Monday, May 27, 2013

Invitation

"For too long we have been in a far country: a country of noise and hurry and crowds, a country of climb and push and shove, a country of frustration and fear and intimidation. And He welcomes us home: home to serenity and peace and joy, home to friendship and fellowship and openness, home to intimacy and acceptance and affirmation." (Foster, Prayer, p 1-2)
 
We do not need to be shy. Jesus invites us into His heart where we can know His love that surpasses all knowledge. He invites us into the intimacy of His friendship, He invites us into His protection where we are safe because He is strong. Jesus invites us into a loving, vital relationship where we come to know, and to be known by, Him.

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Monday, May 20, 2013

A Dream

I have become convinced that Jesus has a dream for us -- that we will become righteous. When Jesus says "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt. 5:48), He wasn't joking or exaggerating. He wants us to be righteous. Not a "have a pretense of righteousness," but a true righteousness. Real. Authentic. From-the-heart righteousness. That is His hope for us. He has made us righteous by His death on the Cross, and He calls us to live in righteousness now. 

The Lord will guide us in the path of righteousness. He will lead us. He is our Good Shepherd. Our part is to be willing to follow. Not to be distracted, inattentive, straying, going our own way, but step-by-step to follow as He guides us in paths of righteousness.

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling -- calling for you and for me. O for the wonderful love He has promised...promised for you and for me. Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon. Pardon for you and for me. Come home. Come home. Ye who are weary, come home. Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling. Calling, O sinner, come home.

If you have strayed in your attentiveness to Him, simply turn, and come home.
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Monday, May 13, 2013

Our Personal Knowing of God

What have you learned about yourself as a result of your experience with God?

And what do you know about God as a result of genuine encounter with your self?

The first thing some Christians would say they know about themselves as a result of their relationship with God is their sinfulness. And quite possibly the first thing they would say they learned about God from this was God’s forgiveness and love. These are important things to know. But what else do you know about yourself and God that has arisen from your encounter with the Divine?

While many of us have followed Jesus for much longer than the three years we have tracked in Peter’s journey, too often we have not allowed the initial introduction to deepen into a deep, intimate knowing. Though we glibly talk about a personal relationship with God, many of us know God less well than we know our casual acquaintances. Too easily we have settled for knowing about God. Too easily our actual relationship with God is remarkably superficial. Is it any surprise, then, that we haven’t learned very much about our self as a result of this encounter?



Pausing for Reflection
● Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by guilt if you judge your own relationship with God to be superficial. Hear God’s call to a deep personal encounter as an invitation, not a reprimand. It is an invitation to step out of the security of your boat and meet Jesus in the vulnerability and chaos of your inner storms. It is an invitation to move beyond objective knowledge to personal knowing. The question is, how will you respond to this invitation?


I enjoy David Benner's books and his weekly Something to Ponder posting? If you are interested, you can find him at: www.drdavidgbenner.ca/blog
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Monday, May 6, 2013

Our Hope - Psalm 23

God's goodness and love will continue as long as life lasts and beyond we will be welcomed into the house of the Lord forever. Walking through the valley of the shadow of death will not terrify us. God's presence is the strength of His people. He is our comfot. He protects us. And with His staff He draws the straying sheep back to safety. He is our host who bountifully entertains us at His table. We anticipate nothing but goodness and mercy, a long life spent in communion with the Lord and looking forward to dwelling in our heavenly home with Him forever.
Wildflowers in the grass at St. Anthonys
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Friday, May 3, 2013

A Gracious Host

 
The Lord is a gracious host, providing us with lavish hospitality. He welcomes us into His home and showers us with His abundant blessing.

His loyal love will go with us everywhere, through all of life. God's blessing remains with us, no matter what our circumstances may be. Each day, every day, we will enjoy full communion with the Lord. In fact, the Hebrew verb translated "I will dwell" conveys the idea of returning...it's the same verb is used earlier in the psalm and is translated, "He restores" (23:3). Perhaps the psalmist is drawing our attention to the daily refreshment we find as we return, continually attend to dwelling in the presence of the Lord.


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Thursday, May 2, 2013

God's Care for Us

"The Lord is our Shephed, I have everything that I need."







All the way my Shepherd leads me.
As we reflected on God's providential care, we were reminded of how He drew us to Himself.
 
 
 
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