Where is My Treasure?

I’ve changed over to a brand new computer and have just completed re-installing all my software, documents and files, configuring the email and making sure everything works. I’m no computer-geek, but I have picked up some expertise along the way and consider myself reasonably confident.

They say that changing computers can be as stressful as moving house. I admit that is has taken up a considerable amount of time and energy over the last few days and I did wake up one night puzzling over an installation problem. But, on the whole I feel satisfied – even smug? – that it has gone so smoothly.

Compared with my old machine, the picture is crystal-sharp and I’m amazed at the speed. I can literally zip through the web pages, whereas before, there were times when I had to wait ages for a page to load. It’s a bit like changing from shopping at the local store to finding my way round the new out-of-town mega supermarket. I could play with it all day, exploring all the possibilities — and there’s the rub! I have to remind myself that it is only a tool, a means to a creative end, otherwise it can take over. After all, I’m not in love with my computer – am I?

What is the love of our life? The thoughts that fill our mind for most of our waking hours give a clue. What does our mind flip back to, during a pause at our workplace or driving along the freeway? I am conscious that if our time and energy are centred on following Jesus, there is the potential for the world around us to change!

Jesus longs for that central place in our hearts.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:34 New English Translation

The Heart Cry

God always answers the cry that comes from the depths of our being. It’s almost as if the actual words are unimportant, as He sees what is on our heart.

Sometimes I have found the answer comes immediately, like the time I crushed my thumb. My knee-jerk reaction was to reach out to Him with my damaged hand. There were no words, but everything inside me called out to the Lord and within the hour my thumb was healed. Or the time I nearly drowned in the sea, when my desperate inner cry for rescue was answered in a miraculous way.

There have been occasions when, after wrestling for ages in a difficult and painful situation, I didn’t know how to pray anymore. I just cried out – a desperate son to a loving Father – in a mixture of surrender and expectation, with all the faith I could muster. There was no immediate tangible answer, but a definite deep assurance that He had heard my cry and it was all in hand.

I believe God so identifies with our heart cries, that He always answers us.

“O LORD, my defender, I call to you. Listen to my cry! If you do not answer me, I will be among those who go down to the world of the dead. Hear me when I cry to you for help, when I lift my hands toward your holy Temple. – Give praise to the LORD; he has heard my cry for help. The LORD protects and defends me; I trust in him. He gives me help and makes me glad; I praise him with joyful songs.” Psalm 28:1-7 Good News Bible

Absolute Care

I was always something of a worrier, so when I became a Christian it was a revelation to learn of a loving Father God, who cared for me personally. I was particularly gripped by the fact that He knew me inside out and had “every hair on my head counted!”

However, anxiety still remained a weak area in my life. I had difficulty trusting God with some things and thought it best to ‘help’ God out by worrying!

I feel it’s not until we come up against circumstances that are out of our control, when we just don’t have the answers anymore, when we cannot ‘fix it,’ that we become desperate and are given the opportunity to receive a deep heart knowledge of God’s care. I’m thinking of situations like financial breakdown or illnesses that have no lasting medical solution for example.

Even then, if you are like me, you may stay in denial and pretend everything is still ‘normal.’ Perhaps, after clutching at straws, by trying anything that might just give a glimmer of hope, we come to an end of our own efforts. That is when, in all humility, we throw ourselves into Father’s arms and give it all to Him. It may feel risky. It may change the direction of our lives for ever, but His care will be absolute.

He will never let us down. We can trust Him.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 New International Version

Without Prejudice

Some years ago, when I was helping out at a conference, a young woman came up to me and made a direct remark concerning my personality. It was a childlike observation and her command of the English language was halting, but I knew it had the ring of truth about it. I was taken by surprise and rather than ask her to explain further, I thanked her and carried on with my business.

However, my thoughts inside went something like this: “How cheeky and anyway, who does she think she is. After all, we haven’t spoken before, so how can she possibly know anything about me!” Even now, I shudder at having had such proud and arrogant thoughts. It was well over a year later, when through personal need and looking to God for the way forward, I began to have some understanding of what she had discerned.

Hearing what God is saying to us brings life and freedom. If we really want to hear, then God will use whoever and whatever to get his message over. The question is, will we have the humility to accept His chosen messenger or are we prejudiced? Obviously we take what we believed we have heard and compare it with God’s Word. But are we open to hear through someone who we may not like, is from a different background or culture, is much younger than us, appears unintelligent, has no position in a church organisation – need I go on?

“Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” Numbers 22:28 New International Version

Church Without Walls

We may never go to ‘church’ or we may attend a church service twice on Sunday, plus mid-week. But either way, is that it for the week? There are still over 100 waking hours left for Church.

What about:

The unexpected exchange in the street,
while traffic whizzes by.
A tuning-in, a gelling of minds during
a few minutes when
something happened deep and true.
You parted feeling lighter, even warmed.
Was that not Church?

The lunchtime gathering at the office,
an impromptu meeting of like-minds.
Just being together,
sharing of lives, joys and fears.
That was Church

The knock on the door,
just as you were off out.
Someone in distress,
so you dropped everything
and lent a listening ear
and perhaps some prayer.
This is Church

Husband and wife
intimately share feelings, hopes and fears.
Praying together and
asking God what He has to say.

Are you getting my drift?
In all these God-arranged or inspired
linkings, meetings, exchanges of His people,
outside of any committee, structure or organisation,
He was there.
This is Church

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

“For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20 All quotes New International Version

Getting the Balance Right

I’m a fan of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas. In the ‘Pirates of Penzance’ there is a chorus: “A paradox, a paradox, A most ingenious paradox. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, That paradox.”

I sometimes think that on first sight the Christian life can appear to be full of paradox’s, with conflicting instructions between two extremes. For example, in the Bible we are told that salvation is a free gift, but it costs everything we have: that walking with God is effortless, but it takes effort: that we don’t have to compete, but we need to run the race to win!

Of course the Bible is not a set of rules – we have been freed from all that – but it’s about a love relationship with Jesus. We find the balance as we follow Him and allow Him into our lives.

Even as a Christian, I tended to swing between two extremes. There were often crises and difficulties at work which could be scary and stressful. However, as I faced the problems and the adrenalin flowed, I found it stimulating and fulfilling. In a way I didn’t want to stop, so took this pattern into my private life. And then, as I tried to relax I would swing the other way and even become lethargic. There seemed to be little in between full pelt and stop.

I have discovered something about adrenalin. It boosts your energy, but it also releases a stress hormone that eventually can have a suppressive effect on the immune system. Now you just cannot live on adrenalin for too long before you get stressed out and you become ill. That’s what happened to me.

My life was out of balance and I was forced to take stock and spend more time just abiding in Jesus and feeding on that love relationship.

Now, I try to flow with Him rather than do things in my strength and cause stress. I am mindful of two things. First, that God’s energy and power are His, not mine – obvious, but very important – and secondly, when God’s power works through us, it is effortless. When things are moving in our life in the right balance we are at rest – and that’s another paradox!

“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life -” John 5:39-40 New International Version

It’s All in the Name

Before we were married, I remember that in conversation, friends and colleagues often referred to their ‘girl friend.’ This alone, told me very little about their relationship and left me wondering whether they were referring to a casual acquaintance or something much more serious. In the same way, the married men sometimes used the phrase ‘the wife’ or even worse, ‘her at home.’

I became so passionately in love with my ‘girl friend,’ that just saying her name was music to my ears. I couldn’t bare for us to be apart and found it difficult to wait for our next meeting. When the time eventually came to introduce her to my parents, I was just a little apprehensive. After saying, ‘this is Sally,’ I waited and held my breath. I wanted them to like her, but I was so taken up with her, no matter what they may have thought, I wouldn’t have changed my mind.

So often we may talk about ‘religion’ or ‘church’ or ‘prayer’ or ‘faith,’ but unless we go further, the conversation stays impersonal, general, cerebral and safe. We may even use the word ‘god,’ but unless we explain what we mean, listeners are left in doubt and can apply their own interpretation. Maybe that’s right at times, but once the name ‘Jesus’ is used, it starts to become personal, because we are talking of a heart relationship with God. It almost demands a response and at this point some may even feel uncomfortable and want to change the subject.

Now Jesus loves me with a passion and I love Him. He has implanted a longing inside me and He has become my life. I often mess up and let Him down, but at such times it seems – if that’s possible – He loves me even more. He forgives and forgets and wipes the slate clean. His name is music to my ears and I long to use it and speak of Him without meaning to cause offence.

Everything is in that name, because he is God.

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7 New International Version

Giving From Where We Are

What would I say to someone in distress? What would I do, if I was in a hurry, but I could see that they were hurting inside?

Such ‘God opportunities’ always seem to come when I least expect them! But I hope that I would have the grace to lay aside my ‘important’ agenda and give them my whole attention. As a Christian I believe that I have something special to give, but at the same time I have to stay within my limits. It’s no good trying to give what I have not yet received or I would be in danger of trying to ‘fix’ their problems with empty words.

I always think that to quote Scripture at someone may not be helpful. To say “Jesus loves you,” may fall on deaf ears, especially if my own experience of God’s love is lacking. My lack of compassion will be obvious. Similarly, if I quote to someone who has recently lost a loved one, “God uses all things to the good -” may not be appropriate. On the other hand, if I have ‘been there’ and identify with their suffering, it will show.

There are two things I am very sure of:

To listen is a wonderful thing. By this I mean, to put myself out of the picture and really listen to what a person’s heart is saying and hopefully hear what God says about it. This can be a really healing gift to someone who is hurting. Also:

I have found that an offer to pray simply with someone is powerful and nearly always well received. I know I should do this more often.

Be bold and sensitive and give what we have.

“One day Peter and John were going up to the temple – Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. – Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Acts 3:1 New International Version

The Burden Bearer

When walking in wild places I always went well prepared. I filled my backpack with all the essentials: maps, compass, emergency rations, extra clothing and waterproofs and much more, just in case. I had difficulty cramming everything into the bulging sack. It felt heavy to start with, but once I was into my stride I got used to it. When, after several hours of walking I was slowed down and the straps chafed my shoulders, I just reminded myself to get a bigger and better sack and forged on!

On one memorable hot day in the mountains, I began to wonder whether we would ever make it back to base. When we eventually arrived back, worn out and dehydrated, it was such a relief and joy to remove my pack and bathe in the cool clear waters of the lake. It was an exquisite joyful feeling of freedom.

A burden can be a responsibility laid upon us by others, a wrong attitude, or just the weariness of life’s circumstances that we didn’t choose. Whatever, it can creep upon us almost without notice. We may even feel that it is our lot and think, “this is as good as it gets” and grit our teeth and keep going. We may look for diversions to take our mind of the pain, but the weariness of it all can wear us down and effect our well-being and health. There may come a time when deep inside we are really saying, “I can’t take any more!”

Scripture makes it clear that Jesus wishes to carry our burdens for us. He longs for us just to come as we are and hand them over. I often imagine, that when we offer them, He snatches them away with glee and they are gone for ever. In Biblical parlance, we have laid them at the foot of the Cross and left them there.

It may be difficult to do this if the burden seems to be crushing us. We may need help, such as a trusted friend or minister to listen. I have found it helpful to write it all down as a letter to Jesus and even afterwards burning it. Such symbolic actions can help. Once, when I realised I was carrying a heavy responsibility that wasn’t for me, I picked a large rock to represent the burden and heaved it into a deep lake, never to be seen again.

Don’t give up, but give over and let Jesus take the strain.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 New International Version

A Servant Heart

We watched a remake of the musical, the “King and I,” the other day. In this, Anna the governess, was told that she must always keep her head lower than the king’s. It was just one of the ways he used to remind his subjects, that they were his servants. As king, he had to remain and be seen as ‘top dog!’

This is just the opposite to how it is in God’s Kingdom, where Jesus comes right down to our level as a Servant King!

At a low time in my life, when I was in great need and desperately reaching out to God for help, I suddenly became aware – and I can put it no other way – that Jesus was kneeling at my feet, looking up to me. Immediately, I felt Him ask, “What can I do for you?” This just stunned me and touched me to the core of my being! This was my God, kneeling at my feet, desiring to meet my needs.

I have always felt that I am somewhat lacking in a servant heart. But what I am learning, is that as we humble ourselves and allow Jesus to wash away the dirt in our lives; when we allow Him to minister to our deepest needs, something happens at the heart level. Our compassion and capacity to be available to God for others is increased and we are given something more than words, to pass on.

Jesus identifies with where we are, stoops down and waits for our response.

“After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. – - “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” John 13:5-14 New International Version