History - already made!

History is one loaded english word. It can relate to any number of things dealing with time which has already occured. I imagine that a many number of people when faced with the word history will automatically think of some kind of history. It might be the subject as taught in school, or maybe the wars which have torn so many countries and people in many directions, or maybe more personal looking at their own past, or perhaps contemplative thinking about what is still yet to become history.

What I find interesting about history is that there is only one, and yet each of us have many. In case you don't follow my train of thought I'll explain briefly. History in the broad sense of the word is 'the aggregate of past events' meaning that everything which has already occured is part of one history from before creation until now. History can also however be related to something specific which is how we commonly study it. So each of us has our own personal history looking at what has occurred in our life here on earth. Then there is the history as related to us  by the group of people we're related to - our family history, or the history of your place of employment, or the history or your gender. Another one is the history of your country and your ethnicity. You see, each of us have many different histories but in fact are only part of one.

If we follow our history back we will find that they all culminate together until we are all sharing the same origin of our history. Often each of us think we are special or unique or different, and we are in some ways, but when you get down to it we are all the same, and all come from the same place, the same origin. We all share in the same history.

Now your next question might be what history is it that we share? I'm from this place and you're from that place. I've never met you before and we're not related so how is it that we share the same history?? Well, I hope that is your question - or that you are already familiar enough with my thinking to know what the answer is.

I believe that what the Bible says is true, and in Genesis we hear the story of creation - how the world came to be, and also how we came to be.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."

Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

So, you see, we are all made in the image of God, and brought to life by his breath. Now my question to you is, if this is right, who should we be living for? Have a read of Genesis 3 to see what other history we all share too.

God Bless

Can you say that again?

Well, I don't know about you but I have had a good week. There hasn't been anything spectacular which has made it a good week, but nor has there been anything particuarly dreadful to make it a bad week - on the outside, it has just been a normal week.

 

On the inside, God has been reminding me about many different things about myself which I had forgotten, or just never consciously realised. There were no profound moments but rather just through different conversations and situations. Granted, perhaps I was a little more contemplative.

 

Why now? Well, that's Gods timing - we don't always know why but trust that He knows right. Over the past couple of weeks especially I have been reminded how important it is to listen. Two bible studies this last week in which it came up were Micah (1:2) and Mark (4:3,9, 23, 24).

 

Hear, all you peoples! Listen, O earth, and all that is in it! ..... Listen! ..... "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" ..... If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear ..... Take heed what you hear.

Some often say that if God just told them what He wanted them to do, then they would do it, but until He does they'll just keep doing what they're doing. The problem is we are often listening without hearing, or hearing without listening. Letting the words go in one ear and out the other. Or perhaps they stay, but they don't mean anything to you. Gods word is more than just talk, but should be life changing.

 

So, what does the Lord require of us? Well, if you really want to know the first step is to start listening properly to what He is saying.

 

God Bless.

It's a really long way home

There's a song I've had stuck in my head recently which I thought I'd share with you. Long Way Home by Steven Curtis Chapman.

It's about the life we are promised as Christians. Some might think that the life of a Christian is easy. That it's just like any life but we have a crutch to hold us up when bad things are happening. Christianity is much more than a crutch, in fact it brings with it more trials than we would otherwise have in our life, trials which are because we follow Jesus.

 

Each of us have baggage in this life, things we carry with us from our past - things we wish we had done, or things we wish we hadn't. Perhaps things which we had no control over which have had a profound (intense) influence on our lives. Sometimes we let these get in the way of our relationsip with God, and our walk with Him.

 

One of the hardest things I think is to remain firm in faith with a sense of urgency (insistent necessity) to continue, to make it to the end, when times are really hard and all we want to do is blame God instead of turning to Him, and also when times are really 'easy' and we want to forget God and just enjoy the moment. But the life we have has been given to us by Him and this life here on earth is just a little bit of it. The rest of it is with Him, so while we're here we should always remember where our final destination is.

I set out on a great adventure
The day my Father started leading me home
He said there's gonna be some mountains to climb
And some valleys we're gonna go through

But I had no way of knowing
Just how hard this journey could be
Cause the valleys are deeper
And the mountains are steeper than I ever would have dreamed

But I know we're gonna make it
And I know we're gonna get there soon
And I know sometimes it feels like we're going the wrong way
But its just a long way home

I got some rocks in my shoes
Fears I wish I could lose
That make the mountains so hard to climb
And my heart gets so heavy with the weight of the world sometimes

There's a bag of regrets,
My should've beens, and not yets
I keep on dragging around
And I can hardly wait for the day I get to lay it all down

But I know that day is coming
I know its gonna be here soon
And I won't turn back even if the whole world says I'm going the wrong way
Cause its just a long way home

When we can't take another step
The Father will pick us up and carry us in His arms
And even on the best days, He says to remember we're not home yet
So don't get too comfortable
Cause really all we are is just pilgrims passing through

Well, I know we're gonna make it
And I know we're gonna get there soon
So I'll keep on singing and believing
What all of my songs say

Cause our God has made a promise
And I know that everything He says is true
And I know wherever we go
He will never leave us
Cause He's gonna lead us home

Every single step of the long way home
          (Keep going, we're gonna make it)
          (I know, we're gonna make it)
          (We're just taking the long way home)     [x3]
(Keep going, we're gonna make it)
(I know, we're gonna make it)
It's just a long way home


God Bless

Life is a mirror??

Today I'd like to share with you a little (short, small) ditty, poem, rhyme, or saying, that my Mum taught me when I was little (young).

Life is a mirror, all will come backThe good, the pure, and the trueSo give to the world the best that you canAnd the best will come back to you

Some of what this says I think is true, but when I look at it now, it reminds me of the concept (idea) of karma, which I don't believe in. The basic dulled down (simplified) version of karma is that if you do bad things, then bad things will happen to you, and if you do good things then good things will happen to you (sometimes in a next life).

This idea doesn't fit with the God that I know. The God that I know is creator (made everything and everyone). He is all powerful. He is loving. He is past, present, and future. He is king. He is my heavenly father. He is judge. He is good, and pure, and true. This is the God that I know and He is involved (having an active part in) with our world and our lives, in a way which is much bigger (the concept/idea and more powerful) than karma, or even the universe (everything which exists throughout space). 

As a believer in, and follower of, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, I believe something very different to karma, which is all about the God I was just telling you about. Basically, we are all bad but Jesus has paid the punishment for us already, so although we deserve to die for all the terrible things we do (even when we do our best), when we put our faith (trust) in Jesus the best really does come back to us, forgiveness and real (true, genuine, not fake) life. 

"What do you mean, real life?" - you might ask. "Are we not already living and breathing?" Life which lasts forever (does not end) and is based first and foremost (the most important part of) in your relationship with God. Not just any God but this God, the God of Jesus Christ, the God who is Jesus Christ. 

So now when I think about this little ditty which I was taught when I was little, this is what I am reminded of. That life is a mirror, it should mirror our creator as we are made in His image (likeness), be a reflection of Him (God/Jesus) for others to see. That God Himself came 'back', came to the world to show us just what is good, and pure, and true - that He loved us so much that He gave us the best and biggest gift He could - forgiveness and a way to be with Him forever.

God Bless