Volume 42 Number 1

Dear Friends,

It‟s that time again! I‟ve just mown the grass and as I now look and reflect on my labours it hits me.

 The lawn, or should I say field, is now free again. The clutter of the long grass is gone and the bottom growth, the new growth, is open to the fresh air and the sunshine and therefore able to meet its‟ own potential.

Suddenly, my reflections turn from the earth and the grass to our lives. How often do we de-clutter our lives? How often do we get rid of that which is growing tired and looking woebe-gone and allow the freshness of our being spring forth and create new growth, new vision, new life? Are we stifling our potential by not taking out the deadwood of our lives?

If you are tired what is the burden that you are carrying that is causing the tiredness?

If you are angry what is the grievance that is festering inside you and creating the anger?

Our lives can so easily become cluttered with situations, with difficulties, with anxiety that makes the present and the future seem so dull and drab.

So what can we do? It‟s easy to say yes to the above but how do we de-clutter our lives?

This summer look afresh at what God is saying to you and let the light of God‟s presence help show you the way he wants you to this summer, come into your lives as God‟s light. 

 

Didn‟t Jesus say: „Come to me all ye who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.‟

Didn‟t Jesus promise to „take our yoke upon himself‟.

Have we so quickly forgotten the message of Good Friday?

Are you saying I can‟t, it‟s all too much? Well you don‟t have to do it on your own. There is a helper. Christ did not leave us to get on with it on our own, He gave us the Holy Spirit to ac-company us along the way. You are not alone.

So take up those promises, glory in the message Christ gives you, grasp hold of that helper and he will guide you through the de-cluttering of your life so that new growth, new vision can herald new light and new life.

But oh, remember, the grass needs to be cut often or the tiredness of the lawn reappears. So in our lives let us not just call on the Holy Sprit once and then put him away in the shed. Let him continually refresh us. Let us make sure His home is in our hearts and minds and is not kept at the bottom of the garden.

Have a most refreshing summer.

Remain in Him.  - Graham