A large group of friends and I were walking back to our hotel room through a mall after attending a conference. I happened to be at the front of the group when I saw a very trendy necklace in shop window. I stopped to have a look which stopped the group I was walking with, the rest of my friends behind them, and another group of ladies walking behind them. Then more people stopped to see what this big group of people were looking at! After a few moments my friends called me over and explained that I had just stopped traffic in the mall. Woops!

Whether you know it or not, people are following you. If you are in ministry, it may even be people you don’t know. If you get distracted and wander off the path or get so busy that you stop moving in the direction that God wants you to go, you will be holding people up or distracting others. Some might follow you in, some might get tripped up, others might get slowed down.

It might be a negative attitude, a schedule with no time for God, a secret, an addiction, unforgiveness. But even if you think you’re alone, all sin which remains undealt with affects your relationship with God which will always affect our relationship with others. Not one person goes unnoticed, not one sin is without effect.

I slowed down a lot of people because of my distraction, but on the other hand, 100 people might have noticed that bargain jewelry shop because I stopped. What a reminder of the great privilege we have to inspire people to pause and consider their relationship with God because we have taken this time to stop, pray, declutter, refresh, renew, remember, rest, speak, write or share.

I have no idea how many people follow me, but I am reminded that God calls all of us to live for Him and be an example to others. So instead of having my own agenda and looking out only for myself, I am going to do my best to follow Him and faithfully walk the journey He has for me.

“I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining to what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:14 (NIV)

I was going to a friends house to watch a movie. There are some friends you can do that with: hang out in your PJ’s, raid the fridge, drop in unannounced, share anything with, talk, pray and encourage each other through the ups and downs of life.

In Hebrew, the language of the Old Testament, this kind of love is called Ra’yah. It’s the kind of love between best friends, soul mates. As I was driving home on the dark quiet roads listening to some awesome music I remembered how much I enjoy that Ra’yah we have with God. He longs to be the one we come to as we are. He longs to be that friend we can come to any time day or night. He longs to be the one we turn to when we need to talk, or laugh, or cry. He longs to rejoice with us as we succeed and lift us up when we fail.

Do you have that Ra’yah with God? When was the last time you hung out with Him? If you don’t know what this kind of love or friendship is like, start like any friendship. Spend time with Him, chat about your day, your hopes and dreams, your struggles and fears. Get to know the person that He is through the Bible. Tell Him how awesome He is through worship. Involve Him in your day-to-day activities. He wants to be a part of your life, and He wants to meet that need in your heart for a true soul mate.

This was the song I was singing at the top of my voice (cause that’s another thing you can do with best friends – even if you sound terrible!)

song: Wonderful Merciful Savior
by Eric Wyse

Wonderful, merciful Savior
Precious redeemer and friend
Who would have thought that a lamb could
Rescue the souls of men, Oh You rescue the souls of men

Counselor, comforter, keeper
Spirit we long to embrace
You offer hope when our hearts have
Hopelessly lost the way, Oh we hopelessly lost the way

You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace our
Hearts always hunger for, Oh our hearts always hunger for

Almighty infinite father
Faithfully loving Your own
Herein our weakness You find us
Falling before Your throne, Oh we’re falling before Your throne

Why do we take natural things out to replace them with artificial substitutes which aren’t even good for us? I was given a block of chocolate this week which was gluten free and had no added sugar, yet still had 36% fat. No wonder it still tasted nice! But before I go have a bath with my original soap and a block of real chocolate , let’s ask that same question about life.

A friend of mine, Simone, shared this week about her family’s situation in returning to work after being involved in full time ministry. She described what many of us face – the difficulty of keeping up a daily, meaningful relationship with God when the reliance on Him for our daily needs is not blatantly obvious. In ministry we often need to rely on Him for our financial needs, our ministry goals, our prayer life, our humility, and the grace and strength to keep serving. But sometimes we easily slip into the trap of securing our own finances with work, opting out of ministry roles when things get too busy, praying only in emergencies, and getting by on our own merit. These artificial props of life not only do nothing to further God’s kingdom here on earth, but relying on them damages and erodes our relationship with God.

Simone pointed out that whatever role or stage of life we are in, it is vital that we are demonstrating to our children our reliance and dependence on God. It is our desire that they grow into young men and women that not only follow Him but are committed to joining Him in His work in this world. How do we do that while we are working, running a house or running after kids? By grabbing hold of miniature mission opportunities, by serving on an impromptu schedule, by being open to God’s leading even in the busyness of life and choosing to say ‘Yes’ to Him in those circumstances.

It is situations like giving someone a lift when its raining, taking a meal to someone who is sick, giving a Bible to someone who is searching, or listening to someone who needs to talk. Even if it puts you out, even if you don’t have time, even if it doesn’t come naturally. Cause that is what life is meant to be! Jesus thrived on interruptions. Eg healing the widows son (Luke 7:11-17), the woman with a bleeding disorder (Luke 8:40-48) or a blind man by the road (Mark 10:46-52). And divine appointments often come in the interruptions and hassles of life. Interruptions are the natural substance of life in which God works. So don’t be too quick to chase after those things that will make your life more comfortable or secure while neglecting the real ingredients of life. It’s an artificial way of living.

Jesus said “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)

We had to renovate our new place as it was lacking what some would consider necessities, such as doors, flooring and walls. We wanted to make it a more comfortable place to live in, to make it stronger and more durable, to make it more attractive, and enjoy the feeling of personal satisfaction at our work.

Maybe God has similar things in mind when he makes his changes in our lives. He wants to make us a place in which the Holy Spirit is able to live more comfortably,

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV)

He wants to make us more durable so that we can stand the winds of adversity,

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)

He wants to make us more able to attract people to Christ,

“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

And He wants to be able to say of us,

“Well done, good and faithful servant!” Matthew 25:23 (NIV)

You couldn’t tell from the road what our house looked like inside before we bought it, and you can’t tell from looking at the outside of our house what we have done inside. Its only by coming and spending time with us that we can show you what we have done and what still needs to be worked on.

And its only by spending time with your Maker that you will be able to see what He is doing in your life. Try it and see. Grab your Bible and prayer journal and get to work.

Join Him where He is working. Sometimes you will find Him moving walls and sometimes he is adding the finishing touches. And at the end, may you hear him say those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Do you think I was showered with praise from my 4 year old son for saving his life? Nope. Not even an acknowledgement. I was the ‘bad guy’ for ruining his fun and his ‘freedom’ to go where he wanted.

A lot of people I talk to view God in the same way. They think God is standing over them, or watching from afar ready with lots of rules and regulations to ruin their fun and take away their freedom. That is so far from the truth. There are two basic facts about God that people miss.

Firstly, God loves you!

And Secondly, God wants you to live.

He loves you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross you that you don’t have to be separated from Him. He died so that you could live forever in Heaven, and so that you could live fulfilled on earth. God’s directions in the Bible help you to do that. They provide guidelines so you can live freely without unnecessary hurt or injury and they help others to see that you are different so they can find out too!

Deut 30:20 says “Choose life…that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life.” (NIV)

I am alive inside because I have a relationship with God. And now, I choose life. I want to spend time with Him and learn about Him more. I want to listen to His voice and respond when He prompts me to do things (or stop doing things) and I want to hold fast to Him, because I know that He has the best plans for me.

Next time we go near a road my son will be holding tightly to my hand.

How tightly are you holding on?