Hopefully, you will, like me, find today's Scripture passage and meditation inspiring--and, not a wee bit challenging. I say this because I find the psalmist's total dedication to knowing and following God's word and will to be quite a contrast to my own life. Sometimes--occasionally--I am spot on, but far too often I vacillate and am thoroughly wishy washy. Like when I get irritated or worse and get 'hot under the collar' about something, or actually blow up. Or, when I simply shuffle along with my own plans and priorities and simply don't check in with the Lord to see what He might want. Anyway, my life isn't always quite the same as the psalmist's. Hope you too will find it helpful.

John 10:1-18

Today's Scripture passage and meditation really struck home for me today as my family, including myself, tend to be rather stubborn, independent and quite reluctant to show need or ask for help. We like to think of ourselves as totally capable and self-sufficient, and so, asking for help from God--or from anyone else for that matter--is quite foreign to our usual nature.

And so, David's frank admission of his need and his willingness to turn to God is a good reminder to us that we need to do so as well. Maybe it's a good reminder to you as well.

Today's passage really strikes home for me as I find myself focusing on, and complaining (and worse) about all sorts of situations both near and far. (Complaining and being fixated on things, especially problems that I can do nothing about, seems to be a constant occupation and temptation for me). Our psalmist tells us to forget all these things and forget all the nasty and harmful people out there and focus instead simply on God and His will and purposes. And then, to trust Him and obey Him and leave all the rest in His more than capable hands. It is good advice for me, and for all of us.

How many times as parents we have said, 'listen up', to our children when they didn't seem to be listening. And, it's not just children. The lack of listening to others seems to be epidemic in our society and our world today. That, too, seemed to be the problem with much of Jesus' audience in today's passage. Actually, they were listening, but they weren't paying close attention to it or taking it in or examining carefully the implications of what He was saying. I pray that this won't occur with any of us.

Following Jesus and being faithful to Him and to His way is never easy or simple, but hopefully these meditations will be of help

Following Jesus and being faithful to Him and to His way is never easy or simple, but hopefully these meditations will be of help

With everything seeming to change around us, in fact, almost around our very shoulders, it is comforting and helpful to know that some things do not change--like the love of God, or God Himself. He is the unchangeable, immovable rock around which we can centre and build our lives. And not only that, He is the one person in the entire universe that is constant and can always be counted upon and always trusted. And so, with everything changing, we can always hold on to Him.

Observing our world and our society today--especially with the turmoil and divisions, and the outright war and sabre rattling taking place, many people would jump to the conclusion that much of the world has lost its way, And, indeed, can this not also be said of our families, churches, communities--and even of ourselves at times? It is here that Jesus' promise to be the light of our world is most welcome. But then, there is a catch--there always is! We must allow Him to be that light. We must listen to Him--via His word--and then allow Him to help us and direct us.

“Jumping to conclusions” Meditation – John 7:37-52 (Forward, p. 28) CEV p. 1110

I do not claim, not in the least, to always being inspired by God, but something that never ceases to amaze me is when I am preaching or writing, and something new or unexpected comes forth. I find myself asking a question, 'now, where in the world did that come from? I say that because there has been nothing in my study or my research or my previous experience that led me to it. It has come totally 'from the blue', as it were. I think that this is something akin to revelation.

Anyway, Jesus was most careful to tell His questioners that nothing He taught was of His own devising, but was totally from God, totally a revelation. And, I can't help but think, that if Jesus felt the need to be totally reliant upon God as the source of His learning, how much more should we. Anyway, here is something to ponder and pray about.

Sometimes, when it comes down to the crucial matter of whether one places his or her faith in Jesus Christ, people get hung up on rather minor, rather inconsequential points or hesitancies. But, like all relationships, often one has to take the available evidence, think about it, ponder it, weigh and balance it, and then act--take a step, a leap, of faith. As one of my favourite authors said, 'you have to try an experiment, an experiment of placing your life in the hands of God, into the hands of Jesus Christ. If nothing happens, then you will know, but if something 'does' happen, then you will know as well.' Well, this man did try that experiment, and it did happen. His experience was summed up in the title of the book he wrote about it, 'Good God, it works.'

That's what Jesus' critics needed to do, and likewise with any of us--or anyone else that we know or come across--who haven't as yet tried that experiment. To forget the 'issues' for a moment, step out in faith, and give Jesus a try.

Given the propensity of computers to muck things up every so often, and their human operators even more so, I am so glad that we have a trustworthy and reliable Saviour. Both of the meditations I'm attaching today, both based on John 6 touch on the utter reliability of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. I am so very glad that we can have Him in our lives, if only we chose to accept Him and love Him.