Vital

As I turned the computer off a couple of nights ago, I noticed a sign which sometimes appears. It mentions something about installing vital updates... to be honest, I don't see what could be so vital... I mean, my computer has survived the past year or so without them and it's fine. This got me thinking about what is really vital in life.

In GCSE Business studies you are taught what the difference between a 'Need' and a 'Want'. A 'Need' is a basic thing which you cannot survive without, i.e. clothing, shelter, food or water. These are the four needs of life, yet everywhere we turn, there are people without all these vital things we need in order to survive. Homeless people, people living in poverty with no food, water, clothing or shelter.

But there is something even more important and vital than any of these things. A relationship with God is far more vital than any material posession. Yet all around us, there are people without him, people struggling, searching.

'There's someone, somewhere, out there searching deep inside themself for you,

And there's someone, right here, right now, searching despeately for truth.

Everywhere there's people seeking you, and everywhere you're found,

The Comforter, the Stronghold, in you all hope is found. '

A want is something that develops after we have our four basic needs. We begin to get fussy about what food we eat, or what we drink, where we live and what we wear. Eve wasn't content in the garden of Eden when she took the forbidden fruit. Surely she had enough choice... But she wanted it. It's basic human nature to want things we can't have, but if we don't need it, we should bequestioning whether we really ought to have it at all.

The spirit of the Lord

IS most definately upon me now... It's the only explanation for my rather exuberant behaviour this evening. A few days ago I was feeling stressed, and upcoming exams weren't really helping... In fact, nothing was. I tried everything, I prayed and prayed for relief, but nothing... I was even in this mood up until last night when I went to bed upset over something which is so trivial, I can't even remember it.

Then I woke up this morning, still in a bad mood, I headed to work. I got there, did what I had to do, then left. When I got home, I phoned my sister, and we went to the crematorium. We looked in the book of remembrance, and then went to put some flowers by the tree where Mum's ashes are.

I felt a little bit relieved of some pressure after this, and went over to my sister's. As usual, there was an argument in the house, so I left, feeling even more tense than before. When I got home, I went upstairs, and sat here at the computer, where my bad mood had taken hold a few days before. That brings me to about half an hour ago.

I decided I shouldn't be feeling like that. I have so many good things in my life... Why should I focus on the few bad things, which really are only short-term? So what if I didn't revise as much as I would have liked to? I can't do anything about it.

"Don't worry about the past; you can't change it.
Don't worry about the future; you don't know much about it.
Don't worry about the present; live it."

I decided, once again, to give my all to God. This time, I'm really putting a lot of faith in him. I'm going to sing in front of people tomorrow. Now for some, that's nothing, but I really do feel like it won't be me at all. I just know I don't need to worry.

So during the past half an hour or so, I've been singing, dancing, and generally being completely mad, which has just reminded me of a chorus:

"I will dance,

I will sing,

To be mad,

For my King,

Nothing Lord is hindering,
The passion in my soul."

I'm listening to songs that two days ago were making me cry, making me feel worse. Now they have a new message, a mesage of hope, and it's an amazing message.

Jesus loves me.

Told you it was an amazing message, didn't I?

1 Peter 5:7

Cast your cares upon the Lord, for he cares about you.

That was one of the most sensible pieces of advice I was ever given, and now I'm giving it to you: Just give it to God.

What do they know?

If you send a text to a company called AQA (Any Question Answered), they will send one back, telling you the answer to your question. I was intrigued, and figured out in the end, through guessing, then confirmation on their website, that they use databases, and other search engines to answer your question. I asked them 'Who is Elinor Durston?' and they replied, telling me what county I live in, what school I go to (as if I could forget that...) and that I completed the UK intermediate maths challenge last year. Oh, and they told me that my name is French.

This, combined with a hefty amount of revision for R.E (mainly based on prejudice and stereotyping), led me to wonder what people thought about me. When I walk down the street, are they as critical about my appearance as I am? do they even notice the little imperfections (and the bigger ones) which make me myself? Probably not. Would they class me as a 'Greebo', or a 'Chav'? Would they even care? Once again, probably not.

Then the people you meet. Do they know anything about you? Not really. Do they make assumptions, based on what they have heard about you? Probably, yes. But do they know you?

Do any of them know you?

Even your closest friends, the people you are most intimate with. There are still things which they don't know. Some of them tiny, insignificant things which have barely any meaning. Some bigger things, things they have yet to learn about you, but will in time.

The only one who really knows you, regardless of whether you believe he is real or not, is God. He knows everything about you. He knows your real weight, he knows what you think, and what you feel. He cares.

Matthew 10:30

"And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered."

He cares enough to notice these tiny details. So he really does care about the bigger things too.

When you're surrendering to him, saying ' Not my will, but yours.' He is happy. Because you are the safest you have ever been when you're walking with Jesus.