“Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22 (ESV)

During the course of the day, students ask me to help them to use the software and hardware in my computer area. I attempt, by my professional application, to engender a sense of peace and quiet confidence within myself, and those who have asked for my support.

At lunchtime, I escape into the local town or park to regain my sanity, such as it is, because my reservoir of helpful energy has become as dry as a bone!

Today as I walked around the lake after the heavy rain, I spotted a swan family: a father, mother and six young cygnets. The cob followed my progress, as I passed by on the lake’s perimeter path, with a brooding look that fixed my eye in such a way as if to say: mine! Anyone who has experienced a swan, six-foot tall and flapping its wings, in full defense mode knows to respect that look.

The six cygnets continued to gently paddle and pick at organic debris with their beaks in an area corralled by their parents, in the full knowledge that their parents brooded over them to keep them safe from harm. Therefore, they were at peace as they paddled.

In contrast to this place of cygnet safety, I am mindful of the fear that robs many of their peace of mind because they do not understand, or lack the knowledge of how to achieve their aims. It is a great satisfaction to see students grow over their time here.

I believe God’s desire is to overcome any fear of the world in us. God, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Grace of Jesus, broods over His disciples with a watchful eye to set them free from fear. In effect, He says to heaven: mine!

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32 (ESV)

PRAYER: LORD, we rejoice and praise Your Name. You brood over us and you first loved us -fallen and flawed as we are. Please forgive us when we loose our nerve and forget Your purpose in our lives. Grant us once more an awareness of Your brooding Presence and Peace, in the Name of Jesus, amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/07/10/rm_fear/
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“And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God”. Ezekiel 11:19-20 (ESV)

With a new baby, and a wreck of a house I have a tendency to be focused on the job to be done: it is easy to do. Consequently, I am task orientated, with a noticeable sense of satisfaction when a task is done. However, as I get older, slow down a little bit, and gain more in life experience, I have with some limited success, tried to see the bigger picture. To realize that my family’s well-being comes first; yes, even before the tasks.

I have an old electric hover mower. A bit like me, it was a little weary. So tired in fact, the motor no longer had enough power to lift and cut properly. When online recently I noticed an old broken mower (20+yrs), but newer than mine, was up for free collection.

So I eagerly collected this old reject and, once home, I removed the motor. It unscrewed and came out of the housing without a hitch. Then, as I returned to my old thing I found the screws were so rusted and worn out by damp that the heads had gone and could not be removed.

What could I do? I would have to perform major surgery on the plastic around the screws to cut around their mountings. It was a once-only chance. Eventually by God’s Grace, I successfully managed it, and the replacement one slotted in perfectly.

Now I have a mower that cuts the grass, not feebly but with gusto! I rejoiced; only to find like Jonah and the shading plant, God was using this to get my attention. Maybe I needed a new heart – one that is not primarily focused on Martha type things and doing, but on God and people? God is willing to give me, and you, an opportunity to have that new start today!

PRAYER: LORD, create in us a new heart: to be a Kingdom people and gain a sense of Kingdom purpose for us today. Let us not become indifferent like stone, or get tired in the world, but rather grant in us a new heart, to sing Your praises: to rise up on wings like eagles once more, because in Jesus we are Your people and You are our God, amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/06/28/rm_new-heart-2/
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“To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.”  Matthew 25:15 (ESV)

I skimmed over Matthew’s Gospel parable of the Talents this morning, knowing the parable’s content, yet I gained a new insight.

As someone who has sympathized with the poor chap given a single talent as a reluctant servant, I have always found it a discomfort to see in the seed of his reluctance, his downfall.

Although it has been many a year since I was a RE teacher I taught there is only a single purpose in a parable: a story with a single meaning, to portray the significance to its listeners of the new paradigm Kingdom of God. They are not to be allegorized because they were meant to be vivid and immediate — attention grabbing. Parables simply take you by the hand and guide you over a bridge from our worldly view into His, to illustrate a part of the Kingdom of God on earth through Jesus’ Sonship.

There are various talent search shows in vogue at the present time, both here in Britain and also in the USA. They allow those who seek it, the opportunity to display their talent to the awaiting judges and audiences. They have been a rich vein of entertainment to some.

Today I recognized a complete contrast between the man of the single talent, given according to his ability, and the other servants. They unlike him, but like the hopefuls on the TV, wanted to make the most of what they have been given. They want to be recognized as able, to demonstrate their abilities. To shine, to be lifted up to greater things.

No lime light for me, but neither will I bury my talent in fear, because I know God Loves me and Loves those I meet. He gives to us according to our abilities, so that we can rightly bring forth fruit.

PRAYER:  LORD, we rejoice in what has been given to us. Let us not be deceived into desiring what is not of You. Grant us courage to mature the gifts given to us so we can be found bearing fruit when you call us to account, in Jesus’ name, amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/06/01/rm_talent/

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” 1 Peter 5:6-9 (ESV)

We have a new phenomenon in our vicinity: Identity theft. Thieves can raid our bins left out for the refuse collectors to remove. They scavenge for paperwork that might give away your personal account details. They set up mobile phone or credit accounts on the Internet with these particulars, and purchase products in your name, with your details as collateral, until the money or your credit is all used up!

Similarly, we know the Devil is on a quest to catch us out when we fall, become proud, willful, or reckless. Maybe it is because we have not been wholehearted in prayer or careful enough with the gifts we have been given? Anyway, I believe he wants to steal our potential as Christians, given half a chance.

Yes, specifically Christians, because they are at a premium as spiritual prey. Put simply he desires to pervert and quench our spirit long enough to bring sorrow to our Savior. If the Devil can use unwary Christians as pawns to bring harm to The Church as the body of Christ, he will. When we are sidelined into worldly preoccupations we become rendered useless, just like the five foolish virgins that were unprepared when it mattered (Matthew 25:2). At worst, we might cause real harm and destruction to others around us, like a Judas.

If we test our thoughts and attitudes against biblical standards, before we bring anything into public view, we might just stop our identity from being misused!

If we do get it wrong, let us be honest and go to our Savior, kneel and ask His forgiveness. Maybe someone else might need to be involved in the process too? Anyway, He will in return restore to us, by Grace, a new Kingdom identity that He has kept safe in heaven.

PRAYER: LORD, we ask today for You to repair our broken-down defenses and return to us our true identity kept safe in You. Please grant us the confidence to use the weapons of spiritual warfare You have prepared for us, to be able to stand up for Jesus once more today.

Then may we dismiss with a shout of declaration and praise, the evil that preys around our streets seeking to trick and rob us of Your eternal Love. Amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/04/24/rm_identity/

“I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:13 (ESV)

Have you ever seen some phenomenon in nature that could have been put there just for you?

Years ago I was awaiting the end of term, the end of my time in school and my exam results. I was more than 200 miles away from home and still some way away from God. However, I suspected that He was about there somewhere, watching over me.

One summer’s night I looked towards the orange-gray haze of the evening horizon and wondered.

As some “what if’s” passed through my mind, my eyes saw briefly a shooting star. Maybe this was just a trick of the eye but it was so unusual I decided it must be a good omen. I do not know why. Then I asked the question: Can God talk to me through nature? Weeks later I found that, one of the “what if’s” I had pondered that twilight, had come true: co-incidence?

Neither of my parents are Christians. They do not see the need for God. They believe they will die and decompose. I love them more than I can say but it would appear that my discussions with them about my Savior and His Love for them have been a waste of time.

After one visit to see them a few years ago, I was driving back home when I saw a rainbow. Something inside said to me this rainbow was to be, for me, a reminder. It was as if God had said: “Rod, listen, I have heard your prayers and everything is in hand. Now trust in me for your parents.” I had such a peace in my heart that tears rolled down my cheeks.

Have you ever gone looking for a full rainbow? They are a lot harder to find than you might at first think.

PRAYER: LORD, You are the Alpha and Omega and the Good Shepherd. You hold the keys to Death and Hades and You delight in little children. You know the number of the hairs on our head and the cares of our innermost being. In Your awesomeness, have mercy on us LORD and this day forgive us our failures. Into Your care and great compassion, we lift our loved ones before You today. LORD, hear our prayers. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV) “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/03/25/rm_rainbows/