Happenings 16/09/21

Paul writes these words, ‘Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.’ I don’t know about you, but sometimes the amount of zeal in my ‘zeal-tank’ starts getting a bit low. Paul’s words, however, function like the low-fuel gauge on our dashboards, reminding us that fervour can leak or get used up, so it needs to regularly be topped up. How do we do that? Where do we find a petrol station for passion? In the next sentence, he gives three fuel bowsers – joy, patience and faithfulness. Firstly, he says, ‘Be joyful in hope!’ – in Christ, we know that better things are coming, and this hope reaches back in time to meet us in this day. When future hope rolls back to collide with present circumstances, the result is to be JOY in the now! Secondly, he says, ‘Be patient in affliction!’ The difficulties we find ourselves in in the ‘now’ cannot be avoided, and in God’s economy may even have things to teach us for lasting benefit – so don’t fight against them; be patient in them and listen for God’s still voice in the storm. Thirdly, he says, ‘Be faithful … in prayer!’ Don’t stop chatting to God throughout the day – enjoy the access you have to your Heavenly Father. Don’t stop bringing the weighty things of the world around us – he is big enough for them. But also, don’t stop bringing the miniscule, inconsequential flotsam of life before him – he has already said he is deeply interested in the smallest details of our lives. Which of these three 'passion bowsers' do you need to pull up to today for a refill?

In Him,
Murray