Thurs 30th July - #91. The Prowler
It’s so easy to forget that we are in a constant and continual spiritual battle. We get caught up in how to survive lockdown, how to work from home, how to maintain social distancing, how to wear a face mask, when to wear a facemask, how to have a drink in a facemask, how to look good in a facemask, our health, our finances, our loss of the nice holiday booked in January. And we only see things on a physical, material, everyday level with no thought for our spirit.
But Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5v8). The devil is always seeking to devour us, to take us down. And we forget this. And we think all our difficulties and struggles are physical, mental, material. But we are spiritual people, and the devil wants to devour us spiritually.
He is always on the prowl. In 1548, on 18th January, Bishop Hugh Latimer preached a famous sermon at St Paul’s Cathedral and said this: “And now I would ask a strange question: who is the most diligentest bishop in all England, that passeth all the rest in doing his office? I can tell, for I know him who it is; I know him well. But now I think I see you listening and hearkening that I should name him. There is one that passeth all the other, and is the most diligent preacher in all England. And will ye know who it is? I will tell you: it is the devil. He is the most diligent preacher of all other; he is never out of his diocese; he is never from his cure; ye shall never find him unoccupied; he is ever in his parish; he keepeth residence at all times; ye shall never find him out of the way, call for him when you will he is ever at home; the diligentest preacher in all the realm; he is ever at his plough: no lording nor loitering can hinder him; he is ever applying his business, ye shall never find him idle…”
And what does the devil want to do to us? Forget the Horror films and their fantasy of evil. He wants to do something far more subtle. He tries to rob us of our love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal 5v22) If he can rob us of this fruit of the Spirit then he has devoured us.
So remember today (and always) that in the midst of the frustrations, disappointments and trials of life it is a spiritual battle we are in. Guard your spirit against the devil’s attacks, and commit yourself to the Spirit of God to flourish in love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Love from Paul
Tues 28th July - #89. The value of a raindrop
Today I can do no better than simply send you Henry Ward Beecher’s thoughts from this morning’s reading in “Streams in the Desert”.
The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and storm (Nahum 1:3).
I recollect, when a lad, and while attending a classical institute in the vicinity of Mount Pleasant, sitting on an elevation of that mountain, and watching a storm as it came up the valley. The heavens were filled with blackness, and the earth was shaken by the voice of thunder. It seemed as though that fair landscape was utterly changed, and its beauty gone never to return.
But the storm swept on, and passed out of the valley; and if I had sat in the same place on the following day, and said, "Where is that terrible storm, with all its terrible blackness?" the grass would have said, "Part of it is in me," and the daisy would have said, "Part of it is in me," and the fruits and flowers and everything that grows out of the ground would have said, "Part of the storm is incandescent in me."
Have you asked to be made like your Lord? Have you longed for the fruit of the Spirit and have you prayed for sweetness and gentleness and love? Then fear not the stormy tempest that is at this moment sweeping through your life. A blessing is in the storm, and there will be the rich fruitage in the "afterward."
The flowers live by the tears that fall
From the sad face of the skies;
And life would have no joys at all,
Were there no watery eyes.
Love thou thy sorrow: grief shall bring
Its own excuse in after years;
The rainbow!--see how fair a thing
God hath built up from tears.
Love from Paul