Page 20 - Summer 2016 Contact issue 38
P. 20
Not I but WHY
So often we dwell on the ‘I’ and the ‘me’. We have heard from the pulpit there is a spiritual
We think about how God loves ‘me’, Christ died for battle in our church with the idols of individualism
‘me’ but we forget about the WHY, the “so thatâ€â€¦. and ‘the love of ’ money. If we focus on the ‘me’, this
so that we can do good works. It’s great that we can task is too big; it’s impossible. But together, in unity,
come to church and get fed spiritually regularly, but and with God at our side, we can do this. Until we
we can run into the danger of becoming spiritually examine our hearts and repent of our idols, we will
unfit. Just as our bodies require food to grow and have not see the bigger plan that God has for us in this
energy to do things, we can overindulge becoming church and in this town. We will only see what benefits
lethargic; lacking energy. So too, in our spiritual lives. ourselves and grumble like spoilt children; always
If we are constantly being spiritually fed without asking for things from God, but when we receive
putting into practice what we hear, we can become them, using them for our own purposes and not for
spiritually fat and lacking in zeal, grumbling if we the good of others. How we use our gifts now will
don’t like the food served to us. But God loves us so affect what God entrusts us with in heaven. So many
that we love others, He gives us gifts so that we serve times this doesn’t sink in for me – How we live now
others, He gives us money and material possessions so will impact on what we do/get in Heaven. God has
that we can give to the church and help others. chosen to reveal the mystery of the gospel, His
Cindy’s talks were about God’s glorious plan, our ultimate wisdom, through us, in the unity of His
identity in Him and the unity of the church. We may church. Unity is essential. We are not saved by good
have our own individual plans and ideas but ultimately works but are saved to do good works. Unity takes
God’s glorious plan is to have unity in the church practice. Keep doing it again and again, even if we
using individuals. Unity in High Kirk, unity get it wrong or mess it up.
in the churches of Ballymena, unity in the world-wide
church. He calls each of us as individuals so that we I believe that when our hearts are open and right
can be united in His body the church. If that is before God, then our hands will be too; not tight fisted
God’s plan, how can we ignore that, improve on holding on to what we think we deserve to have, but
that or put our plans above His? letting go of what God has given us, to help and build
Thank God that He cares about me as a person but up the church that contributes to God’s great plan.
it’s not all about me! It’s about us as a united church. How wonderful to be part of that, that God would
We are the bride of Christ and are waiting for the day want to use us, right now, in this place, at this time.
that Jesus will come back, but until then, we need to How glorious is that?
continue to serve God, be used by Him, follow Him
wherever, doing all we can with the right heart and Thank God for his glorious strength, riches, patience,
be unified in all we do. Thank God that He hasn’t presence, power, authority, compassion, grace, mercy,
given up on us. He gives us more time to realise what justice, love…..
we need to do, to turn around and go down the right
path. Jesus said in John 17:20-23
We are all aware of the building project that will take “I pray also for those who will believe in me
place, within our church. I believe that this is a great through their message, that all of them may be
example of how God can really test our church in a one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in
spiritual way. It is not about the building, the carpets, you. May they also be in us so that the world
the walls... but about us as people being united as may believe that you have sent me. Â I have given
individuals. Are we like the spies going into the them the glory that you gave me, that they may
Promised Land, afraid of the giants, the big impossible be one as we are one—  I in them and you in
task that as an individual we would be unable to me—so that they may be brought to complete
accomplish, or are we like Joshua and Caleb unity. Then the world will know that you sent
remembering that God is “bigger than bigâ€, with me and have loved them even as you have loved
Him all things are possible and if we unite together me.â€
we can do this?
Sylvia McCartney
