The world is made up of billions of individuals - each one important, each one carrying their unique story. Our collective stories, including those past, makeup the world we know. And like great books, our stories are so varied and different from one another… But they all carry similar themes; the search for love and belonging, tragedy and heartache, joys and hope, challenges and faith… and more. It’s easy to become enraptured with our own story and be blinded to those around us. We aspire, we dream, we accumulate stuff, amass wealth and experiences, and we complain when we don’t get what we want, we judge when someone hurts or annoys us, we sink into morbid despair when hardship comes, then we blame and point fingers… all this because our ears are filled with our own narrative, drowning out the voices and plight of others. Our stories were never meant for solo flight - they will never reach their full potential or impact unless they’re shared and exchanged with someone else… vulnerable and authentic. Warts, beauty and all. Let someone read it, add to it, pour over it, mark it, enjoy it… cry and laugh, sharing stories, exchanging moments… hearts. Our stories becoming communal, part of each other. God 'wants in' on our stories too. This passage in Isaiah tells us that we are not alone. No matter what we go through, no matter what part of the story we're up too; the scary and sad parts, the chilling and horrific parts, God never stops reading. He’s not on the sidelines judging, and he’s not in the end waiting for us to finish. He is with us everywhere we go. Around, in and through. His is the hand of a ready writer, wanting to help us with the plot, themes, and narrative. Our voices join, and the story becomes ours. Shared, divine and holy. You can’t tell where one story starts and the other one ends. No matter where the story of your life is up to, God is with you - even through deep waters, rivers of difficulty and fiery oppressions… He will not leave you. He’s been there before, and he will go there with you again.
The world is made up of billions of individuals - each one important, each one carrying their unique story. Our collective stories, including those past, makeup the world we know. And like great books, our stories are so varied and different from one another… But they all carry similar themes; the search for love and belonging, tragedy and heartache, joys and hope, challenges and faith… and more. It’s easy to become enraptured with our own story and be blinded to those around us. We aspire, we dream, we accumulate stuff, amass wealth and experiences, and we complain when we don’t get what we want, we judge when someone hurts or annoys us, we sink into morbid despair when hardship comes, then we blame and point fingers… all this because our ears are filled with our own narrative, drowning out the voices and plight of others. Our stories were never meant for solo flight - they will never reach their full potential or impact unless they’re shared and exchanged with someone else… vulnerable and authentic. Warts, beauty and all. Let someone read it, add to it, pour over it, mark it, enjoy it… cry and laugh, sharing stories, exchanging moments… hearts. Our stories becoming communal, part of each other. God 'wants in' on our stories too. This passage in Isaiah tells us that we are not alone. No matter what we go through, no matter what part of the story we're up too; the scary and sad parts, the chilling and horrific parts, God never stops reading. He’s not on the sidelines judging, and he’s not in the end waiting for us to finish. He is with us everywhere we go. Around, in and through. His is the hand of a ready writer, wanting to help us with the plot, themes, and narrative. Our voices join, and the story becomes ours. Shared, divine and holy. You can’t tell where one story starts and the other one ends. No matter where the story of your life is up to, God is with you - even through deep waters, rivers of difficulty and fiery oppressions… He will not leave you. He’s been there before, and he will go there with you again.
Honey has been used medicinally for thousands of years dating as far back as ancient Egypt and Greece. It’s had a resurgence in the last few decades amongst medical professionals. Medical-grade honey is being used more and more to treat a variety of ailments, such as skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. It can improve digestion and is an effective treatment for stomach ulcers and gastroenteritis. It’s used to relieve sore throats and respiratory infections, and it gives our immune systems a powerful boost due to its antioxidant and antibacterial properties. A study has shown that people that eat raw, unprocessed honey regularly have higher levels of antioxidants in their body. Amazing!! But one of the most powerful ways we see raw, unprocessed honey work is in the treatment of wounds and skin ulcers. Studies show that wounds treated with honey heal quicker, smell less and have reduced scarring. Honey often works where traditional medicine fails. Nursing homes and hospitals are starting to use medical-grade honey to treat ulcers that won’t respond to other treatments, and the results have been astounding. Wounds that typically would not heal, and would require amputation of limbs, are healing with the help of honey. Peter Molan, Ph.D., tells the story of a woman with a 20-year-old wound in her armpit that was infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and had an abscess that oozed long after it had been drained. Nothing seemed to help, and the pain was intense. She read about the wound-healing properties of honey and convinced her doctors to apply some to the dressing to her arm. One month later the wound healed. Something so simple and natural has been proven to have the power to heal untreatable wounds; to break down bacteria that could not be beaten and bring healing and comfort to a person's body. Kindness is just like honey. Real, raw, unprocessed, un-glamorised, pure kindness has the ability to heal and bring relief to wounded hearts, scarred and torn over years of pain and heartache. Open oozing wounds, burns, sorrows that have been inflicted and shamed can be turned around with kindness. If you come across a wounded heart - maybe they're oozing anger or seeping sorrow - administer kindness. It may be the very thing that brings that precious heart closer to health and wholeness.
Honey has been used medicinally for thousands of years dating as far back as ancient Egypt and Greece. It’s had a resurgence in the last few decades amongst medical professionals. Medical-grade honey is being used more and more to treat a variety of ailments, such as skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. It can improve digestion and is an effective treatment for stomach ulcers and gastroenteritis. It’s used to relieve sore throats and respiratory infections, and it gives our immune systems a powerful boost due to its antioxidant and antibacterial properties. A study has shown that people that eat raw, unprocessed honey regularly have higher levels of antioxidants in their body. Amazing!! But one of the most powerful ways we see raw, unprocessed honey work is in the treatment of wounds and skin ulcers. Studies show that wounds treated with honey heal quicker, smell less and have reduced scarring. Honey often works where traditional medicine fails. Nursing homes and hospitals are starting to use medical-grade honey to treat ulcers that won’t respond to other treatments, and the results have been astounding. Wounds that typically would not heal, and would require amputation of limbs, are healing with the help of honey. Peter Molan, Ph.D., tells the story of a woman with a 20-year-old wound in her armpit that was infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and had an abscess that oozed long after it had been drained. Nothing seemed to help, and the pain was intense. She read about the wound-healing properties of honey and convinced her doctors to apply some to the dressing to her arm. One month later the wound healed. Something so simple and natural has been proven to have the power to heal untreatable wounds; to break down bacteria that could not be beaten and bring healing and comfort to a person's body. Kindness is just like honey. Real, raw, unprocessed, un-glamorised, pure kindness has the ability to heal and bring relief to wounded hearts, scarred and torn over years of pain and heartache. Open oozing wounds, burns, sorrows that have been inflicted and shamed can be turned around with kindness. If you come across a wounded heart - maybe they're oozing anger or seeping sorrow - administer kindness. It may be the very thing that brings that precious heart closer to health and wholeness.
Light spilled onto the bed from the early morning sun. The woman thought she heard voices… “It’s just a beggar…” the man whispered, pulling her face back to his. But the voices grew louder and angrier… Her heart that was racing with passion was now breaking through her chest with fear. Was it her husband? Had he found her? The door flew open, anger entered, her lover dove seeking his own protection, leaving her naked and vulnerable. She grabbed her garment just as arms closed around her and dragged her from the bed. “What do you want? Who are you?” The woman struggled to break free, her cries hung in the air, ignored and neglected. As the tangled group broke out into the streets, her dignity was dashed upon the pavement that rushed beneath her feet that clawed for resistance, a foothold. A way to stop this madness. She shouldn’t have listened to his pretty speech, responded to his tender touch, ventured through the morning twilight, knocked on his door… She knew death awaited. They saw everything… and she couldn’t deny it. Those carrying her stopped suddenly and threw her before a man. He was familiar, but this was not where she thought they were taking her. They were not in court. The angry mob, some she recognised, had brought her before the rebel Rabbi Jesus, the dangerous teacher, the one people couldn’t help but talk about. How could he help her? What did they hope he would do? At his feet, she looked down to the ground, dust filled her nose, and an awareness rose up from the darkness within her. Where was her lover and partner in crime? Or her husband? She began to see what was taking place. This was a setup. She was a pawn in the schemes of men to be used up and thrown away. They were making a point, and she was the collateral damage. Accusations, descriptions of her crime began to fill the air around her, taunting and threatening her life. Her sins on show. Her soul for all to see. The man who had grabbed her so tightly that blackness was already peeking through her skin yelled to Jesus: “The law demands it. What do you say?” His question went unanswered. Slowly and silently, Jesus knelt to the ground only inches from the woman and began to write with his finger in the naked, raw dirt. Through her fear, the woman suddenly thought of the stories she had heard as little girl from times past, where another revolutionary, Moses, had walked down Mt Zion carrying earthen stones carved upon by the hands of God. Perhaps these hands. Could these be new commands he authored in the ground? After what seemed like an age, Jesus rose and said “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Silence. Not even the birds or the wind uttered voice. Jesus returned to the dust right next to the quivering woman and continued his earthen text. One by one, every accuser, every man, every member of that angry crowd, turned and walked away. Only Jesus and the tear-stained, barely dressed, battered woman remained. Smiling softly, Jesus lifted the woman’s face gently by her chin and asked, “Does no one condemn you?” Bewildered and mystified, she gazed into eyes of hope, the face of grace. A portrait like none she had ever seen. “No.” She stammered. More tears fell, but this time they were tears of hopeful relief. “Neither do I condemn you.” John 8:11-12 The Passion Translation, "Then I certainly don’t condemn you either. Go, and from now on, be free from a life of sin.” Then Jesus said, “I am light to the world and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness."
Light spilled onto the bed from the early morning sun. The woman thought she heard voices… “It’s just a beggar…” the man whispered, pulling her face back to his. But the voices grew louder and angrier… Her heart that was racing with passion was now breaking through her chest with fear. Was it her husband? Had he found her? The door flew open, anger entered, her lover dove seeking his own protection, leaving her naked and vulnerable. She grabbed her garment just as arms closed around her and dragged her from the bed. “What do you want? Who are you?” The woman struggled to break free, her cries hung in the air, ignored and neglected. As the tangled group broke out into the streets, her dignity was dashed upon the pavement that rushed beneath her feet that clawed for resistance, a foothold. A way to stop this madness. She shouldn’t have listened to his pretty speech, responded to his tender touch, ventured through the morning twilight, knocked on his door… She knew death awaited. They saw everything… and she couldn’t deny it. Those carrying her stopped suddenly and threw her before a man. He was familiar, but this was not where she thought they were taking her. They were not in court. The angry mob, some she recognised, had brought her before the rebel Rabbi Jesus, the dangerous teacher, the one people couldn’t help but talk about. How could he help her? What did they hope he would do? At his feet, she looked down to the ground, dust filled her nose, and an awareness rose up from the darkness within her. Where was her lover and partner in crime? Or her husband? She began to see what was taking place. This was a setup. She was a pawn in the schemes of men to be used up and thrown away. They were making a point, and she was the collateral damage. Accusations, descriptions of her crime began to fill the air around her, taunting and threatening her life. Her sins on show. Her soul for all to see. The man who had grabbed her so tightly that blackness was already peeking through her skin yelled to Jesus: “The law demands it. What do you say?” His question went unanswered. Slowly and silently, Jesus knelt to the ground only inches from the woman and began to write with his finger in the naked, raw dirt. Through her fear, the woman suddenly thought of the stories she had heard as little girl from times past, where another revolutionary, Moses, had walked down Mt Zion carrying earthen stones carved upon by the hands of God. Perhaps these hands. Could these be new commands he authored in the ground? After what seemed like an age, Jesus rose and said “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Silence. Not even the birds or the wind uttered voice. Jesus returned to the dust right next to the quivering woman and continued his earthen text. One by one, every accuser, every man, every member of that angry crowd, turned and walked away. Only Jesus and the tear-stained, barely dressed, battered woman remained. Smiling softly, Jesus lifted the woman’s face gently by her chin and asked, “Does no one condemn you?” Bewildered and mystified, she gazed into eyes of hope, the face of grace. A portrait like none she had ever seen. “No.” She stammered. More tears fell, but this time they were tears of hopeful relief. “Neither do I condemn you.” John 8:11-12 The Passion Translation, "Then I certainly don’t condemn you either. Go, and from now on, be free from a life of sin.” Then Jesus said, “I am light to the world and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness."
Micah was a prophet during the crazy years surrounding the fall of Israel to the Assyrian Empire (720ish BC). Israel was filled with corruption and social unrest. There was external and internal pressure within the nation and the people were feeling it within their relationships and families. Micah starts off this chapter lamenting about the state of things relationally and politically, saying that no one could be trusted... “The people with influence get what they want, and together they scheme to twist justice. Even the best of them is like a brier; the most honest is as dangerous as a hedge of thorns.” (V3-4 NLT). Leadership that’s used for personal gain is not a modern concept. Betrayal is ancient, it has been around since the beginning. The earth is infected with it, tainted by it... And all through history there are stories and testimonies of hardship, dictatorship, injustice and just downright evil. Stories that seem so untrue because of how incredibly horrific they are. And they are happening still today. Conspiracy theories are rampant, and the question, “who can we really trust?” rings loud and true in our hearts. And it's not just governments and kings we’re afraid of. We’re scared of our neighbours, of street corners and dark alleyways. Our fences are high and strong, everything we own is insured, and still we sleep with one eye open. And after all that, sometimes trouble comes from the most unexpected places - your closest friend could turn out to be your greatest enemy. That's pretty dramatic and pessimistic, but this is what Micah was saying was happening in his nation and amongst his people. I think we can relate to it in varying degrees. Micah made a choice about how he would respond to the hard times happening all around him. He decided to pray and trust. He believed that the sorrow and upheaval they were experiencing would eventually give way to peace and restoration. He was not going to give up just because things were tough, rather he knew that God heard his every plea and cry and would lead him, and the nations, beyond these times. And they same goes for us. How will you respond to the political and social unrest around the world and within your neighbourhood? Or even within your own home? Don’t give up, don’t stop caring, and don’t stop engaging in your community. Stick around to see what God will do. Now is the time that your faith and hope are needed. You have a voice - use it to bring peace. You have resources, use them to spread hope. And our infinite God, who is in all things and through all things, wants to give you peace and joy even in the midst of turmoil and hopelessness. And for you to be that peace and hope for others. Pray, listen, trust. When trouble is thick and harm is close by,s stick around, keep on going; don't get bogged down in hatred and despair, but stand in faith, hope and love... you never know how God will use you to be a part of the answer.
Micah was a prophet during the crazy years surrounding the fall of Israel to the Assyrian Empire (720ish BC). Israel was filled with corruption and social unrest. There was external and internal pressure within the nation and the people were feeling it within their relationships and families. Micah starts off this chapter lamenting about the state of things relationally and politically, saying that no one could be trusted... “The people with influence get what they want, and together they scheme to twist justice. Even the best of them is like a brier; the most honest is as dangerous as a hedge of thorns.” (V3-4 NLT). Leadership that’s used for personal gain is not a modern concept. Betrayal is ancient, it has been around since the beginning. The earth is infected with it, tainted by it... And all through history there are stories and testimonies of hardship, dictatorship, injustice and just downright evil. Stories that seem so untrue because of how incredibly horrific they are. And they are happening still today. Conspiracy theories are rampant, and the question, “who can we really trust?” rings loud and true in our hearts. And it's not just governments and kings we’re afraid of. We’re scared of our neighbours, of street corners and dark alleyways. Our fences are high and strong, everything we own is insured, and still we sleep with one eye open. And after all that, sometimes trouble comes from the most unexpected places - your closest friend could turn out to be your greatest enemy. That's pretty dramatic and pessimistic, but this is what Micah was saying was happening in his nation and amongst his people. I think we can relate to it in varying degrees. Micah made a choice about how he would respond to the hard times happening all around him. He decided to pray and trust. He believed that the sorrow and upheaval they were experiencing would eventually give way to peace and restoration. He was not going to give up just because things were tough, rather he knew that God heard his every plea and cry and would lead him, and the nations, beyond these times. And they same goes for us. How will you respond to the political and social unrest around the world and within your neighbourhood? Or even within your own home? Don’t give up, don’t stop caring, and don’t stop engaging in your community. Stick around to see what God will do. Now is the time that your faith and hope are needed. You have a voice - use it to bring peace. You have resources, use them to spread hope. And our infinite God, who is in all things and through all things, wants to give you peace and joy even in the midst of turmoil and hopelessness. And for you to be that peace and hope for others. Pray, listen, trust. When trouble is thick and harm is close by,s stick around, keep on going; don't get bogged down in hatred and despair, but stand in faith, hope and love... you never know how God will use you to be a part of the answer.
This verse used to make me feel small and insignificant. “I must decrease because I am useless, sin-ridden, incapable and inherently bad. Jesus must increase because He is good." I was weighed down with the burden of having to “do better” to be acceptable and always fearful that I would never be enough. "I am lowly and unworthy, but he is holy and righteous..." The view that God takes pity on us and saves us because he can’t stand the state we are in has done so much damage to people's hearts. God LOVES us that’s why he saves us. While we were still sinners, covered in shame, unworthy and not asking for forgiveness, Christ died for us. In the words of Jerry McGuire (from the movie), God “completes” us... This verse isn’t about you being diminished so that God can be exalted. One day, Jesus and John the Baptist were baptising people in the same lake. More people were flocking to Jesus than were congregating around John. John’s disciples were getting jealous of Jesus’s larger crowd and popularity. They complained, but John remained calm and confident. He explained to them that his purpose was to herald Jesus, to make a way, prepare the people for what would come next… And here on the shores of the lake, he could see that his job, this part of the journey was coming to an end. He explained that it was now Jesus’ time to baptise and teach and fulfil the prophecies of old. John was passing the baton – “He must increase, I must decrease…” It was like he was saying “I must step aside as I have fulfilled this part of my destiny, and it's time for Jesus to fulfil his." He says, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is fulfilled.” John is talking about comparison and significance. His disciples were jealous that Jesus was attracting a greater crowd. It’s not about who gets the biggest crowd, who has more influence, who's popular and known, famous or not… It’s about being authentic, true to your calling and finding great joy in being empowered by Jesus. Then watching others do the same. Don't be intimated by someone's moment in the spotlight. Just keep on doing what you were put on this earth for, what resonates deep within your bones. That is how you find true fulfillment. Vulnerable, humble, honest and confident. John knew when to speak and when to let someone else take over. And that these changes in his vocation did not affect his value or impact in the Kingdom of God. Don’t delete yourself to fit Jesus in. Gather all that you are, every nook and cranny of your life and fill it with him. Overflow it with faith, hope and love. He fulfils you, not subtracts you. It’s been his plan all along that the beautiful collision of the ordinary and the extraordinary, the natural and supernatural would be the grandest, most glorious miracle of all. Let Jesus be Jesus and you be you. Don't try to play his part, just fulfill yours. You do your bit and let Jesus do his. Side by side, in divine partnership as it should be.
This verse used to make me feel small and insignificant. “I must decrease because I am useless, sin-ridden, incapable and inherently bad. Jesus must increase because He is good." I was weighed down with the burden of having to “do better” to be acceptable and always fearful that I would never be enough. "I am lowly and unworthy, but he is holy and righteous..." The view that God takes pity on us and saves us because he can’t stand the state we are in has done so much damage to people's hearts. God LOVES us that’s why he saves us. While we were still sinners, covered in shame, unworthy and not asking for forgiveness, Christ died for us. In the words of Jerry McGuire (from the movie), God “completes” us... This verse isn’t about you being diminished so that God can be exalted. One day, Jesus and John the Baptist were baptising people in the same lake. More people were flocking to Jesus than were congregating around John. John’s disciples were getting jealous of Jesus’s larger crowd and popularity. They complained, but John remained calm and confident. He explained to them that his purpose was to herald Jesus, to make a way, prepare the people for what would come next… And here on the shores of the lake, he could see that his job, this part of the journey was coming to an end. He explained that it was now Jesus’ time to baptise and teach and fulfil the prophecies of old. John was passing the baton – “He must increase, I must decrease…” It was like he was saying “I must step aside as I have fulfilled this part of my destiny, and it's time for Jesus to fulfil his." He says, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is fulfilled.” John is talking about comparison and significance. His disciples were jealous that Jesus was attracting a greater crowd. It’s not about who gets the biggest crowd, who has more influence, who's popular and known, famous or not… It’s about being authentic, true to your calling and finding great joy in being empowered by Jesus. Then watching others do the same. Don't be intimated by someone's moment in the spotlight. Just keep on doing what you were put on this earth for, what resonates deep within your bones. That is how you find true fulfillment. Vulnerable, humble, honest and confident. John knew when to speak and when to let someone else take over. And that these changes in his vocation did not affect his value or impact in the Kingdom of God. Don’t delete yourself to fit Jesus in. Gather all that you are, every nook and cranny of your life and fill it with him. Overflow it with faith, hope and love. He fulfils you, not subtracts you. It’s been his plan all along that the beautiful collision of the ordinary and the extraordinary, the natural and supernatural would be the grandest, most glorious miracle of all. Let Jesus be Jesus and you be you. Don't try to play his part, just fulfill yours. You do your bit and let Jesus do his. Side by side, in divine partnership as it should be.
It’s easy in our working, paying bills, mowing lawns, shopping, school fees, going to and fro, TV watching, magazine and blog reading, sports, trying to afford holidays, mortgaging for that dream house - all the normal stuff - to allow our focus to fall on accumulating wealth and material possessions. We’ve all been there: we’ve all wished for better circumstances, hoped for a nicer house, prayed for a full bank account when the bills arrive, dreamt of exotic holidays and desired high paying, satisfying vocations. It's pretty normal to want to have these things and dream and plan for them. Who wouldn’t want to go on a month-long tour of Italy just for fun!! But when the desire for more wealth, more anything, starts to impact your moral decisions in a negative sense, you know you’ve gone too far. Putting money over morality is never the right choice. And it means that you’ve entered into a space where money is your master - it controls your decisions, what you say and what you do to amass ‘greater riches.’ The deceptive thing about money is that it looks like you can buy everything you’ve ever wanted with it. But as the bank account grows, the ‘want’ and ‘need’ list grows also… Buying more and more will never fill your life with the things that matter. Jim Carrey has said, “I wish everyone would get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.” I find in my own life that every time I reach a goal, every time I pay off a loan, or a bill, or start that new job, or get back from that holiday, new challenges arrive with the new territory. Reaching the goal doesn’t cure need. It just creates more of them. Living to get more creates a shallow existence based on exteriors and image; things that can be wiped away in a moment. Who are you when all your stuff disappears? When you finish that job? When you’re at home with your family or out with friends? When your designer clothes get ruined and you crash your expensive car? A certain type of wealth resides in silver and gold, your material possessions and ‘stuff’, but to be truly rich is a matter of the heart. To have a reputation of authenticity, love and joy, of things that hold true beyond money and glitz and glamour is a treasure to spend your life in its pursuit. "Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.” Brene Brown. Be responsible, pay your bills, go on holidays, save up for things that you like... but don’t be fooled into thinking that things and stuff make your life meaningful. Life is so much more than things. The Minimalists (www.theminimalists.com) say, "You are so much more than your stuff. Even in an empty room, the value is within you, not your things.”
It’s easy in our working, paying bills, mowing lawns, shopping, school fees, going to and fro, TV watching, magazine and blog reading, sports, trying to afford holidays, mortgaging for that dream house - all the normal stuff - to allow our focus to fall on accumulating wealth and material possessions. We’ve all been there: we’ve all wished for better circumstances, hoped for a nicer house, prayed for a full bank account when the bills arrive, dreamt of exotic holidays and desired high paying, satisfying vocations. It's pretty normal to want to have these things and dream and plan for them. Who wouldn’t want to go on a month-long tour of Italy just for fun!! But when the desire for more wealth, more anything, starts to impact your moral decisions in a negative sense, you know you’ve gone too far. Putting money over morality is never the right choice. And it means that you’ve entered into a space where money is your master - it controls your decisions, what you say and what you do to amass ‘greater riches.’ The deceptive thing about money is that it looks like you can buy everything you’ve ever wanted with it. But as the bank account grows, the ‘want’ and ‘need’ list grows also… Buying more and more will never fill your life with the things that matter. Jim Carrey has said, “I wish everyone would get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.” I find in my own life that every time I reach a goal, every time I pay off a loan, or a bill, or start that new job, or get back from that holiday, new challenges arrive with the new territory. Reaching the goal doesn’t cure need. It just creates more of them. Living to get more creates a shallow existence based on exteriors and image; things that can be wiped away in a moment. Who are you when all your stuff disappears? When you finish that job? When you’re at home with your family or out with friends? When your designer clothes get ruined and you crash your expensive car? A certain type of wealth resides in silver and gold, your material possessions and ‘stuff’, but to be truly rich is a matter of the heart. To have a reputation of authenticity, love and joy, of things that hold true beyond money and glitz and glamour is a treasure to spend your life in its pursuit. "Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.” Brene Brown. Be responsible, pay your bills, go on holidays, save up for things that you like... but don’t be fooled into thinking that things and stuff make your life meaningful. Life is so much more than things. The Minimalists (www.theminimalists.com) say, "You are so much more than your stuff. Even in an empty room, the value is within you, not your things.”
PLANS - Part 4 We make plans to give our lives a sense of direction and purpose. Everything from lists of things to get done on any given day, to holidays, to interstate moves, to university, to careers. I am going to do this, and say that, and go there. Planned. Done. Some of us are really good at writing them down, turning them into works of art. For some of us, it's more abstract, unable to pin anything down in concrete. Some of us plan to a fault. We figure it all out, chart a course, make a list, and set out to fulfill the plan. But things don’t always go according to plan. And it's often this tension, disappointment, and dissonance between our planning and our reality, that causes us frustration, pain, and heartache. Ram Dass once said “Our plans never turn out as tasty as reality." Often, planning can become a form of control. We become overly attached to outcomes, and we plan to ensure the result that best suits us is what transpires. That’s why it’s so important to note that Jeremiah 29:11 is about community, not individual success (yesterday's devotion). Because when we lose sight of that, we want our plans to succeed even at the expense of the plans of others. We pit plan against plan in the race for comfort, accumulation, reputation, and endless amounts of more. Theologian Mary Daly once said: “'God’s plan' is often a front for men's plans and a cover for inadequacy, ignorance, and evil.” Many plans have been outworked in the name of God, but have been anything but Divine. If God has a plan, should we make plans? I don’t think it’s one or the other. I believe that God’s plan for your life has less to do with whether you study nursing or agriculture, and more to do with whether you are forgiving and humble and generous and seek justice. It’s got more to do with you being open, aware, and awake to God in you, around you, and through you, and to what is happening in the world, in issues that directly, indirectly, or don’t affect you personally at all. I believe that there is a holy integration between the plans you make and attempt to outwork, and God’s plan. Proverbs 16:9 says: "In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." This verse has been used as a kind-of override for the plans we make; to foster a dualistic notion that Gods plan's and our plans are two different things at odds with each other. In the Message Bible, this verse reads: "We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.” When we jump between interpretations and put this verse in the context of the community of Shalom, it has much more to do with divine collaboration, a community of planning and grace, than “God's plan” versus “my plan.” This is a verse about integration, not a dichotomy of plans. God created us with brains and hearts and bodies and the ability to learn and choose and develop wisdom and listen and DECIDE. That’s up to us. I think we like to use “God’s plan” as a way of getting out of having to make tough calls or scary choices or put our lives on the line. Or as Mary suggested, a form of weilding control over situations and others. We were made for moments and journeys of faith. We get to plan our lives. We get to decide what we do and who we become. And as we make these plans, and try to live them, life happens. Plans go awry, and as they do, God is with us, grace upholds us to carry on, continue, learn, and to adjust. God draws out the best in us, while we do the work of living.
PLANS - Part 4 We make plans to give our lives a sense of direction and purpose. Everything from lists of things to get done on any given day, to holidays, to interstate moves, to university, to careers. I am going to do this, and say that, and go there. Planned. Done. Some of us are really good at writing them down, turning them into works of art. For some of us, it's more abstract, unable to pin anything down in concrete. Some of us plan to a fault. We figure it all out, chart a course, make a list, and set out to fulfill the plan. But things don’t always go according to plan. And it's often this tension, disappointment, and dissonance between our planning and our reality, that causes us frustration, pain, and heartache. Ram Dass once said “Our plans never turn out as tasty as reality." Often, planning can become a form of control. We become overly attached to outcomes, and we plan to ensure the result that best suits us is what transpires. That’s why it’s so important to note that Jeremiah 29:11 is about community, not individual success (yesterday's devotion). Because when we lose sight of that, we want our plans to succeed even at the expense of the plans of others. We pit plan against plan in the race for comfort, accumulation, reputation, and endless amounts of more. Theologian Mary Daly once said: “'God’s plan' is often a front for men's plans and a cover for inadequacy, ignorance, and evil.” Many plans have been outworked in the name of God, but have been anything but Divine. If God has a plan, should we make plans? I don’t think it’s one or the other. I believe that God’s plan for your life has less to do with whether you study nursing or agriculture, and more to do with whether you are forgiving and humble and generous and seek justice. It’s got more to do with you being open, aware, and awake to God in you, around you, and through you, and to what is happening in the world, in issues that directly, indirectly, or don’t affect you personally at all. I believe that there is a holy integration between the plans you make and attempt to outwork, and God’s plan. Proverbs 16:9 says: "In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." This verse has been used as a kind-of override for the plans we make; to foster a dualistic notion that Gods plan's and our plans are two different things at odds with each other. In the Message Bible, this verse reads: "We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.” When we jump between interpretations and put this verse in the context of the community of Shalom, it has much more to do with divine collaboration, a community of planning and grace, than “God's plan” versus “my plan.” This is a verse about integration, not a dichotomy of plans. God created us with brains and hearts and bodies and the ability to learn and choose and develop wisdom and listen and DECIDE. That’s up to us. I think we like to use “God’s plan” as a way of getting out of having to make tough calls or scary choices or put our lives on the line. Or as Mary suggested, a form of weilding control over situations and others. We were made for moments and journeys of faith. We get to plan our lives. We get to decide what we do and who we become. And as we make these plans, and try to live them, life happens. Plans go awry, and as they do, God is with us, grace upholds us to carry on, continue, learn, and to adjust. God draws out the best in us, while we do the work of living.