Today, I did nothing!

Today, I had opportunities to consider how I respond to different situations. I noticed that I have a choice in how I respond. How we respond matters.

Today I have had an opportunity to be cross-cultural, extend grace and grow in patience. Not bad for a day's work  (especially for someone who doesn't actually work!). In fact, I still have a job to do, and part of that is to consider how I relate to others.

It's in the simple matters that it counts as well as in the grand gestures. 

So, what happened today?

Well, nothing of great significance!

I just noticed the choices I had to respond to people. First thing was, I was at the till, no-one else in front of me, so, subconsciously, I was thinking; 'excellent, I'll be out in two minutes'.

This however wasn't the case. Some of the items didn't want to go through the till at the right price. Not just one item but at least two out of the five items I bought. Slightly irritating. This then of course takes time, the cashier didn't know what to do, and after a few attempts called over the supervisor. They then had to void the whole transaction and start over again. Even resorting to mental arithmetic to work out how much I had to pay. Little bit more irritating!

I realised then I had a choice. I could tut, tap my foot, give expressions of annoyance, demand better service, even complain about the poor service or capabilities of the staff. Maybe even wangle a discount.

But, where would that get me? Or them? 

All in all, instead of the two minute service I was expecting, it probably only took another couple of minutes. 

At the end of the day, what impression did I want to leave these people with? In all our dealings we get to leave others with something. Do we leave them feeling better, worse, or just the same? 

So, in this situation, I did nothing. I stayed calm, spoke kindly, even had a laugh with the staff. I did nothing but as I left I was actually thanked for my patience.

But what had I actually done? I was actually just thanked for doing nothing!

The second situation was this, I'd just gone out the front door, and there right in front of our house and right in front of my eyes someone reversed into our car!

So, what do you do? 

In some people's eyes I had every right to rant and rave, jump up and down, shout and swear. 

I didn't. I did nothing.

I again had a chance to think about my response. I waited for the driver to get out, inspected our car which didn't seem to have too much wrong with it (thank God). The guy was incredibly apologetic. I could of called him names, told him he was an idiot, or whatever, but where would that get me? Or him? 

Instead, he apologised. I listened. We swapped details. It took about five minutes out of my day. If I'd responded differently it would of probably taken a bit longer! 

Both of these situations took a total of 10minutes maximum. I know, it is annoying when these things happen, frustrating and at times inconvenient and more time consuming. But, what did it cost me? A bit of extra time perhaps, but not as much as if I'd chosen to get riled up.

The truth is, everyone makes mistakes. If I was the person in these people's situations, I would already feel ashamed, embarrassed and a bit of an idiot. They don't need me to tell them they've made a mistake, or not done something well. 

They may of made mistakes, but then so have I. 

I know I have accidentally reversed into someone's car and I felt like a prize fool! Embarrassed and regretful for what I'd done. That person was gracious. I still remember how kind and honest they were with me and I tried to be the same. Hopefully I succeeded.

In reality, I did nothing, In fact, these episodes can probably be summarised by what I HADN'T done! 

I ignored the response that often so easily comes, and dealt with the person as I would like to be treated in that same situation. 

Afterwards I was reminded of this:

'Treat others as you want to be treated' 

Luke 6:31

Hopefully I managed this today. 

There were no grand gestures, just small everyday decisions. Next time you're faced with a situation where things might not be going your way, and in fact may get in the way of your day, consider how you'd like someone else to respond and see how things go as a result, maybe you'll notice a difference and maybe you'll feel different. 

What's the Word?

John 1:1-3

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

This set of verses have confused me somewhat for years. I've read them a few times and never paid much attention because I couldn't make head nor tail of them. So today, I'm on a journey of investigation. What do these verses mean? Feel free to read on and take the journey with me, hopefully it won't leave you more confused! 

'In the beginning was the Word'. 

This section of scripture refers back to Genesis and the creation of all things. What was there? 'The Word'. The word, the pronunciation of thought, idea, feelings. The outpouring of the heart and mind. The verbal expression of something that needs communication.

'the Word was with God'. So, the word must be a living being. In order for it to be 'with' God. You wouldn't say, "I was with the bus" or "the lamppost was with me". We may say though, "I was with an elephant" of " my Grandmother was with me". You cannot be 'with' something unless it's a living thing, so 'the Word' is a living being. It exists, has life and breath and can be in companionship (if you're with something then you have some kind of relationship). The fact that, 'the Word was with God' indicates that the 'Word' and 'God' are separate entities. They are close in relationship, but they are distinct in themselves. If the Word was the same being as God, it could not be 'with' him. I cannot be with myself. 

Also, each time 'the Word' is mentioned, 'Word' has a capital letter. This indicates that it is a proper noun, therefore has to be the name of a person, place or thing. It's clearly not a place or thing (object) as you wouldn't be 'with' those things. Therefore the logical conclusion is that, 'the Word' is indeed a person. A person connected closely with God.

Then, who is this person? 

'the Word was God'. Haven't we just ascertained that the Word is not in fact the same being as God? but here it is saying that the Word IS God. Now that's just confusing! How can something not be something, but then be it at the same time? I wonder if it's a bit like our families? I am a part of my mother and father, but I am not them. I am, in some respects as I have their DNA, but physically I am a different entity. I am a unique being in my own right, although I bear characteristics of my parents. 

'He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.'

'He' - the Word is a male then, and he was present at the start of the universe. In fact, it was God's spoken word that brought things into being. If we look at the account in Genesis, again and again it pronounces, 'God said'. The spoken word is what created the heavens and the earth. It is what brought sun, planets, trees, all of nature and you and I into being. What God spoke, happened. The Word has power and authority from God, because it comes from God. It has a purpose, a job to fulfill. It carries the message God has given. The Word is the message from God for the world. 

So, in conclusion. The Word is in close proximity with God, in relationship with Him, it is a living being. The word has been around since the beginning of time and created all the things we see (and don't see). The Word is not God, but is at the same time. The Word carries a message from God. So, do you see what the Word is? 

There is only one that it can be. The one who since the creation of the world has been carrying God's message, The Word then, is Jesus.

What are you slave to?

Romans 6:19-23

19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 

20 For when you were  slaves of sin,you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Once upon a time, we all did things wrong.

Wait..... don't we still do things wrong?! 

The difference is, now we KNOW they are wrong, yet we still do them. If you think about it, doing something wrong usually ends up in a spiral. That's what Paul is talking about when he writes, 'lawlessness leading to more lawlessness,'. When we do or say something wrong it usually ends up with us doing something else wrong to cover up the first thing, and so on, then before you know it you're in a right old mess. 

This is the situation we get trapped in. 

That is until we, 'present (y)our members as slaves to righteousness'. When we do that, the text says this leads to sanctification. So, what is that? Sanctification is; to purify or make holy. To be restored to our original condition. This starts to happen when we begin discover who Jesus is. 

I like Paul's reasoning for making a decision about what we are slave to - look at the results of being, 'slaves of sin,' - Shame, and death. The results of being, 'slaves of God,'? Purity, holiness and eternal life. I know which prize I'd prefer!

Although both choices include slavery, they both have freedom within them. Paul says that those slave to sin are 'free in regard to righteousness'. Righteous behaviour is not expected of them, but the wages of that is death. Being a slave to God means you are free from sin with the result of eternal life. 

So, we do have a choice. We have a choice of freedom and slavery. Whatever decision we make we will be slave to it, but within that will be a certain amount of freedom.

Once Jesus has been revealed, you HAVE to make a life choice. It's one or the other. 

To carry on as you're going, or accept Jesus and change your life. 

Paul is the guy that wrote this passage and he is talking as a person who has changed his life, quite dramatically. He was originally one who berated, persecuted and killed the, 'slaves of God,' now, he is one. He has chosen to become one of the, 'slaves of God,' instead of one of the, 'slaves to impurity'. Once Paul recognised who Jesus really is, it caused the whole trajectory of his life to change. Are you ready for that kind of life change? 

What are you going to choose to be slave to?

Questions to consider:

What do you want to be slave to? 

What do you want to be free from?

What result do you want to get? 

What's the difference between being good and being holy?

At heart, I think we all want to be 'good'. 

I know I get a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach when I do something wrong, or even when I don't do something I ought to. Even when I have thoughts about the past or my mind wanders, I can feel a bit 'yuck'. 

I want to be good. I want to do the right things. 

I have an internal sense, I KNOW when I am doing some thing that is not quite right. It seems that there's a sense of right and wrong built within us. We have an internal gauge of what is good. 

So, what about being holy? 

What's that about? Holy seems like a word that we cannot relate to. It's better than good! It's almost like it means being super-unachieveably-peter perfect-good. This doesn't come naturally, we don't have an internal holiness gauge. This is something we need to learn, it's not a natural part of us.

How then do we learn to be holy?

One tip; If you want to be holy, then read the Bible:

1Peter 1:14-16

'As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”'

Once you've become a child of God by accepting Jesus, you're on your way to being holy.  The 'the passions of your former ignorance' Are not to define you anymore. They are who you were, not who you are. You do not have to live with them or by them. 

The instruction here is 'be holy in all your conduct'. That's a BIG task! In all of it? I've been on this Christian journey for over 20years now and I know I'm not holy in all my conduct. I might be 'good' in some of it, but not holy! 

The same passage in The Message version says:

'So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”'

I like this;

'roll up your sleeves' - get ready for some hard work, for some instruction on what to work on.

'Put your mind in gear' - make the decision. Are you going to be holy or not? 

'Ready to receive' - aiming to be holy isn't just about hard work, effort, or our power to change. There's a gift. The Holy Spirit strengthens us to change, he helps and guides us in our pursuit of holiness. Trying to be holy is not without merit. It will bring a greater peace and joy to our lives as we figure out what truly matters.

'Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves' - Don't be lazy - a common reason not to change can be that it takes too much effort. Anything worth having does. 

'let yourselves..' - allow change to happen, don't resist what God is doing in your life.

Do these things and you will have a, 'life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness' - I want that, do you? 

The Most Holy Place

What is a holy place? How can a place even be holy? 

It must be a place that is perfect, pure and spotless. But it can't be an empty place. Otherwise there would be perfection but not holiness. An awe, reverence, sacredness would dwell there. Being holy is about something being dedicated to God, set apart for His use. So, for a place or thing to be holy must mean that it's purpose is specifically for God.

The Bible talks of such a place called the Most Holy Place. The Most Holy Place is not empty, but it's where God dwelt. He said to His people that He would live among them and He gave them instructions about what this place should be like.

Now, God living with people is a challenge.

He is holy and good, we are not so much. We mess up and God can't be around that. So when He chose to live amongst the Israelites in the Most Holy Place there were certain measures that had to be taken. These were not to separate people from God, because he'd chosen to come and live with them, but rather to protect them from the punishment their wrongdoings were due. 

 

No regular person was permitted to enter the Most Holy Place. So this place was separated from the Holy Place by a beautifully designed and luxuriously formed curtain. It sounds like a work of art; decorated with fine linen, an array of beautiful colours, carefully woven together and covered in images of cherubim. It was rich and interesting, symbolising the majesty, royalty, purity and power of God.

The curtain is important as it shields the holiness of God from the sin of His people. People knew not to go in there. The only person permitted to enter the Most Holy Place was the High Priest, and then only once a year on a particular day. This was to say sorry for the sins of all the people. He could only enter after he'd been; scrubbed clean, put on special clothes, and given offerings. Then the high priest could go in. 

If anyone else went in they died.

That's how important it is to God that we are holy. 

A holy God cannot be near sin. 

Sin=death. 

Holiness and sin cannot co-exist. It's impossible. 

It's not because God is cruel or mean, He actually wanted to live with His people, that's why He instructed them to build the place in the first place! But God cannot compromise His character no matter how much He loves us. 

It's like with our children. I cannot bear lying. I have even been known to say, "I cannot be around .....whilst they are sitting there telling lies". It's abhorrent to me. I cannot abide it. I can't stand being around it. I have to leave the room. 

It's similar for God. He cannot be around liars, or sinners for that matter. So, He instructed the people to separate the place where He was going to stay so that the people were not destroyed. 

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body …let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.” 

Hebrews 10:19-22

As Jesus body was torn apart, so was the curtain. When Jesus came and died for our sins, this curtain was torn from top to bottom. Not by any human hand. The curtain was too high and too thick to be ripped by even the strongest man. 

No longer does the high priest have to say sorry for all we've done wrong every year, because Jesus has paid for it all. 

The Most Holy Place where only God dwells is now for us all. We will no longer die if we enter. We now have the rights of the high priest, to be in presence of God, but we can enter it every day of the year if we want. That is, if we have accepted that Jesus paid that price for us. It's not because God has reduced His standards, but because His standards have been fulfilled. 

Jesus is the only person who has lived up to the task of being holy, and when we enter into God's presence it is him He sees. We are holy through no work of our own, but by the gift of grace from Jesus. 

Highway of Holiness

Isaiah 35:8-10

' a great road will go through that once deserted land. 

It will be named the Highway of Holiness. 

Evil-minded people will never travel on it. 

It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; 

fools will never walk there. 

9 Lions will not lurk along its course, 

nor any other ferocious beasts. 

There will be no other dangers. 

Only the redeemed will walk on it. 

10 Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return'

Highway of Holiness. What is that? Well, a highway is a high way - a path that is raised up, above the ground. It's obvious where it is, and if you're on it you get a better view of what's going on around you. 

It's also the 'way'. There's a purpose and direction to the path and a destination. 

So, who travels on it? Well, it's a public road so to speak so all are invited to use it. It's accessible to all, but, 'evil-minded people will never travel on it'. It is restricted to those who, 'walk in God's ways', 'the redeemed'. So, in order to travel on higher ground, to get a better view of life and have a clear direction you need to be aware of, and following God's ways. It's for those who have accepted Jesus and who desire to live a life of holiness. 

The 'high way' implies a higher way of living, higher standards. God has high expectations for His people to be holy. Those standards do not change, because God never changes. He came down to meet us in the form of Jesus, but he didn't reduce His standards in doing so. 

God has not reduced his standards by allowing us onto this highway. He doesn't expect us to be perfect or holy, but He raises our standards and expectations for our life in our pursuit of holiness. He doesn't reduce his expectations to accommodate our weakness, but He allows His people to be brought up to His level. He puts us on the, 'Highway of Holiness'. Giving us a different viewpoint. It's like as we travel along the highway, we capture something more of what 'holiness' means. 

The pursuit of God is the highway to holiness.

From the first time you step foot onto the highway of holiness, your life changes. The journey gives you a new perspective, a new direction and destination. Like any journey, you learn new things along the way. 

Speaking in holiness

Who has ever used the phrase, "he/she spoke in their holiness?"

It's not an expression we hear or see written in any book that I can think of (other than the Bible). Yet is not just written once in the Bible, but several times.

Psalm 60:6

'God has spoken in his holiness'

Psalm 89:35

'I have sworn by my holiness;

I will not lie'

Psalm 108:7

'God has promised in his holiness:'

'Speaking in holiness' is not a concept we consider. I wonder why that is? Is it because it seems silly? Confusing? Weird? 

I wonder why that is - is it because we are not holy, therefore we cannot speak 'in holiness'?

When someone wants you to trust what they are saying they might say, "I promise....", "I swear by..... It's true". These are the upmost declarations of our trustworthiness that we can give. 

We cannot speak 'in holiness'. 

Speaking in holiness is different because it's confirmed truth, it implies a constancy, certainty, trustiness and honourable way of speaking. It demonstrates the character of God, not just the words of God. The words spoken 'in holiness' are not to be doubted, they will come about no matter how difficult that may seem. 

As holiness also means purity, the words are pure, so in other words they are free from contamination, free from lies and deception. They are clean and good.

Numbers 23:19

'God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?'

If you think about it, why would God lie? 

We only lie to cover up something we've done wrong, because we are embarrassed or ashamed about something. Or, we lie to hide something, to deceive someone or gain something.

What has God ever done wrong or needed to hide? Nothing

God doesn't need to lie, He would gain nothing from it. 

We can trust the words God says because they reflect His character. What possible motive would God have for not telling us the truth? 

So, if God has spoken to you, then you can be assured it will happen. No matter how extreme or unlikely the circumstances. 

If you haven't known God speak to you about something, then ask Him to. You never know what He might say. Whatever He does say, you can be certain that He would of 'spoken in his holiness'. 

God's words are certain, they are secure, they are trustworthy.