EmmDev 2024-09-11 [All Things New] Making it happen

Making it happen

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. (Ezekiel36:26-28)

One of the toughest things about new beginnings is making them actually happen - taking the first step. Although we know we need a new beginning - we find that the "spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." And sometimes even our spirit is not so willing!!!

Ezekiel is writing to God's people in exile, promising that God would be at work in His people. (He is also anticipating the coming of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit.)

Bear in mind that this is the chapter just before the beautiful picture of the valley of dry bones brought to life by the power of the Word and the Spirit.

When it comes to new beginnings, we think that we have to do it all on our own. We think that we have to impress God and prove our worth to Him -- as if God is impressed by the height, depth or width of our devotion and service!

But Ezekiel teaches us something different:
God will not merely try to teach our dead hearts new tricks - He will totally transform our hearts and put His Spirit in us.

Look at these powerful transformations:
From "heart of stone" to "heart of flesh"
From struggling to obey to being "moved to follow His decrees."
From being far from God to being "my people."

It's God who takes this initiative.
It's His Spirit who transforms us.
It's God who makes us new.

We don't make it happen.
God is the one who makes it happen!
Hallelujah!

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EmmDev 2024-09-10 [All Things New] Courage in New Beginnings

Courage in New Beginnings

But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me." (Ruth1:16-17)

The account of Ruth documents one of the most challenging personal new beginnings we find in the Bible. Ruth was a Moabite. Traditionally Israelites and Moabites disliked, mistrusted and even hated each other.

Elimelech, an Israelite, had come to Moab because of a famine in Israel. Ruth fell in love with Mahlon, one of Elimelech's sons. But marrying into this family of foreign refugees would not have been a popular move among her own people...

Then tragedy struck! All the men in Elimelech's family died, leaving only his wife, Naomi, and his sons' widows, Orpah and Ruth. One can imagine the townspeople saying: "Hmmm that's what you get for marrying into a family of foreign heathens!" But Ruth has encountered the God of Israel in Naomi's example and she has begun to believe...

When Naomi hears that the famine is over, she prepares to go back and tries to persuade her Moabite daughters-in-law to remain in Moab. But Ruth is determined to go with Naomi. She says:
"Don't urge me to leave or turn back..." (I don't even want to contemplate it, so don't keep nagging me about it because I'm so scared)
"Where you go..." (I'm willing to go into the unknown and stay outside my comfort zone)
"Your people will be my people" (I'll start from scratch and reinvent myself)
"Your God will be my God" (This is what it is all about)
"Where you die... Be buried" (this is a lifelong commitment)
"May The Lord deal with me..." (She seals it with a vow)

Ruth leaves behind all she knows and all she is - all because she encountered the living God in Naomi's life - even in the midst of a triple bereavement and great uncertainty.

The story of Ruth is a powerful new beginning.
She, a scorned Moabitess, becomes the great great granny to king David and features in the genealogy of Christ.

This is what God can do with new beginnings.
But these new beginnings will ask for great courage and great commitment.
May we emulate Ruth's courage and may we live attractive lives like Naomi so that others find a new beginning through us.

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EmmDev 2024-09-06 [All Things New] New Creation

New Creation

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2Corinthians5:16-17)

I'm a blood donor. In order to donate blood, I have to be healthy. There are certain medications I can't take in the ten days before donating so that those chemicals aren't in the blood I donate. I remember donating as a student when another student arrived to donate, but he had imbibed heavily of "Dutch Courage" in order to face the needles. The nurse turned him away commenting that there was too little blood in his alcohol stream!

But if I'm illness free and banned-drugs free, I can donate. When I've been exercising and am nice and fit, I always like to donate, imagining my blood to be full of healthy red oxygen cells, white soldier cells, strong platelets and good plasma and I like to imagine that blood being transfused into an ill patient and that blood bringing life. My blood type is O-positive which is the almost universal blood type - I can give blood to almost anyone except O-negs.

In some ways, Jesus' death on the cross for us all makes Him a universal donor. His blood was without defect and so by His resurrection He can "transfuse" life into me and His blood will unleash new "cells" in me that will rebuild my broken life from the inside out.

I am a new creation - you can still see parts of the old - but the new is happening! Just watch this space..... ;-)

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EmmDev 2024-09-05 [All Things New] The Cost of New Beginnings

The Cost of New Beginnings

The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (Genesis3:21)

The first new beginning in the Bible is in Genesis 3 after Adam and Eve had sinned against God.

Creation was still very young when Adam and Eve wrecked it through their disobedience. In choosing what they desired and what their ambitions dictated, they alienated themselves from God.

Their disobedience wrecked four relationships:
With God: - They hid from Him
With themselves: - They were ashamed of their nakedness
With each other: - They blamed each other for their failure
With creation: - They were destined to struggle to till the earth

The picture is terribly sad: When God walks in the garden to be with them, they're hiding and trying to cover themselves with sewn together fig leaves. They've lost the first beginning.

But God gives them a new beginning: God makes garments of skin for them. By implication an animal dies. A sacrifice is made.

The sacrifice of the animal points toward Jesus' ultimate sacrifice. In Rev 7:9-14 we read about how we are clothed in robes that have been "washed in the blood of the Lamb."

This first "new" beginning already shows us something very important about new beginnings - they are not free, but Jesus is willing to pay.

What a comfort to know that we are so loved by God that He gives us new beginnings even when it cost Jesus His life.

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EmmDev 2024-09-04 [All Things New] I am doing a new thing!

I am doing a new thing!

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah43:19)

The prophet Isaiah announced the coming of the Messiah. He foresaw that God would do a "new thing" in the hearts of His people. As with many of the promises of Scripture, this "new thing" plays out in many ways:
- It had to do with the Israelites returning from exile in Babylon
- It spoke ultimately about the coming of Jesus into our world
- It speaks of the powerful working of God's Spirit in our hearts

In this Spring season we think of the new life that God gives us.
If you're up North, Autumn is preparation for the Winter time of waiting.
To some degree, Isaiah's prophecies, some 450 years before Christ, were Autumn announcements before the so-called "400 silent years" before the coming of the Spring of incarnation...

There are multiple Springs: The Spring of Incarnation, the Spring of Pentecost, the Spring of our Conversion and the potential Spiritual Spring after Spiritual Winter.

Maybe you have been in a Spiritual Winter...
Maybe you have been in the desert...

My longing hope is that our hearts will be prepared and "strangely warmed" as we journey through our devotions for the next few weeks. My prayer is that there will be a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland - A journey to rejuvenation.

This journey to rejuvenation starts with a recognition of the desert we find ourselves in. Our desert is our busy-ness, our broken-ness, our stubborn-ness, our wasteful-ness, our prideful-ness - our SIN-full-ness... And so we recognise our deep need for God.

Isaiah points out three important aspects of this Spring:

1. It's a new thing. It's not a sentimental going back to the past. It will be an authentic "here and now" work in you and me.
2. We can miss it. Isaiah asks: "Do you not perceive it?" The whispers of God can be subtle and gentle, we need to keep our eyes open lest we miss it.
3. He will bring clarity and sustenance (a WAY in the desert and STREAMS in the wasteland.) Again, don't miss this.

"Dear Lord, please rejuvenate us. Please help us perceive Your new way in us. Open our eyes to the abundant life only you can bring. Shake us, wake us, heal us, forgive us, breathe life into our souls, renew us and fill us. Amen."

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EmmDev 2024-09-03 [All Things New] Every Morning

Every Morning

As it is Spring in the Southern Hemisphere, I'm going to be spending some time thinking about how God "makes all things new." We'll be looking at various promises and examples of how God is a God who renews, restores, re-creates and gives new beginnings.
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The book of Lamentations was written by Jeremiah in aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. It is a gut-wrenching exploration of pain. It consists of five poems that have been composed with each stanza starting with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

The poem explores the terribly sad circumstances as thoroughly as possible. It is as though Jeremiah needed to document the horror of what had happened. It is in the middle poem, where there are three stanzas for each alphabet letter that we find the bottom line: God's love cannot be defeated by pain.

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." (Lamentations3:22-24)

There is no denying the reality of the pain. The thorough "documentation" of this pain in Lamentations means that pain and loss are not downplayed, belittled or handled in a trite way, but Jeremiah is also sure that pain does not have the last say.

God's love is stronger than pain - our problems don't disappear, but we are carried through our loss and sustained in our struggle, we are nurtured in our journey even if we can't see the end of the shadowy valley.

The powerful image he connects to is that of a new morning. Sometimes the new morning comes with a stunning sunrise, sometimes it comes in a fairly bland way, other times we can't even see it behind the mist and the rain - but it always always always comes!

In the midst of our pain and loss, let us wait for the Lord!

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EmmDev 2024-08-30 [The Discipleship Journey] A Disciple's Prayer

A Disciple's Prayer

Psalm 23 - A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalms23:1-6)

David's prayer in Psalm 23 reveals the heart of a disciple: a follower who finds everything in the Shepherd. Long before Jesus called His disciples, David understood what it means to be a disciple: to follow the voice of the One who leads, provides, and protects.

The role of a shepherd in ancient Palestine wasn't about driving the sheep from behind but leading them from the front. The sheep learned to trust the shepherd, to follow where he led, and to rest in his provision. This is the heart of discipleship: Following Christ, our Good Shepherd. It's not just about receiving His blessings; it's about pursuing His path and letting Him guide us.

Discipleship is a journey, and along the way, there are green pastures and quiet waters, moments of deep soul restoration, and comfort in the darkest valleys. But these are not the ultimate goal - they are the blessings that come from following the Shepherd. The focus is on Him, not the benefits.

As disciples, we don't lead ourselves. We don't forge our own paths. We follow. And in that following, we find everything we need: provision, protection, abundance, and ultimately, a home in the house of the Lord forever.

Our calling as disciples is simple: to be sheep who trust the Shepherd, knowing that wherever He leads, it is for our good and for His glory.
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This brings us to the end of our series on Discipleship.
I hope you have found it meaningful and that it has helped you to grow spiritually.
Please take a moment to reflect on the series and, if you have time, drop me a note and share what you have learned.
Next week I'll start a short series on "Seasons of the Soul."

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EmmDev 2024-08-29 [The Discipleship Journey] Simplicity

Simplicity

Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. "I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. (1Samuel17:38-40)

Our journey as disciples of Jesus can get bogged down in the noise and distractions of life's chaos and busyness. The temptation to rely on external gimmicks or shortcuts to appear impressive can seem like an easy way to fast-track our growth toward Christlikeness. But shortcuts often lead us astray from the simplicity and authenticity that God calls us to.

David faced this temptation when Saul offered him his armor. By wearing the king's armor, David was faced with a threefold temptation:

• Assert a claim to kingship: Wearing the king's armor could imply, in the eyes of the people, that David was claiming royal authority.
• Look professional: Though David was too young to be a soldier, appearing as one---especially after defeating Goliath---could solidify his status as a warrior.
• Rely on external tools: Using the armor could have been a way to rely on physical strength and appearance rather than trusting God.

Yet, David was wise enough to reject the armor. Instead, he chose to go as himself---with what he knew and trusted. He faced the giant without pretense or facade, simply as a young shepherd boy who had learned to trust God. David's simplicity, his refusal to clutter his life with pretenses or power plays, allowed God to work through him, and as a result, the giant fell.

Is there clutter in your life?
- The temptation to grab at status?
- An overdeveloped image awareness?
- Too much reliance on 'tricks of the trade'?

How can you, like David, return to the basics in your walk with God?
By simplifying and stripping away the distractions, you create space for God to move powerfully in your life --- just as He did in David's.

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EmmDev 2024-08-28 [The Discipleship Journey] Passionate for God

Passionate for God

David asked the men standing near him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" (1Samuel17:26)

We all know the story of David and Goliath, but what does this story teach us about discipleship? Disciples are passionate about honoring God, just as David was when he faced Goliath.

David wasn't driven by personal glory or recognition. He was driven by a deep passion for God's honor. Whilst the rest of the Israelites looked at the size of the giant, David looked at the size of the insult. While the rest of the Israelites saw the size of Goliath's weapons, David saw the size of His God! While the Israelites quaked in fear at Goliath's intimidating threats, David shook with anger at the giant's disrespect. David's zeal for God's glory moved him to act when others remained silent.

This is the heart of discipleship. True disciples cannot sit still or remain silent when God's honor is at stake. They are willing to step out in faith, trusting in God's power, not their own strength. Like David, disciples live to glorify God, and their passion for His name drives them to make a difference.

When God sees this kind of faithfulness in His disciples, He is pleased. Just as He honored David, God empowers His disciples to do great things for His kingdom. The outcome is in God's hands, but our call is to live passionately for His glory.

Will we stand up for God's honor? Disciples are zealous for God and make a difference because they seek to glorify Him in everything they do.

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EmmDev 2024-08-27 [The Discipleship Journey] David and Guidance

David and Guidance

...he inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" The LORD answered him, "Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah." (Read the rest of the chapter when you get a chance...) (1Samuel23:2-29)

In 1 Samuel 23 there are five occasions where David asks for guidance and help and gets it. How can we be guided by God and learn to hear him? There are some guidelines that we can pick up from David.

1. Ask. David often asked for guidance. While this seems the obvious place to start, there is more to this than meets the eye. To ask for help is to be willing to give up one's own plans. To ask is to admit that we need help. To ask is to place our pride and self-sufficiency aside. And asking is an act of faith and trust.
   
2. Remember God's faithfulness in the past. David when facing Goliath remembered how God had helped him face the lion and the bear. In his psalms asking for guidance David always remembered God's answers in the past. This serves two important purposes: It gave confidence that God would answer and there are often principles from the past that are applicable to the present. The Anglican Church uses three criteria for making decisions: Scripture, Reason, and Tradition. The Tradition or History of God's faithfulness is a good guide for the future.
   
3. The ephod: David had the ephod (an ornate priestly garment which had two prominent gemstones that would sparkle, one for "yes" and one of "no") which helped him as he prayed. We don't have anything like the ephod today and so we have to ask ourselves what the ephod represented. The ephod was part of the regular disciplined structured corporate worship of the Hebrews. It also represented the corporate nature of the faith as it was studded with jewels that represented the twelve tribes. One of the best places to seek guidance is in the regular structured disciplined worship structures in our lives - our daily devotions, our fellowship group, and our worship in church. It seems clear that God often uses these contexts to guide us.
   
4. Allow others to encourage and advise you. Later in ch.23 David is encouraged by Jonathan who ensures him that God will protect him.

These are just some of the principles behind hearing God and being guided by Him.
May we learn from David's example.

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