Pause and think on that

Every priest goes to work at the altar each day, offers the same old sacrifices year in, year out, and never makes a dent in the sin problem. As a priest, Christ made a single sacrifice for sins, and that was it! Then he sat down right beside God and waited for his enemies to cave in. It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process. The Holy Spirit confirms this:

This new plan I’m making with Israel
    isn’t going to be written on paper,
    isn’t going to be chiseled in stone;
This time “I’m writing out the plan in them,
    carving it on the lining of their hearts.”

He concludes,

I’ll forever wipe the slate clean of their sins.

Once sins are taken care of for good, there’s no longer any need to offer sacrifices for them. Hebrews 10:11-18 The Message

Selah. Pause, and think of that ...

the perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people ..

I'm writing out the plan in them, carving it on the lining of their hearts ...

I'll forever wipe the slate clean of their sins

Yesterday I was reading Chapter 10 in Hebrews and I just kept reading over verses 11 to 14

And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 10:11-14 NKJV

This Man, JESUS, did this for us - the imperfect people, the ones who are being sanctified. This sacrifice, this freedom that He has gifted us, is definitely worth thinking on. Pausing in the midst of our busy lives. Focusing our thoughts on Him alone, and what only He could do for us. 

A time of worship always helps to take me to that place of thinking on Jesus. This morning I was listening to a beautiful worship song by Christy Nockels, Find me at the feet of Jesus. The chorus says,

Find me, find me at the feet of Jesus

Saviour, find me with my heart bowed down

Find me on my knees

Find me close to Thee

Find me at the feet of Jesus

And that is exactly where I want to be every moment of every day, at the feet of Jesus, with my heart bowed down - absolutely humbled by what He has done for me. In complete awe of His love and sacrifice. 

But the reality is that children wake up and need their mum, husbands need their wives, work responsibilities beckon and home duties call. So many things come along in our day to draw us from away that place of worship. 

Therefore the challenge becomes how do we outwork every aspect of our lives in a way that keeps us close to Jesus. How does that process of sanctification play out in our lives?

A couple of thoughts come to mind ... every day learning how to yield more and more to the Holy Spirit. Learning to be more alert to His promptings and then obey them.

Oswald Chambers says, "Sanctification means to be intensely focused on God’s point of view. It means to secure and to keep all the strength of our body, soul, and spirit for God’s purpose alone."

Jesus, please help us today to pause and think on You, to meditate on the sacrifice that You made for us. Please help us to hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit and do what He has written on our hearts. Please help us to do what you ask us to do, always with love and grace. Amen.

Whose plans?

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV

We had a plan for the day we were to drive from home to the Gold Coast (an 8 hour drive according to whereis.com). Perhaps it is more truthful to say, I had a plan for our travelling day! I had carefully included time to have a break every two hours. 

A week prior to the trip I carefully explained the plan to Ken especially emphasizing the planned departure time from home. The children were all informed too and duly prepared.

The day of the trip came, and the reality was that we left almost three hours later than I had planned. There was a time a few years ago that I would have been absolutely seething about the delay - as I like making plans and I like to see the plans work out. 

Whoever is patient has great understanding,

But one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

Proverbs 14:29 NIV

And as I would sit simmering in the car, the stress levels of everyone else in the car rose too. So rather than departing for holiday with an atmosphere of excitement, we departed with an atmosphere of frustration, with some thinking, why are we even bothering to go?

Eventually I realised that I had a responsibility to change my behaviour on these travel days. And I knew I needed help with the change, as this desire to plan was a big part of me, so I asked God for His help.

Bow down You ear, O LORD, hear me; For I am poor and needy. Psalm 86:1 NKJV

In response to this prayer, God showed me that rather than sitting in the car getting more and more impatient, it is much better to be in the house doing that extra bit of tidying up or cleaning so that the home is more organised when we return. So now I employ His strategy and our departures are much more peaceful. Thankfully we have a very practical God, interested in every aspect of our lives.

The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalm 37:23 NLT

One could make the assumption that if you leave three hours late, you then arrive three hours late at your destination. But in our situation, that is rarely how it works out. 

On this particular trip we arrived five hours later than planned! Yes, more opportunities for lessons in patience and grace. Opportunities for me to learn more about enjoying each moment, rather than continually looking ahead and missing what the present has to offer. 

Missing the opportunities to sit and marvel at God's creation. Missing the opportunities to have conversations with my husband and children. Missing the opportunities to really hear about what is happening in their lives. Missing the opportunities for siblings to connect in different ways. Missing out on God moments because my plan wasn't being followed!

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8,9 NIV

We are a work in progress, and I am grateful for God's grace that carries us through this moulding and growing process. I am grateful that He takes our every day situations and teaches us through them, if we are listening and staying close to Him, and if we are able to surrender our plans!

Lord Jesus, please help us today to hear your voice, be teachable, and surrender to you in all we do, say and think. Thank you for your mercy and grace that is sufficient for us every day. Amen.

God made my life complete

GOD made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him. When I got my act together, he gave me a fresh start. I'm alert to GOD's ways; I don't take God for granted. Every day I review the way he works; I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together and I'm watching my step. GOD rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes. Psalm 18:20-24 The Message 

God made my life complete ... what overwhelming gratitude I feel as I read those words. He made my life complete - that is exactly how I felt 22 years ago when I placed all the pieces of my life before him and I made the decision to invite Jesus into my heart and be my Lord and Saviour. And that is exactly how I feel today, 22 years later, despite the trials and tribulations that have come my way. 

At the time of that life changing decision all those years ago, it definitely felt like a fresh start. All that I had been striving for suddenly shifted to a lower priority in my life. This fresh start that He had given me meant that the top priority became learning about this Jesus that I had committed my life to, and starting to learn what that commitment meant in terms of how I lived my life.

I know it is a life long journey of continually learning something  about God's ways, we won't get the full picture until we get to heaven. I'm alert to GOD's ways; I don't take God for granted. I am learning not to assume anything, but rather to live from a place totally in awe of God, the Almighty creator of the heaven and earth, who rescued me.

But me he caught - reached all the way from the sky to the sea; he pulled me out of that ocean of hate, that enemy of chaos, the void in which I was drowning. Psalm 18:16-17 The Message

The hunger for His word and to hear His voice grows every day, along with a greater desire to be doing only what He wants me to do.

Every day I review the way he works; I try not to miss a trick. Psalm 18:22 The Message

But despite that hunger and desire there is failing every day in some way as Wendy's plans creep in, or the flesh takes over and impatience and frustration show their ugly heads. 

That's the time to return to Jesus with a humble heart, asking forgiveness and receiving and accepting His love and grace despite my failings. And I feel put back together.

What an intimate relationship it is with this Jesus, the Saviour of the world. He is stable and constant - 

Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today [yes] and forever (to the ages). Hebrews 13:8 AMP

I am anything but stable and constant! But He knows that because He created me. All He wants me to do is keep opening my heart to him, so He can do the re-writing.

GOD rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes. Psalm 18:24 The Message

Thank you Jesus that you are the author and the finisher of our faith. 

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 NKJV

Thank you Jesus that you are continually guiding and teaching us. Today help us to hear your voice and obey what you ask us to do. Amen.

He sustains me

I lay down and slept, I wakened again, for the Lord sustains me. Psalm 3:5 AMP

We are more than half way through the Christmas holidays and praise God that he is sustaining me! 

But seriously in all areas of our lives, He is where our strength must come from if we are going to live fully and do all that He has called us to do.

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall walk and not faint or become tired. Isaiah 40:31 AMP

Yesterday I had a child complaining about having to do exercises every day. My heart went out to her, I am sure I would feel the same way some days if I was in her situation. But unfortunately for her, the cost of not doing them is too great. So for me as the Mum, head needs to override heart.

This morning as I was thinking about yesterday's conversation, I started to wonder if the daily exercises were too much for a 10 year old girl.

But then our gracious Heavenly Father bought this to mind ... about six years ago two ladies came to our home to talk to us about support programs for Victoria. One of ladies had cerebral palsy and her right hand was unusable. While discussing the exercises we were doing to help Victoria's body be as functional as possible, she said to me, 'I wish my Mum had done for me what you are doing for your daughter, then perhaps I would now be able to use my hand.'

How grateful I was for that reminder. But then God went on to remind me of something else, that I can't help Victoria in my own strength, I need His wisdom and compassion. And He reminded me that Victoria can't maintain this exercise regime in her own strength either, she needs His strength to continue.

Together we need to call on His help, so we can stay the course, with Him sustaining us every day, filling us with His hope. It is a character building course with real rewards (and real consequences should we take the easy path of doing nothing and give up).

Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5 AMP

If there is something in your life that needs to be done, but perhaps you have moved into the sphere of doing it in your own strength, as I have with Victoria's daily exercises, why not pray this prayer with me today ...

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Please forgive me for doing things in my own strength, rather than relying completely on You, your strength and wisdom. 

Please help me to better recognise when I am working out of my strength, so I quickly stop and return to your way and allow you to sustain me. 

Thank you that you are continually building our character through troubles, suffering, pressure, affliction and hardship. Help us to keep our eyes on you during these seasons, and know that you are continually transforming us, so we can be and do all that you have called us to do.

Thank you for the hope and faith we have in you, and that you are always faithful. Thank you that you will sustain us.

In Jesus Name we pray.

Amen

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. Psalm 54:4 - NIV

Unfolding grace

So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 The Message

His unfolding grace. 

As I reflect on my life I can see that not a day has gone by without His unfolding grace...

The grace of being born in to family where my mother took me to Sunday school. The grace that helped me to transform from a child who was too scared to ask the teacher if I could go to the bathroom and so often had a 'puddle' under my chair in the classroom (our children love that story!). The grace that provided caring teachers and Girl Guide leaders who took the time to input into my life, helping me grow in confidence. 

The grace that, even though I went my own way in my late teens and early twenties, loved and accepted me when I returned and re-committed my life to Jesus.

The grace that gifted me a husband who is just as strong-willed as me and never wants to give up. The grace that has enabled our marriage to continue despite our failings. The grace to be able to a child, overcome the disappointment of two miscarriages, and have three more children.

The grace that has given us the strength and hope to continually lift our eyes to Jesus during seven years of believing for a miracle for our daughter's health (and I am crying now). The grace that has carried us to a place where we can now, most days, live our lives abundantly in faith.

The grace that has surrounded us with family and friends who have continually prayed, encouraged and helped us. The grace that has held this family together, and is growing us day by day in our journey as parents.

His unfolding grace. The grace, that in each of these days, even when we didn't realise it, has drawn us closer to our Heavenly Father.

Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day.  2 Corinthians 4:16 AMP

Question for today, can you see how God's grace has  unfolded throughout your life? I pray that God will help us see that no matter what has happened or is going to happen, He has not left us. He will not leave us. He has not forsaken us. But rather His grace continues to unfold in our lives every day. Let's keep our eyes on Jesus.

Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting. 2 Corinthians 4:18 AMP