Down in Dunedin this has been a time of struggle and pleasures. Last night was one of the later evenings: the photog and I managed to find a very geeky bargain, and on the way back from doing that I saw the sunset. Out came the only cameras on us — the cellphones, and one of these was “autoawesomed” by Google and found a use this morning.

And on the way back I talked about how when I feel I hear the voice of God I doubt. Because I have great difficulty working out what is my wishes, what is temptation masquerading as good, and what is true prediction. I have heard many people say they have words from God. I’m not that bold: and the idea of being a prophet scares me.

So I blog the lectionary. This time is Chaotic. We need to recall that God does have control, and that control is to redeem this world, not reduce it to slag.

Therefore we need to have confidence, not fear.

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
(Psalm 46 ESV)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

(John 3:16-21 ESV)

I have said this before: this blog is more of a discipline than a ministry. It forces me in two ways: to read systematically scripture, for all verses within the Bible are read within the cycle, and to think about what they say.

It also forces me to write, and I find writing clarifies things, and brings a modicum of precision. The written word solidifies thought. For many of us, the blogs provide communication and ministry in a way that social media cannot.

But for some, that time will end, and Elspeth is wise to obey where she is being led.

As an administrative aside: if blogs stay up, they remain in the link list, and if a blog is there is is not necessarily an endorsement. Some of the useful fools I admire, and some of the nutraditionalism and kirk people I disagree with.

I’m not one of those christians who hears the Holy Spirit speaking to her all the time. It’s just not my experience. There have been three times in the past 20 years since I got serious about my walk when I was sure I’d experienced it, and last week was number four.

I have been in what can best be described as a state of spiritual stagnation, and it’s something I have been praying about. Hearth recommended I read a book, The Bondage Breaker, and I was getting into the study and praying I felt in my heart as if one of the things I need to do to move forward is stop writing here. As if it’s time to strip away some of the things that are a distraction from the most important things.

And so, this is my last post for the forseeable future. I’m not going to delete the blog or start another anywhere else. I don’t anticipate vanishing away completely, either. it’s just time to realign my priorities and this blog no longer fits in. I don’t imagine there’s anything I can say that I haven’t already said between the two blogs so the archives will always be there to bless anyone who might stumble upon them.

God is our refuge and strength. In him we have refuge. In him is our security. He is the person we need to obey. Not the audience, not the crowd: for if we appease them we lose any use, and whatever blessings we have turn to dust.

May that be not so.