Yesterday, Today and Forever

"Do you not know?

    Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."      Isaiah 40:28-29

I think it's safe to say that my mum, despite all she has to deal with, always looks on the bright side of life. (cue the whistling). After talking to her on the phone about my worries and stresses, I always feel much calmer and composed. She always takes things one step at a time, looks for the best possible outcome, and has way more common sense than I do! This mother's day I really want to thank her for that. My mum is a constant, and always on my side. I thank God for her everyday. I also thank God that He is there to back her up. 

God is constant. God is eternal. Even though our lives change daily, He never changes. 

 Today I really needed to be reminded of that. Talking to my mum as she listened to all my worries, I was reminded of the fact that, just like my Mother is always there to encourage and help me, God is there too, to catch me when I fall, and to comfort me when I feel hurt.

I think this goes back to my previous post about being CHILDREN of God. We cannot hope to get through this life on our own understanding, we need the support of our Lord to carry us through. He is our heavenly FATHER and is always dependable. He loves like a mother does, unconditionally and completely. 

In the words of Steph Macleod:

I know, whatever might pass,

I'm not alone.

My Father catches me

No matter how fast I'm falling.

With love that carries me,

When I'm lost and broken.

I rise like an eagle,

On wings I soar over mountains high,

Singing you are my Father.

I can tell you that this song will be on repeat for the next few days! I hope this short post has served as an encouragement to you all. This time of year is often a time of stress and weariness as coursework deadlines and exams approach, but I pray that whatever is going on in our lives, God will be at the centre. I pray that this would be a time not of worry and anxiety, but of excitement and of opportunity to draw nearer to our Lord as Easter approaches. And I thank God that even when I fall, he catches me. And even though I change, he stays the same, yesterday, today and forever.

Peace and Blessings. 

Limitless and Cloudless Hope

"And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."   Matthew 18:3

If I had to sum up the past year in terms of my personal journey, I would say it has been a year of growing up. Turning 18, and dealing with all the implications of that change, moving away from home, learning to cook, managing my own money and time, renting a house for next year, paying deposits and bills, and learning to be independent. This all seems to have come a bit fast. Although I wouldn't say that I was necessarily immature a year ago, I do feel a very different person now to what I was like then. This has been a year of transformation.

Whilst it seems a bit scary that I'm suddenly in the deep end, having to deal with finances and tenancy agreements, I'm also very grateful that the Lord has gotten me through what could be a potentially difficult and spiritually dangerous time, relatively unscathed. Because just as I have had to grow up and become more and more responsible, I also feel that I have had to become more and more childlike. 

Have you ever seen a child dance? When children dance, its like they have forgotten that anyone can see them, it doesn't matter what music is on or what moves they are doing, they are they purely to dance and have fun. After 18 years of waiting to grow up, to be independent and responsible, I want to live my life like a child dances.

When we find that our identity is in Christ alone, we know that our chains are broken. We feel deeply changed and want everything in our lives to be worthy of this love. This is hard for us, because we know that we are imperfect. But Jesus gives us the answer. 

If we come before God as His children, childlike in our worship, dependent on Him, and without fear or worry, our lives become worthy.

I can remember being a child in Sunday school, totally enthralled and in awe of this idea of a God who could do miracles and wonders with one word, who could create the world and then come to us as a Human to save us. God sounded to me like a superhero. That childish wonder is something I want to feel again every day. I don't want my faith to be dictated by my academic understanding of the bible, or the events of my week, the things that are worrying me. I want it to be filled with childlike dancing, wondering at a God who is constant, who never grows old. 

God promises, that if we humble ourselves before Him as little children, we will be welcomed home. And that to me is quite a bit more exciting then when a child finds out that there parents are taking them to Disneyland. 

Wide, wide as the ocean,

High as the heaven above;

Deep, deep as the deepest sea

ls my Saviour's love.

l, though so unworthy,

Still am a child of His care;

For His Word teaches me

That His love reaches me everywhere.   (Wide, wide as the ocean, C.A. Miles)




Blessings to you all.