MARGINS & STRAIGHT PATHS

My husband, Jeff, is an incredibly flexible man... patient and easygoing. This has been a real blessing to me as I've shared life with a man who is undemanding and chilled. His name means peace, and anyone who knows him knows that this word sums him up!

However, I tend to be an all or nothing kind of person. Black or white, right or wrong and so on. One of my mantras is "If in doubt - throw it out". Flexibility is not my thing...

I like to go for a walk FIRST THING in the morning. If I miss FIRST THING, I tend to not go. This morning Jeff encouraged me to go a bit later; it was still early, just not FIRST THING! It was well worth it. 

Because I'm all or nothing, I often fail to see opportunity when it is right in front of me. Recently I was praying about some dreams I have, and the idea behind the prayer was, "Lord, please clear the decks for me so I can do this thing". He answered my prayer.

He said, "Use the margins".

That sounds like something Jeff would say.

This has opened my eyes, and now I see many opportunities where I thought there were none because I can see the margins and utilise them!

Now for straight paths.  

Isaiah 40:3 Listen! It's the voice of someone shouting,

"Clear the way through the wilderness

    for the Lord!

Make a straight highway through the wasteland

    for our God!

Can you see where this straight highway is to be made? It's in a wilderness and a wasteland.

It feels like a wasteland when life is complex and can be hugely demotivating. Anxiety and depression can settle in like a dark wet blanket, and all our get up and go, gets up and walks out! It can feel just too hard to DO anything in that place. So we remain immobilised, waiting for the wasteland to transform all by itself.

However, that is precisely where God calls us to action! In that wasteland. We are by faith to carve a smooth straight pathway where He can begin to work in our lives and where we can begin to make progress. I have another mantra...

 "Action kills apathy".  

Just doing something can break the spell of depression that holds us in a state of inertia.  

Like my margin issue, when we are in a wasteland, it feels like there is no opportunity to make progress. My last mantra for today is...

"When you feel overwhelmed, just start anywhere and keep moving"

What are some things we need to do to make good highways? Well, I imagine there would be some ground clearing to do. That is an excellent place to start.

Is there some rough ground of hurt and unforgiveness? What about the uneven ground in our priorities? Perhaps bad habits and thought patterns?

Then we can put some materials in.  How about an attitude of gratitude? Prayer? Acts of kindness and generosity?  

However, the first step if we want to make a straight path for God in our lives is to come to Him in genuine humility and repentance. Receive His forgiveness and ask Him to fill our hearts with His love and power.  

Then remember that He is with us every day, in every moment, loving us and ready to give us all we need to succeed. And every new day presents a unique opportunity to do better!  

"Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." Lamentations 3:23 

May you and I both use our margins and build our straight paths, and in doing that, see God fill our lives with joy and fruitfulness!

Until next time,

Lynda x

LOCAL CAVE OR GLOBAL VILLAGE?

If ever there was a time when we deeply sense that we are part of a global village, but might want to instinctively retreat to our local cave - it is now.  

Our hearts break and we feel so unsteady as we have been buffeted by a pandemic, controversy and division. Natural disasters such as here in Australia, devastating floods and fires. And now a tragic war is being played out in real-time on our devices and TVs.

A good question would be, 'What would Jesus say?'

Before I suggest what He might say, can we just place Him in the context of His world as He walked planet earth, fully identifying with us?  He was a Jewish man living when his homeland was under occupation by the brutal Roman Empire.  Understandably Jewish people were very defensive and passionate about this injustice.  As a Jewish man, He was one of the oppressed.

Towards the end of His life, He visits the Temple in Jerusalem and shockingly rails at the activity in that temple.

He said, “Doesn’t the scripture say, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations?"  Mark 11:17 

The temple was The Most Sacred place in all of Israel.  The nation had been singled out by God to be recipients of His Word and grace.  They lived a uniquely moral life in the midst of a pagan world.

But they had retreated to their 'local cave' and become exclusive and inward-looking... and who wouldn't in their circumstances?  They had forgotten their original mandate, stated to Abraham in Genesis 26:4... "through your descendants all the nations will be blessed".  They forgot they were part of a global village whom they were called to bless.

Fast forward to 2022.  We as believers are now 'The Temple', both individually and collectively. We, like the Jewish nation, are called to be a blessing to all nations.  

Matthew 28:18-20  Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The question I ask myself is this.  What am I taken up with?  Am I more focused on preserving my cave, exclusive and withdrawn?  Is my focus inward or outward?  Is my life filled up with frenetic activity or prayer?  And when I do pray, what is the focus of my prayer?

While we may not be able to do all things for all people, we can do some things for some people - and as we do, the ripple effect will extend to more.

And of course, our prayers cross international barriers like nothing else.

My prayer at the end of all this is, "Lord, may the temple that is my life be a place of prayer, not just for me and mine, but for all nations."

Until next time, be at peace, know you are deeply loved, and your prayers carry power!

With love,

Lynda x

THE FOOTPRINT OF THE SOUL

FOOTPRINT... 

It's a familiar word to us that has come to mean so much more than the dent we leave in the sand when we walk on the beach. It's not just about space, but about the effect we leave behind us, particularly on the environment. While this is something to consider as we are stewards entrusted with the planet that God created, I want to talk about the footprint of our soul on the world around us, the people we do life with. You know, the person lying on the pillow next to yours, or the person sitting at the desk opposite you, the child you just put dinner in front of.

I remember hearing someone talk about something dear and profound to them and thinking we are relatively small in physical space, but we each have a universe within our soul. Hopes, pain, joy and love run deep in us, and behind every face, there is a story that we don't know.

Here are a few lines from a poem that I love...

"The world stands out on either side No wider than the heart is wide; Above the world is stretched the sky, No higher than the soul is high.

The heart can push the sea and land farther away on either hand; The soul can split the sky in two, and let the face of God shine through.

But East and West will pinch the heart that cannot keep them pushed apart, And he whose soul is flat - the sky will cave in on him by and by"  

(Edna St. Vincent Millay - Renascence and other poems)

This poem is very affirming for those who are confident that they are big-hearted, but for those whose hearts are small, it's quite a challenge. And life can hurt at times; we go through times when our hearts shrink, through hurt, through troubles, through weariness.

I have good news! Jesus takes us as we come to Him with our shrivelled hearts and then heals and enlarges us.

"Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad. Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth. Happy are people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because they will be fed until they are full." Matthew 5:3-6 (CEB)

I want to leave you with beautiful words in the form of a prayer that St. Augustine (354-430) prayed.

"Narrow is the mansion of my soul. Enlarge it, so that you can enter. 

It lies in ruins. Repair it."

That, my friend, is a prayer that I know God will listen to. I suspect this prayer is a prayer that can be prayed many times throughout our lives as we feel our hearts shrink through the various seasons we experience.  

As we allow Him to work in us, enlarge us, give us big and generous hearts, the footprint we leave on the lives of the people in our world will be kind, generous & beautiful.

Until next time, Much love,

Lynda x

WHY HERE - WHY NOW??

If you could live at any time in history (including now) when would that be?

Next questions.  If you could live anywhere in the world, including where you live now, where would that be?

I just finished reading a short novel called, "A Wagon Train Weekend" by Stephanie H McGee.  I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it to you.  The idea behind the book is that a couple finds themselves somehow transported to another time in history and then what they discovered about themselves in that context.  

I've always been a bit of an old-fashioned soul, and also a soul that is given to feeling guilty about things I can do nothing about!  (Hello Lynda - you're not God!!!)  

For instance, when my children were young there was severe suffering in Rwanda because of civil war and famine.  I used to look at the mothers and think they were no different to me, we all want the same things, being loved, and a secure environment in which to raise our children.  I felt guilty that I was living the good life with free health care, ample food, clothing and a peaceful neighbourhood. 

Then I heard Acts 17:26 "From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands."  

Although this verse talks about nations rather than individuals, it does tell us that He determines time and place.  In light of current conflicts this sound very harsh, like God is arbitrarily putting some people in horrible places.  That is not true, He determines the time and place, but what we do with that time and place is our decision, and seeing as each nation has leaders, they will one day answer to God regarding how they stewarded that trust.

However, it did settle my guilt, I didn't choose to be born in the land I was, but what I do with that privilege is my choice.

Back to here and now.  We have just come through the most difficult couple of years of our time, bookended by natural disasters of fire and flood.  Now we are witnessing a war between Russia and Ukraine that could potentially become an international disaster.

My concern is for younger people. You are carrying hopes and dreams for your future and trying to hold to those hopes and dreams in spite of all the hardship and controversy that we find ourselves in.  My concern is the fear and despair that threatens to creep in wont take over your hope and your courage.

I want to say this to you.... YOU WERE BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.  You carry the grace of God for YOUR time.  What you need, God will provide.  You are growing up in a different world from what I grew up in.  The grace you carry will be different to the grace I carried.  

God will meet your need in extraordinary ways.  He will make you equal to the task.  There will be a release of the supernatural power of The Holy Spirit in your lives that will more than match the challenges.  

The world we stand in right now is overcome with fear and suffering.  And yet, as Christ-followers we live under an open heaven.  The Christ who you follow is The One who walks on water and is in charge of the storm.  I like to say that Jesus is The ultimate 'Storm-surfer'.  

So as you look out at a world in a storm, don't let the waves of fear overcome you, put your faith in Him, hop on the board of His Word and ride the waves!  As you do, you will bring hope and life to those around you.

Let me leave you with some Scripture to stand on...

Arise, shine, for your light has come,  and the glory of the 
Lord rises upon you.

2 

See, darkness covers the earth

    and thick darkness is over the peoples,

but the Lord rises upon you

    and his glory appears over you.

3 

Nations will come to your light,

    and kings to the brightness of your dawn.  (Isaiah 60:1-3)

 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

    the Lord is enthroned as King forever.

11 

The Lord gives strength to his people;

    the Lord blesses his people with peace. (Psalm 29:10-11)

When you pass through the waters,

    I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

    they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

    you will not be burned;

    the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 43:2)

Read Daniel 3 and see how true this verse is!

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.  About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.  When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here! Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. (Matthew 14:24-29)

My prayer for you is that you would be just like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Esther and, Joseph.  What does that mean?  That you would be strong, righteous, courageous and influential in an ungodly world as you learn to surf the storms with Jesus!

You are going to see things that older people only dreamed about as you keep your focus on Jesus, your feet on His Word and make time to allow The Holy Spirit to soak your heart with joy.

With love,

Lynda xx