Our baby is having a milestone this week. He is excited that he will then need 2 digits for his age. We are out on the hunt to get a cake and some gifts for the family celebration in 2 days time. I have a sermon to write and my receiver is not picking up the 1st signal that gets me going – so reflecting on the passage, chewing the text, praying for inspiration accompanies me throughout the day.
We Skype some family and friends and it is lovely to see and hear folk back in the UK. It was not long ago that my parents decided to get PC literate and get on-line. It is a welcome lifeline for my mum and for my brother who has MS too. Skyping mum was another milestone in her internet experience. (We all miss seeing her and our wider family in the flesh more often)
Next day we have a big pre-birthday day out at the zoo, the BioPark and the aquarium – the combo tickets grants access to them all. Mountain lions are huge when they are only 2 feet away from you. (Thankfully there is thick glass between us.) Someone who does not get things wrong ever, plans out the day.
We jump on the train to head to the top of the zoo, but we are on the wrong train and we head to the other parts of the park. It is a success as far as the kids are concerned and in reality too. We get to dine out, instead of the bagels we took with us and we get to see the other areas with enough time to head back to the zoo and round off the day right beside the carpark. This has been a long day, but a full one and we saw animals we had never seen or heard of before (Takins, Vinegaroon etc.) – another milestone. God’s creatures are incredible. Frankly anyone who thinks these things can evolve by chance from next to nothing has far more faith than I have – though that kind of faith is clearly misguided and is based on the paradigm which will not concede to there being an intelligent designer.
The milestone arrives, the gaping smile, the gifts wrapped up in poly bags, the map from the zoo, some napkins and anything else we find lying around are going to be handed over later. The trampolining and the party bit quickly come and go; energy spent, satisfied youth ready for refreshing and nourishing. Then these gifts are given and received. Jared is loved, valued and now is 10. The cake in enjoyed by all but his new Tee-shirt is not understood by everyone. It has a Mexican figure on it and the word’s “keep back, this is NATCHO business” Did you get it? It means that it “is not your business” – well we had a laugh about it. Then I thought about whose business it is – it is God’s business! Everything in every one of our lives is God’s business.
Day 16 calls us to take stock, and to plan the next couple of weeks and book hotels etc. There are some other milestones we believe we are to make as a family as part of this experience together.
So what has the creator got to make of all this milestone stuff? Well in 1 Samuel 7:12, we find Samuel, praising God for His faithfulness to His people. He raises a monument and calls it Ebenezer, meaning “thus far has the Lord helped us.” Hudson Taylor, the Chinese missionary also had a plaque displayed in each of his residences that read “Ebenezer—Jehovah Jireh,” Together, these Hebrew words say, “The Lord has helped us to this point, and He will see to it from now on as well.” Abraham and many others built altars wherever they went because they really understood this!
For me, I consider that every time I can influence people to think about God positively or at least to question their own spiritual views, is somewhat of a milestone. Just as victory over sin is a milestone. I have been preaching about perseverance which also incorporates many valuable milestones in God’s accounting system.
I need to have some developmental milestones too, like growing another inch like Jesus in my character. Learning quickly to forgive and ask for forgiveness etc..
Every moment I am seriously contemplating God’s word is a milestone too. But these milestones should all have certain characteristics.
One significant milestone in the life of Nehemiah and God’s people was at the dedication of the wall after it had been restored. When the wall was finally finished in Nehemiah 6:15-16, Nehemiah simply said, “So the wall was finished…” He was very matter-of-fact about it. Isn’t this a moment for celebration? Let’s cut the ribbon, invite everyone and give thanks to God – this milestone takes its place in history!
However, there was still a lot of work to do. The outward foundational security was built up, but the people still needed to be built stronger spiritually – that was the target for the next milestone. They did not really know what it meant to worship the one true and living God. They were only partly committed, working at their temporal lives and not realising the potential this next milestone would offer.
I am not sure if anyone back home understands what God is saying to us – but I am having such a great time listening to God’s prompts and encouragements.
He has amazing plans – so “and as for me and my family, We will be serving the LORD” Joshua 24:16
Here is a sketch that might help :-
1. Organized (A team was appointed Nehemiah 12:44)
2. Specific Commitment in resourcing (donations, first fruits, tithes, Nehemiah 12:44).
3. Thankfulness (The ministry of God’s servants working together brings great joy, Nehemiah 12:44)
4. Dedication to God (ALL God’s people contribute to His work, Nehemiah 12:47)
5. Regular in worship, showing true love (Daily), Nehemiah 12:47)
6. United (Everyone, in wholeheartedly fellowship and service, Nehemiah 12:47)
So may we seek and catch the vision which takes us to our next milestone!
We Skype some family and friends and it is lovely to see and hear folk back in the UK. It was not long ago that my parents decided to get PC literate and get on-line. It is a welcome lifeline for my mum and for my brother who has MS too. Skyping mum was another milestone in her internet experience. (We all miss seeing her and our wider family in the flesh more often)
Next day we have a big pre-birthday day out at the zoo, the BioPark and the aquarium – the combo tickets grants access to them all. Mountain lions are huge when they are only 2 feet away from you. (Thankfully there is thick glass between us.) Someone who does not get things wrong ever, plans out the day.
We jump on the train to head to the top of the zoo, but we are on the wrong train and we head to the other parts of the park. It is a success as far as the kids are concerned and in reality too. We get to dine out, instead of the bagels we took with us and we get to see the other areas with enough time to head back to the zoo and round off the day right beside the carpark. This has been a long day, but a full one and we saw animals we had never seen or heard of before (Takins, Vinegaroon etc.) – another milestone. God’s creatures are incredible. Frankly anyone who thinks these things can evolve by chance from next to nothing has far more faith than I have – though that kind of faith is clearly misguided and is based on the paradigm which will not concede to there being an intelligent designer.
The milestone arrives, the gaping smile, the gifts wrapped up in poly bags, the map from the zoo, some napkins and anything else we find lying around are going to be handed over later. The trampolining and the party bit quickly come and go; energy spent, satisfied youth ready for refreshing and nourishing. Then these gifts are given and received. Jared is loved, valued and now is 10. The cake in enjoyed by all but his new Tee-shirt is not understood by everyone. It has a Mexican figure on it and the word’s “keep back, this is NATCHO business” Did you get it? It means that it “is not your business” – well we had a laugh about it. Then I thought about whose business it is – it is God’s business! Everything in every one of our lives is God’s business.
Day 16 calls us to take stock, and to plan the next couple of weeks and book hotels etc. There are some other milestones we believe we are to make as a family as part of this experience together.
So what has the creator got to make of all this milestone stuff? Well in 1 Samuel 7:12, we find Samuel, praising God for His faithfulness to His people. He raises a monument and calls it Ebenezer, meaning “thus far has the Lord helped us.” Hudson Taylor, the Chinese missionary also had a plaque displayed in each of his residences that read “Ebenezer—Jehovah Jireh,” Together, these Hebrew words say, “The Lord has helped us to this point, and He will see to it from now on as well.” Abraham and many others built altars wherever they went because they really understood this!
For me, I consider that every time I can influence people to think about God positively or at least to question their own spiritual views, is somewhat of a milestone. Just as victory over sin is a milestone. I have been preaching about perseverance which also incorporates many valuable milestones in God’s accounting system.
I need to have some developmental milestones too, like growing another inch like Jesus in my character. Learning quickly to forgive and ask for forgiveness etc..
Every moment I am seriously contemplating God’s word is a milestone too. But these milestones should all have certain characteristics.
One significant milestone in the life of Nehemiah and God’s people was at the dedication of the wall after it had been restored. When the wall was finally finished in Nehemiah 6:15-16, Nehemiah simply said, “So the wall was finished…” He was very matter-of-fact about it. Isn’t this a moment for celebration? Let’s cut the ribbon, invite everyone and give thanks to God – this milestone takes its place in history!
However, there was still a lot of work to do. The outward foundational security was built up, but the people still needed to be built stronger spiritually – that was the target for the next milestone. They did not really know what it meant to worship the one true and living God. They were only partly committed, working at their temporal lives and not realising the potential this next milestone would offer.
I am not sure if anyone back home understands what God is saying to us – but I am having such a great time listening to God’s prompts and encouragements.
He has amazing plans – so “and as for me and my family, We will be serving the LORD” Joshua 24:16
Here is a sketch that might help :-
1. Organized (A team was appointed Nehemiah 12:44)
2. Specific Commitment in resourcing (donations, first fruits, tithes, Nehemiah 12:44).
3. Thankfulness (The ministry of God’s servants working together brings great joy, Nehemiah 12:44)
4. Dedication to God (ALL God’s people contribute to His work, Nehemiah 12:47)
5. Regular in worship, showing true love (Daily), Nehemiah 12:47)
6. United (Everyone, in wholeheartedly fellowship and service, Nehemiah 12:47)
So may we seek and catch the vision which takes us to our next milestone!
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