Close to God

When do you feel close to God? What experiences do you have where you think to yourself - this is pleasing my heavenly Father? When do you feel His Holy Spirit flowing through you?

One of the pastors in my church is a wonderful piano player. It’s a joy to listen to him. In the course of one of his sermons, he recently mentioned that although he gains great joy from playing the piano, he appreciates far more the times when he joins with a congregation of people singing praise to God. That’s when the Holy Spirit is evident in his life.

This comment caused me to ponder upon the times when I feel closest to God. I too love to praise God amongst a choir of earthly voices singing praises in church. At times it seems that other, heavenly voices join the chorus, and for a while the divide between the two realms is almost breached. The same applies for a time when I am praying with others. I sometimes have the experience of almost entering another dimension closer to Jesus and it’s like returning down a tunnel to open one’s eyes and reenter the physical world.

Yet the times when I feel closest to God are, for me, not found in church or in the company of other like-minded Christians, lovely as these times are.

In my work in health I meet an assortment of people from various walks of life. Sometimes I work with the most vulnerable of folk – people who have had a tough life in various ways. Some have chronic illnesses. Some are disabled. Some have mental health issues, or addictions. Some live in poverty or struggle with managing their physical environments. Sometimes they live with carers, who may have been caring for their loved ones for decades.

It is truly an honour to know such people. They epitomise what the beatitudes are all about. Where the world turns its face away, God’s presence is very real. Jesus in His earthly ministry cared for the sick, disabled, abused and unwanted, the poor and despised. When I commit my day and each person that I visit to Him, His presence touches them. I know that when I literally wash feet, or speak an encouraging word or give a gentle touch on the arm, the only touch which that person may receive all day, God’s love is there. He answers and meets needs.  That is when I feel God’s presence, when I simply become a conduit for his love to flow to those who need it.  It’s by no means a one-sided exchange. The people I encounter bless and encourage me so much. To God be the glory.

The other most frequent time when I feel close to God, when He delights me and recharges my batteries, is when I am close to nature.  I love being in my garden, with my dogs and cats and wild creatures and plants; or visiting some of the scenic places that we are blessed with. It's truly recreational (re-creational) to walk on the beach or enjoy a hike in a forest with my loved ones, as I did at the Bunya Mountains recently. We have both a glimpse of what was lost at Eden and a tiny foretaste of the unimaginable beauty of heaven to come.

It’s so wonderful to have time to relax and contemplate not only the beauty of a seashore or forest or desert or night sky; but even more so the beauty and inestimable kindness of the One who created all these things to reflect His glory and to delight us. May we never forget that the One who created the wonders of nature and the universe, the King of all kings, made Himself human and poor and lonely and abused, in order to obey and glorify His Father God and to give His life for our salvation.

Praise Him.

Self -portrait II

Self-portrait II

A college art assignment
was my first
self-portrait.
Then the teenage-girl studied
herself long hours in the mirror, catching
a glimpse of some resemblance on her paper-
two-dimensional collection
of fact, brown eyes, black hair
and static pose, she did not breathe
theatrics then or understand
the mystery of love or beauty of a soul.
Thrown out, self-portrait one
with discarded semester's end dreams.

Self-portrait two- a woman worldly- worn
Forester of dawn's leaf-laden paths,
treading her course, rescuer, guide
and comforter, a sleek black kelpie
ever with her, alongside, dark companion,
Wild hair and heart, boots worn
to the tread with walking, lover,
stargazer, faithful friend.
Paint her alone, grasping solitude.
Colour her in greens and azure blue
of the ocean and sky
and indigo night for her wanderings.
Emblazon her life with thoughts
and words of her own making,
books and poetry,
But note this well-
In the end picture her
Waiting with expectation
for her Saviour.

Copyright 2012 Josephine Collett

 

 

The Gospel / How do I become a Christian?

The Gospel

In the beginning, God, (God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit), created the heavens and the earth and everything in it, including the first man, Adam and the first woman, Eve. God created humans to live in relationship with Him, but gave them free will to either obey Him or be disobedient. Satan, the devil, whom the Bible identifies as a fallen angel, tempted Eve to sin by disobeying God and she in turn tempted Adam to also disobey God. For their disobedience Adam and Eve were cast away from God’s presence and the wonderful life God had created for them and through them all their descendents were destined to be born sinful.

Yet throughout history there have been men and women who sought after God. Humanity became so depraved that God destroyed the earth with a global flood, but saved Noah and his family. Through Abraham God established the nation of Israel, who would be God’s favoured people. Moses, Abraham’s descendent, led the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt and received the Ten Commandments and many laws of conduct. Because of the sinful nature of man, these laws were not kept, and a system of animal sacrifices was instituted to make atonement for the sins of the people. However, the people both individually and as a nation continued in a cycle of falling away from God and returning to Him.

During the history of the nation of Israel there were prophets who foretold that a Saviour would be born, to save humanity from its sinfulness. Their prophecies were fulfilled when Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem. Jesus is the only Son of God. He was sent to this earth and lived amongst us as a human, without losing His divine nature. In all things Jesus honoured and obeyed His Father, God. During His ministry on earth, Jesus performed many miracles and taught us regarding God’s nature and way of living. He was tempted by Satan but was without sin. He travelled with a group of disciples who were the foundation of the church – God’s people on earth.

In the same way that animals had been sacrificed to make atonement for man’s sin, it was the purpose of God to send Jesus to earth to become a total sacrifice, once and for all time, for fallen humanity. As was His destiny, Jesus was arrested, tried for heresy and crucified on a hill outside Jerusalem called Calvary. At the time of Christ’s death the curtain in the Jewish temple was torn apart, symbolising that the old system of God only being able to be approached by certain people and in certain places, was finished.

Now all could come into right relationship with God through the shed blood of Jesus, by committing their lives to Him in repentance and faith.

The Bible tells us that Jesus descended into hell and has total dominion over Satan and evil. On the third day Christ rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples and many others on earth. He gave his disciples the “great commission” to go into all nations and preach the gospel. Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven.

After Jesus ascended to heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit to the earth at Pentecost (ten days after Jesus’ ascension). The Holy Spirit is not only alive in the world, but indwells in those who have committed themselves wholly to God and gives such attributes as comfort, counsel, power and discernment. God's temple is now not a building, but the people in whom His spirit dwells. In the same way the church is not a building but the body of Christian believers on earth.

The Bible tells of spiritual battles between good and evil in both earthly and heavenly realms. It includes indications of great tribulation yet to come. We are told that Christ will return to this earth, the second coming, when He will defeat the evil forces raging in the world and will judge the living and the dead.

We who have committed our lives to Christ still struggle in our humanity with temptation to sin, and must choose daily to live in obedience to His will. We grow in our faith through prayer, study and reflection of God’s word, the Bible; and by meeting regularly in fellowship with other Christians.

How do I become a Christian?

The Bible tells us that there is only one way to relationship with God and that is through Jesus Christ:

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

“Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. (John 14:5-6)

To become a Christian, you need to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died on the cross to honour God and for the forgiveness of sin and that He rose again and ascended to His Father God.

You also need to admit or confess that you are a sinner in need of God’s forgiveness through Christ.

You then need to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. Just as a wedding ceremony begins a marriage, so a prayer of confession and faith can begin, but is just the beginning, of a relationship with God. An ongoing relationship includes learning about God through Bible study; conversations with God through prayer, and encouragement through Christian fellowship in a caring church.

The following is a prayer which could be used to begin this relationship. You may wish to pray it alone, personally, or you may wish to discuss your decision with a Christian friend or pastor first to fully understand:

Dear Heavenly Father God,

I come before You acknowledging You as the only one God- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thank You for revealing Yourself to me. Thank You, Father God, for sending Your only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross, honouring You and making a way for sinful people to come back into relationship with You. I acknowledge that I am a sinner. Please forgive my sin and cleanse me I pray. I receive Jesus Christ into my life to be my Lord and Saviour for the rest of my days. May You give me strength through the power of the Holy Spirit to live my life as a Christian. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. Amen

May God bless you with an ever-increasing knowledge of His wonderful presence and endless love as you continue to seek and serve Him.

Christian Haiku

three shadows lengthen

cry shattering the silent air

unexpected night

in the darkest niche

light reflecting a glimmer

her missing coin found

rooster crows again

something beyond the sunrise

suddenly dawning

2 Chronicles 7:14

If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.
(New International Version of the Bible)

Friends

I thank God for my friends, particularly my gal pals, who encourage me. There are so many people in this world who, for whatever reason, are perfectly comfortable with bringing someone else down. Thank God for those with a listening ear, a word of encouragement and a willingness to help.

But even the best friend or the most loving spouse or other family member can not compare to the friendship and understanding that is given to us by God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son and the Holy Spirit, three-in-One, blessed Trinity. Proverbs 18:24 tells us that "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."Nobody knows us or can care for us like God does. No one can counsel us or change our whole perspective on life in the way that He can. He is always with us, ever true and faithful. He has said in his word "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). He is always just a prayer away.

"What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!"  Joseph M. Scriven 1855

When

When I feel the Holy Spirit

filling my heart with such peace and joy

When I know the love given

by the special people in my life

When nature thrills me with its wonders

                        great and small

When I receive the unselfish love

of a child or an animal

All the times I have known when coincidences

   must be God incidences

And times when my soul has risen

with the music of many voices

When a silent prayer

has taken me away to secret places

When words have eased and comforted

and challenged and created

Then I know, with surety beyond compare

That God is in the midst of all

This life is just a preface

to the wonder of forever

loving Him.