It says that not many wise are called! And that God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise!

I see a few people being called to do specific things, Abraham, Moses, David, Esther even, Saul who became Paul and the disciples . . . but even then the disciples weren’t called by Jesus to receive the 10 commandments, lead people out of Egypt, or being King of Israel. THEIR call was to “follow Me”!!!

I find, in looking at this subject, so many people are waiting for a specific call, or mission to perform  in life , and seem to be missing the most important thing . . . Jesus said “Follow Me”… as the disciples did this they found their mission, their fulfilment, their battles even!

Why do we feel we have to have a specific call to fulfil rather than doing the amazing thing of “Following Jesus”?

You see, I’ve found that the Bible tell us things like “Whatever your hand finds to do – do it with all your might”, and “Whatever you do – do it as unto God and not man”. What about “Making the most of every opportunity”!!

Sometimes I think we have lost the plot by looking for The “X Factor Calling” as a stardom call rather than the daily call of Jesus to follow Him.

Maybe we need to look again that our family, our place of work, school/college, and social circle is the very place of “calling”.  There are opportunities to be “me” in every part of life… to work – at work as unto Jesus… to do what we do –well!

If you find yourself in a place – then live Life to the full, in that place of work, study, relationship. Rejoice in the fact that God knows your name, He promised never to leave you or forsake you and His grace, favour and joy is yours wherever, whatever, and always!!

Take a rain-check and see that God doesn’t do “X Factor”, “Britain’s Got Talent” or “The Voice”…  He calls us to follow Him and love Him, live for Him and just be who we are where we are, for the time we are there… it’s in taking our focus off “the call” and just living for Him we find our place… its called freedom!

Ever been in the position of saying yes and going along with the rest because it’s safer to do that than be different?

What about the times you’ve really not agreed with the discussion or the plans but felt obliged to go along with them to keep everyone happy?

Doesn’t it make you feel weak and rather insipid to be someone who longs to stand up for what they believe in but are a bit scared of being shouted down because, it seems, everyone else thinks very differently to you?

Well today I’m calling out to you to stand out, dare to say how you feel, and say no, or yes, because you want to not because you feel obliged to.

Oh yes, it’s tough when you first stand up, stand out, look different . . . but you’ll be surprised, when you are convinced of something, how many other people are so glad you did, and, maybe secretly to begin with, but eventually, will stand up and be themselves, because you led the way.

We don’t really ever read of the inadequate feelings of the heroes and saints that have gone before, but my guess is that they were rather like me . . . unsure of the reaction to begin with, but longing to make a difference and speak up and out for truth and rightness. And . . . when they did, they found some who ridiculed, or “rubbished” their logic and way of thinking, but many whose hearts leapt because someone had stood for what they wanted to say.

I want to encourage you today, to be sure of what you believe, and why. Spend some time finding out the “whats” and “whys” of your belief and dare to stand upon it.

Find out the reasons you believe and ask God to guide you as you seek the truth, even if it’s a bit uncomfortable to find it out… be sure because God is sure and not just because it suits your way of life.  Be certain because there are so many discussions and arguments about everything . . . be yourself and stand firm.  “Always be ready to give a logical defence to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15) – so find out, ask your pastors to help you know and don’t be afraid of asking God to guide you in to all truth (John 16:13). . .  He delights to do just that- if you’re willing!

It strikes me that our lives are often like that – we feel surrounded by a gloom which we feel will never go away. The answer of course is that it’s just a season. To escape the gloomy weather this week, I’ve had to focus on positive things and remind myself that better weather is ahead and summer will come.

There are some pretty good spiritual parallels to the weather this week. There are times when we just have to keep plodding forwards, ‘faces like flint’ while the gloom is all around. We have to remind ourselves that God is able, that Jesus is alive and He is concerned with our world. The devastating coach crash in Switzerland killing 28 people, mainly under 12 and the fatalities on our doorstep, through different crashes on the A75 just a few miles from where we live, can overwhelm us but we need to know that God is still God, and He is at work.

I had the joy of interviewing that lady we saw healed from paralysis and walk from her wheelchair in Hull last week, on Alive Radio. You can listen to the interview here, it’s about 17 minutes long and there are comments from Lisette’s two friends who were with her when she was miraculously healed in Hull. Hearing a story like that really lifts the gloom! I also love to read Bible stories of the miracles Jesus did too, and of course all the thrilling powerful accounts in the Acts of the Apostles.

Have a great week, whatever the weather, knowing that if you give him a thought and a prayer, God will bring sunshine into the gloom.

Some needing to re- group and find out what is next, another is needing to be here and be cared for, even pampered for a while, another – planning. One or two missing special people in their lives… all together, yet at different stages and seasons of their lives.

I love how “home” is a place they can return to for these purposes. Where they are accepted, fed, nurtured and rested for the next part of their journey.

I pondered over “Home” and how we all need homes… natural ones, obviously, but also the home of relationship and life with God.  I also began to see that we need to “go home” now and again . . . we need the regrouping, the place of being back to where life is familiar and safe… (Ok sometimes boring!) but a place where we can re-focus on what is important and what comes next!

Some of us have “homes” with family and trusted people where we can go for this very thing, but others don’t have a place they can call “home”… a place where they can slob out on the couch and be cared for, listened to, fed, watered, get the dirty laundry done and know that it’s safe !

I remembered that the 5^th Century Saint, Augustine’s key thought was that “the heart is restless until it finds its home in God” . I see that over and above the places we can call “home”, we also need to have that place in God where we know we can return, find peace, we can weep, or shout it all out, where we can rest in His presence and find He  cares so much for us, washes our “dirty laundry”, feeds us and helps us refocus on some of the basics and simple things of “home”.

Maybe, where you are today… you need to “come home”… either naturally, or returning to God, His ways and His “home

Do you know? – maybe you’ve forgotten? – He waits for you and watches for your return – and what is more He doesn’t criticise your choices, He hasn’t got a punishment waiting for you, but He has open arms, a huge welcome and a refurbishment of your life!

Maybe it’s time to come home… you’ve been missed!

Welcome Home!

In hindsight (that good old 20/20 vision) how sad, senseless and hurtful it was to build such a wall, dividing families, friends and loved ones, because of differences. But I began to see how easy it is to allow walls to be built in so many aspects of our lives. Small hurts, bigger misunderstandings, presumptions and suspicion are some of the bricks we use to build a wall between people with whom we once had so much in common. We cement these walls together with unhealthy talk about the “other”, what they said, how they went about it and how wrong they were/are and how justified we are in distancing ourselves from them.

It takes a bit of a revolution (one dictionary definition says a revolution is a turn-around) to cause walls to come down, and a revolution is a movement by people against an established (government or political) system.

Sometimes the hurts and disappointment, the misunderstandings and presumptions, have become “established systems” in our life and the pain and anger of the injustice of things caused walls to be erected.  Walls that shut out, not only the people who caused the pain and disappointments, but walls that trap us in or out of living life freely and fully. We may think we live on the “west” and not the “east”, but we are still not free to moving around in a once beloved city!

It takes movement on the part of the people to bring down those walls and it takes movement on our part, however justified we feel, to bring about a revolution in our lives to see barriers come down, forgiveness to be extended and peace talks to begin!

A bridge is a better way… it makes a way over small streams and mighty rivers and brings a freedom to both sides!

How revolutionary are you?

Of course you have!

What do you do?

You go to bed and sleep – until you are refreshed and ready to wake up and start a new day!

Sounds simple … and sensible, doesn’t it?

So why do we feel we need to push ourselves to stay awake and  be on top of things , when we really need to rest and come back to it more alert and ready?

I have no idea … except maybe we feel – we should?

Which also doesn’t make sense!

Yes, I know there are times when there are deadlines to meet and barriers to break , that we have enough strength to burn  the midnight oil ( metaphors galore here!!) but you know, it dawned on me … that we actually are madeto take rests, to regroup, to chill, wind down, rest, sleep … whatever!

Today, tonight, my concern for many of us, is that we know how to be wise about the working, the resting, the playing and to give a place to each . Because each aspect is an important part of a functional, productive life!

If I want to produce good stuff, I also need to sleep, chill and be nourished sufficiently to carry out the plans I have! Let’s stop feeling guilty about our lives – Work, rest, play! In other words- Love God, Love Life, Love people!

Simple? Yes! Simple wisdom, but we need to heed it!

As I was reflecting back over the plans made last year, I was pleased to see how I had grown and developed in these areas of my life. Some of the plans I had made I had really done well in and made progress, and in one or two areas I have only taken a few steps forward.

Some of them were surprising developments that I hadn’t planned for but were all part of a plan for me as it were! Other areas? well I’m glad for another year in which to try again!

I reflected on the Scripture verse from Proverbs 16:9 - A man’s heart plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps… and was so aware that it is good for us to make plans and to set out to achieve and grow and learn, but also how important it is for us to leave the directing of our steps to the Captain of our Soul!

I was reminded of the passage in Job where Job says “But He knows the way that I take [He has concern for it, appreciates, and pays attention to it]. (Job 23:10 Amp) and was encouraged to know that He has led me… sometimes in ways unfamiliar, sometimes through overcast valleys and through some lovely sunny seasons too!

I was encouraged to plan again for this year and to make my prayer again, according to Psalm 25
⁴ Show me Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
⁵ Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
for You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.

Will you make this your prayer today as you look to the future?

Be encouraged – for He surely knows you and will lead you well!

It’s not pleasant being out in this sort of weather and most people don’t like it, stay indoors and wish it was summer!

As I was driving to work I noticed that a couple of the fields, that are often prone to flooding, were very badly waterlogged!

As I was watching it and was thinking how awful it must be for the land owner, a flock of swans arrived and skidded to a halt on the temporary “lake”. It made me laugh because then I noticed about a dozen or more ducks happily swimming around too, and a couple of seagulls joined the party shortly after!

It looked a really happy scene in the middle of this flooded area, and it made me realise how easy it is to see only the bad stuff that happens … a flood, and to overlook the opportunity that arose for the swans and ducks to have a party!

Yes it maybe a little overly dramatic to  look at it this way, but my thoughts took me into thinking how prone we are to moan and bewail the “stuff” that life  throws at us so often.

I looked at the swans and was reminded of the Scripture verse (Matthew 6:25-27 and Luke 12:5-7) where Jesus tells us how much God cares for us … much more than the birds who are fed and well dressed!

I also began to think about how those swans made the most of the opportunity that was before them… a flood – or a surprise lake to land on?

I suppose what I was thinking is another way of “when life gives you lemons… make lemonade”

I hope to make more of serendipitous  “floods” this year… see them as opportunities to do something  a little bit risky, maybe, or different , but have an adventure with it!… How about you?

I’ve been pondering the Christmas story, and am very aware of inaccuracies and discrepancies people point out… yet despite those I do believe God would have us know the story of Jesus’ birth, as vague as some would make it out to be!

I found that Luke’s account tells us that the couple, Joseph and Mary had to find a place for their son to be born in a place where the animals were housed because there wasn’t a lodging room available.

It may have been, according to some accounts, that there never was an “innkeeper “ – but that the lodging rooms, that should have been available with family, were not given to the couple because of the disgrace of her pregnancy… they were rejected by family!

Or… it maybe that the place they were planning to stay was too busy and they needed to find somewhere where their baby could be born.

The thing that has played around my head is not the details or inaccuracies, but the fact that still, today, in the time we live in, it’s so easy to have “no room” for Jesus, or at best to put Him in an outhouse where we won’t be bothered by Him! Maybe because we are embarrassed to be associated with Him and what we think we believe, or maybe, because we are just too busy with life, and people, and demands, and, and, and…

Christmas is a time of reflection and I have found myself challenged as to what “room” I give to Jesus in my life.

Am I too busy to walk beside Him, letting Him be God in my life? Or too busy trying to do good things to show Him, or others, “my faith”? Or just too busy to give Him time, thought and consideration?

Too busy to recognise His hand on my life? And to reflect on the extraordinary thing that He did in becoming a human, living and growing in a messy, fallen world, like me, and being challenged by all the contradictory philosophies around?

Am I too caught up with the political issues (a census?!), or people, or business?

Or maybe I do give “a” room in my life … but not the freedom of the whole house… or even just pack Him off in some stable where I’ve done my bit but don’t need to let Him into my heart?

Oh the challenge of Christmas… and I don’t mean the presents for all, the food and preparations… I mean the challenge of God being a baby and growing up, and living, dying and living to give me … everything. What a gift!

Make room today… more room – for God!

Happy Christmas!

The sort we read about in Genesis 26. Isaac dug again the wells that his Father had dug  and the local people quarrelled and argued with him over them…he moved on and kept digging until he found a resting place that didn’t have the strife the others had.

Here are some of the things I have observed … maybe they will encourage you in your situation today!

Sometimes we need to dig wells… find the supply for the first time… we need to know where there is a River of Life and go there!

Sometimes we need to re-dig wells that have been dug but covered over, forgotten about or spoilt for various reasons … we forget sometimes the refreshing places we used to have – places of reading God’s Word, the place of worship and the place of prayer… intimacy with your God!

Don’t give up – if there’s a “situation”, strife or quarrels – disputes over the “well”- keep going – dig again until you come to your Rehoboth(the wide , resting place). Galatians 6: 9-10 ^”So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.” Our digging is not JUST for our own benefit … we dig for others !

Doesn’t mean when you re-dig that you go back to old stuff… just means you know where to find water…. do you need a fresh infilling of God’s life and His Spirit moving in you? Where do you go to find it – you know where… place of prayer, place of faith… renew the vision, refresh the love etc.

Digging – or re-digging, takes some effort… need to put effort into finding the well and digging a bit until the water flows. Job 11: 18 “… you would dig around you, and take your rest in safety.”

Don’t allow opposition to stop you digging – Isaac knew the wells were there… if for no other reason than his father had dug them… the wells are there… God has dug them for us – our heavenly Father has made provision. Sometimes we’d like for God to just do it and make it work and make things happen, but good fathers know how to train and teach, instruct and equip their sons and daughters for life. Most sons and daughters don’t know all the things you taught them until they are out on a limb, on their own, in uni halls or on their adventures and then all the ways ,all the things you got them “helping” with come into their own… and they dig fast to survive!

There is a rest that God has planned…Where is your Rehoboth? God has a place of rest for you just as he had one for Isaac. You may be going through a difficult time right now. It may seem like there is nothing but trouble and strife. But know that God has a place of rest specially prepared for you.  Hebrews 4: 8-11“And so this is still a live promise. It wasn’t cancelled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn’t keep renewing the appointment for “today.” The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we’ll surely rest with God. So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience.”

Finally – the Rest is not the end… remember Elijah? He was given sufficient rest and sustenance to go the next leg!! So maybe it is time to get to work and re-dig some of those covered over wells and find your life and rest again!

Happy digging!