Under pressure

There's nothing quite like the feeling of sweet relief from sustained pressure.

Whether it's hearing the final whistle after your team has held on to a 1-0 lead with only ten men for half the game, or that moment when you realise that you are not going to be late for that job interview after-all, or getting the electricity bill and knowing it is just low enough to be able to pay it this month, or finally reaching the toilet after a three hour car journey over potholed roads; no matter what the situation, when relief comes it is very very sweet.

'sore thumb' - Geddit?

The Sage-on-the-Hill was acting in a most unsage-like manner at the weekend when he accidentally closed the car door on his thumb, ouch.  After some time he realised that it was probably going to need hospital attention.  The throbbing had become unbearable, the pressure was building inside the damaged digit.

There was only one thing that could be done, the offending appendage had to be punctured, the pressure had to be relieved - instantly the pain subsided, sweet relief.

At Rathcoole Presbyterian Church the Rev also had pressure on his mind.  He was talking about the pressure that Jesus was under from all sides.  The Pharisees out to trap him, the hordes wanting healed, the need to teach, the constant demand for miracles, demons screaming His name at Him (Mark 3); all these things brought tremendous pressure on the Saviour.  So how did he overcome them?  He got alone with God, He got quiet with God and he got close to God.

When we feel so put upon that we could explode it is often because we feel that things are out of control.  The reality is that everything is out of our control, but it is not out of God's control.  We need to release the pressure to God, move it from our shoulders to His.  Talk to Him in the quiet places and let Him reassure us of His control in all situations.

Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

Luke 6:12

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Queen - Under Pressure

Say that again?

"Are you listening to me?" Of course not, Match of the Day 2 is on, my team are playing and I don't know how the match finished yet.  My eyes are fixed on the screen, John Motson is the only voice I hear, I am at one with the crowd, they sway, I sway, they cheer, I cheer, they groan, I groan.  Immersed as I am in the enfolding drama I still can hear something in the background, a voice, someone's talking (why are they talking?).  Eventually highlights of another dismal defeat for my beloved Everton come to an end.  



I turn to my wife and say "Of course I'm listening dear".  

"So you'll do it then?",

"em...what was it you said again?"

Let's be honest there are all times when we just don't listen, men AND women are guilty of that.  It's the same when God wants to communicate with us, we just don't listen.  I often struggle to hear God but it's not His fault. I'm too busy or I'm allowing myself to get distracted because I don't like what he has to say.  If we don't communicate with our partners our relationships suffer, it's the same for a relationship with God.

So how do we tune in?  In what ways does God communicate with us?  He uses words.  Words on the pages of the Bible, words from the mouths of other Christian people, words from pulpits....   He also uses your own conscience, that nagging feeling in your head that tells you things aren't right and he uses circumstances too.  God talks but do we want to hear?

I wonder if He has been speaking to you lately, how have you responded?  Have you found convenient distractions to avoid hearing or have you taken the time to listen and find out what He's been saying to you?

Start with the Bible,  God has revealed Himself to you through it. It's big and long so it'd be a good idea to ask for help in looking at it but there is one central theme, one big message that you should not miss.

'For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life'

 Don't ignore God, what He has to say is worth listening to.