Friday 31 January 2014

Search



Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
                                                                                                 Psalm 139.23,24


I believe I know my heart. I desire to live in a full relationship with God. I know there are imperfections and sin in me. I try to deal with these as they arise, by confession and repentance, seeking God’s forgiveness and asking Him to set me free.

But do I really know my heart? Could there perchance be things to deal with that I cannot see? Might there be blockages that prevent me from receiving the fullest Holy Spirit input into my life? Are there obstacles or obstructions to my life and ministry that I am simply not aware of? Perhaps this is where a sincere heart cry to God is needed.






Lord God,

I am both sincere and earnest in my desire to be free of any and all impediment, to be able to live with You in close relationship and in the deepest intimacy, and to minister for You in fullness and abundance.

This is my desire, I present myself to You with a plea that we may deal with anything that could prevent the timely realisation of my desire. I love You and want the fullest impact and expression of that love in my life. I ask You to search me to the depths of my being. Release me from anything that might be offensive. Deal with me, and set me free. I want to go only one way, Your way.

I’m willing, Lord. I pray that You are too. I want to journey with You – through this present day and throughout all eternity.

Receive me, O Holy One, and make me truly Yours. I ask these things, humbly, in the name of the Triune God – the Father of love, the Son of salvation, and the Holy Spirit of presence and power.

Receive my prayer, and answer it please, in Jesus’ name I ask.                                 Amen.

Tuesday 28 January 2014

What?



What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?                                       Psalm 8.4


The psalmist has considered the glory and majesty of God in the mighty creation of the heavens (v3). Then he makes this inquisitive statement about “mere man”. I am reminded of seeing a visual attempt to convey the incredible vastness of God’s universal creation. I don’t know if there is one universe or many, but what there is seems to be totally beyond my comprehension.

Then there is the human creature.  I am aware, from my own sweet experience, of the reality of God’s individual care (that is, individual attention given to each individual). It doesn’t compute. It is truly beyond my understanding. God is indeed amazing, incredible and totally, absolutely, without equal.

No, I simply can’t comprehend the extent of what I am writing about. I cannot comprehend it but, I praise God that I can accept that He cares for me as personally and intimately as a fully one-to-one, one-on-one interaction. I can accept this, and I receive it – willingly.






Lord God,

My understanding of the vastness of Your creation and the greatness of Your power is still limited, but growing. Indeed, it seems unbelievable to me that I, a humble insignificant mortal, can even be talking to you now as I am. Yet, as fantastic as it may seem, I am at ease with it. I can indeed believe it. This in itself is a miracle. Is this the work of Your Holy Spirit? If so please give me more.

Great God of all creation, I humbly submit to You. I need You, I want You, I love You and adore You. I thank You so much for the love and care You show me. May I join with You and be used by You in sharing that love. It is just too precious for me to keep to myself. Help me, please. Fill me, mould me, use me, in Jesus’ name I ask.                                      Amen.

Saturday 25 January 2014

This Treasure



But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.                      2 Cor. 4.7


The “treasure” I believe Paul is talking about is contained in the preceding paragraph...the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. This is powerful in itself. Jesus is the very image of God. He came to earth and walked among us. He lived with us and imparted the gospel and its divine glory to us. He still does this today through the presence and working of the Holy Spirit. I have met this Jesus. Furthermore, He is in me. He lives in me. He gives me life. He leads me in and through life.

Yet, I am still a jar of clay. This term sounds most uninteresting, banal, dowdy and really, really dull. But there is a surprise within. And the inner surprise needs to be released. It is significant to me that Paul writes of the light of the gospel, and the glory of Christ. Jesus Himself cautioned us not to hide the light. It is to be set on a stand to illuminate all it touches, and not hidden where it cannot be effective. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise you Father in heaven.”






Lord God,

My first act is one of thanksgiving. I thank you for the light You have given me. You have graciously blessed me with the light of the gospel of glory. You have connected me with my Lord Jesus. I thank You and pray, indeed, for the fullest connection.

I thank you also that I am a jar of clay, and may I remain so as long as I am on this earth. This way, the light that shines in me will be Your light, and not my own.

Precious Father, may Your light continue to shine in me – long, bright and effectively. Fill me with Your light. Lead me to shine it forth in every place I go. I ask this in Jesus’ name.
                                                                                                                                    Amen.

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Encouraged



I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong – that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. Rom. 1.11-12


Friendship and fellowship are vital ingredients for a Christian life. In meeting together with friends we are enabled both to give and to receive encouragement.There are times when we all need this. And we receive it in Christian friendship and fellowship.

There is an old saying: No man is an island unto himself. This is so true. Certainly there are times for aloneness and solitude, but God made humans to live in harmony and relationship – with Himself and with each other.

I thank God for the friendships He has openend up for me. They are many, and so varied. And in these friendships I see so clearly the give and take of Christian living, the interchange of faith through which we edify and mutually encourage each other. There are times when I need to receive. There are times when I am able to give. I thank God that He is the divine coordinator of both.






Lord God, Holy Father,

I thank You for relationship. I thank You first for the relationship I have with You. I ask You to draw me even closer and take me deeper. I thank You for the many friends You have blessed me with. I appreciate each and every one of them. Strengthen these friendships, please, and bring more as it pleases You.

May we continue to uphold and mutually encourage each other in Holy Spirit power, in the love of the Father and in the name of Jesus.

I thank You for those times when You allow me to meet with my friends face-to-face. I thank You for the times when our meetings are by telephone or electronic means. In each and every meeting, You are there. My prayer is for this to continue. Lead me always, Holy Father, in Jesus name I ask.                                                                                                                Amen.

Sunday 19 January 2014

Devoted



Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.           Col. 4.2


Again I’ve gone back to the Greek for further insight to this verse. The Greek verb προσέχω (prosecho) means to pay close attention to, to hold on to, to give oneself to. In 1 Timothy 3.8 it is translated as ‘to be addicted to’. I like this one, and will adopt it for reflection here. I will be addicted to prayer.

Sadly, today, we hear much about people’s struggles with alcohol and drug addictions. An addiction is something it is most difficult, and in some cases impossible, to cure. In a positive application I’d like this to be the way with prayer. I want to be totally addicted to prayer, to conversation and dialogue with God. I want it to be impossible a habit to break. I want it such that I can’t live without it.

The word watchful comes, I think, from the Greek word γρηγορέω (gregoreo) which means ‘be or keep awake, watch, be alert, be alive.’ Certainly I need to keep awake as I pray, but I also need to keep myself alert to anything that God might have to say to me. And my prayer needs to be alive and, further, to fill me with life.

I would not have thought ‘thankful’ should need further explanation but I looked it up anyway and I’m delighted to see that it is ευχαρίστία (eucharistia) which, of course, is where we get the English word Eucharist. This is a further reminder to me that, as I pray, I join in holy communion with my gracious God and Father.






Lord God,

My prayer is to ask You for an addiction. I pray that You will lead me into an addiction of prayer. May I be totally sold out to exquisite connection with You through the wonderful power of prayer.

Let me be ever watchful in prayer and alert to anything You may wish to show me.

Draw me to You in sweetest communion as I express my thanks to You for all that You are and all that You do in and for me.

Lead me now through this day to Your praise and glory. I n Jesus’ Name I ask.             Amen.