Coffee Cups and T Shirts

 

Here in Katherine, we have a lovely Christian bookshop run by volunteers. In it you’ll find countless Bibles and Bible covers, pens, notebooks, books on Christian living, commentaries, music, Children’s books and games etc etc and the most beautiful collection of giftware with scripture verses on them.

I have a lovely turquoise coffee mug with the phrase “Be still and know” written in a flowing font across the front. It is one of my favourite cups, not just because of its pleasant shape and size, but because it is a continual reminder each morning, of God’s goodness.

Last night, as we had our fortnightly Bible study in our home, I had a lady ask to read what was on my shirt. And lo and behold, there the phrase was again. Be still and know.

Just last week I was reminded of this verse and wanted to take some time to write about it as I have done in the past, but time got away from me and so, finally, here I sit, hoping for some peace and quiet and distraction-free time to share some insight on this beautiful verse.

We find this verse in the Psalms.

Psalm 46:10 KJV - Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

This verse comes from a longer section of Scripture that proclaims the power of God and the security we find in his presence.

In verses 1, 5, 7 and 11, the Psalmist reminds us of God’s presence. He is ‘present’. He is in the ‘midst’. He is ‘with us’.

As you read through this Psalm in its entirety, you’ll see that the majority of it is written in the third person as the Psalmist speaks about God. However, when we get to verse 10, God’s voice is heard, and he speaks in the first person.

Be still and know that I am God.

So, what is this being still? Being still is not something I’m very good at. I have worked on it over the years, and I’ve come a long way from where I started in this area, but it still doesn’t come naturally to me. I don’t have any trouble being busy, crowding my days with activities and the like, but being still? Not so easy.

In this verse, God calls us to stillness.

”The word used here in the Hebrew - rapa - means properly to cast down; to let fall; to let hang down; then, to be relaxed, slackened, especially the hands: It is also employed in the sense of not making an effort; not putting forth exertion; and then would express the idea of leaving matters with God, or of being without anxiety about the issue.” Barnes.

So being still here carries the idea of being quiet and easy, not fretful and impatient or restless, content to relax into the will of God. It doesn’t mean to be inactive and unconcerned, but quiet. A quietening of the heart.

We find this phrase ‘be still’ in another place in the Bible that is worth mentioning.

Mark 4:39 KJV - And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

The difference here though is that in the Greek, these words, be still, mean to be silent or be dumb. So, in essence, hush or shut up. The Lord told the waves and wind to shut up! And I think sometimes, we need to just hush and be silent and listen.

We fill our lives with so much ‘doing’ and not a lot of ‘listening’. We dart from one task to the next, always on the move, never resting, never stopping to catch our breath. But God requires us to come into His presence and just be still. To quieten our minds and our bodies and listen as he speaks to us.  

As I have thought on this verse, this phrase is continually on my mind in light of recent circumstances. As our daughter battles with cancer a second time, and lives with the unknown looming so large over her, I am reminded to be still and know.

Cancer is horrible. It is a ravaging destroyer. It is full of unknowns. Only God can bring peace and a supernatural rest in Him during a time that might otherwise be devastating. Only God can say, be still and know, and have the power and authority to back it up by his faithfulness and love so that we can fully trust that he holds life and death in his hands and only God can enable us to rest in the assurance that his ways are perfect. (Psalm 18:30)

God is not the God of chaos and confusion, but of calm. God is not the God of stress and anxiety, but of rest.

God knew all about what our daughter would go through, long before I ever carried her in my womb. (Psalm 139). He held her hand, long before I ever did.

God calls us to be still. To rest. To trust. To lie content in his will.

But there is something more than just stillness in this verse. We are told not only to be still, but also to know.

What are we to know? To know that He is God.

As one commentator puts it:

“And "know"; own and acknowledge that he is God, a sovereign being that does whatsoever he pleases; that he is unchangeable in his nature, purposes, promises, and covenant; that he is omnipotent, able to help them and deliver them at the last extremity; that he is omniscient, knows their persons, cases, and troubles, and how and where to hide them till the storm is over; that he is the all wise God, and does all things after the counsel of his own will, and makes all things work together for good to them; and that he is faithful to his word and promise, and will not suffer them to be over pressed and bore down with troubles.” Gill

We are not just to learn to be still, but we are to know who God is. The more you know God, the easier you will find it to trust in him.

During this time of trial in our daughter’s life and in the lives of those that love and care for her, it can be hard to be still and know. We want to rush about trying to find solutions and we continually cry out to God searching for answers. But his still, small voice whispers to our hearts, “be still, my child”. Rest in me.

So, what do you do when your life begins to crumble, and you can’t make sense of the path God calls you to follow?

You hold on to what you know.

I have said it before, and I’ll say it again. One of my favourite quotes is this:

“Don’t doubt in the dark, what you know in the light”

During those times when life doesn’t make sense, you have to lean in to what you know of God. He is good. He is loving. He is merciful. He is compassionate.

He is the same whether the sun is shining or the storm clouds form.

Let me give you three things to think on if you’re going through something right now and need a word of hope and comfort.

1.        God is faithful. No matter what is going on in our lives, no matter the circumstances, or the crumbling plans beneath our feet, God is still faithful. He is steady. He is stable. He is our rock. (Psalm 18:31) His compassion and mercy never fails. (Lamentations 3:22,23)

2.        God’s peace and his presence are real. Even when we have no explanation for what is happening, even when life doesn’t make sense, we can rest in the promise that God is with us and will never leave us. (Hebrews 13:5) And we can enjoy his peace. The peace that is beyond our human comprehension (Philippians 4:7)

3.        The body of Christ is and should be beautiful. The gift of community amongst believers is a precious thing and something we should work on developing. As a body of Christ followers and image bearers, we are called to service to one another. We are called to love and compassion. (John 13:34,35)

One of my greatest comforts as a mother watching, from afar, our oldest child go through such a scary, difficult season, is the love of the people around her. She is surrounded on every side not only by flesh and blood family, but also by the family of God. Her brothers and sisters in Christ who love and care for her.

I can rest in the promise that as I obey God’s call to be still and know, he will give me peace that passes understanding. He will be my refuge and strength. Though the earth crumble, though the mountains shake, though the waters roar, God stands immoveable. Steadfast. Strong. My help in trouble.

And if he can do this for me, as I only watch from afar as the days roll by, how much more can he do it for our daughter, in the very midst of the storm, tossed about on the waves.

It’s not about the strength of the storm, it’s about who you have in the boat with you!

If he can do it for me, he can do it for you.

When life begins to crumble, hold on to what you know. Lean into Christ, the solid rock, and take time to be still. Listen for his still, small voice that can carry even over the noise and tumult of the storm. If you’re listening for it, you will hear it.

Be still and know.

 

 

Worship is more than a Song

Most of my readers will know what our family went through at the start of this month with my Dad’s medical emergency and the closeness he came to Heaven. God decided that it wasn’t quite his time to go, and we are blessed to have him with us for a little while longer, however long that may be.

While Dad was in the ICU ward of the hospital, we, as a family watched as he struggled to breathe, talk and stay awake. As we gathered around his bedside, squeezed into a room not made for so many people, we bowed our heads in prayer, committing him to God’s care and we asked God to take him home if that was his will.

With the beeping of the many machines, the bags of fluid hanging above the bed, their cords tracing lines across the floor, the nurse watching on as she stood silently in the corner, we began to sing.

What a day that will be
When my Jesus I shall see
And I look upon his face
The one who saved me by his grace
When he takes me by the hand
And leads me through the Promised Land
What a day, glorious day that will be

There'll be no sorrow there
No more burdens to bear
No more sickness no more pain
No more parting over there
But forever I will be
With the one who died for me
What a day, glorious day that will be

Some sang with heads bowed, some with eyes closed, some sang through tears and as I stood, eyes closed, hands raised in worship I felt the very presence of God and knew in my heart that whatever the outcome, God was in control and as his peace washed over my soul I sang my song of praise to him, as if no one but him and I were in the room.

When I opened my eyes, I glanced at the little screen with its red and green lines zigzagging up and down and I waited. I waited to see that red line flatten out. But it didn’t. It kept moving up and down, up and down. Dad’s chest rose and fell in rhythmic motions and once again I felt God’s hand upon me bringing peace and comfort to my soul.

It wasn’t Dad’s time to go. God still had work for him to do.

Those few minutes in that room, where God made his presence known, was an experience I’ll never forget.

All this to say, that true worship is not confined to the four walls of a church building, a cathedral or on our knees in prayer.

True worship is the acknowledgement of God and his power and glory in everything we do. It is all of me responding to all that he is. Worship is glorifying and exalting God.

And this can be done anywhere. In a hospital room. On a rooftop staring at the sky. As you fold the washing. As you drive down the road. As you sit in the cool of the morning reading the Words of Life and calling out to God in prayer. And as you sing in heartfelt sincerity songs of praise.

As we sang in that cramped hospital room that day, we weren’t singing Christian karaoke. Our words weren’t empty of feeling and meaning. We sang because we knew in our hearts that there was coming a day when we would see Jesus face to face and we rejoiced in knowing that our Dad had run a good race, he had fought the good fight and he was ready and willing to meet his Saviour. We praised God for all that he is and for all that he was doing. Without knowing the outcome, we worshipped and lifted his name up for all to hear.

The purpose of our praise and worship to God, through music, was and is to glorify him. Spiritual music gives voice to our joy and adoration unlike anything else. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, then Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs are the natural expression of our hearts, and we can’t help but sing them unto the Lord. In any place. At any time. In times of joy and in times of sorrow.

Growing up in a more conservative church setting, it was very rare to see anyone raise their hands in worship during the song service. I have since seen louder and more expressive ways of worshipping and also quiet and reserved forms.

What I have come to realise is that worship is deeply personal. And it is often a reflection of the journey God has taken each person on.

We never know the magnitude of someone’s testimony and what they’ve been through. And we are wrong to judge someone harshly because their way of worshipping is not like our own.

For some, worship looks like tears. For some it is raised hands. For some it’s silence. For others it’s shouts of AMEN. We don’t know what fires they’ve had to walk through or what storms they’ve had to weather.

Whether it’s loud or silent, visible or invisible, if it is done in sincerity and true adoration of God, it is beautiful to him.

But I want you to know, worship is more than a song.

We often associate worship with singing. But worship is more than that.

Did you know that the first mention of worship in the Bible had nothing to do with singing?

Genesis 22:4-6 KJV - Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

The first time we see worship in the Bible, there was no song. It was a very solemn occasion of obedience to God in the form of sacrifice.

Abraham had been commanded by God to sacrifice his son. His cherished, loved and longed for, son.

And yet, Abraham told the men that were with him, “stay here, we are going to worship”. Wow. His obedience led to sacrifice and yet he worshipped.

We know the end of the story and how God supplied a ram in the thicket and I’m sure there was more rejoicing in the camp that night for God’s goodness and mercy.

Worship really is more than a song. And if the only time you worship God is when you open your mouth to sing, then you are not living the Christian life like God would have you to.

The highest form of worship is through obedience to God and his Word. It is not limited to one act.

True worship is felt inwardly as we grow in the knowledge of who God is, and then it is expressed through our actions. Whether that be in song, in prayer, in reading of God’s Word, in communion and fellowship with others, all worship should be done for God and for his pleasure, because he deserves it and is worthy of our praise. True worship is God-centred.

Music can’t produce worship, although it certainly produces emotion. Music can be an expression of worship. It is an overflow of a heart that is in awe of God and his love for us.

Worship isn’t about how it looks on the outside. It’s all about the heart behind it.

As we sang and prayed around the bedside that day, our hearts were collectively filled with awe and gratitude to God for the blessings he had showered us with. We were thankful for the years of faithfulness and obedience and the Godly legacy our Dad had left for us, the example he had set and the testimony of Godliness he had shown us and others all around the world.

And yes, he is still with us, maybe for months or maybe for years to come, but let it be known that God’s presence and the opportunity to worship is always there. As long as you have breath in your lungs, let it be used to speak words of life over all you meet. And let it be used to worship and praise God as you let your life be one of worship as you walk in obedience to what God says. The sacrifice it involves will all be worth it.

John 4:24 KJV - God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Psalm 95:1-3 KJV - O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

Romans 12:1-2 KJV - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

 

 

 

 

Mind blowing, Eye-opening Words of Life

 

In my quiet time this morning, I literally had my mind blown!

And, in my opinion, mind blowing experiences coming from the Word of God need to be shared. It’s not enough to learn a great truth from Scripture and just keep it to yourself.

Okay, so I am no scholar or studied theologian, and maybe what I’m about to share is something you’ve already discovered, but for those who haven’t and are eager to learn something new, then keep reading!

I am currently studying through the book of Leviticus. Why? Because it’s not a book I have ever enjoyed or fully understood the significance of and one of my goals this year is to read the more obscure and less read books of the Bible and see what I can learn from them.

With all the talk of sacrifices and burnt offerings, my study took me to a passage in Hebrews 13.

Hebrews 13:15,16 KJV - By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

A few years back, I wrote an article on the first part of verse 15. (read it here Don't wait until you're happy)

It made sense to me that often praising God can feel like a sacrifice, because we just don’t ‘feel’ like praising God in the moment. We have to make a choice to offer up worship and praise to God. It costs us. We have to push aside our fears and our anxieties and sacrifice the feelings of dread and sadness we harbour and choose to put on a cloak of thankfulness and raise our hearts in worship to the only one worthy of our praise.

”The secret of joy is not to wait until you feel happy, but to rise, by an act of faith, out of the depression which is dragging you down and begin to praise God as an act of choice.” A.B.Simpson

As I read down further in the passage, I came across another sacrifice. In verse 16, we are told to do good and not to forget to communicate, because God is well pleased with these sacrifices.

Now, what blew my mind, you ask?

I decided to look up the word communicate. It means talk, right? WRONG!

This word in the Greek is the word koinonia. Does that ring any bells for you? This beautiful word koinonia is the word for fellowship.

(if you would like to read deeper into this topic, take a look at this post True Christian fellowship)

So, when this verse says that we need to do good, it also says that we need to not forget to fellowship. And it says that it is a sacrifice!

Hebrews 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Fellowship is often a sacrifice!

MIND BLOWN!

Yes, at times, fellowship can be a sacrifice. There are times when we just don’t feel like fellowshipping with others. We don’t feel like going to church. We’re just not up to making the effort.

True Christian fellowship involves getting together for spiritual purposes, for sharing needs, for prayer, for discussing and sharing the Word, for encouraging, for comforting and for edifying one another. (Read Acts chapter 2)

As Christians and fellow believers, we are in a partnership working together towards a common goal, that of reaching the lost with the gospel. We are to be a family. Looking out for one another, caring for one another, exhorting, serving, loving one another.

And sometimes, it all just feels too hard. We continually have to make a sacrifice to fellowship. We have to set aside our wants, our needs, our time, our desires in order that we can fulfill the law of Christ to love one another and encourage one another.

Fellowship requires participation. It requires our time, our energy and our resources. Each person bringing to the table what God has enabled them to do.

We are to pray together, to suffer together, to share together. Everyone carrying the load together by doing their specific jobs in order to get the gospel message of Jesus Christ out to the lost world.

When I read this with understanding this morning, I had an A-HA moment, but also an OUCH! moment.

I realised why sometimes fellowship felt hard. It often feels hard because I am making a sacrifice to engage in it. But I also realised that I am often guilty of putting it on the back burner purely based on how I feel. It really doesn’t matter how I feel. I am commanded to do it. I am commanded to not neglect or forget it. Why? Because God is well pleased!

Our goal in life as believers, should be to please God and bring honour to him. And one of the ways we please him is by praising him when we don’t feel like it, but just as important is making the effort to fellowship when we don’t feel like it.

Whatever that looks like to you, whether in a church setting, or in the home, or at a coffee shop, meeting together with God’s people with the view of encouraging and sharing and loving should be paramount!

Maybe my mind gets blown easily by little things, but this verse really jumped out at me the moment I realised that it was talking about doing good to others and fellowshipping and that these things could be a sacrifice at times, but we are not to neglect them.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but this is my interpretation of it, and it’s given me something to think about and also a new perspective on this subject.

Just a short thought this morning, but I pray that you will be encouraged to make the effort to pursue Christian fellowship as a sacrifice to God.

 

 

Are you too busy wishing them away 

or are you not letting them go?

 

Occasionally I will have someone ask me where I find my content for what I write or teach on. Usually, it is through my own personal quiet time with the Lord or through a sermon I’ve heard or a reel I’ve watched. But sometimes God brings a certain subject to my attention through what I am reading, or listening to and it comes up so frequently, and so loudly that I can’t let it rest without taking the time to study and write about it. And this is one of those times.

I rarely understand why God impresses certain topics upon my mind and gives me no rest until I study them out, but what I do know is that he has a reason. Someone somewhere needs to hear what I am going to say. Not because of any ability on my part, but because God’s Word is woven through it and God’s Word is powerful and can speak to the hearts of those who choose to listen.

So, without further ado, here it is.

Seasons. Their purpose. Their longevity. Their power.

This word has popped up in so many different forms over the past week that I can’t ignore it any longer. Maybe God is trying to work through some things in my own life through this, but maybe also, this is something that you’ve been pondering for a while.

We see some form of this word used in scripture 68 times. Seasons are part of God’s grand design for this earth we live on. Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall (Autumn). They are also part of God’s grand design for you and me. Joy and sadness, struggle and peace, birth and death, highs and lows.

All seasons have a reason. They all have a purpose. And we need to remember that all seasons will pass. They won’t last forever.

We will all go through seasons in our lives. Raising children. Building a career. Strengthening a marriage. Caring for a parent. Living out a calling on our life in the form of ministry.

Whatever the season is, we, as God’s children can be assured that he is not absent from any of them. He is always there.

New seasons can be scary. Our sense of identity and security is often wrapped up in our seasons. If we are going through a particularly good season, we might begin to dread the inevitable change on the horizon. We may be leaving behind what we know and love and stepping into an unknown future. And it’s scary. The problem with dreading change is that the only thing certain in life, is that life will change.

But you should know, that although circumstances will shift and change, God’s presence never will.

We need to realise the power and the importance of every season. Good or bad. There is purpose in our seasons.

So often, we spend our seasons strained, stressed and worn out because we are trying so hard to get out of the season we are in so that we can move on to the next one. But what we need to do is to relax into the current season and look for the beauty that lies within it.  

Let me break it down for you. This is often what it looks like.

When we are children, we long for the ‘teenage’ season. Then as we grow older, we long for the single, ‘young adult’ season. And then we want to skip to the ‘married’ season, and then the ‘I want to have children now’ season and then the ‘I can’t wait til the kids grow up’ season and then the empty nest season and on and on it goes. Hurrying things along, racing at breakneck pace until one day we look up and realise that there was beauty in each season, but we actually missed it because we were trying so hard to get to the next season.

Let that sink in for a moment. Have you been guilty of this? Be honest. I know I have.

There have been seasons in my life that I wished would have passed through my life a lot faster than they did, and then there were others I wished would have strolled through more slowly and taken their time lingering a while longer. And more often than not, I missed the beauty to be found in them. I simply wished them away.

Maybe you find yourself in a season of uncertainty or waiting right now. You don’t know what the future holds. You can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. You feel lost and you’re floundering, not really knowing God’s plan or what he would have you do.

Or maybe you are struggling through a dark season of ill health, or turmoil in the form of negative thoughts that have taken over your life. Maybe you have just embarked on a new season that is fresh and yet full of fear because of the unknown.

Whatever the season is, whatever the circumstances, can I give you something to hold on to? The framework for the next season is being set up in the current season you are in. Whatever it is you are going through right now, is preparing you for what is to come next. If you don’t surrender to the season you are in right now, you are going to miss out on the building blocks, the learning, the teaching and the training that is a requirement for you to do well in the next season.

Let me give an example from my own life to help to try and make sense of what I’m saying.

Quite a few years ago, we ran a very large youth group every Friday night with the local, predominantly, indigenous children here in our town. Every week, we would tirelessly give of our time and energy spreading the good news of the gospel to these young lives. It was an entirely new endeavour for our family, and it was very unfamiliar territory because of the cultural differences. I often visited the mothers of these kids and learned to be comfortable with uncomfortable surroundings.

Five years down the track and God closed the door on that ministry. To be honest, part of me was devastated. My identity was so wrapped up in that season, and I felt it had become such a part of me, that I really didn’t see what I was going to do next. I felt lost.

But as God would have it, he had been refining me for a different purpose. A totally different ministry. As different as chalk and cheese, but in teaching me to be comfortable in uncomfortable surroundings, God called me into women’s ministry. Something I had never had a passion for before, became my new all-consuming passion and calling. Teaching, speaking, writing and encouraging Christian women in all walks of life and in varying seasons of life through what God shows me in his Word.

The first season of occasional discomfort was preparing me for my next season. He knew I wasn’t ready to jump into the next season, without first walking through the previous one. There were lessons that needed to be learnt. There were impurities that needed to be chipped away. Rough edges polished off.

I have been through some very hard seasons in my life, some of which I’ve shared in my posts. One thing I’ve learnt as I walked through the dark times, is that God always has a purpose, and his ultimate goal is to make me more like him.

His hard seasons are for refining. Look at these verses in 1 Peter.

1 Peter 1:6,7 KJV - Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

 The Greek word for season in this verse is oligos. It has the meaning of little, small, few. Small in number, quantity and size. Short in time. Light in degree and intensity.

Peter wrote this to remind us that our seasons are of a certain, God-prescribed duration. They are a season. A period of time. They are not forever. So, if you are walking through a hard season right now, be encouraged that it is not forever. And it has a purpose. God is working to refine you and mold you into his image.

The Apostle Paul reiterates this in 1 Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 4:17,18 KJV - For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

He reminds us that our seasons, although they may not seem like it at the moment, are light and momentary, and they are working for an eternal purpose.

I don’t understand why God works the way he does, but I trust his character and I hold to his promises, knowing that he has a plan and as the seasons come and the seasons go, I can breathe a sigh of relief – I don’t have to cling tightly to the seasons that I enjoy and wish away the seasons I don’t if I keep a firm grasp of his hand. The one stable and unchanging presence that will always be with me. Jesus Christ. The same, yesterday, today, forever.

Circumstances will change but he never will. Seasons will come and go but he never will. His presence will be there with you through the storm or in the sunshine, in the rain, or as you skip through fields of flowers or as you stumble over uneven ground.

The God who holds the universe in the palm of his hand is the same God who holds your hand.

Trust him in the seasons of your life. And don’t miss the beauty he wants to show you as you walk your way through them. There is beauty to be found. Open your eyes and ask God to show you. Don’t miss a moment or waste your seasons.  

In closing, I would like to say that I want to explore this topic a little more in a future post as there is so much more to be said. But for now, remember that it is possible to come through hard seasons and be better for it. If you go into it with a Heavenly perspective, and a heart devoted to God, he can and will work through you for his glory and for your good.

Romans 8:28 KJV - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

 

 

Are you watering it?

 

I’m sure you’ve all heard the old saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.”

Can I give you a different take on this?

The grass is always greener where you water it.  

Sometimes in our lives, we go through seasons where we’re just not sure where we fit in the scheme of things. We feel stuck. Maybe we lack direction or maybe, on the flip side, we have all the drive and motivation but it seems those around us are sitting in a stagnant pool, content to let the algae form as a skin on the surface of the water, not willing to cause any ripples, raise the water level or rid the pool of slimy rocks and break the wall that holds everything in.

It's a hard place to be in where you long to see things happen, but you don’t know where to start or even if you should make a start.

Can I just be honest with you here? Sometimes in our churches, we can get in such a rut that we’re unwilling to take a risk on stepping out in faith with a new ministry that God has placed on our hearts. And so, begins our spirit of discontentment.

We start looking over the fence at other churches and other ministries and the grass looks so green and inviting. They seem to have it all. Drive. Motivation. Enthusiasm. And the means to propel it forward.

Social media has done a lot to put fuel on the fire of discontentment. At the touch of a button, we are able to view the lives of others, the ministries of other churches, the programs and events and all that others are accomplishing, and we begin to find ourselves longing for more. “The grass sure does look green over there. I’d love to walk through that garden for a while.”

Unfortunately, often all is not as it seems, and we can’t believe all that we see. The grass may very well look greener on the other side of the fence, but it could very well be fake!

So, how do we get our grass to be as green as what we perceive?

We have to water it! The grass is always greener where you water it.  

If we want our churches to thrive and build God-honouring communities within them, we have to get busy watering them!

If God puts something on your heart, and you’re sure it’s from him then you need to stop looking over the fence and start watering the grass you’re standing on.

I guess it’s a ‘bloom where you’re planted’ moment. If God has put you in a certain place for a certain season, then this is where you are meant to bloom. This is where you are meant to grow. This is the grass you’re meant to water.

If God hasn’t called you to go, then you are called to stay!

When we look at the towns we live in, the churches we are part of, the bodies of believers we fellowship with, we may find ourselves frustrated with what we see. And let me say that just because you are passionate about something, doesn’t mean that everyone else has to be just as passionate. God does give special abilities and callings that are unique to each individual and we should never force this on others. But we are also called, as believers, to be part of the great commission, and we should all be striving to build the kingdom of Heaven through our programs and our outreaches.

If we can just stop looking over the fence and look around at where God has placed us, we may begin to see what it is God is calling us to do and how we can best serve him.

If we don’t tend to our own gardens, they will dry up and die.

Too many churches are full of advice-giving, disgruntled, discontent members who want things to happen, and are critical when things aren’t happening, but then when they do happen, they don’t want to get on board or support them and instead they sit back on the sidelines, judging and letting the grass dry up under their feet, their hoses full of dried mud.

We need to get busy in working to make Heaven more crowded by living out what we believe and putting action to our ideas as long as they line up with the Word of God.

A word of warning though. Don’t go off half-cocked, running full tilt into something before spending a lot of time in prayer.

We need to spend time talking with God about the direction he wants us to take. We need to filter it through the Word of God. We need to take counsel of older and wiser men and women of God.

When you are sure that you are being led by the Holy Spirit to pursue a line of direction, and when the door is open in front of you, and you are sure it is your door to walk through, then step out in faith! And with God’s leading and guiding, take hold of it with both hands, not looking back, but whole-heartedly pour yourself into the ministry God as called you to do.

As you build friendships in your church community and as you walk close to God, you will begin to find other likeminded Christians who have the same drive and passion as you. Let God light a fire under them and work with them towards the common goal you now have.

Don’t be discouraged by humble beginnings. Start with what God gives you, with who he partners you up with to serve him. Don’t be disheartened when you don’t see the interest you hoped you’d have. Work with what God gives you and don’t let your heart fail with so called ‘keyboard warriors’ that like nothing better than to discourage.

If God has called you to it, he will give you the ability to carry it out and he will bless the work.  Although the grass may take a while to change colour, pretty soon you’ll begin to see tender green shoots and the other side of the fence won’t be so inviting anymore as you’ll be too busy tending to your own garden, that you haven’t time to be peeking over the fence.

The grass really IS greener where you water it.

If you want to glorify God and be a blessing to others, work on watering the grass you find yourself standing on.

Serve in your churches. Your communities. Your families. Your workplace.

Be a splash of colour in a colourless world. Be a light in a dark place. Be a ripple in a stagnant pool. Don’t be afraid to live out your calling.

If each of us individually can work on watering our own little patch of grass, we will soon see the fruit of our labours. It may take longer than we want, it may be harder than we expected, but God will give his reward, and his name will be glorified.

Hebrews 12:1b  …….and let us run with patience the race that is set before us

Galatians 6:9 KJV - And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sit in Silence – Give them your presence

Allow me, if you will, to preach to myself a little sermon today. I pray that you will get something out of what God has been showing me this morning and that I won’t be the only attendee being preached at as I sit before the Word of God, humbly being rebuked and convicted by the warning we find here in this verse.

Proverbs 25:20 KJV - As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

Can I tell you something that I am often guilty of? Although I am an avid student of God’s Word, I am by no means perfect and God continually reveals to me through the mirror of his Word, the dirt upon my face.

In this interesting verse in Proverbs, we see a strange word of caution. We are warned against ‘singing songs to a heavy heart’.

Now, I am always interested in references to music or singing or praise in the Bible so naturally this verse warranted more study.

And here’s my guilty secret. More often than not, I sing songs to heavy hearts.

Why is it that we as Christians fail so often in this area of knowing how to deal with those that are hurting, grieving, aching and heavy hearted?

We see someone with anxiety or depression, or we see someone working through the grieving process due to the loss of a loved one or struggling with difficulties or hardships in their life, and we slap a prayer band aid on their open wound. We tell them ‘I’ll pray for you’. We offer Christian platitudes like, ‘God is in control’ or ‘Just trust God’ or ‘God’s got this’ or ‘There’s a reason for everything’ etc.

Now, don’t get me wrong, these things are true, and prayer is of utmost importance, and we definitely need to be bringing everything to God with heartfelt sincerity. But these little things we say, although said with the best of intentions, are usually said when we don’t know what else to say and they have the reverse effect on the one suffering and are not often helpful.

In this Proverb we see mention of vinegar and nitre. Why is this so significant? Let me unpack this verse a little before I give you some examples in Scripture that I hope will show more clearly the point I am trying to make.

Proverbs 25:20b KJV …..and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

The word ‘nitre’ used in this verse is not a word I’ve ever used. In the Hebrew it is the word neter. The meaning of this is basically soda. As in sodium carbonate, or bicarb soda. It was also referred to as ‘washing soda’ and we see the only other reference to it in Jeremiah 2:22.

This chemical was obtained from the dry lake beds or other natural sources and was used for cleaning and preserving, but today we most commonly use it in baking. If you’ve ever poured vinegar onto a pile of soda, you will have seen the reaction that the two make. It is a very energetic reaction, but little else. The two elements neutralize and destroy one another. Both the vinegar and the soda are lost and there is not much left, and what is left is not useful.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

The image is one of counter-productivity and insensitivity. When we use simple sayings to comfort someone in need or when we offer a simple song, it’s often ineffective.

Don’t get me wrong. I will be the first to tell you that music has power and songs can be healing. I have often comforted myself with Godly worship songs and they have spoken to me and touched me deeply and brought peace to my soul but if all we offer is a song to a heavy heart, then we are failing.

It can have the effect of vinegar on soda. An energetic reaction with no lasting results. It may bring a moment of peace and comfort, but in the long run, more is needed.

I think we as Christians need more than anything to become more fluent in the ministry of just being with others in their heartache. Sitting in the silence with them.

Come with me to look at a man in the Old Testament who had some friends that knew what it meant to sit in silence with one who suffered.

This man was Job.

In chapter one of the book of Job, we read about the misfortune that befell him as he lost all that he held dear. And then we come to chapter 2. Here, Job is struck down with painful boils from head to toe.

After hearing of all that Job was going through, 3 of his friends came to be with him.

Job 2:11 KJV - Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

Job 2:12 KJV - And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

Job 2:13 KJV - So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

We read that the friends came to mourn with him and to comfort him. But even before they reached him, they wept loudly on his behalf. They had sympathy first. They grieved for all Job was going through, but their sympathy turned to compassion when they came and sat with him.

Now maybe, like myself, you find this sitting in silence with him for seven days a little odd. But you have to remember the period in history and the cultural setting we find this story in.

In Ancient Eastern culture, sitting on the ground with someone was a sign of mourning and solidarity. Job’s friends demonstrated their love and compassion by physically lowering themselves to the ground and sharing in his grief. We see this referenced again in Lamentations 2:10 and Genesis 50:10.

This period of seven days and seven nights was significant in Biblical terms. Not only did they sit with Job, but they sat in silence. “none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.”

I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to sit with someone and comfort them, I am going to speak! And I’m going to speak A LOT! It’s my way of dealing with the problem.

But in this culture, this was not how it was done. It was etiquette not to speak to a person in deep suffering until they gave the indication they were ready to speak or be spoken to.

And you see, in the very next chapter, Job begins to speak. And speak he does. For 26 whole verses. After this, and only after this, do Job’s friends finally speak. And we know the story, that it all went downhill from there.

Unfortunately, Job’s comforters did more harm than good once they began to speak.

Silence in the face of suffering can be a profound form of support. In Ecclesiastes 3 we read that there is ‘time to keep silence and a time to speak’. Job’s friends’ initial silence was motivated by the intensity of Job’s suffering. They realised the gravity of the situation and used their silence as a source of comfort.

This is something that I am not well schooled in, and I have a lot to learn in this area.

Sometimes the best way to support someone in pain is simply to be present.

“Silence can be a powerful tool in comforting others, allowing space for the grieving person to process their emotions without pressure to respond.”

In the New Testament, we see that the Apostle Paul understood that there was a time to rejoice and a time to weep.

Romans 12:15 KJV – Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Only an insensitive person tries to rejoice with someone who is weeping. I know that often I try and be light-hearted and upbeat as if somehow, I can force a change in mood and yes, sometimes it works. But often, the best thing to do is to sit in silence and possibly weep with the one suffering.

If we are wise, we will understand when rejoicing is appropriate and when weeping is what is needed.

Maintaining a positive, cheerful attitude and having a heart of thankfulness and joy is a good thing and often can have an encouraging effect on those who are discouraged or hurting, but we need to combine optimism with empathy and understanding. READ THE ROOM!

I know, through painful experience of my own, that when you are burdened with a heavy heart, feeling down and depressed, for someone to disregard the depth of your anguish and simply whistle a happy tune or sing a song over you is thoughtless. It’s like vinegar on soda.

Sometimes you just need to empathize with the person. Sit and listen to their heartache and agree that yes, life is hard. Bad things happen. Sickness is not fun. Grief is painful.

Sometimes it’s best to just offer your presence, while keeping your mouth shut!

It’s definitely not an easy ask.

Do you remember when Lazarus died, and Jesus came to Mary and Martha and wept along with them? (John 11) He first empathized with them and took time to mourn with them, and then he put action to his sympathy.

In Matthew 26 when Jesus went into the Garden of Gethsemane under great heaviness of heart and sorrowing, he asked his disciples to be with him. He wanted them to be present. To watch and pray.

It’s hard to sit in silence and not sing our songs to those with a heavy heart. Most of us are problem solvers and we just want to give a solution.

Sometimes by jumping in too soon with our ‘words of wisdom’ we often shortcut the process that needs to be gone through to get to the place that needs to be reached, and we simply need to sit and listen.

I am most definitely NOT the authority on this topic and I’m still in the process of learning how to do this well, but if the Word of God gives us a warning, we need to heed it.

At this very moment, my oldest daughter is going through another round of chemo treatments for a cancer that has returned. It is not a pleasant thing for a parent to watch their child suffer and I long to have words of comfort to offer and verses of scripture to remind her of, but I have been reminded today that singing songs to a heavy heart is not always the best solution.

As I sit here writing this, I am a long way away from her physically and can’t be present to sit by her bedside in silence or in weeping, but I am comforted in knowing that God sits beside her, and he is the Master comforter. (2 Corinthians 1:3,4) He knows how to speak peace to her soul, and he can bring to mind the precious promises found in scripture.

Although my songs may not be timely, God’s songs always are, and he sings over us with rejoicing.

Zephaniah 3:17 KJV - The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

I know that this verse is prophetic, but I cling to this promise knowing that he will save, he will bring rest, and he delights in his children and sings his songs to their heavy hearts.

God, work in me the ability to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. Enable me to sit in silence and just be present with those who hurt. Help me to know when to speak and when to refrain from speaking. Teach me how to listen and how to show compassion. Help me to refrain from being like vinegar and soda. Reactionary but ineffective. Amen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you repeat that? 

Have you ever had a conversation with someone who ridiculed certain modern worship songs due to their repetitious lyrics? It doesn’t seem to come up quite as often as I remember it happening in years gone by, but I’d like to pop that little discussion bubble with a pretty loud BANG!

This year, in our Ladies Bible Study I am going to be teaching a series on ‘Reflecting God’s Character’. We will be looking into Godly character traits and how we can work on becoming imitators of Christ for his glory, our good and the good of others.

While studying this out yesterday, I began to work through the first character trait we’ll be learning about. Love. A beautiful and foundational one to begin with and one that we could all improve on, I’m sure.

While taking notes and reading considerable amounts of scripture on this topic, I was reminded of a beautiful Psalm.

And if you’re wondering where I was going with my reference to repetition and bubble popping, well, here it is.

Take your Bible or open up your Bible app with me and read the whole of Psalm 136. It’s only 26 verses. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

Now, I must confess, up until a few years ago, when I first looked deeper into this Psalm, I had never really studied it as I tended to get caught up in the “his mercy endureth forevers” and gloss over the rest of the Psalm as I drifted off into a daze over the repeated phrases.

But one day, I actually READ it. Like REALLY read it. It’s amazing how God’s Word can come alive to you if you just take the time to read it, open your heart and let it speak to you.

Did you notice the repetition in this Psalm? Yeah, so much for only modern worship songs repeating themselves! This Psalm was most likely written in approximately 1004 B.C. That was a good many years ago!

Bear with me as I delve into this Psalm and try to make sense of what’s going on here.

Firstly, I want to explain a little about why there is so much repetition in this Psalm.

We see that in each verse the phrase ‘his mercy endureth forever’ is sung. This is a beautiful example of what was called responsive or antiphonal singing.

It was a call and response type singing by two choirs or singers.

In this particular Psalm, as God’s people gathered together to worship, a Levite, or song (worship) leader, would call out or sing the reason to give God thanks, and then the congregation would respond with, ‘his mercy endureth forever’.

In Jewish tradition, this particular Psalm was called the Great Hallel or Great Psalm of Praise. It was a worshipful time of rehearsing God’s goodness aloud and a time when God’s people were encouraged to praise him for his love and mercy.

What an amazing sight it must have been and what a beautiful sound would have echoed through the air, to hear God’s people singing God’s praises with all their hearts. Praising him for his goodness to him. Back and forth the song went. Call, response. Call, response.

What a pity we don’t have many songs like this in our church services today.

We don’t know exactly who wrote this Psalm, although many attribute it to King David. We do know that it was sung many times in history. One instance was at the dedication of Solomon’s temple. (2 Chronicles 7:3,6) It was also sung in David’s Psalm of praise in 1 Chronicles 16:7,34.

It was also used at least 4 other times in scripture. It was a popular hymn among God’s people. Maybe it was like the favourites we sing in our church services today. The ones that get picked every Sunday night and are sung loudly and played enthusiastically by over excited pianists (not mentioning any names)!

Whatever the case, it was a song of worship and one full of truth.

We see it again in Ezra 3:11. Here, it was sung at the dedication of Ezra’s temple. But notice, that whenever it was sung, it was always in the context of public praise or declaration.

The word translated “mercy” in the original language means “loyal, steadfast, enduring love.” The refrain “His mercy endureth forever” is also translated, “His faithful love endures forever” and “His steadfast love endures forever”. Mercy, or loyal love, is one of the most prominent attributes of God’s character. By His very nature, He shows limitless, everlasting mercy and love to all, even though we don’t deserve it.

Keep your Bible open as you read through this Psalm with me and I’ll give you a quick summary of what I found when I studied through this one afternoon while sitting in a noisy truck stop in a Darwin roadhouse, scribbling madly on a scrap of paper.

In verses 1 to 4, we read of who God is.

We learn something of his character. He is good. He is God of Gods. Lord of Lords. He does great wonders.

In verses 5 to 9, we see his work as Creator.

By wisdom he made the heavens. He stretched out the earth above the waters. He made great lights. The sun to rule by day and the moon and stars to rule by night.

In verses 10 to 15, we read of his mercy to his people.

He smote the firstborn child of the Egyptians and brought the Israelites out of Egypt with a strong hand and a stretched-out arm. He divided the Red Sea and made Israel pass through the midst of it. He overthrew Pharoah and his army.

In verses 16 to 22, we see God’s mercy from the wilderness to the promised land.

He led his people through the wilderness. He smote great kings and slew famous kings even Sihon, King of the Amorites and Og, King of Bashan. He gave their land for an heritage.

And lastly, in verses 23 to 26, we see God’s mercy and ongoing deliverance to the people of Israel.

These last 4 verses tell us that he remembered the people in their low estate and redeemed them from their enemies and gave food to all flesh.

The Israelites had so much to praise God for. He had come through time and time again and he had shown his might and power in such astounding and miraculous ways, that there was nothing to do but to praise the Lord. His mercy really did endure forever. Despite their failings and shortcomings, God’s mercy and love was still present.

And it is still true today. We could replace the reasons the Israelites gave with our own reasons and end with the phrase, ‘his mercy endureth forever’. We would have our own personalized worship song to sing unto the Lord!

How awesome would it be if some of our creative modern day hymn writers were able to pen a Psalm of praise like this, that really resonated with our modern life, and we were able to sing it worshipfully to God in our song services?

A reason to give God thanks would be sung out and the congregation would answer with a declaration of praise to God. Call and response. Call and response. A beautiful, praise song full of adoration for our great God!

We have our own stories of deliverance in this present day and age. God still works in the lives of his people today and his mercy is still enduring and will endure til the end of time when we will fall at his feet, humbly, awestruck and worshipful, giving all praise to him. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll get to sing a wonderful song of praise to him in person, repeating over and over “his mercy endureth forever”!  

Psalm 136:26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Take some time today to praise God for his mercy and love to you. Look back over your life and reflect on all his goodness to you. Remember where he brought you from and where you are headed. We have so much to be thankful for! God is good!

 

 (Please read the interesting story below relating to Psalm 136 found in the pages of history)

“One night in February 358 A.D. the church father Athanasius held an all-night service at his church in Alexandria, Egypt. He had been leading the fight for the eternal sonship and deity of Jesus Christ, knowing that the survival of Christianity depended on it. He had many enemies – for political even more than theological reasons – and they moved the power of the Roman government against him. That night the church was surrounded by soldiers with drawn swords. People were frightened. With calm presence of mind Athanasius announced the singing of Psalm 136. The vast congregation responded, thundering forth twenty-six times, ‘His love endures forever.’ When the soldiers burst through the doors they were staggered by the singing. Athanasius kept his place until the congregation was dispersed. Then he too disappeared in the darkness and found refuge with his friends. Many citizens of Alexandria were killed that night, but the people of Athanasius’s congregation never forgot that although man is evil, God is good. He is superlatively good, and ‘his love endures forever.’” (Boice)