Lost Things                      Word on the Week                     27^th January 2024.

One of the features in this life of ours that will increase as the years go by is the propensity to lose things!    The other thing is the gravity of the losses seem to increase in importance till finding the lost thing becomes crucial to our peace of mind!

There is the case of the illusive keys.   They have a habit of turning up in the most unlikely of places.   The search goes through the list of hiding places, pockets of clothes recently worn usually bringing about the desired result.

Those of us who depend on pills to keep the body functioning as normal will know just how they can leap out of their container and hide in the cracks in the floor.   They resemble each other and once they escape from their plastic mould it requires a magnifying glass to distinguish their identity!

Perhaps the most unpleasant of all losses is when you lose the proverbial ‘it’.   It usually means that you are out of control.   The self-control mechanisms are malfunctioning and you are on a rant!    The remedy can be hard to find.  My favourite comes from the old ‘Snoopy’ cartoon where the ‘Bear’ suggests to the ranting Snoopy, “somebody needs to stick his head in a bucket of iced water”!

I remember, in the days before smartphones, the farmer returning home after a successful day selling cattle at the mart, to find he had lost the wife!   A hasty retracing of the journey ensued.    The reunited pair doubtless had much to discuss on the journey home!

Jesus came into the world to “seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19 verse 10).   He spoke famously of the lost son (Luke 15 verses 11 to 32).   In this case it was not only the body but the soul of the son that was lost.  He had determined to depart from his roots following the advice of the psalmist who quoted what the fool said in his heart “no God for me” (Psalm 14 verse 1).

This led the Prodigal into all sorts of trouble and it does the same today for those who try to live a life apart from God.   These thoughts come from the lost person’s heart (Mark 7 verses 20 to 23).   But there is forgiveness for the one who turns from them and trusts Jesus who came to seek and to save the lost Luke 19 verse 10).

The next time you lose something remind yourself that being found by Jesus is of far greater importance as it is valid for this life and the next.

Pilgrim Paths                   Word on the Week                     6^th January 2024.

This week some of our younger members of the family enjoyed the rigours of a few days in a cottage in Donegal with time to explore the beauties of that County in Winter.   Their pouring over maps on their return reminded me of a time when the hills held a great attraction for me.

They were the Cairngorms.   I had returned from 2 years of National Service (compulsory military training in the UK) and joined the Etchachan Club – a rock climbing group based in Aberdeen.   Apart from the challenge of the climb, the beauty of Nature made an indelible impression on me. 

The wonders of Nature are intended to be a signpost pointing to our Creator God (Romans 1 verse 20).   At that time, I think I would have made a good Pantheist!

Marriage to a wonderful wife, Betty, came and around that time I entered my ‘religious phase’.   This included a conversion to Christ experience.  The Billy Graham Crusades were taking place and I had the opportunity to look at my life from a Godward perspective.

The most tangible effect of all this was to read the Bible, something which Betty had done regularly.   There did not seem to be much difference to my life-style which I tried to clean up only to fail miserably.   As the author, Paul David Tripp put it, “The thought that any fallen human being would be able to perform his or her way into acceptance with God has to be the most insane of delusions.”

Eventually Christianity broke through when I became aware that Jesus in dying on the cross for me not only took away my sin but gave me his righteousness (2 Corinthians 5 verse 21).

It is so hard to believe this as the whole world order is set against the idea of a loving God who cares enough for his people to die for them.   And then to live for them in the resurrection and heavenly session equipping each one for the role He has created for them (Isaiah 30 verse 21).

Within the security of the ‘righteousness of Christ’ we are to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passion and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives by God’s grace (Titus 2 verse 11/12).

As the Psalmist says, “Shall I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?   My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121 verses 1 and 2).