Windows On The Soul

Over the last few years, a certain retailer has adopted furry bears as their symbol of Christmas. Despite their obvious marketing mercenary intent, Christmas is a good time to remind us of Gal.6:2 , " ...to bear one-another's burdens, and thus fulfil the law of Christ ". However, as we read further, Gal.6:5 gives an almost contradictory directive to " bear our own burdens ". As we read Paul's letters elsewhere, we discover the reason - certain Christians at that time, in anticipation of Christ's imminent return, gave up working themselves, and essentially lived off the charity of their fellow Christians. But this is not the "law of Christ" - we have no 'right' to take, but we all have the responsibility to Bear and Share . The 'socialist' says " What's yours is mine ", but the Christian says " What's mine is yours ". To the economic rationalist, the outcome might be the same in either case, but t...

Was forgiveness of your sins something that happened at your conversion, or something you seek and thank God for day by day? Did you realise that your view of God's forgiveness colours your attitude to forgiving others? Jesus puts it even more strongly - God forgives us in the same way we forgive others. A right view of forgiveness begins with a correct understanding of our sinful state - nothing we can do can add one speck to God's gift of forgiveness - we stand convicted on "death row". God's forgiveness is not a reward for our attempts to make "good", but a gift from the depths of His boundless love. In the same way then, our forgiveness of others must be unconditional. Yes, it isn't easy, it requires sacrifice of pride, but then didn't God's forgiveness only come about through sacrifice? (Some précised thoughts from " Practicing Peace " by W.Glyn Evans) Mt.6:15 "If you do not forgive men their sins, your Father w...

" Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone " - this is the philosophy of the world - of "fair weather friends"! But Christians are called to march to the beat of a different drum. We are called to bear one-another's burdens for this is the "law of Christ". This is true religion. We even have Jesus' verbatim statement - " This is my command, that you love one-another ". But let's look at this from the side of the burdened - don't we all have our various burdens? Don't we pray to God for strength, healing, courage, support, encouragement, faith etc. Yet our Lord has commanded that these are the very things that we are to share with each other. Could I be so bold as to suggest that the answers to many of our prayers will/should come through the love of a fellow believer? Have you been the answer to some-ones prayers this week? " Lord, open my ears to hear your call, and my eyes to see you beckoning. Help me...