The Rock that is Higher.

I will not build my life upon the passing sands
Of how I feel inside from one moment to the next
But I will love you Lord, my Rock, my God, my Strength
A precious cornerstone that floods of death can never shake.

For there is no peace of mind, outside of truth in Christ
For the fear is real and it's power can kill
But the stability of our times will be the Rock that is higher.

When I am afraid I will trust in You and cling onto the Rock that is higher.

‘My heart is steadfast, O God.’ My heart belongs to God, and His name is written all over it. Because of this, though the world shakes, and our emotions can falter, we are kept in a state of constancy through God. He is our Rock and our Strength, and we can trust in Him as the core of our being which will remain solid. We are rooted in Christ, with roots that go deeper and deeper when we build up relationship with Him, and when we seek His face: trusting in Him, not in ourselves. The stability of our times will the Rock that is higher – the God with ways that are higher than mine, with a shield that is stronger than anything I could attempt to fashion, and with a steadfast love that goes deeper than any fear.

Laura Hackett - When I am afraid

Life is a special occasion – Praising a God who is GOOD to us!

Special occasions are times of immense joy, defined by something amazing - worthy of being called ‘special’ in the first place. Whatever the occasion is, celebration is generally the aim. But an idea which comes to mind is that, often, we have more to celebrate than we think we do. Losing my sense of wonder is something I wish never to do – the goodness of God never ceases to amaze me, and I remind myself regularly about the things He has blessed me with. Even the smallest good thing stems from the almighty work of our Father, and is a glimpse of the detailed patterns of His work on the earth. You see, God is constantly amazing, and He wants to show us this in our lives all the time. Consequently, our LIVES are a constant special occasion, when He is seen in them, making them special.

Thinking about this more, I realised that an occasion is also an opportunity: a chance to celebrate. If our lives are a special occasion, then there is always an opportunity. But, more than this, they are a chance to praise the one from whom everything good overflows, and a chance to recognise the undeniable favour of God in our lives. From a place where we are able to recognise that the good which exists is GOD, and that any Light is GOD, it seems that the natural response is to praise Him; ultimate adoration and thanksgiving responding to the recognition of His goodness. In Psalm 22, it says that God enthrones himself on our praises; that He is placed in a seat of authority when we recognise His greatness. Put across in ‘Worship as it is in Heaven’ (written by John Dickson & Chuck D. Pierce), this idea is developed more fully - but put briefly, it is from this position of enthronement, that the ultimate release of God’s power on earth is enabled. So, through His name being praised, God can move and previous atmospheres can shift; allowing us to walk forward and see God’s purposes fulfilled. As God’s purposes are for the good of those who love Him and for the restoration of His Kingdom, our praise can, logically, only lead to a conclusion that shows us even more of His goodness!

The really amazing thing is that this never stops, from the moment God blesses us. As a response to our recognition of God’s favour, we praise Him and bless His name, which enables God to be enthroned. Through the consequent outpouring of His power and love, this leads Him to bless us again! What an amazing God…

Shielded in the storm.

Life can seem hectic sometimes. With long days at college, and a timetable that often dictates the structure of the rest of my week, it can be hard to really find time to rest with God. I guess it’s the same for everyone – we could all do with the extra hour or so to be in God’s presence, just sitting at the feet of Jesus. But something amazing thing that has struck me in a greater measure more recently is that, in the midst of a busy day, God is still always there. I’ve always known this to be true, but it seems that it’s not until you have been in the middle of a storm that you can fully appreciate the calm – when you are moved by the enveloping peace of God in spite of whatever else is going on, you recognise the magnitude of what it is to know His presence.

God is present in the storm as much as He is in the calm. It can be certain that when we are in the quietness, listening for this still, small voice, He is there. But (even though we may not see this at first) the shelter of His wings also extends beyond the purely ‘quiet’ times, and reaches out to wherever we are; creating new quietness, shielding us all the time, providing us with constant refuge and reminding us that the greatest peace is the one we can access through recognising this unbreakable tie with our Father God. The truth of Psalm 91 is one that echoes in my thoughts so much, especially in the times when I’m totally leaning on God for strength and peace – His promise is that, no matter how big the storm is, HE is bigger, and greater: more than able to still our hearts with the refuge of His wings; His faithfulness to this providing a shield and fortress in which we can place our trust and all of our lives.

When everything is shaking, and it seems like the world is pulling me in a million different directions, God is my Constant. God’s faithfulness and the accessibility to His peace is the one thing that I can fully trust not to waver or change; even when everything else seems to have loose footing, my heart can remain steadfast in the knowledge that God is always there, and He is my refuge.

Running in Circles - United Pursuit Band

Aslan, Lucy and my love of lions.

I love The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis (– and it can probably be expected that more than one blog post will follow with reference to these books…). It would be safe to say that they have been some of my favourite books since I was a child and probably the main reason these books impacted me so much, (as well as the amazing storyline and existing ability to totally pull me into a different world) is because of ASLAN. He was not just any lion, and instead is central to the plot of these books- depicted as a wise and benevolent guide to the children but also as the powerful King of the Beasts, and one who brings life and victory through self-sacrifice. Although Aslan the lion can be read solely as a character in a book, it is difficult to deny the obvious parallels which Lewis spoke of: that Aslan is representative of Jesus. With this in mind, the writings of the Narnia books have so much more depth and power behind them, as they now speak both of the ultimate sacrifice made by God in the heart-wrenching crucifixion of His only son, and the following glorious resurrection which triumphed over any powers of death, leading to the definitive victory of life over death, light over darkness, and love over all.

I absolutely love lions, Aslan being part of this. One of my favourite dreams of all time which God gave me one night, involved me riding on the back of a lion, something which I think I’ll remember forever. Images of lions have been used throughout history, appearing in cultures across the world and they feature so much in the Bible – thinking first to the Lion of Judah!  But, in carrying so much power, royalty and bravery, I think that this is more than mere symbolism. Lions are Kings. Aslan is King. Jesus is King.

Especially as my relationship with God grew and as I fell more in love with Jesus, each time I read these books I found that I loved Aslan more and more. Something that especially moved me was the relationship between Lucy and Aslan. She was always the closest to Aslan, and saw him first. If I was one character in these books, I would be Lucy. She was the youngest, but had so much authority- a fierce warrior known to ride into battle in times of need. This is testimony to the fact that, though the world sees individuals by its own standards, by God’s standards we are so much greater and gifted with so much more. The fact that she was the most faithful of the four children, and never stopped believing in Narnia - from the beginning when she was accused of lying about discovering Narnia, and when back in England, always longing to be back in Narnia in the presence of Aslan- I think makes it more amazing that she is one who gets to remain in Narnia forever at the end of the books.

The closest relationship possible, with an almighty God, providing guidance, strength and so much love. A promised destiny greater than anything the world believes possible for us, or can offer. Adventure and the promise of eternity. What else could we ask for? So look to the Lion of Judah, hear him roar and witness the power and love of the KING.

Seeking God.

I started this blog mainly because a few of my friends decided it would be a good idea for me to try and put things into words in one place. So, here I am - first blog post...

Ultimately, what I am doing everyday is seeking God and seeking His voice. This is my desire; to know more of God, and to feel His heartbeat - with a purpose of knowing His will, and being able to comprehend more of who He is. There are some things I don't think it's possible for us to understand, and I am in no way trying to work out things in my own power: everything I have, God has given to me, and everything I know is due to the teaching God has put in place in my life; the revelations are from Him, in His timing.
God stirs my heart on a regular basis: when I listen for His voice, and when I feel Him near as a consequence. This blog is an honest attempt to put the stirrings of my heart into thoughts, and these thoughts into words, so that the possibility exists of the ultimate Word of the Lord, and the Love of an almighty Father God, being proclaimed over all who wish to encounter Him. I am not claiming to be wise or overly profound in anything I do - I come simply to express what is on my heart. Often I'm not sure what this is myself, but I'm allowing God to use whatever I say in whatever way He wants to.. I don't have all the answers (far from it) - instead I am simply seeking to understand the answers I do have in a deeper way, all for His glory. But let me know if anything I write needs a better explanation... ;)