Dec 11, 2009
Reflect and Share
I've received a couple emails today expressing the feeling that some of the blog posts and comments are reflecting a "we need to try harder" approach rather than one of just "trusting the Father." Another is struggling with the "Am I doing it right? How can I do better?" discourse. I know not everyone will feel this way (and I have definitely appreciated the variety of input over the last few weeks), but given this feedback I thought now would be a great time just to spend a couple days focussing on God's goodness in our lives. Please share a story, example or experience from recent times that highlights the love and faithfulness of God for you. We will continue the discussions on John from Monday morning but over the weekend I thought it would be great if we could share some of our own experiences (as per point 4 on the right). Even just a couple sentences or a short paragraph would be fine :)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Hi All. I have been away from the bloggersphere for the last couple of days looking after my mum who still lives in the house I grew-up in. I got to spent some good time with her, got to go back to the church where I started my Christian walk, and caught-up with my best friend from youth group days who i hadn't talked to in about 6 or 7 years. It was wierd.
BUT, it was also great 'cause I got to see a sort of map of my past, to see how God's hand has been upon me through that time, and to recieve more love (than I deserve)from the congregants (those who remember me and those who don't)of a denomination I hold in scant regard (the Uniting Church).
God's goodness to me found in a loving mother, a faithful friend, and an unselfish congregation, showed me the treasures and miracles He has laid before me and which I have forgotten or ignored.
God is truely good...and I am undeserving...but my thankfulness is renewed.
The text from this morning's service seems quite apt for my experience:
"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you; He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zeph. 3:17
A couple of things come to mind for me.
Firstly this whole seeking the Father in a new and personal way has seen me more committed to reading his word, praying and listening (this is a newy). For me it is important to get up early and plug in before anything else grabs my thought space. I have also started writing some stuff down in the process. I want to know the Father in a deep personal and spiritual way so that I can be more effective in all ways - and share this relationship. The pearl of great price. I have never felt such sustained peace and trust in God as I have in this relatively recent journey.
Secondly, I just reflected on a car accident that I had when I was 18 on the Albany Highway in the country. I was in the back seat with no seatbelt and we crashed tumbling head over tail forwards at full speed. Somehow I was flung out of the car and people saw me flying through the air and land on the side of the road. The funny thing is that the only injury I sustained was a dislocated hip from impact. Who knows how I got flung out of the car, or how I wasn't injured in the process, and how I landed on the side of the bitumen, was fully conscious and tried to get up unaided. I have had a real sense of purpose since that time as it is a highly improbable scenario. I have been spared for some purpose.......God is good......and his far off but well laid out plans can be somewhat of an enigma......
Thanks JB and Garry for sharing what you have today. Your words have encouraged me more than you will know :)
My experience is this: I love being a dad! I love the opportunity I have each day to invest in my kids lives: to love them, listen to them, hug them, disciple them, pray with them, laugh with them, play with them...
I was encouraged tonight as I saw my kids share there love and faith through the children's Christmas presentation.
I am so thankful for the blessing of many amazing relationships in my life at the moment and in particular tonight for my relationship with each of my children. I love them so much... and at the moment they are bringing me a whole stack of joy!
Since I became a dad I feel like I have much more insight into God as our dad.
Anyway, that is my EXPERIENCE for tonight. Now I am going to break the rule I set myself (but it IS late on Sunday night) and share an insight.
I think God loves his children irrespective of what they do or don't do - just like me with my own children.
I think God also wants to listen to his children, teach them and bless them - just like me with my own children.
My children also hang out with me (at the moment), and they WANT to spend time with me... so it makes it easier for me to listen to them and build relationship with them. If they were too busy hanging out with their own friends, playing video games and doing there own thing to spend much time with me then... I would still love them, but our relationship would suffer.
I haven't allocated as much time to honest and heart felt prayer with God over these last couple weeks (for a variety of reasons) and God still loves me - heaps! But, my relationship with Jesus has suffered - and it wasn't his fault!
I'm looking forward to this week as we walk through John 19-21 together and as we seek God radically each day!! He is a loving father and he wants to bless us in more ways than we can begin to imagine
God's goodness...that is an easy one for me! Was just reflecting on that today. You know that Third Day song with the lyrics, "feels like I'm born again, feels like I'm living, for the very first time..."
That has been my experience over the past 2 1/2 years. I have often said, "God saved me from me." I have been saved since I was about 4 years old. And there was fruit and evidence of salvation, so I do think I was genuinely saved. But somehow until I was 36, I managed to really pursue the things of the world.
I didn't realize the bondage I was in, until the Lord came and set me free. He delivered me from the pursuit of all the world has to offer, and set me free to rest in Him and his provision. He came and set me FREE. I wasn't asking for it...He just did it. I am thankful He who called us is faithful to complete the good work He begins.
We listened to David Platt this morning, and he said, "In his sovereign design, God ordains sorrowful tragedy to set the stage for surprising triumph."
The single event that got my attention in 2007 was getting sick and going into the hospital. Even at the time it happened, I knew the Lord was slowing me down to spend time with Him. I just didn't realize how long it would last!
But I am so incredibly grateful for the freedom He has brought. I wouldn't go back to my days of health (in the spiritual condition I was) if it were offered to me.
He has used a time of sorrow for good in my life. And I feel like I'm born again for the very first time. I feel like I'm living, like I'm breathing...
Thanks, Andrew, for the invitation to post something on God's goodness! It is, according to Exodus 33:18-19 and John's Gospel, the fullest expression of His glory. Those who follow my blog know that my wife and I have been journeying through the most painful and challenging time in our lives with literally a battle for her life over the past few months. We are now in a place where her healing is more and more evident--certainly a huge dose of God's goodness! But we have also seen His goodness in the darkest moments when one of our friends would send a scripture that was just right or a card of encouragement or a special quilt, etc. God's goodness became real through His people over these past few months, and like Moses, we are nearly blinded by His glory in it!
Post a Comment