Tuesday 12 March 2013

Join the dots

Do you recall those children's books, with numbered dots, outlining some person like Father Christmas, or some animal such as a rabbit? My skill as an artist didn't  ever get much better. 
The latest report on Jimmy Savile suggests the Police never managed to join the dots in the information they had about him stretching back 50 years. The results are all too well known.
But we all of us fail to join the dots, in different settings. 
This is not said to excuse the police, but to remind us of our human failings.
St. Paul tells us of our human capacity to ignore the truth, when it suits us. 'God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.' (Romans 1.18-20)
The evidence for the presence of God is all around us, and yet by nature we don't join the dots and see the invisible God behind all that is visible. We prefer our own independence, and live as though we were our own boss. 
Another area where we don't join the dots is in relation to changes Jesus can make in our lives. Paul prays for his Christian friends to see the power that is available to us. 'I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power  that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honour at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.' (Ephesians 1.19-20)
Today, we can live as people who do join the dots, and submit ourselves to the will and worship of the God who made us, trusting him to work with resurrection power in our weak and flimsy lives. Then, the praise will go to Him and we will be astonished - all because we learned to join the dots.
Best wishes,
Richard

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