Hi everyone.

I’m sure you have all heard of the phrase, “can’t see the forest for the trees.”  This is something we can all fall into.  I get caught up doing the tasks that I have to do but lose sight of the big picture.  I’m busy doing what God has called me to do but somehow it has lost its flavour and excitement.  It doesn’t seem like the abundant life that Jesus promised us. (John 10:10)  Holy Spirit gives us a sense of when we are living in abundance.  Saint Irenaeus said: “The Glory of God is man fully alive.”  How else can we express Jesus to the world?  John spoke of Jesus this way: “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4, NKJV)  We are designed to live the abundant life as Jesus did and by being so we are light to the world.  You might have noticed that I said, “being so.”  Jesus did what he did because he knew who he was and walked out the abundant life that was in him.  He did not do what he did in an effort to prove to himself who he was.  Satan came to destroy the glorious image of God created in mankind.  Jesus came to reconcile us to God and restore the life and glory we were created to hold and reflect.  Remember the forest?  This is it!  When I get lost in the trees of doing, I must return to the forest of being.  We cease from striving to accomplish tasks and goals and enter into the promise of abundant life and seeing God’s designs and desires accomplished in and through us by the Holy Spirit. (Heb. 4)  This does not eliminate the doing; rather it becomes the truth, the essence, the power, the life from which all the doing arises. (James 2:20-22)  What are those designs and desire?  The reconciliation and restoration of every human being. (John 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 5:18-20)  Let’s not get lost in the trees.  Refocus with me and renew in Christ and let’s join in bringing resurrection life to lighten a dark world!  Because that’s what it’s at about.

God bless you all.

Pastor Merril