How can it be?

John 5:19-29

When our baby died I could not bring myself to allow his body to be cremated, even though I am quite happy to be cremated myself. I was discussing this at a course on Anglicanism which I have just followed at our church. One of the other participants rightly pointed out that even buried bodies decompose.
How can the dead who have done good hear the Son of Man and rise out of their grave? A clue to the answer was also gained on the course. Joseph Butler developed an analogy of religion which in my understanding is that just as we do not know how a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly do we not know the mechanism for our transformation into a resurrected being. It is another mystery but I am quite prepared to believe that God is there orchestrating my life. I wonder what he has in store for me today. I hope I am prepared to take the time to listen.

Analogy of Religion   just in case you have spare time today.

Who?

John 4:43-54

It was tedious; Every Saturday we went to see my grandparents. I could only watch the TV programs which my grandfather liked. There was nothing to do. My books and toys were at home. Then my grandfather introduced us to some friends of his. They had daughters around my age. I could escape the confines of the grandparents house for a home filled with books and games and people who spoke and a TV. They welcomed me. The parents in their quiet Quakerism had space for everyone. Just as Jesus had time for somebody outside his circle I was accepted as a spare child. The daughters were open in their devotion God. I was led to know Jesus.
The royal official  believed because of the miraculous healing of his son.
Who led you to believe?

Surprised

Mark 7:31-37

he man was deaf and could not talk properly. Jesus did this and that. The man now hears and talks properly.
So why am I surprised by anything that happens in my life?

Right?

Genesis 11:27-12:8

Abram's father was on his way to Canaan but they liked Haran and stopped there. Thus when God told Abram to go to Canaan it was not a completely new or strange idea  for him.
it was muted in a previous company that we went to Texas for a few years, though to a different city than Houston. Thus when the decision was made for us to go in 1987 is was not a completely strange notion. We went willingly.  Sometimes an idea just seems the right thing to do.

In the light

John 3:16-21

What am I going to do today just because of God? How can I ensure that they know that my goodness comes from God alone?

Just One Step

Psalm 25

Is waiting for God the same as travelling along life's road with him? Maybe a little waiting is part of the journey but the hymn One More Step Along The Road I Go came to mind. Sometimes I need the courage to take the step that I think I am being prompted to take rather than wait for the shout.
Maybe today I will write those emails to the friends I miss while humming the hymn. i hope you too are inspired to step and sing
.

At home?

Mark 3:7-19

"Then he went home". I wonder where Jesus lived?

He spoke to the crowd, he appointed helpers, then he went home. I wonder what he did when he was at home?

Old shoes

Psalm 17

Even I think this is a bit weak, but if it leads us one millimetre closer to God then I would not deem it a failure.

Recently I slipped on the road outside our house. There was little traffic, being 8 30 am on a Sunday morning. I had our breakfast of croissants and pain au this and that such as chocolate and almonds in my bag. The treasures of the boulangerie were fortunately safe. It was a wet morning, the sort of morning when the white lines painted on the road are particularly slippery. I was wearing "my easy to put on because I am in a hurry" shoes. These shoes are old and have little friction left in their soles. They are also prone to letting in the wet.
I had not used all the sense that God had given me, I was running my own agenda, yet again.

My Nazareth

John 1:43-51

Sitting at his desk one day, the telephone rang. he answered it, "Come and work in Belgium". Here we are, five years later living in French speaking Belgium.
Belgium was never on my list of places I would like to live in. After our move to the USA, even though I never felt as if I was an immigrant I never thought that I would be a resident of another country, especially in Europe. In my youth I had thought that it might be amusing or interesting to live in Europe but my inability to succeed in French diminished that desire. America became more attractive, not that I really planned to move there, it was the idea that was exciting. No Belgium was not on the short list of exciting places in the world. But here we are, and getting by in french too.
Since I believe that everyday is a gift from God I believe that there is something good is in our residence in Belgium. I cannot see, I hope God can.

Angels and Saints

Hebrews 1:1-14
Often I tell you of the friends who have done acts of service to me. Today I think of Mary who would arrive and iron when I was heavily pregnant or take Tom to out and about ass she did her errands in order to give me a rest.. There are many people who have crossed my path and just smiled when I was feeling lonesome. They could easily have passed by on the other side with eyes downcast or focused on their own horizon. Are these friendly, helpful people angels in God's service? I was reminded of the popular All Saints day Hymn
I sing a song of the saints of God. Though written by an English person I have never heard the hymn on this side of the Atlantic. I think this is musically the best recording but there are too few verses so we will listen to Rachel. on YouTube.

The question of course is how am I going to let God send me in his service today?

Psalm 150 again

Psalm 150
Whenever psalm 150 is the psalm for the day it is good to take a little time to praise God for the world which he has created and his mighty deeds. Probably moreso than the hills and mountains of yesterday's thought are the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean in bringing me a reminder of the power of our Lord. With these thoughts come feelings of humility at the awesome nature of your God.

The Gate

John 10: 7-17

Jesus is the gate. He is protecting me, keeping all the baddies out of my life. So why do I look for them? Why don't I accept the life he allows my way.

I lift up my eyes...

Psalm 121

Mountains seem so majestic, immovable, ageless though we know that there are not, some mountains are relatively young, most are being eroded. This particular photograph was taken in the Grand Tetons.
I have many photographs of mountains, sunsets and oceans. Each is a 'thin place' for me, even just the hill behind our house overlooking the village. The Lord is Creator. It is a mystery.

Prayers

Colossians 1:1-14

9 For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s^* will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. ¹¹May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully ¹²giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled^* you^* to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 

Sometimes Paul seems very pompous. But not so in this passage.

We tend to pray for health and wealth and comfort. Paul concentrated on the spiritual life and the extension of God's kingdom through the effectiveness of believers.

weak

Matthew 12:14-21

How wonderful of Jesus, he will not break a bruised reed or quench a smouldering wick. The weak are allowed to live.

Getting dressed my prayer for the day,

Colossians 3:12-17

My husband spends the length of time it takes me to have a shower to lay out his clothes. Every item is laid neatly on the bed, then he body. goes to shower. I contemplate what I shall wear whilst I shower, get it out of the drawer and place it straight away onto my body.
Neither of us spend any time considering our attitude to the people that we shall meet during the day or how we shall worship our Lord, though to be fair to us before we shower and dress we have read and prayed together.

melody

Ephesians 5:1-20

Is this Paul at his most bossy? Sometimes when something is very important we get too involved and what we want to say does not come out right and does not have the positive effect which we intended.
However, I will attempt to make melodies in my heart.