"Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife"
(The Jungle Book)
Not such a bad idea, is it? The bare necessities. The things that we really need. What do we really need? Food, water, shelter, clothing... Seems like God's a pretty long way down the list. He should be right up there at the front, after all -
'I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength' (Philippians 4:13)
But without him, I can't do anything.
Most people within the Church have heard that verse before. But how strong is your faith in what it's telling you? What would you do for God? How far would you go? Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own son. Would you sacrifice yourself? If you were to stand on a diving board, high above an empty swimming pool, and God told you to jump, saying that if you did, he would fill the pool with water, would you do it?
I learned a long time ago that God isn't actually out to get me. He's running after me, sure, but he's running around fixing the messes I leave behind. The real trouble, I've learned, isn't caused only by other people. I'm not always the victim. Sometimes, I'm the troublemaker. I know we can't be perfect, because we're human, but we can be Holy. Through God and with God. You don't have to do it alone, because he's right by your side, being the support you need.
'You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You annoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.' (Psalm 23:5)
Essential things aren't worldly things. We can cope without them. Not for long, but God provides. How many people do you know who DON'T have a mobile phone? Take away from that number those who are children, those who are only temporarily without one because it's broken, or was flushed down the toilet or put in the washing machine, and those who can't afford one. How many people do you know, who don't own a mobile phone, purely because they choose not to? Maybe they don't see the need, or they don't like the health risk.
Mobiles come with all sorts of different features, and I'll admit that the main reason I chose mine was the walkman technology. I wanted to be able to store lots of music on my phone, and to be able to acess it easily. Amazing how picky we get when we have a choice, isn't it?
Anyway, I know a lot of people who DO have a mobile phone. Needless to say, there are advantages, such as being able to reach people when they aren't at home, or somewhere with a landline. But of all the text addicts I know, I am undoubtedly the worst. I'm constantly checking my phone to see if I have a message, or if someone's gone all retro and actually phoned me.
The point is, I don't really need it, but I'vve grown accustomed to it. I've cut down a lot lately, and try to only check if i'm actually expecting a text. I've realised that i must look pretty desperate checking it every two minutes anyway.
'Humbly, You came to the Earth You created, all for Love's sake became poor'
If it's good enough for Jesus...
I'm on a quest this Lent. I'm trying harder to be more like him. To realise what's most important, and act on it. This is going to include random acts of kindness, ( I don't know what they are yet, because they're going to be random) being generally nicer to people, trying to say yes to people, when usually, I'd say no (only in appropriate circumstances, mind) and hugging people, a lot ( though not to the point it's considered stalking), and I'm going to get done the things I've been meaning to get done, some of them, since Christmas.
In short, I'm going to try to be what i should be, and I'm going to try hard.
'
The bare necessities in life will come to you!'
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife"
(The Jungle Book)
Not such a bad idea, is it? The bare necessities. The things that we really need. What do we really need? Food, water, shelter, clothing... Seems like God's a pretty long way down the list. He should be right up there at the front, after all -
'I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength' (Philippians 4:13)
But without him, I can't do anything.
Most people within the Church have heard that verse before. But how strong is your faith in what it's telling you? What would you do for God? How far would you go? Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own son. Would you sacrifice yourself? If you were to stand on a diving board, high above an empty swimming pool, and God told you to jump, saying that if you did, he would fill the pool with water, would you do it?
I learned a long time ago that God isn't actually out to get me. He's running after me, sure, but he's running around fixing the messes I leave behind. The real trouble, I've learned, isn't caused only by other people. I'm not always the victim. Sometimes, I'm the troublemaker. I know we can't be perfect, because we're human, but we can be Holy. Through God and with God. You don't have to do it alone, because he's right by your side, being the support you need.
'You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You annoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.' (Psalm 23:5)
Essential things aren't worldly things. We can cope without them. Not for long, but God provides. How many people do you know who DON'T have a mobile phone? Take away from that number those who are children, those who are only temporarily without one because it's broken, or was flushed down the toilet or put in the washing machine, and those who can't afford one. How many people do you know, who don't own a mobile phone, purely because they choose not to? Maybe they don't see the need, or they don't like the health risk.
Mobiles come with all sorts of different features, and I'll admit that the main reason I chose mine was the walkman technology. I wanted to be able to store lots of music on my phone, and to be able to acess it easily. Amazing how picky we get when we have a choice, isn't it?
Anyway, I know a lot of people who DO have a mobile phone. Needless to say, there are advantages, such as being able to reach people when they aren't at home, or somewhere with a landline. But of all the text addicts I know, I am undoubtedly the worst. I'm constantly checking my phone to see if I have a message, or if someone's gone all retro and actually phoned me.
The point is, I don't really need it, but I'vve grown accustomed to it. I've cut down a lot lately, and try to only check if i'm actually expecting a text. I've realised that i must look pretty desperate checking it every two minutes anyway.
'Humbly, You came to the Earth You created, all for Love's sake became poor'
If it's good enough for Jesus...
I'm on a quest this Lent. I'm trying harder to be more like him. To realise what's most important, and act on it. This is going to include random acts of kindness, ( I don't know what they are yet, because they're going to be random) being generally nicer to people, trying to say yes to people, when usually, I'd say no (only in appropriate circumstances, mind) and hugging people, a lot ( though not to the point it's considered stalking), and I'm going to get done the things I've been meaning to get done, some of them, since Christmas.
In short, I'm going to try to be what i should be, and I'm going to try hard.
'
The bare necessities in life will come to you!'
1 comment:
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
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