"I did not raise you that way"

2 Tim 1:7 "for God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind"

On Friday Morning i was sitting in a tea Garden with a book about slowing down (that i have often tried to read but never have the time to finish), while my son enjoyed the sun, playing on tractors and with bunnies. It was an idyllic day with the warmth of the sun on my face re-assuring me of the warmth of the presence of the Son in my life.

While reading the book "breathe" i was reminded or the words of 2 Tim 1:7 and it got me thinking...

I have often heard parents say to their children (and not without a little hint of disappointment or frustration): "I did not raise you that way"

here i could almost hear God saying to me "I did not raise you that way" - although in His voice there was no disappointment or frustration, just overwhelming love.

Over the last couple of months with so much happening in my life i was often overwhelmed by fear and ran around like a chicken with it's head chopped off. "what if..." was driving me insane.

And so i hear God say: "My child, i did not raise you that way... in fact - I did not make you that way" God has not given me a Spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind!

thou shalt not be succesfull

I have been watching 'As it is in Heaven' again today and i was wondering: Why is it that the church (or Christians) find success so threatening?

I have seen it so many times in so many different towns, so many different churches, so many different organizations and lives - we ask people to do something for the church or for God, we expect them to get on with it and we complain if they don't. However, if they do get on with the job at hand and do it really well, we will find a reason why their success is not good and why their services should be terminated. What exactly is it that we are so afraid of. Why are we so insecure that the success of other Christians cause us to question their motives? Why can we not celebrate each other's ministries and success? I am saddened by the destructiveness of this tendency amongst God's people.

I do realize that this is an over-generalization, as not all churches; not all ministers; and not all Christians are like that. I am currently working with a superintendent who celebrates victories with me - what a blessing! I have seen organizations working together and Christians being happy for and with one another. It seems however that this is the exception and not the rule.

In my own life i have often noticed that things goes banana-shaped the moment that i forget that i am part of a body and start acting as if i am the body. Perhaps the same is true in the church as a whole and that we need to be reminded of our interdependence in a world and era of independence. Is this perhaps why Paul says: 'his power in me is greatest when i am weak' ?

perplexed-bug