Tag: #blessed

Tidings of comfort & joy

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‘Tis the season of tidings of comfort & joy from God Above. And His comfort doesn’t just soothe but strengthens & encourages us too. 

It’s the Good News of Great Joy- of the Great God of highest heaven coming down to earth to be among us, beside us, one of us, with us. Bringing:

Light to dispel sheer darkness

Hope in place of despair

Peace for our troubled souls

Joy to stream through our sorrow

Love for the unlovely 

Faith for the unfaithful 

Saving grace to redeem us

Jesus is the  Greatest Gift of all- the Indescribable Gift of God.

Blessings,

Ruth x

It just gets lighter

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Today, the earth’s axis tilts furthest away from the sun, making 21st December the shortest day & longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. This Winter Solstice marks the start of astronomical winter.But it also symbolises the triumph of light over darkness as the daylight hours begin to lengthen again- stretching towards summer in the distance!

In these darker months we need light- streetlights & firelight, moonlight & twinkly starlight. And of course Christmas lights in a multitude of size & colours.

And the thing is, it just gets lighter & brighter from now on!

In the opening chapter of Dr Luke’s Gospel, Zechariah burst into song after months of silence. He proclaimed:
‘Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, God’s Sunrise will break in upon us, Shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death, Then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace.’
(Luke 1:78&79 MSG)

Jesus, God the Son was sent from heaven to illuminate the sheer darkness of our world. He was the long expected good news of great joy. He was the transcendent glory of our Most High God, made flesh.

And He will brighten the path of life one step at a time, if & when we trust Him.

Three decades later,Jesus proclaimed, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
(John 8:12 NIV)

The well-known Carol by Charles Wesley ‘Hark the herald angels sing’ states:

‘Light & life to all He brings’

May we know the Light of God’s Sunrise brightening our days-this Christmastime {& always}

Blessings,

Ruth x

The Greatest Gift

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Tis the season…of giving gifts! We shop till we drop,grab a coffee to go, then shop some more! And everyday we’re bombarded on social media & TV with gift ideas. But what can we give to those who have everything?

While we endeavour to give great gifts, God is the ultimate Gift-Giver:
‘Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.’
(James 1:17 NIV)

The Greatest Gift came in unexpected wrapping. All the fullness of God- His grace & goodness, majesty & might, bundled in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

The Greatest Gift-
The Hope of the world:
Planned by God,
Foretold by prophets.
Sent by Love,
Under a starlit sky,
Surrounded by angel song,
Wrapped in grace from above.

For, ‘Once in our world, a stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world.’
(C.S. Lewis)

As we grow older our Christmas wish list gets shorter & we find that the things we want aren’t things. Sometimes the best gift we can give to others is our time.

Someone once wrote that love can be spelt T-I-M-E. Jesus loved us so much that He gave up eternity to spend time on earth.

He came to earth & became flesh & blood so that we can be adopted into the family of God through faith. The Gift of God means that we can become children of God:

‘Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God’
(John 1:12 NIV)

God’s gift is a long lasting, never-ending present-eternal life.

Christmas is:
when God reached down,
when God became one of us,
with us in this journey of life.

‘Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!’
(2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV)

This Christmastime, if you haven’t already done so, will you accept this ultimate gift from God – the Gift of Himself, for now & forever?

Blessings,

Ruthx

Making room

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December starts with good intentions of organization & calm & cards posted on time. Yet as the month rolls on, it gains momentum like a giant snowball gathering more & more festive events & shopping.

In the past I have identified with Bilbo Baggins who said, “I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.” (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring)

We need to create margin in our days as we approach this time of the year. Our diaries may be jam-packed already but it’s in the quieter moments that the true meaning of Christmas is found.

There are choices to be made to make space in our schedules.

Especially in this season, we need to prepare room for the One who became one of us. In the quiet, we can connect with God. We can make room to  marvel & wonder at the miracle of Christmas, that God is with us – Immanuel.

We can identify what recharges us & spend time doing what brings light & restores our soul.

We can read God’s Word & devotionals that refresh the richness of the Christmas narrative again.

We can pray for our family,our community & our broken world.

We can listen to Christmas music-traditional carols blended with contemporary worship.

We can quiet ourselves on the inside to make room for God to speak to us- to whisper to our weary souls.

We can explore!Wrap up warm & escape into the great outdoors to  breathe deeply, clear our minds & star gaze.  Spending time in creation is one of the best ways to unplug & connect with the One who made it all!

We can also make room for others- not just our friends & family. We can give the gift of time.

As we step into another December week, carve out time & make room for the Baby born in Bethlehem, Who is Lord of All.

‘Let every heart prepare Him room’
(Isaac Watts-Joy to the world)

Blessings,

Ruth x

The gift of time

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The evenings are dark & Christmas is approaching. It’s that time of year again – to watch Christmas movies. In our house, Lord of the Rings is on the watch-list. 

A favourite character in this Tolkien classic is Gandalf the wizard. Gandalf said, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

We have all been given the gift of time. How can we spend our time in this busy season of shopping, eating, hustle & merriment?

God gives us an answer in His Word:

‘Rejoice always, 

pray continually, 

give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’

‭‭(1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

We can spend this gift of time:

Rejoicing -expressing delight & deep happiness- even when life feels hard & when things don’t seem to be working out as we anticipated.

Praying – this means more than talking to God- but also listening for His response. We can become the answer to our own prayers as we seek God & His best for us.

Giving thanks means paying attention to what is happening in our days. It means noticing what God is doing in our lives- in the highs & lows, the ebb & flow of our day to day {& being grateful}

As we step into December & as the month gains momentum, we need to carve out time to contemplate God:

Rejoice in awe & wonder of God with us. Our Eternal God stepped into time as a tiny baby in a manger, becoming flesh & blood {yet remaining fully divine}

Pray for love & peace in our hearts, homes & world. And how we can share these God-given gifts.

Give thanks for true joy & hope found only in Jesus. And look back with hearts shaped by gratitude on this year that’s almost through.

Blessings,

Ruth x

Living letters

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In this age of texts & e-mails, I still like to send &  receive old fashioned cards & letters. There’s something special about paper & ink! (Despite the cost of postage!)

 The Apostle Paul wrote many epistles to the early church. Yet he wrote these words about the church at Corinth:

‘You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.’

‭‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

The Corinthian’s testimoney & the visible God-inspired transformation in them meant that others could read the message of Good News in their lives.

As we live with hope in God’s Word, we too can be living letters that the world around needs to read- the Gospel for now & forever.

Paul also wrote that we should do everything without grumbling or bickering, as we hold onto the word of life. (Phil 2:14-16)

As we live for God daily, we should:

‘Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night’

‭‭(Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

We are God’s special possession, that we ‘may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.’

‭‭(1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

As we enter into the Christmas Season, we can be messages of hope & light, of grace & truth & love.

Blessings,

Ruth x

Surrounded

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I read these ancient words during the past week in Kendal:

‘As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore.’

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭125‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

We may feel overwhelmed with struggles & pressed down by stresses. Yet, we are surrounded by our Mighty, Majestic God, & encompassed by His love & power.

Psalm 125 was one of the Psalms that Jewish pilgrims sang as they journeyed toward Jerusalem. As the Psalm states, the city of Jerusalem is encircled by mountains (including the Mount of Olives)

We are protected by the mountain Maker- the One who was the Everlasting God even before the mountains were formed (Psalm 90)

As Moses wrote when He blessed the tribes of Israel:

‘The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.’

‭‭(Deuteronomy‬ ‭33‬:‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

We are safe & secure, for we are surrounded by God & kept in His arms {now & forever}

Blessings,

Ruth x

Love like bread

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As we’ve travelled round the Lake District on these auburn autumn days, we’ve ate bread in Ambleside, Grasmere & Kendal. Crusty sourdough & fresh tin loaves. One local bakery is aptly called Lovingly Artisan. As I savoured the hand-crafted loaves, I thought of a poem I read long ago:

‘Love doesn’t just sit there,

like a stone,

it has to be made,

Like bread;

remade all the time,

made new’

(Ursula K Le Guin)

Making bread requires effort- kneading, stretching & folding the dough.

In the same way our love should be intentional. Love needs to be nurtured – just as a sourdough starter needs to be fed.

It’s been said that love is a verb. Love is dynamic.

The Apostle John wrote:

‘Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.’

(‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Human love may go stale-yet God’s lovingkindness remains fresh- it’s new every morning! God’s ubiquitous love is the Truest Love of all. It is the starter from which all love flows:


‘Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.’
(2 Corinthians 5:14 MSG)

Time moulds & kneads life into different shapes & directions as we move along in life. But whatever our circumstances, we are urged to follow God’s way of love:

‘Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.’

‭‭(Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

As we journey through this week, we can trust in God, the Master Maker & His love:

‘And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.’
(1 John 4:16 NIV)

Blessings,

Ruth x

Aroma

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We live & move through this world using our five senses- sight, sound, touch, taste & smell. Our sensory experiences can be positive or negative- pleasant or terrible. Last week I experienced the sights, sounds & smells of Scotland’s capital city.

I walked through the buzzing cobbled streets in Edinburgh. The Dome was already fully decorated & the scent of cinnamon & pine lingered- Christmastime was definitely in the air!

We sprayed fragrance testers in John Lewis in St James’ Quarter while those around searched to find their signature scent.

The welcoming aroma of freshly ground coffee ushered us into the Old Town.

Later, I sensed the crisp scent of amber autumn leaves as I ran (slowly!) in Edinburgh’s leafy suburbs. Later still, I lit a jasmine & sandalwood candle in the van.

Scents connect us to memories & emotions. Aromas are nostalgic- reviving our memory & enhancing the moment. They bring the past to the present again!

Science has shown that scents affect our mood & even our work performance.

The Bible compares believers to an aroma:

‘For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.’

‭‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

This imagery evoked memories of the aroma of incense & burnt sacrifices offered during Old Testament times at the Temple.

However, this smell is perceived differently by others & has a contrasting effect:

“To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?”

‭‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

This verse is a powerful word-picture. To the  disobedient & perishing we are the rotting stench of doom & death. (The same word is used literally in John 11:39 to describe the odour of Lazarus’ body in the tomb)

Yet to those who believe & are being saved, we are the scent of life- a sweet smelling perfume.

‘Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God’

(2 Cor 2:15 MSG)

This is an awesome responsibility.

We can enhance the sweetness of the atmosphere as God is within us. By His Holy Spirit we can show God’s presence & share the message of Jesus. 

The essence of God permeates the space  around us – flowing out of our relationship with Him into other’s lives through our words & deeds.

May we spread God’s fragrance of grace, life & hope as we cross others’ paths this week

Blessings,

Ruth x

Photo credit-Daniel J Schwarz via Pexels

Eternity

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During the week  on auburn autumn days, we revisited the places where we met.The faded  sun shone on Broughty Ferry & Dundee. So many happy memories shared with the class of 1997! 

Almost 30 years have passed- full of joy & togetherness & raising our family but also with unexpected trials & troubles too. We all experience the twists of sorrow mingled with joy & threads of stress mixed with blessings that are crafted into the tapestry of life.

Life continues to move on. The pace feels quick from the vantage point beyond another landmark birthday.

‘The days are long but the years are short’ as Gretchen Rubin observed.

We strolled along Perth Road – passed Groucho’s, the Tower & coffee shops to St Peter’s Free Church where I attended as a student (where Robert Murray M’Cheyne was minister.)

In front of the church there’s a paving stone with just one word- ‘ETERNITY’

I don’t think about that word often enough- I’m so tethered to the here & now.

The stone reminded me that each day we step on chords that vibrate through eternity. That there’s so much more beyond our day to day life.

The Bible speaks of us as eternal beings- created & designed by God with eternity at our core:

‘Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.’

‭‭(Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

We cannot fully grasp how immense our God is. He is everlasting from before time began. For God existed before He spoke the universe into being.

The oldest Psalm which was written by Moses says:

“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭90‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

The time of our lives on earth fade in the infinite stretch of eternity:

‘We are a moment, You are forever

Lord of the ages, God before time

We are a vapor, You are eternal

Love everlasting, reigning on high’

(Robin Mark)

On a large rock on the shores of Strangford Lough is painted ‘Eternity where?’

And there’s only two options, two destinations & destinies -eternity with God or without Him. The cataclysmic difference between eternal life & eternal death.

Jesus said:

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

‭‭(John‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

For our eternal God stepped into time & became a man on earth, that we might know our Creator & be loved for eternity.

Jesus said:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

‭‭(John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

May we truly believe in Jesus & live each day in the light of eternity.

Blessings,

Ruth x