The man Job and God's heart

Matthew 6:13
And don’t let us yield to temptation,
    but rescue us from the evil one.

Thinking on the Lord's prayer, and in particular verse 13, I thought about Job and how we often think of Job being a righteous man and yet, God tested him.

I only hope that when I am tested, I will not argue the case of my righteousness before God and question why I am in the situation that I am in. 

But I want to (O help me, Lord!) remember  that I have a Saviour, Whose blood I have been bought by, from sin and death, into redemption and life. And that under Whose shadows, behind His Cross, I will want to hide. 

O Lord, I pray that when I am tested, I will not question, why me, or why has my (attempt at) righteousness resulted in this. But instead Lord, help me to pray that You would defend me, that You would hear my cry and have mercy on me, that You would help me to have steadfast faith in Your righteousness and sovereignty.

Take me deeper into the depths of Your unchanging nature, O Lord.

Happily allowing age to catch up

I remember, just perhaps 2 or 3 years ago, when a leader in the music ministry mentioned how we really should bring hymns back into our services, I rose the skeptical eyebrow in my heart.

But today, when I thought again on the words of This Is My Father's World, I was struck by the sure words to its gently-melodious tune -

"This is my Father's world
O let me ne'er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the Ruler yet"

We were away for almost 2 weeks in a foreign country. But it all seemed familiar. Much credit would be given to our able translators, and of course, the amazing hospitality, love and welcome we received.

But it was also the Anglican traditions of worship which I was greatly struck by.
To sing the doxology together and praise God from Whom all blessings flow. To pray the words of the confession and share in the communion of Christ.

And then also, to pray as the Spirit led us to minister to brothers and sisters in Christ.

What was further impressed on me was the truth before me, before my eyes, surrounding me - that we are one body, because we share in the one bread (1 Cor 10:17).

And so I am happily allowing age to catch up with me, and to begin to learn to appreciate the traditions which seek to capture Truth, and enable us to worship and love God with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind (Matthew 22:37).

You are..

the God who sees,
who sees me. (Genesis 16:13)