Romans 12:2 ESV
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We need to learn to go to God when we are considering picking up an assignment. I learned this the hard way.

Every week for a year a young woman would rush up immediately after a church service or meeting and ask that I prayed for her. Often, she would interrupt a conversation I was having. Other times she would hang around in my eye line, sighing and fidgeting, clearly wanting to hurry me along as I was praying for someone else. Of course, I prayed for her. Every time. But it didn’t matter what or how often I prayed she never seemed to move forward; the problems were never resolved.
 
One day I was so frustrated with the lack of progress I asked God to stop her coming up to me. “Send her to someone else, Lord!” I cried. He answered, “I didn’t send her to you in the first place!” In that moment I realised I had never asked God whether she was my assignment. I’d gone along with what she wanted and never asked what the Lord wanted.

It is second nature to want to help but we have to face the fact that our stepping in over and over again may not actually be what is needed. For example, there may be others much better equipped to serve a particular person in a certain season. It is also true that some people may well need to take responsibility for the issues they face. Prayer without a commitment to act can be a waste of everyone's time!

We have limited time and resources. Let’s ask the Lord how we should use them.

Let's pray
Lord, I know I can't pour from an empty jug so please fill me up now by your holy spirit. Give me a great love for the people you put in front of me along with wisdom as to what they need and whether I am the one best placed to provide it. Lord, I am yours. Have your way in my life. Guide me in the best way to honour and serve you. Amen.

Another stunning Easter hymn this week, this time written by Robert Lowry in 1874. I have great memories of singing this in my very first church on Easter Sunday. We raised the roof!

It is a hymn full of truth and triumph. Here it is in YouTube so you can hear the joy!

Low in the grave He lay,
Jesus my Saviour,
Waiting the coming day,
Jesus my Lord!

Chorus
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever,
With His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch His bed,
Jesus my Saviour;
Vainly they seal the dead,
Jesus my Lord!

Chorus
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever,
With His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Death cannot keep its Prey,
Jesus my Saviour;
He tore the bars away,
Jesus my Lord!

Chorus
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever,
With His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

2 Thessalonians 3:3, TPT
But the Lord Yahweh is always faithful to place you on a firm foundation and guard you from the Evil One.

When I read this verse I have a picture of us stepping off the firm foundation and the Father picking us up and putting us back on. We get off again and he picks us up and puts us back on. He repeats this action over and over again.

Because God is faithful he can be trusted to keep guard over us, strengthen and protect us. Because God is faithful he can be trusted to work all things together for our good. Because God is faithful he can be trusted to love us ceaselessly. Because God is faithful he can be trusted to provide for all our needs.

Feed on his faithfulness today. Remember how he has come through for you time and time again. It is his nature to be faithful. He can’t be anything but faithful to you.

Let's pray
Lord, I am remembering your goodness to me right now. All the memories of the times you intervened and turned things to good are flooding back. I know, too, there were times I know nothing of when you kept me and those I love from harm. I know I can trust in you. Thank you for filling my soul with renewed hope. Amen.

Matthew 10:30-31, NIV
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

When I bought my first flat I was absolutely broke - I virtually lived on nothing but jacket potatoes for a year! I had no money to decorate the flat so one of the things I did was photocopy old hymns, put them in picture frames donated by friends and family, and nail them to the walls of my loo. At the same time someone bought me a poster with these verses from Matthew on it so I stuck that to the loo wall, too. I still have fond memories of my friends coming out of the loo having seen my pictures singing “Thine be the glory”, or “And can it be”, or “Crown him with many crowns” or saying “Imagine God knowing the number of hairs on my head! How amazing!”

And it IS amazing. It’s amazing that the greatest being in all eternity - the same one who named the stars, whose throne room is the heavens and footstool the earth, the one who sustains us by his breath - knows every last detail of our lives and tells us not to be afraid.

A hair is a such a little thing but the Father has taken the time to count each one of yours. Not because he is bored or has nothing else to do, but to demonstrate your great worth in his sight. Our heavenly Father is down in the detail of our lives and is, even ow, working all things together for our good.

So, don't be afraid. The events of this season don't affect his care for you.

Let's be pray
Father, there are days when I feel alone and apprehensive, but these verses reassure me. I will not be afraid today because you are with me and your care for me goes beyond anything I can imagine. Thank you, Father, that you never leave me. I rest in your love. Amen.

Daniel 6:26-28, Complete Jewish Bible
I herewith issue a decree that everywhere in my kingdom, people are to tremble and be in awe of the God of Dani'el. "For he is the living God; he endures forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed; his rulership will last till the end. He saves, rescues, does signs and wonders both in heaven and on earth. He delivered Dani'el from the power of the lions." So this Dani'el prospered during the reign of Daryavesh, and also during the reign of Koresh the Persian.

We re-homed a dog last year. A lovely little girl who came from a family who just couldn’t keep her. So we gave her a forever home.

And these verses remind me that God is able to give us a forever home. When he rescues and saves us it is so we can spend eternity with him, the living God who endures forever, whose Kingdom will never be destroyed. And he also makes us into a sign and wonder to the world as he consistently delivers us. Jesus' sacrifice and victory makes all this possible.

And unlike the people King Daryavesh writes to, we don’t have to tremble before the Lord. We get to call him Father. What a privilege. We have been rescued, saved, and given a forever home by the one who loves us most.  

Let's pray
Thank you Father for your enduring love and provision. Thank you that my name is graven on the palms of your hands and your thoughts are ever towards me. I love you, Lord. Amen.

John 14:12-14, TPT
“I tell you this timeless truth: The person who follows me in faith, believing in me, will do the same mighty miracles that I do—even greater miracles than these because I go to be with my Father! For I will do whatever you ask me to do when you ask me in my name. And that is how the Son will show what the Father is really like and bring glory to him. Ask me anything in my name, and I will do it for you!”

I’ve chosen this verse because I hear and see so many 'ifs' and 'buts' preached or written about it. Many people say that Jesus didn’t really mean we’d do greater things, or we could ask ANYTHING. They suggest he was just encouraging his disciples, pushing them a little, setting the bar high... But there’s a problem with that. Actually there are two.

The first is that Jesus doesn’t lie (God is not a man that he should lie! Numbers 23:19, KJV) so if he said it, he meant it.

The second is that view lets us off the hook. It gives us a reason not to expect the miraculous. And, I don’t know about you but I’m not settling for less. Jesus promised we would do greater things. Greater things than raise people from the dead, greater things than heal everyone who came to him, greater things than feed thousands of people from a tiny lunch and have basketfuls of food left over. I’m holding on to the promise of greater things. What about you?

Let's pray
Lord, I want to keep doing what you did. Love as you loved. Forgive as you forgave. Pray as you prayed. Keep coming to the Father as you kept coming to the Father. Thank you for filling me with your divine nature so I will do even greater things for your glory and the extension of your Kingdom. In your matchless name I ask it. Amen.

Lamentations 3:22-23, NLT
The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

There are two crucial Hebrew words in these verses. First, the word used for steadfast love is 'chesed', which might be best translated as an “unbreakable devotion to the promise.” The other is the word “mercy"  which is based on the Hebrew word for “womb.”

I'm told babies in the womb can hear their mum’s heartbeat and also recognise her's and other's voices. I remember taking a few singing lessons at a time when my friend and teacher was pregnant. She told me her baby would get very excited when I arrived and even more enthusiastic when I sang. He had a few favourite songs, too! When he was born and grew agitated and cried I would sing to him and he would settle immediately. How amazing is that!?

These verses tell us God is unbreakably devoted to the promise of loving each of us. His love completely surrounds us, protects us and keeps us close to him. So close we can hear his heartbeat, recognise his voice and hear him rejoicing over us with singing.

Perhaps this week would be a good time to take a moment to hear God’s heartbeat and listen to all his songs of love for you. And, perhaps as you do that you can find some encouragement to share with for someone else to help them tune in to his promises for them, too.

Let's pray
What a promise! There is no expiry date on your mercy, no limit to your love. They come from an infinite store that will never run out. Thank you for your unbreakable devotion to me, Jesus. Amen.

We're pausing in his presence again this Sunday. Meditate on this beautiful hymn today.

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Exodus 34:6-7, ESV
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin”

I am told that when the Hebrews wanted to express a close, intimate relationship with each other they used the other person’s name twice. We see examples of this when God speaks to individuals in the Old Testament such as Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and Samuel. And Jesus uses the same model with Martha, Simon Peter, Saul and most poignantly with his own Father on the cross (my God, my God why have you forsaken me?).

More than anything else, Moses wanted to know and experience God. And God’s response to Moses is, “I want that, too.” When he uses his own name twice it reminds us God doesn’t need a relationship with us, he is complete as he is. But because it is also said in response to Moses’ request it tells us his heart for us.

Be assured today that the Lord, the Lord wants a close, intimate relationship with you. He calls your name twice.

Let's pray
Thank you Father for the mercy you've extended to me, the love you've shown me and how faithful you have been to me. Thank you that all you have ever wanted is my heart. It is yours. I love you. Amen.