Love your Neighbour

From the Minister’s desk...

Over recent months, some of us have found ourselves in increasing contact with people who are homeless, or living rough is perhaps another term, with which we have become all too familiar.

In the light of those encounters, I have to say that I continue to be challenged by an extract that came across my desk a little while back. Acknowledging that I am continuing to wrestle with the ideas expressed, I am sharing them with you for you to ponder also.

Thanks - Peter Smale

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12:24)

If you would ask the Desert Fathers why solitude gives birth to compassion, they would say, “Because it makes us die to our neighbour.”

At first this answer seems quite disturbing to a modern mind. But when we give it a closer look we can see that in order to be of service to others we have to die to them; that is, we have to give up measuring our meaning and value with the yardstick of others.

To die to our neighbours means to stop judging them, to stop evaluating them, and thus to become free to be compassionate. Compassion can never coexist with judgment because judgment creates the distance, the distinction, that prevents us from really being with the other.

[Henri J.M. Nouwen, You are the Beloved]

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Living Jesus' Love

1 Corinthians 1:23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.

When we stop and think about it, this Jesus we worship makes us a bit of an odd bunch.

At the time of this insight being shared with the people of Corinth a popular understanding was more likely to be that the god(s) who were being worshipped were the sort of god that needed to be pleased in order for them to bless someone’s life.

How back to front, how hard to imagine must it have been for them to hear Paul say, that we as Christians worship Jesus, the very presence of God, who gave his life for ours!! Gave his life so that we could have life in all its fullness.

As we continue our journey through Lent may it be impressed on us in fresh ways, the incredible depth of love that is shown to us by God through Jesus.

And in turn, may we find ourselves compelled to be living examples of that love to those we meet along the way.

May God help us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

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Mental Health

Feel like you need some extra support? These services are free or at the cost of a local call….

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Black Dog Institute: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/

Headspace: (12-25 years) https://headspace.org.au/

QLD Mental Health Hotline: 1300 642255

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636; https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

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Grace through Faith

Perhaps it's human nature to boast. Even the most humble among us want to be appreciated and valued for our contribution. We want others to notice what we bring to the group and affirm our unique skills and talents. Sometimes we might help others notice our efforts, either through direct bragging or the way many people disguise it as false modesty.

In either case, we're wanting to take credit for something that we've created, built, selected, achieved, accomplished, or won. With our salvation, there's no way we can take any credit whatsoever. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We can't earn his favour or save ourselves.

Jesus came to do what we could not. Through his sacrifice, we have eternal life simply by accepting his free gift. There's nothing we can do to buy it, or earn it. We are all equal recipients of God's love and grace.

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Interdependent

We often think of 'needy" people as being ones in tough situations with nowhere else to turn. Homeless people and those in crisis, caught up in domestic dysfunction or addictions, are obviously in need of help. But the truth i that we are all needy, No matter how hard we work to disguise our needs and appear self- sufficient, we need support, encouragement, and assistance from other people.

Whether it's money for groceries or encouragement to ask for a promotion, our sense of inter-dependency reflects the way God made us. He doesn't expect us to have everything together and take care of ourselves alone. He created us to be in relationships as part of a larger community.

Sometimes we must let our guard down and allow others to see how much we really need them.

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A Wellspring Within

Underground springs often provide water for fertile areas even when there's no water present on the surface. Sometimes these areas become bogs or swamps, lowlands where the water bubbling beneath the ground doesn't drain away. Vegetation and animal life flourish there even though it might look surprisingly calm at first glance. Often, change and growth take place even when we can't see it.

The same is true with our spiritual lives. God's Spirit within us provides a wellspring of Living Water to nourish and sustain us. And while we may not feel as though we're becoming more mature or deepening our faith as we walk with the Lord, growth is taking place nevertheless.

Our Father provides everything we need to grow. His Spirit is at work even when we can't see what's going on.

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No Condemnation

You know the person who criticizes you most quite intimately.

This critic's voice is always in your ear, pointing out what you should have done, mocking what you have done, and ignoring your rebuttals. While others may contribute to the criticism, usually we are own worst critics. We hold ourselves to an impossible standard that keeps us scrambling on a cycle of trying harder, failing, feeling ashamed, on and on. Throw in constant comparisons to others and the ups and downs we're bound to experience each day, and it's no wonder that we often struggle in our faith.

When we accept the free gift of salvation and embrace God's loving forgiveness through Christ, we no longer face condemnation from any source. Even when it seems easier to believe God has forgiven us than it is to forgive ourselves, we must learn to quiet our critic. As we grow in our faith, we become more aware of our true identity, God's child created in his image for good works.

God says you are worthy. Confidence comes from swimming in the depths of God's love. Don't believe what anyone else - including yourself - may try to tell you.

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More than GOOD enough

Many people think of themselves as "good" , …. willing to treat others kindly and to do what they can for the world around them. Many people fear that they're not "good enough", and so they try to do extra service and show extra kindness to others. However, if we're totally honest, no one is really good - at least , not in the sense the God is good.

No matter how nice, kind, caring and compassionate, we are still sinful. In this lifetime, we'll never reach perfection even as we're transformed by the power of God's Holy Spirit dwelling within us. We simply have to remember that God is the source of our goodness. He provides the standard as well as the power for all we need to do.

Although we'll never be perfect, we're already more than good enough...…. because of what Christ has done for us.

We can share this good news with others, so that others may experience God's forgiveness, grace and love.

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Do Your Best

Often we think of doing good as ….

- always saying the right thing,

- being prepared for any response or action from others, and

- always having something to give to those around us.

In short, " doing good " gradually becomes " being the best ". BUT... this is not what serving God and others requires. We don't have to be perfect. There's no competition and no "best" to achieve.

Doing good simply means.... living a life based on God's love, guidance, and generosity. It means just treating other people the same way you want to be treated. It's an attitude of compassion, understanding and acceptance that reflects the grace you've been given.

You don't have to be perfect. There's no "right way" to do everything in your day. You're only required to offer wholehearted efforts fueled by your love of God and his creation.

… Doing your best, you can rest in Christ's perfect love ...

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