OzThoughts – Friday 12th September 2008

OzThoughts – Friday 12th September 2008

Little Johnny has been bringing his drawings home from kindergarten everyday since he started a month ago.
Each day his mother admires the pictures and hangs them on the refrigerator.
One thing starts bothering her though.
Little Johnny only uses black and browns for his drawings.
Fearing a problem with her young son and not wanting to make it worse, she decides to take him to a child psychologist.

The psychologist delicately goes to work. He gives Johnny a battery of psychological tests. He chats with Johnny.
Everything seems perfectly normal. The tests continue over a period of two weeks. Yet everyday, little Johnny continues to bring home drawings in only black and brown.

Frustrated at not being able to get to the root of the problem and fearful that something is terribly wrong, the child psychologist decides to give little Johnny some paper and a box of crayons and observe what happens.

Little Johnny opens the box of crayons and says "oh boy!
A new box of crayons!
At school we only have old boxes. The only ones left in mine are black and brown!"


I wonder sometimes if our religious practices are like that. We are using the old historic and traditional boxes and only pulling old experiences out and reliving them? Or are we seeking new things from God who makes all things new.

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank you for the freshness of each new morning. May I today find new experiences in my relation ship with you. Help me through your Holy Spirit to seek growth in this new day. Amen.

Meditation:

Lamentations 3 (The Message)
22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."

[Listen: Hymn Tune Melcombe : http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_981.mp3

New every morning is the love
Our wakening and uprising prove,
Through sleep and darkness safely brought,
Restored to life and power and thought.

If on our daily course our mind
Be set to hallow all we find,
New treasures still of countless price
God will provide for sacrifice.

Old friends, old scenes, will lovelier be
As more of Heaven in each we see;
Some softening gleam of love and prayer
Shall dawn on every cross and care.

The trivial round, the common task,
Will furnish all we ought to ask;
Room to deny ourselves, a road
To bring us daily nearer God.

Only, O Lord, in thy great love,
Fit us for perfect rest above;
And help us, this and every day,
To live more nearly as we pray.
Author: John Keble (1792-1866)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 668


[ Watch and Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/video/video_songs.htm
Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_2112.mp3 ]


Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with thee;
Thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not;
As thou hast been thou forever wilt be.

Chorus
Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed thy hand hath provided;
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Thomas O. Chisholm (1866-1960)
The Salvation Army Song Book Song Number: 33


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