stand.

Joy Revie

In our smallgroup, we have been reflecting over the ups & downs of what 2025 brought us and looking ahead to what our aspirations and worries are for 2026.

It's often a time of mixed emotions. Maybe we can see God's hand in our lives, being grateful and encouraged for His goodness.
Or equally we may feel disheartened and daunted with challenges that we still face, pushing us out of our comfort zone, even questioning if God is really there.

I admit I found the last few months of 2025 very challenging. I ‘wrestled’ with God and confess I was very disappointed with Him. I felt let down and confused.
I had no peace until I laid down all MY carefully worked out plans, which were not working out at all.
It left me emotionally, physically and spiritually exhausted.

For some reason I started reading a book by Karl Martin called ‘Stand’. I have no recollection where this book came from, just one of those books that appear on the shelf!!
I think the title resonated with me as all I could do at this point, most days, was to just aimlessly stand.

The book is an encouraging call for us all to live out our Christian lives standing on the truth of who God is and who we are in Him:

‘Jesus walked so we can Stand…and now we are His Stand In…
We are called to Stand Up and Stand Firm and Stand Out. And then Stand Back?
Not primarily because your job is done. But because this is the essence of our job, our task. To Model a Stand, to Inspire a Stand and to make a way happen.
You see, if we Stand in Well, Stand Up Well, Stand Firm well and Stand Out as we are supposed to and then Stand Back, we have the potential of causing a Standing Epidemic that will change the world.’
(Karl Martin)

This standing is something we do just exactly where we find ourselves… our own town, job, community, school, office.
It's something that should be a natural part of our everyday life.

I sought to hear the voice of God and climbed the topmost steeple,
But God declared: ‘Go down again - I dwell among the people’
(John Henry Newman - Theologian)

I love the verse in Hebrews 10, where the writer encourages us to do just this:

So let's do it - full of belief, confident that we are presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps His word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshipping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.
(Hebrews 10: 22-25, MSG)

So can I encourage you, to join me, to continue to Stand Out Together.
To Stand Firm in battle, even when faced with disappointments and challenges.
To Stand Up for others and be prepared to Stand Out with our counter-culture lifestyle in our communities.