It didn't look like a tree, more like a giant white thimble that had been abandoned by some fantasy giant in the forest where I was skiing. All the other trees had shed their covering of snow and were standing upright and strong in the winter sunlight. This one was so deeply encrusted that it had become a hump of impenetrable layers of heavy snow.

What had caused this tree, out of all the others, to become bowed over, buried, and unrecognizable? How had it lost its natural appearance and the ability to shed a heavy accumulation of snow?

Was it some deformity of the branches? Some quirk of chance that had allowed a drift of snow to pile up against it? A gust of wind that had caused the other trees to shake off their burden, but somehow missed this one tree?

Whatever the reason, it was going to be some time before it was freed of its load to join its neighbours in the warmth of the early spring sunlight.

That can happen in our own lives. We allow guilt to deform us, circumstances to embitter us, regrets about the past to take away the enjoyment of the present. We encrust ourselves with grudges, jealousy, and defeat, missing the blessings of a loving God Who eagerly desires to touch the very centre of our lives with His warmth.

We can break free by aligning ourselves each day with God's Word and thanking Him for the way He has given us victory over "the sin that so easily entangles".

Prayer: Thank You, God, for the full and final cost of our sin being paid by Your Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. Thank You for forgiveness for past, present, and future sin. Help us to keep short accounts with You and to bask in the sunlight of Your eternal love. Amen.

I had a milestone birthday recently and a bunch of brightly coloured balloons was delivered to mark the occasion. I kept them around to amuse my grandson, who enjoyed leaping up to try to catch them. Even after three weeks, they still had a bit of life in them and floated at about his eye level, where he had fun whacking them. But they looked very drab and I decided they had to go. After his visit, I took a sharp knife to them, steeling myself for the explosions, but, to my surprise, they hardly popped at all. Although the point made large holes, they stayed in their shapes for quite some time before crumpling away. The material had been stretched for so long that they held their shapes without the gas inside.

It seems to me that sometimes my Christian life is like this. I become drab and flat, going through the motions of worship and prayer and allowing routine to rob me of the refreshment that Christ gives. Sadly, I know of some churches which are kept alive by legalistic traditions, having completely lost their connection with Christ, "not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God". (Colossians 2:19, KJV)

Prayer: Dear God, fill us anew with your Spirit today. Raise us to new heights of awareness of your power breathing into us that we might lift your Name up higher and draw others unto You for Your glory. Blow through Your Church in fresh and life-changing ways, that we might bring the good news to a dying world. Amen.

I was playing golf and hit a really terrible shot off the tee. It appeared to roll off into some bushes below the tee, and the threesome I was with immediately set off to help me locate it. The morning sun was shining right into our faces and made it difficult to see. Not wanting to hold up the play, I decided to hit another ball in its place, and we carried on to the green and finished the hole. As I replaced the flag, I looked back to see my ball lying in a perfect spot out on the open fairway. In fact, the wheel marks in the morning dew showed that I had wheeled my cart right past it.

I thought of the "game of life" that I play in partnership with my loving Father. How often I have become preoccupied in areas where He has not called me, going blindly ahead without waiting for His direction. Then, after sorting out the self-inflicted muddle, He has been gracious enough to reward me anyway!

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, we thank You that You are directing each one of us through our day today, that You are with us and on call as our Counsellor during each of the 24 hours. Help us to see with Your eyes the needs that are around us. May we respond with the love of Jesus as we are filled and empowered by Your Holy Spirit, and may this be for Your glory. Amen.

It didn't look like a tree, more like a giant white thimble that had been abandoned by some fantasy giant, in the forest where I was skiing. All the other trees had shed their covering of snow and were standing upright and strong in the winter sunlight. This one was so deeply encrusted that it had become a hump of impenetrable layers of heavy snow.

What had caused this tree, out of all the others, to become bowed over, buried and unrecognizable? How had lost its natural appearance and the ability to shed a heavy accumulation of snow?

Was it some deformity of the branches? Some quirk of chance that had allowed a drift of snow to pile up against it? A gust of wind that had caused the other trees to shake off their burden, but somehow missed this one tree?

Whatever the reason, it was going to be some time before it was freed of its load to join its neighbours in the warmth of the early spring sunlight.

That can happen in our own lives. We allow guilt to deform us, circumstances to embitter us, regrets about the past to take away the enjoyment of the present. We encrust ourselves with grudges, jealousy and defeat, missing the blessings of a loving God who eagerly desires to touch the very centre of our lives with His warmth.

We can break free, by aligning ourselves each day with God's word and thanking Him for the way He has given us victory over "the sin that so easily entangles."

Prayer: Thank you, God, for the full and final cost of our sin being paid by your Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. Thank you for forgiveness for past, present and future sin. Help us to keep short accounts with you and bask in the sunlight of your eternal love. Amen.