Merge in turn

Sat in a queue of traffic on the way to work the other day I noticed a sign I read every day. It says: 'Merge in turn', an instruction for all of the cars to fall in line, follow the same road, continue one after another.

Sometimes life can feel a little bit like that - especially, it feels, in my line of work. You have to complete the next assessment, do the next exam, choose your specialist area, apply for the next job to keep in line and to keep up. Or generally in life there is a pattern that we're expected to go; choose the university you will go to, graduate, get a job, get married, buy a house, have children, retire...

Sometimes life just feels like a bit of a conveyor belt.

But sometimes it feels like the merging doesn't come. There are delays or hiccups along the way, along with dashed hopes and unfulfilled desires.

As I pondered this, with the windscreen wipers moaning at me and the stop-start traffic crawling along, I started thinking about other senses of the phrase. There is one type of merging that is sure. It is happening no matter what. It's not mundane though - it's pretty wonderful. As Christians we have a promise given to us from God.

'For those God knew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son' (Romans 8v29)

God knows us and is changing us to fall in line with his design for us (see Genesis 1v27). This design is to be like Him (Wow!). This is a forward moving and irreversible trajectory that does not depend on us, but is by the work of the Holy Spirit in us. It will be completed when we meet him in heaven (1 John 3v2). 

He knows us intimately and wants what is best for us. If God is working in our lives this way, surely we can see that he has got our humdrum day to day life covered! He knows and cares about our frustrations and longings (Romans 8v28).

So next time you're sat in traffic, think about what God has been doing in your life and the way he is changing the Christians you know. Praise God for his continuing work at merging us in line how we are designed to be.

Figuring things out

I'm not really much of a writer. I never have been. I like reading and I like writing, but they've never really come all that naturally to me. 

I can sense some of you thinking 'Why are you writing this blog then?' or perhaps, more importantly 'Why should I bother reading this blog?'. I'd say that would be fair to ask.

It's not the first time I've blogged either you know. Inspired on a whim after watching a film. But that was not anything worth writing home about. I managed to post something (about cake mainly) intermittently for about 10 months before surrendering in defeat.

I'm not writing to share any wisdom, I don't have any wisdom to offer. I can't cleverly articulate a point, so it's not to wow you with words. 

My aim in doing this is to collect some thoughts and muddle my way through, thinking on God's word and reflecting on day-to-day happenings. 

So I can't promise that this is going to be anything special. I guess I'm just trying to figure out what life 'under the shadow' looks like by sharing some simple thoughts. 

I'd be honoured if you would join me.

Under the shadow of his wings

Ruth lost her husband. Now she has given up her life, her prospects and has moved to a strange land to support Naomi, her mother-in-law. She has been able to get work gleaning in a nearby field, owned by a man called Boaz. Despite being a foreigner she is protected, provided for and given refreshment. Ruth cannot understand why she should be treated so well by Boaz and questions him. This is his response:

'The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.' Ruth 2 verse 12

Ruth has made a huge sacrifice and shown great love in all that she has done. So is Boaz saying that it is a repayment then for what she has done?

No, the response is different. Yes, Ruth has acted well, but there is something more important than this. Ruth has come to find safety under the wings of God. Small, vulnerable and threatened coming to God for refuge and counting his protection better than all other things she could rest in. God's chief aim is to bring glory to himself, and in pleading for God's gracious refuge He is glorified. God honours this request and so provides perfect protection. Therefore the point is that she will be rewarded not for the work she has put in, but because of taking refuge under God's wings.

This blog is by a wanderer who, by grace, has come to find mercy, redemption, hope, joy, and rest under the shadow of God's wings.