True rest starts with re-establishing  our place in the universe. We were designed not only to live in community with other people, but to have a personal relationship with God: to experience His presence, know His unfailing love, and enjoy His  supernatural provision.  To live outside that fundamental relationship leaves a void that cannot otherwise be filled.

The problem we face is that there seems to be an enormous gulf between humankind, and mighty God, Lord of the universe. This separation from God has to be dealt with…

True rest starts with re-establishing  our place in the universe. 

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WHY DO WE FEEL SEPARATED FROM GOD?

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​Our problem is a guilty conscience; every one of us has missed the mark:

• We have all said or done things we shouldn’t have
• We all regret having failed to do other things
• We have all made poor choices at times
• We have all got little habits and idiosyncrasies, which we would rather keep hidden
• We have all had thoughts which we would not like to become public

                                                                                          

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All of these things have a price tag. Not only do they affect our inner peace, and our relationships with other people; they separate us from a holy and majestic God.                                          
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Who can free us from our history of failure? How can we stop feeling guilty? How can we feel clean inside?

JESUS TOOK OUR PUNISHMENT

A holy and righteous God cannot ignore the way man’s sin has ruined His creation; He cannot just say it doesn’t matter, and turn a blind eye. For Him to do right, He has to judge and punish the sin.

Amazingly, God found a way to satisfy His holiness and yet spare you and me the consequences of our failures.
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The Bible reveals that there is one God, but He is known to man in three different forms: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, (rather like H20 can refer to water, steam or ice—a simple analogy of a profound truth). So when I talk about Jesus or the Holy Spirit on this website, I am talking about God Himself.

QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK…
I want to know how to stop feeling guilty?
How can I know God personally?
​HAVE YOU GOT A QUESTION?

MY QUESTION

​God the Son (Jesus) came to earth in human flesh, fully human, and yet without sin. He chose to stand in our place and take the consequences on our behalf. When He hung upon the cross, Jesus took all of our wrongdoing, all of our shortfall upon Himself, and was punished in our place. For hour after hour, He suffered the righteous judgement of a Holy God, unleashed upon every evil, big or small, since the beginning of time. As Jesus died, He cried out, ‘It is finished!’ There was nothing left, not one single thing, standing in the way of you and me having a relationship with God.

​I am reminded of a simple story I heard many years ago when I was a teenager. The speaker, whose name I can’t remember, described an incident with his children:

His young daughter had refused to eat the poached egg prepared for her breakfast. In response, her father decreed that as it had been prepared for her especially, she was not to get up from the table until it was eaten.

The daughter was a strong-willed little girl, and sat… and sat… and sat. (Parents—you know what I mean!)

​The result was a stand-off between father and child, and an unpleasant atmosphere in the house.

Distressed at the relationship breakdown he was witnessing, her older brother decided to take action: he sat down and ate the cold egg himself.
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As the issue that was standing between them had been dealt with, there was no longer any reason to prevent father and daughter being friends again. And peace returned.

A simple story,  but a profound illustration.

Jesus took everything which causes our separation from God upon Himself, taking the consequences in our place, in order that  our fellowship with God could be restored.

You can read the story of Jesus' death here:

THE GOSPELS OF JOHN, CHAPTERS 18 & 19

Just Imagine…

• All those things I’ve thought, said or done, that I wished I hadn’t
• All those things I should have done
• All those things I could have done and didn’t
• All those mistakes I’ve made
• All those poor choices
• All the times I’ve fallen short of my expectations and those of other people
  
• Every bit of guilt and shame

​All the mess I’ve made from the beginning to this moment—and then on into the future; everything has been dealt with by Jesus…

​​So why not take the next step on your journey into rest?

*RHYTHMS OF GRACE

HEAR & RESPOND to the voice of God:
Sit a while quietly, and reflect.
What makes you feel guilty? Relationships? Mistakes? Poor choices? Things you have done, or think you should have done?
Identifying and facing up to these feelings is a big deal—and the first step to healing.
 
 
RECEIVE His wonderful provision:
Jesus' death bridged the gap between Heaven and earth; between you and God.
​In order to benefit from His sacrifice,  and take your unique place in the universe, you need to personally receive this wonderful provision.

​Find out how by clicking on the picture below:

​GET IN THE FLOW of His Spirit
If you have already done this, take some time to reflect on what you have been given… and let your praises flow!
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*For more information on how the term ‘rhythms of grace’ is used on this website, please see the INTRODUCTION TO RHYTHMS OF GRACE: A JOURNEY INTO REST AND PEACE

A BRAND NEW LIFE

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RHYTHMS OF GRACE: A JOURNEY INTO REST

[Photo credits:  Nik Shuliahin (stressed man); Solaiman Hossen (sunrise) @ Unsplash, with thanks]