Minus Five

 

Minus five here this morning, but the sun is out and the world looks amazing.

As always, I am seeing headlines on my newsfeed predicting the next snowfall, the next storm, the next power outages we can expect in the UK. Sometimes the headlines even promise the ‘exact day’ or even the ‘exact hour’ these dramatic events will occur.

Praise God that in Him there are no freezes, no storms, no power cuts. Praise God that we need rely on nothing else other than him.

Though the temperature drops, his love for us is as passionate and fervent as ever. May he keep the fires of faith stoked and burning in each of us today.

Meagre Harvest

 

I harvested my pumpkins this morning. It took about a minute. Sigh. Not much of a pie here. They’re not even orange. Big disappointment.

Why didn’t they grow more? Why aren’t they orange? Why did three plants yield only this meagre harvest?

Lack of rain, and a gardener negligent at watering. Lack of nutrients in the soil perhaps? Lack of sunshine to ripen them?

The stem connecting the bigger pumpkin to the vine was withering and black. Left any longer, and I imagine the pumpkin itself would have begun to rot.

‘I am the vine,’ Jesus said. Stay connected.

Circumstances can strain that connection from my end. The stem of faith connected to Jesus can face challenges in this crazy world, challenges conspiring to wither and break my grip on Jesus.

‘I’ve got you,’ Jesus assures us. ‘My right hand upholds you. You’ll always have a tough time in this world, but don’t worry: I’ve overcome the world.’

What a relief. It’s not all down to me. In fact, none of it is down to me. I surrender.

I offer myself wholly to you, my loving Father and Lord. May I be so nourished from your word today, encouraged by your love and surprised by the delightful details you sprinkle into my life that my faith in and love for you swells and matures.

When my time here on earth is up, may you not be disappointed in the harvest.

Your assurance is that as I remain in Jesus, so the harvest of my life is found in Him. You look at me, Father, and you see Jesus. Praise Him. No disappointments there.

 

A Cold White Mist

 

A cold white mist shrouded the countryside when I opened the curtain. Dramatically, though, through the mist there glowed a soft circle of light. The sun was working to dissolve the mist.

My neighbour, with whom I sometimes walk on a Friday, felt only the dampness. She didn’t anticipate the brightness that would soon break through. We didn’t walk. We missed a glorious, golden autumn morning.

‘See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.’ Encouraging words from thousands of years ago, written down by Isaiah.

Do you not perceive it? Hope rises within. Yes. I do. The sun is breaking through the fog through which we so often wander lost and alone. I make a fresh commitment to walk in faith and hope and trust, not only in my own life, but as I watch the world.

I will not let the dampness of past disappointments and present discouragements stop my walk in faith. I see the soft circle of light, dissolving the mist. I see it in the rising numbers of young people coming to faith. I see it in the smiles of those persevering intercessory pray-ers who are beginning to perceive streams in the wasteland.

I am again amazed that the words of a prophet written down centuries ago, in a very different age and under completely alien circumstances, come alive when the Spirit wills.

See, I am doing a new thing! Hallelujah. I can’t wait to see it all unfold.

Somebody Cares

 

The splendour of the autumn trees always draws praise from my lips to the great creator who has blessed us with such beauty all around. No tree surpasses the glorious reds of the acer, which has just passed the height of its beauty as the leaves begin to drop.

My mind goes to the description of the tree of life in Revelation, where the leaves are for the healing of the nations. What a vision John was given; what a picture of peace. My fourth grade teacher, Mrs Costuma, impressed upon us that we were always to tie up whatever we wrote with ‘a big red ribbon’. Always circle back and refer to what you mentioned at the beginning.

The Bible opens and closes with a tree which brings life. From beginning to end, our loving creator had salvation in mind. What a beautiful red ribbon to wrap up the most amazing story ever told.

A Ukrainian friend had dinner with us last night.

‘Nobody cares,’ he said with a sigh. He had been discussing events in his war-torn country, but then had gone on to the situation in the Middle East.

‘The world watches and nobody cares.’

Oh, but they do. Maybe many world leaders are content to let things continue to unfold as they are, but so many individuals around the world are giving, praying, writing letters, even sailing in convoys loaded with much-needed supplies.

I think of the charity started in Aberdeen by a lovely Christian friend of mine, Jenny Taylor. Guided by God to begin providing for locals in need, she named her ministry, ‘Somebody cares.’

May this day provide opportunity to encourage others who feel alone in the storms of life. Jesus is in that storm-tossed boat with each of us.

The most wonderful story is about the one who cares enough to give up his life on a cross so that we might move from the tribulations of the world to the peace and joy of life everlasting in God.

The red leaves of the acer remind me of the leaves for the healing of the nations.

Somebody does care. Thank you, thank you, Jesus.

Turbulence or Peace

 

One of our radios has been well-used. Perhaps it is tired. It doesn’t always respond when the ON button is depressed. Usually, eventually, it does, but then there is much interference.

Sometimes, my ON button is depressed and receives too much of the trials and tribulations of the world. Like Peter on the water, my eyes can stray from focusing on Jesus to a greater awareness of the foaming turbulence of the waters of the world. Fears can unsettle me and as my toes feel wet and I cry out, ‘Help!’, Jesus takes my hand, draws me near, and encourages me.

‘Why are you afraid?’ he asks.

We have lived in a period of relative peace – at least, I know I have been privileged to have. Perhaps I have become complacent in expecting that this relative peace is the norm. I am aware now, as storms rage globally and the horizon is darkening, that a peaceful few decades is the exception in this world, not the norm.

And so, I am grateful to those saints who have gone before. Like Watchman Nee, who I heard about this morning. Saints who have accepted that ‘in this world you will have trouble.’ Saints whose faith rested firmly in the One who has overcome this world.

‘Do not be afraid, for I am with you.’

Lord Jesus, keep my eyes fixed on you as I step out of the boat and into my day.

 

Emergency connections

 

Emergency radios. For some reason, my news feed highlighted a recommendation for the five best such radios. That alone was enough to startle me into wondering how prepared we are (not) for some cataclysmic event.

One could become paranoid thinking too much about the ‘what ifs’.

I’m so grateful to have a spiritual emergency radio which doesn’t require batteries or money, but is always charged, giving light and power whenever I turn to God in prayer.

Kefir for the Soul

 

I pour the thick white liquid into a glass, wince just a little and drink. Hmm … not too bad.

Kefir. I’ve heard about it for awhile, about its beneficial properties for repopulating the gut with good bacteria. As more research reveals the connection between the gut bacteria and the functioning of the brain, I’ve toyed with the idea of trying it. As long as my body is still alive, I want my brain to be optimal.

While visiting friends who drink it regularly, I’d had a wee taste. When another friend said she is drinking it regularly, I thought more about it. Then when I read a column written by a woman who tried it for a month and found a boost to her energy levels, I was sold.

So, I’m onto my second bottle of it, second week in. Watch this space.

Of course, you know what’s coming. What constitutes spiritual kefir? What can I ingest daily to maintain healthy functioning of my spiritual heart and mind? Yes, daily reading of the Bible but also following the advice of a psalm I read this morning (46): ‘Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations.’

It’s a promise to cling to and a hope to marinate in when the news of the day is dire. It is in the stillness that my spiritual good bacteria is revived and flourishes. And I don’t have to wince at all to swallow it.