Beauty as it was made to be...

Beauty is a figment of culture's imagination. Sounds pretty profound and deep but really all it is saying is that our culture has designed the template for beauty out of no solid thing. Read a great verse the other day that made me take stock and think about this

But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart'

1 Samuel 16:7

The context that this passage falls into is that God has called Samuel to go to Jesse in Bethlehem as one of his sons will be the new King for the people as King Saul has disobeyed Him and has acted in his own way. As Samuel was presented with Jesse's first son, he marvel at the stature of him He was strong, tall, someone that looked like he would take authority and excel at being king. This is when God steps in with the words above.

He is saying, it isn't the way you look, they way you are built, if you are the most attractive person in the world, this isn't what makes you someone great, someone to lead a nation. It is what's in the heart, the person's character, what they desire most is what they will love the most and what they will shape their character to be.

As the passage continues, Jesse presents more of his sons, probably men of similar standing and features as the first son, but God has someone different in mind. David was the youngest of Jesse's children He was not with Jesse, in the house but out in the field. He probably wasn't even considered to be in the running or thought good enough to be seen by Samuel due to him being young, maybe being weak. Yet, God knew his heart. God knew him. God knew this young shepherd boy was destined to be a great ruler and someone who would love God with all his heart and mind. Yet, to earthly eyes he certainly wasn't the first choice.

It seems we have come to live in a society where outward appearance is so important. Where looks and success is everything. Even in our churches we are guilty of surrendering to the culture we live in and look for the same things the world tells us to look for in our church. Who is wearing what, what does the new person look like, comparing our looks and lifestyles to our fellow brothers and sisters This is not what is intended. This is not what God does when he looks upon us. He doesn't compare us or love someone else more because they are 3 dress sizes smaller than the person next to them. God looks at the heart. Our character.

Our character is the most beautiful yet most understated aspect of our being. Our character reflects what we desire most in life. If God is first in our lives. If everything we do is centred on him, the holy spirit begins to grow the fruits of the spirit love, joy, patience, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. This is a reflection of beauty because it reflects God character. God is perfection, original beauty and therefore to become more like him is reinstating original beauty back into our world.

Yet still emphasise, and I believe the church can also be guilty of this, is put on the outward. Leaders are seen as the ones who are the smartest, most popular, best looking yet throughout the bible you see God choosing the most unlikely ordinary people to do the most extraordinary things. Nehemiah, Ruth to name a few.

So if we are not to conform to the ways of this world and have our lives transformed to live a more Godly life, we need to stop pretending that this isn't an issue and not put it down to the culture we live in but be counter cultural, be God focused and start letting true beauty shine in society. Only by us beginning, as a body of Christ, to do this will people be released from the chains that have bounded them, chains of self- consciousness, self doubt, chains that have told people they are ugly and worthless and we will slowly see the beauty of society changed to its original purpose and begin to see glimpses of the kingdom of heaven on earth.

Personally I think that's a pretty incredible reason to do it!

C*

The Lord God says... get ready!

Had such a blessed evening last night at our church half night of prayer, it was to mark our week of 24/7 prayer. It was just such an incredible space to come be, as I am and pray with my community, with my brothers and sisters.

Prayer...its so incredible. To sit, stand, kneel, weep, shout, whatever goes and to do it all to our heavenly father who is listening attentively to every single prayer being said. Every prayer. What a mighty God who can listen to million prayers happening at once and still respond to them all. Mind blowing.

At one point we got given hearts saying The Lord God says... and we spent a time just listening to his voice for our lives and what kept repeating was "Get Ready" it isn't the first time I have heard God saying this to me but as days go by it starts to make a little more sense to me and things start falling into place for me. God has put some big passions on my heart that I just cannot escape from and I think this "Get Ready" is linked to this.

I have absolutely no idea about my future. People ask me "so what field of social work are you going to go into?" and my immediate reaction is "oh, em, don't think I'm going to be a social worker..." What reassures me is that God knows what is going to happen to me, how is going to use me for his glory. I know he has me in the place at this moment for a purpose and I need to remind myself of this, not get frustrated but relish in where he has placed me. Learn from it, listen to God for what he wants me to do right here, right now. As the bible says "Do not worry about tomorrow for today has enough worries itself" and its true. We need to live like today is our last day-enjoy it but also realise the urgency of proclamation to others. I want to enjoy what God has me in the now but I know that it is part of my walk to where he is taking me to and what he is developing me into. How exciting is the fact that God is continually moulding us and wanting us to shine like stars for his kingdom. How incredible he wants to use broken vessels like us for anything. He is God! He could and can do it without us but he want us, he longs for us. Surely we should want to long and want the creator the of the heaven and the earth, the lord and sustainer of life. I definitely want to be near that!

God, I am ready.

C*

"Our God is greater..."

I was reading the Bible last night and I am slowly working my way through the book of Acts. Acts is a really interesting book. I made myself go back to read it as I seemingly didn't enjoy it previously. However, reading it now I don't understand why I didn't like it. It epitomises everything that I believe a follower of Jesus Christ should be like! True, radical living.

It starts of with the Ascension of Jesus into heaven leaving behind a group of disciples to continue on his ministry. How scary! Imagine being one of Jesus' disciples at this point. The man that you had been following for several years, the one who told you he was the only way to reconcile man to God, the one who the Jews turned against and crucified and the one who rose again, from the dead. It is a lot to take in. Then for this man, who fulfilled everything he said he would to ascend into heaven leaving you behind... what do you do? Well, lucky for them they learnt from the best what to do next. Throughout his ministry, Jesus warned the disciples that there would be a time when he would not be with them but a "greater helper" would come and show them what to do and how to act.

This is what we witness in Acts

God sends His Holy Spirit into the disciples and they are filled with this new, supernatural strength which totally transforms the disciples outlook and action. They were transformed from being too scared to leave the room they had gathered in to being bold to speak out the gospel of Jesus, to tell people about what he had done. And that what Acts is all about. People living out what Jesus had taught "Go and make disciples of all nations" relying on the strength of the Holy Spirit that is in all who believe.

What about us?

What happened 2000 years ago still happens today. That promise that we will not be alone and that we have a helper still rings true. The Holy Spirit is alive and is working powerful in the lives of God's children. The fact remains we live in an apathetic society. Where people are becoming less willing to do stuff and this is the same for Christians. We are happy enough to sit in a holy huddles and drink tea yet when it comes to actually evangelising or serving people we are a little less happy about getting up and going. Why is this? Have we forgotten our calling?

We have to honour of being God's workmen, being God's vessels in this world. What an absolute privilege! If that isn't motivation enough I don't know what is. Maybe we need to go back to the root of our faith, the Gospels and see what it says before we understand the urgency of sharing the gospel. I get so frustrated at Christians who want to take but aren't up for giving. Jesus gave his life for a sinful world so that we could be at one again with God. The ultimate sacrifice and the ultimate service. We need to imitators of Christ. We need to give up our selfish desires. We need to give up money, time and comfort to help people. We need to take our eyes of ourselves and put them back on God. Only then will people see Christ through our lives.

God is far more powerful than we can even fathom;

"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth does not live in temples made by man" Acts 17:24

Stop putting God in a box and let Him do mighty things through you. Stop focusing on your own desires and focuses on God's and stop being apathetic and start going in the power of the Holy Spirit, start living your life for God by actually living.

God is on the move, are you?

Something for all the men out there!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkaeAkJO0w8

People always leave...

In the words of the great philosopher Payton Sawyer from One Tree Hill "People always leave" and it is true people go, friends disappear and people come in and out leaving holes in your life. At times you don't realise the consequences but other times you feel like there is no-one around, like you are in a room full of people but you feel like you are the only one there.

Though, not all is bad. Those ones who do stick around are like gems in my eyes. I have this one friend, decided she wants to study German and French therefore has to spend this year abroad. Not going to lie, it sucks. I miss her so much, literally spent all our time together 1st to 2nd year but though she is not here, though she has left she still does so much for me and I am so grateful.

She's not the only like this.

Yes, people always leave, but that is life. We need to move on, we need to pursue dreams, desires. We need to listen to what God has planned for us and sometimes that is leaving people behind to do God's work.

I love friends and I have some of the most incredible friends that God has given to me to speak to me and to look out for me but I know I am going to have to leave people behind to do what God desires and I am going to have to work through this irrational fear of being alone because ultimately no-one can satisfy apart from God. No-one can fill my life and give me purpose apart from God and I want to be able to say; Yes, Jesus is enough! And I am excited to see who he puts into my life and who he pulls out. Ultimately He promises that no harm will come to any of His children.

I am ready for this God, lets do it.

Boom

C*

All the trees will clap their hands...

Walking through the meadows this morning on my way to Uni I just had to stop in awe of the glorious creation surrounding me. I love this winter period where the air is crisp and the leaves are trodden into the ground. Frost is beginning to appear on the grass, as it slowly melts into dew. The sun is slowly breaking through the misty sky and I feel like a insignificant being as I witness nature in action.

The thing that took my breathe away was seeing the mark of a maker on everything I witnessed. That someone lovingly and carefully created each thing that I had the honour of looking at. Even in the mess of this world, God's creation is evident. Its alive and it is still has the power to make humans step back and recognise the real creator. We get so tangled up in our own lives, thinking that we are something great and brilliant when actually we are so insignificant compared to the creation around us.

But in the eyes of God, we are something.

In Genesis we see God putting Adam and Eve in charge of all of His creation and calls us to be stewards of His land. God uses us insignificant beings for an extraordinary purposes. Sometimes purposes we don't even know or realise yet but God has released into us His Holy Spirit the "guider" and "helper" in so that we can do His will, whatever that may be.

SO bask in God's creation, let Him speak to you through it and let Him speak of how awesome you are in His sight.

Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:26

Boom

C*

Love bade me welcome...

George Herbert, absolute legend in my eyes. Metaphysical poet writing in the 17th century who loved God, loved Jesus and wrote an incredible poem about Him. Today, centuries on the poem still blows my mind!

Take a few minutes and just read it, bask in it;

Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back
Guilty of dust and sin
Buy quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,
If I lack'd any thing.

A guest, I answer'd, worth to be here:
Love said, You shall be he.
I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear, I cannot look on thee.
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
Who made the eyes but I?

Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.
And know you not, says Love, who bore the blame?
My dear, then I will serve.
You must sit down, says Love. And taste my meat
So I did sit and eat.

what gets me is how God is depicted as Love. The meaning of love has been so commercialised that we forget that the true essence and the true meaning of love. Love is God. God's love for our world was displayed through His son who died on a cross for us. God loved us so much that he sacrificed His own son so that we, who rebelled and were far away from God could come back to him. That is true, sacrificial love.

Notice also how God draws near to the protagonist. God moves towards the person because of the overflow of love He has for his child and look at the nurturing aspects of drawing near. Even though we are guilty of sin and feel unworthy, God still draws near to us and wants to be near us. He isn't an absence God, He is a caring, compassionate God for his children and yearns to be in communion with each single one of his creation.

There is just so much you can take out of this poem and I love that. People interrupt in different ways and I really think God can speak powerfully through this poem. Metaphysical poets are absolute heros when writing Christian poems, this will not be the last of the use of metaphysical poems by me!

Boom

C*