Be a fan

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayer for all of you, I always pray with joy…” Philippians 1:3-4

I realised I’m not a real fan of the Australian Cricket Team. They’re the team I go for, but I always expect them to win and I’m quick to rubbish them when they are doing poorly.

Lately I’ve considered how much I enjoy being a real fan of people. There are quite a few people in my life that I consider myself to be a fan of. I’m not talking about famous people that I look up to, but people in my life that I easily believe in and look forward to the successes of.

It actually gives me a whole lot of joy to be a fan of people I know. It blesses me to see the best in people and to watch their potential unfold. A few times now I’ve seen that happen and felt that excitement for someone else for the future ahead of them.

Now that I realise that it brings me joy to see the best in others, I like to consider how I could deliberately favour people, by speaking well of them to others, by praying for them, or by encouraging them personally.

I get the sense from Paul’s letters in the Bible that he was a real fan of some of the people in his life. He wrote about the joy of thinking of them, praying for them and seeing them. Paul likened it to the joys of parenthood, believing in people as if he was their own father cheering from the sidelines and celebrating their victories.

It has done my heart good to believe in people. If I can honestly enjoy another person’s journey and be excited about someone else’s potential then it is going to multiply joy in my life. Enjoying others’ success is way better than envying it.

Who are you a fan of?

PS – Joy became part of our family today. We have a new member of the family in the form of a beautiful little bunny. Josiah suggested the name ‘Joy’ and Zoe suggested ‘Lily’. Sarah decided on ‘Joy Lily’. Of course I love the name. Certainly a year of joy for the Gee family.

Together pleasantly

How miserable and unpleasant it is when brothers live together in disunity!

Very few people enjoy conflict, although some seem to. We are all affected by conflict in some way, especially if you spend any time with other human beings. It can give you a bad moment, a bad day or a regrettable week. Even when we avoid it, the conflict continues on the inside.

What if, for the sake of joy, we considered how we could live in greater unity?

I’m of the opinion that much of our conflict is not about the ‘issue’ that might seem to divide us at a certain time. Rather it is about our hearts and the way we relate to each other. It is useful for us to ask ourselves why we have a pattern of conflict with a certain person or around a particular issue.

How often does it simply come back to fear? Fear amplifies our concern. It makes us find points of difference that don’t actually exist. It makes us respond defensively. Fear makes us want to control the variables in order to protect our interests.

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? James 4:1

Is there anything, within you, that could be causing you unnecessary conflict?

Of course, even though most perfect person can’t stop conflict from coming their way from others. Surely we all have enough difficulty controlling ourselves to know that we cannot control anyone else. I’m very glad that, “Make every effort” wasn’t deleted from the following next verse.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3

May we be ready to forego our pride; and may we be ready to extend grace to those who aren’t ready to. We’ll need that grace sooner or later as well.

What’s is stopping you from enjoying the “good and pleasant” part of living, “together in unity”?

Enjoy this picture from God’s Word.

How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!

It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron's beard,
down upon the collar of his robes.

It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.
Psalm 133

Wonderful chaos / A spot of joy

Wonderful chaos

Last Sunday I saw it. I could feel it. Pure joy.

We had driven for most of the day. It was our first time to travel so far as a family of five packed into the car. We had all been feeling the effects of so much change over the last few months and were very glad to be heading down the coast to our family’s favourite place in the world.

We had been there for less than an hour but we headed straight down to the beach to let the kids play. And they played. Sand is an invitation to play and they accepted whole-heartedly. They found their own space and started to dive in to the sand and pick it up and dig. They were giggling and running and beaming with smiles. It wasn’t long before the water started to call and they were in it up to their knees, now covered in water and sand.

Sarah ran around with the kids. My beautiful twelve week-old, Simeon, was cradled in my arms in a sling. I stood watching the treasure of my life, knowing that I am the richest man in the world.

In play, in that beautiful place, stress was washed away and joy rose up in our hearts. The whole trip was worth it for just that half hour.

There’s something wonderful about chaos. Just mix sand, waves and kids together - three variables that will always improvise so wonderfully together. You can’t stop the waves. You can’t stop sand from getting everywhere. My kids will always have fun when they play in both.

We need to let go of our attempt to control the variables of life. Real life - real joy - can’t be controlled. It bubbles up and takes us by surprise when we let go, when we play, when we take things moment by moment.

Let go. Embrace the chaos. Let joy overwhelm you.


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A spot of joy

Psalm 139

I just enjoyed the best part of a week in my favourite place in the world. It has the beach and it has the bush. In fact it has a lot of empty beaches and a lot of bush full of wildlife. More than all this, my favourite place holds a lot of personal history. In many ways I have grown up there.

I love the beach. There’s nothing like a huge, open beach. And I love it when we have it to ourselves as a family. I love the beaches of the south coast. Beautiful blue water, white sand, and backed by national park. What a great place for getting back to zero. Such a wonderful place for washing the stress away and being reminded God’s love and power are wild, mysterious and immense.

I love the bush there. I have taken countless walk there – through my teen years and now as a father. You can see just enough blue sky through the high canopy of green leaves. There’s enough fern and scrub to hide quiet kangaroos resting in the sunshine. I love the sound of the wind through the trees, it always reminds me of God’s power moving constantly and strongly. Walking in the bush, I always seem to spot interesting surprises.

There’s something about having a special place. A place you go to where you and God have history together. Where you’ve sought Him so many times before and found Him. I’m so blessed to have that place that I always look forward to being there. A place where I have done a lot of growing up, a place where my heart searches and my soul is restored.

Where is your special place?

When was the last time you were there?

Joy for strength

Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
From Nehemiah 8:10

I think it would be more obvious to say that your strength is your joy. It makes sense to me that our health, wealth, talents, relationships make us strong and bring us joy. But God’s advice to His grieving people is that joy from Him is their strength.

The people were weary from defeat and oppression. They were not about to trust in their personal strength and emotional resources. They had nothing. They needed strength, and God offers them His joy.

God’s joy is supernatural.

God’s joy doesn’t have to make sense.

God’s joy comes His way.

God’s joy can take us by surprise.

So how do we get this joy-strength that comes from God?

We seek Him.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
Psalm 84:5-7

We wait.

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 41:29-31

It’s not an obvious transaction. It has something to do with letting go of what’s bothering us, and our own attempts to make things better. It involves trusting Him.

And it comes. The joy comes. Not from our reason or resources. But from Him.

Let it come.

Fire-stoking

The last time I went camping was in unseasonably cold weather. The fire on the first night was a very popular spot for everyone involved. It was a great place to hang out, tell stories and stay warm until it was time to sleep.

I was the first up in the morning, which isn’t unusual for me. I walked through the camp while things were still and quiet. Dew covered the ground and it was possible to see my breath. I kept my hands safe in my pockets for warmth.

I saw the remains of the fire, now grey-white ash and black logs. But there were a few glowing embers underneath. Seeing that is like being issued a challenge - and I accepted whole-heartedly.

I carefully selected bits of small and dry scraps of wood as kindling and rested them close to the glowing embers. As they became alight I could add some larger sticks and start to rearrange the half-burnt logs to bring them back to fire-life.

Soon there was a steady heat and some real flames. I added the last few touches, a few large logs to burn. I chose gaps where the flame would rise and placed them against and over the structure of the fire. Beautiful heat began to radiate from the fire, enough to feel that contrast of having a warm front and a cold back.

I felt quite satisfied – even proud – to stand there being warmed by quite a reasonable camp fire. The fire was now ready to warm others as they woke uncomfortably from their camping slumber. It was ready to boil water for tea and again become the centre around which all would gather, restored to a quiet morning version of its evening splendour.

I didn’t start the fire, but I recognised the potential in it.

I can’t grow a fire by thinking, but I thoughtfully selected which things to add.

I couldn’t control the flame, but I carefully added each piece of fuel at the right time.

I enjoyed the challenge of building the fire, and I felt great satisfaction in seeing that warm fire and sharing it.

What fire do you need to stoke?