Shape up! More than a Gym workout

Before I became a Christian, life was uncomplicated. I was hell bound but oblivious of the fact. I liked going to church. It had good fellowship teas, sports teams, and girls. There were youth groups, Christian Endeavour and camps. The ministers were fine men who taught the Scriptures. Trouble was, I happened to be spiritually deaf to it and ‘blind’ to my condition. That was until God had had enough of my stupidity.

“Shape up or ship out” filled my mind one evening.

Shaping up to the Lord’s expectations has been an ongoing drama, challenge, pleasure and battle. As mentioned last week when I became a disciple something in me died. The ‘Old Man/sin nature’ was crucified. The Saviour gave me new life. Trouble was, it lived in an old body, with a soul nature twisted, stained and motivated by self –interest. It was sometime before I understood my inner conflict. That happened, in part, by reading Romans 7. Paul seemed to have had a similar struggle. A part of the explanation of my inner conflict in regards to shaping up was due to where faith in Christ placed me. When I accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord He enlisted me into His combat team.

Suddenly, life became complicated. I set out to do the right thing and my soul nature came up with all types of excuses why it was a bad idea. ‘Think about your image, your interests, the cost or what will people say?’ My spirit would intervene and warn me that I belonged to the Lord and was accountable to Him. My soul was egged on by the Devil and the World system saying everything was alright. Whenever I yielded I found all three to be deceivers. I failed. I was miserable. My testimony was scarred.

Fortunately, the Lord didn’t dishonourably discharge me. Disciplined, yes, but not forsaken. He had made that promise for which I am eternally grateful.

How did Paul express his sense of relief and confidence in not being ‘drummed out’ or left to ‘rot’ in self-pity? ‘Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Romans 7:24-25). What does our thanks include? The very fact that the Lord doesn’t abandon us. We had been seduced, tripped or tricked into ungodliness and disobedience and now we recognised it. Sorrow leads to repentance. Repentance leads to restoration. Although we have unseen but real scars on our mind the Lord Jesus renews our relationship. It seems to me that proof of our ‘Old Man’ being crucified is a sadness about how we have failed the Lord and his calling. 1 John 3:9 makes the point that the crucified believer does not continue in sin. When he falls (or jumps) into it he is unsettled and disappointed because he has let Jesus down. Repentance is the attitude which allows the Lord to reach down and pull us out of the guilt, shame and recriminations of the accuser. Sure, we will need a good ‘washing’ of our inner life which God’s word unleashes. It's our responsibility to make sure we get into its ‘bath.’

Romans 7 needs to be read into chapter 8. ‘There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.’ We will have our regrets and memory flashbacks but we cannot be blackmailed by the powers of Darkness. Christ Jesus has dealt with it on the basis of His crucifixion and being our Advocate. We can only overcome our ‘flashbacks’ by filling our heart and mind with gratitude for His grace and following Philippians 4:8’s advice.

When I was a new recruit for Christ Jesus I thought my calling would become easier as I aged. Silly boy! The ‘shaping up’ process merely takes on different dimensions. I’ve likened my calling by Christ into His fellowship as a spiritual ‘boot-camp’ which leads to life’s battlegrounds. Fortunately, I was not left to my own devices. The Lord God of Hosts gave me His Holy Spirit as my personal trainer (and Sergeant Major). Into my hands was placed the Warrior Lord’s manual to know and obey. He also placed me into a company of other recruits, all of different spiritual maturity and national heritage. I sure have had need of them over the years.

After sixty years I look back in wonder at the grace and patience of my Commanding Officer and Lord. Jesus never gave up on me – nor will He give up on you! He still confronts me with the challenge, ‘shape up’ but there is never the slightest threat or hint about what made me ‘shape up’ six decades ago. Thank you Lord Jesus for making me and keeping me yours!

 

Ray Hawkins. August 10 2015.

 

Peace comes when 'Skeletons' are smothered.

No one can see the ‘skeletons’ in a person’s soul. However, they are real and they haunt the memory. Peace cannot be known if they roam the heart land. Some try to drown these ‘bones’ by alcohol or other substances. It works, for a short time. Then the ‘rattling’ begins, louder and with greater torment.

Others imagine that being spiritual will vaporise the ‘skeletons’ of their past. Prayer, fasting and church attendances are dutifully applied but with limited effect. Our mind never forgets and our past only needs some ‘trigger’ to bring it into our present. “Is there any hope for peace within?” I was asked “how can I forgive myself?” My reply “you cannot forgive yourself! You created the ‘skeleton’ and you need someone outside and above yourself with authority to forgive.”

Who could that be? Only the Lord Jesus can deal with all your life’s experiences which created the ‘skeletons’ in your soul. He robbed them of their terror, haunting capacity and control by his death on the cross. A new beginning is His to offer to the troubled soul. The noise of rattling ‘bones’ can be silenced. However they are not removed. Written across such unsettling and haunting memories is forgiven. Every-time something brings them before the memory causing fear or shame to taunt there is only way to shut them down. It is taking the promise and authority of Christ Jesus and saying to your soul “I have been forgiven, cleansed and redeemed.” The ‘skeleton’ cannot overcome such a fact. It must retreat back into the recesses of your mind. Colossians 2:6-15

What good is that? How can I have peace knowing my soul has a ‘graveyard where the unsavoury past can rise up to haunt?’ Philippians 4:8 ‘Beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.’ In other words you smother the unsavoury past by such positive things that the ‘bones’ find difficulty in grabbing your consciousness. This takes time. It takes perseverance. It takes getting up after falling over. It takes devotion to the Lord and determination to meet the challenge. Peace isn’t being a pacifist. Peace means your heart and mind are in harmony with God’s word, active in doing what is right, and at rest in the grace of God.

Another threat to inner peace is what the future holds. As we age we realise that so many unpleasant things can happen to our body and our mind. Then there is concern for our family and friends. Sitting upon all that is a World in chaos morally, spiritually and many Nations with a bloodlust mentality.  As if that wasn’t enough to give us fear and depression there is the knowledge that at the end of life is an accounting time with God.

Unless we can find answers to these and be offered hope then the future will invade our today. Such intrusion will rob us not only of peace within but also sour our outlook. This in turn will have a repellent effect on our relationships further adding to our distress.

Into this cauldron of the soul comes a word of hope that has the power of an unwavering promise. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1-3.) How can we count on that? Because Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Testament promises about the Messiah. He came, He was tested and proved true. He was betrayed and crucified yet rose again. As we saw last week the Lord used that to make our peace with God the Father. Therefore, on the power of His risen life you can count on Him calming your heart and walking with you into your future.

In John 16:33 Jesus shared this with His disciples: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” From the foundation of peace with God our Lord helps us build a refuge of peace within our soul. The material and instructions for this are found within the Christian Bible. A good place to start is the Gospel of John.

Next week: How to be at peace when others want strife.

Haunted by Lifeless Eyes

Peter Shurley is an Australian singer, songwriter and violinist. He presented a great concert at our church recently and sang a song called: Indian Girl. This came about through a visit to India on behalf of Compassion International, a Child Sponsorship Christian ministry. This young girl had just started school and was sitting in the front row when Peter began singing to the class. Her big eyes and apparent need stole his heart. He sponsored her. That was many years ago. Peter showed a photo of her at her University graduation. Wonderful

That song brought back vivid pictures to my mind of a visit to an African slum. We were on a short term mission trip and went to this slum area. There, sitting in a narrow lane, was this small child of indeterminate age. I know not her name. She said not a word. Beneath unwashed grime and dishevelled hair was a stained prettiness. It was however the eyes that captured me. They were lifeless. No sparkle, no tears or interest in who the strangers were, simply blankness. They shattered my heart and mind with sorrow and began to haunt me. These years since, they still haunt me.

Did she ever find someone to sponsor her and give her hope and dignity? Did this un-named slum girl simply waste away to be received by Christ Jesus in His Heavenly home?

The Christian Church has been rocked by revelations of child abuse by certain perverted persons in responsible positions. The bible is very clear about their condemnation and punishment by the Judge of the universe. The Scriptures are filled with warnings about violating the vulnerable and the young. It has an eternal sentence written in God’s statutes.

Fortunately there is another aspect to the Christian Church’s involvement with Children. It reveals the faithful care, protection, support and equipping of young lives through to adulthood. The difference is seen in many and varied ways. Perhaps most vividly for me is the contrast between the Indian girl who was sponsored and the African girl. I’ve also seen the difference it makes through the support given to such children in distant countries by my adult children (and others). One of the privileges in showing the heart of Christ within us to
children or adults is to see or hear they also put their trust in Him.

The eyes of the slum girl haunted me and still do. They also motivated me and others to reach out to care and share what we could to those similar to her. The following poem was stirred in me by the combination of Peter Shurley’s song and those eyes which haunt me still

I Cried Then and I Cry Still
We met in a Kenyan slum
In a lane with little sun
How old
I couldn’t tell.
My language she knew not
Hers, was unuttered
Yet I was shattered
By this African girl
Without a hope of happiness.
My heart ached for her sadness
I cried then
And
I cry still

Oh to have hugged her there
Told her someone cared
But all I felt
In my helplessness
A strange numbness
Yet prayed,
“Lord embrace her today.”
I cried then
And
I cry still.

Time have passed by since then
And still I remember when
We met in the Kenyan slum
In shadows cast by the sun.
But her face still appears
Unchanged by the years
Silent, sad and unmoving.
I cried then
And I cry still.

Lord
For children such as her
Deliver from despair
Through servants who share
Your tears of compassion
Your heart for redemption.
Then will we know
Tears cried then
Were
Not in vain.

Ray Hawkins July 5 2014