Love Thy Neighbour

“Our peace and health and happiness all depend upon our neighbour.”

—Frederick Faber (1814–1863)

We do rely upon each other whether we like it or not. This is no better explained than when we don’t get on with co-workers or family. Other people can make our lives misery, and bullying is a poignant paradigm with the power to shift our lives into hellishness.

The great problem of humanity is, of course, sin—in particular, selfishness.

Selfishness cuts us off from our neighbour at our volition. And we are useless against the force of selfishness much of the time. We covet our own needs, many times because we lack faith and many times because our desires run ahead of us. Sometimes we do cater for our needs diligently, including an appropriate self-care. But we are more likely to grapple for our needs (and wants) because of selfishness. We do this both consciously and unconsciously, with intent and by accident.

What covers for this horrendous condition is the grace of God. We no longer need to be perfect, as the Pharisees tried to be, but we are commanded to love our neighbour.

We are commanded to elevate our neighbour’s needs to at least the same level as we elevate our own needs.

God’s Ideal – The Interdependence of Humanity

We are dependent upon others as others are dependent upon us. This is how God has made our societies to work. It is a model that relies upon love—the giving, one to another and back again through reciprocity, of what we would deem as necessary for ourselves in the same circumstances.

When we do to others as we would have them do to us we obey the command of love.

This is the principle of interdependence—to be mutually dependent on each other—how we care for each other because we rely upon each other. But we are more apt to deny the fact that we rely on others. We are more independent than interdependent, until, that is, when we really need someone’s help, and then we tip the balance past interdependence and into situational dependence.

Selfishness has us vacillating between independence and dependence, when God’s will is for us to find the balance between the two and make way for interdependence.

But the reality is our surrendered will to be interdependent isn’t always reciprocated; most of the time it won’t be. Our kindness is returned to us by others in fashions of greed. Our humility creates room for others’ pride. Of course, when others are kind to us we don’t always return the favour. When others are humble, sometimes we are prideful.

Our challenge is to overcome our situational selfishness. When we do, interdependence has a chance.

***

Life on Earth depends on love—for us to be mutually dependent upon each other. But sin, manifest in selfishness, has spoilt God’s plan. If we are to love one another we must get over our selfishness and surrender to God by being mutually dependent upon each other.

Love thy neighbour starts from us and ends there, too. Our biggest test of faith is to consistently love our neighbour. God’s grace is sufficient to enable us to do that, one moment at a time.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Finding Purpose In Meaninglessness

“Here is a test to find out whether your mission in life is complete. If you’re alive, it isn’t.”

—Lauren Bacall

If we are fortunate, in an ironic sort of way, God will bring us to a point of meaninglessness where we have no scaffolding of comfort to rely on but God. This seems especially cruel when we have lived for years innately mission-focused. But many, also, have never found their purpose. Meaninglessness in existence is aberrantly common. Without a shred of masochism we can see there is still much to learn about purpose in meaninglessness.

Part of our purpose is finding our way out of meaninglessness and into meaning.

If we ask God long enough that crucial question—“What is the purpose in this?”—we shall be given our answer. The trouble is we stop and change directions long before the answer inevitably will come.

Finding purpose in meaninglessness must first be about having faith that there is a purpose in all things. There is.

What Sort of God Do We Believe in?

There is only one true God, yet we are given to believe many subtle nuances of difference. If we can answer the above question we have some idea how God may respond for us, personally.

If we believe in a God who is loving, perfectly graceful, merciful and just, we can also believe in a God who has a purpose in all things—even a purpose in seemingly meaningless things. If we believe in that sort of God—so holy as to be irrefutably faithful—we can know that nothing is wasted in the kingdom of God.

If we believe in a God that vindicates the faithful, we know how to think and act. We are hence constantly reframing our thoughts and transforming our ideas into obedient actions.

But this doesn’t always cater for that thing called patience. And we need vision, too.

Faith Enough for Vision and Patience

If we have a sufficiently hopeful vision, we can act in faith even when there is no vision at all. Trudging each day, but praying for revelation of our purpose; that is faith—having faith enough to pray the question over and over and over again.

Just as much we need patience to endure both the panicked and bored minutes. Patience helps us to relax and to get things into perspective. Patience calms our fatigued souls.

***

God sometimes brings people to maturity through meaninglessness. Through a void of purpose we are inspired to find the purpose in what seems meaninglessness. And God always proves faithful. There is a purpose in all things; a purpose for us to find. That is our divine invitation.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

4 Reasons for Unbridled Joy

“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognise how good things really are.”

—Marianne Williamson

The idea of the divine life—the saved life—is adherence to truth. That is, the more we broaden our sight and, therefore, adhere to truth the more joy is available to us. This is just as much about remembering, forgetting, looking up, and looking around.

1. Remembering What God Has Already Done

Two millennia ago the most important event in history happened. That we are now reconnected with God should elicit much joy. Despite our circumstances and the toughness of life, we have great hope both here and in eternity.

We can remember that we were once slaves to tyrants. Now we are slaves to the Most High God. But as slaves of the Lord, we are also heirs.

We can remember that we have been delivered. At the recognition of our Saviour and the work of salvation we accepted our deliverance and chose for our redemption.

Lastly, we can remember our Deliverer. Jesus is the one we live for. When we live for the Lord, life goes never better.

When we remember these things we have real cause for joy.

2. Forgetting Our Sin, Shame and Successes

Whilst it is imperative that we remember what God has done for us—that we are new creations—it’s also critical we forget certain things.

We forget the condemnation of our past sin, so we are no longer trapped in our guilt and shame. This doesn’t mean we deny being sinners, because that fact won’t change until eternity. We also need to forget our successes, because wherever we languish there we get lazy and prideful. Such a joy as ‘success’ is short-lived.

But real joy is founded upon the ability to quickly forget unhelpful components of the past.

3. Looking up At the Grandeur of God

The moment we take a serious look into the heavens on a clear night, seeing the stars, noting the unparalleled wonder of the universe, we take in whatever we can of the grandeur of God.

God is no predictable or ordinary Creator. The more we look up to redeem the presence of the Lord, the more unbridled joy we can experience.

4. Looking around at Our Circle of Friends

Then we come to the world. Despite the worldliness of the world, there is much that brightens our spiritual gait. Nothing should inspire human joy, at a lived level, more than friendly, kind, and caring human relationships.

It is clear God designed humanity to cohabit at peace. When we can create social circles that are supportive and enjoyable we experience quite an unparalleled sense of joy. Friendship truly is one of the greatest blessings in living this life.

***

We can experience joy in this life simply because there is much to be joyful about. With a perspective aligned to enjoy the many blessings, our joy is increased. God has designed joy to be limitless. We simply need to open our eyes to see it.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

General Reference: Ellen Vaughn, Radical Gratitude: Discovering Joy Through Everyday Thankfulness (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2005).

“You Must Believe,” Says the LORD

The blind man who had just received his sight said:

 “Lord, I believe.”

—John 9:38 (NRSV)

And the blind man worshipped Jesus, there and then. Jesus used this event to teach all who would hear that those who were blind would be made to see, whilst those who could see would be made blind. Whenever we proudly think we see we are made blind to the spiritual realities of God. But when we simply believe, by pure faith, we, who are blind, shall certainly see.

We can extend this further to note that whenever we believe that God can achieve anything in our lives that is achievable we live free of the world’s depressing sense of hopelessness.

The Lord simply says, you must believe.

A Belief That Becomes Nothingness

When we can approach life without preconception, without prior notion of what is going on and what’s required, despite the fact that we must also plan diligently, we achieve a subtle balance of faith.

Faith is not entering into things blindly, without having planned the way, but it is very much about entering situations with an open mind and an open heart, ready to see God moving.

Faith works best when we are blinded to the options; when all appears vague and difficult to interpret. When we come up against life as if we are blind, faith has a chance to work for us by the power of God.

Times like these, God is saying to us—you must believe—and, through that agency, all things turn out well.

When we can hold the extraneous moment of fear, anxiety, worry or despair, and we don’t panic, by simply holding aloft our faith before the Presence of God, we suddenly know what faith is.

Faith is a thing tested through uncertainty.

Faith is a thing with wheels that roll in the mode of insecurity and ambiguity.

Faith goes against the tide. As the floodtide rolls in, threatening to swamp us, we move in to immerse ourselves in the water, and faith energises us to swim. But all this is conditional on us bringing nothing in order to make a heavenly transaction. Not only does God require nothing of us but our trust, to bring anything would negate faith.

***

God wants us to know we must believe! Religion is useless unless by faith we believe in God; that God can do anything in our circumstances. This is never said better than by four words: in God we trust.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Lord, Be My God!

Lord,

Protect me from what’s distracting just now,

Give me enough focus of strength to endow,

Lift me higher than my berating lament,

Take me beyond the spirit of contempt.

Open my heart to feel anew,

Expand my mind so my vision holds true,

With eyes to see and ears to hear,

Help me follow so you alone I endear.

Direct me on your solemn path,

Immersed in your Presence; let me bath,

So I may be directed to devotedly see,

What can only come as a result of glee.

Hold me safe and hold me right,

Make me to see your holy delight,

Help me to know the value of praise,

So life in my spirit your Spirit would raise.

Prayers of Utter Devotion

Is there ever a better moment for any of us than the moment of worship where we are saturated in the Presence of the living God? It’s surprising how low-of-heart we can be in accessing such a worshipful mood. God meets us to heal our lament. God meets us beyond our spirit of contempt.

Suddenly we come to the thought of that spiritual phenomenon.

The best source of lack in life is that which draws us unto God. How is it that something so despicable as lack, something that draws us into forlornness, also compels us to seek God? When we come to know God in our prayers, because we are desperate for spiritual relief, we are gifted that Presence that overcomes all our maladies as we experience the glee of sheltering in that Presence.

Desperation is a classic irony within our faith.

It takes a desperate soul to truly seek God and to want more of this holy portion that sanctifies and renews. Desperation impels us to pray for help, and in that process we end up praying prayers of utter devotion.

Prayers of utter devotion set us apart in our worship to a place God provides; the Shelter of the Almighty.

When we come to that place in our spirits—bereft of pride and strength and resolve—when we may be exhausted—or simply dry—we are closest to accessing the Spirit of God.

We enter the Holy of Holies when we have nothing to offer but our solemn selves.

Yes, times when we have nothing to offer and we simply come close to the Spirit of God in our need, by prayers of utter devotion, even unspoken, fill us to the brim with spiritual stock again.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Nobody Knows Me Better

“Even before a word is on my tongue,

O Lord, you know it completely.”

—Psalm 139:4 (NRSV)

Whenever we feel distant and detached from the Spirit of God, alone in lament, or just alone and unheard, one reflective reading of Psalm 139 should set us straight. It is a prescription to heal many wounds cast in fashions of loneliness. Nobody knows us better than the Lord who brought us, by his intricate design, into being.

Think for one moment about that fact: God designed us, me and you, just the way we are. And even though we may dislike parts of us, our Lord constructed us with perfect intention.

Let us look at the components of God’s inescapable knowledge about us.

God Knows Our Every Move

Although we keep secrets, God knows all too well what we are about. And despite our guilt and shame, God does not condemn us for our sin, instead offering up his own Son in our stead.

Our thoughts are known to God and, as our consciences testify, we are searched and tested. If we are alive to goodness in life we cannot escape God in our minds.

Our Eternal Guide never lets go of us, and, if we are given to listening for such guidance, we can discern this heavenly wisdom.

We are never too far from the Spirit of God, either geographically or spiritually. No matter how much or little we love God our proximity to this all-knowing and all-powerful Lord is never far at all. Whichever direction we are headed in, we turn around and God is there!

God Created Us, Each One, To His Unique Specification

There is surely nothing that makes us feel more special than knowing God’s matchless imprint has been spoken over our lives to the extent we are original.

When we take one inquisitive look at the human reproductive process we understand it’s a long series of miracles—every moment from conception through to delivery. Inside our mother’s womb we were nurtured by God by the biological design spoken into our beings. We were protected and we survived.

When we truly understand the intricacies of our personal existence, notwithstanding our biology, psychology and physiology, we begin to marvel at the wonder of God.

If God can create us, and a whole universe to support life, how complex and wondrous must God be? One look to a starry night and our awe is complete.

***

It’s a great comfort to know that nobody knows us better than God. We have been crafted from the Lord’s perfect blueprint. We have been made with great intention. And, what’s more, God knows us warts ‘n’ all and loves us just the way we are.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Graphic Credit: Universe Today.

A Prayerful Paraphrase of Psalm 139

O Lord, my God, you have dug down deep into my heart and no one knows me like you do. You have restored me to myself. Knowing my every move, when I wake and fall asleep and all between, you know my thoughts—all my secret thoughts—from wherever you are. I can keep nothing from you. And still you love me!

***

Not only my thoughts, but my ways are known to you. You have planned all my paths, and you know exactly where I will turn. You know my sin better than I do. Even before I think of something to say, you know what will be said—never is anything I say new to you, O Lord.

***

And so although I run from you, Lord, I can never escape. You are behind me and ahead of me, and your hand is always upon me. When I resist you, when I am unwise, you are still compassionate and hold me lightly. Much knowledge is too wonderful for me; your knowledge is too high and I cannot fathom it.

***

Where can I truly hide from you, O Spirit of God? Where possibly could I flee your presence? If I were to fly to heaven there you would be. And in descending through a dark night of the soul to Sheol you also are there. You are everywhere, all the time.

***

If I were to fly like a migrating bird or swim the seas continuously around the globe, you still would be right there before me, observing me, providing for me. Jehovah Jireh, you cling fast to my soul and never let go.

***

No matter how dark the dark night gets, or how forlorn my hope comes to develop into despair, you make these dark nights light again, and my hope is miraculously renewed. You, Lord, light up the darkness. There is none like you in all creation.

***

It was you, Lord, who conceived thought of me, crafting me cell for cell inside my mother’s uterus. You made my limbs, my organs and my mind and you moulded these around my soul. I praise you, Almighty God, for I am stunningly and wondrously made. I am a testament, as are all your creatures, of your eternal finery of design and construction.

***

You oversaw this project, the making of me, in confined darkness. Your sight is like no other sight. Who can see these things but you, Lord? You made me in secret, and ensured a mystery, and only you could be praised for creating me. You marvelled as you watched me take form, and you were aware of all my days at that very time. You saw me as an eternal creature before I was born.

***

How incredibly heavy and glorious are your thoughts, my Covenant Lord. There are myriads more than I can count and I am perfectly unaware of even the beginnings of your mind. I do try to count them, because they are intriguingly intricate, but they are too many... and still, you hold me.

***

You have no pity on those that hate me; those bloodthirsty fiends! Those who are enemies of you, Lord, are those also that I despise. They speak filth and are proud of their evil deeds. Do I not hate them who hate you, O Lord?

***

Burrow into my soul, my God, and discern how I really feel; challenge me to the truth and know my actual thoughts. If there is any disgusting way about me, purge it from me I pray, and lead me forevermore on your holy path eternally.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Finding Meaning In Ambiguous Grief

“The darker the night, the brighter the stars,

The deeper the grief, the closer is God!”

—Fyodor Dostoyevsky

There are more people than we realise who suffer with ambiguous grief—having experienced loss that cannot ever be easily reconciled. Missing persons and not having the ability to say goodbye are examples. For many of these instances of grief there may only be hope for meaning beyond this life; but that is, in itself, enough of a hope.

The grandest of faith is holding out such a hope when the reality doesn’t exist. We can see the courage it takes to live with ambiguous loss. And the challenge is to find peace.

As I said, the grandest of faith is to believe inner peace is possible where it seems improbable.

The Most Courageous of Human Beings

For those human beings who may very well struggle to readjust back to normal life there is an admirable courage we should note.

If such a person has the possibility of hope in their sights their courage, their faith, is all the more marked. This hope drives them interminably on to research life in such a way as to leave no stone unturned in the quest for a remedy.

Along the way this person finds many others who will actively or passively deride the remedy—they don’t believe it’s possible. But they are not the ones that have to believe in it. Only the person affected, only that one who grieves in an ongoing sense, who has nothing to lose in searching, needs to believe. They also need to not listen to ‘non-believers’.

I think we can see the courage it takes for the person very much alone in their ongoing loss. I think we can see their faith—the resplendent colour of their hope. They are inspirational when that would be the last thing they would think they are.

Actually Making ‘the Find’

Having not given up on the hope for which we must forwardly trudge, simply because we must hope, and there is no choice but to continue forward, that hope is eventually realised. We do all become eventually vindicated upon holding a virtuous hope.

When we actually make the find, we are blessed.

Our hopefulness in the starkness of despair has become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Because we refused to give up hope, inner peace may eventually be realised.

***

Believing in a hope that appears impossibly distant requires much courage, much faith. If we find we are compelled to hope, that we cannot help hoping, we are blessed. If we struggle for hope we must hold on as if we are compelled to hope. Hope will get us through.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Saying Yes to the God Who Calls You

“Confidence is not based on you having all the resources needed to take care of yourself; confidence is based upon the truth that God is faithful.”

—Roy Lessin

Purpose in life is nothing to be sneezed at. Most of us would sincerely give a lot to have a purpose beyond ourselves. We would do this because serving God to the end of an innate passion is the most delightful work ever.

Besides this, and underpinning this purpose, is a fact of God: faithful in all his ways.

Saying yes to the God who calls us is not about being perfectly positioned or resourced accordingly, but it is about timing and the sweet whisper of blessing that wafts within our circumstances paving the way for this thing to occur.

Living Where We Are Called Right Now

Well and truly besides the calls in our hearts to follow a particular direction, God calls us to live this day from the vantage point we own right now.

This seems almost too obvious; to live contentedly, beyond striving for something else; something ‘better’. But that is the call right now, made genuinely simple.

Our common default is to try and bypass the basic route God has laid out for us. It seems too simple or not elaborate enough. But it is what it is.

God has no magnificent call of us that does not also include living out the mundane moment. It is never God’s will for us to escape the responsibilities he has brought us to now. We must do these things first. We must do these things, diligently, before other things can be added.

Trusting the God Who Has Called You

When we have done the basic things without complaint, having become blissfully content with living our average lives, we have placed the kingdom of God first (Matthew 6:33). This achieved, we have first hand knowledge of the faithfulness of God to convert us to living eternally in the here-and-now. We have, in our moment, gotten beyond covetousness. We have, in that moment, gotten beyond trying to hold God to ransom.

God always has bigger plans for us than we can imagine, but they are different to how we envisage them. Second-guessing God is never a good idea, because our constrained vision limits the work of the Lord.

Our God-devoid vision will constantly frustrate the Spirit in working for the new thing coming. But when we prove we trust God by doing the basic things, by being obedient, the new things coming can approach without impediment.

***

Saying yes to the God who calls us is first about obeying his will this present day. We cannot receive what is coming tomorrow until we first do what we must today. Today’s work must be completed first before tomorrow’s work can be added.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

4 Prayers for Life Today and Every Day

“Consider the things that seem too difficult in your life today—ask God for power... Consider the things that seem menial in your life today—ask God for perspective... Consider the opportunities to bring restoration in your sphere of influence—ask God for courage... Consider the alternatives to serving God—affirm your desire to serve Him above all other gods...”

—Kurt Bjorklund

Not many of us, perhaps, are as intuitive in our prayer life as we would like to be. But, in and about the challenges of life, prayer is a necessity—if we wish to stay on the straight path; the path of godly enlightenment; the path of prophetic revelation as it concerns our personal and interpersonal lives.

The above four considerations, and their commensurate requests of God, are truly sound prayers.

Seeking Power

We should only be seeking power in order that we would have the skill to discern and the energy to obey the will of God. Most other power is a perversion of the good created to do good.

The reality is most of our days are more difficult than we would like. Personal power to push through, therefore, is essential if we are to remain resilient in our tumultuous moments.

When we pray for power in our personal and interpersonal affairs we become mindful of trusting God when things are especially difficult.

Seeking Perspective

We can become weighed down by many things menial and lose sight of the sheer blessing it is to do humdrum work. This work is not difficult and it must be done. And, as Bryan Adams sang in his song, Summer of ’69, “There aint no use in complaining when there’s a job to do.”

We often don’t see our lives like this, but there are a million people (and more) who would swap their lives for ours in a heartbeat. We are more blessed in our menial lives than we realise.

Seeking Courage

Relationships are where the rubber hits the road so far as living performance is concerned. We need to be seeking courage so we can handle our encounters with people properly.

Opportunities will come to forgive and to receive forgiveness. It will take courage to do both of these well. And because relationships are seamless, we have dynamics like this ever present in our lives. Courage meets with wisdom to grasp the opportunities.

Seeking to Serve

We all worship. We all serve. But do we serve God or some other god? What god will we serve if not God? There are millions to choose from and we vacillate between the Real Thing and idols all through our lives. We must come back to our Source.

Our service is driven from our desire; what we desire we shall serve. It takes a deliberate choice, each and every day, to choose God over other gods.

***

A good day starts by praying for: 1) power to deal with difficulties, 2) perspective for dealing with the uninspiring, 3) courage to be graceful in our relationships, and 4) a desire to serve God and not other gods.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.