Convenient

Today I am linking up with the women of Five Minute Friday. The idea is simple. Write for five minutes flat on the week’s posted topic. This week’s word is : convenient.

I like things to be convenient, I like things to be at a convenient height for my shortness, I like things to be conveniently laid out for the morning so that I am not rushing, I like going to the local shop rather than drive to the supermarket because it is convenient. I like having visitors when it is convenient, I like meeting up with friends when it is convenient .

But what about when it is a busy week and someone needs help, or an extra church meeting is called, or someone wants to come and stay.? How do I react when people and things get in the way and come at a time when they are not convenient.?

Then I need grace, grace to be disturbed, Grace to go out when it is not convenient, Grace to extend mercy when it doesn’t suit me. I need to be saved from my convenient life and be willing to be stretched, flexible and expanded to live a reaching out kind of life, where others are put first before my convenience!

101 Things

Yes, it is that time of year again when people, myself included, have signed up for 5/10k running events and challenges, which means training time!! Groan, groan!!

Do you know the hardest part of training for me? Doing it! Actually making the time, getting prepared and just getting out there is really, really hard! There are a 101 other things I think are more important or pressing for me to do and to put them aside to go for a training run is so difficult.

It is a bit like reading your bible isn’t it? How many times have you vowed to start a new bible reading plan, or download a study or join a group or set aside a time of day, and it just never seems to happen! 101 other things get in the way. You sit down to pray and the phone rings or you suddenly remember something you were meant to have done. Always, always distractions.

Yet, as with any training, once you start it is well worthy it. It is worth putting in the effort, it is worth carving out that time to do it. Once I have been my run, had my shower and am sitting having a cup of coffee and piece of toast I feel great and glad I made the effort to go out and do it.

So too with Bible reading, it is well worth it, worth getting up early for, worth making that time, the benefits out-weigh the hardship. Being fed and refreshed in the Word of God makes the difference to your day, to your outlook, to your life.

So just do it! Just put those 101 things out of the way and do it! Get into prayer, get into Bible Reading and actually you’ll find that those one hundred and one things still get done.!

Two Weeks In

So, two weeks into the New Year of 2019 and how is your enthusiasm? Are you still optimistic and excited about what the year may hold? Or has the reality of being back at work, back in routine caused it all to fall a bit flat and your enthusiasm at which you were going to approach situations and challenges waned somewhat? In whom or what will you place your trust this year?

I have been thinking on Psalm 121, where the Psalmist looks to the hills, but decides that no, that is not where he is going to place his trust, he is going to put his trust in God, the maker of those hills, the creator of heaven & earth.

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills– where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip– he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you– the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm– he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Five times in this Psalm does it say that God will watch over us. What does that mean, that nothing bad is going to happen, that we will be exempt from pain, hurt, illness and struggles? No, but it does mean trusting in the Sovereignty and love of God. It does mean that He will never tire of us, never lose interest or doze off. It means that God is never off duty, that circumstances or situations never catch Him out, even if they catch us out, upset us or confuse us, He is not caught off guard, He knows, He has been watching and is not surprised. The fact that God watches over us is a powerful promise of protection, that no matter what happens, He has it in His control, He has it in hand and He will be with us, no matter what.

He will watch over our life – the ultimate outcome of everything that concerns us is in His hands. So if I can trust the outcome to Him, I can also trust the process, trust the way to walk with Him as well, trust the daily steps to Him.

The Lord will watch over my coming and my going and all the things I do inbetween. He is interested, He is sovereign, He is pro-active, working on my behalf. So I choose to place my trust in Him this year. I choose to look away from other great and awesome things, knowing that it is in God alone I can rely, on God alone can I trust. I choose to trust in the God who watches over me.

Will you place your trust in the God who watches over you?