Keep Fighting!

 

You Are The God Who Sees Me

Our Father knows the number of hairs on our heads; He knows what we are going through; He counts our every tear. He knows every detail of our circumstances. 

Do Not Worry

 

22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: they do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

Luke 12: 22-25 (NIV)

E is for Essential Workers

 

Thank you!

J is for Personal Jesus

Personal Jesus is a song by English band Depeche Mode. Although the song bears the name of the King of Kings, songwriter Martin Gore was also inspired by Priscilla Presley’s book, Elvis And Me, and by her exaltation of her legendary husband.

"It's a song about being a Jesus for somebody else, someone to give you hope and care. It's about how Elvis Presley was her man and her mentor and how often that happens in love relationships; how everybody's heart is like a god in some way, and that's not a very balanced view of someone, is it?"

I'm not sure that I agree with the final comment - however I do agree that we should strive to show Jesus to everyone we meet. 

Caught In A Landslide

"Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide
No escape from reality... "
(lyrics by Freddie Mercury - 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen)

People sometimes do stupid things. Unexpectedly, perhaps catastrophically. Things that you simply don't expect them to.

I suppose it's understandable. We've all been given the freedom to do as we please.

You can try to advise them, try and steer them in the right direction.

But what if they do something completely bizarre?

Things that defy logic.

Like throwing away one perfectly good relationship to pursue another with someone else more 'exciting'. (This is not someone in my family, or even in my close circle of friends. But it hurts me deeply - somehow...)

I'm caught up in their landslide. Is there any escape?

I can't undo it. Reality simply doesn't have a reset or rewind button; when you make a mistake you’ve got to live with it.

I can't live their life for them, either.

So why do I feel sad today? Why do I care?

Caring In A Hurting World

There are so many hurting people out there. So many. I simply can't help them all.

Many don't even try. In fact, many choose not to see them. It's as if these are invisible. Individuals that many simply ignore when they walk down the street.

But I try and think differently. I've come to the conclusion that I can do something. So, I do.

And so, as I come across people, people that I think I can develop a rapport with, I do something brave.

I let down my defences. The defences I use to stop myself getting hurt.

It's starts with something as simple as exchanging a name. It's not so easy - it takes a while to build up enough trust to give something as personal as a name. Not easy for me - so I can imagine that it's not easy for them!

Because these aren't the dossers, the low-lifes, the asylum seekers that the popular press keep going on about.

They are Bill, or Sindy, or Frank. It becomes personal.

And as you get to know them well, you realise that they are hurt because of a combination of circumstances. Simply put, because of things that have happened to them.

Just as we are. Often, in the same way.

Hurt by their family
Hurt by their so-called friends.
Hurt by society.

They are really hurting.

The trouble is, this, in turn, starts to hurt me. As I get to know these guys as people, it's increasingly harder not to feel for them. And this starts driving me to do more.

Because I care. And want to care for them.

Professional detachment? Sorry, it's not so easy.

Mark 1:41 (The Message)
Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, "I want to. Be clean."

Care

Matthew 25:44 (NIV)
They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’