Getting the Centre Right.
by Malcolm Wood
While talking about the peculiarities of the English language with members of the team for whom English is not their first language one word caught my attention and I made an interesting discovery about it.
The word `united` meaning `being together as one, combined` takes on completely the opposite meaning if just two letters are reversed. By changing the central two letters `it` around `united` becomes `untied` which means `unloosened, insecure`.
How important it is to have the `it` at the centre of our lives in order so that we hold together and are complete and are able to display something of the characteristics and personality of our Maker,
Father God.
Each of us is made in God’s likeness, but sadly so often due to many reasons and circumstances of life that true identity or core identity has been hidden away because we have believed untruths about ourselves, for example things like `I`m no good`, `I`m a waste of space`, `No one loves me` etc., and so we build up an image of ourselves which we believe is how we ought to be or one which we think will be more acceptable.
While we may be able to go on for some time maintaining this untrue image of who we are,
eventually the pressure comes and the cracks begin to appear because we are not being true to our real identity. The `it` is out of order!
Only when we are prepared to face the real deep issues and allow God to reveal the truth about ourselves, i.e. that we are a child of God, and that we are accepted and loved by him, and that He desires a close relationship with us, that the `it` at the centre begins to come into order and we become complete and, united in Him and as such we have the strength (His strength) to face the world as the person He intended us to be.
The journey to self discovery in this way can be long, it can be painful but when we think of what Jesus went through to make it all possible, to rescue us from the lies which the enemy would have us hold on to about ourselves, and to give us hope and a future, is it too much to ask?
`He is all my righteousness, I stand complete in Him and worship Him.` (From `We have come into His house` (Bruce Ballinger).
Prayer: Dear Lord, please give me the courage to face those issues about myself which are out of order and contrary to what You think about me. Please help me to see things from Your perspective and begin to correct things so that I am brought back into line with Your will and purposes for my life. Amen.
Malcolm Wood and his wife Anna became part of the Ellel family as House Managers at Ellel Grange in 1990. Since then they have been involved with many aspects of the developing Ministry. From 2001 until 2015 they were Directors of Ellel Scotland where they hosted several International Schools and Operation Blairmore and helped pioneer the exciting Creative Inspiration Weeks. They have three sons.
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