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A few months ago we started a monthly "Bible Book Club." It's very similar to a normal book club, although the books we read are books from the Bible. Each month we read a book of the Bible and then meet together to share what we have learned, how God may have spoken to us through our reading, and what practical lessons we can take from what we have read.
At our most recent gathering, we were looking at the letter of Paul to the Philippians. It is a remarkably uplifting letter, considering the fact that when Paul wrote it he was in prison! One might have expected that, given Paul's circumstances, he might have been very downbeat. Not a bit of it! The letter is full of joy. In one passage he writes about his journey of faith as he has sought to fulfil the calling which God had placed on his life. He states, 'One thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus' (Philippians 3.4). He has a clear vision of God's calling, and is determined to press on towards the goal.
Quite a number of churches these days use modern projection systems to project words and images. I was recently in one of my churches which has that facility and happened to notice that when the system was first turned on, a message was shown briefly on the screen, something like this:
Clearly the manufacturers of the equipment (Epson) want to highlight the value of their technology. As I read those words, "Exceed your vision", it seemed to me a very powerful challenge to the spiritual life (and, indeed, to life in general).
Perhaps not everyone has a clear vision of the future to which they are aiming, or an understanding of the goals which lie before them. We may not have such a strong sense of a specific calling which Paul obviously had. But even if we do have a vision of the future, is the vision adequate? Sometimes, for example, our hopes and dreams are restricted by our too-small understanding of what God can do, or what we can do in his strength. I was asked recently which was my favourite Bible verse. I could choose so many! One of my favourites has to be a verse from another of Paul's letters, where Paul encourages his readers with the wonderful reality that God 'is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us' (Ephesians 3.20).
However big our vision, however great our faith in what God can do, he can do far more than even our greatest imaginings! Let's dream big dreams, let's allow large visions to grow in our hearts, but let's never forget that God can greatly exceed our vision!
Sue and I have recently returned from two weeks' holiday. Despite the fact that we had lots of rain during the fortnight (especially during the first week, which we spent in the Lake District), we thoroughly enjoyed our break.
The second week of our holiday was spent in Scarborough, which is just about my favourite place. I love being by the sea, and Scarborough in particular holds very many special memories for me. Scarborough, in common, I suspect, with many seaside resorts, has many benches for people to sit on, particularly along the Esplanade. Almost all of the benches have been donated by people in remembrance of a loved one; some of the plaques giving details are quite moving. Many benches have been placed so that anyone using them can enjoy a beautiful sea view.
One day during our stay in Scarborough, Sue and were returning from a long walk and as we made our way up a fairly steep incline we spotted a welcoming bench, and decided to have a rest. This bench had been placed on a pathway, and was facing the sea. Unfortunately, when I sat down my view of the sea was almost totally obscured by a tree! Perhaps in the winter period, when the leaves have fallen, one might get a better view from that bench (though whether the temperatures at that time of the year will be conducive to sitting on benches is another matter).
As I sat there pondering on the situation, into my mind came a thought relating to the tough times which we sometimes face in life. No life is completely straightforward or plain sailing. There are times when we feel as if we've come up against a brick wall on life's pathway, when we come face-to-face with a really difficult issue. This could be a serious health problem, a difficult relationship, financial or work-related struggles, or a host of other matters. The view ahead becomes obscure; we cannot understand what is happening or how to cope, and perhaps the question "Why?" pops into our mind. Why has God allowed this to happen? Does he have a purpose in my situation?
Just because the tree obscured my view, it did not mean that the beautiful view was no longer there; it was just that I couldn't see it. When I moved to a different vantage point, the view which had previously been obscured became visible. When big issues and difficult problems face us in life, when all seems dark and unclear, we need to remember that God is always able to see the "big picture" with a clear view. Our calling is to trust him.
