A Church with a Heart for our Community

December 10th Thursday

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ – THE Risen Saviour! Thanks be to God for another day of grace and mercy….and really strange weather! I think that I hear a song being sung…”Lo the days are hastening on…!”…if not out loud, certainly in the mind of people. It seems that our whole world is inundated with ‘Christmas’ – certainly with words, advertisements, music, media…but not with “spirit”. In fact, as I watch people these days, I understand a new dimension to the words: When he looked over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd.  Matthew 9:36 The Message. Today I will be praying for you, asking Father to draw your attention away from the aimless confusion and direct towards the “Shepherd.”

There are three verses of Scripture in my mind today that I believe are God-directed and they have been affirmed by unsolicited sources, so I know that it isn’t me that is being brilliant. The first verse came as I pondered a comment or two being made at a gathering: So Moses thought, I will turn aside to see…Exodus 3:3 ESV – So Moses said (to himself), I will now turn aside and see…Exodus 3:3 KJV. Moses had a routine, a way of doing things and a path he often took and it was so familiar that when something – a burning bush – interrupted him a curiosity apprehended him to the degree that he felt compelled to investigate. This begs a question: What happens when our routine, our familiar way of approaching life is disrupted? Do we turn aside to “see” or do we determinedly keep pressing on? It seems to me that too many people don’t turn aside, don’t want to consider that an interruption is really a message from God – sent to take them to a new understanding of God, to ‘teach’ them something new.

The second and third verses go together but are opposing forces: With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. – Matthew 19:26 NIV – For nothing is impossible with God. – Luke 1:37 NIV. At first glance they seem to mean the same, but they are really quite different. In Matthew’s reference, the context is that what is being asked of an individual is their responsibility and it is quite challenging, but Jesus suggest that if you let God help you, it is quite possible. In Luke’s reference, what is being suggested isn’t possible to an individual, but God can overrule. 

I have heard people praying and asking God to deal with a situation that is entirely within their control…though it would require “turning aside” from their normal routine and way of facing life…and I think that God says…through Matthew’s reference “I will help you make adjustments but this is totally within your realm. You can do it, if you really want to! You can adjust! You can cope! I will help, but I will not do it for you! ” There are times, of course, when things are completely outside of one’s ability and power, God says, through Luke’s reference: “I know that you are completely helpless in the face of this challenge…you don’t stand a chance without my intervention, but don’t worry…nothing is impossible!”

The challenge is this…is what I am saying really an impossibility or is it a case that I don’t want to put the effort in…I don’t want to turn aside? I have a strong sense that God will not work in our lives in areas where we could initiate the miracle with a little “turning aside” from our safe and secure routines, our familiar paths – with a little self-discipline, self-effort. There are times when I believe God says “No!” to our prayers because He knows that we are more than able with His help to do more than we think we are able for. Is your request to God a “all things are possible with” or “impossible without” ?

Something to ponder…be blessed!