Timely beauty Week 28, 2017

I hadn’t understood that truth at a time, in fact the connection between the two bits of scripture were initially lost on me, but they are a great comfort. It is stark reality.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace.

What gain has the worker from his toil?   I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end Eccl 3:1-11(ESV).

There is a time for everything, and everything is beautiful in its right time. Now when anything happens outside of its time, like rain during the dry season, it is not beautiful. Tears at the death of a loved one are beautiful. Screams of joy at the birth of a long awaited baby are equally beautiful. What matters is the timeliness. It is also the good Lord that determines seasons and times, ours is to prepare for those times and seasons and make good use of them. For each season has a purpose. And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me ... unto the uttermost part of the earth Act 1:7, 8(ISV).

How must we respond to changing seasons and times? We must press on with the work of the kingdom no matter how the season appears in our understanding. Just as you do not understand the way of the spirit in the womb of a pregnant mother, so also you do not know what God is doing in everything he makes Eccl 11:5 (ISV). No matter whether we interpret it as favourable or unfavourable, we must joyfully work. Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season 2Tim 4:2(ESV). But actually no season is unfavourable when it comes in its God-sent time; each season is beautiful, and a season for focused, though differing, labour. Sow your seed in the morning, and don't stop working until evening, since you don't know which of your endeavors will do well Eccl 11:6(ISV) 

Exercise unto fitness week 27, 2017

I realised I was panting with a little exertion. Was it illness? Was the heart failing? Those were the symptoms of lack of fitness. If you’ve ever exercised after a long layoff you’ll agree it’s not easy. The heart pounds, the pains come, and the desire to stop keeps calling. Fitness does not come by birth but by a combination of good food and exercise. You have to exercise to be physically fit. After more than a week of steady exercise the panting stopped, a feeling of wellness washed over me. Relief! There are diseases which come because one is not physically fit, and diseases fought (at least in part) by staying fit and improving fitness. The good thing is that everyone with normal faculties can become physically fit.

Have you noticed godliness is akin to fitness, something attained (not bequeathed)? Hear this: But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come1Tim 4:7, 8(KJV). This indicates that like we exercise the body, train the body unto fitness so we train, we exercise our souls and spirit to its own fitness called godliness. Instead, train yourself to be godly1Tim 4:7(ISV). So righteousness is given you as a gift at new birth but godliness is what happens when you work out. And so, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only when I was with you but even more now that I am absent, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling Php 2:12(ISV).

In physical training you work against resistance, repetitively and gradually increasing the resistance, distance, speed etc. How do you exercise spiritually? How do you train yourself to be godly? The above verse tells us: just as you have always obeyed. It is by obedience. Repetitive obedience to what the spirit of God says that we do the spiritual workout. It becomes easier and easier to obey God and live the Christ like life. Gradually those things which God says “do” that seemed impossible become possible and habitual! The thing about fitness is that we work to get fit, and keep working to keep fit. No matter how physically fit one is, should exercise stop the fitness is gradually lost. Then you have to start again. Fitness is not just a matter of age; it is very much a question of exercise.

Physical fitness it a matter of practice; ever heard someone say “I’m going to the field to practice”? Practice what you believe God has told you, practice what you hear from His word and you grow in the faith. But solid food is for mature people, whose minds are trained by practice to distinguish good from evil Heb 5:14(ISV). Child of God a life of continuous godliness is possible. Yes every born again child of God can be godly. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the full knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence2Pt 1:3(ISV).

How spiritually fit are you?