God is a huge fan of resting. In fact, right in the beginning of the Bible, after six days of creating everything from mountains to molehills, God takes a day off.
"Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” - Genesis 2:3
Sometimes life moves so fast that taking a break is difficult. There are emails to be answered, messages to read and reply to, buzzing phones in our pockets, and people needing answers to things faster than we can type them. It almost feels guilty not to be connected to it all, doesn’t it?
God makes a clear distinction between work and rest, and while He tells us that the creating bit was ‘good’, the resting day, He makes ‘holy’. Isn’t that great? Rest is actually holy! In fact, that’s where we get our word for ‘holiday’ - that portion of our diary when it’s phones down and feet up - it’s meant to be a regular, holy thing.
Rest is an amazing part of the rhythm of our humanity. We were designed to rest, and that act of taking a time-out tells the world something of God’s holiness.
When you’re praying today, maybe you could use your time to switch off all your devices too, and ask God to show you how to rest without being connected to the world. Listen out for Him in the stillness. Put your feet up.
Saturday, 3 April 2021
Thursday, 1 April 2021
distillation
“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.” - 1 Peter 1:15
There are lots of ways to decontaminate drinking water. One process is called ‘distillation’ and it involves boiling impure water (to kill off all the germs and microbes in it) and then collecting the steam as it condenses back into liquid, making it safe to drink.
This is a great picture of what holiness is like!
Sometimes our lives get a bit contaminated - thoughts, words, reactions, sins, attitudes - and those things just aren’t very good for us. What’s worse is that they can be so small and so tiny that you can’t really see them.
But God’s brilliant at examining us microscopically! He can see the things we can’t, and He knows that we won’t function well if those contaminants are left to grow. That’s why Peter, in this letter to us, reminds us not to pay attention to the ‘evil desires’ we had when we didn’t know any better, but rather to remember that we’re called to be ‘distilled’ in every area of our lives.
Today, ask Father to help you see any of those tiny microbes that might be there in your water supply. Ask Him to purify your heart, to take you through the process of repenting, cleansing, and distillation. It might not be comfortable, but it could help you in your walk today - especially if your desire is to be ‘holy in all you do’.
There are lots of ways to decontaminate drinking water. One process is called ‘distillation’ and it involves boiling impure water (to kill off all the germs and microbes in it) and then collecting the steam as it condenses back into liquid, making it safe to drink.
This is a great picture of what holiness is like!
Sometimes our lives get a bit contaminated - thoughts, words, reactions, sins, attitudes - and those things just aren’t very good for us. What’s worse is that they can be so small and so tiny that you can’t really see them.
But God’s brilliant at examining us microscopically! He can see the things we can’t, and He knows that we won’t function well if those contaminants are left to grow. That’s why Peter, in this letter to us, reminds us not to pay attention to the ‘evil desires’ we had when we didn’t know any better, but rather to remember that we’re called to be ‘distilled’ in every area of our lives.
Today, ask Father to help you see any of those tiny microbes that might be there in your water supply. Ask Him to purify your heart, to take you through the process of repenting, cleansing, and distillation. It might not be comfortable, but it could help you in your walk today - especially if your desire is to be ‘holy in all you do’.
Wednesday, 31 March 2021
lost in the woods
What do you do if you get lost in the woods? It’s pretty easy to do, especially if you weren’t following where the path was taking you.
One of the things you could do, is turn around, and retrace your footsteps. You might see things that remind you of the journey, and eventually, you find the point where you last knew you were on the right path.
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” - Acts 3:19
That’s a little bit like repentance. It’s one thing to say you’re sorry for being on a path that wasn’t right for you; it’s quite another to turn around and find the right one.
In Acts 3, Peter is sharing the good news of Jesus. While speaking, he urges them to ‘repent’ so that ‘times of refreshing’ might come.
If today, you know you’re not on a good path, or there’s an area of your life that feels so far away from God’s best, why not take Peter’s brilliant advice? Stop - whatever it is, stop that journey. Turn around - repent, and let God guide you towards the point where you can feel refreshed again.
If you’re in a group, it might be good to talk it through with your group leader or someone who’s looking after you - just so you can walk it together. Nobody wants any of us to be lost in the woods.
One of the things you could do, is turn around, and retrace your footsteps. You might see things that remind you of the journey, and eventually, you find the point where you last knew you were on the right path.
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” - Acts 3:19
That’s a little bit like repentance. It’s one thing to say you’re sorry for being on a path that wasn’t right for you; it’s quite another to turn around and find the right one.
In Acts 3, Peter is sharing the good news of Jesus. While speaking, he urges them to ‘repent’ so that ‘times of refreshing’ might come.
If today, you know you’re not on a good path, or there’s an area of your life that feels so far away from God’s best, why not take Peter’s brilliant advice? Stop - whatever it is, stop that journey. Turn around - repent, and let God guide you towards the point where you can feel refreshed again.
If you’re in a group, it might be good to talk it through with your group leader or someone who’s looking after you - just so you can walk it together. Nobody wants any of us to be lost in the woods.
Tuesday, 30 March 2021
legacy
In ancient times, your legacy really mattered. Children were the hope that your family would continue, that what God had spoken over you would multiply in the generations to come.
In fact, the Bible shows us that children themselves are a testimony that points to God’s holiness...
“When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.” - Isaiah 29:23
It might not always be obvious, but children are meant to inspire awe and holiness. The reason is that they’re evidence that God’s word is true, His promises are faithful, and that He is holy. In fact, God wants to display that message across all the generations - from the youngest to the oldest - so that the nations ‘acknowledge the Holy One’ who began the promise in our community.
Whichever generation you belong to, you have the opportunity today to display the holiness of God.
So. Do you have a legacy? Today as you pray and fast, ask God to reveal His holiness through the generations after you, before you, and around you.
What will you leave behind you today? What will people thank you for at the end of the day?
In fact, the Bible shows us that children themselves are a testimony that points to God’s holiness...
“When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.” - Isaiah 29:23
It might not always be obvious, but children are meant to inspire awe and holiness. The reason is that they’re evidence that God’s word is true, His promises are faithful, and that He is holy. In fact, God wants to display that message across all the generations - from the youngest to the oldest - so that the nations ‘acknowledge the Holy One’ who began the promise in our community.
Whichever generation you belong to, you have the opportunity today to display the holiness of God.
So. Do you have a legacy? Today as you pray and fast, ask God to reveal His holiness through the generations after you, before you, and around you.
What will you leave behind you today? What will people thank you for at the end of the day?
Wednesday, 13 May 2020
everything you need
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” - 2 Peter 1:3-4
You have everything you need today to do it.
In fact, today can be amazing. Because you know God’s glory and goodness through the promises on your life, and because your heart is set on Him and not the world, you can actually be part of His nature. You can be holy.
Sometimes when we watch the news, or look around on social media, it’s easy enough to see the ‘corruption in the world’ that’s caused by ‘evil desires’. It’s in every headline, from politics to climate change! It’s local, it’s national, it’s international, it’s... everywhere. But the good news is that you and I don’t have to conform to the pattern! We can be different, we can be ‘godly’ in the darkest places, sharing the holiness of God with a world trying to escape itself.
Today, while you pray and fast, ask God to remind you of his promises. Ask Him to refresh your knowledge of Him.
Then, why not pray for an opportunity to be a light in the darkness? Just the smallest conversation could change the world. And today, we, you and me: we have everything we need.
You have everything you need today to do it.
In fact, today can be amazing. Because you know God’s glory and goodness through the promises on your life, and because your heart is set on Him and not the world, you can actually be part of His nature. You can be holy.
Sometimes when we watch the news, or look around on social media, it’s easy enough to see the ‘corruption in the world’ that’s caused by ‘evil desires’. It’s in every headline, from politics to climate change! It’s local, it’s national, it’s international, it’s... everywhere. But the good news is that you and I don’t have to conform to the pattern! We can be different, we can be ‘godly’ in the darkest places, sharing the holiness of God with a world trying to escape itself.
Today, while you pray and fast, ask God to remind you of his promises. Ask Him to refresh your knowledge of Him.
Then, why not pray for an opportunity to be a light in the darkness? Just the smallest conversation could change the world. And today, we, you and me: we have everything we need.
Tuesday, 10 March 2020
decorations
"Your statutes, Lord, stand firm: holiness adorns your house for endless days.” - Psalm 93:5
It’s funny how the outside of people’s houses tells you something about the inside. Some homes flicker with the warmth of a fire and a family; others look cold and uncared for. Some houses look like the owners are doing everything they can to keep the world on the outside, others are a bit more welcoming.
In Psalm 93, the writer tells us that God decorates (adorns) his house with holiness. The idea is that you get an idea of what the indoors is like from the outdoors - it’s holy because He is holy.
But it’s not just the temple, or the church building! Of course, as believers, you and I are God’s house too. He dwells in us. That means that His desire is for us to be decorated, adorned with holiness on the outside, to give the world a view of what He is like on the inside.
We’re supposed to be beacons of light that welcome the world in to an amazing relationship with our Holy God.
Today, think about your ‘decorations’: what you do, what you say, how you react to things. What message are you showing about who you are? Your decorations might already be telling a story. Ask God to help you show the world what He is like.
It’s funny how the outside of people’s houses tells you something about the inside. Some homes flicker with the warmth of a fire and a family; others look cold and uncared for. Some houses look like the owners are doing everything they can to keep the world on the outside, others are a bit more welcoming.
In Psalm 93, the writer tells us that God decorates (adorns) his house with holiness. The idea is that you get an idea of what the indoors is like from the outdoors - it’s holy because He is holy.
But it’s not just the temple, or the church building! Of course, as believers, you and I are God’s house too. He dwells in us. That means that His desire is for us to be decorated, adorned with holiness on the outside, to give the world a view of what He is like on the inside.
We’re supposed to be beacons of light that welcome the world in to an amazing relationship with our Holy God.
Today, think about your ‘decorations’: what you do, what you say, how you react to things. What message are you showing about who you are? Your decorations might already be telling a story. Ask God to help you show the world what He is like.
Monday, 9 March 2020
a photograph won't do it justice
Have you ever been speechless in front of an incredible view? Sometimes it’s obvious that a photograph won’t capture the splendour of it. The only way to see it, to really see it, is to be there yourself.
“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness.” - 1 Chronicles 16:29
The best response to holiness is worship, and that means something personal, doesn’t it? Worship is something present, live and in the room, you and Father God. In fact, just like that spectacular view, the holiness of God is best encountered one-on-one; it is so incredible it can only be fully experienced face-to-face. What’s more it creates that beautiful environment where only personal worship and offering make sense as that response.
Why not pray today for a first-hand view of the spectacular holiness of God. And you might be surprised where you find it: you might see it in a painting, hear it in music or the storyline of a great film. Ask Him to move your heart to worship Him in the splendour and the beauty of holiness.
“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness.” - 1 Chronicles 16:29
The best response to holiness is worship, and that means something personal, doesn’t it? Worship is something present, live and in the room, you and Father God. In fact, just like that spectacular view, the holiness of God is best encountered one-on-one; it is so incredible it can only be fully experienced face-to-face. What’s more it creates that beautiful environment where only personal worship and offering make sense as that response.
Why not pray today for a first-hand view of the spectacular holiness of God. And you might be surprised where you find it: you might see it in a painting, hear it in music or the storyline of a great film. Ask Him to move your heart to worship Him in the splendour and the beauty of holiness.
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