Author: korgrocker

“O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but You. Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to You and wait expectantly.” Psalms‬ ‭5:1-3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I love Psalm 5. There is something about the words and content that resonates with the way I think, the way I feel. David, the Psalmist, is very open with God, and he expresses his thoughts in a way that helps all those in a similar place and with similar feelings, emboldening faith in, and communication with, God Himself.
But what were his early morning groans all about? Were they related to the dawning realisation that the problems taken to his pillow the night before were still there when he awoke? Or was he in some sort of pain, perhaps from an injury or wound? One thing for sure though, and that was his expression of absolute dependency on his God, who was the focus of his prayers, expressed first thing in the morning. His prayerful cries for help were the first thing on his mind as the new day dawned, but his petitions were not just launched into a void, lost and forgotten. David waited for an answer. We would do well to do the same. Too often I pray without any real expectation that an answer was on its way. Too often my morning prayers lack any real sense of a need for God’s help. Too often I take things for granted, not even bothering to thank the Lord who made all things possible. My bed of comfort replaces David’s bed of groans. Please help me, Lord, to enter David’s zone of expectant and powerful prayers.

“O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me. So many are saying, “God will never rescue him!” But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high. I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain.”
Psalms‬ ‭3:1-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In my lockdown prayer walks in my community I have met many people. Dog walkers, joggers, cyclists, families out for a stroll and so on. Each with their own purpose, each with their own reasons for being out and about. In fact it is almost impossible to go anywhere without meeting up with someone, even in rural Scotland. According to the latest statistics, the population density in the UK is 723 people per square mile, which, surprisingly to me at least, is much greater than that recorded for China (396 people per square mile). But thankfully the UK society in which we live is one of peace and mutual acceptance, so we rest assured that there are no physical enemies around us, looking for an opportunity to do us harm.

The Psalmist knew he lived in a hostile environment but he was relaxed and secure in his relationship with God. But it was not something he took for granted and he recorded that his cries to God were answered and that the Living God was his shield. In 21st Century Britain we take for granted our physical security, reliant on laws and social cohesion. Even though dysfunctional members of our society will occasionally indulge in antisocial behaviour or worse, it is not the norm. But we must never take for granted our safety and security, physical or otherwise. Thankfully, our loving Heavenly Father is always there for us. Daily I pray for the safety of my wife and family, thanking Him for all He has done for me. Yes, I have encountered problems and challenges in my life, even physical danger, but, with the Psalmist, I can claim that He answered me from His “holy mountain”, bringing me the ultimate security – my relationship with Him.

“The king proclaims the Lord’s decree: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession.”‭‭
Psalms‬ ‭2:7-8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.”
Ephesians‬ ‭1:11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Through the Spirit, did the Psalmist record a prophetic invitation to Jesus, Father to Son, making available to Him the salvation of the nations as His inheritance? There for the asking? I’m so glad that through His love and grace He gladly and willingly accepted the offer, bringing into fruition our inheritance and salvation, uniting us with Him as His brothers and sisters, all through His death at Calvary for our sins. But this wasn’t a spontaneous act, it was planned out in advance, with a people chosen “before the foundation of the world”. And regardless of circumstances, God makes it all happen, just as He planned it.
How are we feeling today? Do negative thoughts and emotions flow through us as we adapt to the constantly changing society and circumstances around us in our Covid communities? We have no need to be anxious though; we can rest in His presence. In, as Spurgeon once said, His “arms that change the world”. He loves us so much that whatever is before us He is going to fulfil His plan for each one of us. No crisis. No drama. Just His wonderful grace and love.

“He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there,
She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying.
Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.”
‭‭John‬ ‭20:5-6, 12, 18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In John’s account of the Resurrection of Jesus, the experiences of the first to arrive at the empty tomb couldn’t have been more different. Peter and John saw an empty tomb. Mary saw a vision of angels. And the differences continue afterwards – the men return to their lodgings, Mary hangs around and sees the risen Jesus.

I don’t believe for a minute that women are more spiritually sensitive than men, though that may be the case sometimes. But I’m sure there’s something in these experiences of the early disciples that apply today to us all. Perhaps we should all be more diligent in expecting the unexpected. What do we expect when we pray or read the Bible? What do we expect when we meet together as a community of faith? You never know – the Holy Spirit might show up in a totally unexpected way if we wait in His presence. We might even find an angel or two next to us or in our midst. Or even the risen Jesus. We must never rule out what God can do in response to our prayers, within our seemingly ordinary life experiences. He is the God of the unexpected.

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Who I was isn’t alive anymore. The old “me” died because it was crucified with Christ. And now I am a new “me”, a new creation, home to Christ. But why do I keep trying to resuscitate the old “me”. A difficult situation crops up and instead of trusting in Jesus, so often my first thought is to open up the grave, take the lid off the coffin, and pull out this corpse in the mistaken expectation that it can solve my problems. And when I find that it can’t I become depressed, worried and anxious. Only then, when the damage is done and when suitably chastened, do I reach out to God. How daft is that? Yet, I’m sure we all do it. Or am I the only one? We have this wonderful Saviour, unlimited in grace, love and wisdom; He loved us so much that He died for us yet too often we choose to live our lives without Him, the old way. Hmmm….

“So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13:12-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When we identify with Jesus and His death, joining Him in His Kingdom outside the world’s “city gates”, our residential status changes. Our spiritual passports record that we are now “Citizens of the Kingdom of God”. This world has become our temporary lodgings. A place where we are just passing through. And in the world’s eyes it may involve “disgrace” as we suffer the same rejection that Jesus did. 

You see, through Jesus’ blood we are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that [we] may declare the praises of Him who called [us] out of darkness into His wonderful light.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:9‬. Folks, there’s no going back to a monochrome dark existence when we have a technicolour world waiting for us in the age to come. But why would we want to? 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13:8-9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In a world, a society, a culture, that is constantly changing, the reality that we worship an unchanging God is a welcome, counter-cultural place to be. We have a solid rock on which God has put us (Psalm 40:3), where we can be unshaken and unmoved by the vagaries of life. We need to beware of allowing new ideas that have been birthed in our secular society, even if promoted by our political leaders, to gain an insidious foothold in the Christian church. But we have grace, freely given by God, to give us strength in our Christian lives, and a confidence that will withstand any attempts by the enemy to infiltrate the church with “strange new ideas”. All glory and praise to Jesus, who “is the same yesterday, today and forever”. Amen!

“Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”” Hebrews‬ ‭13:5-6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

With a God who never lets us down we can approach any situation in life with boldness. With confidence. Fear of man in this context is irrational and debilitating. So the question I ask of each one of us, including myself, is, “Who or what am I afraid of”? Forty years or so ago, as a young Christian, I kept very quiet in the house groups I attended. My favourite strap line was, “It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than open my mouth and remove all doubts.” Today, I want to proclaim Jesus and His saving grace. I want to speak out and pray. I want to declare what the Bible says about this awesome God we worship. At times it has not gained me popularity, particularly in the workplace. But as the Scripture says, “What can mere people do to me?” And what can they do to you?

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” Romans‬ ‭10:9-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Sometimes we try and over complicate things. We build complex structures, thought patterns. We look for ways to try and please God by what we do. And yet it is so simple. Belief and declaration. One from the heart. One from the mouth. One in our thoughts. One in our speech. A combination guaranteed to succeed, assuring our righteousness in God’s eyes and salvation bringing us one day into His presence. The Gospel really is Good News. Who are you going to share the message of hope with today?

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.“
Hebrews‬ ‭6:19‬ 

I once watched as an Atlantic storm from the North West battered a small boat anchored off some rocks on a North facing shore. The anchor was inadequate and slowly but surely, the poor boat ended up being battered to small pieces on the rocks, disappearing from sight. And after the storm, all that could be found were a few metal items on the seabed and a piece of decking caught between two rocks.
Where are we anchored? Can we withstand the storms of life or will we end up shipwrecked on a reef of worldly cares and struggles? Do you remember the old hymn, “Will Your Anchor Hold”. Anthem for the Boys Brigade and, apparently, the Dollar Academy in Clackmannanshire.

The first verse is,
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?

And the chorus goes like this, 
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.

It’s where we need to be, Folks. Let’s sing the hymn together; after three now…