​We know it so well, we've embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God. God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. (1 John 4:16 The Message).
 
It is very clear from John 15 that the journey of a Christian is the way of love. Jesus describes this journey as "abiding in love" and this means so much more than simply 'staying put'. It has a sense of permanence, enjoyment, rest and of being at home. When we abide we are truly content and, I believe, able to relax. Abiding, however, is not a static state as it's a journey where we are rooted in sonship which, in turn, enables us to walk as Jesus walked. It enables us to come to the Father in a greater confidence, knowing that it is his desire to lavish good things on us and to see his will being brought to earth through us. 
 
The consequence of abiding is fruitfulness, it is not productivity. In his commentary on John's gospel, Stephen Hill writes: "Fruitfulness is not to be confused with productivity. Productivity is what we are engaged in when we are not abiding. Productivity is essentially self-generated whereas fruitfulness is generated from another Source." "The fruit of discipleship is to be a son like Jesus."
 
These words in John's letter are experiential words, the NIV says we know and rely on the love God has for us. Our Father is totally dependable and reliable. His love for us shows us that we don't have to rely on ourselves or our own strength. We don't have to do or be anything in order to be accepted by him. It is his unchanging love for us which draws us into the place of life and the fruit that will inevitably follow.

​At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:1-5 ESV)
 
This seems to be a recurring theme with the disciples, somehow they spend a lot of time discussing who was the greatest. 
 
When Jesus gives them his answer I bet they wished they hadn't asked the question. But yet, as Jesus answered them, there would have been no judgement or criticism, in fact it would have been said with the gaze of love firmly upon them.
 
There is only one way, Jesus said, and that is to come with a childlike heart. Having a childlike simplicity and dependence on another. In this case, on the Father. This is where the problem arose. For the disciples it was not easy, neither is it for us. We are not used to letting go of our pride and independence, we are not used to letting go of our self-sufficiency.
 
I'm pretty sure Jesus knows all this, and despite the difficulty, it's the only way.
 
There are two keys: turning and humility.
 
We have to turn. Sometimes you'll hear people say it's complete 360° turnaround - well that would leave you facing in your original direction, not a real change. I prefer turning through 180°, that way you're facing the completely opposite direction. That's what Jesus wants us to do - to walk the other way. To have a childlike heart we need to turn round and start a different journey.
 
It also takes humility (something we're not too good at). Humility is taking yourself off the pedestal, it's not self-deprecating but it's actually starting to see yourself for who you really are. True humility is described for us in Philippians 2 - Jesus, being the son of God, did not consider his equality with God something he could use to his own advantage, rather he made himself nothing and humbled himself.
 
What Jesus said to his disciples probably offended them; don't let it offend you!

​I imagine you're familiar with the account of Jesus' baptism. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are together in physical form for all to witness, maybe for the first time in history. Jesus is baptised, the Holy Spirit descends as a dove and the Father speaks:
 
Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:10-11 NIV)
 
This is a very personal word of affirmation which the Father speaks over his Son. In Matthew’s account it is a declaration about Jesus to the people listening and watching (“You are my Son….). Mark has chosen to record it as a personal and intimate declaration of a Father affirming his son simply for who he is.
 
The Father affirms Jesus’ identity as a son, he affirms his love for him and finally he affirms the pleasure and delight his son brings him. It’s a deeply personal affirmation. After his baptism, Jesus was led into the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan.
 
You may feel like you’re in the wilderness, you may be facing many different struggles and it is in those struggles that you, too, can hear the Father say: “you are my son, you are my daughter, I love you, I delight in you”. These are words we all need to hear on a regular basis. Why not ask the Father to say them to you today!

​Last week I talked about the free gift we are offered, “come all who are thirsty”. Today I want to ask the question: 'what is it like once you’ve tasted that free gift?'
 
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44-46)
 
In these two parables something of great value has been found and to the one who found it, it’s worth everything. 
 
I see three things in these two short parables. Firstly, it seems, in both cases, that the decision to acquire the pearl of treasure was spontaneous. Secondly there is great joy of acquiring something with such immense value. This was a one-off, certainly not an everyday occurrence. Finally, there was a sacrifice involved. It seems the sacrifice was worthwhile as both the pearl merchant and finder of the treasure were prepared to sell everything else they owned in order to buy this one treasure. 
 
For us, as we consider the pearl of great price these three factors need to become the driving force of our heart. There are times when the impulse of our heart takes over when our mind would prevent us from doing something. That's faith in action!
 
Yes, from last week we are offered something that is free. It’s free but it may cost you everything! 
 
As we discover the enormity of the Father's love for us it becomes like the pearl of great price. It's so precious we’re prepared for it to cost everything.

​“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost." (Isaiah 55:1)
 
This is an offer that is hard to refuse. How often can you buy something without money? It's clearly a transaction, something is being purchased but we are not the ones who spend the money. This is something that is bought for us because someone else pays the price. It's paid for and then gifted to us. 
 
This gift is not dependent on our abilities or effort. There is, however, something we need that enables us to receive the gift and this, simply, is a desire. "Come". 
 
We are never commanded to do something for God, we are always invited. 
 
This is what our Father is like. He invites us to come and have the desire of our heart satisfied. We may not know it, but within each of us there is a longing to know the Father as we made in his image. His nature is within us and that draws us to him. 
 
So if you desire more, simply “come”.

​Last week I wrote about how constant the plans of the Lord are. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the Lord and he does not change. He is loving us with an everlasting love. 
 
“I myself said, “‘How gladly would I treat you as sons and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me." (Jeremiah 3:19 NIV)
 
This is, I believe, the eternal plan of the Father. In Ephesians 1 Paul writes that, from before the creation of the world, we were meant to be sons and daughters to the Father. Although everything changed for us through the fall, God did not change. His plan remained the same and it does so today, for us.
 
This verse in Jeremiah summarises God's heart for his people: he wants to treat us as sons, he wants us to know that we belong and he wants us to live in the fulness of our inheritance. This is his desire but it seems there is something preventing that desire being fulfilled. 
 
What stops the Father's desire being fulfilled is our independence which is founded on rebellion. We do not come to him and call him 'Father'. He is reaching out to us. Can we respond with an 'Abba' cry in our heart? As we turn and acknowledge him as Father so we are able to walk into the affirmation of our identity, our belonging and our inheritance. We do not have to continue to live as orphans, we can come home. There is an open invitation for you to step into the arms of love.

​There's a lot of chaos and uncertainty in the world and there doesn’t seem to be many answers. It's too easy for us to feed on this and all that does is instil fear in our hearts. Fear paralyses. Fear is the opposite of love; it destroys our peace and takes away our rest. However, there is another way!
 
The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you. (Psalm 33:10-11 20-22 NIV)
 
We have a choice. Are we going to focus on the chaos and uncertainty or are we going to trust the One whose plans are eternal and unchanging? The news is depressing but it is not something that phases our Father. He is aware of everything that is happening, he is aware of the pain and suffering and he promises to be with us as we inevitably go through it. 
 
We do not have to place our trust in the ways of the world. We can turn and put our hope in the Lord; he is the one who saves us, he lifts us up to a safe place, high above the reach of the enemy. He does not create fear or uncertainty for he is LOVE. Fear paralyses, love sets free. Fear robs us of peace and rest, love builds up. Fear is insecure, love is secure. Fear is a house built on sand, love creates the most secure and safe dwelling place for us. Fear punishes, love affirms. 
 
There is no fear in love and so today I encourage you to put your hope in the Lord, in the One whose eternal love is always with us. This is our peace and rest.

Maybe, over the last couple of weeks as you've read these blogs, there's been a desire for rest or to find home. You have a longing but you're not sure what to do about it or where to begin looking. If this is the case then it's time to stop!
 
This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. (Jeremiah 6:16 & 7:3 NIV/ESV)
 
Sometimes we're just too busy. We don't give ourselves time to stop and reflect, to think about what really matters. We are caught up with the urgent rather than the important. At times like this there is only one thing to do and that's 'stop'. As we do we can heed the words of Jeremiah, we stop at a crossroad and look at the various options. It's too easy to choose the obvious, clear path in front of us but Jeremiah says there is another way. It's hidden, maybe overgrown with the busy-ness of life and therefore not so easily seen. 
 
The motorway gets you there quickly but how much beauty do you miss out on? Taking the ancient path may be slower, sometimes it may be harder but it will be the path that leads our souls into rest and peace. 
 
It is a choice and it may need us to change our lifestyle, our commitments or priorities. As we do, Psalm 23 will become our way of life:
 
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:1-3 NIV

​Last week I wrote about us finding our true home in the Father's embrace. For some, a homecoming can happen in an instant, whereas for others it's more of a journey as we set our heart in the direction of home. Over time, we are drawn deeper into the Father's heart and we start to feel content, we find our place of rest. 
 
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:9-11 NIV)
 
After Cain had killed his brother, the Lord appeared to him and told him the consequence of his actions: he would be a restless wanderer on the face of the earth (Genesis 4:12). I see that same heart in all of us. A restless heart where we are constantly trying to discover what more we need to do in order to feel loved, valued or accepted. It's a tiring way of living and one that will not satisfy. Jesus said "come to me and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28), he says that in the context of us knowing the Father. 
 
As our heart comes home we find rest. This place of rest is you knowing God as Father and allowing him to be a Father to you. It's much more than simply knowing about God, it's the same experience of relationship that Jesus lived in. If being restless is always seeking the 'more', then being at rest is knowing there is nothing more I need to do to feel loved, valued or accepted. It has all been done and we can rest from our works. There is a Sabbath rest where we take a day to rest physically, mentally and emotionally but there is also a Sabbath rest for the heart. This is not a single day but a way of living as we live in sonship rather than striving to be a good servant.
 
You can be busy but at rest, because rest is the state of your heart not your diary.

I believe that there's a longing in every human heart to know we belong, that each one of us can find a place we call home. This then begs a couple of questions: 'what is home?' and 'where is it?'
 
Those the LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. “I, even I, am he who comforts you." (Isaiah 51:11-12 NIV)
 
I enjoy travelling, I enjoy the whole experience (with perhaps the exception of endless airport queues). There is the excitement of new places, new people, new food and yes, yet another bed to become used to. However much I enjoy the travel, I am always glad to be going home, back to the familiar and of course the people I love. For me, there is a great sense of rest and peace to be back home. 
 
Our Father wants us to come home. Home to him, our place of true belonging. We see this very clearly in the story of the lost sons in Luke 15 but we also see this through the history of the nation of Israel. However far the people wandered there was always a Father calling them home; not only calling them home but providing the way for them to come home. 
 
We might live in a comfortable house and be content with our lifestyle. It may satisfy us in part but it will never be enough. What we seek, and what we desperately need to find is our home within the Father's embrace. It's a place of security where we can hear the Father say "you are my son or daughter and I love you", we hear him say "you are enough". That is the place of true contentment, it's when we know our heart has come home. 
 
Because the Father's love is not dependent on what we've done or not done, we can all turn and run into his open waiting arms where we discover the truth of who we really are. Let me recommend this song to you,  "I Will Run" - why not play it over and over and let the truth of the words soak into your heart. Allow the Father to bring you home.
 
(The link for this song is: https://www.afathertoyou.com/musicvideos.html and then scroll down)