Time For Celebrating

On this final Lord’s Day Sunday in another month, we look to the One who holds Time in His Hands. Time is measured by many of us in terms of chronological age, mainly.  When we are very young, time is almost foreign to us. We simply live life, unperturbed about time. When we get a bit older and we face school deadlines for assignments, examinations and such like, we become a bit more concerned about time, in context, mind you. As young people, many tend to run with the flow and the world and worldly ideas and philosophies hold sway. Life seems long and we think we have all the time in the world, so we live as if tomorrow is guaranteed. Then, when we become much older and life has slowed down considerably, time becomes of the essence. We tend to appreciate time, respect time and value time much more.

These thoughts, on this last Lord’s Day in a dying month, have been triggered by many time experiences. I know that for many, today is a time of celebrating various time events – achievements, birthdays and anniversaries – in different arenas. In this time called today, my closest and dearest friends and I, celebrate God’s unwavering, unchanging, unrelenting and unrationing faithfulness to us, over the time of eight years in feeding us in Green Pastures.

Indeed, this final Lord’s Day Sunday in the month of July, marks eight ever-increasing glorious years of the undeniable faithfulness of God, our heavenly Father, in giving us daily, BROFF – Bread Offerings. Today is no exception, for it is because of His unmeasured giving that daily devotions or meditations have been offered to all who would receive and feed on them by faith, with much gladness and thanksgiving.

In this time, we, all who read this BROFF offering of thanksgiving to Father God, all who will read it at some later time, all who will re-read it at some point in time and all who will hear and receive, at another time, some of the faithfulness of God in giving us Bread, His Living Word, cannot but respond in celebrating our Father in heaven. We celebrate Him and lift His hallowed Name high. We worship Him and bow low before Him, in deepest honour and respect, as through His Holy Spirit, we are enabled to be the recipients of His quickening Word to all who believe. We give unending praise and thanks to His Son, Jesus Christ, our Sacrificial Saviour and Shepherd, who has laid down His life for His sheep.

What a forever faithful God we love and serve!

As you meditate on this word at this time, whatever this time is for you, be very mindful that all you are doing, is in response to all that our Lord has done for you and me and continues to do in us and for us. Think about it, from the time of the birth of BROFF, and way before that time even, the Lord has been feeding us - caring for us, nurturing us, protecting us, teaching us - and more, much more. 

It is God who has given us time, on this Lord’s Day Sunday to celebrate His goodness to us. It is He who not only gives life, but cares for us, no other power or deity. We love and serve the Lord, because He loves and serves us. When I sit and think of how our Lord has fed and continues to sumptuously feed us only good, energizing, faith-building and spirit-strengthening food, I am compelled to feed and feed in Him only.

When you think of all that our Lord, our Good Shepherd gives to you in these BROFF – Bread Offerings and other offerings as well, does your mind not take you to think of the family Psalm, Psalm 23? When you too, like David, claim Jesus as your Shepherd, are you not speaking of His unstinting, ungrudging and unsparing service to you?  

Good Shepherd of the sheep, I laud and magnify Your ever Precious Name. I want my life to be set high on a hill, and not under a bushel, for I want all to see Your immaculate care of me, Your prone to wander and stray sheep, and run to follow You. Amen!

During this week, as we willingly, excitedly and energetically celebrate the graciousness and goodness of our Lord, we shall be keeping close to our Shepherd, in Green Pastures.