It's as if God couldn't wait to open to door to us!

So the next move is ours.  

If we choose to reject, ignore or despise His call, why would He welcome us around the 'family table'?

Why would He share His kingdom with us?  He would be a fool to do so. 

WE choose separation, not Him.  

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Right in the moments Jesus was dying, He forgave those who put Him on the cross. 

He made the first move.

We choose separation, 

not Him.  

Whatever hell might be, fire and torture, etc, to be separated from He who is Love itself, and be around the table of the accuser for all eternity would be hell.

But it's our choice, 

not His.

Love demands the freedom to say no.  This is why we have that choice.  It is as unreasonable to blame God for our choices as it would be for a parent to be blamed for the choices of their children, or for us to blame the employer if we choose to not do our job, or to blame the authorities for sending us to jail for the crime we chose to commit.

But God is not a human parent; He is not a difficult employer, nor is He a heartless authority.

He IS Lord and King of all creation.  He does call the stars by name.  He does command the ocean where it should go.  He is eternal, unchanging, holy, just, righteous. And He is perfect love who takes the time to know the number of hairs on your head.

And it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of this living God. (Hebrews 10:31)

He IS coming back to judge the living and the dead, and that is a good thing, particularly because He is loving, merciful and just. In light of all the injustice and evil in the world right now, the promise of His righteous judgment is good news, especially to those who are victims of injustice.

https://youtu.be/UcJuYwu53zY  Take a moment to watch the song "So Will I" by Hillsong and consider: 

Will you turn your heart towards Him or away from Him today?

For what it's worth, I can't imagine creation rejoicing when people wind up in hell. God doesn't.   "As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live..."  Ezekiel 33:11a NLT 

We're welcome around His table, but it's up to us.               

Much love,

Lynda xx

Photo by Zetong Li on Unsplash

BUSINESS AS USUAL

Hi everyone,

If I ask you what the name Deborah from the book of Judges brings to mind, what might you say?

Mighty, Leader, Prophet, Courage, Anointed? 

Yes, and you would be right on all counts.  But this morning, as I read Judges 4, this verse really spoke to me.

"Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time.  And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment."
  (Judges 4:4-5)

She was someone's wife, which indicates she had domestic commitments, and she spent her days receiving those who came to her for counsel and judgment as she sat under her tree.

She's in the Bible because of the battle she helped to win, but her daily life was more mundane.

Our lives matter, not just in the big moments of major events, platforms and public profile. Our lives matter in the daily, 'business as usual'.  

I wonder if on some days, sitting under that tree, she didn't get to feel a little ho-hum about it all?

And I wonder if her faithfulness in that daily business-as-usual routine, both under the tree and doing life with her husband, didn't prepare her well when the big challenge came.  

If there is one thing I love about God, it is that ALL of our lives matter, not just the big ticket items.

May you and I be content with our business-as-usual days, and in our faithfulness be well prepared for the big moments that come now and then.

With love,

Lynda xx

WAGTAILS, EAGLES AND CHOOKS

Hi everyone,

We're currently away from home, looking after four of our grandchildren. What I imagined would be pretty tiring has filled my soul with deep satisfaction. I love the sounds of a houseful of young people and the satisfaction of cooking the big meals I used to.

They live out in the country, and our favourite spot is the verandah, from which we love to watch the birdlife.

I was out there the other morning, watching the wagtails jumping around the lawn, seemingly dressed for dinner and having a blast!

I have also been reading a great book, "What Christians Ought to Believe: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine through the Apostles Creed," by Michael F Bird. It is blowing my mind with the incredible majesty of God, the wonder of His grace and the awesomeness of creation.

This will bring context to what I am about to say.

Can you imagine the sense of humour and creative brilliance of God to create willie wagtails? Have you ever watched them?

Then I thought about eagles. They are majestic, awe-inspiring and are known to soar over raging storms.

Then I thought about chooks. I've heard it said, "Don't be like a chook, be like an eagle, because chooks just scratch around in the dirt and can't really fly.

Well, willie wagtails are entertaining, and eagles are awe-inspiring, but the chooks, which are earthbound, provide food. Imagine trying to find the eggs if they could fly like eagles?  

God, in His wisdom and fantastic imagination, has created all three.

Some of us are like wagtails, pretty happy with ourselves, and make others happy. Some of us are like eagles; we can go places many others don't.  

But I suspect many of us are like chooks and self-sabotage by comparing ourselves with shame to those who can make others laugh, and those who seem to be able to soar, forgetting, that if the chooks weren't pretty much stuck at home, the gift of their eggs would not be there for others.  

So, 

• If you're a wagtail, go ahead and strut your stuff; we all love to be cheered up.
• If you're an eagle, fly as high as possible; we need your perspective.
• And if you feel stuck at home, know that your contribution to those around you is priceless.

God has created all in His wisdom, love, humour and vast imagination.  

With love,

Lynda xx

PS... Michael Bird's book is highly recommended. :)

SAVED AND SURRENDERED

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all doing really well. We have now settled back into life at home and are pleased about that too!

Have you ever wondered why some people who identify as Christians seem to thrive and grow and have peace and settled faith, even when life dishes up some nasties?

And others seem to struggle?

Have you ever gone through a period of high stress and wondered why your faith isn't working?

Or have you noticed that some believers seem clear on God's will for them, and others are stumbling about in confusion?

Let me introduce you (and me!) to an 'S' word.  

Surrender.

If we look at what the Scriptures say, particularly the early preaching in the book of Acts, we find that Jesus isn't only presented as Saviour, but as Lord.  

In the very first sermon, "Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified". Acts 2:36 (ESV)

That's a pretty punchy declaration within weeks of the crucifixion, in the city where it happened.

We also find that surrender is a key to victory. It sounds counterintuitive, but we are safe when it comes to surrendering to the Lord Jesus Christ. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7 (ESV)

I wonder if we sometimes turn that on its head by resisting God and submitting to the devil by fighting for our own way.

I have experienced this wrestle many times in my life. I can confidently tell you that I recognised the moment of surrender by the experience of unexplainable peace that filled my soul in those moments.

Surrendering to God also brings all of the issues and affairs of our life under His will, wisdom and care, and anything surrendered into His good hands can be safely left there.  

2 Timothy 1:12 tells us that God can keep what we entrust to Him, so surrender is the essential ingredient to a salvation that genuinely works for us, not just in the sweet by and by, but in the gritty earthly life we are living now.

It may be time to stop hanging on to our will and surrender to His.

Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that for those who love God ALL THINGS work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 (ESV)

So, can we encourage one another?  Let's surrender our lives to The One who proved His love for us by surrendering His life for us.   

Until next time,

Love, Lynda xx

THE TRAP AND THE PIVOT

Hi everyone,

I've just returned home from an amazing holiday with Jeff & Dad.  We did a tour of Southern Ireland and loved every minute of it.  One of the joys was seeing Dad have such a good time.  We flew out of the country on his 89th birthday, and it is a testament to his faith that he is so well.  

As good as it was, we are all happy to be home and looking forward to a settled routine, which for me will include a return to regular writing!

I revisited a recent journal entry this morning and was prompted to share it here, so here we go!

Have you ever found yourself discouraged because other people seem to be doing better than you?  We all know that comparison is a trap, and particularly when we feel like we deserve better!

 "For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness" Psalm 73:3. Here is the trap.  Envy, and may I point out, a judgmental attitude to boot!

Anxiety and depression are guaranteed companions to envy.  Envy is the trap.  And judgment hardens our hearts and closes our minds.

So, what is the pivot?  How do we release ourselves from this trap?

Drop down to verses 16-17 of Psalm 73... "So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! Then I went into your sanctuary, O God......"

17 The pivot point is getting ourselves into the Presence of God.  If envy and judgment bring anxiety and depression, the Presence of God brings peace.   The sanctuary of God is not limited to a Church gathering. It's that personal space where we meet with God on a regular basis.  The place where we
worship, where we cry, where we wait, where we pray.  

Let us avoid the trap of envy and judgment, and allow the Presence of God to wash over our weary souls.  Better still, make time in The Sanctuary of His Presence a regular part of our life; it might just help to keep us away from that nasty trap of envy!

Until next time,

Love, Lynda xx

PRESENT, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Hi everyone,

I hope you are well, and if you are in Queensland, high and dry, and have suffered no damage from Cyclone Alfred.

I have been home just over a week after a month in Thailand, helping out at a Bible College.  I have met the most amazing people, and from the first day, I was aware of the grace of God in my life.  

Thankful is to light a word to express for all that He has done for me.  This time last year, I was unwell and looking at a bleak future.  Twelve months on, God opened this door, and I couldn't have been in a more different place, both geographically and in my own well-being, if I tried.  

Some things only God can do!

On returning home to 'normal' I can find myself asking what my next big step of faith is.  "Where next, Lord, do you want to use me?"

This morning I was reading the following verses....

"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise." Psalm 51:16-17

At the time this psalm was written the activity of bringing sacrifices and burnt offerings were a very public activity.  

I read somewhere this week that it is easier to serve God than to worship Him because in serving Him, we get to use our skills, but in worship, we get to open our hearts. Sometimes it is easier to be busy 'sacrificing for Him' than opening our hearts to Him.

In my personal 'debriefing' with The Holy Spirit, I needed to clean up some attitudes, repent for some words spoken, and not take off on another faith adventure!  

It is fine for me to enjoy the comforts of home, He is not asking me to 'step out' in faith anywhere.  He wants me to be fully present with Him in the Secret Place, so my heart can be cleaned up, renewed and readied for whatever He would have me do.

It takes humility to be fully and honestly present with God at home.  Going out and offering our lives as 'sacrifices' can look good, but what good is that if, in the sanctuary that is our heart, there is unfinished business?

I know there will be many more 'faith adventures', but right now, I'm free to be home, be rested, and be fully authentic in the Presence of my Saviour!

Can I encourage you to read Psalm 51 in its entirety?  It is such a beautiful, safe place in which to come to God.

Happily, back home,

With love,

Lynda xx

SAY IT SLOW .... K I N D N E S S

 SAY IT SLOW ..... K I N D N E S S

Anyone who knows me well knows I'm inclined to say to myself, "LYNDA, GET A GRIP!" I prefer Jane Austen's, "I will be calm, I will be mistress of myself". But I never remember that one as easily! (I dug it out of "Jane Austen's Little Book About Life" just now.)

This week, I have read two passages about kindness, gentleness, and patience. 

Matthew 12:7: "But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless."

Matthew 12:20a "A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench,..."

Proverbs 15:4 says, "Gentle words are a tree of life;..."

Have you ever thought that these are not just encouragements to be gentle and kind but words that express who God Himself is towards us?

He is kind, patient, gentle and faithful.

Our words and our natures are harsher than He is.

Our words and our natures are harsher to the people around us than He would be to them.

Our words and our natures are harsher towards ourselves than He is.

I want to be gentler and kinder than I'm inclined to be, just like Jesus. 

Not be quick to write people off, my words withering people's souls. But be so kind and patient that the bruises heal and the fire burns brightly again.

I should do the same for myself...

You should, as well.

With love,

Lynda xx