Not Talented

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I read in Exodus 4 where God explains to Moses that He has made him capable of the task that God has planned for him. to do. ‘Now, go, I will help you speak.’ Exodus 4:12. God gave him a brother and a staff. Those along with His power, were all that was needed. As we read of the adventures and misadventures in Moses’ long life, that is all that was enough.

When we think of the work we have been called on to do, we have all been equally equipped. Our thoughts should not be centred on our own limitations but on God’s power. He has power more than enough. In this second part of my life I feel I have been given the ability to be a writer. Of course, I feel I am completely lacking in the necessary skills . I do not have an advanced education or a great mind, but if God has called me to do this, He equips completely. He has also provided for my words to be read. Whether through my blogs or written books, God’s words through me have been read. It doesn’t depend on any powers of mine.

Whatever our talents we can be used by God. He will give us our our own brother and staff. They will be completely adequate for His work to be done.

Missing Pieces

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Do we sometimes feel something is missing when we read the Bible? We want more details than often we are given. In the stories in the Acts of the Apostles especially, we want to know more details. Who were the other people present at the scene? What were their thoughts, how did the stories end.? I want to know more and learn more.

I believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. This means that we are told all we need to know. We have enough knowledge to lead us to salvation. The many things we are not told are things we don’t need to know. Studying the Bible is very good and informative but everything necessary for us to know is there for us to read.

Gifts

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I have a friend who says she doesn’t have any spiritual gifts. As she has been a great homemaker with a husband and four children to care for I didn’t agree with her analysis of herself. I also feel this is an insult to God who has given us all gifts according to the grace given to each of us. Romans 12:3-8 He has blessed us all with talents.

Finding these gifts through our lives is not always easy but anything worthwhile is never easy. It is also possible that our gifts change during our lives as the need arises. I felt at one time I had the gift of hospitality. Everyone received a welcome when they came to see me. This is not so applicable now as I’ve got older. My gift of encouragement has grown as I’ve had more time to listen to people. and had more experience of life.

My gift as a writer did not appear until I became older in life. I had time and opportunity to learn more about the process and work hard at it. My skill and practice gradually increased. Like all gifts they must not be wasted; they are God-given. Ephesians tells us ‘For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do ‘

Rain

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My garden and my neighbours’ are is crying out for rain. My farmer friend has thirsty crops. Although our weather has been dry for many weeks , we are not in the position that Elijah and the Israelites were in. 1 Kings 17:1 As the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except by my word.’ No rain for a few years! Today round the world people are still living with the effects of drought, a longing for refreshing rain to fall. Today round the world people are still living with the effects of drought, a longing for refreshing rain to fall.

Besides physical drought there is also drought of the soul. There is so much in the world that would rob us of our spiritual refreshment. From the media we are bombarded news of the flesh. If we had more money, more health, more friends we would be happy. Deep down we know this is not true. Only God can truly satisfy.

But we can find ourselves having less time for reading the Bible, less opportunity to pray a declining need to have Christian fellowship. It is a slow drought that over takes us. We need to deliberately keep the channels of blessing open. Nothing will happen automatically. It needs to be a deliberate action on our part. We need to ask God to refresh us as He is waiting to give us showers of blessing. As the hymn says, ‘Mercy drops round us are falling but for the showers we plead’. Daniel Webster Whittle. May we actively seek for the refreshment of our souls.

Over the Fence

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The flowers and shrubs in front of my bottom garden fence are quite short but at this time of year they are flowering profusely. But I don’t need to just depend on my flowers and shrubs, my neighbour, at the back who is a very keen gardener, has covered his fence with every type of climbing shrub imaginable. There is no way I can see his side but it must be a riot of colour. The great advantage to me is that the flowers trail through to my side, so that my side is also a riot of colour. My small amount of colour plus my neighbours tumbling over the top and squeezing through the gaps in the fence makes my garden the envy of my neighbours

It reminds me of God’s love towards me. I have done nothing to make my neighbour’s climbers flower on my side. I don’t water them, I don’t prune them, I don’t deserve them, they are a free blessing. That’s like God’s salvation. I have done nothing to deserve it (probably the opposite). There is no good work I have done, no kindness to others I have shown. I did not actually witness his sacrifice but It is all from God, His unmerited love towards me.

Feet

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Random thoughts about feet.

Feet are funny things, one attached to each leg. Without feet, or artificial ones, walking would be impossible. They bear the weight of our whole body and I’m told there are more bones in our feet than elsewhere in our body. They are a strange shape and can smell but I read in the Bible ‘how beautiful are the feet that bring good news’ Is 52:7. God made them and loves them. We are told not to tread on anyone’s toes, don’t interfere where it is not your place to do so. The chorus tells us ‘There’s a work for Jesus done but you can do’. Do the job God has planned for you and not someone’s else’s.

Shoes come in all shapes and sizes, I notice footwear is very casual these days. No more high heels; that’s good, I couldn’t balance on mine now. But whatever type of shoe it is, we are advised to ‘walk in another’s shoes. Not that we can do that literally, but we can walk alongside them and try to share their pain and sorrows. Jesus did love feet, He washed His disciples feet, how hot and dusty they must have been. The servant king was kneeling before His disciples when one day they would be kneeling at His feet. We can use our feet to walk to help people, pick up the broken-hearted and try to point our youngster’s feet in the right direction.

Thank you, Lord, for our feet, may we take care of them and use them well.

V.E. Day

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As we celebrated V.E. Day this week it brought back many memories for everyone. I was eight when this war was finished. I was too young to realise why we had a street party. What did it mean to me that the ‘war was over?’ I could remember only war, bombings and disasters. It took me a few weeks to notice that there were no more things fling overhead. I was living on the Essex/London border so it was a busy area.

I had only know food rationing so the continued restrictions were no different to me. I was very blessed in that my mother shielded me from the horror. All I knew was that I had gained a baby brother, not welcome at the time, though appreciated later. No longer did we hide in the basement boiler room of the school as the bombs flew overhead.

Now 80 years later I realise that there are no winners in war. Every side suffers. War is not in God’s planning. He is the God of peace. So this week we remember and reflect Our God is a God of peace. May we follow Him and have peace in our own small environment.

A Suitable Leader

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The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Moses, My servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the River Jordan.’ Joshua 1:2

Moses, the old man, had died. In the Bible we are able to f9llow his whole life story. We have read of him as a baby in the bulrushes, a young man in Pharaoh’s court, a murderer, banished, seeing the Burning Bush, coping with plagues, commissioned to lead, crossing the Red Sea and having many and varied adventures in the desert. He is now an old man of many years and probably frail.

The vast nation of Israel now needed a leader to lead them into the Promised Land and overcome their many enemies. God had prepared a young warrior to take over the leadership. Moses was not able to do any of this, this was the time of Joshua. Re-reading Joshua 1:2 again I noticed that Moses was allowed to see the promised land but did not have to witness their crossing. That would have been too cruel, he was dead by then.

God has prepared a job for us all to do. When our task is over He will prepare another to take our place and like Joshua and Moses that person is already being prepared.

Dandelions

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They stretched out like golden ribbons along each side of the road, the verges becoming their own source of vibrant colour. As the coach sped along I could see these wonderful dandelions stretching as far as the eye could see. I realised that round my country there were millions and millions of these weeds. Yes, they are considered as weeds and unwelcome in neat, orderly gardens. The draught of the traffic was scattering the numerous seed-heads to guarantee a greater crop of dandelions next year. These weeds often unwanted and unloved light up the countryside all over the country.

I imagined each flower-head being a Christian shining for Christ. The scattering seed multiplying their numbers so the glory of God covers the earth like the water covers the sea. The traffic disturbance or problems in life will bring more abundant growth and thus bring more fruit. Like the dandelions may we shine in our small corner, along the verges or where God has placed us . May our cheery light, along with millions of others, be lights of the golden ribbons of His love and peace.

He Hears

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‘This is the confidence we have in approaching God, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.’ ! John 5:14

I had about an hour of spare time, a rare occurrence for me. I had a very strong feeling that I should visit someone who was sick, housebound or lonely. The question was who? Or actually which person, I knew four people who came into those categories and would like a visit from me. They all lived near each other so I just started walking.. I had been praying all day without reaching a conclusion. I continued walking without thinking, just praying.

I found myself outside two of the homes, next door to each other. I stood still, closed my eyes (no-one was around to see me) and found myself walking towards the left hand house. and prayed harder, ‘Is this where You would have me visit?’ When I arrived, I found my friend was hardly mobile as she had had a fall which I hadn’t known about. But God had known. She eventually discovered she had a broken wrist and cracked rib. I was able to make a meal and a cup of tea, then do a few small jobs for her. I cut up vegetables for future meals and opened a few cans. As we sat together and talked, she relaxed and the strong pain in her ribs temporarily eased. If only I could always pray with the same intensity, I could stay nearer to God and doing His will.