Wednesday 7 February 2007
Magnifying Glasses.
A couple of Sundays ago, Dan and I were visiting my brother's Church (CCC Bath & Bristol, Freedom Centre) and due to unfortunate train services we never made it for the beginning of the service. We did catch the last part of the talk though. Andrew de Thierry was speaking about being God's children, and as such, "standing in the frame" before God when we come to Him in prayer.
Standing in the frame is about being bold, being present before God, being real. It's not coming before God as pathetic, weedy creatures, but as children who come before their parents and say 'when's dinner ready?!' who speak as they find and say how they feel. Imagine a stroppy teenager demanding something their parent said they could have but hasn't delivered on yet, and I think you've got a glimpse of what Andrew was talking about. Confident, forthright... Standing in the frame is just that - being visible, in the light, standing, arms wide open before God - "Here I am God, before You... and I'm not going anywhere until we're done..." a bit of Jacob-style wrestling if you like.
So what has all this got to do with magnifying glasses?!
Ok - anecdote number two before we can move forward - when you were young, did you ever take a magnifying glass on a really sunny day and hold it so the light focussed through and started to burn paper (or if you had a sadistic side, ants)? I did - the paper that is. It was fun taking something as little as a magnifying glass and having so much power because of the sun's strength.
Well it occurred to me last night, that when we stand in the frame before God, it's a bit like being stretched out over the frame of a magnifying glass. We become the glass if you like and God... well He's the big kid that gets to play with all His magnifying glasses. God is light. He is the source - and when He holds out a magnifying glass with one of His children outstretched before Him - standing in the frame - well then He's able to shine His light through that person, that frame, and have greater impact upon his canvas, his paper... this old thing they call Earth.
His light shines through us when we stand in the frame and demand things that line up with His will - freedom for the captive, love for the lonely... just as the light intensifies, concentrated, with aim and purpose when holding a magnifying glass before the sun, so too does God's light make a difference when we're outstretched before Him.
As I was thinking all this I got quite excited by the idea of God sitting up high, looking down on Earth with hundreds of magnifying glasses all before Him, picking them up and contorting them into different angles and directions... releasing His power and light into the world. It was quite fun to watch God being in control, holding His magnifying glass in His hand... holding me in His hand.
The magnifying glasses only worked when the people were with arms stretched out, standing in the frame, trusting God to do the directing... food for thought perhaps.
Standing in the frame is about being bold, being present before God, being real. It's not coming before God as pathetic, weedy creatures, but as children who come before their parents and say 'when's dinner ready?!' who speak as they find and say how they feel. Imagine a stroppy teenager demanding something their parent said they could have but hasn't delivered on yet, and I think you've got a glimpse of what Andrew was talking about. Confident, forthright... Standing in the frame is just that - being visible, in the light, standing, arms wide open before God - "Here I am God, before You... and I'm not going anywhere until we're done..." a bit of Jacob-style wrestling if you like.
So what has all this got to do with magnifying glasses?!
Ok - anecdote number two before we can move forward - when you were young, did you ever take a magnifying glass on a really sunny day and hold it so the light focussed through and started to burn paper (or if you had a sadistic side, ants)? I did - the paper that is. It was fun taking something as little as a magnifying glass and having so much power because of the sun's strength.
Well it occurred to me last night, that when we stand in the frame before God, it's a bit like being stretched out over the frame of a magnifying glass. We become the glass if you like and God... well He's the big kid that gets to play with all His magnifying glasses. God is light. He is the source - and when He holds out a magnifying glass with one of His children outstretched before Him - standing in the frame - well then He's able to shine His light through that person, that frame, and have greater impact upon his canvas, his paper... this old thing they call Earth.
His light shines through us when we stand in the frame and demand things that line up with His will - freedom for the captive, love for the lonely... just as the light intensifies, concentrated, with aim and purpose when holding a magnifying glass before the sun, so too does God's light make a difference when we're outstretched before Him.
As I was thinking all this I got quite excited by the idea of God sitting up high, looking down on Earth with hundreds of magnifying glasses all before Him, picking them up and contorting them into different angles and directions... releasing His power and light into the world. It was quite fun to watch God being in control, holding His magnifying glass in His hand... holding me in His hand.
The magnifying glasses only worked when the people were with arms stretched out, standing in the frame, trusting God to do the directing... food for thought perhaps.
Monday 5 February 2007
Ahead of time...
I'm not actually married yet... and yet here I am already set up with an e-mail address, a blog, and almost a new signature practised and ready to be used. But then I have always been one for organisation!
I'm just excited about all God has instore for Dan and I. At the moment we're praying into some really crazy things. I've always dreamt of being a person of great faith. Someone that God can trust with big stuff... it dawned on me not long ago, that to have great faith, you have to step out and trust in order for the faith to kick in. You're never going to need great faith if life is comfortable, easy and 'expected'. No... I think God sometimes asks you to do the seemingly mad - the things that look like you've left your common sense behind - just to see if you're ready for the next step, the next stage.
It's always been an issue with me about whether I 'hear' God. I think I'm starting to learn that again - it's a trust thing. You come before God willing, you come before God saying what you think He wants... and then you go for it - trusting that He will close or open the right things as you step out. In faith. Trusting.
So here goes - I'm finishing my degree and after that I don't have any set ideas about what I'm 'supposed' to be doing, so I'm saying to God "I'm yours"... do as you wish... and in that process praying I'll be open to the direction He leads me in.
I'll let you know what happens!
I'm just excited about all God has instore for Dan and I. At the moment we're praying into some really crazy things. I've always dreamt of being a person of great faith. Someone that God can trust with big stuff... it dawned on me not long ago, that to have great faith, you have to step out and trust in order for the faith to kick in. You're never going to need great faith if life is comfortable, easy and 'expected'. No... I think God sometimes asks you to do the seemingly mad - the things that look like you've left your common sense behind - just to see if you're ready for the next step, the next stage.
It's always been an issue with me about whether I 'hear' God. I think I'm starting to learn that again - it's a trust thing. You come before God willing, you come before God saying what you think He wants... and then you go for it - trusting that He will close or open the right things as you step out. In faith. Trusting.
So here goes - I'm finishing my degree and after that I don't have any set ideas about what I'm 'supposed' to be doing, so I'm saying to God "I'm yours"... do as you wish... and in that process praying I'll be open to the direction He leads me in.
I'll let you know what happens!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
