As you will see if you look at the previous post, that was published at 9.51 a.m., just minutes before I actually left the house to go to our morning meeting. There was a real sense of God’s presence with us this morning. The songs we sang meshed with the theme the preacher spoke on. There was variety in how we approached Communion this morning, serving each other as we all stood at the front of church (not something we normally do.) God is clearly stirring and moving people in so many different ways. I really shouldn’t be surprised, but I still am rather awed by all this!
Kevin spoke this morning on the ‘two Ps’ of protection and provision. His text was Psalm 119:65-67. He talked about how we all come to church in different states and to do different things: to thank God, to remember Jesus’s example, to remember His death for the whole world and for our sins, to open our hearts to God. Through everything, we see that God has ‘dealt well’ with us.
Protection
The psalmist prays ‘keep me safe, O God, for in You I take refuge.’ (Ps 16:1) Church members have recently testified about God’s protection when they have encountered accidents but have not suffered serious injury or harm. God has our best interests at heart and looks after us. Is 41:10 reminds us “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” As the old hymn says:
“Be not dismayed whate’er betide,
God will take care of you!
Beneath His wings of love abide,
God will take care of you!” (W. Stillman Martin)
Provision
John 3:16 reminds us of God’s provision for the whole world in sending His Son to save us. We often like to be able to categorise things and explain them in a structured way (rather like scientists picture the double helix of DNA):
God’s love can’t be categorised in this way, but it can be accepted! Jesus was wounded for us and we can be awed by His great love (see 1 Sam 12:24, Ps 36:7, Ps 68:19). God daily bears our burdens and provides refuge for us. He has done great things for us, which we should remember with thankfulness, but we also need Him to do something new and fresh in our lives. As Jimmy Cricket used to say, ‘There’s more!’ We need God to revitalise and re-energise us and to do new things in our lives, our churches and our communities.