New Beginnings

I don’t know about you, but I have never been very good at handling new situations and directions in life. There are times when we choose or appear to have the choice to make a new start or head off on a different track to the one we have been on for quite a while and where we feel comfortable.

I am and have been at the stage for a while now where my life seems to be moving in a different direction. It has given me a sense of nervous and excited anticipation, discomfort, uncertainty and disorientation at different times and sometimes in various combinations of these factors.

One thing I am trying to remember, in all of this, is that there is a greater purpose, and that although the future is always uncertain for us all, “I know who holds the future and He’ll guide me with His hand. With God things don’t just happen, everything by Him is planned.” I remember singing that song at a New Year’s day service and it was followed by the most testing year I had experienced up till then! A friend of mine says, “Don’t fear the future, God has already been there.” I think it’s his motto in life, and he certainly hasn’t had an easy ride!

Looking at our lives from our perspective is a bit like looking at the back of a tapestry or piece of embroidery. All you see is tangled threads and what looks like disorganized chaos, but God looks at it from the front and sees, beauty, order and a pleasing result. If we make it our plan to please Him, He will guide us each step of our earthly pilgrimage. If we have put our trust in  the sacrifice of Jesus in giving His life to save us from our sins, and asked  for and accepted His forgiveness, we have already passed from death to eternal life.

Once we know God through His Son, our Lord Jesus, we get to realize that He is in the business of conforming us to the likeness of His Son, a work that goes on to the end of our earthly life and will only be completed when we go to live with Him for ever. Yes, this involves, sacrifice, trials, temptations and suffering, but there are also foretastes of Heaven, rejoicing, and enjoyment of His creation and the many gifts and benefits He showers on us every day.

God will supply all our needs, see us through the difficult times and ultimately bring us safely into His presence. He will also enable us to cope with changes in our lives and circumstances which to us seem so big at the time but are just a small part of His eternal plan.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside quiet waters.

He restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Whatever Doesn't Kill you makes you Stronger

I don 't know where the title I have used originated, but I believe from events that have occurred in my own life recently show that there is a great deal of truth in it.

Without going into the gory details, my wife and I have been through a very testing period in our lives recently and just as you think things are working out, something comes along to knock you to the ground again. The amazing thing is that I can still smile, laugh and yes, even enjoy day to day life on this wonderful planet Earth where we all share in the same kind of experiences one way or another (life's rich tapestry!). I am a firm believer in the words found in the Bible in Romans 8:28; 'We KNOW that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.'

Later in the same chapter, verses 37 to 39 Paul says: 'In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.' The Apostle Paul wrote these words. Before his conversion he was a murderer of Christians and actually stood holding the coats of the men who killed the first Christian martyr, Stephen by stoning him to death. After his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus he spent some time in the desert before being called to preach the Good news of Jesus to the Jews and Gentiles. We think he was eventually executed in Rome for his Christian faith.

As a Christian I believe that God does test us to see if we can still put our faith and trust in Him, as a child puts his hand in his father's hand and allows him to guide him, without asking any questions. I do ask questions (because I am an adult of 55 and have seen a great deal of life), but I still believe that God is in control of my ultimate destiny. I need to become more child-like in my faith and I believe God is working on that. As I believe that He sent His son, Jesus to die for my sins, I know that ultimately I will spend eternity with Him in heaven, not through my goodness, but through my faith in His finished work.

In John 3:16 Jesus says 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.'

Is God speaking to you in the same way as He has spoken to me through my life's experiences and what is going on in the world. You too can have the assurance of eternal life with Him in Heaven if you put your faith in Jesus and ask Him into your heart and life to take control. If you haven't done this already, why not-

'Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water,

Put your hand in the man who calmed the sea.

Take a look at yourself and you will look at others differently,

Put your hand in the hand from the man from Galilee.'

God bless You richly wherever you are. Send me any comments or questions about this article, I would be happy to discuss any of the points I have raised and to share your experiences.