[Friday's Devotional] - Come on home

So there we were, out of the garden, awash with sin and cluttered by mistakes.  What a shambles!  After things had started so well too.  We blame Adam, who blamed Eve, who blamed the Serpent.  We’ve not made any real progress at getting back where He wants us to be, have we?  We’ve seen how we can get help, and what we can do to try and make things better, but we still keep coming up short, don’t we?  So looks like we still have no chance, doesn’t it?

 

But wait!  We have a champion, given to us by God himself.  He put Jesus, his son, here on earth to teach us all and then to die for us.  And because of his sacrifice we are forgiven all our sins, and we have only to ask God’s forgiveness for all our faults and it is done.  Almost unbelievable!  So don’t hang about.  Ask our Lord Jesus to come into your life, if you haven’t already.  Then look around at the faces you see every day.  I think you may see a little sunshine in there somewhere.  Then look in the mirror.  See, or sense the sunshine there too.

 

I will leave you with a pleasant task this week.  I had the pleasure of reading in church recently. I’ve read it again privately since. Romans 8 : 1 – 17.

 

Pick up your Bible (or follow the link above) and read it for yourself. Come on Home.

 

Jim Finch

[Thursday's Devotional] - Talk to Him every day

One thing that is important and necessary for all of us is to have someone to talk to and tell our troubles to.  Doesn’t it feel a little less oppressive and a bit better when you can unload your thoughts and problems, and hopefully get a little encouragement too?   Again, hopefully many will have a husband or wife who will listen and can make you feel better about things. Of course, we don’t always want to take our troubles home, do we?  We want to switch off and have a pleasant, relaxing time away from life’s everyday hassle.  And not all of us have someone waiting to welcome us when the day is ending.

 

So talk to God even if you have had the chance to unwind with someone you know well.  He will always listen and even if we don’t have the good fortune to hear Him as Samuel did, we know that he hears us, listens to every word, and spiritually puts an arm around us and comforts us.  Perhaps the next day things will seem to be better, or you find you can cope that bit easier.  He is with you.

 

In fact I find you can talk to God any time you want.  He is there whatever the situation and wherever you are.  A little please or thank you can make such a difference to your day.  He is waiting for your request and loves to help where He feels the need.  He appreciates a little thanks too, just as we do when we get something right or are able to help someone.  You know how you feel when someone says, “Why didn’t you ask? I might have been able to help.”

 

Lord, thank you for being there whenever we need your help, or just need to talk. And guide us even if we forget to ask. Amen.

 

Jim Finch

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Deeds speak louder than words

So we have dealt, or are striving to deal, with our thoughts and words.  But what about our actions?  I know that there are times when I act without really thinking about what I am doing and the consequences of that.  Don’t we all?  After all I hope I’m not the only one at this point.  We don’t always think about what is causing those actions.  Really we should stop and think about them, shouldn’t we?  Perhaps then we might be spared the embarrassment of doing something we shouldn’t.

 

We all have those times when something causes us to think “No!  I’m not having that!”  OK, this is the point where we need to remember what we said yesterday and calm our thoughts down a bit before we go off ‘half-cocked’ as it were.  This time our thinking could save us looking a fool or worse to those around us.  Take a deep breath, think again, and react in a more considerate and helpful way if at all possible.  Well done you, He is smiling.

 

Then there are those times when we know in our mind that we should do something to help someone if we could.  We think about it and sort of know what’s wanted, and perhaps what we could do to assist the situation.  But perhaps it’s not really convenient just at this moment, and someone else will come along and do it.  Come on!  Let’s be modern Samaritans and help that person or situation get better.  It’s Good Deed Day every day.

 

Lord, train us to be more caring of others.  To give aid to those less fortunate than ourselves in a practical way.  Perhaps we can, at least, stop things getting worse with our actions. Amen.

 

Jim Finch

[Tuesday's Devotional] - OK, I'm trying

So here goes.  I’m going to make a real effort to do better in every way from now on.  So where do I start?  Perhaps with things that I say to people and what I say about them to others when they are not around.  Not always too kind am I?  He doesn’t do things right and she talks about others behind their backs, or vice versa.  Just like me then!  Actually I think I’m getting a bit better about that.  There are times when I’ve said something without thinking and then corrected it with words like “No, that’s not right.  I shouldn’t have said that.  That’s unkind and probably unjust too.”  And I do ask God to forgive me too.

 

So can you follow my lead, or are you way ahead of me already?  I expect quite a few of you are and I need to catch up.  OK, but don’t take it easy because I’m still here and I won’t give up trying.  So if you are going to stay ahead you’re going to have to pull your socks up and get cracking.  Meanwhile we all need a bit of assistance, so don’t forget to ask for His help every day.  You know He will give it.

 

And do the same with our thoughts, because we can be just as unkind and critical in our minds even if we don’t speak the words.  The worst place this can happen is probably when we are driving (non-drivers will be pleased to know this!) as we all fall foul of those who don’t think about others once they get behind the wheel.  I’m not doing so well with this one.  I can get quite critical sometimes, it’s a good job they can’t hear me!  But I will keep trying!

 

Lord, help me to control my thoughts and words so that I may not offend your ears and those others they are aimed at.  And as you offer me forgiveness, please offer the same to those whose actions may cause my failing. Amen.

 

Jim Finch

[Monday's Devotional] - No chance

We were created to be part of God’s world.  We are told “in his image” but we have no way of checking to see if that is true.  It’s one of those things we have to take on trust, but again we don’t actually know what Adam looked like, do we?  We ‘assume’ that he was much like us.  We all inherit something from our predecessors, or so we are told.  So what did we inherit from Adam?  Sin.  He made one vital mistake and got thrown out of the Garden of Eden, and it looks like we have no chance of getting back in because with the best will in the world we can’t stop sinning.  So that’s it then.  Might as well give up.

 

So we are going to do whatever we like and to hell with what happens once we are physically dead.  Aren’t we?  Well, as above, try as we may we keep making mistakes, getting it wrong.  Every day there are times when we realise – oops! –we’ve done it again.  I remember my mum saying, any number of times when I’d done something I shouldn’t, “Ooh. Our Jimmy!  You didn’t did you?”  Unfortunately on many occasions the answer was “Yes, Mum.  I did.”  Am, I getting any better?  I’m not sure, but I am trying.  Still, no chance is there.

 

You see, I’m wrong again.  One ‘man’ came to earth many years ago.  He taught people how to live together in harmony, and how to please God so we could be as He wanted us to be. So what did we do?  We crucified him!  Are we barmy, or what??  However, God knew that we would react in that way, and had sent His son to live and die as a token of His love and to redeem us from all our sins.  This was His way of forgiving us and bringing us back to the true Garden of Eden living with Him.  Hey!  That’s one great big let-off.

 

Lord, thank you for your son, Jesus, and all that he has done for us. Help us to try to live to a standard more like him than we have done so far. Amen.

 

Jim Finch