Selah2020: Pause and Reflect

[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 31/Jan/2021]

It was probably just another day, a day like any other, at least that’s what Joseph must have felt that morning as he got ready to go and supervise things at Pharaoh’s grain market. He certainly wasn’t expecting to hear his native tongue being spoken and when he looked up, he certainly wasn’t expecting to see his brothers.

It was probably just another day, one like any other, when Moses led the sheep up the mountain, heard a crackling noise, looked and saw a bush on fire… except the bush didn’t burn down! He then heard a voice telling him he was standing on holy ground….. His life was never the same after that.

It was probably just another day, one like most others, when a young Hebrew girl, going about her business encountered an angel named Gabriel. Her life was never the same after that.

It was probably just another day, one like any other, when a young man named Saul started off on his way to round up more of the followers of this dead Rabbi. Then as he passed the sign saying ‘Damascus this way’, he wondered what that bright light that had suddenly appeared was…… His life was never the same after that.

For me, I can’t remember what I did that particular morning just over 30 years ago; you could say it was a day like any other, but I agreed to go to an evening church service I had been invited to. Odd, because at that time, I didn’t do church. I went, however, perhaps out of politeness, or perhaps because I was fed up of being asked so often and had run out of reasons not to go. I can’t remember what the sermon was, but after it was over, I walked up to the altar and said God, “If what you are offering is true, please show me and help me to follow you as I can’t do it in my own strength and I’m tired of running“. My life has never been the same since then.

I don’t know what you are going through (aside from a worldwide pandemic), don’t know what challenges you have, don’t know how tired you might feel, but one day, a day like any other, you might hear God’s call. On that day, rather than be speechless, you could paraphrase Samuel and say “Speak Lord, I’m listening”, and then trust Him as he takes you on life’s journey. Believe me, your life will never be the same after that. Remember, it is likely to start off as a day like any other day.

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