Rest, God's gift to us.

And God rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. Gen 2: 2

One of the thoughts running through my head before we headed off to Disneyland was about justifying our holiday to people that know about it. Do they believe that I have done enough to deserve the holiday. Do I believe I have done enough to need a holiday. Trying to justify going away for 2 weeks by saying we haven't had a proper holiday in 4 years. What am I trying to prove? That I work hard or that I am a hero or that I my work is so stressful that I just have to get away?
God had nothing to prove with resting on the seventh day. He didn't need it. But he knew we would. So He set a pattern of work & rest.
I don't want to get on a performance treadmill where I have to prove my existence & value by what I do rather than what has been done for me & who I am becoming. But I also need to understand that God finished the work before He rested. I want to rest but it has to be resting FROM something, not just my default setting.
Anyway I am going to enjoy my holiday & rest with my family.

Filming for Vision Sunday

I have just been out doing some filming with our production guys for our Vision Sunday & Heart for the House offering. I was stood on the Tyne Bridge looking at the castle, the cathedral, St James Park & the development on both sides of the Quayside. The past, the present & the future of Newcastle can all be glimpsed from that viewpoint. I wonder if we are embracing them all or holding on to one of them. If we disregard the past & present and cling to the future, we leave ourselves with no foundations, have scant regard for what God has put in our hand now and are never content. If we disregard the future and past and cling to the present we can become dictated to and driven by our current circumstances. If we disregard the present & future and cling to the past, we can avoid change & growth that God wants to bring to our lives.
We need to embrace all three aspects of our lives. Thank God for what He has done & brought us through. Thank God for what He has put in our hand now and the commission "for such a time as this". Lastly know with a certainty that we have a hope for the future.
Past, present & future is all wrapped up in our communion. Paul said in 1 Cor 11:26 "Whenever you eat this bread & drink this cup (in the present), you proclaim the Lord's death (in the past) until He comes (in the future).


-- Posted from my iPhone

Which kingdom?

So this is my first ever blog. I have to try and gather the mess of thoughts that run through my head, unravel them, then put them down in written form. Not an easy task I can tell you.
It is very different trying to do this, but I guess it is good to step into unknown territory, even if they are small steps.
I am sat in my car reflecting on an interesting few weeks for us as a church. We are entering a new seasons with new influence & greater responsibility. Are we prepared for it? Am I prepared for it? With greater influence & responsibility comes a stronger temptation to BUILD your own kingdom as opposed to SEEKING God's kingdom. His Kingdom is something that is near, we inherit, enter in to, seek first, pay a price for, work for, considered worthy of, but NOT build. If I am trying to build a kingdom it will probably turn out to be mine.
Keeping my heart humble and after God is my priority.


-- Posted from my iPhone