I trust that you are have all enjoyed your breakfast this morning, along with that very missed cup of coffee or tea that you managed without all week. There is nothing like giving up something to make you be thankful when you sit and enjoy it once again.
There have been so many wonderful things to reflect on as we come out of this time of fasting – looking back over the week it has been wonderful to have come together as a KingsGate family within our different meeting spaces, to have come together with a common purpose of pursuing Jesus as one, and to have come vulnerably, and in our human weakness hungry physically, and hungering for him to move through us, and despite us, together as one. As I left last night one of the conversations I had was of the wonder of the unity we have shared this week as KingsGate, which as was shared with me, a great blessing, as God says in Psalm 133: 1 ‘How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!‘ And in verse 3b – ‘For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life for evermore.‘
Seeking God together often takes different forms as we are lead by his Holy Spirit, these are not only in the corporate moments together, but in our own personal spaces as well, and often our fasting reveals aspects of our personal lives that we weren’t aware were still bubbling below the surface, this has certainly happened to me this week. While this can be a challenge it is good, as we pursue our wonderful Jesus, he will always be working within us, and in a fast we perhaps give more space and time to letting him into these spaces, and allowing him to expose, challenge, and love us with his amazing grace. I have found myself being absorbed into Ephesians in the last few days, and am feeling excited for our next series as we look at Ephesians exegetically in KingsGate Kingston. This does not exclude you if you are in any of our other communities as Keath will be preaching beyond Kingston, but you too can enjoy the wonder of Ephesians by opening the pages of your bible and dwelling there a while. I was drawn to Ephesians 1v 18-20 ‘I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he has called – his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. 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’. Paul shared v 19 as we prayed together in Ham, and last night as we met in Kingston. Let us continue to believe and hold onto this great power that is at work for those who believe in him.
And a final note, KingsGate, to be aware and watchful of all God has done, and is doing in this time, and in His time, it is good, but our enemy would love to rob it from us, to destroy the work God has started, so be watchful KingsGate. Why do I say this, well it is amazing how quickly our guard can drop. Last night after returning home we were chilling a bit, chatting, and then went to quickly clear up the kitchen before heading to bed when out of the blue I got irritated with my husband, I passed an offhand remark in a moment of irritation. He became quickly frustrated with me, and me back at him. Grumpy words were exchanged and immediately regretted. It struck me in those moments how we’d got through the fast with such grace, we were thoughtful, and considerate and then post fast, and post feast with satisfied tummies I dropped my guard, allowing tiredness to get the better of me. We ended up next to each other, each grumpy with the other, and I’m thankful in that moment for the grace of my husband, who reached out and said let’s not do this over such a silly thing, we chatted and we let it go, and we apologized to each other, not allowing the sun to go down on our anger, allowing Jesus back into our space, ensuring that the room he had created this week was not lost. Song of Songs 2:15 ‘Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming’.
So be vigilant and keep loving each other well, and allowing the Spirit in to renew our thoughts and attitudes, as Paul reminds us to do in Ephesians 4: 23.
