It’s remarkable that, at seventy-five years old, Abram started on a new adventure. This was not part of some long-held retirement plan he and Sarai had imagined, but the ongoing maturing purpose of God shaping their lives. 

Patience is described as the ability to wait, tolerate delay, face problems or suffering, to continue living despite difficulties, without complaining, becoming annoyed or anxious. As we read the story of the Israelites, we see that in exile they experience slavery and suffer from a high degree of impatience.

As Christians we are always invited to take the long view. I recall that when so-called credit cards were first introduced, one marketing strapline read, ‘It takes the waiting out of wanting’. The focus was on immediate gratification, a virtue in our materialistic society. Yet, the very name credit was an attempt to place a positive spin on what is accumulating debt.

When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, we need to note the authority of God’s Word. God’s Word was the sole source for Moses’ work of faith. It’s easy to make valid excuses when our lives fail to reflect the qualities revealed throughout the Bible. In life’s busyness we become distracted and absorbed simply in getting by each day.

Jesus said, ‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’ (John 10:10). We desire to own things because we think they protect or improve our lives. We all too easily treat God as our lucky charm. Five thousand hungry folk saw Jesus as a fast food outlet, and He saw right through their selfish desire (v26).

Morality, or right behaviour, was subject in 2019 to a BBC survey of 3,655 adults (aged 16+) looking at issues from relationships to the environment.* Whilst 70% agreed that a moral framework is important, belief about right or wrong differs greatly.

Google reveals that mustard trees reach an average height of between 6 to 20 feet (2–7m), with a 20foot (7m) spread; they can reach up to 30 feet (9m). Quite remarkable, given the size of their seed: 1–2 mm! So what constitutes the ideal conditions for faith to grow? It is always God’s gift (Eph. 2:8).

Having considered God’s Word and will, we now turn to God’s work, both in us and through us. These verses present the essence of living every day with Jesus. We must constantly explore how to grow the mustard seed of faith that God’s Spirit deposits in our heart, and refuse to hold grudges against others.

Following a global pandemic, fuel shortages and pressure on the ‘just in time’ supply system, we are more conscious of the possibility of a calamity, a great misfortune, a cause of misery. Many live in calamity daily, from refugees to addicts. God’s promise is that even in the face of calamity we can retain confidence in His purpose. One of the most challenging truths from Scripture is that we are never

The wonderful thing about God’s will is that whilst obedience pleases Him, it equally refreshes us. Obedience is like enjoying a fresh shower in God’s Spirit, continuously. The experience of a shower, the warmth of the pressurised water literally cleansing the skin and physically rebooting us, restores every aspect of our being; physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual.