Communion

“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.”                                                                                                                     John 14.10

The words that Jesus speaks forth are the teachings of the Father. God, the Holy Father teaches us through the words of Jesus recorded by the New Testament writers. Jesus did not preach His own brand of faith and belief. He was always the earthly representation of the heavenly Father. Earlier in this response to Philip, He says, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (v 9) Jesus and the Father are as one.

This is my desire and hope: I want to be so infused with God – Father, Son and Spirit, that it becomes difficult to discern where I end and God begins. What glorious communion this would be. To me this would be the ultimate blessing, yet, as I reflect, it is the relationship God created me for.

I yearn to know this intimacy and intertwining of myself with my Creator. I pray also that, like Jesus, the words I speak forth will not be my own, but those of the Father in me, doing His work.

Holy God,

I come to You as a damaged human, but my desire is for a life totally entwined with You.

Come to me, please, with even greater power and infilling than I have known before. Consume me such that I am totally Yours. Help me to give myself completely to You.

I ask also that I might speak forth Your words. I truly, truly want to follow Jesus. He spoke forth the words that You had placed within Him. He did only those things that You would have Him do. I want to do likewise. I want my every thought to be based on You. Help me, please, to live out my life in the fullness of Your will. I ask these things in Jesus’ Name.               Amen.

Untroubled

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”        John 14.1

God is against anxiety – most assuredly!

Here, Jesus exhorts us to trust God. Paul echoes similar sentiments when he says: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Phil. 4.6) Paul continues by telling us what will happen when we trust God with our troubles and anxieties: And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (v 7) These verses give further evidence of the unity and collusive behaviour of the Triune God. Father, Son, and Spirit work together in love, peace and blessing – and repentant and trusting humanity are the recipients and beneficiaries.    

I sense that peace of God. Even though I am a sinner, and I am most aware of my sinful state, I am not despised by God. I don’t deserve His love and blessing, yet it is freely offered to me.

Yes, I have no cause to be troubled or anxious. I can present myself, repentant, before God and receive His forgiveness and peace.

Lord God,

I don’t deserve Your love and blessing. I come to You in my sinful state and lay my sins down. I’m sorry, and I ask Your forgiveness. Help me, if You will, to discard sinful ways and to move more fully into the things of You.

I am strangely not troubled, for I feel Your peace around me. I rest in Your peace and I pray, that even when I am at my busiest and most active, I will always rest in Your peace.

I trust You, Lord. Father, Son and Spirit I trust You. To know that I can sit with You in complete honesty is most reassuring. I embrace You and the way forward in You.

I seek an increase in trust of You. Lord, let me trust You, willingly, for signs and wonders and miracles to issue forth in abundance, as I journey on with You. I ask these things in Jesus’ precious name.                Amen.

Extreme Love

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”                                                                                                 John 13.34

Jesus is clear. He gives us the directive, and the method. We are to love one another, and we are to love in the same way as He has loved us. What does this mean?

Jesus loved us so much that He died for us. He also said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15.13)

This is how Jesus is telling us to love one another. This is a very big ask. Do I love my brothers and sisters enough to die for them? I don’t know! God willing, I may never be put to the test. But I know what is asked of me.

As I reflect on this, what comes to me so clearly is the privilege it would be to give my life for my friends. Would they appreciate it? I don’t know, but that wouldn’t be my concern. I look to what I do in following Jesus. How others might appreciate my deeds or not must not impinge on my commitment to my life or death in Him.

I sort of hope that I will not be called to lay down my life for my friends. Yet, if it should come, I pray I would be able to follow my Lord.

Lord Jesus,

You have given me a command to love my fellow brings. You ask me to love them as You love me. I will try to do this, but I ask Your help.

May I see people as You see them? I read so often of You looking on people with compassion. I want to follow You in this, Lord. Help me, please.

I don’t know if I will ever be called on to lay down my life for my friends. If I am, I pray I will not stop to consider whether my actions will be appreciated or not. I hope I will be willing to follow You, and pay whatever price is necessary.

Lord Jesus, I so want to grow more like You. Lead me in this. Show me the way, Your way. Let me gladly follow You. Hallelujah! I praise Your name.            Amen.

My book “God Talk” is available through major Internet booksellers.

A taste of the book's content can be seen in the You Tube clip (Search: Peter Francis - "God Talk").

Homeward Bound

As I penned the heading for this entry, I reflected upon how I've just left my birth country, the Land of My Fathers, to return to my adopted country - and the Land of My Children.

I farewelled the last of my family in North West France after a great visit to their delightful Breton cottage and nearby attractions.

An early morning drive took me to Brest airport, and the flight to Gatwick, where I arrived just before midday. As I didn't need to be at Heathrow until much later in the evening, I decided to spend a few hours in London. I revisited "the sights" that are easily accessible from Victoria Coach station, and which were familiar to me from my boyhood.

I would dearly have liked a quiet prayer visit to Westminster Abbey, but the extensive queue waiting for admittance suggested to me that a quiet visit was not on. Likewise crowds in the vicinity of the Houses of Parliament posed a challenge after the sublime highways and byways of Brittany.

I did, however, enjoy a delightful stroll along the Embankment at Victoria and Chelsea, and a time of quiet reflection in one of the royal parks.

Meanwhile, the extended journey home continues. I'm presently at Kuala Lumpur awaiting the last of my flights - to Sydney, and home. I left Brittany early morning on Tuesday. God willing, I hope to arrive home at some time on Thursday afternoon.

Most Loving Father,

I thank You for absolutely the most wonderful times in this visit of recent weeks. I have met so many family members and it has been sheer joy to catch up with each and every one of them.

I now return to my adopted home where my natural family is indeed small, but where You have blessed me with the most extensive and wonderful spiritual family.

I love them all, and I thank You from the depths of my being.

I give You my gratitude, my love, and all of myself.     Amen.