The Face of God

Green wands with a yellow end, rubber-banded together: each child clutched a bunch and offered them, excitedly, to us. One bunch for Don; one bunch for me. There was nothing remarkable about them.

‘For you, Gramma!’ came the joyful shout. ‘For you, Groucho!’

Flick helped me choose the right vase and we put these green sticks into the water. As the day passed, the daffodils responded to the warmth of the room, opening into the promise of spring.

As I sit here this morning, this spray of glorious yellow trumpets brings a smile to my face. I love this time of year. We stand on the threshold of spring, and everywhere there are signs. Birds sing a new tune. Bulbs spike the ground as they stretch towards the warming sun.

Never mind that the wind carries an icy edge to it today. The promise still stands.

Great is God’s faithfulness. Day follows night. Spring follows winter. Good times follow challenging times. And through it all, God is with us. He is there in the spring and there in the winter.

As I look at these cheerful daffodils this morning, I see the beautiful faces of precious grandchildren, excited to give us gifts. In those dear faces, I see the face of God.

Lag

Wide awake at 2.30 am. Jet lag. The reality is that my body has travelled thousands of miles in half a day, but my inner self has yet to catch up.

We pray for something. By faith we hear God’s voice, promising change, promising healing, promising breakthrough. The reality is that there has been a step change in our circumstances, but sometimes our inner self has yet to catch up. Faith lag.

My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 63).

Praying that for all who wait for the fulfilment of a promise, the reality of God’s word will quickly align with the reality of circumstances.

Mary awaited the fulfilment of a promise. That promise gestated within her as the Son of God developed and grew. She didn’t agitate as she waited. She watched, and pondered things in her heart.

The word for the first week in advent is hope. Hope in God is never misplaced. He is reliable; he is true; he is love. As advent unfolds, may the truth of his promises overlay the writhing of this world, encouraging hope and bringing light and life.

One day there will be no ‘lag’. Past, present and future will align and peace will prevail. In the meantime, I watch, and ponder things in my heart.

The Promise of Spring

The sky is blue, with a warm sun beaming down on the northeast of Scotland. Crocus and snowdrops splash their colour amongst the green verges; one or two trees are in blossom.

Spring is on its way.

And yet...

Early this morning, before the sun was properly in place over the country, the temperature was below freezing and there was ice on the roads. And on that ice, one of my dear daughters-in-law skidded her car, landing on its roof in the field. 

Mercifully, God was riding in the car with her, and she emerged without a scratch, much to the paramedics’ amazement. 

God can do more than we ask or imagine.

Is it coincidence that her husband, Jamie, our eldest son, is en route to Africa for a two week stint of work bringing development and conflict resolution to some deprived and unquiet areas? You may draw different conclusions; I know many Christians who don’t really believe in the activity of an enemy in the world, but I know what I think. The enemy is a liar and a deceiver and also a destroyer, and he does whatever he can to subvert the growth of God’s kingdom in the world.

God is loving and merciful, and his ways are mysterious. He doesn’t always protect believers from the consequences of living in this world, but whatever happens, he is always in the car with them. 

Praise Him that this morning, Jesus sat taller than Chrisie did in the front seat, and absorbed the impact on the roof himself. 

He took the hit so she could walk free.

Same thing he did on Calvary. Praise Him!

Spring is indeed on the way.

Hogmanay

The annual Scottish revelry for New Year’s Eve – Hogmanay - has passed for another year. The night of conviviality with neighbours, strangers, friends and family, of ‘First Footing’ and Auld Lang Syne, fireworks and fire balls and whisky galore. 

The wind is fierce this morning but the sun is bright and full of cold promise.  It’s a day of beginning to take down the tinsel and cards, the tree and decorations – though I intend to leave the bulk of it until tomorrow. Don is walking Dusty as my foot is no better yet, so it’s getting a day off.

And today would have been my dear Dad’s 89^th birthday. There was a piece on the radio this morning by a guy who started working at age 10 or so delivering newspapers. That was an appropriate piece on Dad’s birthday, as many a time I heard stories of the exploits of Dad and Uncle Gordie delivering papers from the age of about 8, biking up and down the hills of Lomita, 15 miles for each route, and having to get up at 4 am to fold the papers first. 

It was a different era. People worked very hard, but there was also that freedom from the anxiety of violence against children, so that children could run free in cities as well as rural locations. 

So into a new year.  Full of promise and plans. Full of the unknown delights. Full of hope and faith in the God who never leaves us alone, no matter what the year has to offer.

Thankfully.