Friday, May 29, 2009

Friday May 29, 2009

One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14.

Of course, forgetting is not that hard as we age, although too often it is the things we wish to remember that we forget, and the things we would rather forget remain doggedly in our memories! Especially for me, I am only too happy to forget my prostate cancer and the surgery that it provoked.

Apart from some lingering effects that are slowly clearing up and a necessary quarterly check up, I am now feeling much the same as I did before surgery; this despite some aggressive surgery and a slower than normal original recovery. The surgeon’s prediction to my doctor seems to be coming true: “He’s young and healthy and will recover.” Healthy! I understand that part but young? Perhaps at 73 I’m still young compared with the majority of prostate cancer victims he has to deal with! I am so thankful to all who participated in prayer and care, and especially to God who is the Great Healer, for my healing to date.

But forgetting what is behind is only part of the equation; what of that which is ahead? Probably due to age, I am continually impressed with redeeming the time I have left. Whatever triumphs or regrets I may have in regard to the past, it is how we finish that counts. Let me quote Robertson McQuilkin from a book mark I carry in my Bible.

I fear the Dark Spectre may come too soon—or do I mean too late?
That I should end before I finish, or finish but not well.
That I should stain your honour, shame your name, grieve your loving heart.
Few, they tell me finish well Lord, let me get home before dark.

What are those responsibilities that weigh upon me the most? Firstly, it is the primary responsibility that we have as Christians—the family that God has given us. What legacy am I leaving them and what encouragement for them to maintain the faith? With almost 20 in the family and probably more to come, it is an awesome but immensely enjoyable task. Beyond that I feel the increasing burden to use to the fullest God’s gift of writing for a wider ministry.

Not sure who will read it or when. Sometimes our gifts are more apparent to strangers than those closest to us. And frequently our work is only recognized after we depart. But front and centre are not the results I obtain, but the drive to complete the work I feel constrained to do. That is what will obtain “the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Tuesday May 26, 2009

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28.

The question that arises when reading this verse is: What is rest? Mostly we think of rest as cessation of activity, or at least a change in routine that provides much needed R and R. If this is the rest we expect from Jesus we may be disappointed.

Even at a time when life is moving mostly as it should, there are those “down” times, when little or nothing gets accomplished, or things go wrong and set us back. Those days are not rare; they seem to be a natural part of life. On reflection it may be that the down days are a reminder that we need to rest—yes, the R and R type!—to recoup and recharge for the days ahead. As Elijah ran from Jezebel (1 Kings 19) God left him to sleep and told him to eat in preparation for his journey. Sometimes, the most spiritual thing we can do is sleep!

A deeper rest is freedom from the anxiety provoked when every effort we made fails to provide for some critical need of life. As hard work drains our strength, so constant emotional effort saps the spirit and the greatest emotional strain is worry. When we have done all we can, what then? The rest Jesus gives is rest from anxiety. To know him and his care means that we can safely leave with him that which we cannot do ourselves; that he will work with us to accomplish his will in our situation—even if that is different from what we expect. To rest in him means that we are content with wherever he leads, because we know that he will never leave us or forsake us.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Sunday May 24, 2009

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Matthew 6:25-26.

In any economic downturn, these words take on greater significance. At face value, these verses in the context of the whole passage indicate that those whose first priority is the kingdom of God will not starve or go naked. It does not signify that there won’t be times of privation or loss and many Christians have frequently faced those conditions. The emphasis in our text of the importance of life over food and the body over clothes indicates for me that the delicacies that we eat and the smart attire we aspire to are neither essential nor part of the promise.

Loss of livelihood, homes and critical possessions cause great distress, creating the need for care and support for those caught in those circumstances. But it is our Christian response to these losses that will not only carry us through and maintain our sanity, but also indicate where our priorities really lie. Most of us have gone through difficult times and survived, and the same will eventually be true of those of you striving against the odds today.

Perhaps the most significant meaning from this passage for me was when I understood that God is my supplier. However important my job, social or relief agencies may be for sustaining the necessities of life, they are simply the means by which God provides. If they are not available, God has other ways of providing for us. John the Baptist may have only worn camel skins and lived on locusts and wild honey but he survived—at least until his martyrdom. God has many unexpected ways of providing for our essential needs, for most of us with better fare and garb than John!