Carol’s Blog

I Pray

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The other day I was asked what I did towards a certain Christian work that was being done in our church. I replied, ‘I only pray.’ As you can imagine I was soon told off. There is no ‘only’ about praying. No church work would come to completion without those who pray for it. Prayer is an important way that God accomplishes His work. He wants to hear from us; He wants to talk with us. Prayer moves the hand that moves the world. It was Alfred Lord Tennyson who said’ ‘more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.’

It has been told that two old ladies in America prayed consistently for Billy Graham when he was a young lad and as we say the rest is history. We all know in our own lives that miracles have happened because we prayed. So I don’t now say ‘I only prayer.’ I say ‘I have the privilege of being able to pray.’

Praying for Others

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The other day I read of someone who kept a payer diary where anyone they knew who had a birthday, they prayed for them the whole birthday month. They also asked if there was anything specific they could pray for them. Being an ordered kind of person, I’ve tried various systems to pray for others. There have been shortcomings in every method.

I think this idea appeals to me, but there are many people with needs whose birthday I don’t know. I so easily forget to pray for certain people or I have their request on a piece of paper and then lose it. I’ve also kept names on index cards and prayed for one person each day , but it took me too long to get through the pile.

I also feel it is not right to spend all my time praying for others, I also need to just sit and enjoy time in the presence of God. I know that God answers every prayer we make, but sometimes we don’t see the results for a long period of time, so making a list of answered prayers would only show prayers that have been answered to my satisfaction.

I believe the method we use to pray for others isn’t important, it will be different for everyone. The most important thing is that we do pray without ceasing and keep in communication with God. He so wants to have fellowship with us.

Just for Me

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It’s strange how things can come into our minds that we haven’t thought about for decades. This can happen with choruses we used to sing in Sunday School as youngsters and teenagers. Sometimes today the words might sound a little dated but the messages were simple and contained truths that have not changed.

The following choruses by Elsie D, Yate has been continuously playing in my mind recently,

‘There’s a work for Jesus ready at your hand,

T’is a work the Master just for you has planned,

Haste to do His bidding, yield Him service true,

There’s a work for Jesus none but you can do.’

Do you used to sing this? I fervently believed this when I was a teenager and I still do today. It is no good me hankering after jobs that God doesn’t want me to do. I might want to sing or play in the worship band. God ruled that out by my poor quality of singing and flutist fingers that have stiffened with age. At one time I wanted to be a missionary, but my poor health and complete inability to learn foreign languages made that a no-go.

My sphere of service these days is through my writing and other things behind the scenes. With the possibility of my having an inflated ego, that’s just where God wants me to be. I pray that I will be ‘a round peg in a round hole.’

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Large and Small Prayers

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How wonderful that God answers prayers both large and small. If a prayer is according to is will and if it is for our good He will answer with a resounding ‘yes.’

In my church we have a lovely man who is a refugee, whose life was in danger because he was a Christian. In his own country he had left behind work, family, friends, everything because of his faith. He has made application to stay in this country but while waiting for the result he was told that he would be moved to another place. Our church mounted a massive prayer for him, while praying at the same time that God’s will would be done. The news came back that he would be moved, but to another place in our same city. There was such wide-spread rejoicing.

At the same time I had asked a few of my friends to pray for a small problem that I had with my move. By comparison my prayer need was so small but I felt led to ask for this prayer. On the same day as our refugee friend’s prayer was answered, so was mine.

I felt so humbled that God would answer my tiny prayer while also answering the large one. But then our God isn’t a one-dimensional God. He does not slumber or sleep.As the hymn say,’ He’s got the whole world in His hands.’

Wearing Out

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I know I’m not alone in getting older but bits of me don’t work as well as they used to. I can’t climb hills or mountains any more which is a pity as I live in the Lake District with some of the highest mountains in the country. No longer do I run for buses and even use a stick on uneven pavements. Now I wear glasses for reading as well as well for long distance. But I’m full of rejoicing.

I have time to sit and watch the birds and butterflies. There is time to listen to people who want to unburden their problems. I would like to think I’ve gained wisdom as well as years. There is time to delve into the Bible and discover more of it’s treasures.

Finally, though I know that my body is wearing out and my time here on this earth is less than it was, I soon will not need my body as there is a new one waiting for me in heaven. Waiting for me is a place with no more pain or parting or death. 2 Corinthians 4:16 tells us ‘we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory.’

He Knows

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I know how important it is when we engage in the act of Holy Communion. Each time I partake of this sacrament it is one less time for me to take it on this earth. I try to concentrate, connect with God and take it seriously.

One Sunday morning I just could not concentrate. I had a pressing problem which needed an answer fairly soon. During the service I kept praying to God to help me concentrate more; I asked for forgiveness for my inattention, but still I couldn’t keep my mind on the matter in hand. There was no way I could be mindful and joyful.

At the end of the service my friend sitting next to me and having no idea of the turmoil that was going on in my mind , uttered one sentence. That one sentence was the answer to my worry and problem. I no longer had a problem, I knew the answer.

I realised that even as I was sinning with my inattention, God was at work. If only I had been able to say to God,’ I have a worry but I’m going to give it to you and give You my full attention..’ I would not have missed the blessing that God was trying to give to me.

The World’s Best Adventures

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I sometimes read and enjoy well-written thriller stories, but have to admit some of the best stories are in the Bible. They contain everything, danger, plots, counter plots, romance and Godly twists Things don’t always turn out well but they always play out according to God’s plans.

One of the most thrilling stories is in 1 Samuel 30. The enemy on this occasion were the Amalekites This ruthless army had burnt to the ground the town of Ziklag. While the men were fighting with David’s army, they had captured women, sons and daughter as well as the cattle. By the time David arrived on the scene it was a smoldering ruin. David had a vested interest because two of his wives, Ahinoam and Abigail had also been captured.

Then comes the pivot of the whole story. David asked God what he should do. God’s instructions were to chase after the marauders. In this fast moving story David with 600 men set off to recapture people and goods. The pace was so rapid that 200 of the men were too exhausted to continue and remained by a brook to recover. In the next twist the avenging party met up with an Egyptian slave who had been abandoned when he had become ill. This abandonment was a great mistake on the part of the Amalekites. After having been fed and revived the slave told David where the Amalekites had gone.

The pursuers caught up with the enemy, overcame them and returned with all the captives and spoil. Then came another twist in the story. David gave the 200 exhausted warriors the same share of the spoil as the 600 which didn’t go down too well. This is only one of the many stories in the Bible which all point to the sovereignty of God.

God’s Timing

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I am constantly realising that my timing is not Gods. I hadn’t thought I was an impatient person but I always want things to happen today or even yesterday. Often I have what I think is a brilliant idea and I want to put it into practice immediately. I should know that after a lifetime of getting it wrong, God does know best. My brilliant ideas vanish into thin air and they wouldn’t have worked anyway.

In the first chapter of Acts the disciples were told they would be baptised with the Holy Spirit. I can imagine their impatience they wanted to get going straight away, this very day. Jesus told them to wait. If they had gone off immediately in their own strength telling the Good News to others, they would have had no power. The gospel would never have spread as it did. They needed the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is the same in my life, without direction of the Lord, I am nothing. My words and actions will be of no avail. When I work as a writer, my words will be lifeless and useless on my own. I need the words to be anointed by God. God’s timing and Holy Spirit are essential in my life.

Justice Delayed

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Justice delayed is not justice cancelled. As Henry Longfellow in his poem ‘Retribution’ said, ‘Though wheels of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small, though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds them all.’ The Bible isn’t just a book with stories of lovely people; some of the characters are pretty nasty characters. And they don’t come much nastier than Jezebel.

An avid follower of Baal, as the Queen to King Ahab, she was responsible for the death of many of Israel’s priests of God. She was a thorn in the flesh to Elijah and often threatened to take his life. Elijah condemned her when she brought about the death of Naboth so her husband could have his vineyard. After Elijah had called down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel, he had to flee in fear for his life. This prophet of God never saw her demise, but her end was to be eaten by dogs and her blood spilled in the streets.

Ready

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As I re-read the parable of the ten virgins Matthew 25, I reflected which group I was in. As we get older obviously our time of dying gets nearer. Of course, this is not always true, as we all have relatives and friends who have died far too young. Nevertheless, the three score years and ten of the Bible is often exceeded these days.

I met a friend who I’d not seen for six years and we remembered the time when we celebrated her 40th birthday together. I am twice her age and she was surprised when I quite happily talked about dying and going to heaven. Maybe I do think more about the end of life than I used to. Well, I’m nearer the end than the beginning. I’m still enjoying many things about my life here and now, but I need to remember they are are only passing pleasures. When things are difficult now we can remember there are better things to come.

I want to be like the five wise virgins, enjoying life now but fully ready for the one to come.