Grains of Sand

Pixabay As followers of Jesus we often refer to ourselves as being servants of the Lord, or as serving Him. We ask other believers about what they are doing in their local churches or in para-church organizations, considering that such activity is service for the Lord. We talk about pastors and missionaries serving the Lord. Sometimes, depending on how long and/or impressive the list, we begin to believe that we must be pretty important in the grand scheme of kingdom-building. Or, on the flip side, we are forced to deal with feelings of envy when others seem to be serving the Lord in better,  bigger, or much appreciated ways than we are. Don't get me wrong, serving the Lord is a fundamental theme in Scripture. In fact, everything in life becomes service when we are reminded of Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 10:31 as he writes: " So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. " Our service lends the practical evidence to our clai...

Pixabay “ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid .” (John 14:27) What kind of peace does the world give? Temporary. Treaties are made. Treaties are broken. Ceasefires cease sooner or later. Someone looks and lusts; conflict breaks out in the push and pull of political intrigue. Relationships sail along comfortably until the next storm. That’s not God’s peace. That’s not what Jesus promised as He approaches the epicentre of conflict—His world’s  need to be rid of Him. The political and religious leaders clamour for His death. He knows this. He knows what is coming—the maelstrom in the making. And He speaks of peace that nothing can disturb and tells His disciples not to be troubled and not to be afraid. It is not a peace conjured up by force of character. Jesus says He is leaving HIS peace with them—the inheritance of those filled with His Spirit. It’s permanent. It’s living, b...

Pixabay A long spell of brutally hot, humid, weather was broken last night. This morning, as I went out into the backyard to fill the bird feeder and deadhead the pansies, the cool breeze and absence of humidity after last night's cold front and rain filled me with a sense of well-being. As I sat in my office later a familiar verse came to mind that seemed appropriate not only to the weather but for the world in general. It comes from Acts 3:19 and dovetailed perfectly with my verses of the day from John 3. Peter, preaching to the crowd in Jerusalem exhorts them to: " Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord ." The oppression of sin, the guarantee of the fiery depths of hell, can be dealt with as forgiveness rains down, as the breeze of the Holy Spirit scatters the dying embers of all that holds us down and keeps us behind the fence away from relationship with our Heavenly Father. Repent...