Time to reflect

It's perhaps a little ironic but today, being billed as a day off is the only day I haven't found time to read a new book. I've managed to read seven so far this year and am finding the experience to be fun and an extremely mixed bag as the genres appear. I have read stuff I would never normally read and it has taken me back to the days when I worked in the City where I'd grab five new books each week and read; an eye-opener indeed (especially when I reached the shelves with Mills and Boon!

It is so easy for us to know what we like and what we believe and what we want such that we end up boxed in and stale. In discussion with someone recently we ended up faced with something clearly unbiblical and yet the person clung to their position, justifying it wit the words,"I couldn't worship a God who wasn't what I have made Him!"

We g all make God in our image - we look around at those around us and we see the word made flesh looking like one of us. It's on a par with the 'God only speaks in dialect' sound byte. Yes indeedy folks, God does speak our language, but the temptation is to think of ourselves and our society, culture, whatever and limit Him in His universality!

Today was a fairly well-maintain day off - I'll own up and say I did spend a hour or so in the study (2) doing pastoral stuff and squared away some of the stuff for later this week, and I did respond to a few emails (23) and make a few telephone calls (28) and send a few texts (19) and step out for a few minutes to respond to needs and situations whilst out for some lunch (we were shopping for one of the church members).

But it was effectively down time and I got lost in the wife and managed to do my annual tests for BLS (Basic Life Support) and other medical stuff - and I reflected much on God, ministry, opportunities and things ahead (and downloaded stuff for training too).

I think the only way I can really have a day off with no one and nothing of my ministerial role would be to turn the telephone off, go out and away - will have to try that as the year progresses, but a good first day off for 2017 nonetheless.

Lord, I can't tell you how blessed I am that You don't take days off and that the Sabbath rest we take is there to serve us not handcuff us and condemn. Help me never to walk on the other side or to ignore the demands of my calling or those who call out in need but to also take my own needs and internal calls seriously too.

As I seek to bless others help me to not become a curse to me and mine - thank You for today's sabbath rest - it might not have been 24 hrs but it was mine (ours).

Lord I pray for those with whom I engaged today, for those who saw the light in the room and in their lives, for those who reside in a dark place of their own making, for those whose lives are coming to an end and for those whose lives are just beginning. May the world see the light of your love and feel. Touch of your healing and enabling hand.

Running total
Comm: 49  
Hrs (19) 
telephone: 58 
Texts: 51
Email: 61