God has promised

Hey all, I just managed to trick blogger into allowing me to log in (a bit of a long drawn-out tricksy process, but then again, this is a computer we're talking about!) so i can post something that was in our staff bulletin this week.

Good food for thought, reminds us of God's character, his real promises, and who he is to us.

God hath not promised
skies always blue
flower strewn pathways
all our lives through
God hath not promised
sun without rain
joy without sorrow
peace without pain

But God hath promised
Strength for the day,
Rest for labours
Light for the way
Grace for the trials
Help from above
Unfailing sympathy
Undying love

-- Annie Johnson Flint --

Just looking back over that list reminded me how we can so easily stand up and take up a beef with God about why he hasn't given us more sunshine in our lives, an easier path, kinder surroundings, and yet each day take for granted the things that he gives us; his grace, love, help, strength and peace (that transcends our understanding whenever we take the time to think about it).

Can we really ask for a life where our paths are strewn with flowers, when Jesus took a crown of thorns on his head? Where skies are always blue, when his sky clouded over when the father turned his face away? Where joy comes without pain, when the one who created us exactly to his design in our mothers' wombs was forced to turn his face from the one he had been in constant inseperable intimate communion with since eternity?

We can't call for these things, but if we think about what God has promised us; strength, rest, light for our path, grace for our trials, and help from his very hand. Do we really need to ask for a life like the one mentioned in the first verse? And if we do, why are we asking for it? Have we forgotten God's total provision for us? If we have, the loving arms of God await us, his depthless love is ready for our fresh dive, his guiding light ready to show us the path, his steady hand ready to help us takes the tumbles of life as they come.

God has promised, yes. God has promised us what we truly need; his help, strength and love in all we do.

Since I've been out here in India, God's been showing me each day how much I truly need to rely on his strength, wisdom, love (for the kids and staff alike). How I really can't teach Maths and music well if it's not for his patience with the kids and the preparation, how I can't be a real brother to my boys in the year 8 dorm if I don't have love for those others around me, how my thoughts being set on God turn a pants day into one that has a direction, guided by a hand that never fails to guide me in good ways.

The question is ever posed before us, who's promises are we relying on? Let's make his the one we rely on!

TheWeeScottie

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