Firsts!

This afternoon, I had my first swim in the lake, at Le Chêne du Lac, for this year.  Indeed, I am the first person, this year, to have swum all the way to the far side!   I would have swum back - but although the sun was shining brightly, and was very warm, the temperature of the water still leaves a little to be desired!

There's something about 'firsts'.   I may not remember my first spoken word; or my first step.  I can't even recall my first day at Primary School.  However, there are many firsts that I do remember - and do so quite vividly. 

I remember my first time on stage, as an elocutionist and; not long afterwards, as an actor - on both stage and radio!  I remember my first day as a young commis chef.  I remember my first date in a (friend's!) car.  I remember my first day at the Bible Training Institute, in Glasgow.  I remember my first preached sermon.  I remember my first Sunday as a Student Assistant in St.Paul's Parish Church, Milngavie.  I remember the birth of my first child (and, of course, of my second!).

I even remember my first love, and my first kiss!  She was not the girl to whom I was, eventually, married, and with whom I have spent almost forty-five years - through 'thick and thin'.  I remember my first day as a husband.

The Bible has something to say about 'first love'.  In the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, given to the aged apostle, John, we read of the words of the risen Saviour to the church in Ephesus: "... I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love." (Rev 2:4; NIV).

It's sad when a couple separate, or divorce, because they have lost that "first love" that brought them together.  It is even sadder when one who has professed love for the Lord Jesus, becomes cold, and careless.  Yet I have seen it happen with so many - both the loss of human 'first love', and the loss of love for the Lord Whom the person had once served with great zeal.

Can the loss of 'first love' be avoided?  I believe that it can.  The secret, I would suggest, is in communication.  It is as we share with our spouses that we are kept close to one another.  It is as we share with Him that we are kept close to the Lord.  That involves both the regular (i.e. daily!) reading of His Word, and regular prayer in which we listen as well as talk!

In His words to those Ephesian believers, the Lord Jesus began by complimenting them.  "I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear evil men but have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and found them to be false;  I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for My Name's sake, and you have not grown weary." (Rev 2:2-3).  This indicates, to me, that it is possible to continue to live what appears on the outside to be an active Christian life - but that is really just a sham.

If you are a disciple of Jesus, I wonder what all of this says to you!  Are you merely going through the motions - or is your walk with Him still sweet, and strong, and sure?  Have you lost your 'first love' - or are you still as much in love with Him as you were when you first opned your heart, and life, to Him; and received forgiveness of your sins, and new life in Him? 

I trust that the latter is true for you - and for me!

God's provision

I'm sitting here, at Le Chêne du Lac, on the last full day of our summer holiday here.  The owners' two goats are just a few yards away, eating at a hedge.  However, they have escaped from their own enclosure - intended to provide a safe environment - and are trying to eat the leaves through a chain-link fence.  This major obstacle means that, although they are managing to acquire some food, they are not getting a fraction of what is available for them if they were on the other side of the fence - where they should be!

I'm thinking that that is a picture of so many people.  Almighty God has set certain boundaries, in His written Word (the Bible).   These, while intended to provide us with a safe environment, are seen by many as restrictive.  Accordingly, they escape - throwing off the 'shackles' of morality, and ethics, and Godly principles.  They seek to provide for themselves.  They want to be "self-made" men and women.

The reality is that, like the goats, they are just making life difficult for themselves, while losing out on so much that their Creator has available for them.  They are trying to find satisfaction through a chain-link fence, when full provision has already been made for them within the sanctuary of God's enclosure.

So, where are you, today?  In a Godly environment that provides all of your needs (although not necessarily all of your wants!); or 'outside', in a 'freedom' of your own making - but losing out on what Father God has for you?   The choice is always yours!

The beauty of Jesus.

I don't know the exact figures, but the amount spent on cosmetics, in the so-called "developed" world, runs into hundreds of millions of pounds annually.  Many women, and not a few men, will gladly spend a small fortune in order to make themselves look as 'good' as possible - even to the extent of undergoing expensive (and not always risk-free) cosmetic surgery.

This is not, of course, a condemnation of individual make-up - some lippie, a little eye-shadow, and a new hair-do (that's just the men; I don't know enough about women!! lol).  However, the Bible makes clear that real beauty is that of character which is based on "the fear of the LORD" (Prov.31:30).

I read, some time ago, of one dear old saint (in the New Testament sense of the word) who had "permanent waves" in his face.  In other words, he had looked upon the world for so long, with a smile, and with an attitude of tranquillity and goodwill, that those 'smile-lines' were fixed on his expression.  His face had set into an abiding vision of love and contentment.  It's the kind of 'beauty treatment' that the LORD gives to His long-time friends (remember Moses? - see Ex.34:29-35); it's the answer to the prayer that some of us used to sing - "Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me".

When one Christian fellowship conducted a survey to discover what had been the most important factor in bringing people into active membership (and, one trusts, into a saving relationship with the Master!), it emerged that, for 60%, it was "personal contact with someone who showed me Jesus".

Wouldn't it be wonderful if those of us who claim to be disciples of Jesus were so open to Him, and so filled with His Spirit, that the light of His countenance would ever be mirrored to others?!

A couple of "one-liners": A loving smile adds a lot to a Christian's face value; 
                                            The best sort of tact in witnessing to Christ, is con-tact!

By the way, by the time this is being read by most folk, my dear wife and I will be en route to France, and our static caravan at Le Chêne du Lac, near Bayas.  This means that posting is likely to be irregular for the next three weeks!  However, do keep accessing the blog - I might even have something interesting to report!