NOT BY CHANCE...

A virtual conversation of sorts with the Almighty Good....

HE: You know that it is written in John 6: 35-40 that I said I am the bread of life; and that he who comes to me shall not hunger, or shall ever thirst again? But now I say to you who has been with me a while that despite it all, yet you do not really believe!

ME: No, that's not true Lord. You've done so much for me already.....picked me up and gave me a new life. Of course I believe in You.

Ah yes, but didn't you lose your temper this morning with your kids? And what about that gross overcharge that you just did with that customer? Isn't that tantamount to not believing in me?

But that's not quite the same thing. I was still half asleep this morning, and they were making such a din.

Were you asleep too when you overcharged that customer? Or when you judged your friends because of what they said? Believing in me is being in control of yourself, your thoughts and of your feelings.... all the time. Having Me and the Holy Spirit with you all the time means that you are special indeed. Don't forget that we reside in you, and that means that you must act special too, ALL the time.

You're making me feel ashamed now because I am realising that there are so many moments in my day at work and at home when You really don't deserve to be around me.

But that is what my love for you is all about. I will forgive you anything and my Father will not remember it if I ask it of Him. But you must play your part too. No? Stop judging others. Stop thinking you can run the world on your own. Stop interfering in people's lives and telling them how they should be doing things. Stop thinking you own everything and can use any of your assets as you like. Stop feeling you are Me!

I would never dare being You. Never.

Oh but you do. All the time. Where do you think all your earthly goods come from? Who's really looking after the store for you when you're not? How many times are you too self-focussed not to reason that answer out for yourself? You want to control everything in your life, including your prayers to me. Of course I want to hear your prayers but you don't always remember to give thanks and praise for all I do for you all the time. It is so easy for you to turn your prayers into a request line. And when you do that you are the one who is left bereft. Without praise your heart grows dim because all you think about are problems and your prayers become a wish list.

But I am so weak and need you to guide and strengthen me all the time.....

Yes, I am always ready to walk with you and carry you if need be but you must believe more in yourself than you do. I am always fascinated that time and again I notice you will recognise and admire the strengths and talents you observe in others while ignoring, or even downgrading, your own as common place, as just being part of who you are. Why? I made you unique, in my image, and yet you have not realised that what you have cannot be replicated in anyone else – don’t deprive others of the talents and strengths that are specific to you. Believe in yourself more. Believe that I made you that way for a purpose....and there is only one purpose. And you know what it is.

Emm, now I'm not sure what to answer....

Remember that in John's gospel there is also written that I said that "All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me; and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that He has given me, but raise it up at the last day". Is that clear enough for you now?

I'm sorry for getting confused Lord. Yes, I know that You are the living bread which sustains us in this life. May we always live in the joy, peace, and unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May we always hunger for the bread which comes from heaven and find in it the nourishment and strength we need to love and serve you wholeheartedly.

You're reminding me of my apostles now. They were capable to saying some lovely words when the Father inspired their tongues, but left to themselves they stumbled about without a clear direction. Or understanding of things. But I sent them the Spirit to reside with them all the time....and the rest is history, of course. It is also written in the early books in Scripture – in Chronicles 2 (7:14) to be precise - that "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land". Do you see yourself anywhere in that?

Yes, I think so. I can see where you’re getting at now.

Hallelujah. Where did you leave the brains I endowed you with till now? Yes, you’re probably over-awed at speaking to God like this, but no matter. Let me speak a bit in your modern language. The other day I noticed one of those roadside billboards that you’re so familiar with. It displayed a picture of a cute baby and next to the picture was the statement, “If they only came with instructions. Very clever indeed, but it was also a sad reminder that many people believe it is up to them to figure out the meaning and purpose of their lives. Thankfully, through the Father’s Word, He has provided written instructions for each life that comes into the world. He did not bring you into this world to live without a purpose, to exist without a reason, or function without meaning. Let me assure you once again that you are here, not by chance, but because you are a unique creation of God. He loves you, cares about you, and wants you to know Him as He knows you. If only you could understand how we - all Three - desire to use you, according to the Father’s will, to make His great plan known to this generation.

But life can be so difficult sometimes. There are problems everywhere you look – in our health, our business, our families - I lose sight sometimes of this great plan that everyone says that You have for us all.

Humility is not your culture's most valued asset or most desired character quality. But, humility is what is demanded - not so much because it's commanded (though that would be enough), but because you've "earned" your need of it. Every year brings another wave of major failures in morality, character, and spirituality. Even on your best days, you all fall short of God's holiness. Rather than progressing culturally, you find yourselves slipping. Your need to approach the Father with humility is "earned"! So be humble and call upon Him, throwing off your sin and seeking after him! And don’t worry about anything else.

Now you’ve hit another really sore point….worry. How can I not worry when I look at this life we’re living in.

You have little faith. And I should be offended by these words of yours because you are saying that I don’t care for you. That I created you and your world with a great multitude of faults. But I’ll overlook that as another of your usual quirks of misdirected character traits. Have you heard of Arthur Somers Roche? No? No matter. He once said that “Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.” Is that useful to know? In one of your many books around I once came across this piece of information about worrying – it said that about 50% of what people worry about will never happen; another 30% concerns old decisions which they cannot change anyway (so why worry about them?); about 12% is related to criticisms of themselves that are not fair in the first place – I told you so already! - and are probably made by people who feel inferior to the others anyway; AND so, in reality, only about 8% of one’s worrying is worth the effort because it can help you to find a starting point for doing something about whatever it is that is worrying you!

So what you are saying is that we are spending our time and energy worrying about the useless things in life without focussing on that which needs our full attention … You!

Exactly. Why do you consistently want to drain energy on what is either in the past, or is beyond your control when you can really spend positive energy dealing with what you can address? Let me ask you a question: What do you most hunger for – wealth, peace, health, love, the good life?

That’s not a fair question. Because you know how important these all are to our lives. Thinking about it though I could also say that possibly I could do without some of them if I tried hard enough.

Let me remind you that when I lived on earth I addressed this issue with those who sought me, especially after the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves. Where those followers simply hungry for things which satisfied their body or for that which satisfied their heart and soul? I was echoing the question posed by the prophet Isaiah: "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which does not satisfy?".

You mean to say that there are two kinds of hunger -- physical and spiritual?

Precisely…..But then isn’t that where this whole thing started from?

This, Lord, is now coming from deep within my heart. You alone can satisfy the deepest longing and hunger in my heart. May I always hunger for the imperishable bread, that I may be satisfied in you alone as the True Bread of Heaven. Nourish and strengthen me that I may serve you with great joy, generosity, and zeal all the days of my life. Thank you.

(This post was based on an original draft of 02-06-06)