On Tiptoe

 

On tiptoe.

It was Christmas Eve, many years ago now. (spoiler alert) Don, dressed in his Santa Claus costume, had just delivered selection packs to the three little girls of dear friends of ours. Striding back towards our little white mini metro, he glanced up and saw two young children peering out of an upstairs window of a house across the street.

Their eyes were big and their jaws were slack as they spied the one they were waiting for. ‘Santa’ waved and, relieved that he had bought extra selection packs, walked up to their front door to deliver these trifles to the children waiting so eagerly, on tiptoe.

I realise this morning that my waiting stance is not eager and on tiptoe. I often wait with – if not dread, then with resignation – for the next bad news to drop. A new revelation of wrong-doing by a prominent politician or church leader. A new threat of invasion or violence. A new outbreak of disease or confusing insurance claim for Mom.

Paul writes to the Romans, (and I love this translation in The Passion version): ‘The entire universe is standing on tiptoe, yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters! For against its will the universe itself has had to endure the empty futility resulting from the consequences of human sin. But now, with eager expectation, all creation longs for freedom from its slavery to decay and to experience with us the wonderful freedom coming to God’s children.’

The wonderful freedom!

Jesus Christ has set us free from that enslavement to hang-dog resignation and despair. I know this, and once again I step, intentionally, into the freedom he has bought for me. I sense hope rising within me as I step out of the darkness and into the light. I look up, my spirit on tiptoe.

This week will culminate in our remembrance and celebration of Pentecost, and I determine, with God’s help, to walk towards this glorious day on tiptoe, in expectation that God is eager to do it again, to bless each of us with the gift of his Holy Spirit as we posture ourselves to receive all he has for us.

I pray this morning for Christians all over the world to surrender their despair and remember who it is we follow, waiting on tiptoe in anticipation for what Jesus will do in individual hearts, minds and spirits as he blesses his church universal with another outpouring of his Holy Spirit.

This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Mistaken Identity

 

The band gathered for the final worship song, one of my favourites. Holy Forever.

I noticed our centenarian across the aisle. I thought he was staring at me but no, turned out he was intently eyeing the teenage guy beside me. We began to worship, and then I was jostled by Don as he moved out of the way for Sandy to squeeze by.

His eye never wavered. He was moving towards the young lad. I stepped back and he shuffled past, grasping Caeden by the arm, smiling broadly. There were some words as the two heads came together – one aged, one young.

I don’t know what was said, but, still holding Caeden’s arm, Sandy turned towards the words on the screen and joined in the worship, reading and singing the words with confidence and conviction. A veteran of the SAS, his faith, like his body, has stood the test of time.

I didn’t get an opportunity to find out what drew Sandy to move across the aisle, but I believe his senility could have confused Caeden with his own son or grandson. With grace and kindness, Caeden responded warmly.

Mistaken identity perhaps. But in the family of Christ, one could say that Caeden is indeed a grandson of Sandy. A spiritual grandson.

As we all worshiped together, I could hear the angels rejoicing at this beautiful tableau. The body of Christ in Banchory.

To God be the glory. Holy forever indeed.

Lift up my eyes

 

The wind is wild. The rain sweeps in, sweeps through, and clears away the clouds so the sun can remind us it is springtime.

I complain, again. It’s too cold. This is like autumn. How can any of our struggling seedlings grow? (How can I grow?)

The world is weary. The news is discouraging. Dire, even. I can focus on my feelings and go down with the ship. Or I can lift my eyes to the hills and remember where our help comes from.

Today I choose to lift my eyes. I choose to sing my songs of praise. I choose to carve out time for creativity, for connection with the divine.

This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in Him. So many blessings. May my joy in Him spill over into constant prayer for those in trouble, those in deprivation, those in pain, those in grief, those in conflicts, confinements and fear. Those struggling under black clouds of despair. Lord, sweep those clouds away. Let your light shine in the darkest of places, restoring hope, bringing life, destroying the enemy’s efforts.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Perfect Circle

 

Perfect circle. Endless love. It is finished. We are seated in the heavenly realms at the side of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Seated. At peace. Fully trusting in his promises. Knowing he is faithful. By his grace we are saved.

When our words fall short, when our understanding is limited, pictures, colours, designs lift us into places of profound peace and security. So grateful to Elaine for opening up the avenue of art as a conduit to God.

So grateful for the endless creativity of our Lord, who invites us to approach him through so many pathways. May I always be open to explore new ways of worshiping the Lord of all, Jesus my redeemer.

His Forgettery

 

I wrote something on my computer yesterday and printed it out without saving it. Intentionally. I didn’t need to save it.

When I turned on the laptop this morning, I had a message that it had temporarily saved a Word document which I hadn’t saved, and where did I want it to go? AI, or the algorithms of this laptop, wants to give me a second chance to save something.

Another time I might be grateful for that grace, but not in this case.

Ours is a God of second chances, a God who forgives and moves on without saving a memory of that last infraction, that last failure, that last sin. ‘As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.’ (Psalm 103:12) He gives us free will so we have the choice of receiving his forgiveness, receiving his forgetfulness of that sin, or revisiting it and continuing to condemn ourselves.

I love that there is no condemnation now in Jesus. He has paid the price for those sins I committed yesterday, for those I will fall into today. Bad attitudes. Hastily spoken words. A heart that is too small.

Self-condemnation.

I accept his umpteenth chance and invite his help in moving on into the freedom of forgiveness, of knowing I am forgiven. And believing, truly believing, that the sins I have repented for, he has moved into his ‘forgettery’.

Free at last.

All I have needed

 

Glorious abundance can look messy. Certainly in our garden, it does! (Don loves No-Mow-May so much that he starts it in April!)

This crabapple tree is heavily laden with beautiful pale pink blossom, which will transform into vibrant red balls as the season progresses. Full of promise, and yet…one year I toiled to pick and cook them into a jelly which – nobody ate. Never again.

Hollow promise.

I started to reflect that I am no longer in the springtime of my life, but the Lord gave me pause. In him, all things are possible. I am in a different season for sure, but that season still can blossom with blessings which can transform into sweet fruit which others will eat and be refreshed. With God’s help.

New every morning. Great is your faithfulness, dear Lord. May my life blossom with promise today, promises of the Kingdom, promises which encourage and console and strengthen others as they look to you, Jesus. Those in seemingly impossible positions for whom I pray this morning, intervene with power, Lord, and surprise and amaze with blessings only you provide. In Christ alone.

All I have needed

 

All I have needed thy hand hast provided…

Monday morning, and as I run my eye over the diary of the upcoming week, this encouraging line echoes through my mind and awakens the truth we talked about in Bible study last week, from Ephesians, that in Christ we have all spiritual blessings.

However full the week looks, however demanding the expectations on us, however daunting the path ahead appears, in Christ we are more than conquerors and in Him, we can do it.

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.